By Steve Whitlock; photo courtesy of Jason Anguiano

Colorado natives Jason and Gina Anguiano embrace life with gratitude for their family and the journey that brought them to Happy Canyon. They enjoy sharing their simple rural life with their grandkids and finding passion and inspiration all around them.

Jason Anguiano and Gina Anguiano are multi-generation Colorado natives – both born and raised in the inner city of Denver. They grew up with needs of various kinds and now appreciate how vital it was to receive support from others who stepped into their lives. Without their families, friends, mentors and benefactors, they wouldn’t be who they are today. “This is what fuels our passion to do the same for others whenever we have the opportunity,” the couple agreed.

In 2017, the Anguianos moved to the Happy Canyon neighborhood after raising five kids in The Meadows. They saw each child off to either marriage or college. The couple made the transition to Happy Canyon for many reasons, one of which was to give them more flexibility with their personal land use and provide rural experiences for their grandkids. That included tending to backyard chickens and honeybees. “We also love that Happy Canyon is a unique and wonderful balance of the country life with immediate access to the Town of Castle Rock and the city of Denver,” commented the Anguianos. “We live in an amazing neighborhood!”

Jason and Gina are the race directors for a nonprofit organization that plans and directs race events. When asked how he became involved in race organization, Jason stated, “Gina and I got into running in our late 30s and became involved at different levels over the years.” Jason started volunteering for local races, primarily the Turkey ROCK Trot and eventually was asked to take over as race director. This gave him the foundation for launching RUN to Change Lives.

“I never liked running as a kid and never thought I would become a runner,” said Jason. “I believe every runner has something inside of them that is the spark and eventually develops into what continues to drive them. I remember when I couldn’t run more than one mile, then two, four, 10, etc. Distance running is very challenging, both physically and mentally, and has the positive staircase side effect of building confidence over time.”

When asked what they do outside of work, the Anguianos claim to lead pretty simple lives, including outdoor activities, vacations, exercise and valued time spent with family and friends. Their tenth grandchild arrived last month. “Time with them is precious. We’ve also consistently maintained a weekly date night for over 20 years that’s kept our sanity in check,” said Jason.

He added, “We love our new community and hope to spend the rest of our years here getting to know our neighbors and their stories. We understand that growth is everywhere and hope and trust that it remains smart and sustainable. In just the last few years, we’ve seen a decline of the wildlife that was so abundant when we first moved in. Looking that far into the future, our hope is that Happy Canyon remains the country life that it is today.”