Kudos & Kindness (Dec. 26, 2021)
RFTA’s kindness deserves applause
I need to applaud Roaring Fork Transportation Authority. We have high taxes and know that RFTA is part of that. They provide free bus rides in Aspen and to all mountains and are a reason why we are a desirable ski town.
But now I’m OK with paying a little more taxes for them. On my way home recently, I entered the Hunter Creek bus and lost my mask. I asked the driver for a mask, and he said, “Of course!“ I was expecting a cheap mask that everyone else provides; to my surprise it was a comfortable, cloth mask! WOW! I can reuse this! What public bus provides soft, cloth masks?
The Hunter Creek bus is mainly for locals! I feel appreciated and cared for. Thank you, RFTA, for making me feel that I’m not just a generic local. It’s a small thing, but as the saying goes, “It’s the small things in life that matter.”
Lynsey Martin
Aspen
Holiday Baskets’ generosity benefits English in Action
What a joy to arrive at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Basalt on Dec. 15 and be met by Anne Blackwell, chairperson of Holiday Baskets, and bags upon bags of gifts! For the second year, English In Action has participated in this program and our hearts are full of gratitude. Volunteers, including in one of our own, John Burks, an English In Action tutor, loaded up presents to be distributed among our participating adult immigrant students and their families.
As students came to our office to pick up gifts and gift cards, they shared their appreciation and gratitude. In total, 36 adults and children were our recipients this year, and the gifts certainly help ease the strain that many of our hardworking families face. “I thank you from the bottom of my heart,” said one student, upon seeing the beautifully wrapped packages filled with practical necessities, joyful toys, and gift cards to put towards holiday meals.
While our mission at English In Action is to help immigrants learn English and develop the skills they need to pursue their dreams, connecting them to resources and opportunities to acknowledge that they are welcomed and valued in our community is of large importance too. We are very grateful to all the Holiday Baskets volunteers and donors for their generosity, and for the greater message of care and compassion this program communicates in our valley.
Angela Hanley
Group tutoring programs manager, English In Action
