"Sheridan Celebrates" 2014 Grand Marshal This page updated: October 3, 2015.

Roger Rowland

2014 marks the 25th annual Sheridan Celebrates community parade and festival. This exciting free public event was created in January 1990. The City Council asked Roger Rowland to organize a committee and the events. Roger Rowland had just retired from six years as Mayor of Sheridan. He partnered with then Council Member, Cliff Mueller, plus other prominent community residents and affiliates such as the library, the recreation center, Sheridan Schools and business owners to organize and conduct the very first Sheridan Celebrates in September of 1990. This inaugural event was hosted to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the City’s founding in 1890. The initial festival was held next to the recreation center and high school. From the beginning, the event included the ever-popular parade, and in 1990, also exhibited a “folklore village” highlighting the lives of the early South Platte Valley settlers. The festival is now held on the lovely front lawn of City Hall, 4101 S. Federal Blvd. The 2014 Sheridan Celebrates parade and festival, “Sheridan Celebrates the Silver Screen,” will take place on Saturday, September 27, 2014.

Roger Rowland was not the first in his family to serve the City of Sheridan. His father, John Rowland, was a member of City Council in the early 1960s. Rowland was raised in Sheridan’s Ward 2 and attended Sheridan Schools, graduating in 1973. Rowland truly enjoyed his educational experiences, particularly serving as team manager for the 1972 Sheridan High state championship football team. After high school, Rowland attended Arapahoe Community College and served as student body president during the 1974-1975 school year. “This service was a great introduction to my time as Sheridan’s Mayor,” stated Rowland. Rowland obtained an Associate’s Degree in Applied Science for Law Enforcement. In 1993, he was the first person to be named as the Arapahoe Community College Alumni of the Year. He currently works for a international security company.

Rowland served on his last Sheridan Celebrates committee during the 2013 season. However, he still stays committed to assisting the City of Sheridan as the webmaster for the Sheridan Historical Society. This society originated about the same time as the Sheridan Celebrates event and Rowland has been involved with both since their inception. His dedication to Sheridan’s history has resulted in the writing of two books, one regarding the history of the fire department and the other the history of the police department. Both were published and are available from the Historical Society. Rowland’s departure from the Sheridan Celebrates committee is precipitated by his growing contributions to the Sheridan High School Alumni Association. Created four years ago, the Alumni Association is non-profit corporation that is now pursuing 501-C-3 tax exempt status.

[October 3, 2015 Note: The High School Alumni Association no longer exists. However, many of of the functions of the Alumni Association have now been picked up by the Schools Committee of the Historical Society created in May 2015. Rowland is a member of the Schools Committee.]

Rowland is the current president of the Association. The Association is committed to supporting Sheridan students by contributing to the annual after prom and scholarships in the form of text book funding for students in the 21st Century program. This is a program in which students are co-enrolled at Sheridan High and the Arapahoe/Douglas Career and Technical School or a local college. Credits earned in this program count both toward an advanced high school degree and a Career and Tech Certificate, Associate’s Degree or a Bachelor’s Degree.

Rowland’s response to his appointment as the 2014 Sheridan Celebrates Grand Marshal was, “I really appreciate the recognition for my last two decades of contributions to the City of Sheridan. I have always enjoyed my work with the dedicated volunteers on the Sheridan Celebrates committee. I appreciate that they will step up and fill in the gap made by my retirement. I will devote my spare time to continue the formation and expansion of the Sheridan High School Alumni Association.” The Sheridan Celebrates committee will miss Roger Rowland and welcomes new volunteers and ideas.

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