MOUNTAIN

e Colorado Geographic Naming Advisory Board in November voted unanimously to change the name to Mount Blue Sky, a move supported by Clear Creek County o cials, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, and many Native American tribe leaders and members who contributed to the renaming process.

Anne Hayden, John Evans’ greatgreat-granddaughter, noting that she did not represent all members of her family, testi ed at a public tain Refuge, an organization in Denver that provides hospice care for those experiencing homelessness.

Rocky Mountain Refuge has created a space to make unhoused people comfortable.

“ ey do everything they can for you here. is room is also cozy,”

Daniel explained, gesturing across the space which ts two hospital beds, a dresser, desk and a nightstand. e few possessions Daniel has, he keeps close. He became unhoused almost three years ago.

Rocky Mountain Refuge o ers end of life care for those experiencing homelessness regardless of race, age, gender, gender expression, age, nationality, disability or marital status. ere are three beds rented out of a room in the Denver Rescue Mission. Certi ed nursing assistant meeting about renaming the peak and said she favored changing its name.

Gov. Polis earlier this month wrote in a letter to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names that each of the 14,000-foot peaks in Colorado deserves “a name be tting their majesty.”

While many Coloradans have grown up knowing the name Mount Evans, Polis wrote, it’s clear that people want a new name that unites the community and does not divide it. In the letter, Polis cited research by scholars at the University of Denver and Northwestern University, both of which Evans helped e organization is planning to expand and add more beds. Sta and volunteers o er basic care, help with laundry, and cleaning, while nurses and physicians o er basic medical services. eir mission is to help those who are unhoused nd a comfortable and safe space to spend their last days before the end of life.

Timisha Buskey helps keep everything running.

“ is is personal to me because my mother passed and watching my mother inspired me to want to take care of others who have illnesses that they will eventually die from,” Buskey explained.

At least 20 people a day die without a home to live in across the United States, according to Homeless Death Count, a nonpro t that found, saying their work showed “Evans’ culpability for the Sand Creek Massacre, without question.”

During the formal process to consider renaming the peak, Colorado Geographic Naming Advisory Board members received more than 200 written and verbal statements from Native American tribe leaders, local government o cials, community members and loved ones of those who perished in or survived the Sand Creek Massacre, Chris Arend, a spokesman for the state naming board wrote in an email to e Colorado Sun on Wednesday.

“Considering there were six proposals and hours of public testi- tracks those numbers. In 2020, nearly 8,000 unhoused people died in the streets.

Rocky Mountain Refuge says it is the only shelter of its kind in Colorado and just one of four in the country that focuses exclusively on people experiencing homelessness.

Daniel says he’s grateful for the organization’s services.

“Some people would rather die on the streets, but I’m not one of those people,” Daniel said. “I’d just like to be comfortable until I’m deceased.” is story is from Rocky Mountain PBS, a nonpro t public broadcaster providing community stories across Colorado over the air and online. Used by permission. For more, and to support Rocky Mountain PBS, visit rmpbs.org. mony, it was clear that there was a strong shared desire to rename Mount Evans,” he wrote in the email. “Ultimately, Mount Blue Sky struck the appropriate cord to garner support of Clear Creek County, the (Colorado Renaming Advisory Board) and Governor Polis.” is story is from e Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news outlet based in Denver and covering the state. For more, and to support e Colorado Sun, visit coloradosun. com. e Colorado Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colorado Community Media.