Mayor's Spirit of Colorado Springs Awards

Past Winners

2024

Cindy Aubrey

Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade presented United Way CEO and President Cindy Aubrey with the Mayor’s Spirit of Colorado Springs Award at her retirement celebration on Nov. 21 for her unwavering dedication to the Colorado Springs community.   

A proud Colorado native and Mitchell High School graduate, Aubrey has devoted her career to serving her hometown, beginning at Fox 21 and continuing at KOAA, where she led the Creative Services and News departments for nearly two decades. 

During her tenure as Chief Communications Officer for the City of Colorado Springs, Aubrey played a crucial role in delivering timely and accurate information to residents during some of the city's most challenging times, including the devastating Waldo Canyon and Black Forest fires. Her empathetic approach and commitment to transparency helped guide the community through these crises, solidifying her reputation in local media. 

After four years with the city, Aubrey transitioned to Pikes Peak United Way, where, as Senior Vice President of Marketing and later as President and CEO, she spearheaded initiatives that expanded the organization's reach and effectiveness, including the launch of the Family Success Center located in southeast Colorado Springs. Under her leadership, Pikes Peak United Way celebrated a century of service to the region while creating new partnerships to empower those in need. 

Richard Skorman - Lifetime Achievement Award

Mayor Yemi presented the Mayor’s Spirit of Colorado Springs Lifetime Achievement Award to Richard Skorman during a State of the City event on Tuesday, Sept. 10 at The Broadmoor. 

Skorman moved to Colorado in the 1970s to attend Colorado College. He began working at a downtown bookstore as a college senior, and eventually bought the business, expanding it over the years into well-known downtown Colorado Springs landmark Poor Richard's.

Over the past three decades, Skorman has volunteered for several committees and boards, and has held multiple elected positions. He served four terms as a Colorado Springs City Councilmember starting in 1999, serving as Vice Mayor and City Council President as part of those duties. Skorman led the effort to get a ballot question passed in 1997 that dedicates 0.1% of local sales tax (one penny on a $10 purchase) to the protection and preservation of City trails, open spaces and parks. The Trails, Open Space and Parks program (TOPS) generates $12 million annually and supports conservation, wildlife habitat protection, maintenance, water quality, wildfire mitigation and more. In April 2023, Colorado Springs residents voted to extend the TOPS tax for 20 years.  

Dee Smith, OneBody ENT

Mayor Yemi presented the Mayor’s Spirit of Colorado Springs award to Dee Smith in June 2024 at the Southern Colorado Juneteenth Festival. Smith, the founder of OneBody ENT, which includes the Men of Influence and Women of Impact organizations, has been a driving force behind the success in promoting positive change and unity in Southeast Colorado Springs with a mission to serve youth and adults by providing resources and support to help prevent criminal offenses and re-offenses. Through various initiatives such as community outreach, education, mentorship, violence interruption, performing arts, entertainment and social gatherings, OneBody ENT offers positive outlets for individuals to engage in wholesome activities and surround themselves with like-minded peers to create a brighter future.

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Flag Day Award - Veterans Edwin Beck (WWII and Korean War), Walter Knight (WWII), and Melvin Postlewait (Korean War)

Mayor Yemi and Council President Randy Helms presented Beck, Knight, and Postlewait with the inaugural Flag Day Award in June 2024. These three veterans have embodied the principles of the American flag and the values of the United States through their service and sacrifice to our country.

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OneRepublic: Ryan Tedder and Zach Filkins

At the opening night of Ford Amphitheater, Mayor Yemi Mobolade presented a Mayor’s Spirit of Colorado Springs Award to Ryan Tedder and Zach Filkins, members of the pop band OneRepublic, which was founded in Colorado Springs in 2002. He was joined by Tedder and Filkins’ high school choir teacher Dena Flanagan in the presentation.

Tedder and Filkins met at Colorado Springs Christian School, quickly bonded over their shared love of music, and decided to form a band. During this time, Tedder and Filkins played a few small shows at local coffee shops that were attended by friends and family. Following high school, the duo parted ways and attended different colleges. After reuniting in 2002, Tedder and Filkins created OneRepublic, eventually signed with a label and released their first album in 2007. The album proved to be a huge international success, reaching number one in sixteen different countries. 

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Miss America Madison Marsh

Madison Marsh, who was named Miss America 2024, received a Mayor's Spirit of Colorado Springs Award from Mayor Yemi Mobolade and City Council President Randy Helms this weekend in Colorado Springs. 

As a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Air Force, Marsh became the first-ever active-duty Air Force officer to compete for the Miss America crown. Marsh, a 2023 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, is also a National Truman Scholar, a two-time National Astronaut Scholar, a Harvard Kennedy School graduate student at Harvard University, a blackbelt in taekwondo, and she became a certified pilot at the age of 16. Marsh also works as an advocate and spokesperson for pancreatic cancer research and education. 

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ASEZ WAO - Keep It Clean COS

Mayor Yemi presented the Mayor's Spirit of Colorado Springs 2024 Keep it Clean COS award to ASEZ WAO, an international young adult volunteer group. ASEZ WAO began working with the City’s Stormwater Enterprise in the spring of 2022. Since that time, the group has significantly contributed to the improvement of local waterways and public spaces by participating in a number of cleanups and community outreach efforts. 

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