What does one say after a week like this one? Instead of reflecting on the past academic quarter or looking ahead to the next one, like so many others in Boulder, I found myself reflecting on life, community, and connectedness. As a non-profit leader in our community, I have been inspired by the words and images other people and organizations have shared in the wake of a most tragic start to Spring Break. Although we are all grieving, we take comfort in our connections, and in the sharing of life together. Connectedness is one of my strengths, and so I share my experience of a very personal King Soopers connection, starting with the events of last Monday.

I was finally packed and ready to head to the mountains for Spring Break week. As we headed out, we noticed two police vehicles parked at the top of South Boulder Road, lights on. Continuing down the hill, a squadron of speeding police cars passed below us as we crossed over the highway leading into Boulder. We reached Highway 93 and headed west. Once, twice, three times and more we pulled over and yielded the right of way to approaching law enforcement vehicles. They came in threes and fours, mostly, and included cars, SUV’s, and armored vehicles I’d never seen before.

At this point, I asked my son to check his internet, and we became aware of the events unfolding in Southwest Boulder. Although we live at the opposite end of town, the affected store and neighborhood are familiar as all three of my kids attended elementary school nearby. For 15 years, I drove the length of South Boulder Road each morning and afternoon. Many, many times I was in that King Soopers between 2:30 and 3:00 on a Monday, picking up groceries before picking up children.

Most memorably, I walked the aisles of that King Soopers store as I was going into labor with my second child. After picking up my then first-grade Aspie from the elementary school up the street, we were proceeding to swim lessons. Our usual routine included stopping for a snack – a reward for persisting through swimming (not a preferred activity). You don’t mess with an Aspie’s routine. Not for anything, not even labor. I can’t remember the snack we purchased, but I can clearly picture our route through the store, and the aisles where I had to stop and pause before continuing. Snack in hand, we proceeded directly to the hospital, where our second son made his appearance just a few hours later. In the wake of so much unnecessary death, I hold fast to this King Soopers connection, and its refreshing humor as a new life was about to begin.

I’m sure many of you have your own “King Soopers connections.” Maybe you know one of the individuals involved – or have friends who know them. Or maybe you don’t, but certainly as parents we’ve all stopped for groceries on the way to or from school. Neighborhood grocery stores are foundational connectors in every community – you never know who you might run into while at the store. This tragedy hits close to home for all of us, in so many ways.

Here at TGS, we have a connection to Suzanne Fountain, one of the lives lost last Monday. Suzanne was the stage manager we worked with at eTown Hall to host our signature community outreach event, Meeting of the Minds. A friendly and hospitable presence, she was moved by our message and subsequently became a regular supporter of the school. We are grateful for her support and solidarity with the cause of neurodiversity, and for the many other contributions she made to our Boulder community. Community is one of our core values here at TGS. As we approach Autism Acceptance Month, may Suzanne’s memory remind us to extend the welcome of our connected community to all who need it.