Kudos and Kindness from Aspen Times readers (Sept. 3, 2017)

Aspen Valley Land Trust rings in 50 years

The staff and board of Aspen Valley Land Trust extend a huge thank-you to the community for its incredible support of our 50th Anniversary Land Gala on Aug. 12, presented by Alpine Bank. Over 250 people gathered under the big top at the beautiful Gitalong Ranch, thanks to the generosity of Suzanne Farver and her team.

The evening was dedicated to honoring the Aspen Valley Land Trust’s founder, John Doremus (former president of the trust’s parent organizations, Pitkin County Parks Association and Park Trust), who served the organization for over 25 years; and to its first park and conservation easement donors, Fritz and Fabi Benedict and George and Patti Stranahan, respectively. It was a special and emotional evening for all who recognized the contributions of these conservation pioneers and the deep and wide support of the community over a half century.

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We are grateful to everyone who attended and/or supported us along the way. The event was a smashing success by all measures and exceeded our expectations. To our Anniversary Host, Alpine Bank, and the many other sponsors who stepped up to make this event happen, thank you! To our tremendous volunteers, staff, board of directors and host committee, thank you! To Amy Beidleman for sharing her artwork, and to our silent and live auction donors, thank you! And most importantly, to those who have conserved land for the good of the future, we are only here because of you! All of your contributions will help assure the beauty of our valley and its open lands, forever.

We are honored to be a part of this community, and look forward to working with you and future generations over the next 50 years and beyond to protect our special home.

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Suzanne Stephens

Executive director, Aspen Valley Land Trust

Fred Lodge

President, board of Aspen Valley Land Trust

Thank you from Ascendigo Autism Services

On behalf of my colleagues at Ascendigo Autism Services and the clients we serve, I would like to extend a sincere thank-you to the Cowboy Up Carbondale Committee for a very successful and fun event Aug. 25. We greatly appreciate your hard work and dedication to support non-profits in our community. The proceeds of the event will support Ascendigo’s year-round ranch program for children and adults on the autism spectrum.

We also want to thank the businesses and individuals who so generously contributed to this year’s Cowboy Up Carbondale event: partners, table sponsors, live and silent auction donors, media donors, volunteers, attendees, and all of those who bid on auction items and services. It was a great event!

Special thanks to our Cowboy Up partners: Premier Party Rentals, Roaring Fork Valley Co-op, Mountain Waste & Recycling, Swire Coca-Cola and Orrison Distributing. We also appreciate members of the local media who helped us promote this event–KSNO, KMTS and The Aspen Times.

We are grateful for our table sponsors: Devlin Financial Service, Alpine Bank, Coldwell Banker Mason Morse, Nieslanik Horses, Nieslanik Beef, Precision Tile & Stone, Mat Dog Towing, R & A Enterprises, Katie Grange from Aspen Snowmass Sotheby’s International Realty, Tom and Sallie Bernard, Land Title Guarantee Company, Casey Concrete, The Churchill Group, The Eric Small family and Martin Ranch.

Last but certainly not least, we want to tip our hats to the Cowboy Up Carbondale Team: Erin Bassett, Cassie Cerise, Scott Haycock, Rob Whalen and Ashley Jammaron. They volunteer tirelessly to stage this spirited celebration of Carbondale’s western heritage that also supports nonprofit organizations.

We live in an amazingly generous community and because of the special people who live here it makes it a wonderful home for our organization and the many individuals we serve. Thank you, Carbondale and the surrounding community!

Peter Bell

President and CEO, Ascendigo Autism Services

Carbondale

Observations on observing the eclipse

I observed the eclipse at the Third Street Center in Carbondale. I had no desire to travel to Wyoming, Nebraska or fly in a jet following the eclipse. That would require I leave my home, and I haven’t been doing that much lately. OK, so we only saw 90 percent and no sign of Venus or Mars or any stars. It was a spectacular show, anyway.

There was a good crowd at the Third Street Center. Carbundians are into science. The scene reminded me of the moment in “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” when all those people were waiting on top of Devil’s Tower for the spaceship to land. I was inclined to give the moon and the sun hand signals and emit a series of tonal sounds.

It was a good day for science. The scientists told us what was going to happen, to the minute, and they nailed it. Maybe some of the climate change deniers will begin to realize scientists know what they’re talking about when it comes to climate change, too.

I can see why the Native Americans thought Mother Earth was being reborn when an eclipse happened. If you didn’t understand the phenomenon, you’d have to assume it was something momentous. It was.

Fred Malo Jr.

Carbondale

“How My Love Has Grown” — a poem

Green groves of aspens

On a summer day

As the flowing air changes

The mood of stillness

It sends vibrations of soothing

Feelings running through my soul

As the sunlight dances freely

Upon the flickering leaves

A radiant energy by which

One sees overcomes my being

And once again I found myself

Standing in a fertile green

Grove of a family of aspens

Connected by roots

O how my love has grown

Hinton Harrison

Aspen

Charmed by hospitality in Aspen, Snowmass

I recently visited Aspen for the first time from Pennsylvania. I want to thank the people of Aspen for their wonderful hospitality. As someone who was traveling alone, I was impressed with the kindness and generosity of everyone I met. I never felt alone. I would like to especially thank the following places where everyone went out of their way to make my stay a lovely experience.

Snowmass Village, Hotel Jerome (impressive historical site), Trashmaster Golf Tournament (a fun philanthropic event), BOSQ, Aqualina, the airport, and last but not least, Peach’s (my daily caffeine fix).

For those of you lucky enough to live here, you are very blessed. In addition to the breathtaking beauty that surrounds you, you also live side by side with incredible people.

Thank you for making me feel welcome.

Debbie Appleby

Duncansville, Pennsylvania