Thousands of twinkling luminaria dot the well-manicured grounds of Springhill Community Park in Aurora, each a tiny tribute to a Colorado service member who gave their life for their county. To honor those sacrifices, the Colorado Freedom Memorial Foundation will again host its ‘Light their way home’ event honoring the 6,218 Coloradans killed in action since statehood in 1876.
dgrigsby@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Native Oklahoman Deborah Grigsby is a writer and photographer passionate about local journalism. After an eight-year break to play with airplanes, she returned to Colorado Community Media as a reporter and photographer for The Golden Transcript and now serves as the news organization’s digital editor.
Deborah is a U.S. Air Force veteran and served in both Iraq wars. Her work during Operation Iraqi Freedom, as editor of the coalition's first deployed newspaper, earned her recognition as not only the National Guard's David J. Super Military Print Journalist of the Year but the U.S. Air Force Print Journalist of the Year, and a nomination for the prestigious Thomas Jefferson Award, the Department of Defense's highest recognition for excellence in journalism.
After retirement, her work in the civilian sector earned her the Army National Guard's 2010 Moss-Holland Civilian Print Journalist of the Year and two Colorado Press Association Awards later.
Deborah is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists and Military Veterans in Journalism. She advocates for better support of women veterans in the workforce. Deborah has traveled the world from Wake Island to Qatar. If she's not in Colorado, you'll most likely find her photographing street cats in Italy.
Along with a well-aged red wine, Deborah is attracted to loud noises and shiny things.
