May Madness

The Aspen Education Foundation really did hit the Mother Lode with its annual May Madness benefit, which this year was called “May Madness Hits the Mother Lode,” by netting $200,000. The auctions, dinner and dance party benefit programs at the Aspen Public Schools that are not covered by the school budget. The Aspen Education Foundation underwrites curriculum in math enrichment, literacy, the arts, teacher training, college advising and more. The evening this year was presented by Alpine Bank and other business sponsors including Obermeyer Asset Management, Coates Reid & Waldron, Under Armour and Morris & Fyrwald. Many Aspen businesses and individuals contributed items to the silent and live auctions. Because the evening’s theme was the early silver-mining history of Aspen, local miners Jay Parker and Ted Davis lent an authentic air by wearing their mining apparel and talking with partygoers about silver mining in Aspen today.

William Hyman, son of Barbara Reid and David Hyman of Aspen, appeared in the recent production of “The Caucasian Chalk Circle” at Whitman College. William played the part of Singer, Monk and a chorus member at the college in Walla Walla, Wash.Graduating magna cum laude on May 14 from Metropolitan State College in Denver was Ashley Schermerhorn, daughter of Helen and George Schermerhorn of Woody Creek. Ashley earned a B.S. degree in exercise science with a minor in biology. She is also a graduate of Oldfields School in Baltimore, Md.Little blue eyes appear in every photograph in the book, “Me, the Tree,” written and published by Ann Louise Ramsey, who lives and works in Peach Valley. The eyes belong to a little pine cone who eventually grows into a magnificent evergreen tree in a meadow “where no other tree had grown before.” Ramsey photographed the mountains and forests around East Divide Creek and the Flattops, so children will enjoy finding the blue eyes in each photo. The story focuses on nature’s beauty and how it can inspire self-motivation and belief in oneself. Ramsey is a poet and a photographer who has published four previous books of poetry. “Me, the Tree,” is available at the Aspen Book Store and Carl’s Pharmacy in Aspen; the Book Train, Through the Looking Glass and Red Mountain Books in Glenwood Springs; Novel Tea Bookstore in Carbondale; Book Bistro in Redstone; Borders in Grand Junction; the Tattered Cover in Denver; or from Ramsey at Crown Peak Publications, P.O. Box 317, New Castle, CO 81647.

Seymour, who worked many years at the Wheeler Opera House, is back. Although now based in New York City, she will be working with Theatre Aspen this summer. Ed Smart, who had a silver-mining company for years in Aspen, with an office in the Elks Building, celebrated his 87th birthday on Saturday in Carbondale, where he now lives.Undercurrent … Independence Pass is open and so here we go into the summer season of driving Route 285 – a better alternative to driving through all that heavy traffic to Denver on I-70.