ALS United Rocky Mountain’s Picnic in the Park Series: Bringing Community Together

ALS United Rocky Mountain’s Picnic in the Park Series: Bringing Community Together

This past month, ALS United Rocky Mountain proudly hosted its first-ever Picnic in the Park series, bringing together ALS families, care teams, and community partners for casual, in-person gatherings in Denver, Fort Collins, and Salt Lake City. While our Colorado Springs event had to be canceled due to unpredictable weather, the other picnics were a heartwarming success, and the start of what we hope to make a yearly tradition for our ALS community.

These casual, family-friendly events are designed to provide people living with ALS and their loved ones with an opportunity to connect outside of clinical settings. In a relaxed park environment, attendees share stories, exchange resources, and spend time with others who understand the unique journey of living with ALS.

One of our excellent ambassadors shared this about the Denver Metro event:

“The park event was awesome! We had four folks with ALS who attended with their families. They all connected and swapped phone numbers. It was cool to have people share their experiences and connect with others going through similar things!”

We were also grateful to have partners like BrightStar Care on-site to connect with families and offer information about caregiving support services. Attendees mentioned how valuable it was to meet a trusted home care provider in person, with many commenting on how helpful it would be to access services like these, but not knowing where to begin. It’s partnerships like this that truly strengthen the safety net for families navigating ALS.

Even though the weather in Denver was chilly and overcast, the setting was beautiful, and spirits were high.

One ambassador noted:

“It sounded like it was everyone’s first picnic, but they all mentioned enjoying connecting with others and that it would be great to do it again.”

A special thank you to everyone who made these events possible — from our local ambassadors and care coordinators to the families who came out, rain or shine, to share in community.

Stay tuned for details on our next round of community gatherings, because no one should face ALS alone.