WTE Community Spirit Award recipient met with a standing ovation from Cheyenne residents

Oct. 13—CHEYENNE — Some would say Cheyenne Frontier Days is the epitome of community spirit, where thousands of local residents turn out to volunteer for the city's largest summer event. It is only fitting, for this reason, that the Wyoming Tribune Eagle once again held its Community Spirit Award ceremony at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum.

Dozens of Cheyenne residents turned out on a windy Thursday morning to support Thomas "Tom" Bass, president of Wyoming Bank and Trust, as he was presented with this year's WTE Community Spirit Award.

The Community Spirit Award is a bronze trophy of Col. Edward Archibald Slack, who is depicted reading a newspaper as he stands underneath a lamp post. The trophy is a miniature version of the statute that currently stands in front of the museum, which was donated by the WTE to Cheyenne Frontier Days on the event's 100th anniversary.

Slack owned, published and edited the Cheyenne Daily Sun in the late 19th century and was also the son of Esther Hobart Morris, the first woman to serve as Justice of the Peace in the United States. Slack is said by many to be the father of Cheyenne Frontier Days and was also considered to be "one of the most influential editors in the Wyoming Territory," according to the WTE.

"We hope our annual Community Spirit Award inspires others to join community endeavors, as the thousands of people who through the years joined Col. Slack in his original vision," said Brian Martin, WTE managing editor, during Thursday's ceremony to present Bass as the award's 26th recipient.

If there was one thing every person in that room could agree on about Bass, it was his unwavering positive attitude and incredible voluntary work ethic.

"When I found out that Tom Bass was the winner of this year's Community Spirit Award, I was not surprised," said Jeff Wallace, CEO of Wyoming Bank and Trust. "Tom, like the previous people before, certainly deserves that recognition."

The first characteristic Wallace noted about Bass when he nominated the local banker for the award was his positive personality. Everyone who spoke with the Wyoming Tribune Eagle couldn't help but comment on Bass's remarkable attitude and unstoppable work ethic.

"He's very positive — there's hardly any negativity in his personality," said Bass's wife, Chris. "He sees the bright side of everything. The glass half full of everything. ... He loves his job, he loves what he does."

Chris used to work as a banker and had left the position shortly before Bass took over almost 30 years ago. They were introduced to each other through a mutual friend, and Chris said her first impression of her future husband was his upbeat, positive personality.

"I could tell right away," she said. "That was really the first thing that attracted me to him."

Bass and his wife, who is also an active volunteer, can be found at almost every community function, event or gala. Bass's wife said her husband had the gift of gab, with the ability to form deep bonds with strangers he'd just met. Several of the people who showed up at the ceremony met Bass through that very kind of connection.

"You see Tom at just about every social event in town," said Bob Prentice, a retired pediatrician.

Nearly everyone in Cheyenne seems to know Bass, one way or another. He was in demand as a board member, treasurer and mentor, according to his wife.

"He's getting another call to be on a board," Chris said. "Every now and then, he has to turn one down."

Bass moved to Cheyenne 27 years ago from New Jersey when a headhunter recruited the banker for a position at Wyoming Bank and Trust. Not hesitating to dive right into Cheyenne's leadership and volunteer communities, little did Bass realize the connections he would make with the Cowboy State's capital community.

"I'm humbled," Bass said. "For me to part of this group is truly special."

Hannah Shields is the Wyoming Tribune Eagle's state government reporter. She can be reached at 307-633-3167 or hshields@wyomingnews.com. You can follow her on X @happyfeet004.