IN A CHALLENGING YEAR, I'VE WITNESSED THE CREATIVITY IN US ALL. Despite pandemic and wildfire, the RFOV community has responded with empathy, respect, and kindness. I'm thankful for a staff, a board, and – most of all – a community that works tirelessly to care for our shared outdoors. Yes, 2020 was difficult, but RFOV has nevertheless had some wonderful highlights:
RFOV responded to pandemic restrictions by decreasing group sizes and increasing the number of events – we completed 146 field days this year!
With the assistance of government and private grantmaking, RFOV remains financially strong.
We've hired a new Associate Director and Communications & Outreach Coordinator, as well as promoting a new Education Director. It's a great team to guide the organization in 2021!
RFOV honored our founders to commemorate our 25th Anniversary Year.
- Ron, Executive Director
Stewardship
Our 25th anniversary year was a success! While we couldn't gather to celebrate in person, we honored this important milestone with a new logo, a 25th anniversary legacy video, and 25 Days of Stewardship during October! We also grew our community, adding 119 new members, surpassing our goal to increase membership by 25%.
In response to the Grizzly Creek Fire, we launched our Fire Restoration Fund and, already, three key sponsors have made substantial commitments: Alpine Bank, Holy Cross Energy and Xcel Energy. Individual donations from the residents of No Name and from businesses such as Hotel Colorado have fueled our enthusiasm for an active season of restoration activities in 2021.
Partnerships make RFOV sucessful: with Pitkin County Open Space & Trails we received a Resilient Communities Grant from Great Outdoors Colorado. This will enable us to address stewardship needs across Pitkin County.
- Becca, Associate Director
Education
Throughout the past year, RFOV Education adapted quickly and creatively to challenges related to the coronavirus pandemic so that we could continue to reach students across nine communities. We've provided authentic outdoor service projects and a wide variety of educational programming, tailored to each of our many partners, including local schools, government agencies and youth-focused non-profit organizations.
During a time when many were feeling isolated or "cooped-up", RFOV youth programming allowed many small groups of students to spend time outdoors, get their hands dirty and use a social outlet to learn alongside peers and friends. These experiential learning opportunities, in which local youth can engage in the stewardship of their shared outdoors, remain central to the RFOV mission. Here are some 2020 Education highlights:
Created & distributed over 1,700 wildflower seed kits for homebound students this spring
My Window, Our World - a spring initiative to engage students virtually through art, coupled with outdoors-based prompts
Longtime & new youth partners, including (but not limited to): Aspen Youth Center, Marble Charter School, Aspen Country Day School, The Buddy Program, Access After School, Colorado Rocky Mountain School, Ross Montessori, and more!
Continued success of our paid high school program, the Outdoor Careers Internship
Piloting new summer youth and fire ecology programming
- Ben, Education Director
Community
We live in a special place, but it's the peoplethat make our region truly unique. This past year has proven that, when confronted with a challenge, our community rolls up its sleeves and gets to work.
We're immensely proud that you and your neighbors completed more volunteer hours in 2020 than in 2019!
By adding new non-profit and business partners this year, and by building more active inclusion efforts for our diverse region, RFOV has responded to effects of increased trail usage and landscape degradation while preparing ourselves for an extremely productive 2021. Here are some 2020 community highlights:
Launched & is leading the Glenwood Canyon Restoration Alliance to renew landscape & community in the wake of the Grizzly Creek Fire
Increased focus on in-town outdoor spaces such as connector trails and gardens, spaces which are being used more frequently during the ongoing pandemic
Launched Trails & Ways, our initiative with partners in the disabled community to create a network of more accessible trails across the region
Welcomed volunteers of all ages (5 to 81!), all abilities, and all backgrounds
- Jacob, Communications & Outreach Coordinator
