Our region is stunningly beautiful. From the snowcapped peaks of Telluride, to the red rock canyons of Paradox, to the rich grasslands of Norwood. On a recent staff visit to Norwood, I was inspired, not just by the views, but by visiting some of our programs and meeting community leaders. The visit was a reminder of everything that the Telluride Foundation supports directly and indirectly in Norwood. I saw firsthand the Foundations impact on our small tight-knit neighbor.

Hannah and Ben, the founders and bakers of Blue Grouse Bread, shared their passion for building a small business and baking whole grain breads. The Foundation helped Blue Grouse with a small grant to educate and encourage local farmers to grow heirloom grains for their bakery, re-igniting a lost local grain product. Hannah and Ben don’t just produce great bread; they are wonderful committed people creating an entire re-birth of local growers for local food.

During our Norwood visit we were also inspired by visits that included: Tony and Barclay at Indian Ridge Farms (an organic vegetable, chicken and cattle farm); Michelle, a force of nature at the Norwood Food Bank that feeds 50 families a week!; Carrie the librarian, who with her strong will is leading the community in building a new library for Norwood by 2019; the Prime Time child care center that cares for over 50 children of working class families; the Norwood raw water project; the Uncompahgre Medical Center and its programs for senior healthcare and AllPoints transportation service; the Norwood Fresh Food Hub and the Apple Core Project, which are developing a local food economy on Wright’s Mesa; as well as several more programs and projects.

What a great day and how lucky we are, through the generosity of donors, to support this beautiful community.