Niwot Rotary recognizes Pat Murphy with the Eli Buzas Community Service Award

The crowd at last Thursday's Rock & Rails concert, June 13, received an unexpected treat when the Rotary Club of Niwot presented Pat Murphy with the Eli Buzas Community Service Award for 2024 on stage.

Rotary president Wick Rowland made the presentation, with Awards Committee Chair Kamla Chopra during a break in the performance by the Alcapones. Murphy and her husband Larry were at the concert and Murphy took the stage to thank the Rotary.

Rowland said, "The award is the Niwot club's highest recognition and is conferred annually on a member of the Niwot community whose work and service notably reflects the values and legacy of our late colleague, Eli Buzas."

Rowland noted that Murphy is a 50-year member of the Niwot community. He said, "Pat has been widely active in every aspect of community life, including volunteering at the Niwot schools, co-founder of the Niwot Patriotic Cookie Moms, an organizer of the Niwot Community Connections group, a longtime member of the board of directors of the Niwot Community Association, where she was instrumental in creating the TDR (Transferable Development Rights) program."

He also noted that she helps with the organization of Niwot Clean-up Day, puts on the annual Easter Egg Hunt and both the Easter and July 4th Pancake Breakfasts. Others mentioned that she is the founder of the annual Great Pumpkin Party for children on the weekend before Halloween. Rowland concluded, "And perhaps even more importantly, those that know Pat personally can attest that she is always there to lend a hand or a kind word when someone is in need."