Pikes Peak Library District Foundation is honored to receive $150,000 from the estate of Milt and Darlene Johnson.
As we have come to learn, Milt was what we at PPLD would refer to as a “power user.” While serving as the pharmacist at Broadmoor Drug at The Broadmoor Hotel, Milt often worked the 4-11 p.m. shift. With Dar teaching during the day, Milt became a mainstay at our Penrose Library where he spent countless hours educating himself on investments and investment strategies, pouring over resources such as The Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, and Barron’s.
After he retired, Milt continued to visit the library almost daily and used the knowledge he gained at the library to build and grow his and Darlene’s investment portfolio. In fact, Milt became such a subject matter expert that many of the investment advisors he and Darlene used often called Milt for advice. We are grateful to be a recipient of their generosity, which based on this story, is due in part to the time Milt spent at Penrose Library. PPLD’s mission is to provide resources and opportunities that impact individual lives and build community, and we cannot think of a more compelling story that demonstrates the impact of patrons connecting with library resources and in this case quite literally building our community.
PPLD and the PPLD Foundation are truly grateful to Darlene and Milt for including the library as part of the imprint these gifts will forever leave on our region, and we are deeply touched by Darlene’s gesture to make the gift to PPLD in Milt’s memory. The PPLD Foundation was created in 2003 to raise philanthropic funds and build an endowment to support our 15 libraries and the more than 650,000 people we serve. PPLD ranks 10th out of Colorado’s 13 largest library systems in funding per person, and the PPLD Foundation was created to accept meaningful, generous gifts like Darlene’s. It is donations large and small that helps PPLD close our funding gap and continue providing resources and opportunities that impact individual lives and build community. We are truly sorry to have lost Darlene and Milt, but these gifts will ensure their legacy is forever remembered.
Read more about the Johnsons and their estate in The Gazette's coverage here.
Photo credit: Joe Hollmann and the City of Colorado Springs
For more information on how you can include PPLD in your estate planning and create your own lasting legacy, contact Lance James at (719) 531-6333, x6890, or email foundation@ppld.org.
In commemoration of Colorado History, join Regional History and Genealogy staff members as we view selected Rocky Mountain PBS Colorado Experience documentaries. Watch award-winning documentaries and chat about our state's unique history. Participants will learn about our state and community from the comfort of your home.
Register for one intriguing topic or the whole series. Click here to register for the whole series.
Registration is required.
Topics
Glen Eyrie Castle
- Mon., Aug. 10 at 6:30 p.m.
Enter the fascinating history of Colorado Springs’ founding estate. How did a refined English Tudor-style castle come to exist in the vast, unsettled West? Created by railroad tycoon and Civil War General William Jackson Palmer, Glen Eyrie Castle is adjacent to Garden of the Gods and the iconic views of Pikes Peak. Brand new archeological findings reveal intriguing details of castle life!
Ladies of the Mine
- Fri., Aug. 14 at 2 p.m.
- Click here to register.
High altitude, groceries delivered by mule train, pack rats and spoiled Thanksgiving turkeys are just a few of the challenges faced by ladies living in Colorado's remote mining towns at the end of the 19th Century. Learn the stories of three inspirational women who held their own while surrounded by a harsh landscape and un-lady-like company.
Suffrage
- Tue., Aug. 18 at 11 a.m.
- Click here to register.
On November 7, 1893, Colorado became the first state in the nation to grant women’s suffrage by a single issue popular vote, and the following year the first three female state legislators were elected. Meet the dedicated Colorado women that led this charge. Today, Colorado has the highest percentage of women in the state legislature.
KKK
- Thu., Aug. 20 at 7 p.m.
- Click here to register.
From the Grand Dragon to known KKK appointees in the police, mayor and governor offices, Colorado once had the 2nd largest Ku Klux Klan membership in the United States. Discover the sordid history of the KKK in Colorado and the impact they had on Catholics, Jews and African Americans in early 1920s, and the courageous individuals who fought against their establishment.
Cheers to Beers!
- Fri., Aug. 27 at 6 p.m.
- Click here to register.
The history of Colorado may best be seen through the bottom of a beer mug. From quenching the thirst of Gold Rush miners in the 1800's to modern craft brews pouring $3 billion into Colorado’s economy, beer has either borne witness to or helped create some of the most interesting chapters in the state’s history. Meet the pioneers of this now booming industry. Cheers!
We hope you enjoy the 23rd edition of Stone Soup, published by the Adult Education Department of Pikes Peak Library District.
These stories are written by adult participants and volunteers. They are offered as submitted.