craigdailypress.com

Craig — The Editorial Board took a certain amount of pride away from a former local resident’s recent and well-deserved reception of a prestigious state award.

The community should share the same sense of pride.

On Friday, Pres Askew was named Colorado’s Outstanding Volunteer of the Year at the 20th Annual National Philanthropy Day in Denver.

Askew, who now lives on the Front Range, was a key contributor to the founding of the Boys & Girls Club of Craig, an important community asset that offers local youths healthy after-school outlets.

Askew, along with his wife, Patti, were generous with their time, skills and talents in numerous ways while they lived in Craig. However, it’s the Boys & Girls Club that stands as their lasting legacy.

The Editorial Board is proud of the Askews, not only for Pres’ recent award, but also for the contributions they made to the community while living here.

But, while Pres is certainly deserving of the award, he isn’t all that different from numerous Moffat County residents when it comes to generosity toward the community they live in.

This town, our town, gives.

It’s as simple as that.

When a need arises, when a group or organization is in trouble and needs help, when a community resident is sick and could use support, this community — more than all others, Editorial Board members are willing to bet — steps to the plate.

No matter the obstacles, no matter the hurdles, the Craig and Moffat County community delivers to those who need it most.

We’ve seen it each year in the annual Moffat County United Way fundraising drive.

We’ve seen it with auctions and benefits and fundraisers on behalf of individual agencies. We’ve seen it with our less fortunate populations.

We’ve seen it done by people like Pres and Patti Askew, and from those who are unheralded and who will never get an award for their efforts.

This community responds, and each one of us is fortunate to live here.

So, congratulations again to Pres for his achievement, and thanks one more time to the numerous and unsung people of Craig and Moffat County who weave the rich fabric upon which our community is built.