By: Mary Ellen Fitzsimonds
When we relocated from the Chicagoland area, my husband and I were in search of an area with open spaces and beautiful vistas. Settling in Douglas County, we have been blessed with both. We began looking for ways to connect with our new community and learned about Douglas Land Conservancy through the guided hike program. We enjoyed the hikes and learned more about Douglas County Open Space and about DLC’s mission, a non-profit land trust dedicated to the protection and conservation of the natural character, habitat and open space of Doulas County and other areas within the central Front Range region of Colorado. Exploring open space, we turned our attention to the needs of DLC and began to support them with annual donations to assist with the protection and preservation of conservation easements.
Volunteering with DLC has been a rewarding experience and given me an opportunity to meet area residents. Volunteering with the guided hikes, community programs and Plein Air Art Fest has given me a greater appreciation for the ways DLC is educating our community and showcasing our beautiful open space land. Volunteering with the fundraising committee has given me a greater appreciation of DLC operations, community outreach and fundraising opportunities. The DLC board, staff and volunteers continue to further the mission and meet the challenges of this unusual year.
During the pandemic, many of us turned to open space to connect with nature and find respite in an uncertain time. The power of open space fills our hearts with hope and our minds with inspiration. I hope you will take time to reflect on how you used open space this past year. Know that through this unusual year, DLC staff continues to monitor open space, evaluate future projects and add to the protected acres in our community. DLC needs our support even more so this year. Will you join me in supporting the land that supports all of us?
Mary Ellen Fitzsimonds lives in Larkspur, Colorado and has been a DLC supporter and volunteer for 2 years.