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Ed and Caroline Lewis have been Park City Community Foundation donors for quite some time. They love giving back to the communities and industries that they are a part of, to help protect the land and change people’s lives for the better. Recently, they made a notable gift to Friends of Cedar Mesa through Park City Community Foundation.
Q: Why is Bears Ears important to you?
Ed and Caroline: Bears Ears is important to us for several reasons. Both of us appreciate and respect the Native American ways and beliefs; our earth is sacred and we must protect it. We also know how poorly our government has treated natives. Knowing that there are over 100,000 historical sites that are significant to the local tribes (and to history in general) within Bears Ears makes the fight to keep this land as a national monument an easy decision.
Another reason this part of Utah is so important is the access to the great outdoors. We love hiking, biking, and climbing. If Bears Ears loses its national monument status we along with hundreds of thousands of other outdoor enthusiasts will lose 1.3 million acres of breathtaking enjoyment.
Last, but not least, we believe renewable energy is the future, not fossil fuels. We mention that because the majority of the reason Bears Ears is being threatened is for mining, drilling, and logging use. We hope to protect the natural landscape from ever being destroyed.
Q: How did you learn about Friends of Cedar Mesa?
Ed and Caroline: We wanted to join the fight with Patagonia and our friends there introduced us to Josh at Friends of Cedar Mesa. Josh is very much the David in David and Goliath, in that he’s fearless and fighting a much larger force than himself. We love an underdog and believe that with a little help, Josh will be successful.
There will be an event to hear Josh speak at 5:30pm on October 11that Old Town Cellars on Main Street in Park City, all are welcome! RSVP to jmo@oldtowncellars.com to ensure your spot.
Q: How will your gift impact Bears Ears?
Ed and Caroline: Believe it or not, currently one of the biggest threats to Bears Ears is the growth in visitors. Over the last 2-3 years the Bears Ears name has been growing and resulting in significant growth in tourism to the monument. What Josh and his team are dealing with is careless and under-educated visitors. Guests like these are damaging irreplaceable and extremely fragile archeological resources. It’s important to find a way to educate these folks through a new visitor center along with much needed signs and historical markers. Our gift will help secure a suitable site for this important education/visitor center to preserve this significant part of Utah.
Q: How do you fit giving into your life here in Park City?
Ed and Caroline: Both of us are very grateful for loving where we live, work, and play. We want everyone to feel that way about Park City and understand that may not always be the case. So, when we can, we give back to the communities and industries we are a part of in hopes that one day we can help protect the land we cherish and possibly change someone’s life (or cause) for the better.
Q: What does Park City Community Foundation mean to you?
Ed and Caroline: Park City Community Foundation is a group of very caring and driven people looking to better our community. They understand and know the best places and opportunities to help our town. We trust that our contributions will have more impact when we work with Park City Community Foundation, versus the Lewis Family Foundation going at it on our own. Thanks Park City Community Foundation!