Kirkpatrick, Linda

Linda Kirkpatrick

(1947 - )

A native of Montgomery, New York, Linda graduated from Katharine Gibbs in Boston before heading West to Colorado in 1968.  In 1981 she married John Kirkpatrick and moved to Evergreen.

Her interest in volunteer work began with the opening of Craig Rehabilitation Hospital in about 1970.  In 1980/81 she co-chaired the Cystic Fibrosis Celebrity Pro-Am Tennis Tournament.  

Volunteerism would become her passion in life, only to be surpassed by her passion for the Evergreen community.

Evergreen accomplishments:

• Conducted the community campaign (without a support committee) to build an ambulance facility when ambulance service was provided entirely by volunteers, and spearheaded rezoning and purchase of land, barn-raising, raising $150,000 from the community, 1983-85 • Brought Bootstraps back from the brink of financial disaster, putting it on firm financial ground prior to merger with Evergreen Scholarship – 1988-90 • Coordinated Snooty Loot, a one-time, one-day upscale resale event for Mt. Evans Hospice, raising $30,000, 1998 • Co-founded Leadership Evergreen in 1995, creating first curriculum, forming the first board, raising the money for startup and scholarships, and leading the first class • Organized community-wide reception and tour of Evergreen for 60 travel writers from all over Colorado for the Chamber of Commerce (2005)

Land-protection efforts

• Co-chaired the community campaign to raise $200,000 in 4 1/2 months to Save Noble Meadow - 408 strategic acres, including the site for Buchanan Rec Center and related ballfields (1995) • Worked with the Mountain Area Land Trust in the year following the Noble Meadow campaign to establish a presence in the community and to raise enough money to hire its first Executive Director; 8 years later became the Executive Director • Coordinated the Evergreen Land Community Coalition (ELCC) effort to acquire land for the expansion of Buchanan Park from 4 to 66 acres – raised $125,000 in 6 months, handled campaign for passage of bond issue, coordinated first Master Planning process • Worked with ELCC on a community campaign resulting in the creation of the 17-acre Stagecoach Park

Publishing

• Founded and published Upbeat, a monthly newspaper with a distribution of 12,500 that focused on volunteerism and community involvement – owned for 6 years, sold the business in 1996 • Designed and produced fundraising brochures, newsletters, and publications numerous nonprofit organizations • Created 5-minute QuickTime movie of Evergreen for national media on behalf of Chamber of Commerce • For 4 years published a photo column (On Location) in the Canyon Courier publicizing nonprofit events • Created the online community publication JustAroundHere.com in November of 2010, promoting civic engagement and civility, documenting biographically more than 150 of those who’ve played significant roles in the development of Evergreen, profiling another 250 involved citizens, and working to encourage newcomers to become involved with community • Photographed and chronicled community happenings on a weekly basis for 7 years

Awards and distinctions:

• Minoru Yasui Community Volunteer Award (one of the first recipients outside of Denver, 1985) • Evergreen Ambulance building dedicated to her in 1985 • Jefferson County Sheriff’s Commendation (first citizen recipient, 1986) for helping to apprehend two individuals connected with 65 break-ins of homes in Evergreen • Evergreen Community Service Award (1991) • 50 for Colorado graduate (statewide leadership program, class of 1994) • MVP Award for Noble Meadow Task Force (1995) • Small Business of the Year (Upbeat, 1995, awarded by Evergreen Area Chamber of Commerce) • Daughters of the American Revolution Award for Excellence in Community Service (1996) • Jeffco Action Center Outstanding Volunteer (2004) • Lifetime Leadership Award from Leadership Evergreen (2015) • Uniquely Evergreen award (JustAroundHere.com, awarded by the Evergreen Area Chamber of Commerce, 2012) • Profiled in Evergreen, Our Mountain Community (Sternberg) • named one of the top 150 most contributing citizens in Jefferson County, Colorado – A Unique & Eventful History! (Lomond) • inducted into the Jefferson County Historical Hall of Fame 2020 • inducted into the Mountain Area Women in Business Hall of Fame (2021).

Updated 3/3/23