By Evan Jones
The History of CYO
Over 10,000 people visit our beautiful 200-acre campus in Fort Collins every year, but very few realize what an unlikely series of events led up to CYO hosting this ideal property, including two major charitable gifts that made it all possible.
CYO was established in 2001. Back then, we taught archery on the Thompson Valley High School football field. We borrowed classrooms to build survival kits, teach hunters education, fly tying and fly casting, and practice predator and duck calling. We took field trips to a shooting range and fishing ponds.
Swift Ponds
In 2002, our founder Bob Hewson met Louis Swift, owner of an old gravel mine out by the interstate, who offered the use of his property at no charge. Louis purchased the property in 1969, and spent the next couple decades pursuing his dream of turning the property into a fishing haven for outdoor nonprofits. He established a conservation easement to ensure that it would continue to be a recreation property for nonprofits in perpetuity.
After Louis passed away, his family decided to offer stewardship of the land to CYO. Louis’ legacy of generosity would be forever enshrined, and CYO would finally have a permanent home.
Just One Catch
But there was a major problem. CYO wouldn’t be allowed to build any permanent structures within the conservation easement. How would we create classrooms and office space?
There was an adjoining 27-acre parcel that was earmarked for 11 estate homes, but the $1.2 million asking price was far beyond our reach.
That is, until members of the Gates Family Foundation got involved. Once again, the visionary leadership and strong philanthropic traditions of our region created a transformational outcome as they decided to cover the entire sum through their Frontier Fund.
A few months later, we signed the trustee documents and took possession of the now 240-acre property, having gone from impossible underdogs to trustees of one of the most unique properties in Northern Colorado at the stroke of a pen.
An Amazing Gift
Since then, CYO has done everything possible to live up to the high standards set by these amazing gifts, and to honor the legacies of the donors behind them.
We’ve raised an additional $8,000,000 towards improvements to the property, allowing us to conduct a wide variety of programs that benefit thousands of youth and their families each year, and to host an additional 10,000 annual visitors during public events.
CYO is humbled to be the steward of two transformational gifts, and we hope that our story serves as testament to the tremendous impact strategic philanthropy can have on our region.
Thanks to the Swift and Gates families, welcome to Swift Ponds!
Learn more about CYO on our history page.