Whether it was giving to local charities or sending a bus to help the homeless in New Orleans, the breadth and depth of giving in Summit County continues to be huge.  We are so fortunate to have so many willing to give their time, effort and money to worthy causes in this community. 

Once a year, the Summit Foundation, our largest and most prestigious charitable organization, recognizes those who do these phenomenal feats.  I was very pleased to see my friend, Patti Cruz cited as an outstanding non-profit professional.  She and I are participating in Leadership Summit, a process for grooming future leaders in our community.  Congratulations, Patti.  I'm proud of you. 

See all the recipients here.  This year, they are called "the quiet ones," because they are not the famous, elaborate or exhorbitant.  They do their work without looking for particular recognition.  But their friends and neighbors, recognizing their contributions, made the nominations.  We are lucky. 

If you got a competitive skiier in your family, particularly a freestyler, you might want to move to Summit County.  Why?  Well, we've got one of the best ski instructors in the world right here.

John Dowling has coached Olympians, world champions, national champions, World Cup event winners and World Cup overall winners.  In fact, five members of the current U.S. team skied under Dowling before they were named to the national team.  Today's Summit Daily News has a fascinating story on John.  See it here.  And your next move will be to Summit County.  After all, don't you want the best for your kids? 

OK, let's say you own a SnowHome in Summit County.  You've seen it's value increase annually, and you understand this is a hot market.  What if all that were to evaporate? 

You may never get involved in political issues – or you may.  But most of you do own homes, and this affects you personally.  The home interest rate deduction has been the cornerstone of home ownership in this country.  Among other things, it has helped make home ownership affordable for the largest percentage of the population of any country in the world. 

However, in the interest of simplifying the tax code, the president’s tax panel is recommending a drastic change in your home interest deduction.  The president of the National Association of Realtors postulates that this could reduce home values by 15%.  Read the full story here.   

You may want to get involved. 

Our friends, Paul and Cora Winters, moved here from Ohio a few years ago and never looked back.  From their Wildernest home above Silverthorne, they launch all their activities that they came here for - hiking, snowshoeing, skiing for-wheeling and otherwise exploring this great State.  But everpresent with Paul is his latest version of a high quality, SLR, digital camera.  He takes photos wherever they go, sometimes when least expected.  Just ask Mary, who he usually catches with food in her mouth.

His photography now graces many of the pages of our website, and he often gets them published in newspapers.  One of the Denver television stations even uses them on occasion to dramatize the weather here in Summit County. 

Paul also keeps an online journal, where you can find lots of his photography.  He shares it freely, so enjoy.  You might even want to bookmark it, so you can get his daily weather report.

 Want to buy or sell a SnowHome in Summit County?  Please visit our website.  All the property listings are there.  When you live or visit here, you will know "Snow Place Like Home".