GVCO September 2025 Newsletter

Hello Friend,

What a month September has been! From the energy of our Evening with Charles Durrett to the momentum of exploring potential properties and welcoming new families, Gratitude Village is taking exciting steps forward. Even though I couldn’t be at the event in person, I felt the spirit of community shine through every story shared with me afterward. I’m filled with gratitude—for our sponsors, our growing circle of Explorers and Founders, and for each of you who continue to believe in this vision of living with purpose, with people, and with the planet in mind. This newsletter is full of updates, opportunities, and next steps, and I hope you’ll feel as inspired as I do about where we’re headed together.

With gratitude,
Suzie

Gratitude Village Colorado
Living with purpose, with people, and with the planet in mind

A Successful Evening with Charles Durrett 🎉

Thank you to everyone who joined us for An Evening with Charles Durrett on Thursday September 18, 2025! Even though Suzie couldn’t attend in person, the night was a clear success and a beautiful showcase of what we’re building together. We sold 171 seats and welcomed 150 attendees for an evening of ideas, inspiration and connection around cohousing.

Unfortunately, due to some AV snafus, we were unable to record the event as we had hoped. Apologies to those of you who could not attend and were waiting to see the recording. You're invited to attend one of our information sessions to learn more about our vision and how you can get involved!

Deep gratitude to our 10 sponsors who made the event possible: Thrive Community Options and Intensity Hub were our top sponsors for the event. Together with Hungry Gene, Cohousing US, SidingDesignPro, LiveWorkDenver, Polestar Village, Healing Unleashed, Pradhan & Backus and Disability Innovation Hub they made the event possible! Thank you! If you didn't get to connect with any of our sponsors and need their contact information, just let us know!

A special, heart-felt hank you to Trish Becker from Cohousing US for taking over the MC role for Suzie at the last minute! She did a wonderful job and we are so grateful for her help and support!

“Events like this are more than talks—they’re catalysts. They help turn interest into action, and action into a thriving village.” ~ Charles Durrett

Land & Site Search

While Charles was in town, we toured five properties. Here’s where we landed: Two properties were rejected immediately due to multiple factors; Three properties were deemed promising, and Charles recommended we make offers on them.

Next Steps. The weekend wasn’t just about properties. Saturday morning’s workshop with Charles clarified critical next steps for moving from vision to reality. As a direct result of An Evening with Charles Durrett and the Saturday workshop, we welcomed five new Exploring Families, bringing us to 22 families and individuals who see Gratitude Village as their future home.

We’re also in the process of forming Gratitude Village Development, LLC to purchase land and move forward with design and construction. Founders will be members of the LLC, solidifying both voice and vested interest as we co-create the village together.

Recruiting New Board Members

As Gratitude Village grows, we’re preparing for the next stage of leadership. We are now seeking new board members to join us beginning January 1, 2026, with terms lasting two years. This will bring our board up to a full 15 members! We’re especially eager to welcome individuals with experience in fundraising, grant writing, finance, or construction—skills that will help strengthen our foundation and guide us toward building the village. Incoming board members are invited to attend our annual meeting in early December 2025 to get to know the team and help set the vision for the year ahead. If you—or someone you know—would be excited to serve, please reach out to Suzie for more details.

Stay Connected: Blogs, Substack, and Private FB Group

Keep up with Gratitude Village's journey through our blog and Substack—we’re posting regular articles about design, affordability, sustainability, and the social fabric of cohousing. We’ve also launched a private Facebook group for Founders and Explorers to connect, collaborate, and ask questions. Email Suzie for an invitation.

Looking ahead, we’ll host business meetings and social gatherings for Founders & Explorers in October and November and begin forming committees to keep momentum strong—from site search and governance to communications, the community social fabric, kids & teens, accessibility, finance and more!

Ready to Take the Next Step?

• Become an Explorer (great first step): learn, participate, and help shape what we build together.

• Become a Founder (ownership track): secure your seat at the table, join the LLC, and lead the way.

• Prefer a conversation? Schedule a call with Suzie to explore your path.

Quick links:

• Explorer Membership

• Founding Member Benefits

• Schedule a call with Suzie