Kelly Orr, former AS220 Property Manager extraordinaire left us in December, hit the road, and headed for the West Coast. He’s in California now, living life in a slightly warmer climate for the time being. We miss him, and wanted to share his parting words with you!

I wanted to send this out to my AS220 community to keep everyone in the loop. As some of you know, I am leaving AS220.

Since 2010, I have had a relationship with all of you in some respect, making my job absolutely amazing! I have unplugged your drains, changed your light bulbs, fixed holes in your walls, painted most of your spaces and changed your filters. I have waged war against uncooperative rubbish companies, fought valiantly with stubborn HVAC units and survived 4 Foo Fests!! I have installed screens, removed screens, fixed cranky windows, patched your roofs, and chased some of you for rent! I have marveled at your art, scratched my head while looking at some of it, been deeply moved by some of it, and lost hearing from some of it!! I have been frustrated, relieved, angry, bewildered, thrilled, and completely giddy at times, often all on the same day! I have helped people out, aggravated the hell out of some, and I have made some incredible friends!  But you know, after all this time, after learning so much, the most important thing I’ve learned is that we are all different, we all have our quirks, and we all have something to offer! This has been quite an experience. I am in awe of what is happening here!

I am heading west, hopefully all the way until I run into the next ocean! I am going to learn to snowboard, I am going to learn to surf, I am going to get back on my old skateboard, I am going to hike until my legs fall off, and I am going to completely immerse myself in a hot rod car culture that I have only dreamed about most of my life! I am going to dig deep and pull out my art, my writing, rekindle my interests in photography and drawing, and take the time to reconnect with mother earth. On my journey westward, I am going to take the time to explore this amazing country we live in. I’m going to talk to people I don’t know, see towns I’ve never heard of, and open my senses to the world all around me! Mountains, valleys, deserts, big sky, and trees so tall I can’t see the tops! This, my 50th year, will be a re-birth, a new chapter in my grand adventure! Where I will end up, who knows.

I want to thank all of you for being the incredible, wacky, quirky inspiring people that you are. Leaving AS220 is more like leaving family instead of a job. The fantastic residents and the truly special team of staff are a remarkable combination! My life will never be the same! Good luck to you all on your own journeys! I hope our paths will cross again!. Today I started my day with one of AS220’s resident rockers giving me a big hug and telling me she will miss me. This evening we had a panel to choose the next resident on the third floor of Empire. Tomorrow we will invite yet another inspiring artist into the fold. These moments and so many others in the last four years, are what have made it all mean so much!

Thank You!!