CEO Update: 250 Years

The U.S. is turning 250 years old. Happy Birthday, America!  Its interesting and fun to travel to other countries and see historic buildings from a time even before the U.S. was officially formed and to learn that other countries may have actually gained their independence later than the U.S. did.  In fact, I believe we are the longest running constitutional republic in the world! That fact alone is worth celebrating.  I am hoping that people remain mindful of the severe drought Colorado is facing and the many fires that are burning in and around our state and I would be remiss if I did not give voice to the three fire fighters that were recently taken from us too soon defending our people and land and our thoughts are with their family.

We should also remember that rural was pivotal in the formation of our country from the early days. Before Colorado was a state and America a cohesive nation, Native Americans and their ancestors were stewards of this land.

In our rural communities we grow our food from wheat to cattle. I know when we live in urban, sometimes we think “I’ll just pick that up from the grocery store and may not give another thought to where our food comes from”.  Our water supply also comes from snow runoff and the many rivers and streams in our state.  We should also remember that 82% of Colorado’s land mass is rural.  Our rural communities are where you can go fishing, hiking, hunting, skiing and more.  Outdoor recreation added $17.2 billion to Colorado’s economy in 2023 and 94.5 million tourism trips in Colorado in 2024.

So, while you enjoy the long holiday weekend and celebrate with friends and family, don’t forget how lucky we are to have some opportunities in Colorado, many of which are generated from rural communities.  If you’d like to learn more about rural Colorado, please visit CRHC’s website and download a copy of the 2026 Snapshot of Rural Health.