Home » 2023 Volunteers of the Year – Joyce & Fred Morgan

2023 Volunteers of the Year – Joyce & Fred Morgan

Meg Yevara, Program Coordinator

On Saturday, April 27 the Museum hosted our annual Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast. This year’s theme was “Building Together.” We reflected on the impact of the HVAC construction project and took the time to recognize the generous donations of time and talent that our volunteers have contributed. In 2023, 97 volunteers served 4,408 hours. According to the Independent Sector’s annual report, in 2023 the value of one volunteer hour for Colorado was priced at $36.36 meaning volunteer hours amounted to $160,275! We can never say thank you enough to these wonderful individuals who support the CSPM and bring joy to our projects and efforts. THANK YOU!

The Appreciation Breakfast culminated in the announcement of our 2023 Volunteers of the Year – selected each year by the CSPM staff. We are thrilled to recognize Joyce and Fred Morgan for their dedicated service to the ongoing Back Pages project! The Back Pages is a time-intensive, volunteer-based project, run by the CSPM Archives. Every day, with the help of four volunteers, the Museum shares articles from 50, 75, and 100 years ago in the Colorado Springs Gazette —that is 1,095 articles a year!

Joyce began volunteering in 2002. She has consistently worked in the Archives on the Back Pages, starting with reading the 75-year-old newspapers then moving back in time to 100 years ago. Joyce’s dedication to this project helps us to learn, and share, what was happening in the Pikes Peak region a century ago. Joyce’s work requires the ability to select articles that are impactful, sometimes relevant to current events, and can just be fun to read.

Fred has volunteered as the Colorado Springs Gazette Back Pages Coordinator since 2013. Thanks to Fred’s dedication, his stellar editing skills, and the guidance he provides to the three researchers, this project runs smoothly every month. Fred acts as the bridge between the Museum and the Colorado Springs Gazette, ensuring that deadlines and formatting requirements are met.

Because of the Morgans, every day, anyone who reads the Gazette gets to learn more about the history of the Pikes Peak region. This takes our work and mission outside of the four walls of the 1903 courthouse. The Morgan’s genuine interest in the region’s history and their support of the Museum’s mission is reflected in their years-long dedication to this important project. Congratulations!