| A Word from Rod . . .
I stopped at a gas station the other day and started pumping gas. The pump ran so slow, like a gallon a minute. I simply asked the guy next to me if his pump was running slow too. The guy said yes. Then he asked me a question, "are you the guy in the big white building downtown?" Okay, if you live or work in Denver, you obviously know where that is, it's the Declaration House! I politely said, "yes" and waited for what comes next. He reached out his hand and introduced himself and said he used to go to the Lighthouse Youth Center (across the street from the Dec House) years ago when he was in middle school! I acknowledged that I remembered him and asked how he's doing! He said that he's great, working a fulltime job, has an apartment of his own, and a nice girlfriend. I encouraged him to keep doing the right things! He thanked me for being there for him and that really meant a lot to him, and off he went! You never know the impact you're making on someone's life! And you never know who you're going to meet up with next to you at the gas station. If I would not have asked him a question, he would not have felt comfortable enough to talk to me and thank me for being there for him when he was younger. So, take a moment, look in the eyes of the person next to you at the gas pump, ask them if their pump is working slow. You never know where the conversation leads! Have a great day and thank you for helping us Connect Our Community to Hope!!" Sincerely ~Rod Redcay Executive Director | 
