By Pattie Copenhaver
A Safe Place in Pagosa, Inc. (ASPiP) is deeply honored to announce a generous $25,000 donation from Ross Cameron of Warrior Trading, made in memory of Wayne Walls. This remarkable contribution resulted from a unique stock trading challenge initiated by Ross and inspired by Ted Walls, Wayne’s son, who works alongside Ross. Ross began with a $2,000 trade and set out to see how much he could turn it into within one month — with the full amount to be donated to A Safe Place in Pagosa. At the end of the challenge, the total had grown to an incredible $25,000, all of which was gifted to help build Aspen House.
We are truly humbled by this extraordinary act of generosity. The donation not only honors the memory of Wayne Walls, but also demonstrates the power of compassion and creativity in supporting our community’s most vulnerable adults.
We are launching our ‘Aspen House Warriors Challenge’ to double the impact of Warrior Trading’s donation. Our community truly has a warrior’s heart and matching the $25,000 from Warrior Trading will help us reach our next construction milestone — completing the ‘dry-in’ phase of Aspen House so our future residents can have safe and supportive housing right here in Pagosa Springs.
All funds from this donation and all matching donations received will go directly toward the restricted building fund for Aspen House, a supportive home being built in Pagosa Springs for adults with developmental disabilities. A Safe Place in Pagosa has already raised the funds to install utilities infrastructure and complete the initial foundation pour. This new gift brings the organization significantly closer to its next milestone — raising $850,000 to complete the ‘dry-in’ phase of construction.
Aspen House will provide a safe, permanent home for adults with developmental disabilities in Archuleta County, along with on-site services and supports to help residents live full, meaningful lives. This incredible gift brings us one step closer to making Aspen House a reality. We’re so grateful to Ross, Tedd, and the entire Warrior Trading community for believing in our mission.
For more information about A Safe Place in Pagosa, Inc., or to contribute to the Aspen House project, visit www.asafeplacepagosa.org.
About A Safe Place in Pagosa, Inc.
Founded in 2015 by two mothers of sons with developmental disabilities, A Safe Place in Pagosa, Inc. (ASPiP) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing safe, supportive housing and services for adults with developmental disabilities in Archuleta County. Aspen House will be located at 2079 Vista Blvd. and will offer residents independence, stability, and access to daily living supports, vocational opportunities, and community inclusion.
Pattie Copenhaver is Executive Director of A Safe Place in Pagosa.