Holy Cross Energy comes through
We would like to acknowledge the terrific job that the repair crews from Holy Cross Energy have done over the past two weekends of heavy snowfall to repair and restore the electric power to dozens of homes in the Roaring Fork Valley. It became a new pastime for ours to check the outages map on the Holy Cross website and watch the outage dots disappear one at a time, knowing there was a crew of workers out there working long hours, tromping through the deep snow, climbing poles, cutting downed trees, making the dots disappear and people’s lights reappear.
We are lucky to be in such a great rural electric territory that Holy Cross Energy covers! Thanks, your work is greatly appreciated!
Steve and Molly Child
Snowmass
Empty Bowls organizers full of appreciation
The 14th annual Empty Bowls Dinner was a huge success! On March 6, over 500 people from our community gathered at Bumps at the base of Buttermilk to share a simple meal of delicious soup, fresh bread and yummy desserts. Guests chose a bowl from over 450 beautiful ceramic bowls that were handmade by students at the Aspen Middle School, the Aspen Community School and the Aspen Country Day School for their soup and to take home as a reminder that there are always empty bowls in the world.
All the money raised, over $5,500, will be donated to the local charity Lift Up.
Everyone who participated in Empty Bowls 2019 left with a full tummy, a warm heart and a nourished soul. This event had a huge community turnout and participation from all the students at all three schools, which is a reflection of the incredible community in which we live. We are so fortunate that our community supports the arts, education and children.
A special thanks to a very generous grant from the Thrift Shop of Aspen and their dedication to education, the arts and community service. Thank you to Bumps! Henrietta, Rachel and their staff were extremely generous, helpful and wonderful in every way. Thank you to all the amazing volunteers who gave time, energy and donations to make the Empty Bowls project happen and thank you to all the students who created art from their hearts.
The following businesses were incredibly generous: Bumps, Sage at the Snowmass Club, Aspen Caterers, Aspen Country Day School Cafe, Butcher’s Block, Jour de Fete, Cache Cache, Union Kitchen, Home Team BBQ, Jimmy’s, The Big Wrap, Meat and Cheese Restaurant, The Caribou Club, Paradise and Clark’s Market. The food was delicious!
We, the art teachers, want to thank everyone involved in this project — our restaurant sponsors that donated delicious soup; our parents, colleagues and friends, who gave time and energy and cookies; and last but not least, the students who created art and gained an understanding of giving from the heart and the value of helping others.
Rae Lampe, Aspen Middle School
Hilary Forsyth, Aspen Community School
Paula Ponto, Aspen Country Day School
Thanks for the good time, Skico
A big thank-you to Aspen Skiing Co. for hosting a wonderful breakfast for all of us seniors recently at the Sundeck. Everyone was really impressed with not only the breakfast itself, but the friendliness of all the staff folks who saw to it that we had a great time. Lift attendants, food servers, bus people and management alike. Thanks again from a grateful oldie but goodie.
David Kerr
Carbondale
Help Aspen Homeless Shelter
Please consider donating to the Aspen Homeless Shelter because there are many people in need in our valley, some of whom are veterans who served our country. As of 2017, there were 10,940 homeless people in Colorado and 1,078 of whom were homeless veterans. Veterans can become homeless from PTSD. When a person has PTSD, they can have trouble maintaining a job and connecting with others because of flashbacks, sudden rage outbursts, emotional numbness, relationship problems, and drug and alcohol abuse; therefore, it’s hard to make money and keep up a stable healthy lifestyle. These veterans deserve better than what they have. They deserve houses, food and clean water.
In the Aspen Middle School we are hosting a hygiene and winter clothing drive. Drop off winter clothes that you don’t need and hygiene products such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, etc. These products will be donated to the Aspen Homeless Shelter and distributed to the homeless people throughout our valley.
Halle Horning
Aspen Middle School
Give a hand to the less fortunate
I am sure all of you are aware that the local homeless population has expanded exponentially in recent years. Many of these homeless people would like to apply for professions but cannot due to a lack of hygienic well-being. The one simple thing holding these people back from a job is a lack of soap. This is a simple factor of our lives that we take for granted on a daily basis.
I simply ask you to extend your hearts to these poor individuals and donate anything that could help them get back on their feet. Remember everybody, everybody, no matter how young or old, big or slim, with or without a home, deserves dignity.
Garrett Avery Ray Bertholf
Aspen Middle School
It takes a valley
I am writing to commend and to thank the Aspen Community Foundation (ACF) for supporting the Valley Settlement’s innovative work with Family, Friends and Neighbors (FFN), as described in Tamara Tormohlen’s column Feb. 26 (“Giving Thought: Supporting families’ child care choices,” The Aspen Times).
With funding from ACF’s Cradle to Career initiative, Valley Settlement produced a training guide for its two-year FFN training program. Utilizing this investment, Valley Settlement is working with Early Childhood Network and Eagle County Department of Human Services to train many additional providers and the children they serve. Valley Settlement is currently working with 30 FFNs, who care for over 130 Roaring Fork Valley children whose families are not able to access licensed child care. For the first time, training for these informal caregivers is available in Spanish, resulting in improvements in the safety and quality of the care being provided.
Last year, 100 percent of participating FFNs reported they increased their understanding of child development and provided children with a better learning environment after completing the program. Valley Settlement home visitors provide twice monthly visits for two years to each FFN to introduce and reinforce new early childhood materials and curriculum. Working together within our region, we are creating a more level playing field for young children during their critically important years of early development.
If you would like to learn more about FFN or Valley Settlement, please join us for a tour of our multiple programs and visit www.valleysettlement.org.
Elaine Grossman
Director of strategic partnerships, Valley Settlement
Carbondale