‘Spirit of the Pioneer Awards’ to be presented to Butch Theos and Sally Lou Shultz
MEEKER | The Rio Blanco County Pioneers Association is excited about our 114th annual celebration coming up Aug. 9 with doors opening at 4 p.m., dinner at 6:30 p.m., and awards and dancing to follow. This year we are having our celebration at the Bar 7 Ranch. They generously donated their beautiful venue and it certainly fits our theme of “century families” as the Bar 7 has been in the family for five generations.
We will have a cash bar, catered dinner, and an outstanding DJ to make for a fun evening with the opportunity to catch up with old friends and celebrate our culture that is unlike any other with friendships lasting generations.
This year we are proud to present our “Spirit of the Pioneer Awards” to two incredibly deserving and outstanding people that are both a part of century ranches. Each has their own stories of how they have managed to keep their ranches going, keep family involved, and represent what is so genuinely good about this community.
Butch Theos is a long time sheep rancher who has the unique experience of having the sixth generation living on the Swallow Fork Ranch. His story of perseverance and progressive ideas is remarkable and anyone who knows him knows he manages it all with an unmatched sense of humor and an unwavering loyalty.
Sally Lou Shultz is our next award winner and another who demonstrates tremendous love for her ranch, the Johnson Ranch on Piceance Creek. She has so many accomplishments outside of Meeker but her summer camp is home. If you know Sally Lou you know her kindness, compassion for others, and her representation of what being a good neighbor is. We could not be more honored to have two outstanding representatives that have helped make Meeker what we cherish so much. There will be complete stories of these individuals on our website, Facebook, and at the celebration.
We’d like to thank Blunt Aviation and Karen Peroulis for taking aerial pictures of the century ranches and offering prints to those who are interested. Everyone who registered before July 31 was entered in a drawing for a night at Trapper’s Lake Lodge and we have a winner. We would like to thank supporters who have made this possible: the Bar 7 Ranch, Trapper’s Lake Lodge, the Lodging Tax Board, the Meeker Chamber, and all local hotels have offered a discount for people coming to town for this event, and of course the Herald Times for always helping our association. Tickets are available at the chamber, online, or at the door. If you have any questions please call 970-296-2151. Come join us, it is an opportunity unique to our town and a tradition we want to continue.
By HALLIE BLUNT