When the Gay and Lesbian Fund for Colorado Office of the Gill Foundation (GALFFCOOTGF) opened in Colorado Springs in 2006, expanding marriage equality and the end of “Don't Ask, Don't Tell” seemed highly improbable. Times change and people change – and people change times.

The FTCS wishes to thank the Gill Foundation - and everyone involved in its local office - for their services, their support, and for making this a more equal and better place to live.

The GALFFCOOTGF provided the Freethinkers of Colorado Springs (FTCS) meeting space, instruction, and other support services. Most of our previous seven “HumanLight Celebrations” have occurred within the GALFFCOOTGF, our cozy “freethinker shelter” from the holiday deluge. Chronically short of energy, money, leadership, and time, the FTCS often held both board and “fourth Wednesday” meetings at the GALFFCOOTGF, usually blissfully unaware of the foundation's preference for a single meeting per organization per month. Even if we added a “second Saturday” “pot luck” - or when sketchy internal communications led to repeated oversights of important details - the Gill Foundation still opened their doors wide. They endured our stumbles, always providing a wonderful happy person on site to help. We tried leave the building better than we found it and usually thanked the smiling person at the desk, but we never sent our thanks in writing.

It is difficult to express how much the FTCS benefited from the GALFFCOOTGF, how much we appreciate the foundation's contributions, or how much credit we think the foundation deserves for recent advancements in equality, human rights, and civil rights. You gave us so much. You helped us so much. You were like a suave and massive elder sibling who always knew what to say and do when things got interesting. You have no idea how much you contributed to the Freethinkers of Colorado Springs. We love you. We thank you. Good speed.