Winter Newsletter | December 9, 2025 | | |
Thank you to everyone who joined us Coffee at the Confluence Center this morning to celebrate Colorado Gives Day. Connecting with all of you and learning more about this community is my favorite part of serving CNMA.
These connections are a constant reminder that people make a place. People like our National Park Service stewards who care deeply and work tirelessly to ensure visitors can safely engage with the monument; visitors who discover a profound sense of awe as they contemplate one billion years of geologic time from Rim Rock Drive; dedicated CNMA sales staff who help visitors find the perfect souvenir to take home to their loved ones; and you, our members, donors and advocates who understand that this place needs us now more than ever.
Thank you for being part of this community, and for continuing to generously give where you live. Your support gets us closer to our $10,000 year-end fundraising goal that will support invaluable education programs in 2026. Keep reading for ways to give and get involved with CNMA this winter. We can’t wait to see you soon.
Ashley Ojala
Executive Director
Colorado National Monument Association
| | Help Us Reach our $10,000 Fundraising Goal | | |
Your year-end gift to Colorado National Monument Association (CNMA) supports the rangers, interns, and educators who bring this landscape to life for students, families, and veterans all year long.
In 2025, donor support helped:
- Welcome over 1,400 students on outdoor education field trips
- Provide mindfulness and resiliency programs for more than 500 U.S. Military Veterans
- Share the night sky with nearly 500 visitors through Dark Sky Ranger astronomy programs
- Serve over 140,000 guests at the Visitor Center and swear in thousands of Junior Rangers
Help us reach our $10,000 goal to keep field trips, ranger talks, resiliency programs and night sky experiences going strong in 2026.
| | | | Monument on Tap | Dec. 18 | |
Discover how dramatic thunderstorms shape the canyons we love at “Flash Flooding in the Colorado National Monument”—an evening with water scientist Gigi Richard exploring historic floods, recent high-flow events, and their impact on neighboring communities at Colorado Craft Coffee & Beer House.
Add to Calendar
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For the entire month of December your membership discount gets you 20% off your bookstore purchase.*
Not a member? Join now.
*Some exclusions apply
| | | Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour | Feb 12-14 | | A portion of proceeds from the Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour – Grand Junction & Delta benefits Colorado National Monument Association (CNMA), supporting education, conservation, and stewardship at Colorado National Monument. By purchasing a ticket, you help fund programs that connect visitors, students, and our community to the Monument’s incredible landscapes and stories. | | Give to CNMA Every Time You Shop | | |
Looking for an easy way to support CNMA at the end of the year—and all year long?
You can help every time you buy groceries through the City Market Community Rewards program.
It’s simple and free:
- Visit the City Market page (or log into your City Market account).
- Go to "Community Rewards" under your account settings.
- Search for and select Colorado National Monument Association as your preferred organization.
That’s it!
Every time you shop and use your City Market card or alternate ID, a portion of your eligible purchases is donated to CNMA. It doesn’t cost you anything extra—no added fees, no change to your discounts or fuel points—just everyday shopping that helps support education programs, ranger-led activities, and visitor experiences at Colorado National Monument.
Thank you for choosing CNMA as your Community Rewards organization and turning your routine grocery trip into ongoing support for the monument. 🌄
| | Welcoming CNMA's New Board Chair, Sue Conry | | Colorado National Monument Association is pleased to welcome Sue Conry as the new President of the Board of Directors. A lifelong Coloradoan and longtime Mesa County resident, Sue brings deep experience in nonprofit leadership, a passion for strong governance, and a heartfelt commitment to education, conservation, and stewardship of our public lands. She’s especially excited to expand community engagement, support high-quality educational experiences, and help secure the resources needed to protect the Monument’s remarkable landscapes for generations to come. | | | Partner Spotlight: Fruita Rotary Club | | | | |
Colorado National Monument Association is grateful for the generous sponsorship of The Rotary Club of Fruita, a long-standing service club made up of friends, neighbors, and community leaders dedicated to “Good People Doing Good Things.”
From supporting environmental initiatives and educational programs at CNMA, to youth scholarships and leadership opportunities, to literacy, wellness, art projects, and local improvements like Rotary Triangle Park and tree plantings at Snooks Bottom, Fruita Rotary’s impact is felt throughout the community and beyond.
As the club approaches its 90th anniversary in 2026, Fruita Rotary continues to welcome new members who want to give back through fun, friendship, and connection.
👉 Learn more about The Rotary Club of Fruita and how to get involved in our full feature on the blog.
| | Thank You WCCF CORE & Intermountain Health | | |
Colorado National Monument Association is honored to have been awarded a $5,000 grant from the Western Colorado Community Foundation’s 2025 CORE Fund through the CORE Giving Circle to support our Next Generation Intern position.
This funding will help us engage and mentor future stewards of Colorado National Monument, connecting young people to public lands, conservation, and community.
Thank you, WCCF, for your support!
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Colorado National Monument Association is thrilled to announce that our Resiliency Ranger Program has been awarded a $5,000 grant from the Intermountain Health Community Health Fund.
This funding will help us continue supporting ranger-led programming that fosters mental and physical well-being through time spent on our public lands.
We are grateful to Intermountain Health for their investment in the health of our community and the landscapes that sustain us.
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