Some people have the good fortune of knowing exactly the issues that weigh on their hearts and motivate them to make the world a better place -- Chris and Joanna McIntyre are two of those people.
The two met and began dating while attending Cañon City High School and have been together ever since. They were married while simultaneously majoring in chemistry at Colorado College in Colorado Springs in 2000 and spent nearly 10 years away from Cañon City.
During that time, Joanna decided her chemistry degree, though beneficial to have, was not the field in which she wanted to spend her life. She dove into the marketing world when she worked for the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center and spent six years working as a website and email designer.
After that, she started working remotely for a start-up company called BombBomb -- a position she still holds.
Unlike his wife, Chris decided chemistry and the sciences were where he wanted to spend a good chunk of his career.
"I found science education to be really exciting so I went back for my master's degree in secondary science education," he said.
While Joanna spent years working at her nonprofit and start-up organizations, Chris dove into teaching at a Colorado Springs high school -- but Cañon City wasn't going to let them be away for too long.
They returned home, where Chris taught science at Harrison School and science and chemistry at CCHS for four years. He had a particular affection for the students in his freshmen science classes as they oftentimes had to work the hardest to flourish.
"I have a heart for those who have struggles," he said. "I had a somewhat gifted upbringing with two parents and lots of opportunity. Through college, I came up with the idea that anybody can do anything that they wanted to, kind of the American dream. They just had to work hard to get there."
With that mentality, he worked hard to help his students flourish and excel as best they could in his chosen discipline.
Recently, he was invited to be a two-day instructor at Choice Points, the school district's alternative program for students who have been expelled, are near expulsion, or have other aspects of life that rule out conventional education.
"I have to remember that not everyone grew up like me," he said. "I see it more of those of us with no or less struggle should be helping those in struggle and offering some grace in the way that we see what transpires."
In 2013, the couple took their love of helping others to another level when they became foster parents. During their eight years of fostering, the couple has fallen in love and adopted six children who currently range in age from 6 to 20.
"We had both been drawn to adoption," Joanna said. "Then over a short span of time, we heard about the need for foster care from two different friends that we know."
The nearly-baseball-team-sized family thoroughly enjoys treking the Cañon City trails that crisscross Fremont County whether it be hiking or biking.
Chris makes it a point to take their kids with him when he works on their multiple rental properties around town and works hard to teach them any life skills he can. For example, their 12-year-old son recently learned to do some electrical and welding work -- vital trades in the current world.
"I'm a really productive-minded person," he said.
In addition to their 12 current rental tenants, the couple own several Airbnb locations and recently purchased a 1908 ranch house in Westcliffe and a plot of land in Cañon City that they hope to develop into several small duplexes.
Although the couple is no longer fostering, they do have friends who currently foster and do what they can to provide support or even just someone with which to talk.
"We'll always have a heart for it," Joanna said.
In addition to their successful professional and personal lives, the couple compromised 2/3 of the founding members of Fremont Adventure Recreation, Cañon City's preeminent outdoor recreation nonprofit and Joanna recently joined the board of a brand new nonprofit called Hope House. Currently, she is working to establish a residential program for teen mothers in Cañon City.
Needless to say, the couple stays incredibly busy but never forget why they do what they do -- simply, to make the world a better place.
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