Dear Southern Poverty Law Center,

Road trips with your kids can lead to great unplanned experiences.  While driving through the southern US to explore college choices for my daughters, your offices and the generosity of your staff was the best unexpected teaching moment.  

The Capitol Peak wilderness is filled with rewarding hikes and epic summit views.   However, the road to get to the trailheads is a real bear.  In 2017 you were tasked with the gnarly job of carefully repairing and reconstructing this very steep, rocky, rutted out wonder of an access to a beloved back country wilderness aptly named “Hell Roaring”.

Dear Mr. Kriemler,

My Mom loved and collected Alexander Girard pieces- specifically his wooden dolls which were dotted around her home.  Mom was from Michigan and worked at the Muse

Dear Jordan,

My Mom, Mary Hoagland raised us un Denver and loved witnessing your work and career.  She remained in great health most of her long life and we usually happily spent time with her at her home during our visits to Denver.

Dearest David,

Dr. Seuss, cheese, Barnie, cookies, wind in your hair… you had remarkably simple needs for someone who endured way too much in your courageous and too short life.  Not a day goes by that I don’t gain perspective and patience from your memory.  

Dear 5th Precinct,

I get it is all in the course of a shift to step into someone else’s crises, but there is nothing “routine” about waking up to the sound of your husband hitting the floor in the middle of the night.

Dear Dwight,

It must be so strange to dutifully walk your routes each day looking at familiar names and addresses and then one day, one of your grateful customers is gone.   For over 20 years you were my parents trusted and loyal mailman.  

Dear Mack,

It takes heart and courage to step into strangers.  The pandemic, overwhelming divides and the brutal discord of our time muted my voice and my will to participate beyond my own close circle of family and friends.  

It is humbling at 60 to try to maintain your childhood favorite activities.  Hours spent on a trampoline are off the menu and ice skating seems risky.  My love of a dancefloor is tragically dated but, I will bust a move until the day I die.

Dear Rachel,

I believe that the highest compliment you can pay someone is to fall apart in their presence- especially when you have known them for only a few minutes. I loved our spontaneous powerful conversation about race, bias and cancel culture that resulted in tears in the middle of a jewelry store.

Dear Patry,

I am lucky to own the Venta Clio Shopping Bag number BD5700 which you so carefully crafted.  It is very nice that your company puts a card in every carefully, handmade bag so the person who buys it is aware of how unique and special it is.