Souder, Dwight

Dwight Souder

1946 -

Raised on the Schneider family ranch along Blue Creek, settled by the Schneider family in the 1880s.  His mother, Minnie (Crosson) Schneider's family homesteaded on Upper Bear Creek and along Kerr Gulch near Kittredge in the 1870s and '80s.

Graduated from Evergreen High School and the University of Colorado with a degree in fine arts.  Married Jean Bell and returned to the ranch on Blue Creek in 1983 after owning/operating a B&B near Boulder.

Recognizing that many essential local Evergreen workers were unable to afford reasonable housing in the community, Dwight and four others involved with Evergreen Evergreen Christian Outreach helped to establish Blue Spruce Habitat for Humanity in about 1990.  They felt that Habitat, which works with Habitat partner families and volunteers to build decent, affordable homes, was a good fit in starting to fill the need in Evergreen.  Together with volunteers and the Evergreen community, the organization and partner families have completed more than 26 homes in the Evergreen area (as of 1/1/11) since completing the first one in 1993.  Dwight served as the organization's first president, and continued on the board for 14 years in numerous capacities.

Dwight has also been involved with the missions work of the United Methodist Church of Evergreen for many years, including providing dinner with a group of friends once a month to seniors at Green Ridge Meadow Apartments since 1992.  He served on the advisory team that worked on the Evergreen Community Plan when it was updated in 2005.

In 1997 Dwight received the Minoru Yasui Community Service Award from Denver Mayor Wellington Webb in honor of his work with Blue Spruce Habitat for Humanity, working the homeless in Denver, and other volunteer activities.

Source:  Dwight Souder