Cambodia Mission Team thanks community for support
Dear Editor:
The Cambodia Mission Team from The Church at Meeker would like to extend our thanks to the Meeker community for your incredible support of our recent garage sale fundraiser. We are grateful for every item donated, every purchase made, and every word of encouragement shared throughout the weekend. Because of your generosity—both through donations of items and purchases at the sale—we raised approximately $1,600.
In December 2026, a team of 20 people from our church will travel to Cambodia to serve alongside local ministries and communities. While we will be involved in several projects, including construction and community support efforts, we are especially excited to serve children through a local orphanage and a community school.
One reason these ministries are particularly meaningful is that they provide a safe environment for children in a region where human trafficking remains a serious concern. In some areas, organizations that appear to offer education and care for children are unfortunately fronts for trafficking operations. The ministries we will be partnering with are committed to protecting vulnerable children while providing education, care, hope, and a brighter future.
Your support is helping make that work possible.
This garage sale was our first group fundraiser, and fundraising efforts will continue throughout the year. We look forward to serving lunch in the town square after Meeker’s Fourth of July parade as our next fundraiser.
Thank you, Meeker, for partnering with us. Your generosity reaches far beyond our town and will have an impact on lives halfway around the world. We are honored to represent this community as we serve in Cambodia.
With gratitude,
The Cambodia Mission Team
The Church at Meeker
Thanks for candidate endorsement
Dear Editor:
I want to express my deepest gratitude to Larry and Cathy Finney of Finney Drilling & Excavating for their kind words and endorsement in last week’s paper. Having the support of peers who truly understand the hard work, technical realities, and absolute necessity of protecting Colorado’s water means the world to me.
Working alongside dedicated professionals like Larry and Cathy over the last two decades, and having the privilege to serve as President of the Colorado Water Well Contractors Association, taught me invaluable lessons about leadership. In our industry, you can’t rely on vague slogans or political maneuvering; you have to rely on data, common sense, and an unwavering commitment to the people whose livelihoods depend on the resources beneath their feet.
The challenges we faced at the state level taught me exactly how to advocate firmly for our rural communities, bring folks together, and make decisions based on solid principles rather than politics.
As I look ahead to the primary election on June 30, my promise to the residents of Rio Blanco County is to bring that exact same work ethic, integrity, and technical experience to the Courthouse on Day One. I am fully prepared to give this position 100% of my time and focus to ensure our water, our lands, and our way of life are kept in steady, honest hands.
Thank you again, Larry and Cathy, for your years of friendship, your shared dedication to our industry, and your trust.
Sincerely,
Travis Day
Candidate for Rio Blanco County Commissioner
Keeping a promise
Dear Editor:
I’d forgotten about this letter. It was something I promised my friends I would write.
Years ago, we agreed that one of the best things we could do was try to set a good example for the younger generations. We wanted them to know they could enjoy life, friendships, and celebrations without relying on alcohol or other mood-altering substances. Some of us believed moderate use as adults was acceptable. Others believed it was best avoided altogether. By high school, we’d learned to leave that debate alone, because it usually turned into a discussion about religion. We were all Christians, but we didn’t all see it the same way.
What we did agree on was that intoxication can lead people down the wrong path.
I know that because I’ve made those mistakes myself, even as an adult.
An apology is owed, and I feel compelled to offer one.
To this great small-town, big-county community: I’m sorry for the times I failed to live up to the example I hoped to set.
And to my friends, and to those who come after us, my message is simple: learn from our mistakes. Make better choices. The consequences of poor decisions can last a lot longer than the moment that inspired them.
A line from “Grasslands” has stayed with me over the years:
“The Antelope weren’t supposed to ever be this far south, don’t bother yourself thinking of fences, nobodies takin down our fences. Though we reconcile our differences on that being citified and real neighborly like about it, if ya see what I’m sayin. And we get along. Like Sheepmen and Cattle ‘people’ and Miners always plan too. ‘Its a function of the ground so be parcelled to it.'”
The piece ends by acknowledging that we may not always understand everything the next generation is trying to tell us, but that as responsible adults we should “take it as it is.”
That seems like good advice.
To my friends, and to those who come after us, my message is simple: learn from our mistakes. Make better choices. The consequences of poor decisions can last far longer than the moment that inspired them.
Sincerely,
Jared Livingston
Meeker High School Class of 1997
Grand Junction, Colorado
