When the starting blocks at the city pool fell into disrepair, Cortez's local swim club's existence was uncertain. With LOR’s support the club upgraded the pool, which helped the team stay afloat and brought an economic boon to Cortez. Read more
Local painter Shannon Kelly works in a newly created studio space at the anchor building for the Lander Creative District. Photo by Kirk Rasmussen
With the closure of downtown studio space and the impact of COVID-19, it was clear to Lander artists that the creative scene was struggling in early 2021—a problem for artists and for all of Lander. That’s why Lori Hunter, a Lander local, purchased a building that once housed a saloon and—with a little help from LOR—revitalized it as an anchor point for a new creative district on Main Street. Already, the impact is clear: Since the Lander Art District was established, sales are up and artists have a new space to paint, sculpt and grow as creatives. Watch the video below to see how the district evolved, studio space transformed, and artists worked together to make Lander such a great place to live and work.
Filmed and edited by Kirk Rasmussen, Topographic Media.
Retaining young workers was hard even before the pandemic, but a few Lander locals saw an opportunity to bring young professionals together—building a stronger community and new generation of leaders in the process. Read more
All that Cortez's Southwest Open School needed to launch its new bike mechanic program was a shop. That's where LOR came in. Read more
A new craft-beverage initiative in Cortez aims to help create career pathways for young people. Read more