Promoting Community Service and Philanthropy in Ouray County since 1897.
2026 Woman of the Year Nominees
Amy Exstrum
Amy has been a fixture off and on in Ouray County for many years. She was born and raised in Grand Junction but her family had a home here and she spent many years as a frequent visitor and summertime worker. When both she and her husband Brian retired they decided to start second careers as bookstore owners. They moved here full time and ran the Ouray Bookshop for six years before selling it.
Amy is the mom of twins Olivia and Charlie. She is very involved in life at St. John’s Episcopal Church heading up Mission Sewing (to include organizing the St. John's Oktoberfest to raise funds for the Mission Sewing projects), organizes and prepares the weekly Ouray High School lunch, ushering, and coffee hour. Among her other activities are supporting Special Olympics and being an active member of the Ouray Library Board. Amy also serves on the WCOC Cares and Concern Committee organizing monthly hostesses and sending out cards to WCOC members for birthdays, get well wishes and sympathy cards to members and their families.
Lois Fisher
After moving to Ouray on a seasonal basis, I became actively involved in the Woman’s Club in 2004. My first volunteer effort was helping with the Club’s annual rummage sale; for which I continue to do so. For multiple years, I helped with the cleanup efforts along a section of Highway 550, the Woman’s Club Park and Cedar Hill Cemetery. I served as Co-Vice President of the Membership Committee and have been actively involved in many social and fundraising events for the Club, including the WCOC 125th year Celebration.
My primary focus now is the Medical Loan Closet. In addition to the loan activity, I have the time to provide transportation to residents in need, to their medical appointments in Montrose, Grand Junction and Denver.
I am blessed to be a volunteer in connection with the Woman’s Club.
Sveri Stromstra May
Once we moved to Ridgway in August 2021, I began a chapter of Peacejam with both Ridgway and Ouray Schools to give back to Southwest Colorado. The Ouray County Peacejam connects Ouray and Ridgway students to many community learning experiences that exposes them to many rewarding projects - going to the Ute Mountain Ute Bear Dance at their reservation, bringing winter wear times to them in Towaoc in October, serving food to homeless in Grand Junction, volunteering at the Ridgway State Park two hours each 3rd Saturday year round, making funds for the Ouray County Food Pantry, making 2,000 Holiday cards and Valentines for the nine nursing and assisted living facilities in Montrose, Olathe, Delta and for the Veterans at the Western Colorado VA in Grand Junction, Easter Egg hunt for the kids at Haven House and so many more. Our Peacejammers range in age from three to graduating seniors. Graduating Peacejam seniors now are recognized at their Award Ceremonies, at their City/Town Meetings and have silver honor cords put on them by me just before they graduate.
We moved to Ridgway to live next door to our daughter, her husband and our dear grandson. Our older daughter lives in Denver with her husband and our four grandkids. Our son and his wife now live in Duluth, Minnesota. Living in Colorado has brought so many joys in my life. We live closer to our family, ski in Telluride, get Peacejam in the Ouray County Peacejam to do community service projects and of course being apart of the Woman’s Club of Ouray County.
As I said I have lived such an awesome, amazing life so far and love each day!
1st Nomination Text
Sveri is secretary for both WCOC monthly meetings and WCOC After 5. She is heavily involved in Peace Jam and donations to the Ute and Navajo Indians.
2nd Nomination Text
Sveri started her first Peacejam chapter at Loy Norrix in 2002 and took children to NYC, Washington DC, Boston, India, South Africa, Cuba, Vietnam and Peru. When retiring from teaching after 39 years, Sveri and her family moved to Ridgway in 2021 where she started a Peacejam with both Ridgway and Ouray Schools to give back to Southwest Colorado. The Peacejammers range in age from 3 to graduating seniors and expose students to many community learning experiences such as going to the Ute Mountain Bear Dance at their reservation, bringing winter wear to them in Towaoc, serving food to the homeless in Grand Junction,
volunteering at the Ridgway State park 2 hours each 3 rd Saturday year round, raising funds for the Ouray Food Pantry, doing an Easter Egg hunt for the children at Haven House, collecting stuffed animals for the Ute Mountain reservation, doing invasive weed pulling with Ridgway’s 4 th and 5 th graders for Earth Day, and making 2,000 holiday and Valentine’s Day cards for the VA and 9 nursing and assisted living facilities on the Western Slope. Sveri also works with Second Chance to get pet supplies for the Ute Mountain Utes and the Navajo people.
At the Women’s Club, where Sveri serves as the secretary, she is always the first to raise her hand to volunteer where help is most needed such as doing the floats for the 4th of July, Labor Day, and Noel and Yule Nights (with the help of the Peacejammers). This is a woman who has boundless energy, radiates with positivity, and has devoted her whole life to serving others. Having also lived in
Sweden and Yugoslavia and traveled extensively to a diversity of first and third world countries, has given Sveri a unique perspective and inspired her in developing empathy and an open heart for the less fortunate and those who need assistance the most.
Sveri Background information
I came two months early while my parents and brother Scot were visiting our grandparents in Michigan in 1955. My Mom stole me from the incubator and they camped their way back to North Carolina in a two man tent for my Dad’s professor teaching job. They named me Sveri Stromsta- Sveri was after a WWII hospital ship from Sweden or (Sverige the Swedish name for Sweden). Stromsta is a little fishing town before Norway on the west coast of Sweden.
It was a great beginning for a lifetime filled with so many fun, educational and adventures.
When my Dad taught at Ohio State we lived in Zagreb, Yugoslavia when I was 10 (1965). I met my Mom’s side of the family then that stayed behind when my Grandma immigrated to the US at the turn of the century. At 13 we moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan when my Dad taught at Western Michigan University. At 16 we lived in Stockholm, Sweden while he did brain research at Karolinska Institute. I was the only American at a Swedish Gymnasium (high school). We traveled in Eastern and Western European countries and was exposed to many wonderful experiences during that year 1971-1972.
I met the love of my life John May waterskiing in 1973 and we were married in 1977. We have 3 children (Leana, Kerstin and Jonathan).
I graduated from Western Michigan University and taught their too. I teamed taught US History, US Government and Economics at the high school (Loy Norrix High School)I I graduated from in 1973. I taught there from 1988 to 2021 when I retired. I had taught for 39.1 years and loved every day, week, month and year of the 39.1 years! Besides teaching I was a mentor to new teachers, a Girl Scout Leader, a Cub Scout leader, a Soccer coach, class advisor of the classes of ’93.’97,2001,2005,2009 (my son was in that class, 2013, 2017 and 2021 and then retired. I began a chapter of the International Peacejam at Loy Norrix in 2002. We did 45 community service projects each school year and struggled to do some during the pandemic years when our school was virtual. I took Peacejammerss to NYC, Washington DC, Boston, India, South African, Cuba, Vietnam, and Peru.
Hazel Stevens Price
2026 Nomination Submission
Hazel is so worthy of this award, recognition for so many reasons. Hazel gives all of herself to WCOC, St. John's Episcopal Church, Ouray County Peacejam as well many other community organizations. She gives her heart and soul to make everything she touches and her guidance to helping them to improve the lives and events better, wonderful and meaningful. She gives all of this to our communities- Ouray and Ridgway while also being there and being such a great Grandma (Saso) She is so willing to bake her "award winning" chocolate chip cookies for those lucky enough to get them.
Additional biographical information
Hazel has been a longstanding and compassionate member of Ouray County who is always willing to be involved and help out in whatever way she is able to do so. She is also the proud Saso (grandmother) to six beautiful little girls.
Hazel’s experience throughout her life was cultivated as the daughter of a Canadian military musician, working in public school systems, volunteering at many churches throughout Colorado, and nonprofits throughout the state. These experiences have
shaped her thoughtful and compassionate servant’s heart. She and her husband Doug lived in several Colorado communities before they chose Ouray County as their permanent home in 2017.
Hazel has generously given of her time to be on the Altar Guild at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Ouray. She serves on the church vestry (similar to a board), serves school lunches at the church once a month, and is part of the sewing ministry. She has served
as the board President of the Ouray County Performing Arts Guild since 2017 bringing musicians and arts programs to benefit Ouray County citizens. She is on the board of Peace Jam of Ouray Country. She serves as a Director on the board of the Ouray
Teacher Fund. Hazel is the co-chair of the Ouray County Community Fund since 2019(?) which raises funds that are distributed as grants to numerous Ouray County nonprofits. She serves on the Western Colorado Community Foundation representing Ouray
County’s voice. She is also the co-volunteer who arranges interesting speakers for the monthly Woman’s Club of Ouray County meetings, as well as serves on the WCOC Board.