January 8, 2016
Voluntary Contribution
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Food pantry helps hundreds
Broadway Assistance Center in Littleton open to south-metro families
By Jennifer Smith jsmith@coloradocommunitymedia.com The Broadway Assistance Center spent 40 years serving the homeless in downtown Denver, but in September 2014, its leaders realized it might be able to do more good farther south. “In Denver, there is a great amount of need, but a lot more organizations like us,” said Dale Flanders, executive director. “So we settled on north Littleton. There are pockets of poverty in Littleton, and there always have been. Littleton hides its poverty well.” Flanders would know, having grown up in Littleton. He graduated from Littleton High School in 1979 and went
on to become a pastor. “It was my career for more than 20 years, but in temperament and passion, I’m a pastor at heart,” he said. He took the helm of the center last May, and the center has been busy under his watch. Since opening at the new location, 1449 W. Littleton Blvd., it has served more than 850 families from Littleton, Centennial, Englewood and Sheridan, averaging 120 to 150 a week. The food pantry is open on Wednesday evenings and Friday mornings, and families are allowed one visit a week to collect most things found at an ordinary grocery store, including fresh produce. Flanders notes it’s rare for a food pantry to be open in the evening, but he feels it’s important. “We don’t want people to be choosing between food and work,” he said. Pantry continues on Page 11
Dale Flanders, executive director of the Broadway Assistance Center, says the center has served at least 850 families from Littleton, Englewood, Sheridan and Centennial since opening on Littleton Boulevard in September 2014. Photo by Jennifer Smith
Tech startup takes steps to change world Parker-based QBLabs developed technology for medicine, sports By Chris Michlewicz cmichlewicz@coloradocommunitymedia.com
A group of seniors works out together at the Lone Tree Recreation Center. Committing to fitness with a group of friends helps members stay accountable, several fitness instructors say. Photos by Mike DiFerdinando
Overcoming workout woes Pitfalls of New Year’s fitness goals can be intimidating for some By Mike DiFerdinando mdiferdinando@coloradocommunitymedia.com For many, a new year means a new you. Some 44 percent of Americans make a New Year’s resolution, according to a 2013 study by Pew Research Center. Of that group, 12 percent say they want to exercise more and 11 percent want to lose weight. If you are trying to get back in shape in 2016, or just starting to work out for the first time, the road to better health can be fraught with potential pitfalls. From gym intimidation, to staying on track or finding the right routine, heading into the gym can be easier said then done. “I know some people get a little frustrated — the regulars who come year-round — that we get a big influx of people coming at the start of the new year,” said Kelsey Whisler, fitness supervisor at Goodson Recreation Center in Centennial. “I just hope those people will be welcoming and remember the first time they started coming to the gym and how intimidating it can be.” Whisler suggests group classes as a way of easing back into fitness. “If you have a friend who has been Workout continues on Page 4
Molly and Jennifer Maskrey don’t just believe their wearable technology can save lives — they know it will. With their startup, QBLabs, the Parker residents have developed MovementTek, a wearable device that alerts medical professionals and family members when a senior shows signs of instability when walking. The idea is for caregivers to intervene before a fall. But the device, which also is being tested to help patients with cerebral palsy, could expand beyond medical applications to provide real-time feedback to athletes and dancers to hone their techniques. The company is seeking $1 million in seed funding for full-on production, manufacturing and distribution. It has partnered with Innovation Pavilion, a Centennial-based business incubator that has already connected the Maskreys with some big players in the industry, such as Arrow Electronics, a Centennial-based Fortune 500 company that specializes in electronic components and computer products. “Mind-blown” is how Lindsey Finklang, Innovation Pavilion’s strategic expansion associate, described her reaction when first introduced to the concepts being created by QBLabs, which stands for Quantative Bioanalytics Labs. “They have intelligence beyond words,” Finklang said of the Maskreys. “They understand technology development, and they want to use that to make the world a better place.” Tech continues on Page 9
People do cardio workouts at the Goodson Recreation Center in Centennial.
QB Labs founder Jennifer Maskrey, of Parker, holds a tiny circuit board that monitors balance in seniors. It provides medical professionals with a warning, enabling them to intervene before a fall occurs. Photo by Chris Michlewicz