The late Kent Smith and resident Niki Gassmann were Golden Antler awardees during Friday festivities that coincided with the Bank of Estes Park’s 60th anniversary.
The bank presents the awards annually to individuals or organizations who have demonstrated outstanding community philanthropic contributions to Estes Park. As part of the award, each recipient chooses a local nonprofit organization to receive a $2,500 grant.
Smith was the owner of Smith Sign Studio.
“He was tirelessly engaged in civic activities his whole life, but specifically in Estes Park,” bank president Scott Applegate said in announcing the award.
“He was extremely involved with Partners for Commerce, including serving on that board. Then came the flood, and then Mountain Strong committee, and the League of Women Voters. He served as a counselor to new entrepreneurs for the SBA, helped Judy with the community recycling committee and junior election. The number of nonprofits that have received free or discounted work from Smith signs is too long to list, but by itself, would justify this award,” Applegate said.
Smith’s family and wife Judy awarded the Golden Antler grant to the Estes Chamber of Commerce Foundation.
Applegate recounted Gassmann’s community contributions when presenting her with the individual Golden Antler award. Gassmann is a founding member and treasurer of The Bridge of Estes, an organization dedicated to providing services to cancer patients throughout the Estes Valley.
Applegate said Gassmann is also a board member of Crossroads Ministry, 100 Women Who Care, the Estes Chamber of Commerce, and the Sunrise Rotary Club, where she is a Paul Harris Fellow. She was largely responsible for reinvigorating the community’s rotary youth programs.
Applegate also noted Gassmann’s role in establishing the Estes Valley Fire Relief Fund, which ultimately raised and distributed $50,000 to those who needed assistance during the Alexander Mountain Fire crisis in 2024. She was an active participant in Crowns for Care, a Rooftop Rodeo event where she raised more than $23,000 to help uninsured patients receive cancer screenings, and most recently, she was elected to serve as a director for the Estes Park Board of Realtors.
“She is a tireless, unstoppable hurricane of energy and a motivation to all of those around her,” Applegate said.
Gassmann awarded her grant to the Crossroads Ministry of Estes Park.
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