Four to be inducted into Fremont Hall of Fame
CANON CITY – Four outstanding community members will be inducted into the 14th annual Fremont Hall of Fame take place on Friday, April 12 at the Pathfinder Event Center in Florence. Those being honored have been selected because of their civic commitment which has greatly enriched the Fremont and Custer County communities.
Todd & Kelly Albrecht, Susie Bell and Delores Comstock will be inducted during this year’s event. The evening will begin with cocktails at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. and the program at 7 p.m.
The Fremont Hall of Fame 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.
Todd and Kelly Albrecht are being inducted in recognition as being extraordinary educators whose tireless efforts, innovative approaches, and commitment to education and the arts have left an indelible mark and an impactful legacy in the Canon City School District of Fremont County. As beloved educators, they, in their own unique way, have motivated, inspired, and supported all of our students in our exceptional school district.
Todd began and ended his 31-year career in education at Canon City High School. He was well known throughout the state as an outstanding director of show choirs as he provided his talented students numerous opportunities to perform and instilled in them the values of commitment, collaboration, and professionalism. The passion, dedication, and joy he cultivated in his classroom was sprinkled across the school district as community members thoroughly enjoyed the high-quality performances of the school choirs throughout the school year. Following his retirement, he continued to support the musical theatre program by helping with the choreography. Because he was so dedicated to the students, families, and community, he currently serves on the Canon City School Board and is our delegate to the Colorado Association of School Boards.
Kelly’s 32-year career in education, 29 in Canon City, has spanned teaching elementary music, fifth grade, middle school at Canon Exploratory School, support leadership at Washington Elementary, and Principal of Canon Exploratory School. Even after her retirement, she continued to provide induction and mentoring support for new teachers as the Induction Coordinator and Teacher Development Coach for the Canon City School District. In every role, Kelly looked for innovative, creative ways to enhance learning and provide leadership that recognizes the unique needs of every individual. She is still cultivating a love for learning and helping new teachers develop skills they need to thrive in their challenging career path.
Todd and Kelly have quite intentionally left their handprints on the heart of Canon City and Fremont County throughout their lives, and the community is a better and brighter place because of them.
If you needed a face to encompass community service in our community Susie Bell would fit the bill. After moving back to Canon City in 1983, Susie embarked on a forty-year emersion in community service in Fremont County. Her community service endeavors coupled with her philanthropic activities and volunteerism demonstrated her love for children, recreation, the arts, education, and the overall betterment of the community.
A firm believer in education at any level, Susie was involved with the Fremont Campus Advisory Committee and as a member of the Pueblo Community College Foundations Board of Directors. She donated thousands to the Fremont Student Commons expansion along with donating funding to support student scholarships now and in the future. She also donated time and talents to the younger generation of learners as she worked with Starpoint’s SPIN Early Childhood Development Program, the Boys and Girls Club, and the Fremont Center for the Arts after-school program, programs that appealed to the always present kid personality she possessed.
Creativity was one of Susie’s talents and she worked with various groups and organizations to foster creative endeavors throughout Fremont County. She funded and volunteered in numerous programs for the Fremont Center for the Arts, the Canon City Library, the Bell Tower Cultural Center and the Florence Arts Council. Arts in the Park, Art on the Arkansas, Paint the Town, and the children’s summer art programs were some of her favorite funded programs.
Community service projects were blessed with Susie’s philanthropic contributions. She was an enthusiastic supporter of the Fourth of July Fireworks display, the Rim-to-Rim race, the Canon City Blitz youth soccer club, and the Art on the Arkansas activities, especially the Weiner Dog race.
Susie was always happiest when she was doing something that would benefit others. Her dedication to Fremont County through her service, philanthropy, and volunteerism is a testament to her love of this community and her efforts to help it grow and flourish.
Susie will be posthumously inducted into the Fremont Hall of Fame following her passing on November 22, 2022.
elores Comstock has been a staple in our community for generations. Many know her through her decades of work in the Canon City School District, and even more are familiar with her through her more than 60 years of volunteer service to the Fremont County 4-H Program.
Delores was a dedicated and compassionate educator and paraprofessional for 29 years in Fremont County. She was also instrumental in tutoring at an after-school club. After retirement she still worked as a paraprofessional for the Special Education program at Washington school. In addition, Delores volunteered at her church with the children’s nursery, children’s ministry, and Awana program.
Delores is most noted for her outstanding volunteerism through the Fremont County 4-H programs. She is celebrating her 61st year of volunteerism in the program. She took over the leadership of the Four-Mile 4-H program in 1965 and continues to serve as a leader today. She has also served on the Fremont County Fair Board for almost 50 years and also the President of the Board for 22 years. In addition, she served on the Building Committee and the Awards committee for the Fair Board. She is considered to be the main person who gets everything ready and organized for the fair. She continues to be an impressive role model for the 4-H children, and their families as well as all of the other leaders. She has truly dedicated her life to teaching, volunteering, and serving Fremont County and the 4-H Program and its members.
Tickets for the 2024 Fremont Hall of Fame induction ceremony are $60 per person. Sponsorships also are available and range from $175 to $1,100.
The Fremont Hall of Fame was established in 2005 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. Since its inception, 35 outstanding community leaders have been inducted and are featured on a Wall of Fame in PCC’s Fremont Campus.
For more information on the 2024 Fremont Hall of Fame, contact the Pueblo Community College Foundation at 719.544.0677.