Crested Butte Community Giving: Where every Home Sale Helps the Local Crested Butte Community

I am formalizing my annual Crested Butte Community Giving plan – I am genuinely committed to improving lives and communities. That’s why I have supported local non-profits in our valley with service and money. I appreciate the opportunity to provide service to my clients and am able to make a difference in the Crested Butte area.

As my Crested Butte real estate business has grown, I have been blessed with many referrals and clients that have fallen in love with the beauty of the Gunnison Valley, the Crested Butte area, and the warm community here. Many want to make an impact here in Crested Butte, and they feel good about finding a new home here in the mountains that they will love, but they also feel great knowing that they are able to make a difference for others in this great community.

Why I donate – Put simply, I give back because it’s the right thing to do. There are many choices here in the Gunnison Valley for volunteer service and monetary donations – I am personally drawn to causes that focus on our youth, and the economic sustainability for the future of our valley. While in the big picture my donations are small, I also hope that my giving may inspire others to follow suit who may not otherwise realize the impact they can make, regardless of the amount.

2014-2015 Donation, $10,000 to The Center for the Arts

I am donating $10,000 to the Crested Butte Center for the Arts Capital Campaign because I believe it is important to give back to the Crested Butte Community, and the new facility will be a great addition to the things that make Crested Butte a Special Place. On a beautiful autumn day in Crested Butte I presented Jenny Birnie – Executive Director, The Center for the Arts with the big check.

The Center for the Arts is located in downtown Crested Butte and is a true community arts center and serving as the home for ten (10) local arts programs

The new 225 seat Center For The Arts will be much more than the current facility – it will also host the Trailhead Children’s Museum, Crested Butte School of Dance and the Crested Butte Dance Collective, the Piper Art Gallery, a Culinary and Catering Kitchen, Workshop rooms to host Crested Butte Community School curriculum, Space for Visual Arts programs and a Clay Studio, and more.

I have also supported and donated to the Biery-Witt Center in Mt. Crested Butte. While there will be some overlap in use – in short the Biery-Witt Center is externally focused on attracting people to come to Crested Butte and, the Center For The Arts is a community facility that supports our local internal needs with the benefit of providing a smaller venue for performances. Both will positively impact our community and our visitors experience. See Both Biery-Witt Center and Center For The Arts?

2013-2014 Donation, $10,000 to the Mt. Crested Butte Performing Arts Center

“3 in 13″ 2013 COMMUNITY MATCH CAMPAIGN – When completed, the Mt. Crested Butte Performing Arts Center (MCBPAC) will be a “game changer” for the Crested Butte area.  This state-of-the-art 500 seat facility will  bring performing arts and conference events that cannot be accommodated currently.  This Performing Arts Center will attract new visitors to our valley and will be an economic engine for decades to come.

Other Benefits of the Mt. Crested Butte Performing Arts Center:

• As a Crested Butte Real Estate Agent I work with many clients who love the Arts here in Crested Butte, and are comparing the amenities of Crested Butte with other mountain towns – having a thriving Performing Arts offering is an important criteria to second homeowners.
• I am a father of three daughters – and my wife and I envision this will be a beautiful facility for wedding receptions.
• I spent 20 years in the technology industry in Sales & Sales Management and hosted off-site management meetings in Crested Butte.  I know that attracting larger groups and conference business to Crested Butte will be enhanced with this facility in place.
• The additional space for classrooms will help to provide needed space for the youth in our community, as well as numerous other organizations.
• Crested Butte has long been known as the “Last Great Colorado Ski Town” – this performing arts center will help draw musical performances to Crested Butte that we can not currently accommodate.

2012 Donation, $5,000 to The Rocky Mountain Biological Lab

The Rocky Mountain Biological Lab (RMBL) is a unique non-profit here at the North end of our valley. They are located in the historic town site of Gothic and at the base of the majestic Gothic mountain with offices in downtown Crested Butte. Every summer more than 100 scientists and students travel here from around the world to conduct high altitude research in this pristine mountain setting. I have had the opportunity to get to know Ian Billick – the Executive Director of RMBL, and in addition to coordinating a vast array of scientific projects, personnel, capital projects, land acquisitions, and a new Visitors Center, he is also committed to educational outreach. I support his vision which includes providing educational programs for both youth and adults. Every year they work with local biology students at the Crested Butte Community School to study the Slate River where they measure the water quality, collect and analyze the aquatic insects, and take soil samples. They also provide a long list of summer programs available to youth and adults including their Kid’s Nature Camp, and Adult Science Tours that explore our mountain meadows, forests, and streams. RMBL is providing empirical data that will help causes around the world, and contributes to the uniqueness of our valley, one more ingredient that makes Crested Butte a special place.

Other Causes I support

• The Crested Butte Community School Boosters Club
• Crested Butte Rotary Club and Crested Butte Rotary Club Foundation
• Adaptive Sports Center
• The Crested Butte Land Trust
• Junior Hockey of the Crested Butte-Gunnison Valley
• The Crested Butte Community School Boosters Club,
• Life Turns – Max Mancini Adaptive Camp for Kids
• The Union Congregational Church
• The Center for the Arts Crested Butte
• Mt. Crested Butte Performing Arts Center