{"id":2457581,"date":"2020-04-23T09:19:00","date_gmt":"2020-04-23T15:19:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/?p=324765"},"modified":"2020-04-23T09:19:00","modified_gmt":"2020-04-23T15:19:00","slug":"aspen-nonprofits-grapple-with-covid-19-fallout","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/local-news\/aspen-nonprofits-grapple-with-covid-19-fallout\/","title":{"rendered":"Aspen nonprofits grapple with COVID-19 fallout"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"swift-gallery p402_hide\" readability=\"6.4203821656051\">\n<ul id=\"imageGallery-324765-391\" class=\"gallery list-unstyled gallery-container\">\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/ascendigo-atd-021420-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/ascendigo-atd-021420-1-1024x735.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times | Dylan, left, and Aaron Taylor share a joke while working in the Way of Compassion bicycle project shop in Carbondale on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2020. Taylor is the director of the bicycle project and was assisting Dylan in a project. Dylan is a part of Ascendigo\" class=\"swift-gallery-slide h-100\" readability=\"1\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"13\">\n<p><strong>Dylan, left, and Aaron Taylor share a joke while working in the Way of Compassion bicycle project shop in Carbondale on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2020. Taylor is the director of the bicycle project and was assisting Dylan in a project. Dylan is a part of Ascendigo<\/strong><br \/>Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/ascendigo-atd-021420-1-1024x735.jpg\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/ascendigo-atd-021420-1-1024x735.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Dylan, left, and Aaron Taylor share a joke while working in the Way of Compassion bicycle project shop in Carbondale on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2020. Taylor is the director of the bicycle project and was assisting Dylan in a project. Dylan is a part of Ascendigo\"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"caption-toggle\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/aspen-nonprofits-grapple-with-covid-19-fallout\/#\" class=\"show-captions\">Show Captions<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/aspen-nonprofits-grapple-with-covid-19-fallout\/#\" class=\"hide-captions\">Hide Captions<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">The public health and economic crises caused by the novel coronavirus pandemic have touched everyone since mid-March, with stay-at-home orders in place and businesses closed to limit spread of the contagion. Aspen\u2019s massive, diverse and well-funded nonprofit sector is responding directly to COVID-19 providing essential services, while all reeling from its effects.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">There are upward of 100 designated 501(c)(3) organizations based from Aspen to Basalt that serve local and regional needs ranging from mental health and food stability to education, entertainment, recreation and conservation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Charitable organizations have been a driving force of valley life since the dawn of modern Aspen, when the founding of what would become the Aspen Institute and the Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club coincided with the the birth of the Paepckes\u2019 \u201cAspen Idea\u201d and the rebirth of the former mining town as a ski resort. In the 21st century, Aspen nonprofits play a vital role in the daily lives of locals; they are a huge economic force, they connect Aspen to the rest of the world and bring visitors here.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">How have they continued services during public health restrictions on gatherings and close human contact? How are they attracting donations to stay afloat during the COVID-19 crisis? And how are they planning for this summer and the uncertain future ahead?<\/p>\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col\">\n<div class=\"row at-donation at-donation-mobile p-0\">\n<div class=\"col-xl-4 p-2\">\n<div data-bg=\"url(https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/AT-logo-white.png)\" class=\"p-0 mt-2 mb-2 h-75 text-center rocket-lazyload\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/AT-logo-white.png\" class=\"logo m-0 p-0 invisible\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-bg=\"url(https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/at-banner-paypal.jpg)\" class=\"col-xl-8 p-3 text-center rocket-lazyload\">\n<h3 class=\"d-inline mr-3\">Support Local Journalism<\/h3>\n<p><button class=\"btn d-inline\" type=\"button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/donate\/?utm_source=article&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_campaign=donation&amp;utm_term=&amp;utm_content=mid-article\">Donate<\/a><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3>HUMAN SERVICES<\/h3>\n<div class=\"p402_hide\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\n<div class=\"caption-container\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2016\/08\/buddy-atd-072714.jpg\" alt class=\"wp-image-43888\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2016\/08\/buddy-atd-072714.jpg 458w, https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2016\/08\/buddy-atd-072714-240x325.jpg 240w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 100vw, 458px\"><figcaption><strong>Little Buddy Sky, case manager Sarah Evans and Big Buddy Carlton McCoy enjoy some time spent together on Lemonade Day in 2014.<\/strong><br \/><em>Courtesy Photo<\/em><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">For many area nonprofits that offer essential human services, operations have shifted during the COVID-19 crisis to include more relief resource referrals for and well-being check-ins with clients.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">But while leaders like Lindsay Lofaro, executive director of the Buddy Program in Aspen, said stepping up to help connect individuals and families with the help they may need is important, Lofaro also feels it\u2019s essential for nonprofits to continue offering their normal services.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cOne of our main priorities is staying connected to our families and Big Buddies,\u201d Lofaro said. \u201cNot every family has a partner in their lives they can turn to, so we\u2019re really trying to be that partner for families that we work with.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Ensuring clients and participants have access to the relief assistance and public health information they need to stay well during the COVID-19 crisis, coupled with maintaining and shifting current services, is the current operating trend for most area human services nonprofits.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">The valley\u2019s mental health providers like the Aspen Hope Center, Mind Springs Health and Aspen Strong have teamed up to ensure all residents from Aspen to Parachute have access to resources to help maintain mental well-being during this time of social distancing and uncertainty.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Organizations like Response and River Bridge Regional Center are preparing for an increase in domestic violence, child abuse and sexual assault cases due to COVID-19, working to maintain all services virtually or in person if needed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">And nonprofits like the Buddy Program, Challenge Aspen, Ascendigo and English in Action are continuing their services virtually and ensuring their clients and participants feel supported socially, emotionally and economically during the pandemic.<\/p>\n<div class=\"p402_hide\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\n<div class=\"caption-container\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/ascendigo-atd-021420-1-1024x735.jpg\" alt class=\"wp-image-324766\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/ascendigo-atd-021420-1-1024x735.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/ascendigo-atd-021420-1-300x215.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/ascendigo-atd-021420-1-768x551.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/ascendigo-atd-021420-1-1536x1103.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/ascendigo-atd-021420-1-2048x1470.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption><strong>Dylan, left, and Aaron Taylor share a joke while working in the Way of Compassion bicycle project shop in Carbondale on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2020. Taylor is the director of the Ascendigo bicycle project and was assisting Dylan in a project.<\/strong><br \/><em>Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times<\/em><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Peter Bell, CEO and president of Ascendigo, a Roaring Fork Valley nonprofit that works to support and empower people with autism, said assisting their clients in this time is critical: \u201cChange is typically something that is not easy for someone with autism to go through, so they need our support now more than ever. \u2026 We\u2019re doing the very best we can right now to help them be successful and to get them through this very confusing and difficult time we\u2019re all experiencing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Financially, many area nonprofits like Ascendigo also are seeking extra funding federally and locally to help keep staff employed, paychecks whole and services as robust as possible during the COVID-19 crisis.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">And while spring and early summer fundraising events and summer programming is up in the air, postponed or going virtual, many organizations are still benefiting from local donor support. For example, 22 Aspen-area locals have contributed $3.5 million to a 2020 Rescue Fund aimed at supporting social service nonprofits that can provide timely economic assistance, food access, health care and other essential humanitarian support for people from Aspen to Parachute. The Aspen Community Foundation also is working to establish a relief fund for nonprofits that may need financial support to maintain operations further down the road as a result of the novel coronavirus pandemic.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">However, despite continued donations, many nonprofits are bracing for lower charitable contributions and smaller budgets due to COVID-19.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Beyond the common thread of connection and emergency assistance, local human services nonprofit groups also are collaborating and communicating with one another to ensure all organizations are on the same page to identify gaps in services and community needs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Pitkin County Human Services and the Aspen Community Fund are facilitating this collaboration, with ACF hosting Zoom meetings twice a week that draw an average of 50 to 60 local nonprofits.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Through working as a coordinated team, leaders like Tamara Tormohlen, executive director of the Aspen Community Foundation, and Nan Sundeen, director of Pitkin County Human Services, hope area human services groups can continue to support all residents and ensure no one slips through the cracks.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cWe have a very strong commitment to supporting our nonprofits because we are such a small county so we need our nonprofits to help us,\u201d Sundeen said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cWe are all passionate about offering COVID-19 relief all the way to Parachute and are committed to doing our part to continue to make a difference no matter how long this goes.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>ARTS &amp; CULTURE<\/h3>\n<div class=\"p402_hide\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\n<div class=\"caption-container\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/08\/EDLmusic-atd-081919-2.jpg\" alt class=\"wp-image-311437\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/08\/EDLmusic-atd-081919-2.jpg 620w, https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/08\/EDLmusic-atd-081919-2-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\"><figcaption><strong>The Aspen Music Festival and School capped off the summer season by performing Gustav Mahler\u2019s Symphony No. 2, \u201cResurrection.\u201d<\/strong><br \/><em>Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times<\/em><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Aspen\u2019s event-glutted summer season normally runs at a pace set by the programs of arts nonprofits like the Aspen Music Festival and School and Jazz Aspen Snowmass. So the choices those organizations are making, and being forced to make, during the pandemic have economic and social impacts that extend far beyond the organizations\u2019 own balance sheets and calendars.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">The latest estimate on record, from 2004, is that arts and culture organizations have an $85 million annual economic impact in Aspen. An updated study, spearheaded by the Aspen Chamber Resort Association, has been in the works since April 2019.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Along with entertainment and edification of audiences, the economic health of Aspen as a whole is directly dependent on arts nonprofits\u2019 well-being and programming, which has been thrown into unforeseen crisis.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Since mid-March, the cancellations have mounted and eaten ever further into the summer culture season. Aspen Santa Fe Ballet canceled its final spring performances and tour, the Music Fest canceled the first two weeks of its season, Theatre Aspen dropped a show from its summer and moved its start date to July 6, and the Aspen Art Museum its three-day of ArtCrush, which typically raised between $2 million and $3 million and had become a tentpole midsummer happening with countless ancillary gallery openings and other nonprofit events built around it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">The Jazz Aspen Snowmass canceled its multi-venue June Experience, but is keeping its JAS Cafe season (July 9 to Aug. 16) and Labor Day Experience (Sept. 4 to 6) on the books for now.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cIf we can, we will,\u201d Jazz Aspen President Jim Horowitz said. \u201cThe urge to gather is powerful and so is the desire to do so safely.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">While canceled events mean substantial lost earned income from ticket sales for these nonprofits, they have given ticket-buyers the option of converting ticket purchases for canceled events into donations. Arts nonprofits also have the ability to recuperate losses with the help of loyal donors who are weathering the COVID-19 economic crisis. A deep-pocketed supporter or two can carry an arts nonprofit into the post-coronavirus world.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">To that end, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet launched an Emergency Relief Fund last month to keep itself solvent.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cEven in the best of times, arts organizations are fragile,\u201d reads the company\u2019s appeal for donations. \u201cLosing every source of earned income for the next several months will severely impact our viability going forward.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Arts nonprofits are all grappling with lost earned income from canceled events, while they mount fundraising efforts to mitigate the damage. Music Fest CEO Alan Fletcher, for instance, said canceling the first two weeks of the 2020 summer season cost the organization about $1 million. But he was hopeful supporters would step up to triage the losses.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cWith the board\u2019s support, we are feeling the public and donors will stay with us, and we will be OK,\u201d Fletcher said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">The National Endowment for the Arts CARES Act also is awarding funds to nonprofit arts organizations, helping them avoid layoffs and program cuts.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Though event insurance generally doesn\u2019t cover pandemics, many arts nonprofit leaders said that vendors they\u2019d contracted with for canceled events have returned deposits and allowed financial agreements to be voided or moved to 2021, to offer economic relief to the charitable organizations.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cHotels and venues are being so generous and accommodating,\u201d said Aspen Words executive director Adrienne Brodeur, whose organization canceled its 2020 Summer Words literary festival in Aspen and moved its New York Aspen Words Literary Prize event online.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">But these mission-driven organizations also have quickly taken action to continue serving their communities in quarantine with efforts like the Aspen Music Festival\u2019s virtual AfterWorks music lessons, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet\u2019s virtual dance classes and the Aspen Art Museum\u2019s virtual opening of its Young Curators of the Roaring Fork exhibition.<\/p>\n<h3>THE INSTITUTE &amp; EDUCATION<\/h3>\n<div class=\"p402_hide\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\n<div class=\"caption-container\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2018\/06\/ideasbrief-atd-062516.jpg\" alt class=\"wp-image-266121\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2018\/06\/ideasbrief-atd-062516.jpg 620w, https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2018\/06\/ideasbrief-atd-062516-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2018\/06\/ideasbrief-atd-062516-325x217.jpg 325w, https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2018\/06\/ideasbrief-atd-062516-600x401.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\"><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">The coronavirus pandemic is reverberating from the Aspen Meadows campus that houses the Aspen Institute to the Aspen School District campus that houses four public learning facilities.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">The school district gets a significant boost from the Aspen Education Foundation, its fundraising arm that brought in more than $1 million at its Flamingo benefit in November.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Like the Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based think-tank with a strong educational component, the foundation has adjusted its programming and schedule but kept pushing ahead with its mission.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">The same goes for another local nonprofit immersed in the academic world; Aspen Center for Physics canceled two conferences in March and one in May, said administrative vice president Amanda Jenkins.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cWe canceled our summer program for the first time in 59 years of operation,\u201d she said in an email. \u201cWe canceled a two-day conference in September. We are managing our budget by minimizing our campus expenditures. We are planning to host conferences again in December 2020.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">With its Flamingo fundraiser behind it, the Aspen Education Foundation had its sights set for May, which is Mental Health Month, to hold a benefit aimed at raising $75,000 to fund a new mental health counselor position at Aspen Elementary. The campaign is being taken online, but AEF Executive Director Cynthia Chase said the pandemic has ushered in more immediate concerns.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cPart of the fallout will be that our mental health needs will be greater,\u201d Chase said. \u201cI think that adding a mental health counselor will be even more important, but that\u2019s in the future. So each week we try to look at what our immediate needs are now.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">That includes supporting Aspen Family Connections, headquartered at Aspen Middle School, which has been feeding hundreds of local residents through its food-assistance program during the pandemic.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Eventually AEF will return to its work helping fund college counseling, outdoor and experiential education, STEAM, robotics, math and literacy support, and mental health, Chase said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">The Aspen Institute canceled its summer Aspen events including the Ideas Fest and Security Forum, both of which attract international guests and attention. It is spinning off the events into online programming.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cIt has been heartbreaking to have to make the decision to cancel much of our summer programming because of the health risks associated with convening in person,\u201d said Dan Porterfield, president of The Aspen Institute, in response to a set of questions by email. \u201cOverall, this pandemic cannot stop us from pursuing our calling, which is to foster inclusive dialogue, promote values-based leadership in all sectors of society, and drive change on the most important issues of the day \u2014 around the country, around the world, and very definitely in Aspen, Colorado.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>ACES &amp; ENVIRONMENT<\/h3>\n<div class=\"p402_hide\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\n<div class=\"caption-container\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/02\/coverstory-atw-013119-1-8.jpg\" alt class=\"wp-image-297457\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/02\/coverstory-atw-013119-1-8.jpg 620w, https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/02\/coverstory-atw-013119-1-8-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/02\/coverstory-atw-013119-1-8-325x216.jpg 325w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\"><figcaption><strong>Aspen Center for Environmental Studies<\/strong><br \/><em>Anna Stonehouse\/The Aspen Times<\/em><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Aspen Center for Environmental Studies executive director Chris Lane is an eternal optimist but he won\u2019t sugarcoat the likely affects of the coronavirus pandemic.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cWe are going to take a significant hit on the revenue side of the budget,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">ACES hosts numerous programs that bring kids, adults or both together to learn about and love nature. Large gatherings won\u2019t be happening this year.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Evening on the Lake, a signature event in July that brings together 250 people and raises $500,000, is canceled. Numerous kids\u2019 camps planned in the forests of Independence Pass to the sheep pens of Rock Bottom Ranch will likely have to be pared down or compressed into a tighter timeframe. They might have to be smaller and organized over six weeks rather than spread over 12 weeks.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">ACES remains staffed up in hopes of a busy, if altered, summer.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cWe may have a busy July and August or everything gets canceled,\u201d Lane said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">The bottom line is simple.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cWe\u2019re trying to take a nimble approach to this,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">For example, they started the ACES\u2019 Nature Challenge on April 1, a thrice-weekly video series suggesting ways families can discover nature in their backyard. They\u2019re an online curricula for young kids from Aspen to Rifle to replace canceled spring field programs, which engage hundreds of students, and events that have historically attracted 100-plus people might have to be remade as several smaller events for 25 people each.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">ACES\u2019 staff is assuming the earned income from programs will take a 40% to 50% hit. It\u2019s probably the same on the contributions side, though Lane said several loyal donors realize it is an important time for nonprofits.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">He and his staff have taken a conservative budgetary approach over the years and have a reserve fund for just this type of situation, Lane said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Nimbleness is the name of the game for all environmentally oriented nonprofit organizations. Groups from Wilderness Workshop to Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers depend on gatherings for programs or work on trails. Plans will have to be pared down.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Independence Pass Foundation canceled its signature fundraising event \u2014 the Ride for the Pass \u2014which was supposed to be held May 16.<\/p>\n<div class=\"p402_hide\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\n<div class=\"caption-container\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2018\/05\/ridepass-atd-051518-1.jpg\" alt class=\"wp-image-262060\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2018\/05\/ridepass-atd-051518-1.jpg 413w, https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2018\/05\/ridepass-atd-051518-1-100x150.jpg 100w, https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2018\/05\/ridepass-atd-051518-1-216x325.jpg 216w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 413px) 100vw, 413px\"><figcaption><strong>Riders settle into the slow grind up Independence Pass last year for the Ride for the Pass event in 2018<\/strong><br \/><em>Matt Power\/courtesy photo<\/em><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">IPF executive director Karin Teague said she\u2019s working on other options for later in the summer. She acknowledged there is a lot of wait-and-see to the year. The big question: can workdays proceed or will they fall the way of the Ride for the Pass?<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cWe absolutely rely on volunteers and volunteer projects,\u201d Teague said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Typical projects range from using labor from inmates in the state correctional facility in Buena Vista to work on bank stabilization and other projects up the Pass to tree plantings by Aspen school kids. One advantage for IPF is projects don\u2019t start until late June because of lingering snow at high elevations.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cWe\u2019re continuing to make plans for summer work,\u201d Teague said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Groups may be limited to five or so people instead of bigger gatherings, she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">On the donations side, many of the sponsors for Ride for the Pass still sent their checks. That takes a big step toward paying for projects in summer and fall, Teague said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">In addition, overhead is limited, so no drastic cuts are being eyed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cWe\u2019re thinking creatively like every other group in the valley,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<h3>SPORTS &amp; RECREATION<\/h3>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">The sports world, both near and far, has been hit as hard as any other industry because of the pandemic. Grandstands are empty and fields remain untouched by cleats, the lust for competition shackled by the new coronavirus.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Some of the Roaring Fork Valley\u2019s largest athletics nonprofits, like the Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club and Aspen Junior Hockey, were wrapping up their seasons when the shutdowns hit and escaped the worst of the fallout.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">AVSC remains optimistic it will be able to implement some of its summer programming.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cWe are sitting by and waiting and hoping we can still run a glacier and trampoline camp, and we are hoping we can kick off our mountain biking on June 6, but I think that\u2019s really a wait-and-see,\u201d AVSC executive director Mark Godomsky said. \u201cI\u2019m hopeful we can do something with kids, but also realistic that this is bigger than what we are trying to do right now.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">AVSC\u2019s main fundraiser is the Audi Ajax Cup, held just before the new year, while AJH gets the bulk of its fundraising done in the fall through the Stirling Cup and the Fall Faceoff. Meaning, they are in a better position to withstand the current situation over the coming months than others.<\/p>\n<div class=\"p402_hide\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\n<div class=\"caption-container\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/04\/cyclingclub-atd-041719-1-1.jpg\" alt class=\"wp-image-304204\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/04\/cyclingclub-atd-041719-1-1.jpg 620w, https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/04\/cyclingclub-atd-041719-1-1-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\"><figcaption><strong>People take part in the Aspen Cycling Club\u2019s skills clinic last April in Woody Creek.<\/strong><br \/><em>Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times<\/em><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Spring- and summer-focused nonprofits such as the Aspen Lacrosse Club and the Aspen Cycling Club are in a tougher spot. The cycling club has already canceled its races for the month of May and expects to lose about 15% of its operating budget, which comes primarily from sponsorships.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cWe are doing a lot of different budget scenarios here just to see what we can sustainability and realistically offer this summer,\u201d Aspen Cycling Club President Andy Ralston said. \u201cIt\u2019s certainly a balancing act between being conservative and erring on the side of caution and also recognizing the value of our events.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">The Aspen Lacrosse Club is even worse off, having officially canceled its entire spring season, which had been slated to start at the beginning of April. This includes its primary fundraiser, the Aspen Shootout, a tournament held in May at Crown Mountain Park that hosts teams from all over the state and region.<\/p>\n<div class=\"p402_hide\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\n<div class=\"caption-container\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/lacrosse-atd-042220-1-1024x683.jpg\" alt class=\"wp-image-324679\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/lacrosse-atd-042220-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/lacrosse-atd-042220-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/lacrosse-atd-042220-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/lacrosse-atd-042220-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/lacrosse-atd-042220-1-2048x1366.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption><strong>Teams compete in the 2019 Aspen Shootout lacrosse tournament at Crown Mountain Park in El Jebel.<\/strong><br \/><em>Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times<\/em><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cWe moved forward with the decision. Let\u2019s close a chapter on 2020 spring and get creative and stay focused on a different look and feel for lacrosse as soon as the doors are ready to be open to the fields,\u201d said Meredith Elwell, the club\u2019s co-director alongside Graham McMahon.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">The lacrosse club typically doesn\u2019t operate heavily in the summer, but has a growing fall season that is nearly on par with spring. The club will able to handle the fallout of losing its spring season despite its small budget, but could run into more serious financial issues should the autumn season also fall to the wayside.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cThe money is definitely an issue,\u201d McMahon said. \u201cWe are exploring other options, too, with some local businesses in the valley to maybe fundraise outside of the Aspen Shootout.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/aspen-nonprofits-grapple-with-covid-19-fallout\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">via:: The Aspen Times<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dylan, left, and Aaron Taylor share a joke while working in the Way of Compassion bicycle project shop in Carbondale on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2020. Taylor is the director of the bicycle project and was assisting Dylan in a project. Dylan is a part of AscendigoKelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times Show CaptionsHide Captions The public health [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2457581","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-local-news"],"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-08-18 00:13:58","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KSPN The Valley&#039;s Quality Rock","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2457581","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2457581"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2457581\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2457581"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2457581"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2457581"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}