Local Services

Always Room at the Table

How Manna Turns a Shared Meal into a Lasting Community Article by Kathleen O'Connor | Photography by Courtesy of Manna Soup Kitchen “Nobody Cares.” Those were the words scribbled on the wall of a horse stall at the La Plata County Fairgrounds by a hungry woman in the winter of 1985. Tragically, the woman died of starvation there, but her death launched a movement: community members began providing food to the hungry in a church parking lot. That movement became Manna, and more than four...

Home + Design

You Wood Never Guess

For Todd Wilkens of Gecko Woodworx, Handcrafted Woodworking Transforms Furniture into a Family Member Article by Jennifer Mason | Photography by Andy Wingerd Like a genie-granted wish, the turkey emerges from the oven in a puff of steam. The family gathers. Platters and tureens waltz to the tune of “Please pass the ___.” Stories swirl. Jokes crackle. Family lore unspools. “It’s funny,” remarks Todd Wilkens, “People sit at a table, but they don’t really think about the table. Where it came...

Life + Culture

The Exchange

A Global Exchange That Reminds Us What Makes Home Special Article by Kalista Peña | Photography by Jonas Grushkin, Rotary International We are fortunate to live in a place so abundantly beautiful and to call it home. Turn in any direction, and you’ll be met with stunning landscapes, adventurous activities, deep-rooted history – and above all else – a robust creative community. Our small mountain town is impeccable; that’s why we share it with strangers, the people we love, and new friends.  ...

Local Services

What Local Gives Back

Local businesses build connection, community and a stronger economy Article by Denise Leslie | Photography by Courtesy of Local First We hear “shop local” a lot. It shows up on storefronts, in holiday campaigns, and in reminders to spend our dollars close to home. While keeping those dollars circulating in our community matters, another side of the story sometimes gets overlooked. What does local give back to us? The question is timely as Local First Foundation welcomes Andrea Wright...