3 BIG DAYS OF FUN IN MONTICELLO JULY 11, 12, 13, 2025
49 th • Street Dance with Shirts & Skins
• Kids Activities, Car Show, Fireworks
• Bean Bag Tourney
• Duck Race, Parade and more!
SAVE THE DATE!
MONTICELLO, MINNESOTA www. monticelloriverfest. com
Citizen of Year hailed as‘ best decision of 2025’
Recently retired Monticello Senior Center director Pam Loidolt recognized with city’ s top honor
LAUREN FLAUM MONTICELLO TIMES
MONTICELLO— As someone who prefers to fly under the radar, Monticello’ s 2025 Citizen of the Year Pam Loidolt is a bit flummoxed at suddenly being thrust into the center of attention.
Any hopes Loidolt had of quietly bowing out of her longtime role as Monticello Senior Center director were dashed when she was feted during a retirement extravaganza at the end of May, with well over 200 attendees and a surprise announcement that pushed her deeper into the spotlight.
That’ s when Loidolt— a beloved figure who served the local senior community for over three decades— found out she’ s been named Citizen of the Year, awarded annually to those who go above and beyond, working to bring more magic to Monticello.
“ She is the greatest thing that ever happened to our Senior Center,” said Paul Klein, a 14-year veteran of the center’ s Board of Directors.“ We are going to miss her. I don’ t think you could have picked a better candidate for Monticello’ s Citizen of the Year.”
LAUREN FLAUM / MONTICELLO TIMES
Monticello’ s newly named 2025 Citizen of the Year Pam Loidolt shows offer her infectious smile— just one of the many positive attributes she is known for— outside of the Monticello Community Center recently. Loidolt was a fixture at the MCC, where she ran the Monticello Senior Center for the past 33 years before retiring May 30.
The legion of folks in attendance at the celebration wholeheartedly agreed.
“ When Wes Olson announced it during the retirement party, it was like the best decision of 2025,” said City Administrator Rachel Leonard.“ Everybody stood and gave a standing ovation— it was absolutely incredible. What a great way to cap off such a wonderful career.”
Surrounded by a sea of supporters— including Greg, her husband of nearly 40 years, and Bryce, one of her two sons— the 62-year-old honoree seemed to be the only one taken aback.
“ I was totally surprised,” she said.“ I knew I had been nominated, but I never expected to win.
“ I feel like I don’ t deserve any of this,” she continued.“ When I found out, I just went,‘ Are you kidding me? I don’ t deserve that.’ It was very overwhelming. I just couldn’ t believe it.” Over a month later, and the reality is starting to sink in.
“ It’ s very humbling and I feel very honored,” Loidolt said.“ I feel very loved.”
While she was hoping for some time to sleep in and relax following her retirement after 33 years leading the Monticello Senior Center— capping off a gerontology career that’ s spanned nearly 50 years— so far, it’ s been an active summer.
“ There’ s always something to do,” she said.“ It seems like we’ re just busy. When people told me,‘ When you retire, you wonder how you ever worked, because you’ re so busy,’ I thought,‘ Yeah, right.’ But I’ m kind of getting it now.”
Loidolt definitely won’ t be able to sleep late during Riverfest next week, when she’ ll have some important duties to perform, including serving as judge of the annual pie-eating contest on Family Fun Night and leading the massive Riverfest Parade as its grand marshal.
Following the parade, she’ ll officially receive the Citizen of the Year award at 3:30 p. m. Sunday, July 13, during a ceremony at Ellison Park.
Citizen / See pages 7-8