The Men and Women in The Arena
This week The Villager newspaper honors our selection of “Man and Woman of The Year. This year’s honorees are Mayor George Lantz and Arapahoe County Commissioner Carrie Warren Gully who both are longtime veterans of public service, both as volunteers and currently elected officials to high offices in Greenwood Village and Arapahoe County. This honor has been bestowed for leadership and public service during the publishing of this 43-year-old newspaper. Freda Miklin, of “Follow Freda” acclaim, has done a superb job of interviewing this year’s two elected officials. This honor has been bestowed on over 60 public servants, business leaders, and elected officials, many written by past columnist Glory Weisberg and present columnist Scottie Iverson.
So many names and memories of leaders in our communities from the past to the present. Just to name a few early recipients… Fred Tesone 1983, Barbara Davis 1983, Woodie Noel 1984, Dan Reeves 1984, Edie Marks 1986, Walt Imoff 1987, Arlene Mohler Johnson 1989, Joy Burns 1985, Freda Poundstone 1986, Sherrye Berger 1988, Bob Albin, 1989, Sharon Whiton Gelt, 1987, Marjorie Page 1985, Bill Daniels 1988, Bill Cook 1986. The honored list continues onward into 2026; these two honored recipients are recognized for their service and many accomplishments. Also new this year, our latest catagory of Nonprofit of the Year featuring Friends of Nursing. Congratulations to this caring organization.
It isn’t easy to be a public servant or elected official in the past or present.
Theodore Roosevelt summed it up well in an address given on April 23, 1910, in Paris when he delivered a speech entitled, “The Man in The Arena.” This famous speech from our 26th President has endured for 116 years. Somewhere in my archives I have the entire speech in a frame. His speech is very fitting this week with the loss of our believed Broncos to the New England Patriots. Here is the first part of the famous speech… “ It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strived valiantly, who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deeds…”
President Roosevelt had it right in his historic speech.