Since my loss of employment was publicly announced, I have felt very blessed by my community, staff and family. Thank you all for being so gracious and supportive and for laughing and reminiscing with me about 24 wonderful Village Inn years. The fact that so very many felt compelled to contact me with condolences is very touching.

Unexpected challenges often come with unexpected opportunity. Another door will open. Collette Baron-Reid says, “Faith is believing that the outcome will be what it should be, no matter what it is.” Let us all replace any worries with that thought.

Our roots are here. The Churchills don’t intend to move away. There is much dancing, eating, entertaining, communing, working and loving left for our family within our Garfield County home.

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I miss my guests and employees most. Though never technically mine, the separation is still difficult. I find I am mourning many connections that seemed firmly bound, but now seem irreplaceably lost. I sincerely urge any friends with whom I’ve lost contact to contact me on Facebook, by phone, or by e-mail at ted@artilluma.com. I would be thrilled to hear from you.

Many of the people who have contacted me are angry, to the point of not returning to Village Inn. I am at a loss as to a right response to such loyalty. That reaction may create a lose/lose situation for everyone, including many of your wonderful fellow community members who still work at Village Inn.

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It is your right to vote with your dollar. However, there are also other appropriate channels. You can reach ABRH, the brand owner, at http://www.villageinn.com and Family Restaurants Inc., the location owner, at http://www.lovevi.com.

Thank you again for the collective farewell. It changed a potentially isolating experience into a big community hug.

Small towns ROCK!

Ted Churchill

Rifle

This morning I was reading the May 2, 1969, issue of LIFE magazine. (Why I was doing that is a story for another time.) That issue’s editorial, titled “A good-humored approach to frugality (sic),” was illustrated with an image of Treasury Secretary David Kennedy and Budget Director Robert Mayo testifying before the Senate Finance Committee regarding their request that the national debt ceiling be raised.

Imagine that.

Nixon, the conservative, newly elected president at the time, was distressed that he was not going to be able to make good on his campaign promises about savings.

Consider this quote from that editorial, please: “Nixon understands it is mathematically inevitable that there will be more letters to send (and therefore more staff required) and more airports to build as long as more people are being born than die. What he does worry about is the fact that so much of what is poured into one end of this monstrous machine never emerges at the other end. He would like to reduce the attrition.”

If you know me, you know how very unlikely it is that I would be commending anything Nixon-related. But these are strange times.

Brenda Stern

Basalt