perspective perspective
Generosity and counting Twenty-five learning, being and doing
Doing our best to serve the heroes
A W
young man approached me in a parking e published our first issue of Rocky lot Mountain yesterday. Parent magazine in June “My25 family 1996, yearsand ago.IItare wasstaying called over Front there and if we could get five dollars wespare could Range Parent when we launched, and I’ll get athe pizza. ten we get you storyIfofwe thecould nameget change, butcould it involved two and that would cover us.” attorneys and a weird twist from a Denver-based I had no idea whether his exists. story was true. parent magazine that no longer He looked as though he was living Anyway, Kristin and I were justrough, thumbing though—gaunt, cheeks, despairing through that firstsunken issue. What a little walk eyes. Without hesitation, I pulled out my wallet down memory lane. Our kids, Aly and Andy, and handed bucks. know just why ITurns did it.out Hethat wasn’t were on thathim first ten cover alongI don’t with Ashley Royals. we’ve threatening. He for wasn’t over imploring. He justdaughter, seemed toHailey, really is need a been publishing a generation and Ashley’s going boost right then and interacting with him right there a couple of feet to be on our cover next month. Isn’t that fun? Andy’s child is due any away, I just was a moment. minute and felt I’m itguessing that Baby will make the cover this year too. In It’s not that I’m mission to give away all ofcover our money. I walk fact, this year we planon toaseek out parents who were kids and put and drive by plenty of people who are asking for a little push. And I’m their kids on the cover. I’m talking to you, Cameron! not driven to help others by a sense of guilt or even a feeling of being The back-cover advertiser was CSU Sports Camps. Kristin lucky enough to have it and thesein others don’t therefore remembers M.L. Johnson calling before thatand firstsoissue saying,it’s “I my social obligation to do it. Nor do I get a big sense of satisfaction. I have want your back cover!” That was a great start. A couple of businesses a hard time pinpointing why I feel compelled to help out sometimes, that advertised in that first issue are still with us today: Canyon Concert whether a sidewalk for a neighbor or still stopping to push a car, Ballet andscooping Karate West. Congrats to them for serving parents too! and We other times not so much. started the magazine with a profound desire to be a resource for Every fall, a neighbor of ours by withonhis air compressor parents in northern Colorado, withcomes an emphasis health, education, and blows out our sprinkler lines. He makes the rounds in our We’ve recreation and the occasional dive into other compelling topics. corner of the neighborhood and gets everyone ready winter. He met a boatload of wonderful people along the way andfor found support doesn’t ask for anything. He just does it because he can. It is not a when we’ve least expected it. It’s been a journey for sure. transactional offer in any way. It started as an idea when I was in journalism grad school with Theresachildren. Baer writes this month in parents her Learn LiveThey column two young It struck me that areand heroes. get about teaching children to be generous and to volunteer. She up every day, work, run the household and then, on top of allalso theoffers some ideas of about how. The idea tothe helpmost children to be challenges just where living and in this world, theyisdo important aware of others’ andchildren. to understand thatthat they,idea themselves, thing: They careneeds for their I carried with me have and something to offer. when a friend sent me a newspaper clipping (yes, via mail) of a family The goal is for really all of based us, to parenting not just domagazine, generosityI as an in Oregon that hadthem, started a locally split activity that we have come to understand as something that we should from my partners in another publishing venture, and we dove into this. do because we’re luckyaenough have somethingwith and those other And yes, starting businesstoon a shoestring two kids is not people are struggling. Where we’re really headed with this is for out, our really a secure, possibly responsible, thing to do. But it worked children to see people who are just like they are, who just want to be pretty much. They survived and are contributing members of society. happy just as they do and who don’t want to feel bad just as they don’t And we couldn’t have done it without a committed team who want been to. Wewith want getyears. beyond the them and us feelings. We don’t just have ustofor Advertising Director and co-owner, drop money in a has can been and walk by. We stop. talk and engage with Greg Hoffman, the driving forceWe behind revenue since peopleEmily who are just likeCreative us. 1997. Zaynard, Director, has been making us look the end, weand want to be generosity, not just do generosity, though goodInsince 2008, Distribution Manager, Susan Harting, has been the path to being generosity, it seems, lies through the path of doing making sure that the magazine gets out to where you can find for generosity. nearly a decade. Thanks team! ‘Tis the season, Well, enough for now. I’ll probably have some more of these strolls Scott over the year. I hope that you’ll join me. Scott
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| RMPARENT | RMPARENT
OCTOBER 2019 • Volume 24, Issue 6 JUNE 2021 • Volume 25, Issue 1
PUBLISHER Scott Titterington, (970)221-9210 PUBLISHER scott.rmpublishing@gmail.com Scott Titterington, (970)221-9210 EDITOR scott.rmpublishing@gmail.com Kristin Titterington, (970)221-9210 EDITOR kristin.rmpublishing@gmail.com Kristin Titterington, (970)221-9210 CREATIVE DIRECTOR kristin.rmpublishing@gmail.com Emily Zaynard CREATIVE DIRECTOR emily.rmpublishing@gmail.com Emily Zaynard ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR emily.rmpublishing@gmail.com Greg Hoffman, (970)689-6832 ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR greg.rmpublishing@gmail.com Greg Hoffman, (970)689-6832 DISTRIBUTION MANAGER greg.rmpublishing@gmail.com ADVERTISING SALES EXECUTIVE DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Susan Hartig ADVERTISING SALES EXECUTIVE susan.rmpublishing@gmail.com Susan Harting COVER PHOTO susan.rmpublishing@gmail.com Cheri Schonfeld, Courtesy of COVER- skysopendesign.com PHOTO Sky’s Open Design istockphoto.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Theresa Baer, Lea Hanson, Katie Harris, Theresa Baer, Lea Hanson Lynn U. Nichols Kris Kodrich, Lynn U. Nichols
ROCKY MOUNTAIN PUBLISHING ROCKY MOUNTAIN PUBLISHING PO Box 740 PO Box 740 Fort Collins, CO 80522 Fort Collins, CO 80522 Voice 221-9210 • Fax 221-8556 Voice 221-9210 • Fax 221-8556 editor@rockymountainpub.com editor@rockymountainpub.com www.RMParent.com www.RMParent.com Rocky Mountain Parent magazine is published Rocky Mountain Parent magazine is published monthly by Rocky Mountain Publishing, Inc. monthly by Rocky Mountain Publishing, Inc. Publication of this paper does not consitute an enPublication of this paper does not consitute an endorsement of the products or services advertised. dorsement of the products or services advertised. RMP reserves the right to refuse any advertiseRMP reserves the right to refuse any advertisement for any reason. The opinions expressed by ment for any reason. The opinions expressed by contributors or writers do not necessarily reflect contributors or writers do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Rocky Mountain Publishing. the opinions of Rocky Mountain Publishing. ©2019 Rocky Mountain Publishing, Inc. All rights ©2021 Rocky Mountain Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction without express written reserved. Reproduction without express written permission is prohibited. permission is prohibited.
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