Patsy Pfaff is known to many in Arvada as the cookie lady.
Whether she’s going to the car mechanic, the bank, the doctor her signature baked-from-scratch snicker doodles usually accompany her.
“I feel like have the opportunity to brighten someones day, to make life a little bit better and it took me nothing to offer them that gift,” Pfaff said. “I strive to do the right thing every day and I feel like I am. I don’t have the stress or the crunch of the work world in my life, so my gift in life is baking.”
Pfaff, 66, started volunteering in Arvada when her children were young. When her son was born in 1985, she became one of the first 25 donors at the Mothers’ Milk Bank, a nonprofit program of Rocky Mountain Children’s Health Foundation that collects, processes, tests and provides donor human milk to babies in need. She was heavily involved in her church, First United Church of Arvada and at local schools.
Pfaff started a group at Campbell Elementary reading to lower elementary classes and focused on making staff feel appreciated and noticed while on the Ralston Valley High PTA.
Her biggie right now is that she is extremely active in the ET Chapter of PEO, a group that provides educational opportunities for women through scholarships. She has held most of the officer positions locally and statewide for PEO.
These are just some of the reasons, Pfaff has been named the 2019 Woman of the Year by the Arvada Chamber of Commerce.
“Patsy succeeds in pulling together a community the size of Arvada by using an ethos which represents small town friendship and love,” said Kim Smagala, who met Pfaff playing racketball in 1981. “The city of Arvada is fortunate to have her infectious energy and activism in its midst.”
Pfaff is frequently seen on the Ralston Creek Trail where she is an avid walker, having completed in 77 half marathons in the last 10 years. She serves on the advisory board for All Out Multisport, a race company, and as an encourager for her friends to get out walking.
“Patsy is one of those people that’s there for you when you need them,” said Kathi Likes, adding that after her husband died, Pfaff got her out walking again.
Now Likes is part of Pfaff walking group, Team Altitude. Their shirts read, “13.1 miles, not a walk in the park.”
“My natural tendency is to be an encourager,” Pfaff said. “To make life a little bit brighter for someone else.”
