man reach colorado

colorado is a large beautiful national park that extends along the rocky mountains. the metro areas such as denver/boulder and colorado springs offer a wide variety of social options for gay men in the state. however, those options are not sufficient for all gay men in the state all of the time. there are gay men who live in rural areas for a wide variety of reasons, including the pace of city life. some men certainly prefer a not-so-hurried lifestyle and a less frenzied pace of friendship and social interaction. that is probably one reason they live in a quieter quadrant in the first place.

there is a gay men's hiv positive community that is for rural men of colorado. they meet a few times a year for overnight gatherings and share their lives, their spirits, and their information about health and wellness. they have been around for about 5 years and are growing and teaching gay men in the cities a thing or two about community. they are manreach colorado.

this organization may or may not be a direct result of some of the work of eric rofes. one of the initial gay men's health summits was held in boulder several years ago before eric's passing. that work still continues as the onset of gmhs events worldwide expands and includes more and more gay men.

manreach uses a phrase that i find compelling which is heart-centered. i think this is far more attainable when i am not drinking or drugging. this would not reflect the first portion of my life, but is much more fitting in recovery. i don't think, though, that most of these men are in recovery. i think they are perhaps working on being centered as part of their personal journeys and fuels both their desires to connect with other gay men and their hunger for reliable nad practical health and wellness information. this is how we might grow as a culture. finding a heart-centered place is much more likely with this tactic if you ask me.