Name: Diana Hicks
City of residence: Lyons
Occupation: Founder and executive director of Can’d Aid
How long have you been in this area?
I’ve lived in Lyons for eight or nine years. Can’d Aid has been in Longmont since its inception.
What is Can’d Aid? How did it start?
Can’d Aid a women-led and women-run national nonprofit, but we’re based in Longmont. We started as an immediate response to the flood that hit the Front Range in 2013, so we just celebrated our 12th anniversary. Prior to that flood, I was having conversations with people about starting a nonprofit that had some core tenants of recycling, music and the outdoors, so we had been working on that concept for about a year prior to the flood. But the flood really was the impetus to start Can’d Aid when and why we did.
It was chaos, but it was sort of the DNA of what Can’d Aid is all about, which is trying to roll up your sleeves and dig in and give back when and where you can. Obviously this area was devastated in September 2013, and Lyons was one of the hardest-hit communities. Many of these Front Range communities were impacted, so we were trying to raise funds and give back to the people who had been devastated as quickly as possible and with as little red tape as possible.
So, we created a one-page, simple application for folks to fill out and tell us what they had lost in the flood and what they needed, and we raised as much money as possible. Literally, we would meet every couple of weeks with our board that we assembled and try to get money out and help people as quickly as we could.
Where does the name “Can’d Aid” come from?
At the time Can’d Aid was formed, everybody involved was working for Oskar Blues Brewery. Back in the day, Oskar Blues was the first craft brewery to can their beer, and it was sort of revolutionary. People thought it was crazy because canned beer had always been macro, which is different than craft. They became the leaders in that canned craft beer space and had lots of puns with cans. Now it’s ubiquitous with craft beer; everybody puts their beer in a can.
The disaster hit, and we were trying to get immediate, expedited 501(c)(3) status. Can’d Aid was sort of a play on words, but we actually did, for years, work with Oskar Blues and other breweries to can emergency drinking water that we distributed all over the country in droughts, floods and fire-ravaged areas.
It was aid in a can, so that’s the name comes from, even though there’s been a big departure from the canned craft beer industry with Can’d Aid.
What does Can’d Aid do today?
We started as that hyper-local flood response and have evolved into a national nonprofit. At the core belief of Can’d Aid is that everyone has the ability to give back and do good, so we host events where people can come do exactly that. In a two-hour time span you could come and volunteer for Can’d Aid, and maybe you’d be building 100 bikes for kids at a nearby Title I school or assembling skateboards. Our newest program is decorating and assembling ukuleles.
We’re trying to provide underserved and under-resourced communities with tools and access for their population to lead healthy, active and creative lives and trying to rally volunteers to come together, meet your neighbor and give a little bit of time. Not only does it feel good to do something for somebody else, but it’s such a positive experience when people meet somebody that might live across the street from them and realize, “Hey, in two hours, we just built 100 bikes,” or “We’re going to be able to come and see the joy on the kids’ faces when they get their brand-new skateboards, and we’re giving them tools to get off their screens, be active and healthy.” I think it’s so important. These tiny things that people do really add up to big change.
Tell us about your upcoming Instruments for Change Fall Gala.
Sean Gafner and the Gafner Hospitality Group, who own several restaurants here in Northern Colorado, have partnered up with us for our first-ever fall/winter gala. It’s going to be Nov. 15 at The Roost on Main Street in Longmont. It’s an opportunity for people to get a little dressed up, but they don’t have to. There will be an opening band, which is acoustic, and then a band called the Elbow Brothers. They’re from Lyons, and one of the members of that band is on the Can’d Aid board of directors. They’ll be the entertainment. There’ll be a five-course dinner, mocktails and cocktails, passed appetizers and a silent auction. It’s going to be a really fun thing, and we’re excited to have this be the inaugural gala. We hope it does turn into an annual event.
The other thing I think is really cool about the gala is that the proceeds will benefit Can’d Aid’s national programs. We’ve also identified one local school here in the St. Vrain Valley School District—the title of the gala is Instruments for Change, which is representative of all of our music and arts programming—and we’re going to do an instrument donation to a Title I school here with proceeds from this gala. It’s a great way for people to give back right here to a school in their community.
What do you love most about living and working in Northern Colorado?
I’m from Virginia originally, but I’ve been in Colorado for over 30 years now. The outdoor, active lifestyle is something that has always been part of what I love to do, so I really appreciate that. I love all the trails right now. October into November is such a beautiful time of year here: The colors are changing, and the crisp morning air makes it really nice to get outside. So I just love the access to the outdoors.
Colorado is also such a huge music state, with live music. Helping kids get instruments and learn to play instruments and appreciate music is also something that I’m really passionate about. I feel like the outdoors and the music piece come together to make a perfect little environment that I’m passionate about.
If you had a friend or family member visiting for the weekend, what are some things you’d take them to go do?
In Lyons and Longmont, there’s an amazing amount of public art, which I really love. If you go down the main drag in Lyons, there’s a self-guided walking tour you can take to see all these different public art sculptures.
There’s no shortage of live music anywhere here in Longmont. There’s the Winter Walkabout Music Showcase, where you can see probably 50 or 75 different bands over a couple-day period in many local, nontraditional music venues.
The first three weekends of the month this month, Boulder’s Open Studios has a self-guided [tour], where you can go to all of these different artists’ galleries and see their work and also see them blowing glass or working on the wheel and making pottery. I always think that’s really engaging.
I think it’s really great that there’s so many mom-and-pop and independently owned things here in Longmont, which is really nice and different. Not to knock any of the chains, but it’s nice to see the owners in there working and sharing their passion.
What words of advice do you have for someone looking to give back this holiday season?
There are so many different ways that you can volunteer. Obviously, I’m going to promote Can’d Aid. We’re always trying to get more people to sign up for our newsletter and learn about events where they can come and give their time and talent to help us build bikes or skateboards or assemble ukuleles. We’ve done some cleanups in the past, too, which is so easy and fun, but you really do see the fruits of your labor right after that. You give a couple hours and see that you’ve beautified an area, which is nice.
It’s a really interesting time for nonprofits. It’s an interesting time in the world right now, and it can feel pretty isolating or polarizing, so getting involved with local nonprofits is a great way, especially if you’re new to the area, to meet new people and feel like you’re making an impact on your community. These little, small acts, two hours of your time, can make a huge difference in the life of a child, or even for yourself to connect with other people in your community and find more commonalities than there are differences and come together.
I think donating to charities is hugely important, and we have seen a pretty big downturn across the board with nonprofits. Encouraging people to donate is always really helpful.
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