“Tradition, tradition.”

No one sings it like Tevye in the classic musical, “Fiddler on the Roof.” In that spirit, though lacking even a remote bit of that vocal talent, let me denote this annual calendar reset by recognizing eight more Coloradans who are making a difference through their endeavors and their values.

Two years ago, as a rather new writer in these pages, I decided to do something different than the typical New Year’s column of reflections or resolutions. Instead, I offered a shoutout to eight rockstar Coloradans. Due to the warm reception, I did a similar piece for the start of 2021.

So are traditions made.

Of course, there is no shortage of individuals who have led lives of service and accomplishment over the past year. With the pandemic ebbing and flowing (though too often the latter), those who administer life-securing vaccines daily deserve particular mention. Ditto for those who drive the trucks and stock the shelves. Along with those teachers who have shown up day after day as much out of love as duty.

But the point of this column is to provide a hooray to eight people who can serve as role models for the rest of us. Here goes.

Angela Cobián: I first met Angela when a mutual friend introduced us as she had recently won an award named for my father as the outstanding political science major at Colorado College. This was long before she became a Denver school board member and leader. While often in the minority over her final two years of service, she was referred to as, “the conscience of the board.” That is not a bad role. Still young and with her future ahead of her, Angela decided not to seek a second term. Denver and parts beyond have only begun to hear of her and benefit from her vision and intellect.

Mark Hillman: I am not suggesting that the endless travails of Colorado Republicans trace back to Mark’s decision to largely leave behind the political games in favor of running his farm and raising his kids on the far reaches of Colorado’s eastern plains. But Republicans serious about any kind of comeback would do well to recruit or emulate his combination of conservative ideology and principled decency. The two are not incompatible, despite the political conduct of too many these days. To top it off, Mark is married to a former Democratic staffer, showing that partisanship need not be all consuming.

Carol Hedges: This is something of a lifetime achievement honor as Carol steps down at the end of 2021 as the head of the Colorado Fiscal Institute and its driving force. Going back decades, Carol has been the preeminent source of fiscal expertise for Colorado legislators and policymakers. She is that rare sort who sees the big picture while also getting the details and fine points. I do not always buy into her policy prescriptions or share her obsession with TABOR. But that does not diminish my respect for her brainpower, commitment and leadership.

Tony Lewis: Tony is one of a kind but, oh, how we could use a few more like him. Having previously led Colorado Outward Bound, for the past two decades Tony has directed the Donnell-Kay Foundation, dedicated to the improvement and sometimes the overhaul of public education across Colorado. Tony is a catalyst in the truest sense of the word. He leverages Donnell-Kay’s limited assets as a sparkplug of good ideas and a truth-teller about bad ones. To steal a Tom Wolfe book title, Tony is “a man in full,” also being a gentleman farmer, never short on side projects, and having climbed many of the world’s tallest peaks and traveled to its most exotic locales.

Shannon Bird: An Adams County state legislator, Shannon was described to me a year or two back as “the most normal person out of all 100 in the General Assembly.” That nailed it. She lacks any prima donna quality or sense of entitlement. Starting just her fourth year of legislative tenure, she is already a leader on a host of issues. She will take stands on principle, bucking much of her caucus in killing a criminal justice “reform” bill that she thought went too far. Even on issues where I would wish her to be bolder, Shannon is true to her district and herself, and always straight-forward and up-front.

Melanie Ulle: Mel, as her friends call her, is increasingly a luminary whose light shines ever brightly. Having done a brief, early-career stint at the consulting firm I then ran, Mel has emerged as an expert and key philanthropic advisor. She works with donors of all stripes to help them understand that giving money is a self-rewarding gift far more than an obligation. She is recognized nationally as a leading voice in the field of women’s philanthropy. Beyond all that, she and her husband Albin lead their lives with great intentionality, having opted out of the muck of Denver to raise their daughters in Fort Collins.

Penfield Tate: A longtime state legislator in years gone by and twice a candidate for mayor, Penfield (or “Pen”) is an important voice of rational common sense amidst the challenges and crises befalling Denver. Most recently, he took on the local powers-that-be to spearhead the opposition to the mindless, unimaginative development of the old Park Hill golf course. In the face of big developer money, voters responded to his message by an overwhelming margin of nearly 2-to-1. Even if Pen never sits in the big office at City Hall, his contributions to Denver continue to be huge and essential.

Rebecca Chopp: Former chancellor of the University of Denver and prior to that president of both Colgate University and Swarthmore College, Dr. Rebecca Chopp is the one person on this roster who I do not personally know. That is my loss. Her academic leadership speaks for itself. But she is included here due to her forthrightness in handling her Alzheimer’s diagnosis two years ago. Do yourself a favor and listen to the remarkable insight of her interview on Colorado Public Radio. How sadly ironic that such an illness of the mind would attack someone who led such a rich life of the mind. None of us are getting out of this life alive. Her story is a reminder that Alzheimer’s is a long journey, not an instant sentence. And that grace ultimately wins.

I hope that these eight stories help to light your path in the year ahead. Happy New Year.

Eric Sondermann is a Colorado-based independent political commentator. He writes regularly for ColoradoPolitics and the Gazette newspapers. Reach him at EWS@EricSondermann.com; follow him at @EricSondermann