Building Roots, Building Futures: Highlights from Aspen’s Vision Dinner

On November 3rd, Aspen Center for Learning hosted a Vision Dinner that turned what began as a small gathering of donors into a powerful community event. The evening brought together 250 people — donors, neighbors, community leaders, state officials, church representatives, and friends — all united by a single mission: to create opportunities and continued education for adults with disabilities in Utah.

The energy in the room was inspiring. You could feel the power of community coming together for a common goal.

Messages of Support and Commitment

First Lady of Utah, Abby Cox, spoke passionately about the importance of including adults with disabilities in our communities. She emphasized that this inclusion benefits everyone, saying:

"We believe in the inherent worth and dignity of every soul, especially those with this special spirit. My commitment is to support Aspen — to ensure each one of them has the opportunity to be seen, to be heard, and to experience human dignity. All of us need this. All of us need people in our lives who make this kind of difference."

Michael Thomas, CEO and founder of Connect IDD, a disability empowerment agency partnering with Aspen to build our curriculum, highlighted the significance of Utah showing up for this cause. He spoke about Aspen’s goal of creating long-term solutions for adults with disabilities across the state.

JW, Aspen’s founder, shared his vision:

"There’s no reason that any of these individuals should be staying at home for the majority of the day playing video games or surfing their iPads while the rest of us are out living our lives. Our goal is independence — these individuals can become independent and have full lives."

Aspen Center for Learning is committed to giving adults with disabilities a place to belong, continue learning, and envision a future full of possibility.

The evening was hosted by Kirby Heyborne, who engaged the audience and closed the night with a song he wrote. Paul Sullivan, author of Aspen Roots, generously donated copies of his book. His words beautifully echo Aspen’s mission:

"I'm not alone, it's not just me; I'm part of a family, a big family tree. My roots aren't just mine; they connect to us all; they give us the ability to grow straight and tall."

Our community members are our roots, and their support is helping bring Aspen to life. The night concluded with a unifying call:

"Let’s build Aspen!."

Together let's build Aspen.

The Vision Dinner was a truly incredible evening, reminding us all of the power of community and the shared commitment to creating a brighter future for adults with disabilities in Utah.

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