John Scarffe, Nederland. Scholarships for high school students, hot meals through Nederland’s Lovin’ Cup and the Hearts Content Music Program include the Peak to Peak Healthy Communities Project’s top priority projects to assist area residents. Working behind the scenes to assist the Peak to Peak community, the project is a local nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of residents in the region.

The Peak to Peak Healthy Communities Project started in 1995 to support the local community. Past projects include Woman to Woman, a breast cancer awareness campaign; Envision 2010 and 2020; Community Champions; and the Nederland Fourth of July fireworks and picnic. And a few dozen more.

Top upcoming priority projects include the Barbara Lawlor Memorial Journalism Scholarships, which will be presented in May of 2019 for the first time. The scholarship will benefit a graduating senior at Nederland High School and a graduating senior at Gilpin High School, pursuing a degree in Journalism. Each year a scholarship will be presented at the senior awards night at both schools.

Barbara Lawlor was a 36-year journalist for The Mountain-Ear newspaper, covering the news of the Peak to Peak Region in every capacity, with a focus on local schools and children. Barbara believed in encouraging aspiring journalists to enter their work to be published -- both photography and writing. “This is our way of honoring her wish to promote community news, created by community members of the next generation,” according to Mountain-Ear Publisher Barbara Hardt. To date $1625.16 has been rasied for the scholarship. Hardt’s goal is $2000 for the first year.

To donate, simply go to https://www.coloradogives.org/peaktoPeakHealthyCommunitiesProject/programs and click on Donate, then click on Barbara Lawlor Scholarship in the donation direction box, or you can donate anytime at PPHCP, PO Box 668, Nederland, CO 80466.

Another major program of the project is the free meal Lovin’ Cup community kitchen through the Deli At 8236, 34 E 1st Street in Nederland. Since the program began, it has served more than 2,000 meals.

Lovin’ Cup has a robust Facebook page, and one of the organizers, Ross Alper, regularly invites anyone who needs a meal to come by. On January 21, Alper advertised on Facebook that hearty vegetable soup was free until 8 p.m. “Free soup. Donate if you can. Eat if you’re hungry. Take care of one another.”

On January 8, he wrote that seeing how difficult it is for lots of people right now, we have decided to do what we can to help. Sometimes a hot meal and a caring community is all we need.

“We have decided to start offering daily a “donation only” soup at the Deli. It’s easy, come in and enjoy a hot bowl of soup and fresh bread. Leave a donation if you can, for however much you would like to leave.
“If you are tight on money, just come in and eat. All donations will go to the Lovin’ Cup community kitchen. Those donations all go directly back into our community. This way we are all doing our part in taking care of each other.

“We understand that these are trying times for all of us, and we will always do our part to help our community. Thanks to you all, we will get though it together. Peace.”

The Lovin’ Cup could never do what it does without the support of so many people, Alper wrote on January 6. Dan Ball with B&F Mountain Market donates nearly all the food that the Deli makes for the free meals. The Co-Op donates whatever is needed to make the free kitchen happen.

“Community people add their personal love to our lives. Caroline for all the amazing cookies she makes and donates to fundraisers throughout the year, Nikki for every year making her beautiful handmade Christmas ornaments and donating all of the sales to the kitchen, and of course all of you who donate their money, time, and love to make this happen,” he wrote.

Mathew Star, an employee at the Deli for the past four years, said he helped cook soups and dishes for the community kitchen and helped promote the Deli. He volunteered to do that because it brings in community and helps anyone in need for a good hot meat.

Colorado Gives Day was Tuesday December 4 and funds contributed benefited both the Lawlor Scholarships (1185.16) and the Lovin’ Cup Community Kitchen ($987.60). The Peak to Peak Healthy Communities Project also benefits the Hearts Content Music Program, which offers music scholarships to local elementary through high school aged children with lessons, instruments, accessories and more.

For more information, go to https://www.coloradogives.org/PeaktoPeakHealthyCommunitiesProject/programs.

(Originally published in the February 14, 2019, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)