On behalf of Lake Dillon Fire Rescue, I wish to express our sincere appreciation and thanks to Bill Gilchrist, owner and operator of Gilchrist Catering, for generously donating the outstanding dinner that was served on Jan. 25 at Lake Dillon's Station 11 in Keystone to welcome 20 Wounded Warriors to Keystone Resort. These men and women, both active-duty and veterans, traveled from across the country to participate in skiing and riding, many for the first time, as part of the Snofest 2012, hosted by Keystone.

It is heartwarming to see so many volunteers and local businesses in the community, like Gilchrist Catering and Keystone Resort, step forward to assist and ensure the Wounded Warriors had a special weekend of fun on the slopes and relaxation with family and new acquaintances. The staffs with the Keystone Adaptive Center and Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center are extraordinary and went above and beyond in their efforts to make these five days special.

Our on-duty firefighters at Station 11 enjoyed visiting with our VIP guests and taking them on a tour of the station. It was a great evening for all and an opportunity to express our sincere thanks and appreciation to these true heroes for what they have sacrificed so humbly in service to our country.

Summit County is a special place because of the many citizens who freely give of their time and resources to reach out to others to ease the burden or to put a smile on someone's face because they care enough to share. I have little doubt that this was how this group of Wounded Warriors felt during the course of their time here.