Enda Junkins

Enda and her two dogs London and Conway

Legacy Circle member Enda Junkins has many facts to share, and here's a particularly surprising one: by the time we're in our twenties, most of us are only using 8% of our brain's capacity. As a psychotherapist specializing in laughter therapy, she's especially interested in how unprocessed emotions can block our thinking, and as a CPR listener for twenty years, she values the kind of thoughtful reporting that helps us engage our minds more fully and connect us to Colorado.

Colorado had been calling Enda long before she made it her home. While growing up, she and her family took vacations to the Centennial State and the Rockies stayed with her. "They just sort of wrapped around me," she says. When Enda moved to Ouray in 2006 after decades in Texas, a neighbor gave her practical advice: if you want reliable reception in the mountains, tune into Colorado Public Radio. "CPR is all I listen to," she says. But it isn't just the signal strength that keeps her listening during her weekly roundtrips to Montrose, it's the depth of reporting and storytelling.

She cites a 30-minute explanation she heard once of Hillary Clinton's private email server that went beyond the headlines as exemplary of the thoroughness she values from the news, both from NPR and CPR. That the reporters actually explained why it happened and all the context around it demonstrates to her the quality of news, and the function of it as a public service.

Being a Coloradan means living in a beautiful state where people are active and engaged, she reflects. She and her friends enjoy hiking together, taking advantage of Colorado's abundant outdoor recreation and active lifestyle available at any age. She appreciates how the state is working on climate issues and cares about natural resources. Colorado Postcards captures the essence of the diversity of the state. "They kind of make you feel like Colorado's one big family," she says.

About a decade ago Enda updated her estate plans and including a bequest for CPR in her will felt natural. She worked with an attorney to formalize her plans and updated them a few years ago to reflect her current priorities. She doesn't have children and wanted her legacy to extend beyond family, to lots and lots of other people. When asked what she'd tell other Coloradans considering a legacy gift, Enda is direct: Think about where you want to leave your money and how much. Look at how CPR could fit into that. And if you're smart, you'll do it.

Her legacy plans support CPR as well as a few other organizations that protect and strengthen what she values most about Colorado. She sees CPR as a vital service that helps Coloradans use their intelligence, think critically, and stay informed. And with characteristic humor, she adds: "We need Walter Cronkite, but he died. So now we're depending on you guys."

Updated March 2026