Like many who start families in the Roaring Fork Valley, my husband and I are far away from our extended families. Friends become family. Winter holidays are busy times for working folks in the valley, so traveling then is often out of the question. Thanksgiving and other holiday dinners are shared with loving friends. Since Jenna was an only child and visits with cousins only occurred once or twice a year, her friends and social network were extremely important to her. Her propensity to build deep friendships carried on through her college years.

"... The impact of growing up here is far-reaching. You don’t find many kids in the Roaring Fork Valley sequestered inside playing video games. There is just too much to do outside."

You don’t find many kids in the Roaring Fork Valley sequestered inside playing video games. TV was never a big deal in our home (friends still joke about needing binoculars to see the tiny screen we own). There is just too much to do outside: Jumping off rocks into the rushing Roaring Fork River near the grottos. Wakeboarding in the chilly waters of Ruedi Reservoir surrounded by evergreen covered mountains. Or, taking in the brilliant sunset from her favorite spot on a Missouri Heights mesa. Nature was always a close companion. When Jenna’s school projects started revolving around the environment, the influence of this special place on her priorities became quite evident.