There aren't many who don't know the Melville name!  Marian has been a faithful volunteer for Read with Me since the day we started!  Marian can be seen volunteering at many places in Aspen.  She volunteers at the hospital (right before she comes to us). She also donates her time to the thrift store as well as teaching a weekly bible study at our local jail!  She loves her time with her Read with Me kids and can't wait to get back to them.  Even when I tell her to stay home because of the snow, she tells me she is coming because she just adores the kids and doesn't want to miss.  Marian's passions... Jesus and her family!  One of her biggest highlights each year are her 3 weeks she spends in Cancun each May with her family!  She shared that her best character traits are being dependable and loving.  I could not agree more!  Marian moved here over 60 years ago as a ski bum! Her friends convinced her to stay for the summer.  It's a good thing she did. She met her late husband of 59 1/2 years that summer... and as they say... the rest is history!  She and Ralph along with many of their family have run the Mountain Chalet since 1954 when Ralph built it!  We love you Marian and our kids are so lucky to have you!

Bobbi has been volunteering since the start of our program three years ago.   She began volunteering because she wanted to work with children in some capacity and she feels it is very important for kids to learn to read for entertainment, enrichment and continue to learn and be informed as they go through life.  As kids journey through life, she believes reading can open so many doors for them!  Bobbi has lived in Aspen for 50 years!  She has had 4 careers... waitress, hair cutting, ski.com and now retirement!   She is enjoying this stage where she can ski, be outdoors and play with her granddaughter!  She can also be found volunteering at the thrift shop! ​When asked what her best character trait is... she said that she is a caretaker and concerned about others.  She loves to stay busy and sometimes her friends tell her she talks too much!! We love having Bobbi as a Read with Me volunteer.  She takes it very seriously and she really gets to know the kids she works with and how to support them best!  Thank you Bobbi for your faithfulness to this program! 

George is well known in this community... from restaurants to the classroom... George has touched many lives in Aspen.  George came to Aspen in 1970 after taking a break from teaching middle school math in CA. Like many do... he came for a winter and has really never left.  He took a few years off from living here to explore Hawaii and Park City, but he returned.  George spent many years making sure bellies were full and customers were happy at his restaurants on Highlands!  After 22 years, he hung up his hat as a restaurant owner and went back to his first career.  He taught math part time at AES until he decided to spend more time with his family and his other passion, fly fishing!  George and his wife have 2 children that grew up here as well.  George volunteers for Read with Me because he enjoys the kids, he loves reading and he gets excited about seeing the progress in the kids he reads with!  George has volunteered two times a week for three years.  His quiet and sincere demeanor is greatly appreciated and kids love working with him!  Thank you George for your time commitment to our program! 

​We are going to start highlighting our fabulous volunteers.  Please check back to this blog each week to meet the people who are making Read with Me a huge success!!

​Meet Nancy Smith, a retired school teacher who has made Aspen her 2nd home for 25 years. She now winters here and has been a volunteer for Read with Me for 2 years because she missed working with kids! She is passionate about education because she believes it is where it all starts. She shared that a character trait she has is determination. She wants to keep helping kids learn and show them that we can all be life long learners! Thank you Nancy for your passion and commitment to this program. You are making a difference!