Three to be inducted into Fremont Hall of Fame

CAÑON CITY – The 12^th annual Fremont Hall of Fame induction ceremony will honor three citizens whose civic commitment has greatly enriched the Fremont and Custer County communities.

Dr. Lana Carter, Charlene “Char” Lindner and Brendan Pardue will be inducted April 26 at the Abbey Event Center, 2951 East Highway 50. The evening will begin with cocktails at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:30 and the program at 7.

The event is a fundraiser for the Pueblo Community College Foundation. Proceeds benefit the foundation and its efforts to provide scholarships for Fremont and Custer County students who attend PCC’s Fremont campus.

Dr. Lana Carter is dean emeritus of PCC’s Fremont campus. Prior to beginning her PCC career, Carter worked as an expert advisor to the U.S. Departments of Defense and Justice concerning their studies about the psychological impact of terrorism. She also worked as a consultant and curriculum developer for St. Petersburg College’s National Terrorism Preparedness Institute, focusing on terrorism and criminal mass casualty incidents.

Her career in higher education began in 1999 as a psychology faculty member and department chair at PCC’s Pueblo campus. In addition, she served as dean of arts and sciences, executive dean and chief academic officer before becoming leader of the Fremont campus in 2013. She completed a pre-doctoral clinical residency at the Southwest Consortium in Albuquerque in 1995 and received her Ph.D. in counseling psychology from Colorado State University in 2002.

During Dr. Carter’s years at the Fremont campus, major renovations of classrooms and the Learning Resource Center were completed and additions were made to the Testing Center and study rooms. Working with the PCC Foundation and supporter Walt Schepp, she helped plan and raise funds for a new Student Commons addition.

She and members of the campus faculty and staff developed strong relationships with area school districts. This resulted in an increase in concurrent enrollment classes offered to students on the high school campuses, providing teens with a head start on their college careers.

“In my role as dean, I had the honor of working with dedicated professionals on campus and across the region,” Dr. Carter said. “My Fremont campus colleagues serve PCC students and the community with the highest of standards. Many community organizations work tirelessly to support the campus and our students. I am so thankful and humbled to have been part of this amazing team.”

Dr. Carter and her husband, Alan Ziff, have lived in Fremont County for 12 years. They have three children and 10 grandchildren.

Char Lindner made her way to Canon City from her native Pennsylvania in 1975 and taught middle school physical education here for 32 years. She received her bachelor’s degree from Slippery Rock State College and master’s degree from the University of Northern Colorado.

Through the Rotary Club, Lindner used her love of photography to create the Let There Be Light Scholarship for first-generation Canon City High School graduates. It is supported by the proceeds from all of her photography work, as well as Rotary calendar sales and other donations. To date, tens of thousands of dollars have been raised for the scholarship fund.

She is also active in her church, the Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative committee, Rotary projects and the Fremont School and Public Employees Retirement Association. Lindner credits her mother with being her role model for community involvement.

“This is not about me. This is God connecting the dots, orchestrating sequences of events,” said Lindner. “This is the teamwork of support of family, Rotarians (and) community. It truly takes a community to raise a child, so this award is really a mosaic given to all of us.”

Lindner and her husband, Steve, have two children, Travis and Brooke, and one grandson.

Brendan Pardue is a native of Fremont County. He graduated from Holy Cross Abbey, where he set several school records in track and football and worked as a teacher and coach in the 1980s.

He attended Regis College to earn his bachelor’s degree in history, religious studies and philosophy. He received a master’s in guidance and counseling from University of Northern College. During a 25-year career with the Department of Corrections, he worked in housing, security, education and recreation. He also taught psychology, history and philosophy classes at PCC from 1993-1995 and spent several years working in the mental health field.

Over the past 36 years, Pardue has restored 12 historic properties, most recently the Gibson Mansion in Cañon City. He has offered free use of the property to nonprofit organizations for fundraisers and other events. He also provides accommodations for visiting dignitaries, artists and athletes.

He is a board member and actor with Fremont Civic Theater and has performed in more than 30 community productions over the past three decades.

Through his membership and philanthropy, Pardue has supported the Museum of Colorado Prisons, Valdai Sister City Association, Cañon City Chamber of Commerce, Canon Rose Acoustic Society, Humane Society, Rialto Theater and many other local civic and arts-related organizations. He gives history tours at the Abbey and hosts an annual Holy Cross Abbey-St. Scholastica Academy reunion reception at the Gibson Mansion.

“I am honored to join the recipients who have shaped Fremont-Custer County, especially when I consider all the incredible people who have preceded me,” he said.

Pardue has two daughters, Sara and Brandess, and nine grandchildren.

Tickets for the induction ceremony are $45 per person. Sponsorships also are available and range from $150 to $1,000. For reservations and information, call the PCC Foundation at 719-544-0677.

The Fremont Hall of Fame was established to honor individuals, living or deceased, whose extraordinary efforts in education, business, arts and humanities, philanthropy, government, law, science and technology, and health and human services have contributed to the betterment of Fremont and Custer counties. Anyone may nominate a person for induction; recipients are selected by a panel of community members.