WESTMINSTER, Colo. – Long before he became one of Butterfly Pavilion's most dedicated volunteers, Steve Chady was simply a kid chasing butterflies.
"I just grew up chasing butterflies as a kid, and it never left me," Chady said. "I'm 70 years old right now, and I'm still a butterfly nut."
That childhood fascination has grown into nearly 13 years of volunteer service at Butterfly Pavilion in Westminster, where Chady has donated more than 12,000 hours helping care for invertebrates, maintain gardens and educate visitors.
Chady became a member of the Butterfly Pavilion shortly after they opened in 1995. After retiring, he began volunteering, eventually taking on roles across multiple departments.
"I do exhibits," Chady said. "I volunteer with the horticulture team. In the afternoon on Thursdays, I do this, which is processing the chrysalis shipments that come in from around the world."
Each week, Butterfly Pavilion receives shipments of butterfly chrysalises from tropical countries around the world. Chady carefully sorts, counts and prepares each chrysalis before the butterflies emerge inside the Wings of the Tropics exhibit, where thousands of visitors can observe them.
Senior Lepidopterist Manager Shiran Hershcovich said Chady's responsibilities extend far beyond preparing butterflies.
"He does a little bit of everything, from processing those butterflies to being a community scientist out in the field to answering guest questions on exhibits," Hershcovich said. "He is just an essential piece of what we do here at Butterfly Pavilion."
Community Engagement Manager Calais Lejeune said volunteers are essential to Butterfly Pavilion's mission of inspiring appreciation for invertebrates, but Chady's commitment stands apart.
"He was the most hours starting a few years ago, so he's by far surpassed the most hours any volunteer has contributed here," Lejeune said.
Lejeune, who has known Chady for nearly a decade, said his influence reaches well beyond the guests he educates.
"Through all of his dedication and the multiple departments he helps out with here, he has always been an inspiration to our new volunteers," Lejeune said.
Hershcovich said Chady's willingness to support nearly every aspect of Butterfly Pavilion made him an easy choice to nominate as a Denver7 Everyday Hero.
"He embodies everything that we stand for, and for that reason, he was just a natural nomination for this award. He really is an Everyday Hero," Hershcovich said.
For Chady, retirement became an opportunity to turn a lifelong love of butterflies into a way of giving back. Whether he's caring for butterfly chrysalises, tending gardens or answering visitors' questions, his goal remains simple.
"I hope they learn something, and I try to make sure they learn something," Chady said.
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