Celebrating the Library’s Future—and the Pursuit of Dreams

by Sarah Walsh, Friends & Foundation Development Director

This Thursday, we celebrate an essential group of people: the local library lovers who are our donors and our caring supporters. Library Friends & Foundation memberships provide a margin of excellence that enables the library to be acommunity-builder, literacy center, and champion of youth. And we welcome an author, adventurer and mountaineer who also happens to be a longtime resident of our community.

On September 20 at 6 p.m., the Estes Valley Library Friends & Foundation is hosting its annual reception for all its members to gather together for a festive evening with wine and cheese—and a very brief nominating meeting—followed by a presentation from someone who has an extraordinary story of survival and resilience to share. Click here to join the Library Friends & Foundation

Our special guest author and speaker is Jean Muenchrath, a longtime Rocky Mountain National Park ranger who has traveled much of the planet and explored some of its most beautiful and rugged mountains. Jean’s talk will especially focus on to a true survival story that’s the subject of her recent book, “If I Live Until Morning”.

Set against the backdrop of California’s John Muir Trail, Jean, after having skied 200 miles, found herself facing death amid a mountaineering accident on Mount Whitney. Broken and bleeding on the highest peak in the continental U.S., she vowed to realize her greatest dreams—if she could live until morning.

Live she did, but not without a treacherous five-day ordeal, followed by a daunting recovery. Her journey toward physical and emotional healing would ultimately take her to the Himalayas, where she befriended Tibetan lamas. Their ancient wisdom guided her on that elusive path toward her greatest dreams.

In this very week when so many of us have been reflecting on the fifth anniversary of the Colorado floods, Jean’s story is one that invites us all to remember how the strength of will and determination can transform tragedy into triumph.

This Thursday’s event is a special reception open to the membership of the Library Friends & Foundation. If you’re a current member, simply RSVP online at estesvalleylibrary.org.

If you’re not a current member—you can join online, or contact me with any questions at swalsh@estesvalleylibrary, or call 970-586-8116, ext. 835.

It’s important to note that the Library will be closing at 5:00 pm this Thursday to allow the annual membership meeting and reception to take place in our facility. We thank the Library’s Board of Trustees for making it possible for us to use the building for this special event. It seems only fitting that we can celebrate the library—and make plans to fund its future—in the very setting that inspires us.

We hope to see you this Thursday as we raise a toast to literacy, civic spirit, and the pursuit of our community’s greatest dreams.