From the Founder's Porch: Seasons of Change (May 2026)

As I sit down to write this month's newsletter, summer is beginning to make itself known here in Colorado.

The trees outside my window are lush and green. The birds at my feeders seem busier than ever. The gentle sound of water burbling through the fountains in my yard has become the soundtrack of my mornings. On our daily walks, cyclists zoom past as they head to work or out on weekend adventures, and children can once again be heard laughing, shouting, and playing outside.

There is a sense of movement everywhere. In many ways, that's exactly how Gratitude Village feels right now.

One of the things I love about living in Colorado is how distinctly we experience the changing seasons. Each one arrives with its own energy, its own beauty, and its own lessons. Spring and early summer are seasons of growth, but growth is rarely as simple as moving forward in a straight line. Sometimes growth means welcoming new beginnings. Sometimes it means letting go. Often it means both at the same time.

Over the past few months, our community has experienced exactly that. We've had a handful of early supporters and adopters step back from the project due to changing life circumstances. Some experienced financial changes. Others faced health challenges, family responsibilities, career opportunities or simply found themselves in a different season of life than when they first discovered Gratitude Village. While I completely understand those decisions, there is still a sense of sadness when someone who helped shape the dream is no longer able to continue the journey alongside us. Of course, the door is always open and we hope to cross paths again in the near future!

Building a community before the homes exist creates a unique kind of relationship. We spend months—and sometimes years—imagining the future together. We share hopes, ideas, concerns, and dreams. We talk about what it means to know our neighbors, to make decisions together, to age in place, to raise children in community, and to create a more connected way of living. Every person who joins contributes something meaningful to the vision.

When someone steps away, they leave behind a lasting imprint on what we're building.

I find myself deeply grateful for every person who has been part of this journey, whether they remain with us today or not. At the same time, we have been blessed with new arrivals.

I am delighted to welcome Monica and Megan as our newest Founding Members. Choosing to become a Founder is a meaningful commitment. Founders aren't simply reserving a future home. They are helping shape the culture, design, and direction of the community itself. They are stepping into the uncertainty and possibility that comes with creating something new.

We are also excited to welcome Rose, Kacie, and Jody & George as our newest Exploring Members. One of my favorite things about meeting new members is hearing the unique path that led them to Gratitude Village. Some are searching for greater connection. Some are drawn by sustainability. Others are thinking about aging in place, affordability, accessibility or simply finding a neighborhood where people know each other's names and have each others' backs.

What continues to amaze me is that while people often arrive for different reasons, they frequently discover that they are seeking many of the same things: belonging, purpose, community and a sense of home.

In many ways, the village is already being built. Not through concrete or lumber, but through conversations, relationships, work groups, shared meals, and countless acts of generosity. Meanwhile, a tremendous amount of activity continues behind the scenes.

One of the biggest milestones on the horizon is our upcoming Site Design Workshop. Soon, future residents, architects, consultants, and community members will gather to begin shaping the physical layout of the Brighton property. For many of us, this is the moment when years of ideas begin to take a visible form. Paths, homes, gardens, gathering spaces, and community amenities that have existed primarily in our imaginations will start finding their place on paper.

At the same time, we continue the less glamorous—but equally important—work of development.

Over the past several weeks, we've been interviewing and hiring technical partners, engineers, consultants, attorneys, and other professionals who will help guide the project through its next phases. We've been coordinating due diligence efforts, reviewing reports, evaluating opportunities, and making decisions that will influence the community for decades to come.

People sometimes ask why projects like this take so long. The answer is that before a single foundation is poured, there are hundreds of decisions that must be made thoughtfully and responsibly. Due diligence isn't a delay in the process. It is the process.

We're also actively pursuing grants, donations, partnerships, and funding opportunities that can strengthen the long-term success of Gratitude Village and help make this vision accessible to a broader range of people. One opportunity I'm especially excited about is our application to participate in a sixteen-week environmental sustainability entrepreneurship program through the Watson Institute in Boulder. Programs like this provide valuable mentorship, education, and connections with other changemakers who are working to address some of society's most pressing environmental and social challenges.

There are moments when all of this feels overwhelming. There are, also, many more moments when it feels deeply meaningful and even a bit fun. Every grant application submitted, every consultant hired, every report reviewed, every new member welcomed, and every challenge overcome brings us one step closer to creating something that doesn't yet exist in Colorado—a mixed-income, fully accessible, Zero Energy community intentionally designed around connection, belonging, and mutual support.

As I watch summer arrive, I find myself reflecting on how much has changed over the past year. What was once an idea has become an organization. What was once a vision is becoming a community. What was once a search for land has become a property under contract in Brighton. And what was once a small group of people exploring a possibility has become a growing movement of individuals and families who believe a different way of living is possible.

For all of that—and for all of you—I am profoundly grateful. Thank you for being part of this journey.

With gratitude,

~Suzie

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