Bill Medich, Group President of South Carolina, recalls growing up in suburban Washington, D.C., where each Independence Day, he would join thousands on the National Mall. With the Washington Monument standing tall, memorials illuminated in the distance and fireworks bursting overhead, the annual celebration became a treasured tradition. And for many years, the soundtrack of summer came courtesy of the Beach Boys.
”It felt like the best place to celebrate the Fourth of July every year,” he remembers.
A chance visit to a secluded Colorado ranch introduced Dan Strodel, Group President of Texas and Colorado, to a place of uncommon beauty.
Five years ago, he and his wife discovered a secluded ranch in the Colorado wilderness owned by a Vietnam veteran. What began as a chance encounter soon became a meaningful friendship. Surrounded by rivers, towering trees and the majesty of the Flat Tops Wilderness, he found serenity in the stillness that has drawn him back again and again.
Mornings on the porch provide a chance to reflect, watch wildlife wander by and reconnect with what matters most. Through the years, the ranch owner and Dan have maintained correspondence through handwritten notes, thoughtful conversations and exchanging favorite books – small gestures that have forged a lasting bond.
”The ranch is an absolute godsend,” he says. ”It helps me find peace and stay focused; it reminds me how important it is to do the right thing day in and day out.”
