Nurturing a Joyful and Philanthropic Gunnison Valley
This is our third Board Member profile. We started with Lisa Rodman and profiled Bill Burke next. This month, we are pleased to introduce you to Rose Zealand.
Meet Rose Zealand
Rose is a wonderfully caring, thoughtful, and engaged member of the Gunnison Valley community. We were fortunate to get to know her a bit as she was helping launch a now well-known local nonprofit and have been so happy to have her on our team since then. Read on to learn more about Rose.
What is your role on the board?
Board Member
What do you love most about the Gunnison Valley?
The humans who live here! I have maintained for years that I can’t tell if happy people move to the Valley, or if the Valley makes people happy, but either way… there are a lot of smiling people around, and it’s a delightful positive reinforcement loop. There’s some kind of magic afoot that makes it easy to smile when you’re here, and when you’re smiling, the best parts of you are most likely to shine.
Rose enjoying a hike through a spectacular meadow of early-season wildflowers.
Why did you join the CFGV Board?
I am one of the co-founders of the Mountain Roots Food Project, and after working closely with CFGV during the formation, 501(c)3 application process, and early launch-days, I saw how impactful CFGV was for all nonprofits to thrive in the community and felt called to serve the Valley in an even higher capacity.
What would you like the community to know about CFGV?
CFGV is like the stage crew for a play. If the nonprofits are the actors on stage, CFGV is managing the sets, lights, costumes, makeup, and special effects. While you may not see the stage crew very often, CFGV is the cohesive element that ties together and elevates the work of the nonprofits playing their respective roles, making the entire experience more powerful, impactful, and lasting for all.
What are your hopes for the future of CFGV?
I would love to see CFGV continue, and elevate, its role in facilitating civil discourse on critical topics impacting the Gunnison Valley. At a time when it feels like we’re losing our collective capacity to disagree while still respecting our shared humanity, I believe CFGV can play a key part in keeping the community grounded in respect, dignity, and autonomy.
Where are folks most likely to run into you in the Gunnison Valley?
I’m currently living in Helena, MT to be near my mom through her final chapter, and will be away from the Valley for the foreseeable future. BUT! I come back 2-3 times a year and during my pop-ins you’re likely to find me on the Van Tuyl loop, at Hartman’s, at the Tributary coffee shop, or somewhere in the West Elk Wilderness.
Is there anything else you want our newsletter readers to know about your charitable interests in the Gunnison Valley?
I have a donor advised fund (DAF) with CFGV, and love getting updates from CFGV staff about critical issues needing immediate support. With my DAF, it’s fast and easy to recommend a distribution to the organization(s) that need it the most to support the most vulnerable populations in critical moments.
Likewise, I have designated both CFGV and my DAF to receive a significant portion of whatever’s left when I pass away. Leaving a legacy gift like this gives me peace of mind knowing that I will be continuing to invest in the community long after I am gone, and I feel that it’s the best way to propel my values into the future.
Simplified Summary
Rose Zealand is a board member at CFGV (Community Foundation of the Gunnison Valley). She first learned about CFGV when she was founding another nonprofit. She joined the CFGV board to give back.
She wants people to see CFGV as a “stage crew” supporting the other nonprofits in the community. They are often behind the scenes, but they’re always there to support everyone. She hopes CFGV will help community members treat each other with respect.
Rose’s donor advised fund (DAF) helps her respond to urgent needs in the community. It is also a way for her to give back after she is gone. This legacy gift helps her values live on.
