If you’ve walked the downtown streets on an afternoon before a busy weekend of Wyoming Cowboys football, Jubilee Days celebrations, or move-in day for the university’s incoming freshman, you’ve likely seen Kathleen Bertoncelj cleaning the sidewalks of debris. “It’s like cleaning your home before welcoming awaited guests,” she’d say if you asked her why she volunteers her time to clean our public spaces armed in garden gloves and a sun hat. Her attention to detail and heart for presenting Downtown Laramie as its best don’t stop there.
Much like her quick note of tucked-away trash in a storefront flower pot, Kathleen scans Main Street’s documents for typos like a grammatical hawk. If you’ve received a year-end message or letter for support from Main Street, it’s likely passed by Kathleen’s desk. In addition, you’ll find her greeting community members with a big smile at a Main Street table at markets, events, and gatherings in and beyond downtown, ready to invite you to join in however you can.
Kathleen retired from the University of Wyoming after 38 years of service and has offered her keen eye and attention to detail to Laramie Main Street in fundraising efforts, event support, business outreach, and much more over the years.
In honor of 2021’s Downtown Caretaker of the Year, we invite you to bring a recycled grocery sack and help collect litter in downtown’s public spaces this month. Tag your photos on Instagram with #cleanforkathleen or email to downtownlaramie@gmail.com for a chance to win a Downtown Laramie gift certificate to spend at your favorite downtown business. (Keep the Kathleen love going by spending your loot on quilt supplies!)