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Remembering Bonnie

Dear Editor:In the early ’90s, I moved to Aspen and had the wonderful experience of working for Bonnie. I am a little older now and have never worked for anyone like her before or since.Every year the permanent staff was supplemented by new young people who moved to Aspen for much the same reason as Bonnie had years earlier, skiing and adventure. It was a great place to work and the job provided income and the benefit of a ski pass. We did not know it at the time, but also included in the benefit package was someone to watch over you, someone to guide you, particularly in those first years. Bonnie treated all of us like we were her children. She truly cared deeply about each and every one of her employees and you could tell by the way they gave back to her.From a business perspective, her willingness to listen to any idea from one of her employees with an innovative or new idea was another aspect that really set her apart. The restaurant was so successful not only because of her passion, but also for her love and respect of her employees. Bonnie loved to ski, and every skier has one of “those runs” – one that stands out among the many. I was fortunate to have one of those with Bonnie.On a mid-February afternoon, I stayed late to assist Bonnie with an extra project. After finishing, we set out into the pale blue dusk as Bonnie led the way down Spar into the fading light. It had snowed that day and both of us were excited to see the cats had made an unusually early run up through the gulch creating a ribbon of butter-soft corduroy just for the two of us. As we skied by Chair 6, a lone cat was making its way back down. We skied past him and into the bright beams cast by the headlights. A few days later, Bonnie told me the driver ran into her in the locker room below the gondola. He said to her that we looked like a pair of powder eight skiers and he really enjoyed the show. Even at night in goggles and ski clothes, everyone knew Bonnie.I know I am not alone in saying that I think about her all the time and the lessons I learned from her. Aspen lost a great citizen this week but she will never truly leave the valley because she will live on in the hearts and minds of all she touched.Ron MeadowsChicago, Ill.

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