The 10th Manni Awards will take place Thursday, March 31. At this time, organizers are planning a small potluck in City Hall’s Memorial Hall with limited attendance.
Zoom and live streaming will be available for anyone who can’t attend the in-person ceremony. Festivities will start at 6 p.m.
Manitou artist K8e Orr is designing the awards.
Jason Wells was well-known as Manitou Springs’ city administrator, and his partner, Jenna Gallas, became prominent as special events coordinator at the Manitou Chamber after moving here in 2013. They combined forces in 2019 to create Armadillo Ranch, reviving the former Ancient Mariner, turning it into a popular restaurant and bar while resurrecting a venue for live music in Manitou. They battled through the pandemic and have cultivated a loyal clientele and a respected place in the business community.
The Manitou Springs Drum Circle can be heard Thursday summer evenings, celebrating the rhythm of life with drumming, dancing, hooping and play. For more than 30 years, members have made everyone feel welcome to join the community and be connected in the moment. Drum circle members create a space for people to freely express themselves and move with heartbeat of Earth and each other. This gathering is ionic Manitou at its best.
Alea German moved to Manitou Springs in 2014, but still works remotely as an engineer with a California firm (very energy-saving). For many years, she co-managed the Manitou Community Market. Alea is a founding member and creator of the Housing Advisory Board of the city and is now its vice-president. She has worked hard to create programs that find funding to make Manitou Springs houses more energy-efficient.
Audrey Gray grew up in Denver and earned her art degree in Texas, then moved to the Pikes Peak region in 2007. Her distinctive artwork, creating landscapes using soil and minerals, has impressed aficionados. She has served on the board of the Manitou Springs Creative District and as president of the Manitou Springs Arts Council, helping lead the merger creating the Creative Alliance Manitou Springs. She also chairs its Public Art Committee.
Ric Hudson moved to Manitou in 2011 and the Syracuse, New York, native has spent the past decade making a difference in his new hometown. He started and still oversees the All About Manitou page on Facebook, which after seven years has 8,900 members. He joined Manitou’s Adopt-a-Park program and adopted the Cheyenne Spring pocket park. Ric also gives his time to promote Manitou’s live-music scene, while also contributing artifacts to local businesses.
Darold Jones has lived in Manitou Springs since 1945. He attended Manitou schools all 12 years and graduated in 1958. He has succeeded in various fields, mostly real estate. He’s been a member of the Manitou Masonic Lodge since 1967 and Kiwanis since 1990, serving now as Kiwanis president, and has been Kiwanis adviser to the high school Key Club for 15-plus years. “Working with youth,” he said, “is my passion and the most rewarding part of my life.”
Dr. Elizabeth Domangue is the superintendent of Manitou Springs School District 14. For the past 20 years, Elizabeth has had a wide range of professional experiences in education. Since coming to Manitou, she has made strong connections with the community and worked hard to develop close working relationships with other community leaders. Her guiding values, which include “All Means All” and “Leadership Matters,” play out every day for our students and community.
Mary Ellen Montgomery, as our city gardener, is responsible for the beautiful flowers and shrubs we have in many public places. She supports many local organizations like the Climate Action Committee, Tree Board of Manitou and MS Garden Club. She’s passionate about protecting the watersheds of Manitou’s three creeks. Mary Ellen goes above and beyond her duties to use permaculture techniques to support our gardens and protect our planet.
Ralph Routon has had an important role in Colorado Springs journalism for more than 40 years. He was nationally known as the Gazette’s sports columnist and has worked with the Pikes Peak Bulletin, the Colorado Springs Business Journal and the Independent. He is a driving force with the Manitou Springs Creative District and its recent merger with the Arts Council to create Creative Alliance Manitou Springs. He also served as a Cheyenne Village board member.