Canyon Courier 062223

Evergreen High changes college center to the Futures Center

BY DEB HURLEY BROBST DBROBST@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Evergreen High School sta want to help students reach their dreams for their futures.

Tipping our (cowboy) hats to the Evergreen Rodeo, Parade

BY DEB HURLEY BROBST DBROBST@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Look at the crowds of the Evergreen Rodeo Parade and the Evergreen Rodeo, and one thing becomes very clear: ese local events are for everyone.

From the youngsters involved in mutton bustin’ and the young people who were Evergreen Rodeo royalty to the four women honored as parade marshals because of their many years of service to the Evergreen Rodeo Association, everyone is invited to participate or to get

involved by watching the fun. at’s exactly why the rodeo is 57 years strong, and this year, the rain held o for the most part on June 17, changing to beautiful blue skies and temperatures.

"WhenwritteninChinesetheword“crisis”iscomposedof twocharacters onerepresentsdangerandtheother representsopportunity.”~JohnF.Kennedy

e school is renaming its College and Career Center to the Futures Center to encompass the school’s commitment to helping all students whether they want to go to college, into the military, take a gap year, go to a trade school, spend time in the Peace Corps or something else. As community member Pam Lindquist, who helped create the Futures Center idea, put it: While not all EHS students go to college, 100%

SEE FUTURES, P2

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Rodeo royalty wave as they make their way through downtown Evergreen for the Evergreen Rodeo Parade on June 17.

PHOTO BY SARA HERTWIG

SEE RODEO, P3

of them have a future, and each has a di erent pathway.

According to Janet Anderson, who works in the center, depending on the year, 85% to 95% of EHS students go to college, some of them to Ivy League schools. ere’s a perception that the school primarily supports graduates as they plan for college, which is not the case.

To help launch the Futures Center, the school hopes to get graduates and the community involved to help mentor students no matter where their path takes them. Graduates who are interested in participating can email ehscougarsalumni@ gmail.com.

e idea to morph the College and Career Center into the Futures Center started last fall when Athletic Director LeRoy Lopez and Lindquist discussed an idea for a kiosk that would allow graduates to share with students their pathways to their careers. Lopez and Lindquist became excited about the connections that would be made among the current and past EHS community.

“Whatever a graduate chooses to do, this school embraces it,” Lindquist said.

In addition to getting graduates involved, the school hopes to o er a showcase that will invite the community and graduates into the build-

ing to talk about after-high school possibilities.

While the school will add a more visible focus for non-college-attending students, it won’t forget those with aspirations to attend college.

“Evergreen (High School) will continue to be a rigorous high school,” counselor Amy Wells said.

“If students want to go to college, we can help them with that.”

Wells hopes the school will get more up-to-date information on graduates as they become involved with the school again.

“ e wonderful thing about Evergreen is that we produce great, productive adults,” Lindquist said. “Whatever their pathway, it’s exciting.”

e Futures Center is being nanced by Michele Vanags with

State Farm Insurance, who explained that her son struggled with what to do after high school, and the kind of additional support the Futures Center will provide would have been amazing.

“It’s super important that we support (all students) in whatever they want to do,” Vanags said. Wells added: “All of our students need to be supported.”

said

Counselor Amy Wells, left, and Janet Anderson, who operates the Futures Center, talk about the changes that will help all students feel welcome and help them to follow their path after graduating.

PHOTO BY DEB HURLEY BROBST

Miss Evergreen Rodeo Amanda Cook, Evergreen Rodeo Princess Hannah Norris and Evergreen Rodeo Junior Princess Josie Sandifer said horses have been part of their lives since they were tots. So has the Evergreen Rodeo and Parade.

After they rode their horses along the parade route, they walked back, chatting with the many well-wishers lining the route in downtown Evergreen. ey agreed that the crowd appeared to be bigger than ever, and they saw many new faces in the crowd.

All three said they had wanted to be Evergreen Rodeo royalty for a long time, usually aspiring for the positions thanks to other family members.

Two of the celebrities in the crowd were Santa and Mrs. Claus, who stood on the boardwalk outside the Little Bear Saloon watching the parade. Santa called the parade amazing.

“ e elves are involved (in events) like this,” Santa said, smiling. Sporting western clothing and a cowboy Santa hat, the trim Santa said he would start eating cookies this fall so he’s ready for Christmas.

e parade was lled with pink in honor of this year’s theme, “She’s back in the saddle again,” honoring women in rodeo.

As parade attendees waited patiently for the parade to begin –some starting as early as 7:30 a.m. for the 10 a.m. start — downtown businesses opened early, allowing for some early-morning shopping and for a chance to pick up some breakfast before more than 90 parade entries moved through downtown.

Rodeo attendees saw improvements to the rodeo grounds thanks

to the growth in both attendance and sponsors, according to Bryan McFarland, Evergreen Rodeo Association’s board chair. is year’s rodeo attendance shattered previous records, he added.

Both the VIP area for sponsors and the bar area have been upgraded, including the bar created by the Evans Ranch with brands of local ranches burned into it.

Parade marshals honored during the event were Liz Nordeen, who has spent 30 years managing volunteers for the Evergreen Rodeo Association;

Judy Jeronimus, a 30-year association member; Kristy Tolan, the rst woman president of the association; and Gail Sharp, the association’s rst female chairperson.

Tolan became involved in the association in 1996.

“I went to a meeting, and they never let me leave,” she said, laughing.

She said the Evergreen Rodeo was one of few small-town rodeos left in the metro area, and its tradition was important to Evergreen.

Tolan’s daughter, Jeanine Baird, who has been attending the rodeo her entire life, noted that some people come to the rodeo even if they aren’t rodeo fans — just to participate in the event.

Sharp also joined the rodeo association in 1996, saying she moved to Evergreen that year, had a horse and wanted to meet people.

“I had never been to a rodeo before,” she said, adding that she has done just about every job the association has.

“Our community is changing,” Sharp said. “We’re losing some of our rural heritage, but the rodeo helps us connect to that heritage.”

Sharp, who was in the stands before the rst rodeo, gestured to the crowd both in the stands and on the slope ready to watch the event: “It doesn’t get any better than this.”

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Santa waves from the crowd as the rodeo parade passes by. PHOTOS BY SARA HERTWIG

Children 5 to 7 years old compete in mutton bustin’ event during the prerodeo show on June 17.

Members of the Evergreen Rodeo Drill Team ride in the pre-rodeo show to kick o the weekend.

Amanda Cook, Miss Evergreen Rodeo, takes part in the opening ceremonies, kicking o the first of two rodeos in Evergreen.

Levi Wilson from Jackson, Wyoming, competes in the bull riding event at the Evergreen Rodeo on June 17.

- Jeff

BY MAYA DAWSON SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

In the early ’90s, Kevin McCarthy purchased his rst pinball game, PinBot. Today that same machine, joined by 37 others, stands inside Conifer’s Blizzard Mountain Pinball.

On a given business day, the clack of ippers on shining balls echoes through the business, punctuated by a chorus of game sound e ects. For owners Kevin and Laura McCarthy, the games are intricate and fun,

Flipping the script

but more importantly, they are real.

“You can see the ball rolling around in the play eld,” Kevin said. “Everything that you see that’s going on is actually happening in the world. It’s not virtual.”

Laura grew up with a Donkey Kong video game in her bedroom. Over the past three decades, the couple’s love for games has only grown. If their house at any given time had room for one pinball machine, or two, or 10, it would be used. en, once a year, they would bring their games to the Rocky Mountain Pinball Showdown, so they could be played by pinball pros and novices alike from across the state.

“It’s just a once-a-year thing, but we always really enjoyed seeing people play our games,” Laura said. ese moments of connection inspired the McCarthys, as did their

growing family. Kevin and Laura took their sons Jack and Zach to play pinball, but the options were limited.

“Most of the places where there’s a signi cant number of good playing machines are bars,” Laura said, describing how Conifer, while abundant with outdoor activities, lacks indoor options that are a good t for families.

So, in 2017, the McCarthys took action.

“Having (the pinball games) sit in our basement just seemed like a shame,” Kevin said.

Blizzard Mountain Pinball opened its doors, and for the rst several years, business was predictable.

“We were just plodding along,” Kevin said. “We weren’t making money, but we weren’t losing money either. And then COVID came along and just blew us out of

the water. We were closed for eight months.”

During those eight months, Blizzard still had to pay rent. ey fought to stay a oat, ling for grants, and later operating at limited capacity and sanitizing machines between each game.

e business made it through. Today, it is back to bringing the community fun that spans generations.

“One of my favorite things is, especially around the holidays, we’ll see little kids and teenagers and parents and the grandparents all come in together, and everybody’s having a blast,” Laura said. “ e older people remember it from their youth, and the young kids are like, ‘I’ve never seen a real (pinball game) that’s not on a tablet’.”

“As long as we’re making people happy, then I’m happy,” Kevin said. “ at’s kind of the bottom line.”

Kevin McCarthy started his pinball collection with one Pin-Bot machine (right) in the early ’90s. Today, Blizzard Mountain Pinball has 38 pinball machines and several classic video games for patrons to play.

PHOTOS BY MAYA DAWSON

Laura and Kevin McCarthy stand inside Conifer’s Blizzard Mountain Pinball. The business aims to be a family-friendly way for the community to enjoy classic pinball games. “We want people to come in and enjoy themselves and take a little break from their day-to-day lives,” Kevin McCarthy said.

Blizzard Mountain Pinball in Conifer aims to bring an old game to a new audience

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Community Garden gets additional plots

BY DEB HURLEY BROBST DBROBST@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

e Buchanan Park Community Garden has increased in size thanks to a collaboration between the Evergreen Park & Recreation District and the Evergreen Sustainability Alliance.

Last month, 12 raised beds and two ground beds were added to the garden, raising the total to 58 plots.

e additional plots mean the waiting list has decreased, according to Linda Jacobson, a member of the garden’s steering committee.

GOLD SPONSORS

In October, the alliance came to the rec district board, asking to increase the garden’s size, and the rec district put $10,000 into the 2023 budget to pay for the plots. e alliance put in about $3,000.

e Buchanan Park garden was established in 2013 with the help of a Great Outdoor Colorado grant. e garden now has a 41-person waiting list, Jacobson said, lower than it has been in the past.

Turnover at the garden tends to be slow with people waiting two to ve years to get a plot. People who have plots keep them until they no longer want them. ESA charges gardeners $50 for a half plot and $90 for a full plot per year.

rec district provided construction, labor and equipment, while ESA provided consulting on the design and construction speci cations, plus volunteers to help. ESA continues to manage all aspects of the garden operation.

e rec district paid for the supplies while EPRD board member Peter Eggers and his company donated the labor to build the garden beds, and he was impressed with ESA’s 30 volunteers who helped put the beds together; the work took a morning rather than an entire weekend he was expecting.

“It was a plus-plus-plus all the way around,” Eggers said. “ is is the kind of thing I love to do. It’s just what we need to get some good momentum going for the garden.”

Ginny Ades, an Evergreen Sustainability Alliance board member, said the organization’s reasons for developing the gardens are twofold:

ey allow people to garden without the challenge of wildlife interference because each garden is fenced to keep critters out, and ESA teaches about organic gardening and healthy eating.

For a full list of sponsors including our Silver and Bronze sponsors, please visit our website: www.FreedomRunRace.org

ere is a small or no waitlist at the alliance’s Bu alo Park Community Garden in front of Wilmot Elementary School.

To create the additional plots, the

Jacobson added that gardening became more popular during the pandemic because people could get outside and do something purposeful, Jacobson said.

“ ere’s a sheer joy going from seed to plant to edible,” Jacobson said. “I know it sounds dorky, but it’s true.”

DOGS WELCOME FAMILY FRIENDLY

Evergreen Park & Recreation District sta fill the new planters with soil.

PHOTO BY GINNY ADES

We’d like to know about events or activities of interest to the community. Visit www.canyoncourier.com/ calendar/ and post your event online for free. Email dbrobst@coloradocommunitymedia.com to get items in the print version of the paper. Items will appear in print on a space-available basis. FRIDAY

ECO’s Jazz Gala 2023: Evergreen Chamber Orchestra’s Jazz Gala 2023 will be June 23 at Mount Vernon Canyon Club. e gala will feature two parts: from 6-7:30 p.m., celebrate a successful 2022-23 season with hors d’oeuvres and a silent auction, while Bill Hill and Friends perform a light swing/jazz set.   en, from 7:30-9 p.m., Bill Hill and Friends will perform an avant-garde jazz-fusion set. For more information and tickets, visit evergreenchamberorch.org/event/eco-jazzgala-2023.

SATURDAY

Bailey Day: Bailey Day will be from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. June 24 in downtown Bailey. Bands, food, vendor booths, kids activities and more highlight the street festival.

Spring Clean Recycle Day: Evergreen Sustainability Alliance’s Spring Clean Recycle Day will be from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. June 24 at Evergreen Lutheran Church, 5980

Highway 73. It is collecting all types of electronics and small appliances, block Styrofoam, paint, glass, batteries, old pens/markers, toothpaste tubes and toothbrushes, Christmas tins, TV dishes with cables and clothes. Recommended donation for a collection of recyclables is $20. If you have a carload, ESA would appreciate a larger donation to cover its costs. TVs are an additional $25 fee each that will be collected at time of drop-o .

Good ings Come to ose Who Hike: Merrell is hosting Good ings Come to ose Who Hike from 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Saturday, June 24, at Echo Mountain in Idaho Springs. Take hikes and participate in other outdoor activities such as trail run time trials, yoga, forest bathing, outdoor painting classes, classes on packing/prep for hikes, wilderness survival and bird watching. e event will cost $10, which will go to the nonpro t sponsor Leave No Trace. Register at www.eventbrite. com/e/good-things-come-to-thosewho-hike-tickets-634920021877.

Baritone Steven Taylor performance: Baritone Steven Taylor will perform at 7:30 p.m. June 24 as part of Ovation West’s Shining Stars at Center Stage. Tickets are $28 for adults, $24 for seniors and $18 for students, and are available at ovationwest.org.

Cars and Co ee: Cars and Coffee, a show for car enthusiasts, will be from 9 a.m.-noon Saturdays until Aug. 26 in front of Olde’s Garage on Evergreen Parkway. ere’s no registration fee. Bring your classic car or stop in to check out the vehicles. Free co ee and doughnuts. Donations bene t Mount Evans Hospice.

SATURDAY-SUNDAY

Evergreen Mountain Art Celebration:  e Evergreen Mountain Art Celebration will be from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. June 24-25 at Evergreen North between the post o ce and Bank of the West. More than 60 artists will display their work. For more information, visit evergreenartsshow. com.

SUNDAY

Celebration of Marilyn Rhodes: Neighbors and friends are invited to celebrate Marilyn Rhodes at 9 a.m. Sunday, June 25, at the Genesee Mountain Shelter in Genesee Mountain Park when a bird walk in the park with Sheridan Samano will begin. Eulogies and recol-

lections will start at 11 a.m. followed by a potluck lunch at noon. A music and storytelling session at 1 p.m. is planned. Organizers ask that friends bring a main dish, salad or dessert to share plus tableware and beverages. It’s advised to bring your own picnic chair. No glass or hard liquor is allowed in the park. To reach the shelter, take Exit 254 o Interstate 70. Turn right at the south end of the bridge and follow the paved road to the end. Carpooling is advised. For more information, contact Linda at ljrock_will@msn.com.

“Spirited Flight”: Shadow Mountain Gallery in downtown Evergreen next to Java Groove will host “Spirited Flight” with ight-related art from June 25to Aug. 12. e show

SEE HAPPENINGS, P10

What Colorado Parks & Wildlife has to say about protecting the CSLB Parcel on Shadow Mountain Drive from development COMMUNITY VOICES

Colorado Parks and Wildlife sent the following response to Je erson County on March 21 as a rst referral comment about the proposed Shadow Mountain Bike Park in Conifer. CPW’s mission in part is to perpetuate the wildlife resources of the state and they are nationally recognized as a leader in conservation, outdoor recreation, and wildlife management. It’s been a bellringer for so many people that we want to share it with the Conifer community-atlarge. CPW’s considered opinion of development at the proposed location is exactly as they sent it to the County.

“ e Shadow Mountain Parcel is approximately 305 acres of mostly contiguous undeveloped land surrounded by residential mountain development. CPW District Wildlife Managers have conducted site visits of the property and have developed many years of on-the-ground working knowledge of the wildlife values of the property. e proposed property includes a riparian corridor along the lower elevations, rocky outcroppings at higher elevations, and a series of draws in heavily wooded timber. Currently, this property plays

an important role in mitigating habitat fragmentation by connecting wildlife habitat on CPW and United States Forest Service (USFS) lands to the west with wildlife habitat on Je erson County Open Space and Denver Mountain Parks lands to the east.   Elk and mule deer use the Shadow Mountain Parcel year-round. e property is identi ed as summer range for elk, provides winter range habitat for bull elk, and is used by elk during the breeding season. Resident herds of elk in the area also intermittently use the property throughout the year. e property is identi ed as summer range for mule deer and provides connectivity to nearby winter range habitat. e riparian corridor on the property has been used increasingly by moose, and currently is one of the eastern most locations where CPW receives regular moose sightings in west Je erson County. Mountain lions, bobcats, foxes, and coyotes use the property

year-round. District Wildlife Managers have observed signi cant use by these species along the rocky outcroppings at higher elevations  and have documented coyotes denning in the same area. District Wildlife Managers have also observed regular use of the property by black bears in the area.

CPW recognize there is important wildlife value in maintaining this parcel of undeveloped land and protecting it from development and regular use by human recreation, which the proposed Shadow Mountain Bike Park development would exacerbate. e Shadow Mountain Parcel plays an important role in maintaining connectivity of wildlife habitat in an area that is becoming increasingly fragmented by a combination of infrastructure, tra c, and growing recreational use of natural landscapes in Je erson County.”

Clearly, from CPW’s position of expertise in what makes wildlife and habitat decline rather than develop and thrive, the evidence leads CPW to say the construction of a lift-access commercial downhill mountain bike park on the Shadow Mountain Drive state land parcel (or any development) would exacerbate negative

conditions in an area of important wildlife value, whichcontains a wide range of wildlife including elk, mule deer, moose, bobcats, foxes, and coyotes. It would also negatively impact the parcel’s important connecting role to other nearby habitats.

Some may want us to believe the wildlife impacts of the bike park will be minimal, but the veri ed facts are development is a leading cause of habitat loss and fragmentation, and habitat loss is the primary threat to the survival of wildlife in the United States.

Debbie Ford has compiled extensive research with wildlife, wetlands and ecosystems experts on the proposed bike park location. She is a member of Stop the Bike Park, a non-pro t organization formed speci cally to prevent the proposed bike park – with its fact-driven negative consequences to tra c, wild re risk, emergency response, air and water quality, and key wildlife habitat — from becoming a reality in its proposed location. She and her husband John reside on Shadow Mountain Drive, and Debbie has photographed just about every animal, bird and ower that makes the proposed location so special and worth preserving.

Mountains in wilderness don’t need hardware WRITERS ON THE RANGE

We humans want the most out of life, so why shouldn’t we push to get more of what we want?

at’s what some rock climbers must be thinking. ey want to enter designated Wilderness in order to drill permanent anchors into wilderness rock faces, turning these wild places into sport-climbing walls.

When the Wilderness Act became law in 1964, it put wildlife and wild lands rst, decreeing that these special places should be left alone as much as possible. is unusual approach codi ed humility, arguing that some wild places, rich in wildlife and natural beauty, needed as much protection as possible.

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Dana Johnson

So far, the Act protects less than 3% of what Congress called “untrammeled” public land in the Lower 48. ese are unique places free of roads and vehicles and most manmade intrusions that a ict the rest of America.

e Wilderness

Act also prohibits “installations,” but to get around this, a group called the Access Fund has persuaded friends in Congress to introduce a bill that would, in e ect, amend the Wilderness Act.

LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com

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Introduced by Rep. John Curtis, a Republican from the anti-environmental delegation of Utah, and cosponsored by Democrat Joe Neguse from Colorado, the “Protect America’s Rock Climbing Act” (PARC Act) has been promoted as bi-partisan.

Yet over 40 conservation groups, from small grassroots greens to large national organizations, have written Congress to oppose the bill. Wilderness is not about human convenience, they say, it’s about safeguarding the tiny pockets of wild landscape we’ve allowed to remain.

e PARC Act directs federal agencies to recognize the legal use of xed anchors in Wilderness, a backdoor approach to statutory

KRISTEN FIORE West Metro Editor kfiore@coloradocommunitymedia.com

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amendment that even the U.S. Forest Service and Department of Interior oppose.

In a hearing on the bill, the Forest Service stated that “creating new de nitions for allowable uses in wilderness areas, as (the PARC Act) would do, has the practical e ect of amending the Wilderness Act. (It) could have serious and harmful consequences for the management of wilderness areas across the nation.”

Beyond the permanent visual evidence of human development, xed anchors would attract more climbers looking for bolted routes and concentrate use in sensitive habitats.

SEE JOHNSON, P9

Columnists & Guest Commentaries

Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of the Courier.

We welcome letters to the editor. Please include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone. Email letters to kfiore@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Deadline Wed. for the following week’s paper.

Debbie Ford

There’s a certain cliché about big things coming in small packages, but over the years that has become increasingly true with regards to tiny houses and the culture around them. e COVID-19 pandemic and a ordable housing crisis have both contributed to more people investigating the myriad uses of tiny homes, and all signs point to that number rising.

For those who are already fans of tiny homes or are eager to learn more, the Colorado Tiny House Festival is back for the sixth year to provide all the information and exploration anyone could want.

“We’ll have more than 30 structures available to check out this year and a bunch of new builders coming in,” said Art Laubach, organizer of the festival. “We have a lot of variety and new stu for people to see, especially with how much our industry has grown since COVID.”

e Colorado Tiny House Festival will be held at Riverdale Regional Park, 9755 Henderson Road in Brighton, on Saturday, June 24 and Sunday, June 25. e festival is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days.

According to provided information, the festival is the largest tiny house and alternative living event in the region and allows attendees to explore some of the di erent tiny home options, chat with experts in the elds of homebuilding, sustainable living and longtime tiny home residents, and sample

JOHNSON

at impact is harmful enough, but the bill also sends a loud message: Recreation interests are more important than preserving the small bit of Wilderness we have left.

What’s coming next is clear. Some mountain bikers, led by the Sustainable Trails Coalition, have introduced legislation to exempt mountain bikes from the prohibition on mechanized travel in Wilderness.

en there are the trail runners who want exemptions from the ban on commercial trail racing. Drone pilots and hang-gliders also want their forms of aircraft exempted.

What’s confounding is that climbing is already allowed in Wilderness. is bill is simply about using xed bolts to climb as opposed to using removable protection. at’s apparently confusing to some people.

An article in the Salt Lake Tribune went so far as to wrongly state that, “a ban on anchors would be tantamount to a ban on climbing in wilderness areas.”

But now, even some climbers are pushing back. e Montana writer George Ochenski, known for his decades of rst ascents in Wilderness, calls the Tribune’s position “Total bullsh*t.” In an e-mail, he said bolt-

Tiny homes, big potential

COMING ATTRACTIONS

the wares of vendors and local eateries.

While tiny homes are designed to be used as more permanent residences, there are plenty of options on the recreational side of things for travelers to explore.

“Tiny homes are built more like foundation homes and are built as four-season structures with typical home materials,” Laubach said. “But there is the camper van side, which is something we’re seeing more people interested in, especially with the work-from-home options that followed COVID-19.”

Young people are particularly getting interested in recreational vehicles like teardrop campers and camper vans, as well as converting old vans or school buses into something they can take out on the road.

“With camper vans, it’s much easier to be o the grid and there are so many opportunities for travel,” Laubach said. ese small structures are great because they allow people to do many of the same things they’d do at home without investing in another vehicle.”

Regardless of if you’re looking to invest in a tiny home or camper van or just want to see what kind of vehicles people have built for themselves, there’s plenty to enlighten at the festi-

ing routes “bring ‘sport climbing’ into the wilderness when it belongs in the gym or on non-wilderness rocks.”

For decades, many climbers have advocated for a marriage of climbing and wilderness ethics. In Chouinard Equipment’s rst catalog, Patagonia founder and legendary climber Yvon Chouinard called for an ethic of “clean climbing” that comes from “the exercise of moral restraint and individual responsibility.”

We don’t like to think of recreation as consumptive, but it consumes the diminishing resource of space. And protected space is in short supply as stressors on the natural world increase. With every “user group” demand, the refuge for wild animals grows smaller. Meanwhile, a startling number of our animal counterparts have faded into extinction.

As someone who loves trail running, I understand the allure of wedding a love of wild places with the love of adventure and sport. But I’ve also come to see that the ip side of freedom is restraint, and Wilderness needs our restraint more than ever.

Dana Johnson is a contributor to Writers on the Range, writersontherange.org, an independent nonpro t dedicated to spurring lively conversation about the West. She is a sta attorney and policy director for Wilderness Watch, a national wilderness nonpro t.

val.

“We want people to see how livable these structures are and see them as viable living solutions,” Laubach said. “People are also encouraged to think outside the box in terms of recreation — there are more options than huge RVs.”

Tickets and information can be found at https://coloradotinyhousefestival.com/.

Pop culture HQ arrives in Denver

Fan Expo Denver provides hardcore nerds, pop culture obsessives and casual fans the opportunity to immerse themselves in all things fandom. Over years, the event has grown in scope and reputation to the point where massive celebrities like Hayden Christensen, Danny Trejo and Neve Campbell will be on hand, as will artists, cosplayers and vendors of all kinds. It’s one of the most fun weekends of the entire year and it’s back at the Colorado Convention Center, 700 14th St. in Denver, from Friday, June 30 through Sunday, July 2.

Find all the details at https://fanexpohq.com/fanexpodenver/.

Walker Fine Art reforges connection with nature

Humans have found creative ways to explore their connection to nature for as long as we’ve made art. Our relationship to the natural world is constantly evolving and as we’ve seen over the last few years, it’s a fragile

relationship we need to do everything we can to protect.

In Coalescing Connections, the latest exhibition at Walker Fine Art, 300 W. 11th Ave., No. A, in Denver, seven artists —Julie Anderson, Mark Penner Howell, Sara Sanderson, Brian Comber, Cara Enteles, Sharon Strasburg and Norman Epp— have the opportunity to explore their connection with nature.

Get all the details about the show at www.walker neart.com/coalescingconnections.

Clarke’s Concert of the Week — Zach Bryan at Red Rocks

ere are few things a musician can do that is as powerful as taking the stage at Rocks and commanding the stage. As you can hear on last year’s excellent live recording, “All My Homies Hate Ticketmaster,”Zach Bryan is just that kind of musician. e Oklahomabased country star has made a huge name for himself in short order and he’s truly one of the most exciting artists working in the genre.

Bryan and his band will be returning to Red Rocks, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway in, Morrison, for two nights — 8 p.m. on Monday, June 26 and Tuesday, June 27. He’ll be joined by opener Jonathan Peyton.

Find ticket at www.axs.com.

Clarke Reader’s column on culture appears on a weekly basis. He can be reached at Clarke.Reader@hotmail. com.

OBITUARIES

July 6, 1946 - April 13, 2023

Patricia Sorensen of Evergreen, Colorado, passed away at the age of 76 on April 13, 2023 after a valiant battle with cancer. Patricia was a successful businesswoman, equestrian, adventure athlete, dog lover, poet, painter, and lover of unspoiled wild places.

To say Patricia lived life full gas is an understatement. She was a groundbreaker in many ways. She was one of the rst women to graduate from the formerly all-male Notre Dame University. She held four university degrees. She guided whitewater river trips in Alaska. Most recently, she made a name for herself in a male-dominated industry.

When she wasn’t ensuring her clients’ nancial futures, Patricia was always in motion. She was an avid mountain biker, skier, swimmer, and traveler. Her dogs, Terra and later Willy, were her constant adventure companions. Patricia also spent many hours exploring the Colorado backcountry on her horse, Spirit — a Kiger Mustang with a heart just as adventurous as Patricia’s. One of Patricia’s passions was nature, and preserving the Earth. She would often say, “Take care

of the planet for me after I’m gone.”

In fact, green investing was the cornerstone of her nancial planning business. For 30+ years, Patricia built a thriving business and nurtured her clients’ nest eggs with a keen eye on the market and an unwavering dedication to investing in companies that don’t just say they’re “green” but walk the talk. She loved her business and her clients. Even throughout her battle with cancer, even on the worst days, she would say, “I have to get my newsletter out.”

All are welcome to join in a celebration of Patricia’s life in one of the places she treasured most: the barn where she kept her beloved Spirit. Come say hi to Spirit. Breathe in the crisp mountain air. Remember a truly extraordinary woman.

Sunday, June 25

10:00AM

6031 Bluebell Lane, Evergreen, CO 80439. In lieu of owers, please consider a donation in Patricia’s memory to Sea Shepherd at https://seashepherd.org/

SORENSEN Patricia Sorensen

Clarke Reader

HAPPENINGS

features birds, insects and other ying creatures. e gallery is open daily from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. For more information, visit www.shadowmountaingallery.com.

WEDNESDAY

EPRD summer concert series:  e Evergreen Park & Recreation district will host four concerts starting at 4:30 p.m. this summer: June 28: Kyle O’Brien & Friends at Evergreen Lake; July 12: Blood Brothers at the Buchanan Park elds; July 26: May Be Fern at Evergreen Lake; and Aug. 9: Cass Clayton Band at Buchanan Park elds.

Enduro Mountain Bike Event: Team Evergreen will host an Enduro Mountain Bike event on June 28 and July 5 at Floyd Hill Open Space. For more information, visit www.teamevergreen.org/ oyduro.

and 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets for the show cost $25 and are available on Eventbrite.

Freedom Run:  e Freedom Run sponsored by Mount Evans Home Health Care & Hospice will host the 5K run walk starting at 8 a.m. Tuesday, July 4, starting at Evergreen Middle School and ending at Evergreen Athletic Club. Tickets are $40 in advance or $50 on race day for adults and $20 in advance and $30 on race day for youth under 18. For more information and to register, visit freedomrunrace.org.

Free legal clinic: A free legal clinic for people with no attorney will be from 2 to 5 p.m. ursday, July 6. Volunteer attorneys will answer questions, help ll out forms, and explain the process and procedure for all areas of civil litigation. Preregistration for individual 15-minute appointments is available by calling 303-235-5275.

Camp Comfort Weekend

Camp: Mount Evans Home Health Care & Hospice’s Camp Comfort for children 6-12 who have lost a loved one will be July 7-9 at the Rocky Mountain Village Easter Seals Camp, 2644 Alvarado Road, Empire. Cost is free for all children thanks to donors, but a $25 deposit is required per child to hold their spot. Visit campcomfort.org for more information and to register.

Cost is free for all children thanks to donors, but a $25 deposit is required per child to hold their spot. Visit campcomfort.org for more information and to register.

Triple Bypass:  e Triple Bypass Bike Ride is on July 22 starting in Evergreen and ending in Avon. For more information and to register, visit www.triplebypass.org.

“Footloose the Musical”: Stagedoor eater will perform “Footloose the Musical” directed by Jo Gerlick July 28-Aug. 6 at the theater, 25797 Conifer, Road, Conifer. Performances are at 7 p.m. July 28-29 and Aug. 4-6, and at 2 p.m. July 30 and Aug. 6. Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for seniors, educators and students. For more information and tickets, visit

Barbed wire removal: Wild Aware is sponsoring volunteer barbed wire removal days at DeDisse Park from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on July 22 and Aug. 19. For more information, visit wildaware.org.

Evergreen Jazz Festival: e Evergreen Jazz Festival will be July 28-30 at several venue in Evergreen with bands from around the country playing swing, blues, Dixieland and more. For information on bands, performances and tickets, visit EvergreenJazz.org.

ONGOING

Adult grief support group: Mount Evans Home Health Care & Hospice is o ering a seven-week in-person adult grief support group. e next group starts June 1 and runs every ursday through July 20, with no session on July 6. e group will meet from 2-3 p.m. at the Mount Evans o ce, 3081 Bergen Peak Road, Evergreen. Reservations are required. Call 303-674-6400 to sign up.

Blue Spruce Habitat volunteers needed: Blue Spruce Habitat for Humanity is looking for volunteers. A variety of opportunities and exible schedules are available on new construction sites as well as for exterior minor home repairs. No previous construction experience needed. Contact  volunteer@bluesprucehabitat.org for information.

EChO needs volunteers:  e Evergreen Christian Outreach ReSale Store and food pantry need volunteers. Proceeds from the EChO ReSale Store support the food pantry and programs and services provided by EChO. ere are many volunteer options from which to choose. For more information, call Mary at 720673-4369 or email mary@evergreenchristianoutreach.org.

UPCOMING

“Matilda Jr.”:  e Venue eatre will perform “Matilda Jr.” June 29July 1 at the theater, 27132 Main St., Conifer. Performances are at 7 p.m. June 29-30, and at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. July 1. Tickets are $15 and available at thevenuetheatre.org.

All In Ensemble:  e All In Ensemble, a new theatre group committed to diversity, will perform “Sagittarius Ponderosa” by MJ Kaufman for three weekends, June 30 through July 16, at the Roaming Gnome eatre, 10255 E. 25th Ave., Unit 5, Aurora. Performances will be at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights

Fun Day at the Ranch: Wild Aware is sponsoring a family fundraiser from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. July 15 at a ranch just past Alderfer/ ree Sisters Open Space Park. For more information, visit wildaware.com.

Camp Comfort Day Camp: Camp Comfort is Mount Evans Home Health Care & Hospice now o ers day camps for children 6-12 who have lost a loved one at the Golden Community Center, 1470 10th St., Golden. e camps will be July 1719, with drop o between 8 and 8:30 a.m. and pickup between 4 and 4:30 p.m. New this year is a day camp located in the Denver metro area.

Summerfest: Center for the Arts Evergreen’s 43rd annual Summerfest will be from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. July 29-30 at the Buchanan Park elds. Admission is $5, payable at the door. Visit artist and artisan booths, while listening to live music and visiting food trucks. For more information, visit

e Evergreen Area Republican Club:  e Evergreen Area Republican Club will meet at 6 p.m. Aug. 2 at the Evergreen Fire/Rescue Administration Building, 1802 Bergen Parkway. e speaker will be Antonette Smith, deputy state director of Americans for Prosperity. Visit evergreenarearepublicanclub.org for more information.

LGBTQ+ teen book club: Resilience1220 is o ering a LGBTQ+ teen book club that meets from 4-6 p.m. the fourth Monday at the Resilience1220 o ce next to the Buchanan Park Recreation Center. e group’s rst book is “Hell Followed With Us.” For more information and to register, visit R1220.org.

Hiwan Museum summer hours: Hiwan Museum is open for tours from noon-4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from noon-4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Outdoor self-guided tours are available at any time. Large groups are encouraged to call 720-497-7653 to make arrangements.

SEE HAPPENINGS, P11

ESA EverGREEN Re ll Station: EverGREEN Re ll Station (re ll your laundry detergent, lotions, soaps and more. We have many sustainable products available).  e Re ll Station is open Wednesdays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and the second Saturday of each month in the Habitat Restore in Bergen Park, 1232 Bergen Parkway.

Support After Suicide

Loss: Heartbeat andResilience1220 o er Support After Suicide Loss from 5:30-7 p.m. the fourth ursday of the month for ages 14 and older. Join in-person or online. Suggest donation is $15. For location, visit R1220.org.

Sensitive Collection: Resilience1220 o ers a monthly workshop for highly sensitive people to help them live healthy and empowered lives from 3:30-4:30 p.m. the third Wednesday of the month via Zoom. Visit R1220.org for more information.

Caregiver support group: Mount Evans Home Health Care & Hospice o ers a monthly group to provide emotional support services for care-

givers helping ill, disabled or elderly loved ones. An in-person support group meets every third Monday from 4-6 p.m. at 3081 Bergen Peak Road, Evergreen. For more information, visit mtevans.org/services/ emotional-support/.

Parkinson’s disease support group: A Parkinson’s disease support group meets the rst Friday of the month from 1-3 p.m. at Evergreen Christian Church, 27772 Iris Drive, Evergreen. For more information, email esears@parkinsonrockies.org.

Mountain Foothills Rotary meetings: Mountain Foothills Rotary meets at 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays both in person at Mount Vernon Canyon Club at 24933 Club House Circle, Genesee, and via Zoom. Join the Zoom meeting at https://us02web. zoom.us/j/81389224272, meeting ID 813 8922 4272, phone 346-248-7799.

Beyond the Rainbow: Resilience1220 o ers Beyond the Rainbow, which is two support groups that meet from 7-8:30 p.m. the second Wednesday of the month. One is a safe group for those 12-20 and the other is group for parents and caregivers wanting support for raising an LGBTQ child. To RSVP, contact Lior Alon at lior@wisetreewellness.com.

BY TAYLER SHAW TSHAW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

When people think of horses, they might associate them with ranch living, horse racing or recreational riding, but horses can be therapeutic, too.  erapy takes many forms, from physical to mental. Some people travel to a ranch to work with horses as part of the therapeutic process.

Equine-assisted therapy was something Arvada native Kelsey Petitt discovered while studying occupational therapy at Pima Medical Institute in Denver. Having grown up riding horses, it immediately caught her attention.

“I just, kind of, was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is the coolest thing ever. I can combine my true passion of horses and really being able to help and assist participants and patients with doing therapy and reaching their functional goals while also having fun with horses and having that relationship,’” Petitt said.

Although she knew immediately that equine-assisted therapy was something she wanted to pursue, she did not do so immediately. Following her schooling and clinical internships, she quickly began working and then had her daughter.

However, in 2021 Petitt, who now lives in Brighton, decided to establish the Brighton-based Prestige erapeutic Equestrian Center, o ering an occupational therapy program that brings the four-legged companions into the practice.

“Now, I’m going on 11 years of being a therapist and so it’s taken me a little bit of time to get back to, really, what I wanted to do,” said Petitt, who also works as an occupational therapy assistant for a company called erapeutic and Rehabilitative Associates.

Her purpose, like many other therapists incorporating horses into their practice, is clear: “Transforming lives through the therapeutic power of horses.”

Bringing horses into occupational therapy

Occupational therapists help people develop skills so that they can perform day-to-day tasks such as bathing, dressing and eating, as well as techniques to aid in memory and concentration, according to the American Occupational erapy Association.

For example, occupational therapists may work on a person’s ne motor skills, such as being able to button a jacket or holding a fork, Petitt said.

ey also work on sensory integration, which she said usually comes up when working with someone who is on the autism spectrum.

Another example of work they do is helping someone with their feeding skills, such as for patients with Parkinson’s disease who experience a lot of tremors. Improving core strength may also be a focus for patients, such as for someone who struggles to put their shirt on due to a lack of strength.

“ ere’s an array of di erent settings that you can get into in the occupational therapy eld, but I think for me, the equine-assisted movement is just something that I’ve always loved,” she said. “Horses are just so therapeutic in general, for anybody.”

e term “hippotherapy” refers to how occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech-language pathology professionals use equine movement as a therapy tool, according to the American Hippotherapy Association.

To use hippotherapy in treatment, a person must be a licensed therapist who has completed continuing education in the inclusion of horses and equine movement, per the association. Petitt has gotten her rst level of training with the association, and she plans to continue with her training this fall.

However, Petitt explained that she does not refer to herself as a hippotherapist because hippotherapy is not its own therapy.

“We’re not hippotherapists,” she said. “Hippotherapy is utilizing the horse. All of our treatments are either occupational therapy, speech therapy or physical therapy, and we’re just using the horse as a treatment tool, basically.”

With her clients, she said she is working on all of the same therapy interventions that she would be in a therapy gym or in an outpatient program, but instead she’s now doing it by having her clients get onto a horse and incorporating the horse’s movement into the treatment.

“We work o the horse’s pelvis, so their pelvis is very similar to ours,” she said.  ere are di erent planes for the horse in the way that their pelvis moves — the sagittal plane, frontal plane and transverse plane, she said.

“We’re working on that constantly, so when we have our riders on the horse, they’re also working on that. And it’s one of the most multi-dimensional movement(s) that’s rhythmic and repetitive,” she said.

For someone experiencing conditions such as limited mobility, limited core strength, cognitive delays, or sensory processing disorders, “it can really just kind of help bene t and improve all of those elements,” she said of equine-assisted therapy.

According to a study published in the international journal, Physiotherapy eory and Practice, there are “signicant positive e ects” of equine-assisted therapy on exercise tolerance, mobility, interpersonal interactions and quality of life of people with disabilities.

Another study focused on the ef-

fects of equine-assisted activities and therapies for individuals on the autism spectrum and concluded that these programs “substantially improve” the social and behavioral functions of people who are on the autism spectrum.

“Communication is pretty key, too … because horses mirror us, so a lot of our participants can learn a lot more speech and communication successfully with the horses, which is really great,” she said.

Petitt has three horses she works with. e horse a client is paired with is dependent on their individual needs, she explained.

“Part of what’s so cool is because we can kind of tailor it to that participant, that patient, and kind of really work on what we need to work on with them,” she said. “ eir postural control, sensory systems, motor planning.”

In a typical therapy gym for occupational therapy, Petitt said there are tools such as a swing, a ball and a mat to use for the session. However, these do not provide the same level of sensory input and rhythmic, consistent movement that equine-assisted therapy can, which she said is great at building overall strength, control and balance.

“We can work in the therapy gym all day but the bene ts and the outcomes that we’re seeing while doing therapy

A young girl works on her skills at the Prestige Therapeutic Equestrian Center.

Therapists describe how they incorporate horses into their practice

Sage is one of the horses at the Prestige Therapeutic Equestrian Center. PHOTOS COURTESY OF PRESTIGE THERAPEUTIC EQUESTRIAN CENTER

HEALING

on the horses are just so much more transformative and more meaningful than we can get in the gym,” she said.

Looking ahead, Petitt said she hopes to soon expand her team to include a physical therapist.

“And then I’m really hoping to hire a speech therapist as well, because riding the horses … there’s so much to do with our respiration rate when we’re riding them,” she said. “What that can do for speech language pathologists is really help with that physiological system of how we talk.”

At the Prestige erapeutic Equestrian Center, Petitt also o ers “therapeutic horseback riding,” which she explained is not a professional therapy service but is rather like a recreational sport where individuals learn riding skills. is experience can, in turn, lead to other bene ts such as helping deal with anxiety.

However, when it comes to getting professional therapy treatment for mental health conditions like coping with trauma, grief, abuse, or other challenging experiences, community members have an equinebased option — the therapists with Rocky Mountain Equine Assisted Psychotherapy, LLC.

Horses and psychotherapy

Carina Kellenberger and Dana Schultz, both licensed clinical social workers who grew up loving horses, established Rocky Mountain Equine Assisted Psychotherapy in 2013.

Schultz, who lives near Superior, and Kellenberger, who lives in Longmont, primarily practice at the Happy Dog Ranch in the Littleton area and at Medicine Horse in Boulder.

“We are licensed clinical social workers that have a trauma-specialty focus in … equine therapy,” Schultz said, explaining they do formal intakes and development clinical-based treatment plans.

ere is a di erence between equine-assisted therapy and equine-facilitated therapy, Kellenberger noted.

“When we rst started our business back in 2013, the word ‘equine-facilitated learning and psychotherapy’ did not exist, but that is the work we are doing,” Kellenberger said. “Equine-facilitated psychotherapy and learning means that the horse — the relationship with the horse is the vehicle for change.”

Under the practice of equine-facilitated psychotherapy, it is the client’s relationship and connection with the animal that is moving the sessions forward, she said.

“ e di erence between the learning and the psychotherapy are, like, a lot of the group work is mainly more learning because we’re not really diving into personal issues and we’re keeping it a little more surface level,” Kellenberger said. “But (in) the psychotherapy … we go as deep just like any o ce therapist would.”

Equine-assisted therapy is di erent because while horses are incorporated into the practice, the client’s relationship with them is not the driving force, she said. Rather, the horses are more of a tool component of the therapy.

“ ey might be being used more as a metaphor or as a way to help move through an activity, but they’re not — the relationship with the animal isn’t the central piece,” she added. “In the facilitated work that we do with our clients, it’s the relationship as the primary drive and the connection with the horse.”

Kellenberger and Schultz may use an equinefacilitated or an equine-assisted therapy approach when treating a client, as it depends on what the client is seeking, Schultz said. Kellenberger added that equine-assisted therapy is bene cial as an assessment tool.

Both Schultz and Kellenberger received certi cation in animal-assisted social work from the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Social Work, as

well as completed training through the organization Natural Lifemanship in trauma-focused equineassisted psychotherapy.

“A lot of our clients, they’re coming to us because they’ve experienced trauma, and so we’re making sure that everything that we’re doing is through that lens as well,” Kellenberger said.

Schultz noted their approach is always using a clinical, evidence-based lens and horses are a part of the team. She works with clients to identify their primary goals and the horse becomes their partner in that journey.

“We know that therapy is hard and incredibly personal, and it’s a di cult journey for people to admit, like, ‘Hey, I need help.’ And so one of the things that we always do is provide our potential clients with a free meet-and-greet,” Schultz said, explaining the person can visit the ranch to meet her and hear the elevator pitch.

“Part of that elevator pitch is recognizing how difcult the therapeutic process and journey can be for some, and that the relationship that you have with the therapist is as important as the relationship that you are going to form with your horse,” she added.

Most of the work during therapy sessions is unmounted, Kellenberger said, explaining the clients may do things like grooming the horse, leading the horse or doing other things that help them feel connected to the horse.

Once sessions begin, Schultz said herself and Kellenberger are skilled at identifying patterns in people’s behaviors.

“We basically say, ‘I’m noticing this pattern. Is it helpful or not?’” Schultz said, explaining they use the identi cation of patterns to build rapport and trust with clients before then delving deeper into working through their trauma.

e trauma a lot of their clients experience is a ecting the way they show up in their human relationships, Kellenberger said.

“Working with the horses — who are prey animals and are highly sensitive and attuned to our intentions, our emotions — they make excellent partners in this work, because they are able to kind of mirror or … show the patterns that people have in the same way that a human would,” Kellenberger said.

Schultz noted that the work being done during these therapy sessions happens in the moment, providing an opportunity for real-time change.

“Our horses … they are not magical unicorn creatures. ey are going to ignore our clients. ey are going to resist,” Schultz said. “And the client is going to, you know, respond or react.

“And that’s kind of what we’re observing and saying, ‘Hey, is this pattern helpful for you? Because it’s happening right here, right now. So, right now, in this moment, you’re feeling frustrated, you’re feeling abandoned, you’re feeling unheard, (or) you’re feeling whatever. What can we do right now in this moment to help shift the way that you’re feeling to a more balanced thought?’” she continued.

ese therapy sessions provide a way for clients to, in a safe space, start

to make changes to those patterns and feel more comfortable not only in their relationship to the horse but in their relationships with people, explained Kellenberger.

“ e actual brain starts to change while they’re working with the animal,” Kellenberger said. “And horses are really great at this, also, because they are prey animals. ey are looking for vulnerability and congruence from us because that’s how they keep themselves safe in the wild.”

“If a client is really holding back an emotion, they’re being incongruent, you’ll see the reaction from the horse in that way,” she continued. “As soon as … our clients are able to start to be more congruent in their own bodies, that feels very safe for the horse and that’s where the connections really start to form.”

It is through this real-time therapy work with the horse that the clients can begin to learn how to transfer the shifts in their approach into their everyday lives, Schultz explained.

“Having done this for 10 years, I can tell you, we have seen so many clients who come in and they’re like, ‘I’ve tried everything else. Nothing else works,’” Schultz said. “We see clients, I think, for a shorter period of time, I think, on average, than maybe what a traditional talk therapist in an o ce setting would see because it isn’t so retroactive or future-oriented.”

Kellenberger added, “It’s kind of just eye-opening, and it can unlock patterns that people didn’t know that they had that they’ve been working on for years in the o ce. So I would say that the horses are amazing partners because they are so sensitive and they can show us a lot about ourselves pretty quickly.”

Spreading the word

All three therapists expressed a desire to raise awareness of the existence of their practices and how it can help people.

“It’s as good as … any other therapy, and you don’t need horse experience to do it,” Schultz said. “It’s not just for any speci c type of person.”

Schultz said when she and Kellenberger entered into the industry, it was small and many people did not really understand it.

“ ere were so many people, especially when we were rst getting started, that were just kind of doing backyard therapy that were not therapists,” Kellenberger said, explaining that she and Schultz wanted to put their mental health degrees at the forefront of their work and help the eld gain notoriety.

“Because we were seeing the really great work that can be done when you’re doing it correctly,” she added, advising people to do their research and look for licensed therapists.    Schultz highlighted that this type of therapy is for everyone, saying they have clients ranging from the ages of 7 to 78.

“It’s inspiring. I’m inspired by my clients to, you know, for me to keep my training up, to be the best I can be because they’re showing up to do the hard work,” Schultz said.

In her work in occupational therapy, Petitt shared how powerful it is to see clients transform throughout equineassisted therapy sessions.

“It’s just so cool to see them being able to accomplish the things that they weren’t able to accomplish before,” she said. “Raising awareness of what we do is so important and amazing to help our riders grow.”  “It’s just amazing what horses do for us,” Petitt said. “ ey’re so inspiring.”

BY STAVROS KORONEOS

Repeat of-fence

CONIFER – Positively peeved, Peter Parker proposed police probe his persistent picket problem. Petty persons have pulverized his back fence at least three times during the preceding two-week period, Peter piped, each time knocking two or three six-foot pickets out of place, permitting his previously properly penned pups to peregrinate onto proximal parkland. Because the pernicious picket-punching always transpires when he’s out of town on business, Parker perceived that o cers might productively pursue the perp by pumping a certain past paramour, whom he portrayed as purportedly “crazy” and presumably “vengeful.” Deputies promptly promised periodic patrols of proper propinquity.

In vino indulgere

EVERGREEN – Delighted to see wine for sale at his local grocery, but a little short on scratch, the opportunistic oenophile snagged a bottle of Bordeaux from a display rack and threw himself a party-of-one in the public washroom. e manager was willing to forgive his rst free tasting, and his second and even his third, but when a fourth liter of libation was lost to the lavatory on May 14, he decided it was time to apply an

o cial cork. e toilet-top tippler told deputies he’d merely stopped by the grocery for “a couple of drinks” of the soft variety. Deputies told him he shouldn’t stop by anymore because he’s formally trespassed from the premises.

Queso closed EVERGREEN – Employee was busily building burritos on the afternoon of May 14 when Supervisor told him he was building the burritos “too large.” Employee clocked out and went home. Supervisor called JCSO, telling deputies that, before he left, Employee “pulled up his shirt” to reveal what Supervisor took for the butt of a pistol sticking out of his waistband. Supervisor said he “wasn’t afraid,” just “a little alarmed.” e way Employee remembered it, he and Supervisor got into an argument over Supervisor being late for work, and that Supervisor told him to go home because there were already “enough (people) working the food line.” In any case, Employee insisted, he never ashed, nor has ever owned, a handgun. Deeming the case more a personnel problem than a public one, deputies vamoosed.

Counting the hours

EVERGREEN – More curious than anything, an o ce employee went to the boss with a question about her time card. In order to answer it,

the boss ran a payroll “audit report” on her computer. e audit report answered the employee’s question but raised a bigger one by casting some long-overdue light on the comings and goings of a di erent employee hereinafter referred to as Shady Sadie. After poring over the 17-page cyber-assessment, the boss concluded that Sadie had been “adjusting her time card anywhere from three to six times a day for the past several years” — since long before the boss was even the boss, in fact. As near as could be calculated, Sadie had “adjusted” her way into at least 32 hours of unmerited pay totaling an unearned $800.00. Armed with those damning numbers, the boss had resolved to re Sadie at her rst opportunity. Possibly wise to her boss’s intention, Sadie had been doggedly depriving her of the opportunity, calling in sick every day rather than facing the music. When the boss asked her attorney if she could re Sadie in absentia, the lawyer said she should probably le a police report about the timecard-skimming rst in case Sadie refuses to go quietly. e boss led the appropriate report but declined to press charges.

Suspicions confirmed

SOUTH JEFFCO – While discreetly tailing Bonnie and Clyde around the store, the store detective followed them into the electronics depart-

ment where Bonnie selected seven Blu-ray discs from the shelf before ambling on into the less-public housewares department. As the security specialist watched, Bonnie placed the discs in her purse and made a beeline for the front door, which is where he headed her o , which is when Clyde abandoned his fetching partner-in-crime like the Mary Celeste. Confronted by deputies in the security o ce, Bonnie admitted the theft, and further admitted it wasn’t her rst trip to the store’s complimentary electronics bu et. Like a dutiful henchgirl, Bonnie refused to divulge Clyde’s full identity, and when o cers looked in her purse to nd con rmation of her own, they found the bag completely empty (SOP for savvy shoplifters) except for a pair of brass knuckles (OMG! WWYT?). Deputies asked Bonnie if she was aware that brass knuckles are proscribed in Colorado. “I had my suspicions,” she replied, “but never con rmed them.” Deputies were pleased to provide the conrmation Bonnie sought, along with citations for theft and possession of an illegal weapon.

Le Chevalier Galant

CONIFER – Fur was ying on the afternoon of May 26 when Queenie took her bulldog, Princess, for a walk around the block. Somewhere

DIVERSIFY RETIREMENT STRATEGIES

between front door and doody, dog and driver encountered another mixed pair and Princess immediately displayed her imperial displeasure by “attacking” the hapless hound, much to the dismay of its handler. Hearing the clash from the parapet of his nearby keep, Mr. Knight came at a gallop, a broom in his hand and angry oaths on his lips, and attempted to keep Princess from contusing the cowering canine. When the parties were at last separated, Mr. Knight called Je co Animal Control to report Queenie’s careless comportment, and Queenie called the Je co Sheri ’s o ce to report that Mr. Knight had been “foaming at the mouth,” and had “yelled” at her and “charged” at her and “threatened to kill me and my dog.” In the end

it came down to Queenie’s word against Mr. Knight’s, and seeing as how no one, pet or person, had su ered injury during the imbroglio, deputies left the case in Animal Control’s hands.

Portnoy’s complaint

SOUTH TURKEY CREEK – In spring a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love, and on May 25 young Portnoy didn’t hesitate to send compromising photographs of his youthful ardor to a coquettish Snapchat acquaintance tagged “Hanna.” Sadly, Hanna’s fancy turned more to money than romance, and after rst sending Portnoy screenshots of all of his friends, she coldly informed him that if he didn’t wire her $150 pronto, she would send his images au naturel thence. oughts turning heavily to impending humiliation, Portnoy sent her the cash by gift card only to discover that she’d sent dissemi-

nated the salacious snaps anyway. It wasn’t until a man that may or may not have been “Hanna” called him on the phone demanding an additional $50 via Venmo that Portnoy nally sought JCSO relief. Deputies collected all available information regarding the underhanded Hanna for the department’s cyber crime unit, and Portnoy tried to collect what remained of his dignity.

Back door bargains

EVERGREEN – Finding after hours anchorage in a Big Box parking lot, before retiring on the May 25 a road-weary Peter Bilt took one last peep out of his sleeper’s porthole just as a woman was pushing an over-burdened shopping cart out of the store’s unattended rear emergency exit. Waiting until she reached a solitary SUV parked in a poorly lit corner of the lot and made ready to transfer cargo, Peter leapt from his truck intending to disrupt what he

took to be major case of shoplifting. Observing herself to be observed, the woman instantly abandoned her booty, climbed into the SUV, and sailed out of the parking lot and over the horizon. Peter noti ed both JCSO and store security, but was unable to give a detailed description of the woman or her vehicle due to conditions of extreme night. Glad to recover the small mountain of merchandise, security personnel declined further o cial assistance pending a review of store surveillance tapes.

Sheri ’s Calls is intended as a humorous take on some of the incident call records of the Je erson County Sheri ’s O ce for the mountain communities. Names and identifying details have been changed, including the writer’s name, which is a pseudonym. All individuals are innocent until proven guilty.

Flourishing through flower therapy

Brooks Floral & Co. workshops provide space to connect and process grief

BY ELICIA HESSELGRAVE SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

“We laugh, cry and share memories knowing it’s OK to not be OK.”

ese are the words of Kaitlin Christenson Austin, a Denverite who started her small oral design business to honor her older brother. Her story is one of healing through owers.

Austin started Brooks Floral & Co. in September 2021, roughly three months after her older brother, Brooks Christenson, died unexpectedly at age 36 when COVID-19 rapidly turned into pneumonia.

“I feel so connected to him through this and I know he is so proud,” Austin said.

Austin grew up in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, in a close-knit family of four children. Brooks was the oldest, followed by siblings Jon, Kaitlin and MarieClaire.

Brooks and Kaitlin were connected on a deep level, said their father, Bob Christenson of Sioux Falls.

“Of all the kids, they were the two most bonded by the spirituality of

the human condition, and I think (Kaitlin) is expressing that in what she’s doing with owers,” Bob Christenson said.

He added that their bond continues to grow — even now that Brooks is gone.

“ ey had a good relationship,” Bob Christenson said. “ ey still do, because she’s doing these things that involve him.”

Austin expanded her business in April 2022 when she opened a studio on South Broadway in Denver’s Platt Park neighborhood. Brooks Floral & Co. specializes in weddings and pop-up events, but it’s the intimate oral design workshops that gives Austin great pride.

e workshops promote healing through “ ower therapy,” Austin said.

She begins each workshop session with her story and the inspiration for Brooks Floral & Co. en she opens the oor to attendees who would like to share a story. Austin believes designing oral arrangements is like meditation because one has to become intentional and re ective. is type of environment has been successful in allowing people to open up, she said. e workshops close with a gift — writing a mantra on a card to set an intention and a reminder for people to see the beauty in themselves. hard.

“Avoiding it doesn’t make it go

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away,” Austin said. “Life goes on and for individuals experiencing loss, but are intended to provide a safe space

Kaitlin Christenson Austin hosts a private flower therapy workshop for friends and family in South Dakota. Today, Austin hosts these workshops in her studio space in Denver through her business, Brooks Floral & Co. The workshops are open to anyone in the community and aren’t specifically for individuals experiencing loss, but are intended to o er a safe space for healing.

COURTESY OF IRONWOOD CO.

SEE FLOWERS, P20 for

CELEBRATING THE CHAMPIONS

you.”

BY JOHN RENFROW JRENFROW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

e Hatch family from Northglenn never misses a Denver Nuggets game, if they can help it. ey’ve been dedicated fans since moving to Colorado in 2011 and when the team won its rst NBA championship this week, they knew they’d be at the parade on ursday.

“We never really expected to actually win the championship, but we were hopeful for one,” Ariel Hatch said. “It’s amazing!”

e family of ve were among the estimated 700,000 to one million fans to descend on downtown on June 15 to bask in the glory of the a Nuggets NBA title that was more than 50 years in the making.

ere, they had the chance to see Finals MVP Nikola Jokic, who famously said he wanted to go home to Serbia following the title-clinching victory on June 12.

Instead, he was in a white Denver re truck with No. 15 in gold letters and his name, the missing Finals MVP trophy nearby. When he nally found his way through the crowd to a podium, the crowd erupted.

“You know that I told you I didn’t want to stay for parade,” Jokic addressed the crowd. “But I [expletive] want to stay for parade. is is the best. We love you, Denver. is is for

He was one of many Nuggets players at the parade. Also there was Head Coach Mike Malone, staers, cheerleaders and Rocky the mascot – showered with love, beer, and cheers from the masses as they passed on a procession of re trucks.

David Zuckerman brought his two kids down from the Boulder area to see the spectacle. He said he is thrilled Denver can o cially be called “Champion City” after seeing both the Avalanche hockey team and Nuggets win titles in back-toback years.

He said the Nuggets are more than a Denver team. ey’re a Colorado team.

“It’s exciting for everyone to be moving in the same direction for something positive, especially considering the Avalanche won last year (also),” Zuckerman said.

Taylor Wright has lived in Denver’s Capitol Hill neighborhood for eight years after moving from Kentucky.

ough he’s watched lots of great basketball from the Nuggets, and has become a self-proclaimed diehard fan, he wasn’t sure if they could really win a championship until recently.

“After the performance in the NBA bubble in 2020, it seemed more realistic,” he said. “It’s unreal to witness a franchise winning its rst championship, though.”

Ashley Guss of Adams County said her family has been strong Nuggets fans since the J.R. Smith days, and to see a championship come to fruition is surreal.

“I knew as soon as we went up in

the nals series that we were coming out here for the parade to celebrate,” Guss said. “It’s been a long time coming for this team, and you can see that in the amount of people who came out today.”

Stan Jacobsen from Evergreen agrees.

“Watching these guys this whole season really shows how much they deserve to win it. It’s great to see them get what they’ve worked so hard for. e fans here have really embraced the entire team,” Jacobsen said.

Festivities kicked o with a prerally at Civic Center Park at 9 a.m., followed by the parade at 10 a.m. that traveled from Union Station to Civic Center Park.

During the parade, players and coaches signed merchandise. ey

Celebrating 41Years

even hopped o the oats to interact with the crowd. Several players and coaches addressed the massive congregation at Civic Center Park.

“Life’s about moments,” Coach Malone said. “We have people that have been supporting this team for 47 years … We’re some greedy [expletive], baby. We’re getting another one. It’s hitting me right now. For me, to share it with our fans, that means the world to me. is is an amazing experience. Something that I believed in. I had no doubt that we’d get to this point.”

Fans from all the corners of Colorado came. ey hailed from Fort Collins in the north to Pueblo in the south to Grand Junction in the west. ey might as well rename the team the Colorado Nuggets.

MEET JAX!

From left: Reece, Ariel, Callie, Lillie and Crystal Hatch pose for a photo after the Denver Nuggets championship parade. The family made the trip from Northglenn.

Nuggets player Bruce Brown shows some love to the crowd at the beginning of the parade.

PHOTOS BY JOHN RENFROW

Fans who braved crowds for Nuggets victory parade not disappointed

60 + Artists. Rustic, mountain, Southwestern, Western, & native art, including paintings, jewelry, sculpture, pottery, glass, photography, and much more!

Artwork by Marilyn Quigley, Mike McGinnis, Carol Hatathlie

A LETTER TO OUR READERS AND ADVERTISERS

To our supporters:

At Colorado Community Media, we’re proud to be your go-to source of local news and advertising in the rich tapestry of growing communities in the Denver metro area and beyond. In recent weeks, we’ve brought you the news of spring ooding and its a ermath, the growing number of property valuation appeals and celebrations surrounding the Nuggets’ historic win.

We know our subscribers appreciate getting their news in many ways, from digital newsletters to timely updates on our website to printed newspapers delivered to your door. We’re committed to ensuring that continues, even as the media industry evolves and faces challenges.

We recently learned the facility that prints all of CCM’s newspapers, located in Pueblo, will be closing in August. In recent years, as newspaper circulation has declined, the costs associated with printing and distributing newspapers have increased dramatically, forcing press facilities across the country to close or consolidate.

is press closure presents a challenge for us, to be sure, but our commitment to continuing to print the newspapers you depend on remains unwavering. We have not yet identi ed a solution to ful ll the demand starting in August, but we are determined to nd innovative ways to solve it.

And we aren’t alone: We’re working toward a long-term approach by collaborating with partners throughout Colorado. By joining forces, we believe we can identify solutions that not only address this immediate challenge but also provide for future viability.

What does this mean for our subscribers and advertisers? Our goal is to nd a solution that ensures a seamless transition for your reader experience. We are evaluating every available option, and we are committed to keeping you informed as we go through this process.

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ank you, as always, for your support of local news. We welcome questions and comments, and we’ll be sure to keep you informed in the weeks ahead as we identify a new printer.

Linda Shapley

Elizabeth Hansen Shapiro Publisher, Colorado Community Media CEO, e National Trust for Local News

ey are designed for any skill level and participants don’t need to consider themselves creative or have any background in designing oral arrangements. Attendees learn oral design tips, tricks and techniques, but Austin does not use a model bouquet.

“ at would take away the beauty of personalization,” she said. “Each design ends up uniquely di erent.”

Centennial’s Caroline Neale attended her rst oral design workshop with Austin earlier this year, in part due to a New Year’s Resolution — to focus time on her passion of oral design. She said she was attracted to Austin’s workshop style and the workshop’s focus on the whole person.

“While I thought I would get instruction, I got so much more,” Neale said. “I found a safe space to explore and connect.”

Austin has only one rule for the workshops. It is to not judge yourself.

“We tend to be really harsh critics of ourselves, but owers don’t judge us,” Austin said. “ ey just ask that we take care of them and appreciate their beauty.”

Fond memories

Bob Christenson described his mother, Jean “Jeannie Bird” Christenson, as a “ ower nut,” and he believes Austin inherited her love of owers through her grandmother.

Austin has fond memories of playing with her siblings and cousins in their grandmother Jeannie Bird’s garden. It was like a maze, Austin said, and they would spend hours exploring it together.

Austin’s late brother, Brooks, loved nature, traveling and adventure, she said. After high school, he spent a year abroad on a Rotary Exchange

Kaitlin Austin was inspired to open her business, Brooks Floral & Co., in honor of her late brother, Brooks, who died in 2021 from complications brought on by COVID-19. Austin expanded her business about a year ago to include a studio space on South Broadway where she hosts flower therapy workshops.

“Whenever I feel imposter syndrome or feel like I’m not enough, I feel his presence guiding me, saying thank you for doing this,” Austin

Flourishing through floral design

During the initial period following Brooks Christenson’s death, the family home was ooded with oral arrangements and plants, transforming it into an indoor garden. ese owers brought comfort during a tragic time, and Austin realized she didn’t want the owers to go to

“Once the owers were gone, it was like a piece of my brother (was, too), in a sense,” she said. “It is therapeutic to still feel connected.”

So, Austin did everything she could to keep the owers alive. She rearranged fresh bouquets to give them a longer lifespan, then dried and pressed the owers and sent them to Brooks’ friends and family who could not be present to honor

Prior to her brother’s death, Austin was a wedding planner. But owers are her true passion, she said. Floral arranging as a creative outlet has helped her process grief and stay connected to her brother’s memory. She wanted to share this with others.

“By combining my creativity, passion and love for owers with education, I’m able to create a community that allows connectedness, kindness, compassion, acceptance and self-love to ourish through oral

plishments, Brooks served as a grant writer and advisor for nonpro ts and

His adventurous spirit is re ected in her asymmetrical and whimsy oral

She knows this mission is something her brother would be proud of. “Flowers can teach us so much about ourselves,” Austin said. “Flowers are nite and there is something really special about caring for and designing orals. Experiencing their beauty allows us to really live and re ect in the moment while asking for nothing in return.”

MARY ANN CRADDOCK

Golden Junior Baseball wraps up spring season, emphasizes sportsmanship

BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

With storm clouds rolling in over the foothills, everyone at Ulysses Park hoped the rain and lightning would hold o just long enough for the youngsters to nish their June 14 baseball game.

e North Je erson Americans were enthusiastically cheering on their batting teammate, while their opponents — the Golden Taters — stayed focused on the next pitch and which direction the ball might go. With a few lightning strikes visible on the horizon, the coaches ended the nal inning slightly early, and the teams lined up to tell each other, “Good game.”

As the Golden Taters came o the

Play ball!

eld, and a few raindrops started falling, Coach Russ Bailess asked his players what they learned from the game.

at was far more important than the nal score.

is spring, 325 youngsters across 28 teams have been learning and applying the fundamentals of baseball and sportsmanship through the Golden Junior Baseball Association.

e league kicked o its spring season in March. Each team was scheduled to play 14 regular season games, but the recent rainy trend has made that tricky.

Depending on the age group, teams were wrapping up their regular seasons June 12-14, with playo s starting the week of June 19.

Twelve-year-old Owen Nelson was excited to kick o the playo s June 19, saying he felt good about his 12U team’s — nicknamed the Golden Demons — chances.

Owen Nelson has played in the GJBA for four years, mostly with the same teammates. He’s enjoyed

seeing how everyone’s gotten better over the years, saying he’s made friends with other players and coaches.

“It feels like one big team,” he said of the league.

Baseball’s his favorite sport, he continued, describing how it helps with athleticism and hand-eye coordination.

Owen Seymour and Sam Bailess, 10 and 11 respectively, play on the 11U Golden Taters.

During their ve years playing baseball, the two said they and their teammates have learned all the sport’s physical fundamentals — hitting, throwing and pitching. But they’ve also learned key emotional lessons, like not getting down on themselves after a bad play.

Bailess, Sam’s dad and the Taters’ coach, commended GJBA for giving children an opportunity to learn those things. He said that’s part of his job as a volunteer coach — emphasizing having a good attitude and not letting the last play distract from

the next one.

Jason McCullough, an assistant for Coach Jason Jumonville’s 12U Golden Demons, and his family have been active in several baseball leagues over the years, and there’s something unique about GJBA’s culture that he appreciates.

“It’s not about the wins and losses, but experience and attitude,” McCullough said.

He believed that mentality was paying dividends for GJBA specically and the Golden community’s baseball culture in general.

Russ Bailess added how the league creates a sense of community, even among the players who don’t live in Golden.

at was GJBA President Mike Gri eth’s hope too. He said it wouldn’t be possible without the support of several community partners and dozens of parents donating their time and resources to ensure the players learn the most fundamental lesson of all: “Always try your best.”

As storm clouds roll in from the west June 14, Coach Jason Jumonville’s 12U team practices at Ulysses Park. The Golden Junior Baseball Association was wrapping up its

Third baseman Weston Krajewski of Coach Russ Bailess’ 11U team, nicknamed the Golden Taters, attempts to tag a runner out June 14 at Ulysses Park.

Coach Chris Parham’s 12U team pitches against a North Je co team June 14 at Ulysses Park.

WORSHIP DIRECTORY

ASCENT CHURCH

“Real people pursuing a real God”

All are Welcome Sundays at 10am

In-person or Online www.ascentchurch.co

29823 Troutdale Scenic Drive, Evergreen

BERGEN PARK CHURCH

Bergen Park Church is a group of regular people who strive to improve ourselves and our community by studying the Bible and sharing our lives with each other.

On Sunday mornings you can expect contemporary live music, Children’s Ministry that seeks to love and care for your kids, teaching from the Bible, and a community of real people who are imperfect, but seek to honor God in their lives. We hope to welcome you soon to either our 9:30AM or 11:00AM Sunday service.

Search Bergen Park Church on YouTube for Livestream service at 9:30am 31919 Rocky Village Dr. 303-674-5484 info@bergenparkchurch.org / www.BergenParkChurch.org

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE CHURCH SERVICES

28244 Harebell Lane

Sunday Service & Sunday School 10am

Wednesday Evening 7:30pm, Zoom options available Contact: clerk@christianscienceevergreen.com for ZOOM link

Reading Room 4602 Pletner Lane, Unit 2E, Evergreen

OPEN TUE-SAT 12PM - 3PM

CHURCH OF THE CROSS

Please join us for Sunday worship at 28253 Meadow Drive, Evergreen or visit www.churchotc.com

8:30am Traditional Service

10:30am Contemporary Service

Communion is served every Sunday at both services. All are welcome! Visit our website at www.churchotc.com for info on church activities. 28253 Meadow Drive, Evergreen • 303-674-4130 • o ce@churchotc.com

CHURCH OF THE HILLS PRESBYTERIAN (USA)

Serving the mountain community from the heart of Evergreen Worship 10:00 a.m.

Reverend Richard Aylor

O ce Hours: Tu-Thur 9:00 - 4:00; Fri 9:00 - noon Bu alo Park Road and Hwy 73 www.churchofthehills.com

CHURCH OF THE TRANSFIGURATION EPISCOPAL

In-Church: Sunday Communion Quiet Service 8:00 am & with Music 10:15 am 10:15 am only Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86017266569

In-Meadow: 2nd Sunday of the month at 9:30 a.m.

--June through September—

27640 Highway 74 – ¼ mile east of downtown Evergreen at the Historic Bell Tower www.transfigurationevergreen.org

CONGREGATION BETH EVERGREEN (SYNAGOGUE)

Reconstructionist Synagogue

Rabbi Jamie Arnold

www.BethEvergreen.org / (303) 670-4294

2981 Bergen Peak Drive (behind Life Care)

CONIFER CHURCH OF CHRIST

“Doing Bible Things in Bible Ways”

11825 U.S. Hwy. 285, Conifer, CO 80433

Sun: 9:00a.m. Bible Study-10:00a.m. Worship; Wed: Bible Study 7:00p.m.

EVERGREEN CHRISTIAN CHURCH (DISCIPLES OF CHRIST)

27772 Iris Drive, Evergreen - 303-674-3413

www.EvergreenChristianChurch.org - eccdoc01@gmail.com

Sunday Worship 10:00 a.m., with communion every Sunday

We are an inclusive faith community and welcome you to join us in our new ministry journey.

DEER PARK UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Pastor Joyce Snapp, Sunday Worship 10 AM

Located one mile west of Pine Junction just o Rt. 285 966 Rim Rock Road, Bailey (303) 838-6759

All are welcome to our open/inclusive congregation!

EVERGREEN LUTHERAN CHURCH

5980 Highway 73 + 303-674-4654

Rev. Terry Schjang

Join us for Virtual Worship on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/EvergreenLutheranChurch

Sunday Worship uploaded by 10am.

www.evergreenlutheran.org + All Are Welcome!

LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY CHURCH – EPC 1036 El Rancho Rd, Evergreen – (303) 526-9287

www.lomcc.org – o ce@lomcc.org

Sunday Worship 10:00 a.m., with communion every Sunday

“Real Church In An UnReal World”

A community empowered by the Holy Spirit which seeks authentic relationships with God and others to share the good news of Jesus with Evergreen, the Front Range and the world. Come as you are, all are welcome!

MOUNTAIN REVIVAL CHURCH

“Baptizing the Mountains in Jesus Name”

Sundays 11:00 am & Wednesdays 7:00 pm

Location: Aspen Park Community Center 26215 Sutton Road, Conifer, CO 80433

(Additional parking at the Park & Ride next to Big O Tires) 720-770-0380 Call, Text, or Just Drop In www.mountainrevival.org

PLATTE CANYON COMMUNITY CHURCH

Located: 4954 County Road 64 in Bailey. O ce hours MWF 8am-1pm 303-838-4409, Worship & Children’s Church at 10am

Small group studies for all ages at 9am

Transitional Pastor: Mark Chadwick Youth Pastor: Jay Vonesh

Other activities: Youth groups, Men’s/Women’s ministries, Bible studies, VBS, MOPS, Cub/Boy Scouts.

ROCKLAND COMMUNITY CHURCH

“Connecting all generations to Jesus”

Please check our website, www.Rockland.church, for updated service times ¼ mile north of I-70 at exit 254 17 S Mt. Vernon Country Club Rd., Golden, CO 80401 303-526-0668

UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF EVERGREEN

Rev. Sarah Clark • 303.674.4810 • www.evergreenumc.org 3757 Ponderosa Dr. across Hwy 74 from Safeway in Evergreen

Join us in person every Sunday at 10:00am for worship “Open Hearts, Open Doors, Open Minds”

To place your listing in the

Clear Creek High School science teacher Jill Stansbury holds Lia, 7, as she throws candy into the crowd during the parade.

Spectators watch the rodeo pass by the Little Bear Saloon.

Bill Lee pauses while a group of children run up to pet Jack the burro during the annual Evergreen Rodeo Parade.

PHOTOS BY SARA HERTWIG

Evergreen High School’s poms team performs for the judges outside of the Little Bear Saloon during the annual Rodeo Parade.

Weston Kool, 12, rides the mechanical bull on June 17 before the rodeo starts.

Attendees walk into the Evergreen Rodeo grounds before the June 17 rodeo.

1. MOVIES: Which movie features the line, “Where we’re going, we don’t need roads”?

2. HISTORY: Which serious disease was declared eradicated in 1980?

3. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: What color is the “black box” that is used to record data on airplanes?

4. GAMES: How much does getting out of jail cost in the board game Monopoly?

5. LITERATURE: What kind of animal is the novel “Black Beauty” about?

6. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Who was the youngest president?

7. TELEVISION: Who played the Penguin in the original “Batman” TV series?

8. GEOGRAPHY: What is the northernmost point of the United States?

9. ASTRONOMY: Which is the only planet in our solar system that spins clockwise?

10. FOOD & DRINK: Which fast-food restaurant chain claims that “We have the meats”?

Answers

1. “Back to the Future.”

2. Smallpox.

3. Orange.

4. $50.

5. A horse.

6. eodore Roosevelt (42).

7. Burgess Meredith.

8. Point Barrow, Alaska.

9. Venus.

10. Arby’s.

(c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

CLASSIFIEDS

Notice of Vacancy Town Maintenance Superintendent

Job responsibilities include operating snow removal equipment & plowing snow; maintaining town roads; inspecting & repairing bridges; maintaining water hydrants, water valves, water pipes, sewer lines & manholes.

The successful candidate must be self-motivated, responsible, courteous & require minimal supervision. They will report directly to the Town Personnel Committee regarding day-to-day job activities to serve the needs of the Town as directed by the Mayor & Town Board of Trustees.

The job is full-time (40-hours/week); hours will depend on the operations necessary to keep the above-described Town infrastructure safe & serviceable. Salary is negotiable.

Please contact the Town Clerk for a more detailed job description before submitting your resume or application letter, proof of valid driver’s license, & up to three (3) letters of recommendation by THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 2021, to Town of Silver Plume, Drawer F, Silver Plume, CO 80476: 303-569-2363 email: clerk@silverplumetown.com

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Public Notices

Legals City and County

PUBLIC NOTICE

TOWN OF MORRISON PLANNING COMMISSION

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

The Planning Commission for the Town of Morrison will hold a public meeting on July 11, 2023 for the purpose of taking public testimony on an application submitted by The Town of Morrison for rezoning of property described as: Lot 3, Red Rocks Ranch Subdivision, Filing No. 1, County of Jefferson, State of Colorado, Reception No. 2018091371 (“Lot 3”). Together with an easement for the benefit of Lot 3 for access and utilities across the adjacent real property owned by the Lessor between Lot 3 and Morrison Road (the “Easement”, and together with Lot 3, the “Property”).

The application proposes rezoning the property from Planned Development to Mixed Use Commercial and Office District. The hearing will begin at 6:00 p.m. at Town Hall, 110 Stone Street, Morrison, Colorado.

The Board of Trustees for the Town of Morrison will hold a public hearing on August 1, 2023, for the purpose of taking public testimony on an application submitted by The Town of Morrison

for rezoning of property described as: Lot 3, Red Rocks Ranch Subdivision, Filing No. 1, County of Jefferson, State of Colorado, Reception No. 2018091371 (“Lot 3”). Together with an easement for the benefit of Lot 3 for access and utilities across the adjacent real property owned by the Lessor between Lot 3 and Morrison Road (the “Easement”, and together with Lot 3, the “Property”).

The application proposes rezoning the property from Planned Development to Mixed Use Commercial and Office District. The hearing will begin at 6:00 p.m. at Town Hall, 110 Stone Street, Morrison, Colorado.

A copy of the application is available for inspection at the Town offices, 321 Highway 8, Morrison, Colorado, during normal business hours and is posted on the Town Website at www.morrisonco. us/. Interested parties are encouraged to attend the public meeting and the public hearing and make their opinions known. Written comments may be submitted to the Commission and the Board of Trustees at 110 Stone Street, Morrison, CO 80465, any time before the meeting or before the hearing. For further information, call 303-6978749 or visit town.morrison.co.us.

GIVEN THIS 15th DAY OF JUNE, 2023

Arianna Neverdahl, Town Clerk

Legal Notice No. CC1281

First Publication: June 22, 2023

Last Publication: June 22, 2023

Publisher: Canyon Courier

Bids and Settlements

Public Notice

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS

CLEAR CREEK COUNTY

ROAD & BRIDGE DEPARTMENT

CLEAR CREEK COUNTY, COLORADO

PW 23-05 JONES PASS ROAD (CR 202)

General Notice

Clear Creek County (Owner) is requesting Bids for the construction of the following Project:

JONES PASS ROAD (CR 202)

PW 23-05

Bids for the construction of the Project will be accepted electronically with the following exact text in the subject line: Bid for PW 23-05 Jones Pass Road (CR 202). Bids sent by parcel service or U.S.P.S. shall be addressed to the attention of Stoy Streepey and be clearly marked on the front of the envelope with:

Bid for PW 23-05 Jones Pass Road (CR 202).

All bids must be received via email to pw@clearcreekcounty.us, via courier at the Clear Creek County Road & Bridge Department located at 3549 Stanley Road (CR 312), Dumont, Colorado 80436 or via U.S.P.S at P.O. Box 362, Dumont CO 80436 no later than Thursday, July 6, 2023 at 2:00 PM local time. At said time all bids duly received will be publicly opened and read aloud via Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87535384605?

pwd=K0picW5yMlhCMkpwcHBlV1lZSUJQZz09

The Project includes the following Work:

Major rehabilitation of approximately 1.8 miles of Jones Pass Road (CR 202) consisting of 4-inches of Cold-In-Place Recycling followed by a 5-inch Hot Mix Asphalt overlay and placement of recycled asphalt shoulders.

Bids are requested for the following Contract: PW

23-05 Jones Pass Road (CR 202)

Obtaining the Bidding Documents

Information and Bidding Documents for the Project can be found at the following designated website: https://co-clearcreekcounty2.civicplus.com/ Bids.aspx?CatID=17

Bidding Documents may be downloaded from the designated website. Prospective Bidders are urged to register as a plan holder by emailing pw@ clearcreekcounty.us, even if Bidding Documents are obtained from a plan room or source other than the designated website in either electronic or paper format. The designated website will be updated periodically with addenda, lists of registered plan holders, reports, and other information relevant to submitting a Bid for the Project. All official notifications, addenda, and other Bidding Documents will be offered only through the designated website. Neither Owner nor Engineer will be responsible for Bidding Documents, including addenda, if any, obtained from sources other than the designated website.

Pre-bid Conference

A pre-bid conference for the Project will be held on Wednesday, June 28, 2023 at 2:00 PM via Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87535384605?pwd=K 0picW5yMlhCMkpwcHBlV1lZSUJQZz09

Attendance at the pre-bid conference is encouraged but not required.

Instructions to Bidders.

For all further requirements regarding bid submittal, qualifications, procedures, and contract award, refer to the Instructions to Bidders that are included in the Bidding Documents.

Billionaire aids Colorado early education nonprofit

Philanthropist

MacKenzie Scott donates

$1

million to charity

BY SARA MARTIN CHALKBEAT COLORADO

Billionaire MacKenzie Scott has awarded $1 million to a small, lowpro le Colorado nonpro t, whose leaders remain a bit stunned.

“ e whole thing was very surreal,” said Heather Tritten, executive director of Parent Possible, which provides support for early childhood services. “When I look at who else has been funded in Colorado — organizations that are far bigger than Parent Possible, it feels very unreal that we were funded by MacKenzie Scott and that she wanted to invest in us.”

Parent Possible, which was founded in Colorado in 1991, works to equip parents with tools and education to prepare their children to learn. e nonpro t believes that investing in early childhood systems helps increase literacy and encourages students to graduate high school — which helps break the cycle of poverty.

It serves some of Colorado’s most low-income residents. According to

its 2022 annual report, 87% of its client households earn less than twice the federal poverty limit. at would be less than about $49,720 for a family of three this year.

Tritten said Parent Possible was contacted in December to discuss a possible donation with an anonymous organization. In March, Scott’s foundation, Yield Giving, called to say it would donate $1 million to Parent Possible.

In the 15-minute conversation, they told her, “good luck with your organization and the important work you’re doing,” she said.

Tritten said the foundation will let Parent Possible use the funds for whatever is most important.

Scott, who as of last year was the fth richest woman in the United States, has given away more than $14 billion since 2019. She has a 4% stake in Amazon as part of her divorce settlement with Amazon founder Je Bezos. She has made waves in the world of philanthropy by making large gifts, including to schools and education nonpro ts, with no strings attached. Last year, Scott gave $2.5 million to a Colorado Springs charter school.

e Parent Possibledonation was announced this week.

Parent Possible provides 4,000 families with in-home visiting services and an additional 20,000

families in Colorado with virtual programs, like early learning education software and an app with learning tools and parenting help.

e app, called Vroom, was created with funding from the Bezos Family Foundation. It messages parents with suggestions for activities to do with their children every day.

Parent Possible provides some of its programs through partnerships with schools, family resource centers, departments of human services, and nonpro ts. Its services are free of charge to Colorado families.

e home-visiting programs teach

child development, how to promote the social and emotional development of young children and how to prepare 2- to 5-year-old children for preschool and kindergarten.

Parent Possible is still mapping out how to best use Scott’s donation to help the families it serves.

Tritten hopes to advance the group’s work and accomplish more than they had previously thought possible.

Chalkbeat is a nonpro t news site covering educational change in public schools.

A coach from Parent Possible, left, visits with a young mother in Centennial. The Denver-based nonprofit Parent Possible provides support and coaching for parents of young children. It has received a $1 million grant from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. COURTESY OF PARENT POSSIBLE