Page 8 Monticello Riverfest • Thursday, July 3, 2025

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tallied more than 9,500 unpaid hours through the senior center.

That team only exists because of Loidolt’ s infectious enthusiasm, city leaders believe, saying she has a knack for getting others involved.

“ She inspires all of the volunteers,” Leonard said.“ People are going to go where they feel excited, needed and appreciated. Having someone so passionate about what they’ re doing is like a magnet, it pulls other people in to join and work alongside them.”

Loidolt is also known for her innovation, finding creative solutions to problems, like back in 2014, when the federally funded congregate dining program at the Senior Center got cut, taking lunch off the plate of city seniors.

“ It was a good meal at an affordable price in a social setting,” said Loidolt, who didn’ t want to take this offering away from folks.

Instead, she reached out to local eateries, and was able to set up a schedule for four days of the week, with a different restaurant providing a hot meal each day at noon. That includes Chin Yuen serving Chinese food on Tuesdays, American Legion Post 260 catering on Wednesdays, VFW Post 8731 on Thursdays, and Cornerstone Cafe serving on Fridays.

The innovative dining program has proven to be a big success.

“ It’ s a very popular program at the Senior Center,” Loidolt said.

Taylor lauded Loidolt’ s outof-the-box thinking in this case and others.

“ Her visionary approach has set a standard emulated by other communities,” she said.“ One example is the senior dining program, when Pam partnered with local restaurants to provide affordable, healthy meals, which has not only addressed critical nutritional needs but also fostered social connections among seniors.”

During her time at the Monticello

Senior Center, Loidolt gained a reputation for active problem-solving like this.

“ She never complains,” said Jerry Crocker, the Lions’ current liaison on the Senior Center Board.“( She just) figures out how to overcome a challenge, and then gets it done. She is very organized.”

Getting through a dark day

That clear-headed competence and take-charge attitude proved a blessing during a crisis at the Community Center back in February 2023, after a pickup truck came barreling through the Walnut Street entrance and into the hallway outside City Hall.

Loidolt was one of the first people to come upon the horrific scene, after hearing the loud crash from her office.

“ I ran out here, and there’ s a guy in a pickup just revving the engine,” she said, noting the driver had hit a beam, blocking the vehicle from going further into the building.“ The tires

were smoking. He was still trying to go forward. It was surreal, like something you see in a movie. There was smoke everywhere.”

She quickly called 911 and then snapped into action, helping to get people out of the building and get emergency responders inside, given that the entrance was blocked.

Leonard said Loidolt made all the difference on this dark day, providing what she called a“ quiet strength” that saw her and other city leaders through the nightmarish experience.

“ When the truck came through the front door and into the hallway of the community center, Pam was the first person that I saw,” the city administrator recalled.“ We were both trying to figure out what to do. In that moment, she was so calm, and it helped me to stay focused.

“ There was this level of confidence in that I wasn’ t alone and could figure out what was necessary,” Leonard continued

.“ She just had this focus and strength, and we both just immediately started taking action— getting people out of the building, making sure emergency responders knew where to go. … Having that source of calm was invaluable.”

Leonard had long known Loidolt— having met her when she first began working at the MCC in 2008— and the two had built a friendly rapport, as they worked in close proximity, but said their relationship deepened after going through that crisis together.

“ We reached a different level of familiarity after that,” she said.

Loidolt brought something very special to the MCC, Leonard said:“ She was this source of joy and kindness and strength in the building.

“ I’ ll carry the lessons I’ ve learned from her through the rest of my career— to lead with joy, kindness and strength. Those are the three that I really feel like she mastered.”