The Rotary Club of Park City annually recognizes integral community members with its Professional Citizen of the Year and Volunteer Citizen of the Year awards.
This year Park City Lodging president and founder Rhonda Sideris received the professional award. Cheryl Soshnik, Elks Club Treasurer and Park City Senior Center Co-Vice President earned the volunteer honor.
Sideris was recognized for her leadership and global marketing strategies.
After 42 years in the role, Sideris said the honor is “humbling.”
“I have a lot of support in this community,” Sideris told KPCW. “And that’s what makes this community so great, is anybody can do anything as long as you really try hard.”
Sideris moved to the Wasatch Back when she was 21. Before starting her business, she rode bulls in the Park City Rodeo, was a white-water raft guide and ran her own restaurant.
Summit County Councilmember Tonja Hanson said Sideris has been shaping Park City since the day she arrived.
“Park City was very different then than it is today,” Hanson said. “It was a scrappy, transitional era, and Rhonda didn’t just witness it; she helped steer it.”
Soshnik received the honor for her dedicated volunteerism. The 76-year-old estimates she spends roughly 40 hours per week “work volunteering” at the Elks Club and the senior center. She doesn’t count her time “play volunteering” for the Egyptian Theatre.
She said, through her 40 years of service in the Wasatch Back, the people stand out.
“The communities that are formed, and from all different walks of life,” she said. “All colors, creeds, ages and you know socioeconomic levels and stuff, some of these people are still my best friends, and I would have never met them if I would not have been a volunteer.”
Rotary Club President Neil Hafer said both women are indicative of the community’s strength.
“You look at the talent on that plaque and what they’ve done for our community, and then you hear what these two awardees have done for that entire time,” Hafer said. “So, they could have won this award several years ago, but it’s testament to me that we have talent in our community, we want to put service above self and give back to the community.”
As a part of the honor, Sideris and Soshnik will serve as grand marshals at Park City’s Miners Day Parade Sept. 7.
