Visit Colorado Springs awarded El Paso County Nature Centers the Superhero Team Award during its annual Tourism Awards Celebration on Oct. 14 at The Antlers at Wyndham Hotel in Colorado Springs.

The Visit Colorado Springs Superhero Team Award recognizes an organization or business that went above and beyond in 2020 and 2021 to address the needs of the community during a time of great distress and uncertainty.

“The VCOS Tourism Awards celebrate a year of hard work in our local tourism community,” Kim Griffis, the director of partnership development at Visit Colorado Springs. “It’s always an honor to recognize those who go above and beyond at our annual Tourism Awards Celebration. During a time when it was difficult to get out and adventure, El Paso County Nature Centers found creative ways to encourage families and visitors alike to continue exploring and learning.”

Since 1976, Bear Creek Nature Center and Fountain Creek Nature Center have persevered through fires, floods, budget cuts and more, but none of those compared to the pandemic, stated a release. During this challenging time, staff and volunteers at the nature centers worked on connecting people to nature.