Liana Schmidt

Liana Schmidt

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Liana Schmidt, architect

Building for Success

 

Story by Kathryn R. Burke

Liana Schmidt

Liana Schmidt, Silver Mountain Design

[Ridgway, Colo.  April 15, 2014] Liana is an architect with a unique sense of design for high mountain country. She lives in —and works from— Ridgway, Colorado, ‘Gateway to the San Juans’ — soaring mountains, which offer some of the most photographed mountain scenery in the world.

Talk about creative inspiration!

Liana began her creative journey in Argentina. Native to that country, she studied architecture in Buenos Aires, the second largest metropolitan area in South America. With nearly 13 million people, the city, a vibrant mix of old and new architecture and myriad cultures, is a worldwide tourist destination.

Schmidt-house

Home in Log Hill, near Ridgway, Colo.

Downsizing considerably, Liana’s next stop was Park City Utah, home to a little over 8000 people and named by Forbes Traveler Magazine in 2011 as one of the 20 ‘prettiest towns’ in the United States. At 8300’ Park City is an old silver mining town transformed into a modern ski resort. Sixty-four Victorian buildings are listed in the National Register of Historic Places, while resorts incorporate the latest architectural amenities.

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And now. . . Ridgway, a tiny town at the top of the scenically magnificent San Juan Skyway and its multitude of historic silver mining towns. Less than 1000 permanent residents reside in pastoral Ridgway—once a marketing center for surrounding ranches and railroad shipping center for the mines. Like Liana, most who live here are avid outdoor enthusiasts. And many, like Liana, possess an indomitable creative sprit.

Liana Schmidt lives in Ridgway, Colorado.

Visit Liana’s website, Silver Mountain Design.

This article also appears on website for the Woman’s Club of Ouray County. Designed and maintained by Kathryn R. Burke

Yvonne Reed

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Yvonne Reed, Bush Babies of Africa

Conserving South Africa wildlife with art

 

Story by Kathryn R. Burke

African Elephant, Print on Paper

[Ridgway, Colo. May 20, 2014] Yvonne Reed established ‘Bush Babies of Africa: Wildlife Art’ in 1995. Born in South Africa, and with a lifetime interest in wildlife conservation, Reed’s goal is to help raise money to support South African wildlife artists whose work promotes African wildlife conservation.

Reed is aligned with Peace Parks, a ‘Trans-frontier’ conservation effort originally founded by Anton Rupert, Prince Bernard of the Netherlands, and Dr. Nelson Mandela. It was the vision of these men to drop fences and establish ‘elephant corridors’ across Africa. The concept of a trans-border protected area cooperation through the establishment of peace parks had already been accepted internationally. Over 70 protected areas in 65 countries which straddle national frontiers were identified by 1988.

Kaza Logo

Kaza Logo

Reed’s personal passion is the Kaza Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA). According to the KAZA website: “The KAZA TFCA is an important flagship project, as it combines several exemplary goals: conservation of nature with sustainable economic development and political stabilization.” Five countries, all home to ancient wildlife corridors, are partners in this project. The Kaza is home to Africa’s ‘big five:’ elephant, leopard, rhino, buffalo, and lion. All of them roam across international borders. Other rare and endangered species in the Park TFCA include cheetah, black rhino, African wild dog, sable and roan antelope, and more.

Reed was born on a South African farm, still owned by her family and occupied by their ‘African family.’ In Africa, a particular tribe may determine their spirits live in a specific location, and move there to reside with their spiritual family. The African family who moved onto Reed’s family farm was headed by ‘Old Sam’ whose descendants still live and work there today, caring for the property in Reed’s absence. She and her late husband lived and worked there for 13 years. The next 13 years characterized by severe drought – “a whole other story,’ Reed decrees – she worked the farm alone, widowed, with the help of her South African family.

Bush Babies waterholeBush Babies sunset riverBush Babies red canyonBush Babies waterhole treeBush Babies riverBush Babies canyon

Then, despairing of heat and desiring cold and wet, she treated herself to a ski trip to Switzerland, where she met her present husband Donald Reed, a retired engineer with Exon Mobile. They traveled the world together, for his job of course, but for her, it was an opportunity to educate the world about South Africa and increase awareness of how to protect endangered African species. Reed made it her life’s purpose to share her passion for South African wildlife conservation.

Today, Reed contributes to the cause by promoting South African art as a fundraiser for the Peace Parks. The wonderful artists she works with can be viewed on her website, Bush Babies of Africa Artwork. All of the art is for sale. Each art purchase raises funds for the many Peace Park projects. http://www.peaceparks.org.

Yvonne Reed and her husband raise animals on their properties in Ridgway, Colorado and southern Arizona.

Related articles.

National Geographic, August 2014. ‘100,000 Elephants Killed by Poachers in Just Three Years, Landmark Analysis Finds. Central Africa has lost 64 percent of its elephants in a decade.‘

This article also appears on website for the Woman’s Club of Ouray County. Designed and maintained by Kathryn R. Burke

Gia Porter

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Gia Porter, Iron ‘Wo’man

by Kathryn R. Burke

[Montrose, Colo.  April 19. 2016] This woman can swim! She can ride a bike faster than some of us drive our cars. She can run like the wind.  Gia Porter is a Triathlete, an endurance athlete—someone who competes in events involving swimming, biking, and running.  And she does this . . . “because it’s fun.”

Porter got into the sport because of her brother, Jason, a “Legacy Ironman’ who has completed at least 15 Ironman’s in various countries. Porter was with him in Switzerland, when he competed for the first time, and she has been there for many others, including the World Championship in Hawaii, when the whole family went to cheer him on.

“There is an amazing sense of camaraderie among the supporters as well as the athletes,” she explains. “There’s a really great energy, and once I got into it, I understood.” “Triathlon, more than any other sport, shows you who you really are. You always have the option to quit. And the pros do. Age groupers don’t. For us, it’s not about the ranking, it’s about the experience, about being better than you were yesterday or even when you got up that morning.”

Porter has participated in numerous triathlons of various distances and intensities. The Black Canyon Triathlon, held here in Montrose, is a Sprint: 800 meter swim, 12 mile bike, 3.1 mile run. The Tri-Boulder is an ‘Olympic’ race: 1 mile swim, 12 mile bike, 6.2 mile run. A ‘Half Iron’ (like one she recently completed in Arizona) is 70.3 miles total and takes 7-8 hours for 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile Bike, and 13.1 mile run. A ‘Full Iron,’ like her brother does, is 140.6 miles (double the distances of the Half Iron), and for Age Groupers, takes 10-13 hours. (Notice the terminology, It’s “the bike,” for example, not ‘biking.” “Age groupers” are competitors divided in to common age groups, like 40-45, the division that Porter is in.. “Podium,” means finishing in first, second, or third place.)

Although she prefers triathlons, because of the variety, she sometimes participates in
events like the Spartan Race or Tough Mudder that require either brute strength or stamina. “Or just insanity,” she laughs. “That would be the Las Vegas Half Marathon. Done in the dark, wearing green glow gear, and having Jell-O shots at the aid stations!” She also does these fun events for the medals, and has amassed an impressive collection, not the least is one from the Ironman Arizona.

She likes the Olympics best, because although they are challenging, they are not overwhelming, and can be finished in under three hours and only require about 30 minutes training, twice a week, in each of the three sports. Training for the Half Iron, she spent 9-11 hours per week, twice a week in each sport. That’s a major commitment. “Training for a Full Iron,” she says, is like a part time job. You won’t see your family; you’re going to be an annoying picky eater. It’s consuming. That’s why I like the Olympics.”

Her goal is to podium in an Olympic* distance event, and, before her 45th birthday, to be invited to (qualify for) the Olympic Nationals*. “Maybe this is my year,” she says. Her next race coming up is the Boulder Sunrise Olympic, June 26. The last is Ironman North Carolina In October.

Her advice to any woman wanting to start out in triathlons? Learn to swim. (You will do better if you never knew how, since you won’t have to unlearn bad habits.) “You also have to realize, if you choose to do this, it’s a commitment. It will be a major part of your life.”

 

This article also appears on website for the Woman’s Club of Ouray County. Designed and maintained by Kathryn R. Burke

Maureen ODriscoll

Maureen O’Driscoll

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Maureen O’Driscoll, public library director

 

by Kathryn R. Burke

Maureen ODriscoll[Ouray, Colo.  January 19, 2016] Maureen O‘Driscoll is the Director of the Ouray Public Library. It’s a good fit. “I love books. I love being around books. I love talking about books. I especially like talking about books with patrons,” Maureen said.

Her path to the position took her from volunteer, working with former-director Mary Ann Dismant, to part-time helping Chris Reece, who succeeded Mary Ann. “Chris asked me to be her assistant director,” Maureen explained. “When she was ready to cut back, we switched roles. It was a wonderful way to manage the transition and very beneficial to me. We didn’t lose any institutional knowledge, as she was able to consult as things came up over time.”

Maureen also has the educational, technical, and working background that can help patrons improve and enjoy their reading experience. Her undergraduate degree is in communications and English, and she holds a Masters in technical writing and editing (both from George Mason University in Fairfax, VA). She wound up living and working in Washington DC, where she was involved in public relations and business writing.

She is intimately familiar with how to use E-resources. She and her husband, Craig Kaminsky, who is a computer programmer, left the DC area and did some traveling, where they discovered Colorado. They were both working remotely from home and spending a lot of time working with their laptops, using the internet, in the libraries of the towns they visited. “By trade, I am a copy writer,” she explained, “and I loved working in libraries. When we decided to make our home in Ouray, I wanted to do something in the community, so it was natural to volunteer to help at the library.”

Now, Maureen combines her education and experiences to enhance the services available through the Ouray Public Library. She has added a number of E-resources that help patrons. “These technologies, such as audio books, are especially relevant for those who are losing their sight or having vision difficulties. Patrons can check out any electronic book and enlarge the font as much as they need to, making it easier to read. We get them set up so quickly, they can’t believe how easy it is!” she said.

 

This article also appears on website for the Woman’s Club of Ouray County. Designed and maintained by Kathryn R. Burke

Sharon Neville

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Sharon Neville, executive producer

From chimps to celebrities—a whole lotta fun on an adventurous road

 

by Kathryn R. Burke

[Ouray, Colo. February 21, 2017] Her goal was to be an executive producer. “That’s every producer’s dream,” Sharon said, “to earn that title” and get to wear the gold badge that goes with it.

Along the way to executive producer, moving onwards and upwards in a “sometimes wacky profession,” Sharon had a lot of adventures and a whole lot of fun.

Her career (and first adventure) began at a Chicago television station: WGN (now a ‘super station,’ broadcasting out of Denver, too). Sharon was associate producer of a circus program there, one with a live audience and lively performers, including clowns, a band, and animals (mostly chimpanzees). The show was so popular, it took seven years to get tickets. She had a great time. On the downside, her boss took long lunches—the kind where he never returned at all. So, Sharon was left to deal with performer issues, including a lion in a cage that was slowly sliding away from the loading doc and a chimpanzee that “got a hold of my leg and wouldn’t let go. “People don’t realize that chimps get ornery when they get older,” she explained. And this one was a little over the hill. Nonetheless, “there was a lot of fun involved.”

When she left WGN, Sharon joined a new company formed by someone who had also left the station. They started out in a warehouse, and wound up with offices on the 25th floor of the Standard Oil Building in downtown Chicago. “We did some pretty impressive productions, there,” she said. During this tenure, she learned film and video editing and working with live animation. It was “another adventure, and a lot of fun.”

Next adventure was a short one, where she produced training videos for teaching computer-programming languages. “It was a learning curve,” she explained, but I had some fun there, too. She was a writer, editor, photographer, and producer, winding up in a corner office with windows on two sides. “That was kinda cool,” she noted.

But when the company was bought out, Sharon moved on. She answered a want ad and found herself working for the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT), which is a premier association for financial planners. “It was the best job ever,” Sharon declared. “This is where I became an executive producer.” She produced “business theater live events,” which included video, as well as lining up motivational speakers and event venues around the world. She especially enjoyed organizing MDRT events in Asia.

Working with MDRT, she met and worked with celebrities, politicians, entertainers, and members of the sports community. “I got to hang out in the ‘green room’ with most of them,” she noted, including people like Christopher Reeves (whom she considered one of the most inspirational), Colin Powell, Queen Noor of Jordan, Judy Collins, Barbara Bush (“a sweet lady,” Sharon recalls), and Scott Hamilton (Olympic gold medalist ice skater).

“As executive producer, I got to select the speakers and entertainment, and direct the process,” Sharon said. “It’s the most fun anybody that works in production can ever have. You’re not in the middle of audience group you get to watch what they did!

“It was a real rush, she said. “I miss it. But at some point, you have to wind down.” And for the Nevilles, that meant retiring and moving to Ouray and becoming involved in the community.

Related Article.
MDRT, The Premium Association of Financial Professionals. https://www.mdrt.org/about-mdrt

 

This article also appears on website for the Woman’s Club of Ouray County. Designed and maintained by Kathryn R. Burke

Brenda Miller

Brenda Miller

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Brenda Miller, Roubideau Rim Wildlife Rescue

 

Story by Kathryn R. Burke

Brenda Miller

Brenda Miller, Director of RRWR and Certified Wildlife Rehabilitator at Roubideau Rim Wildlife Rescue.
Photo courtesy RRWR Facebook Page.

[Olathe, Colo.  January 21. 2014] Brenda Miller is the Director and Licensed Wildlife Rehabiliator of Roubideau Rim Wildlife Rescue, near Olathe, Colo. RRWR is a 501c3 non profit organization licensed by the Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW) and US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). “We take in wildlife that has been injured, sick, orphaned or habituated to humans,” Miller said. “Our goal is to release these creatures back into their appropriate habitats” in western Colorado.

Miller has been a licensed rehabilitator for 17 years and operates the Western Slope’s only wildlife rehab facility. Because she has the desire and natural ability to care for animals, Miller says people would bring her domestic and wild creatures, even as a child. She saw rehabilitation as an excellent learning experience for her children as well. “Our facility is located at our home, the Green Place Ranch,” Miller said, “a remote ranch southwest of Olathe, Colo., on the Uncompahgre Plateau.”

Miller explained that “Wildlife rescue activities are closed to the public. This is because wildlife needs to be left alone in order to recover, grow, and remain afraid of humans. There is always the possibility of disease transmission between wildlife and humans. Viewing blinds are necessary (another huge expense) in order for people to view wildlife from a distance that will not stress the creatures.”

Wildlife rehabilitation in Colorado is ALL volunteer. “We receive nothing from CPW or USFWS, except they send us lots of phone calls and bring us wildlife!,” Miller said. “I rely soley on the generous support of the public. And, we are looking for someone to volunteer who has time to search internet for foundations and grant opportunities.”

If you have found Wildlife and are concerned about its well being, call RRWR at 970-209-5946. Miller asks that you don’t use email, as its not checked on a regular basis. The facility has many needs in the way of volunteers, supplies needed, monetary donations, etc. For more information, visit their website, Roubideau Rim Wildlife Rescue. Anonymous, Tax Deductible Donations can be made directly to Vectra Bank Colorado, 1200 S. Townsend, Montrose CO 81401.

Click HERE to see some of the RRWR rescued wildlife.

Related articles:
Roubideau Rim Wildlife Rescue Gives Hurt, Wild Creatures another Chance. Montrose Mirror 2014
‘A Fed Bear Is a Dead Bear’ The Watch, 2013
‘Rescued Bobcat Returned to the Wild.’ Delta County Independent, 2013
‘Wildlife rehab petition squeaks by.’ Montrose Daily Press, 2013
‘Wildlife rehab depends on donations’ Grand Junction Sentinel, 2013
‘Sometimes it’s best to leave them alone’ Grand Junction Sentinel, 2013
‘The Wildlife.’ Newsletter for Wildlife Rehabilitation, 2007

 

This article also appears on website for the Woman’s Club of Ouray County. Designed and maintained by Kathryn R. Burke

Susan Long

Susan Long

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Susan Long, (former*) Ouray County Fairgrounds and Event Center Manager

 

Story by Kathryn R. Burke

Susan Long[Ridgway, Colo. October 15, 2013] Susan Lee Long is the current Manager of the Ouray County 4-H Event Center and Fairgrounds in Ridgway, Colorado. She has been in this position for almost eight years. She also resides in Ridgway.

As the manager of the 4-H Event Center and Fairgrounds, she has been fortunate to meet many of the citizens, organizational members, and business owners in Ouray County. She has been instrumental in developing existing events into larger venues, as well as, bringing many new venues to our county’s Event Center and Fairgrounds.

She understands the need for a ‘spirit of cooperation’ within the community. In 2012, a survey estimate of visitors to the 4-H Event Center and Fairgrounds for different types of meetings and events was over 16,000.

Susan’s background is very diverse. She has over 45 years in business, including her work here in Ridgway. Her experiences in marketing, publishing, communications, printing, advertising, political campaigns and consulting includes working for large corporations, small companies, and overseas work. She was instrumental in producing the first commercial yellow pages for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Some of her volunteer endeavors include her work with amputees, especially those returning home from the military.

Susan, now widowed, was married for 32 years. Robert and Susan had four children (two now deceased), four grandchildren, and seven great-children. She has lived in large cities and small towns, and on various family farms and ranches in New Mexico. She spent 4.5 years in Saudi Arabia in the 1980’s. Originally from the mid-west, she spent 25 of her adult years living in New Mexico. More recently, Susan spent six years in Scottsdale, Arizona before moving to Ridgway.

 

*Update: Susan Long has now retired. Her former assistant manager, Erin Stadleman, is now the Fairgrounds and Event center Manager.

 

This article also appears on website for the Woman’s Club of Ouray County. Designed and maintained by Kathryn R. Burke

 

Rosemary Litz

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Rosemary Litz, lavender grower/entrepreneur

 

Story by Kathryn R. Burke

[Grand Junction, Colo. May 19. 2015] Rosemary Litz is an inspiration. A creative thinker and unique entrepreneur, Litz turned love of lavender into a thriving business. She first encountered the fragrant herb on a visit to Oregon, where there are numerous lavender growers and an active lavender association. She saw, she smelled, and she was inspired.

When she returned to her home in Grand Junction, Litz used the plant for landscaping. Before long she had over 80 plants growing at her home (and her daughter’s). She began to harvest the blooms – hanging and drying them in her closet, then separating flowers from stalks by rolling them one a screen.

This was the start of her home-based business that has grown over the last few years. Her products are now sold at various venues. She conducts in-home parties she calls ‘Lavender Sachet Salons’ and has a booth many local craft fairs and the annual Lavender Festival at Palisade Park. Litz is the owner, operator and sole employee of All About Lavender. Her lavender products are a familiar sight in numerous shops throughout the area, including Shabby Chic and the Grand Valley Magazine Retail Store in Grand Junction and Hairlines and Nail Designs in Montrose.

Litz is one of a growing number of Western Slope entrepreneurs involved in the lavender industry. She is a charter member of the Lavender Association of Western Colorado, which has over 50 members, including 20 who run farms and one with more than 6,000 plants. Lavender farms are a growing business, ranging from small, part-time home-based operations to others who combine growing lavender with grapes for wine production and food crops. Lavender farms are also a tourist attraction.

Litz uses the dried blooms she harvests to create hand-crafted products she sews herself, like Lavender-filled Neck Wraps and Pillow Case Liners, Lavender Sachets for closets and drawers, and delightful Lavender Bundles wrapped in vintage handkerchiefs. She also creates wonderful products from the distilled  essential oil including Lavender Essential Oil Bath Salts, Lavender Spritzers, and the very useful, Lavender Monster Away Spray that wards of scary critters.

Visit Rosemary on her Face Book page.

Rosemary Litz lives in Grand Junction, Colorado and operates her business, All About Lavender, from her home.

Related articles:
The Business Times. Aug. 19, 2010. ‘Lavender a blooming business opportunity‘
The Business Times. June 12, 2012. ‘Smell of success fragrant for West Slope lavender growers‘
Profitable Plains Digest. ‘Is Lavender the Perfect Cash Crop for Small Growers?‘

 

This article also appears on website for the Woman’s Club of Ouray County. Designed and maintained by Kathryn R. Burke

Tamara Knutson, bldg. inspector

Tamara Knutsen

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Tamara Knutsen, Ouray County Building Inspector

 

Story by Kathryn R. Burke

Tamara Knutson, bldg. inspector[Ouray, Colo. Nov. 13. 2013] Tamara Knutson followed a fairly direct path to get to where she is today. After graduating a BS in Resource Management, she went to work for the Department of Natural Resources in Wisconson for two years. She then joined her father’s firm, Knutson Bros. Remodelers, serving as Project Manager, scheduling subcontractors and ordering products, and later Field Project Manager. It was while working with her father and uncle that she learned all phases of the construction business.

In 1991, Tamara started her own company, Knutson Log Homes, designing and building homes for nearly 10 years, primarily in Wisconson. One notable home, the Meltzer House, Mequon, Wisconson, was featured in “Wisconson Home Gallery Magazine.” The article noted that Tamara: “… comes from a long history of builders and remodelers.” and went on to point out that although some might have a problem working with a woman builder, “as soon as one talks with Tamara, you instantly know she understands everything connected with the building trades.”

Always on the lookout for new educational and work opportunities, Tamara’s left the physical part of building behind and turned to appraisals and inspections. She became a licensed appraiser and put in ten years in that field, going from 100 appraisals a year to more than 300 with just one part time office manager. When home sales plummeted, Tamara also went to work for Home Depot  where she spent five years in Home Service Sales, half in Wisconson, and more recently, here in Montrose, Colorado.

From there, it was an easy jump to the job of building inspector for Ouray County. “I thought I’d build houses for 30 years, then do appraisals till I retired,” she said. “But then life came along! I started taking online courses and learning more about all aspects of construction, so when the job of building inspector became available, I applied.”

“It’s the most wonderful thing I’ve ever done,” she said. “It’s a dream job. I get to use all the experience and education I’ve gained along the way. The people I work with are extremely knowledgable and really care about Ouray County. There’s a lot of enthusiasm and mutual support. Best of all, I get paid to work in the most beautiful part of Colorado.”

Tamara Knutson lives in Ridgway, Colorado.

This article also appears on website for the Woman’s Club of Ouray County. Designed and maintained by Kathryn R. Burke

Melanie Kline

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Melanie Kline, Welcome Home Montrose/Warrior’s Resource Center

 

by Kathryn R. Burke

[Montrose, Colo. Feb. 18, 2014] “It was a Sunday morning, I was watching television and I saw this video about wounded warriors returning home and how hard it was for them. I started thinking – what could we do to help them and their families. How could we create a bridge from military life to civilian life – integrate veterans and their families back into the community. What would it take?

“I got up of that couch energized with ideas!” Melanie Kline said.

After watching that program, Melanie realized that many of these men and women suffered not only physical wounds, but psychological wounds as well. Their suicide rate and divorce rate is unusually high, and assimilation back into their former lives is difficult, especially when they feel they are a burden to their families or can no longer follow their chosen career path. She began to think about possibilities:  how – and were – to create a healthy environment for these veterans, where they would have jobs, health care, and community support.

One of the support systems the program mentioned was adaptive sports. When wounded warriors can no longer participate in normal physical activities, they can often excel in adaptive programs. They can swim, kayak, ski, and with help, engage in many other physical activities. And, Melanie had a “Eureka” moment. “Montrose! We have water, nearby-Teluride has adaptive ski programs, we have good weather and can provide good jobs. We have the small town feeling but with big town possibilities.” And, right then and there, the concept of Welcome Home Montrose was born.

It took two more years of research, creating awareness, and forming community partnerships. “People want to support those who served,” Melanie said. “They just didn’t know how.” So Melanie, and others who joined her in developing this program, started with focus groups, meeting at the Pavilion, exploring each area of need – health care, activities, jobs, service. As Welcome Home Montrose (WHM) evolved, and with it the Warrior Resource Center, Melanie discovered “a portal of giving like there never was before. It was magical!,” she said. “People want to support our veterans.”

Oveta Culp Hobby, born 1905, was the first commanding officer of the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) during WWII. She later served as the first secretary (and first female secretary) of the US Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.

More than 7400 veterans are registered with the VA. They reside throughout the area, which includes Ouray, San Miguel, San Juan, and Delta counties as well as Montrose. There are still a few from World War II, a few more from Korea, many from Vietnam, and now more coming every day from more recent military engagements. More than 500 have already registered with the WHM’s Warrior Resource Center (WRC), an all-volunteer entity, which helps the community understand the unique needs of veterans and their families. Through its vounteer staff, the center acts as a facilitator, fostering relationships with community providers for health care, counseling, adaptive sports and other physical activities, job placement, merchant discounts, and other services that target veterans and help form a bridge between military and civilian life.The physical facility provides office space, a computer lab, and a location for social activities.Emily Smith

With the help and determination of Melanie Kline and WRC director, Emily Smith, and a host of caring, dedicated volunteers, Welcome Home Montrose, a grassroots community initiative, is working diligently – and successfully – toward their goal of making Montrose, Colorado the most “veteran friendly” community in America.

Melanie sums up WHM long term goal: “We want to set the standard for other cities to follow in how to serve those who stepped up to serve all of us. By strengthening our services, identifying and filling our gaps, creating programs and removing the barriers in our infrastructure, we are preparing a place for our wounded warriors to visit and hopefully, to stay.”

Visit their website for current activities, events, new goals, and projects.
This article also appears on website for the Woman’s Club of Ouray County. Designed and maintained by Kathryn R. Burke.

Update: As of 2017, both Melanie Kline and Emily Smith have retired from Welcome Home Montrose. Emily is working with Melanie at Colorado High Grade Silver Studios in Montrose, Colo.  The the WRC has changed its name to Welcome Home Alliance for Veterans and moved to a new location at 4 Hilcrest Plaza Way, Montrose, Co. Visit their website for more information.

Related Articles.

Related articles:
‘Welcome Home Montrose Projects More Growth in 2014′. William Woody. The Watch. January 14, 2014
‘Montrose Recruits Veterans’ CPR, Eric Whitney
‘Welcome Home Montrose’ by Jared Bolhuis UTube Video.
‘Montrose wants to welcome vets home with more than a parade’By Nancy Lofholm, The Denver Post. Feb 22, 2012.
‘Welcome Home Montrose to welcome more wounded veterans’. By Nancy Lofholm. Denver Post. March 15, 2013.

 

This article also appears on website for the Woman’s Club of Ouray County. Designed and maintained by Kathryn R. Burke