Pueblo County proclaims Parks and Recreation Month, thanks parks staff for Aspen Acres response

The Board of County Commissioners proclaimed July 2026 as Park and Recreation Month and July 17, 2026, as Parks and Recreation Professionals Day, citing parks and recreation’s role in health, community connection and disaster response throughout Pueblo County. During the proclamation reading, the board named Amanda Hobson and Amar Banderas and recognized their teams for recent work supporting evacuees and operating the donation and shelter operations.

A commissioner reading the proclamation praised parks staff, saying they have been "heroes in all this" and thanked them for "sleepless nights" and 24-hour shifts that went beyond normal duties. A parks and recreation staff member (speaker S5) responded, "Most of all, I just wanna say thank you to my team," and noted that many staff have worked with barely any days off for nearly three weeks.

Commissioners described the parks team’s work staffing the evacuation center, accepting donations and supporting community needs during the immediate crisis. The board invited the parks staff forward for a photo following the proclamation.

The proclamations and public thanks were delivered as part of a broader discussion of Aspen Acres recovery during the meeting.