Kathy Koehler honored by Rotary Club of Niwot

For her 48 years of "service, dedication, and love for Niwot," the Rotary Club of Niwot honored longtime resident Kathy Koehler with its second annual Community Achievement Award.

"This year's winner could not be more deserving," RCN member and past president Doug Montgomery said during the presentation, held at Old Oak Coffee's OctoberFeast Celebration on Oct. 3. "To say that her love and care for the Niwot community has been on full display since she moved here in 1972 would be a colossal understatement."

The CAA award was established by the RCN in 2019, and recognizes volunteers who have been impactful in the Niwot community. The first award went to Bruce "Biff" Warren, another veteran local volunteer who currently serves as the President of the Niwot Cultural Arts Association, among other things. Nominations for the award are submitted by RCN members, then voted on by the executive board.

"There were many nominees, but it wasn't a difficult decision at all, when you look at what Kathy's done her entire life here in Niwot," Montgomery said of the honoree. "This is a big deal for us, to be able to recognize someone like Kathy who is really special."

Indeed, it would probably be easier to list the organizations and projects Koehler has not been a part of since she moved to Niwot nearly five decades ago in 1972. She started off in the Niwot schools, where she was an active classroom volunteer and booster, and also volunteered to lead knitting and cake decorating for the Niwot Nifties 4-H Club.

Over the years, Koehler has also taken on a number of roles in the Niwot Community Association, even before it was formally incorporated in 1988. She currently serves as secretary and director at large on the board, and has also been a key contributor to its largest projects, including the annual 4th of July Celebration, Niwot underpass mural, Niwot Clean Up Day, Niwot Nostalgia Day, and the Veterans Banner project.

For the past 10 years, Koehler has also been active in the Niwot Historical Society, where she currently serves as president, and was instrumental in the drive to revitalize the Niwot Firehouse Museum. She is also on the executive committee of the Left Hand Grange No.9, and still somehow finds time to squeeze in volunteer hours with the Niwot Patriotic Cookie Moms and the Niwot Garden Club.

And that's not to mention the hours she has put in volunteering for Rock & Rails and the Niwot Children's Park, as well as her numerous county board and committee appointments, including most recently to the Niwot Design Review Committee.

"I can't think of anyone who deserves it more," Warren said. "Kathy has been such an asset to the Niwot community for so many years. Most recently, I've enjoyed working with her at Rock & Rails, where she pours the margaritas with a smile, and helps with set-up and take-down. She's taken the reins of the Niwot Historical Society and continued its important work in preserving Niwot history in the midst of a pandemic. As a native of Boulder County, she has a perspective few Niwotians can match."

After receiving the crystal statuette from RCN President Thom Lynch, Koehler called the award an "honor," and then cheerfully noted some not-quite-seasonal OctoberFeast guests. "What a fun place to live, where you can walk the streets and have turkeys strolling along with you," she said.

Afterwards, Koehler said that her long years of service in Niwot have paid off in more ways than she expected.

"When you volunteer you are rewarded with friendships, fun times and contributing to the community in which you live," she said. "Niwot has enough non-profit organizations that everyone can find something that they will enjoy doing as a volunteer. Volunteers contribute to Niwot's welcoming community vibe."

(See more photos of Niwot's OctoberFeast here.)