Aspen readers offer Kudos and Kindness

T-Lazy-7 to the rescue

Let me begin with admitting that for years I have smiled and waved to snowmobilers as I walk or ski up Maroon Creek Road or Independence Pass, but sometimes internally grumbling as they pass. The other day, while walking up Maroon Creek with my dog and a friend’s dog, the friend’s dog went down to the creek and couldn’t get back up the steep embankment in all this snow. A T-Lazy-7 guide stopped, radioed to base, and in no time, Rick Deane and David were there, roped up, and rescued the dog. From now on, my smile and wave to snowmobilers will be genuine, coming from gratitude and appreciation for not only their dog rescue but also for their maintenance of the road, creating a nordic track for the skiers, and their friendliness in sharing the road with skiers, hikers, winter bikers and dogs.

Shereen Sarick

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Aspen

Living the dream with the Buddy Program

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I can’t believe I get to do this. I get to meet great people all over Aspen, Basalt, Carbondale and beyond who want to make our valley a great place to live. I’m the new recruitment manager at the Buddy Program and I feel so genuinely lucky. I’ve had several different jobs since college (telecommunications in Dallas, pharmaceutical sales in San Francisco and Austin, Texas, fundraising for my alma mater in my home state of Oklahoma) but I think this might be the GOAT — Greatest Of All Time. I have lived in the valley for four years, and I’ve been a Big Buddy for two years in Basalt. It has been a fantastic experience. Spending time with my Little Buddy keeps me cooler than the flip side of the pillow. She keeps me dialed in on all the new trends and interests of the middle school set while we play board games, read new books together, play outside and talk about life. When was the last time you played Battleship or Connect Four? I played last week with my Little Buddy! She gives me the perspective I need — she is the future of our valley.

Please join us for a “Mentor and Mingle” event at bb’s kitchen in Aspen from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday. Come learn more about the Buddy Program. The life you change just might be your own.

Laura Seay

Recruitment manager, The Buddy Program

Thank you, Thrift Shop of Aspen

I would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank the volunteers at The Thrift Shop of Aspen. For over 27 years, the Thrift Shop has helped our Special Olympics athletes by donating a substantial amount of money! We appreciate it each and every year and feel they need the recognition that goes with being so generous. It’s so nice to know that the thrift shop continues its ongoing task of assisting nonprofits with important missions and projects.

The volunteers at The Thrift Shop of Aspen make this donation possible with all their hard work. On behalf of our athletes, coaches and families in the Roaring Fork Valley, thank you!

Julie Fite

Western regional manager, Special Olympics Colorado

Thrift Shop of Aspen gives back

Every month, volunteers of The Thrift Shop of Aspen meet to continue to accomplish our mission: to make grants to other nonprofit organizations in the Roaring Fork Valley. We are grateful to all community members who faithfully support our efforts by donating and purchasing gently used clothing and household items. For the month of January, we are pleased to announce the following recipients: Pathfinders, Red Brick Council for the Arts, Aspen Hope Center, Science in Schools, Empty Bowls, Aspen Middle School math, Basalt middle and High School wrestling, Snowmass Winter Concert Series, and Roaring Fork High School Robotics.

Ellen Walbert

Co-president, Thrift Shop of Aspen

Aspen Next Gen excited about new member

The Aspen Next Generation Advisory Commission is happy to announce the newest council-appointed member of our team: Nicky Byrne. Nicky is a thoughtful, hard-working and insightful lifetime local who will help us better serve the Aspen community.

Thank you to the entire young community for showing up. In each of our past three board openings, NextGen has received more applicants than any other city board or commission. This commitment to service is critical to Aspen’s future and we are honored by your attempt to serve.

To all of Aspen, we wish you a happy new year. We will continue to work toward a better, more inclusive, more unified, collective future. We thank everyone who helped create this little paradise we live in and we promise to take on the responsibility of making it just a little bit better each day.

Happy new year, Aspen!

The NextGen Team