Five honored for community service in Monument

At its annual picnic on July 3, the Masonic Lodge in Monument recognized five community members for their outstanding service. All of the awardees received an acrylic trophy and a check.

Lt Jon Githara of the Colorado Springs Fire Department, a lifelong resident of Monument, was selected as the 2021 Firefighter of the Year. He received $200.

Haile Stegall, a 2021 graduate of Air Academy High School, was awarded a $1,000 scholarship. She will be attending Colorado State University this fall.

Jill Lucas, a first-grade teacher at Explorer Elementary in Academy School District 20 for 13 years, was recognized as 2021 Teacher of the Year and presented with a check for $200. She has accepted a position to teach at Chinook Elementary this fall.

Officer Ryan Sebastian of the Monument Police Department was selected as the 2021 Police Officer of the Year and received $200. Police Chief Sean Hemingway said Sebastian is in line for promotion to sergeant.

Bricen Sites, a Liberty High School graduate who was unable to attend the picnic, was awarded a scholarship of $500. He will be attending UCCS this fall.

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Education updates

• Anna Cole (80908), Collin Kemp (80118), Laurel Kruse (80908) and Brooke Sweatman (80132) were named to the spring Dean’s List at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Ill.
• Garrett Craig, of Monument, was named to the spring Dean’s List at Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill.
• Molly Guiberson (80921) was named to the spring Dean’s List at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.
• Eric Harline (master of accounting), of Monument, and Danielle Bullock (master of business creation), Maddie Dewey (bachelor of science in kinesiology) and James Grundy (doctor of dental surgery), all of Colorado Springs, graduated from the University of Utah.
• Katelyn Zaiger, a Rampart High School graduate, received a $1,000 Roger Hamilton Scholarship from Minnesota State University Moorhead, where she is majoring in film production.

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Colorado Springs Health Foundation seeks board members

The Colorado Springs Health Foundation seeks three volunteers to serve on its Board of Trustees starting early 2022.

The city of Colorado Springs entered into a lease of Memorial Health System to UCHealth effective Oct. 1, 2012. As part of that lease, the City established the Colorado Springs Health Foundation, whose mission is to provide grants to target immediate health care needs and encourage healthy living in El Paso and Teller counties.

A nine-member Board of Trustees governs the affairs of the Foundation. Trustees are nominated by the mayor and appointed by city council. Trustees must be at least 21 and residents of the city of Colorado Springs. The Foundation seeks candidates with knowledge, expertise, education or experience in one or more of the following areas:

• Behavioral health (mental health and/or substance use disorders)
• Investments/Finance
• Health-focused nonprofit service delivery

In addition, the Foundation seeks candidates who provide diverse perspectives and lived experience relevant to the work of improving community health. This is a volunteer position, and requires a minimum commitment of six hours per month. Trustees can serve up to three, three-year terms.

Those interested should complete the online application at coloradosprings.gov/boards. Applications are due by 5 p.m. July 31.

For more information about the trustee role, contact Cari Davis, executive director of Colorado Springs Health Foundation, at 79-510-2204 or cdavis@cshf.net.