GRAND JUNCTION – Club 20 turns 65 this year as a coalition of civic and business leaders standing up for the counties on the Western side of Colorado at the state and national levels.

Friday night at its annual spring meeting in Grand Junction, Club 20 recognized individuals who have done the same.

Among the honorees was former state Rep. J. Paul Brown, R-Ignacio, and state Sen. Don Coram, R-Montrose, as well as Lt. Gov. Donna Lynne.

Coram received an award named for the late Dan Noble, the former state Senate majority leader from Grand Junction.

“Dan Noble is known as a leader among leaders,” Coram told the crowd at the Doubletree Hotel. “Just to be talked about in the same sentence about Dan Noble is very humbling, and I hope in my legislative career, they’ll say I did half as well as Dan Noble.”

Brown received the John D. Vanderhoof Award, named for the late former governor from Glenwood Springs.

In his last legislative session in 2016, Brown continued his fight for a reservoir on the South Platte River on the Eastern Plains, because he said it would slow the water drain from the Western Slope.

Brown said leaders shouldn’t give up on water projects just because it’s been too hard to get permission from the federal government.

“I think we have no choice but to look at these water projects over there on the South Platte, not only for over there but for the Western Slope,” he said in his acceptance speech. “Maybe it’s even more important for the Western Slope of Colorado, because they keep sucking more and more water from here over to the Front Range.”

Club 20 executive director Christian Reece said she was proud  of each honoree  lauded Friday night.

“These award recipients are as diverse as the Club 20 general membership,” she said. “Their areas of service are reflective of their interests, professional expertise and personal dedication to ensuring Club 20 remains strong as the voice of the Western Slope.”

The honorees were: