The Estes Valley Voice is publishing a series of stories about international exchange students who come to Estes Park to live and work for three to four months, usually during the summer. Read Part I and Part II.
Exchange visitors from Romania, Albania, Jamaica, and other countries gathered at the Osprey Shelter in Stanley Park on Monday to mark Exchange Day, a nationwide observance held on the first Monday of every August, honoring the power of international exchange.
Hosted by the newly formed Estes Park Community Support Group, the gathering brought together around 30 participants, including BridgeUSA exchange visitors, designated visa sponsors, and representatives from the Estes Chamber of Commerce.
As promoted on social media and through flyers distributed to local businesses, the gathering was themed “Eat. Play. Give.” Attendees shared a barbecue spread featuring burgers, hot dogs, fruit, and chips, provided by Country Market, Alliance Abroad Group, InterExchage, CCUSA, the Estes Park Community Support Group, and the YMCA of the Rockies. Members of Mountain View Bible Fellowship Church provided the grill and cooked the meat.
Attendees were also encouraged to play games, interact with one another, and make friendship bracelets to donate to children in hospitals.
Monday’s event represented a deliberate effort to shift how Estes Park engages with its international exchange visitors. For years, the BridgeUSA program operated largely behind the scenes, known primarily to local employers who relied on seasonal labor.
The CSG’s goal is to bring these students into the community spotlight, fostering genuine connections between town residents and the young adults who help keep the local economy running each summer.
However, the number of exchange visitors in attendance – about 30 – was modest compared with the more than 500 participants living and working in Estes Park this summer. Employers and business leaders were largely absent, and only a half dozen community members involved with the church providing the lunch attended.
One community member who attended was Estes Park Mayor Gary Hall, who told the Estes Valley Voice, “Estes Park is so pleased to welcome the Exchange Visitors each year. The diverse culture and the great energy of the young adults from all around the globe really make Estes Park a richer and better community for those months when they inhabit and work in our town.”
Hall, who met exchange visitors from Ghana, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, Albania, Romania, and Peru, said he hopes the CSG program “thrives in the coming years and that our community and businesses support it for the good that it brings to town.”
Organizers and leaders in Estes Park have acknowledged that bridging the gap between student workers and community events isn’t easy. BridgeUSA rules require students to work, and in a mountain gateway town with a high cost of living, many take on second jobs, leaving little energy or time off for social events, especially those scheduled at noon on a workday.
Another obstacle the international exchange students in the U.S. on a J-1 visa face is the lack of reliable local transportation, leaving them stranded at their housing or job sites.
One student from Romania working at The Stanley and living at Expedition Lodge said he was truly enjoying his time in Estes Park, and praised the Global Friends support group, which provided him with opportunities to meet other exchange visitors and to get transportation around town.
Another student from Jamaica pursuing a career in hospitality said that working at the YMCA has given her many opportunities to advance in her industry that otherwise wouldn’t have been possible.
While some exchange visitors told the Estes Valley Voice that their housing conditions were less than ideal, they also said they appreciated the opportunity to spend the summer living and working in the United States.
Although the gathering of exchange visitors on Monday was relatively small, it offered some an opportunity to get outside, enjoy time connecting with other program participants, and experience a classic American picnic.
As Estes Park’s demand for seasonal workers continues to grow, local businesses, nonprofits, and faith-based organizations are expanding cultural exchange programs and community events to improve the experience for international exchange visitors.
Clarification, August 10, 2026 1:36 pm: The article was updated to include information about the Community Support Group's organization of the hike and to add additional contributors to the picnic including Country Market, Alliance Abroad Group, InterExchange, CCUSA, and the Estes Park Community Support Group.