High Altitude Society

Carolyn Pope, VailCarolyn@comcast.net
April 30, 2008

Mylissa Eckdahl and her two daughters (now teenagers) have lived in the Vail Valley for many years. The ease of living in the mountains isn’t as easy as it was years ago, though. After a roll-over car accident in 2001, Mylissa’s daily life is a constant stream of challenges as a quadriplegic.

Not only are her challenges presented in everyday activities, but her challenges are also economic. From therapy to expensive equipment to assist her independence, the bills are high and much of what she has to cover comes out of her own pocket.

“I learn more each day,” she says. “I’m most grateful that I live in a community that embraces beauty. It’s important for me that my children grow up here and have the experience of being in a small town. Why do we all stay here? It’s the people.”

The Vail Valley Charitable Fund helps out when medical bills get so high that the injured or ill person has difficulty paying their monthly bills. They stepped forward with their team of board members and volunteers to host a fundraising concert, which was held at the Vilar Center.

The concert featured pianist Peter Kater and flute player Richard Hardy. Kater has more than 40 CDs out, four of which were nominated for Grammy Awards. Hardy plays a traditional flute, a Native American flute, saxophone and pennywhistle. The two took the stage to entertain the crowded house with their mixture of jazz fusion and new-age style sounds. Each patron paid $50 for the ticket to the event, with the proceeds going to help defer Mylissa’s out-of-pocket medical, therapy and equipment expenses.

It’s an amazing community that steps up when someone, anyone, is going through tough times. Mylissa shared with me that one woman, a stranger, came up to her that evening to tell her that not a day goes by that she doesn’t think about Mylissa and the struggles she goes through. Each day, she says a prayer for her. That’s what a small town is like. We are interconnected in each others’ lives. We know the fragility of what we have. And we know if something happens to someone like Mylissa, it can just as easily happen to us.

At the concert, Mylissa had a front row seat, and the music left quite an impression on her.

“You know how you read a poem and the words can describe an experience. His music makes me feel the only way music can make you feel; I was moved. We were all here to share this collective experience.”

Even if you missed the fundraiser, you can still help out with Mylissa’s expenses. Send a tax-deductible donation to The Vail Valley Charitable Fund, P.O. Box 1275, Avon, CO 81620. Reference the Mylissa Eckdahl benefit. For more information on the Vail Valley Charitable Fund, visit its Web site at www.vvcf.net.

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Click on photo galleries at www.vailtrail.com to see more photos from this event.