Boots on the Ground: Cooperative Leaders Clear the Way for a New Schoolhouse 

Leadership is about showing up, pitching in, and setting the tone for the whole team. That’s what happened when executives from Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association and Poudre Valley REA spent the day volunteering in northern Colorado. This group is no stranger to hard work, and their hands-on approach is a big part of what makes cooperatives so unique.  

“Our executive team wanted to find a way to come together, strengthen our connections, and give back to the community,” said Elda de la Peña, Chief Administrative Officer and CHRO at Tri-State. “Since we already encourage everyone to volunteer with an annual paid volunteer day, we thought a team volunteer initiative in conjunction with one of our members would be a wonderful way to make a difference and share a meaningful experience.” 

“At PVREA, community is more than a word. It’s a promise,” said Amy Rosier, VP of Government and Member Relations. “Partnering with Tri-State and these local nonprofits lets us live out our cooperative values while strengthening the communities we serve and the causes that matter most.” 

It was a good day of hard work. Every minute was spent purposefully and safely to further a cause close to everyone’s hearts. That’s where the Combat Recovery Foundation (CRF) and the Heart-J Center at Sylvan Dale Ranch came in with a vegetation management project in Loveland, Colo, with a simple objective: clear thistles. 

Vegetation management is critical to land health, wildfire prevention, and infrastructure protection. By removing thistles and other aggressive species, the team helped restore balance to the ecosystem and prepared the land for the installation of a schoolhouse that will serve as a hub for healing and education. 

Partnering with Purpose 

This effort was made even more meaningful through partnership and guidance from CRF and the Heart-J Center. 

CRF is on a mission to prevent veteran suicide by fostering community, igniting purpose, and helping survivors rediscover belonging. Their evidence-based, community-focused approach transforms lives—offering veterans a path to healing through connection and shared experience. 

The Heart-J Center started in 2014 after the owners of Sylvan Dale Ranch — a historic horse, cattle and dude ranch in Northern Colorado— allocated part of their land to create a nonprofit focused on serving the community through environmental stewardship. For the next decade, Executive Director Laura Armstrong increased the staff, programming and impact of the Heart-J Center.  

Sadly in 2024, the Alexander Mountain fire destroyed nearly 10,000 acres of forest around Sylvan Dale Ranch, including the Heart-J Center’s 960 acres of wildlife habitat and their historic homestead at Cow Camp. 

“During the evacuation everyone came together to help us out,” remembers Silas Binkley, Director of Programs and Operations at the Heart-J Center. “People showed up and were literally carrying our stuff out of our offices and just doing whatever they could to help.”  

When it was safe to return, Binkley and the Center adapted quickly so they could continue helping during a difficult time for the community. "We pivoted since we lost our backcountry location and formed a group to do fire mitigation and chainsaw work with the vets.
The more we work with veterans, the more we become aware that they may not be great at asking for help, but when people need help, they are the first to show up.” 

Whatever the Future Holds 

Thanks to the resiliency of the employees combined with a big community and volunteer response, the Heart-J Center is back to offering a full slate of programs and partnering with CRF to grow their offerings for veterans and more. Now the Center has the opportunity to double down on its mission of environmental education and land stewardship.  

The area cleared by Tri-State and PVREA will eventually house a structure to be used as a nature school and outdoor education center to teach that caring for people and the planet goes hand in hand. 

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to have the executive team volunteer alongside one of our members,” remarks de la Peña. “It was a great way to give back to the community and embody the cooperative principle of concern for community. Working together strengthens our bonds and deepens our shared commitment to a better future.” 

“Volunteering shows the power of cooperatives in action, people working together for a common good,” said Rosier. “Together, we turned shared values into meaningful action.” 

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About Tri-State 

Tri-State is a power supply cooperative, operating on a not-for-profit basis, serving electric distribution cooperatives and public power district member-owners in four states. Together with our members, we deliver reliable, affordable and responsible power to more than a million electricity consumers across nearly 200,000 square miles of the West. Visit www.tristate.coop.   

About PVREA 

Poudre Valley REA (PVREA) is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative serving safe, reliable, efficient energy solutions with exceptional service to more than 57,000 homes and businesses across Boulder, Larimer, and Weld counties in Northern Colorado. More information is available at www.pvrea.coop.