The Pat on the Back Award is named to honor Pat Shoemaker and to recognize other individuals who have given extraordinary, but often unsung volunteer time in caring for the community. A “pink lady” volunteer for the Boulder Community Hospital for 28 years, Pat also produced monthly original craft displays for the hospital. Pat was the Boulder Community Hospital Outstanding Volunteer of the Year in 1983 and was honored as the Colorado Auxilian of the year in 1984. She was a homemaker and the mother of two daughters, Linda Shoemaker of Boulder and Judy Miller of Tucson, Arizona.

Potential nominees should embody Pat’s dedication and caring. A $1,000 award will be presented to the honoree to be directed to the nonprofit of his or her choice.

The 2001 Pat on the Back Honoree: Ann Rose.
Ann is a dedicated volunteer at the Longmont Museum. For the last 18 years, Ann has worked three days a week with the Museum’s three-dimensional artifacts and the photographic collection. Ann volunteers every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and is always cheerful and eager to start her day working with the Museum’s collections. In addition to her work at the Museum, she also gives one day a week to the Longmont United Hospital and leaves Mondays open for helping family and friends.

Because it needed to be done, Ann undertook the project of re-organizing the Museum’s photographic collection. She arranged the collection in categories, copied each photograph and stored them in notebooks for the public to view. This project took her three years. Her willingness to share her knowledge and to be open to new experiences and information is a source of inspiration to her co-workers and friends.