Paul Harris and Janet Eden-Harris

Legacy Circle members Paul Harris and Janet Eden-Harris

It all began with a treasured routine. By 1991, Paul and Janet had two young children at home and their older step-siblings in college, growing careers, and a scramble to find time to keep up with it all. Janet's early morning typically began by listening to CPR. Paul often tuned in at the end of the day. They compared notes on what they heard when they settled in at night.

That routine was one of the compelling reasons for including CPR in their legacy planning when they drew up their first will together that year. "A will is a legacy to the people and organizations you care most about preserving and growing," said Janet. "CPR was one of the first organizations that made our list. A robust public media system is critical to our way of life. Even back then, we were happy to have them in our will so that source of truth can be passed on to the next generation."

Paul has lived in Colorado for most of the last 60 years, so he had a broad perspective of the state's evolution over that time. That perspective helped confirm for them that an informed public can effectively grapple with issues locally as well as nationally.

Paul spent the latter part of his career in non-profit activism and leadership. He was executive director of the Peace Initiatives Institute, organizing anti-sectarian programs in Northern Ireland teaching pre-school children to respect others who were different from themselves. "When we see our so-called enemies as people just like us, we may begin to respect them even if we don't necessarily agree on issues…and that, ultimately, can create peace," he said. "I see CPR playing that same role for us today in Colorado and beyond."

Janet met Paul when she was an account executive at a national advertising agency out of LA and moved here in the early 80's. Throughout her career in high-tech, staying informed wasn't optional. "You can't really be effective today in any kind of leadership role without being grounded in what's happening in the world and in the community," she noted. "You need to understand what your customers are thinking, what their needs are, and how events are shaping their decisions." she explains. "So, you have to have credible, broad-ranging, and balanced news."

She values both the national programming and the local coverage. She noted that she doesn't get to Southern Colorado or the Western Slope often, but she enjoys hearing about the issues there. "CPR would not be the same if it was just the NPR broadcast. I appreciate them both."

When Janet and Paul revisited their estate plans more recently after the pandemic, they went through the whole process again. CPR remained. "There was never any doubt in my mind that it needed to stay there. It's just such an anchor for the community," Janet says. The process of updating wasn't difficult or expensive, and it gave them a chance to make sure they were giving to the causes that mattered most.

"Not everyone has the means to support it. I feel like it's our duty and really our privilege if we can."

"Colorado Public Radio is doing the hard work for us so we can build and grow our lifestyle and our democracy that we've known. And a legacy gift is a way to make sure that work continues."

Updated March 2025