Gerald F. Groswold, longtime resident and former CEO of Winter Park Resort, was honored Saturday, Nov. 15, by the Grand Foundation, community, the governor and the State of Colorado as a whole.

The scene was Volario’s Restaurant in downtown Winter Park. It was the 12th Annual Winemaker’s Dinner, which is hosted each year by Bob and Suzanne Fanch and benefits the Grand Foundation.

Following the final course, Ben Watson, Board Chair of the Grand Foundation, stood to honor Gerald with the Lifetime Legacy Award. This award was created to honor individuals who have dedicated their lives to the Foundation, and who better to receive this honor than the founder himself?

Jerry Groswold, as many know him, founded the Grand Foundation in 1996. In the past 18 years he has been instrumental in awarding more than $6 million to the Grand County community. We all have Jerry to thank for his vision of creating a philanthropic resource to sustainably improve the quality of life in Grand County.

After a standing ovation, Megan Ledin, executive director of the Grand Foundation, and vice chair Sheri Lock dedicated a special grant to Jerry in honor of his passion for Challenge Day. Challenge Day is an event where high school students learn team building, anti-bullying skills and how to have mutual trust and friendships with each other. Unfortunately, the school district had to cut this day due to budget constraints. In honor of Jerry this day will now be funded yearly by the Grand Foundation. It will be known as Groswold Challenge Day.

Many individuals took the stage to honor Jerry, and who more noteworthy than Gary DeFrange? Gary, the current president and COO of Winter Park Resort, presented Jerry with a commemorative book, “Winter Park Resort: 75 Years of Imagining More.” Gary also spoke of Jerry’s many accomplishments while CEO and his relentless dedication to philanthropy.

The final honor of the evening was awarded by Dennis Saffell, longest serving board member aside from Groswold of the Grand Foundation. Dennis presented Jerry with a Proclamation from the State of Colorado. The proclamation from Gov. John W. Hickenlooper states that Nov. 15 will now be officially known as Gerald F. Groswold Day, a day that will celebrate the life and legacy he has given to those who have benefited from his dedication to helping others.

Upon receiving these three distinguished honors, Jerry stood to address the crowd with a very humble heart. He thanked his father for giving him the vision to help others and quoted him by saying, “In the sport of skiing, you put up more than you take.” He further explained how he has used this motto to live his life by, always giving back more than he takes.

“If there be any truer measure of a man than what he does, it must be by what he gives.” – Robert Smith.

This quote speaks to the level of philanthropy that Gerald F. Groswold has dedicated his life to and we are truly grateful for his work, Thank You Jerry!