Shaping Our Summit’s Accomplishments

What We Have Accomplished

Indicators of a Healthy Community:

Measuring Summit County’s Quality of Life 2000 –

A community-based process involved 30 local leaders to select indicators that define Summit County’s quality of life. The report covers 28 indicators in four areas:

1) Citizen Involvement and Community Collaboration

2) Economy, Workforce and Housing

3) Environment

4) Human Well-Being

The Report provides a framework to monitor economic, environmental, social and physical aspects of community health. It serves as a resource to the community to respond to changing trends and to preserve the community’s quality of life.

Click here to download a .pdf version of the report.

Make a Difference Day – In 2000, 500 volunteers provided services to 30 local non-profit

organizations and schools. The value of the work completed totals over $24,000.00!

Pollution Prevention Program - This pollution prevention project provided a broad

countywide public information campaign to educate both students and the general public on source reduction and other practices, which reduce or eliminate the creation of pollutants. It is estimated that over 10,000 Summit County households were reached through this public information campaign - either through written or email sources. This represents 50% of the 20,000 year round residents in Summit County.

Telecommunications Strategic Plan - Through the “Beanpole” planning grants,

Shaping Our Summit facilitated a strategic planning process for a subcommittee of the Summit County Telecommunications Consortium and community members over an eighteen-month period to develop an effective plan to expand telecom services for our community. Summit County was recently notified that implementation funding has been granted for this plan in the amount of nearly half a million dollars!

White River National Forest Plan Forum - The goals of this forum were: to inform and

educate Summit County residents about the specifics of the forest plan and the proposed Alternative D, to provide an opportunity for groups and individuals to formulate recommended changes to the proposed alternative, and to explore opportunities to work among interest groups to create solutions which address multiple concerns. Approximately 100 people attended the forum and according to the Dillon District Ranger, "The White River National Forest Plan Revision received the highest number of detailed comment out of all the large and controversial projects being worked on by the Forest Service."

Community Collaboration Award - a program to recognize and promote collaboration

among non-profits, governments and businesses. 30 nominations have been submitted for consideration for this award since the first time this semi-annual award was presented in November 1997. 78% of people surveyed in 1998 were aware of this award and 27% reported that the award motivated them to look for opportunities to collaborate.

Citizens Planning Academy - 24 students attended the first session of the academy and

reported that they understood the planning process better as well as how to participate in decisions regarding planning, growth and development in our community.

Educational Forums - 225 people in attendance at the educational forum about growth and development: How to Shape Our Summit: The Citizens Role in Guiding Development.

(November 7, 1998)

eGroup - 100 local residents are subscribers to a community eGroup established by

Shaping Our Summit to provide for efficient exchange of information about community involvement opportunities, issues and events.

Environmental Best Practices Campaign – a two-year campaign based on the premise

that environmental health contributes to the overall health of our community. The purpose of the campaign was to strengthen our community norm of care for the environment through education. Elements included: weekly radio and newspaper ads, a monthly newspaper column, posters featuring illustrations by local students inside the Summit Stage (local, free, public transportation), a directory of natural resource and environmental stewardship organizations called "Environmental Guardians", an advertisement in the Summit County Vacation Planner which has a distribution of 160,000, a brochure which is available in Summit County's Visitor Information Centers and a traveling display of student drawings which appeared in county buildings.

80% of people surveyed said they had seen or heard this information.

Get Involved in Your Backyard: Community Involvement Opportunities page –

This project was initiated by Shaping Our Summit in 1997. In 2001, the Summit Daily News incorporated responsibility for the page into their general operations. In a fall 1998 survey of 150 Summit County residents, 83% said they had seen this weekly information page highlighting meetings of local government, volunteer opportunities, upcoming events and hot topics. 75% of respondents said they were more aware of agenda items being discussed and decisions being made by their local governments as a result.

Local’s List - 8000 Local’s Lists, a guide to volunteering and activities in Summit County

were published and distributed between 1997-1999. This resource is now

available here on our website.

SilverthorneNeighborhood Meetings – SOS coordinated and facilitated eight

neighborhood meetings with the Town of Silverthorne during the summer of 1999.

260 local residents and their elected representatives attended these meetings.

Issues addressed range from traffic to taxes.

Volunteer Facilitators - 16 local volunteers were trained in meeting facilitation skills

on March 25, 1998. Since then, SOS has facilitated over 25 community meetings.

Y2K Public Awareness – SOS convened local businesses, public safety entities, human

service agencies and media to coordinate preparation strategies for Y2K and to present a coordinated, community public information message about Y2K.

... and more!

For more information, please contact

Jennifer Pratt Miles

Shaping Our Summit

105 Village Place; PO Box 1829

Dillon, CO 80435

phone: (970) 513.8340 x213;

fax: (970) 513.8348; sos@merid.org

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