Greetings!

I was lamenting with a friend in mid-August that summer was over becauseit was time for my kids to go back to school. She laughed and reminded methat September, one of the most beautiful months in the Roaring ForkValley, was sti l l ahead. So, while the summer season might be coming to aclose, we get to enjoy the beautiful bonus month of September. And lookingahead to what we're up to at the Buddy Program, I have to say - Septemberis shaping up to be a great month!

Because our valley's youth are back in school, the Buddy Program's schoolprogramming is also back in full swing. We work with 12schools from Aspen to Carbondale and new this year, Rifle. Our OutdoorLeadership classes at Basalt, Roaring Fork and Rifle High Schools wil l getthe most out of stunning September as they wil l begin their first of manyexcursions with a 3-day backpacking trip in the Hunter FryingpanWilderness. In our Peer-to-Peer Program, we will match over 40 highschool students with Little Buddies at Aspen, Basalt and Carbondaleschools, and we will reunite several School-based Big Buddies with theirLittle Buddies up and down the valley. Our Outdoor Leadershipprogramming will also resume at Carbondale and Basalt Middle Schools,and new this year - Rifle and Aspen Middle Schools!

So, while the rush of the summer season, summer vacation with the kidsand summer travels may have come to an end, the best is yet to come at theBuddy Program! We hope you enjoy the summer bonus month of September(or at least a couple more weeks, autumn starts 9/22)!

Sincerely,

Lindsay LofaroExecutive Director

MENTOR IN THE SPOTLIGHT

The Buddy Program hasbeen nominated for BestNon-profit and the BuddyBash has been nominatedfor Best Annual Event in

Aspen Time's Best of Aspen& Snowmass 2018!

Please take a minute andVOTE FOR US! Both

nominations are in theMountain Character

category and voting closeson September 10th.

THANK YOU FOR 45 YEARS,ASPEN!

Please mark your calendarsfor

Colorado Gives Dayon Dec. 4th, 2018!

Gus Fitzgerald

One of the functions and qualities of a good mentor is to serve as a

positive role model for a youth. So we weren't at all surprised when

Stephen's dad reached out to tell us this story about his son's Big Buddy,

Gus Fitzgerald. On one of their outings together, Stephen found a wallet

with money and credit cards buried in the snow. They promptly found a

business card with the owner's contact information in the wallet and made

arrangements to return the wallet. Then to Gus's surprise, the owner of the

wallet came to his place of work and gave Gus a $50 gift certificate to the

Hickory House as a reward, which of course Gus used to take his mentee

Stephen out for some delicious grub. David told us, "This is the way the Big

Buddy Program is supposed to work! Stephen obviously has a great role

model in Gus. Someone who exemplifies honesty. Thank you for putting the

two of them together. As a parent I am happy my son is getting to be around

such a quality person!"

MENTEE WAITLIST

Name: Juan Age: 11 Lives in: Carbondale

Juan is an 11 year-old who is excited to have aBig Buddy he can play sports with. He loves toplay soccer and basketball, ride his bike, and goskiing. He is a great dancer as well and veryinvolved with Aspen Santa Fe Ballet Folklorico.Juan is excell ing at school and his principal saidthat "he is the BEST, in a devil ish sort of way."Juan can be mischevious with his brothers, butsays being with his family makes him happy.Having a Big Buddy would mean a lot to him andin his words a Buddy would be a "person whohelps you, makes you feel safe, and is fun to bewith."

Contact Recruitment Manager, Laura Seay, for more information onbecoming a Big Buddy! LauraS@buddyprogram.org

NEW PAIRSWelcome Kara & Brisa and Kevin & Porter!

OR

THANK YOU TO THEFOLLOWING

ORGANIZATIONS FOR THEIRSUPPORT THIS MONTH!

SEPTEMBERANNIVERSARIES

2011

Anne and Clarence Blackwell &Samantha

Ainhoa Bujan & Ximena (pictured)

2014Wheeler Clancy & Boden

2016Kimberly Kurr & Daniella

2017Carl Zoch & Luis

LEAD (Leadership through Exploration, Action andDiscovery)

Dream Day Camp 2018

Before Roaring Fork Valley kids went back to school, the Buddy Programhosted our annual Dream Day Camp for students entering 6th through 8thgrade. Campers from throughout the valley enjoyed 5 action-packed daysof adventure. Campers experienced a Low Ropes Course at CMC- SpringValley Campus, an art project with Cabondale Arts' Rosybell the Art Bus,mountain biking with AVSC, hiking the Ying Yang Trail in Snowmass, trail

STAY CONNECTED:

#buddyprogramRFV

repair work on Raspberry Creek Trail in Marble with Roaring Fork OutdoorVolunteers, camping at Bogan Flats Campground, rock cl imbing, andrafting the Roaring Fork River with Elk Mountain Expeditions. A big shoutout to all of our supporting organizations who made this amazing weekpossible. And thanks to all our campers for a memorable week. We'll seeyou next summer!

Outdoor Leadership Class

For the past couple of weeks, students from the three high school classesof Outdoor Leadership have been in full swing to prepare for upcomingbackpacking trips, where students wil l backpack in the Hunter FryingpanWilderness for 3 days and 2 nights. Curriculum for this quarter consists ofLNT (Leave No Trace), map and compass, Public Lands Management, as wellas team building initiatives for group dynamics.

We are so excited to expand our Outdoor Leadership program to three newschool sites this year: Aspen Middle School, Rifle Middle School and RifleHigh School. Along with these new additions, our Outdoor Leadershipclasses continue at Basalt Middle and High schools, Carbondale MiddleSchool, and Roaring Fork High School. It's going to be another great schoolyear! COMMUNITY PROGRAM ACTIVITIES

Buddies In Action!

Hurst Will iams and his Little Buddy, Javi, conquering the Rugged AscentClimbing Wall at the Snowmass Lost Forest.

Three pairs make a party at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park!

From left to right: Big Buddy Candy Huffman, Li ttle Buddy Angie, LB As hley,LB Alondra , BB Daniel le Griva lsky, and BB Ha i ley Gugl ielmo.

Kevin Sommers and his new Little Buddy, Porter, enjoying the Snowmass

Rodeo.