Duck Creek real estate agent Cindy Allen, shown leading a parade in Duck Creek during the summer, wears many hats in the community that is about 30 miles east of Cedar City.

DUCK CREEK — You could easily say Cindy Allen is a woman of many hats in this tiny community situated about 30 miles east of Cedar City off Highway 14.

The native of Reno actually came to Duck Creek with her husband, Kelly, in 2000 to purchase a cabin.

The couple moved to Duck Creek in 2001. Only five months after getting her real estate license, Kelly died of a massive heart attack in September of 2002, at the age of 44. Allen dove head-first into real estate to make a living, while also being able to stay in Duck Creek.

“I had fallen in love with Duck Creek,” she remembers of her first days here. “The community embraced me when Kelly died, and I’ll never forget that. I have become entrenched in Duck Creek, and could not imagine living anywhere else.”

Allen hasn’t slowed down a bit. She remains a real estate agent, is part owner of Cedar Mountain Home Furnishings with fiancé Rudy Delapaz of Cedar Mountain Builders in Duck Creek Village, and she has volunteered for benefits including the Cedar Mountain Fire Department as well as a fund-raiser for longtime real estate agent Tracy Armstrong, who has bravely fought paralysis after being shot in Panguitch in August of 2007.

In fact, if it is true that real estate agents must be involved in their community to be successful, Cindy Allen is a leading candidate for volunteer honors.

“My real estate career enabled me to stay in Duck Creek,” she recalls now. “However, if you’re going to live here, I feel that I need to help people. For instance, our fire department is comprised of many volunteers, and we need to help them. Nobody knows more the importance of needing help than I do considering my personal past.”

Allen spearheads Cedar Mountain Fire Department benefits each year, combining with several other volunteers to present pancake feeds, the EMS Volunteer Appreciation barbecue each June and the Fourth of July parade through Duck Creek Village.

Fire and Ice is the fourth event of the year and is held in August to benefit the fire department and the community while also educating the public. Key to the community is that the benefits have produced heart defibrillators now at eight locations throughout Cedar Mountain.

In addition, Allen brings the community together by presenting fun events at Duck Creek Dance Hall, which was built adjacent to the furniture store by Delapaz. The dance hall has hosted several events with live bands, such as Muddy Boots and Two Much Fun out of Cedar City, at special gatherings from May through October.

“She is an incredible lady,” Armstrong said recently from his home in Panguitch. “She is remarkable, there’s no doubt about it.” Armstrong’s wife, Lynn, echoed her husband’s thoughts. “It was amazing,” Mrs. Armstrong recalled of the benefit orchestrated by Allen. “Even though it was freezing outside, she had everything set up.”

Ken Johnson, the fire chief at Cedar Mountain Fire District, echoed the praise of Allen, who is involved in various fund-raisers for the department. “Cindy helps a lot of people,” said Johnson, 50, who has been fire chief for seven years. “She is there for everyone.”

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