On Monday, December 1, 2020, we were honored to the core when all of the members of the Vail Town Council were present when Mayor Dave Chapin read and issued Proclamation No. 9, which recognizes the Vail Interfaith Chapel as a Vail Historic and Cultural Center. Read the full proclamation:

PROCLAMATION NO. 9, SERIES OF 2020

Recognizing Vail Interfaith Chapel

as a Vail Historic and Cultural Center

WHEREAS, the Vail Religious Foundation was organized as a nonprofit entity in the State of Colorado by Richard M. Dobson, John V. Amato and Mrs. Keith L. Brown on November 12, 1965 for the purpose of building and maintaining an interfaith chapel to be used by several faiths as a house of worship; and

WHEREAS, the Vail Interfaith Chapel was built and dedicated on November 28, 1969 by the Reverend Don Simonton and the land on which the Vail Interfaith Chapel was built was generously gifted to the Vail Religious Foundation by Vail Associates on August 24, 1973; and

WHEREAS, in its first 30 years, the Vail Interfaith Chapel was the center of town situated in between Vail Village and Lionshead, allowing people of all faiths to worship, hold weddings, funerals, births and memorials, and enter its doors for private prayer and solace, city and county meetings, Sunday school, and social gatherings; and

WHEREAS, as the community expanded between 1969 and 1999, so did use of the Vail Interfaith Chapel, which needed and received renovations in 2000, when the site was expanded to include a caretaker’s unit and the Ministry Building; and

WHEREAS, the use of these buildings again grew over the next 20 year and is currently shared by six congregations that uniquely includes both Christian and Jewish faiths, is used as the Town of the Vail’s community center serving those in need of counseling, addiction support, and emergency shelter, and allows the public to enjoy arts and education events, social movement gatherings and more; and

WHEREAS, the citizens of the Town of Vail and the Vail Valley community, including Town of Vail, local organizations and outside entities are endeavoring to preserve and protect buildings and sites in Vail, Colorado which are deemed to have historical and cultural significance; and

WHEREAS, we honor and praise those in faith and those citizens of Vail who began and continue this work, have been deeply committed to the Vail Interfaith Chapel, and who have given so unselfishly during these last 51 years to help it grow and thrive and provide valuable human and cultural services; and

WHEREAS, we recognize that the entire community of Vail has benefitted from the spiritual, humanitarian, artistic and charitable work that the Vail Interfaith Chapel and Ministry Building have been home to through the years, and the many facets of its outreach and spiritual and emotional assistance to our residents and guests; and

WHEREAS, the Vail Interfaith Chapel and Ministry Building serve the whole community to help make Vail a better place to live and grow with your friends and families.

NOW, THEREFORE, we, the Vail Town Council, do hereby promote and proclaim the month of December as VRF Community Service Month, thus embedding the importance of the Vail Religious Foundation and the Vail Interfaith Chapel and Ministry Buildings in Vail’s history and its continuing importance in spiritual health and community service here.

Dated this 1^st day of December 1, 2020

Vail Town Council                                                              Attest:

                                                                       ___________________________

Dave Chapin, Mayor                                                              Tammy Nagel, Town Clerk