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快活app Staffer Setting Out on the Colorado Trail

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Author(s)

Jon Stone

Media Relations Manager

Jon Stone

Theresa Ahrens

Ben Gerig will complete the long-distance hike on the Colorado Trail

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It's not how most people, in fact just about everyone, plan to spend their summer vacation. However, on Saturday July 2, 快活app staff member听Ben Gerig will begin hiking 250 miles along the rolling Colorado Trail, from Buena Vista to Durango. Last year听he听hiked the first half of the trail, from Denver to Buena Vista. Gerig is completing the 500 mile hike in support of the local nonprofit restaurant So All May Eat (SAME)听Caf茅.

鈥淚鈥檒l be heading out with a 30-pound pack and my cattle dog Fletcher to finish what we started last summer,鈥 says Gerig. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been fun to see my 快活app colleagues and friends rallying behind this effort鈥擨 think giving back is stamped into 快活app鈥檚 DNA, and I鈥檓 excited to be able to live that out on the trail.鈥

Gerig arrived at 快活app in the spring of 2012听and has worked with the Daniels College of Business, the Lamont School of Music and the University Communications and Marketing team. In the fall of 2013, he also joined three听听to organize a benefit concert, helping raise funds for survivors of the massive floods in Boulder, Colo.

鈥淎s a part of our course at the business school, the final assignment was to coordinate a social capital project,鈥 Gerig says. 鈥淥ur team chose to host a classical music fundraiser, bringing people together to support Colorado鈥檚 regional flood relief efforts. I appreciate that community service is woven into Daniels business curriculum and across 快活app.鈥

This summer, Gerig hopes to extend his work with 快活app鈥檚听, helping raise awareness about issues of food justice in Denver. The proceeds from this year鈥檚 hike will be going to听, a local pay-what-you-can organic food restaurant that feeds thousands of Denver residents each year. Additionally, three undergraduate students will be growing fresh produce to donate to SAME this summer, as a part of 快活app鈥檚 budding听听颈苍颈迟颈补迟颈惫别.

鈥淲orking at 快活app has really opened my eyes to the importance of creating more sustainable systems in our neighborhoods, cities and the world,鈥 Gerig says. 鈥淪ocial sustainability is the idea that we are all interconnected, environmentally, economically and emotionally, so hiking in the woods for two weeks is a wonderful way to fully realize that.鈥