Elbert County News 031623

DAR seeks food-drive donations Service group organizes Elbert County chapter

A group of women working to establish a Daughters of the American Revolution chapter in Elbert County will hold a food drive in Elizabeth later this month.

e group wants people to donate new personal hygiene items and canned and boxed foods during their inaugural event at American Legion Post 82, 228 Banner St. in Elizabeth, at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 25.

“ ere’s a lot of need in the region,” said Gayle Gardner, of Parker, the organizing regent of the new DAR group, dubbed the Running Creek Chapter.

Experts calm water fears

rights and how the county’s decision to adopt what’s known as the 300-year rule will help ensure an adequate water supply, even as the area sees increasing development and demand on aquifers.

BY DEBORAH GRIGSBY DGRIGSBY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Elbert County residents recently packed the Elizabeth Town Hall to learn about water, water law, water

Elizabeth Town Administrator Patrick Davidson said the idea of the “Water 101” class is not a new one. In fact, he says it’s been on the town’s radar for quite some time.

“Members of the Planning Commission were interested in how water

is presented under Colorado law and how the process worked,” Davidson said. “Due to this interest, and the interest of the Board of Trustees on the same topic, it evolved into having a joint meeting of the Planning Commission and the Board of Trustees. Because many of the people moving into the area have either lived where water is plentiful, or have misconceptions about water

SEE WATER, P4

Gardner said the food drive is the rst act of service by the nonpro t volunteer women’s service organization in the community. It will bene t the Help and Hope Center, a Castle Rock-based pantry that helps people in Elbert and Douglas counties who are in crisis, including at risk of becoming homeless.

SCHOOL BOARD RESIGNATIONS

See page 10 for a story about the planned resignations of three Elizabeth School Board members, based on information available at press time.

Hydrogeologist Matt Seitz walks interested Elbert County residents through a “Water 101” class recently hosted by the Town of Elizabeth. The class came about from the interest of town planning commissioners and evolved into a much larger public outreach meeting.

PHOTO BY DEBORAH GRIGSBY

Supply is su cient for planned development, speakers tell audience

e drive is also part of a wider celebration of the creation of the DAR chapter. Joe Martell, president of the Elbert County Historical Society & Museum, is expected to talk at the March 25 event about preservation issues, and chapter o cers and new members will be inducted, Gardner said.

Running Creek would become Colorado’s 48th DAR chapter. Most chapters in the state are concentrated in cities and along the Front Range. e Running Creek Chapter is expected to have 19 initial members, some of them transfers from metro-area chapters they had to travel to in order to participate in DAR events.

“Since we’re starting so small, we’re going to have to get together after we’re organized and do some chapter planning,” Gardner said.

Possible plans for the chapter include working with Wreaths Across America, an organization that has a mission to “Remember, Honor and Teach” about veterans. Every December, the organization coordinates wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery and veterans’ cemeteries around the country.

“Elizabeth has a veterans’ cemetery,” Gardner said. “So, maybe we can bring that program into Elbert County. Remembering our veterans is important.”

Another likely focus of the organization is historic preservation.

“I feel like Elbert County is a little

bit of an untapped area with that,” Gardner said.

Historic preservation is one of three priorities of DAR since its founding in 1890. DAR’s other priorities are education and patriotism.

“I know people tend to think of us as more conservative, but we’re nonpolitical,” Gardner said.

e group is open to women with a variety of interests from diverse backgrounds, regardless of race, religion and other factors, she added.

e only caveat is that each member be able to trace their lineal descent to patriots of the American Revolution.

Some women might be surprised to nd they have a connection,

Gardner said.

“One of the more interesting parts is researching history and genealogy,” she added.

Some women have found unexpected connections to the Ameri-

can Revolution. For instance, she recalled women who had connections to shopkeepers that helped the Continental Army and workers who helped build the roads the army relied on.

Archibald Willard’s 1876 painting “The Spirit of ‘76” celebrates the American Revolution, as do the members of the Running Creek Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, who are holding a food drive in Elizabeth on Saturday, March 25. SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE

‘I know people tend to think of us as more conservative, but we’re non-political.’

Gayle Gardner, organizing regent of thethe Running Creek Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution

State warns of avian flu surge amid migration

BY PAOLO ZIALCITA COLORADO PUBLIC RADIO

Highly pathogenic avian in uenza, the disease spreading among wild and domestic bird populations nationwide, is expected to have a surge in cases as the migratory season begins in Colorado.

It’s been nearly a year since the rst outbreak in Colorado, and while cases have slowed, Colorado state veterinarian Maggie Baldwin said the risk will go up as more ocks of birds pass through.

“[ ese wild birds] are bringing more virus, they’re shedding more virus in the environment, and we’re likely gonna see more spillover of that virus into our domestic poultry operations on both the commercial and the backyard side,” Baldwin said.

So far, about 6.4 million chickens have either been killed by the virus or

put down to prevent outbreaks within a ock. Hundreds of wild birds, mostly geese and ducks, have also been killed by the virus. Death is all but guaranteed for birds that contract it, and symptoms include sudden fatigue, decreased egg production, and nasal discharge.

e avian u has recently been linked to deaths in mammals that consumed infected birds.

e nationwide outbreak has driven up egg prices across the country. According to federal data, a dozen eggs cost an average of $4.83 as of January 2023, up from the average of $1.93 recorded a year prior.

“What we can likely expect is across the nation, we’re going to see another increase in cases this spring, and that’s really what led to consumer impacts was when we had a lot of our commercial egg laying populations impacted around the same time,” Baldwin said.

With the length of the outbreak hitting “unprecedented” levels, Baldwin acknowledges that fatigue may be setting in for commercial and domestic owners. However, she urges owners to keep up their biosecurity measures. When big, commercial farms are impacted, it takes months and millions of dollars to recover from a mass death event.

From avian u to zoning permits, here’s what you need to know about raising backyard chickens

Baldwin, along with experts from Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Colorado State University, will host a webinar next week to share more information about the avian u and how to keep ocks safe this spring.

Avian u cases among humans are extremely rare, and they usually occur only when people are heavily exposed to infected poultry.

e federal government is discussing the possibility for a large-scale avian u vaccination program for poultry, and e New York Times reports a potential vaccine is already being tested.

“ e USDA is really the rst step in getting that approval process started because, if you vaccinate, there are potential trade implications,” Baldwin said.

In the meantime, agriculture o cials and veterinarians are still searching for other solutions.

ere’s “no clear end in sight” for this avian u outbreak, Baldwin said. With no treatment available and the uncontrollable nature of bird migration coming back into play, it appears this strain of avian u is here to stay. is story is from CPR News, a nonpro t news source. Used by permission. For more, and to support Colorado Public Radio, visit cpr.org.

WARNING: Thins paint, kills wildlife.

When using hazardous chemicals, store and dispose of containers responsibly, and clean up spills promptly according to manufacturer instructions. Your rivers, creeks and lakes depend on you. Harmful chemicals left on outdoor surfaces are picked up in the next rainstorm and sent directly to the nearest creek. Once these chemicals reach our waterways, they pose a threat to fish, wildlife, recreation and drinking water supplies

Local stormwater agencies are teaming together to bring you this message. We take this so seriously that we posted this ad rather than send you more garbage in the mail. One thing is clear: our creeks, rivers and lakes depend on you.

in the West, it was determined to have a larger public meeting as part of the process.”

Water experts, including the town’s water attorney David Kueter with Holsinger Law LLC, Robert Anderson of JVA Consulting Engineers, and Matt Seitz with HRS Water Consultants walked close to 40 residents through the basics of Colorado water law, the town’s own water holdings, as well as current and future water demands which stem from population growth and the resulting surge in residential development activities. But while some residents at the March 7 event expressed concerns that growth will deplete aquifers, town experts seemed to think otherwise.

“Water is a nite commodity — and the town has the legal right to use the water on a 100-year basis, but they are only giving credit for the development on the 300-year basis,” Kueter explained. “So, development approvals are only a third of what they would be (under the 100-year rule).”

In short, the rule reduces the demand on water, he said. Not on supply.

“It is my professional opinion that the town, now and going forward, has su cient water to support currently planned development,” Kueter said.

“One of the concerns in dealing with geology and hydrology is that people sometimes get lost in the actual volumes being discussed,” Davidson said. “Issues were raised in the meeting with regard to how other communities and even other counties are making use of water. Without a solid point of reference, it is di cult to really understand the amounts of water being discussed.”

To help illustrate this, Davidson likes using golf courses in terms of measurement because they are open, visible and, if irrigated appropriately, green and lush.

“Golf courses vary in size — and depending on location — vary on their water needs.” he said. “A very basic rule of thumb is that a golf course is about 100 to 190 acres. Water needs vary, but an easy rule of thumb is that a golf course needs at least 500,000 gallons of water per

day, and in some areas 10 or more times that amount of water — daily.”

He notes that in Colorado, there are 163 golf courses.

For comparison, in winter, Davidson points out that the Town of Elizabeth produces approximately 170,000 to 190,000 gallons of water per day to meet its residential, commercial and municipal needs.

“In the summer months, with irrigation and a dry summer, it can approach as much as 430,000 gallons per day,” Davidson said. “ e Town of Elizabeth makes use of less water than a golf course on any single day of the year.”

“So, I think the takeaway from this whole thing is that the town here has a very valuable resource in its groundwater supply, and we need to be conservative in how we use it,” said hydrogeologist Matt Seitz.

Conservation steps such as limiting water use through the voluntary 300-year rule, restricting the import of water, and reuse irrigation will be key to preservation, experts advised.

“As the town seeks out means of water conservation, we can only do so much in light of the other ways water is used in the state,” Davidson concluded. “Every municipality should consider ways to limit the water of this valuable resource, and thankfully many are doing so. As such, Elizabeth is not alone in this regard.”

FROM PAGE 1

A sizable crowd turned out for a recent “Water 101” class in Elizabeth. PHOTO BY DEBORAH GRIGSBY

‘It is my professional opinion that the town, now and going forward, has su cient water to support currently planned development.’

David Kueter, water attorney

SCFD Free Days

Want to learn more about history, spend time appreciating abstract or contemporary art or get in touch with nature? SCFD organizations have your entrance fee and cultural passions covered. For more information, including specific dates and locations, please visit https://scfd.org/find-culture/free-days/

Artists interpreted the American West

Denver Art Museum show runs through May 29

BY SONYA ELLINGBOE SELLINGBOE@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

“Near East to Far West: Fictions of French and American Colonialism” is open in the Hamilton Building at the Denver Art Museum through May 29 and is filled with stories, color and historic interpretations that may be a bit skewed at times.

It includes more than 80 artworks that explore the ways artists were influenced by the style of French Orientalism as they explored ways to portray the story of the American West, its landscapes and inhabitants ... including indigenous people and those more recently arrived ...

Curated by Jennifer Henneman, director of the Petrie Institute of Western American Art at the Denver Art Museum, the exhibit ranges from works by French artists, who were exposed to life in exotic Algiers and American artists, some of whom were trained in France, reflected.

The market for those American artists was mainly on the East Coast and a number of them lived and painted in Taos, New Mexico, depicting the scenes in and around Taos and neighboring desert landscapes as well as scenes from an artist’s imagination.

A visitor will see images of Taos Pueblo and its residents, and African battles that involve lions. There are elaborate Oriental interior scenes, with brightlycostumed characters, desert vistas

and pueblo architecture that resembles the sunbaked locations in the Arab world.

An amusing pair of drawings by Charles Russell show two views of his studio: the first, as his mother imagined it: with a neatly dressed artist entertaining a fashionable woman, posing on elaborate furniture. The other, depicts the artist and his Native American buddy seated in a bare-bones mountain cabin as the painter, sitting on a wooden crate, draws from his imagination ...

French Orientalism and Western American art “reflect fears, desires and curiosities about unknown lands during the process of colonization” in the western part of North America and in Africa and the Islamic world.

This collection of big, colorful paintings really takes the visitor on a trip ... Oriental scenes may include lions fighting mounted horsemen, as well as exotic women with flowers in their hair and pilgrims on camels, bound for Mecca ...

Imagination was alive and well in the mid-19th century on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, even though we read of excessive focus on proper behavior in the cities and small towns.

And the painterly skills were at front and center of these works, with swooshes of brilliant color, exotic costumes and a sense of humor as well.

Admission to “Near East to Far West” is included with general admission and is free for members.

The Denver Art Museum is open daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Tuesday evenings, and is located at 100 W. 14th Ave. Parkway in Denver.

Drive US 85?

Learn more at douglas.co.us/snow

Construction to widen the road between Highlands Ranch Parkway and C-470 is underway. Please expect delays and watch for crews. Sign up for updates so you know what to expect. Visit douglas.co.us and search for Subscribe Now and choose US 85 construction.

Need help with rising heat costs?

Rising heating costs may be hard to budget for this year, but help is available to Douglas County residents who are struggling. If you or someone you know needs assistance, apply now through April 30, 2023, for energy assistance through the State of Colorado’s LowIncome Energy Assistance Program (LEAP). For more information, visit douglas.co.us and search LEAP or email LEAPHELP@discovermygoodwill.org

Snow removal is a shared responsibility!

Ernest L. Blumenschein’s “Church at Ranchos de Taos,” before 1917, is shown in the “Near East to Far West” exhibit at the Denver Art Museum.

COURTESY OF AMERICAN MUSEUM OF WESTERN ART/THE ANSCHUTZ COLLECTION. PHOTOGRAPH BY WILLIAM J. O’CONNOR

Summer Camps & Programs 2023

COUNTY AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

Arapahoe County Libraries

Locations: Multiple locations in Arapahoe County

Website: arapahoelibraries.org

Details: Each year, Arapahoe libraries hosts a variety of reading events and gatherings to help fill the summer hours.

Arvada summer camps program

Location: 6901 Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada

Website: www.arvadacenter.org/ education/summer-camps

Details: This summer, the Arvada center is offering a variety of half day camps and full-day camps — including prescheduled Awesome Art Packs. Awesome Art Packs are combinations of our most popular summer camps that provide full day activities for students. These camp packages are a creative and convenient way to give your child a multi-disciplinary arts experience this summer.

City of Golden

Locations: See website

Website: www.bit.ly/3Sm6Y1X

Details: Summer camp registration opens Feb. 28 for residents and March 2 for nonresidents. Golden addresses are not all within city limits; some are actually part of unincorporated Jefferson County. Check if your Golden address is within city limits at addresslookup.jeffco.us.

City of Northglenn summer programs

Locations: See website

Website: www.northglenn.org/ rec_and_events/childrens_programs.php

Details: Participants will enjoy their time at the Northglenn Recreation Center swimming two times a week, playing games/ activities in the beautiful gym, going on fi eld trips, having in-house experiences, riding pedal boats at Webster Lake, playing daily at E.B Rains Jr. Memorial Park, plus much more.

City of Thornton – 2023 summer camps

Locations: Varies by camp

Website: www.thorntonco.gov/recreation/ Pages/registration-information.aspx

Details: The annual summer program is already underway with registration for residents beginning on Feb. 1. Nonresidents joined on Feb. 2. From physical activities and sports camps to arts and more — the annual program will continue to register participants.

Clear Creek County Library District

Locations: Multiple locations

Website: www.cccld.org/ programs-and-events

Details: Watch the calendar for summer events and programs being hosted by the Clear Creek County Library District.

Clear Creek Recreation Center

Locations: 98 12th Ave., Idaho Springs

Website: www.clearcreekrecreation.com/ summer-camp-1.html

Details: The Clear Creek rec center offers a

variety of camp options this summer. With all of the camp options, parents are able to pick day by day. Children are not required to attend the full week of camp.

Commerce City Parks & Recreation

Locations: Eagle Pointe Recreation Center, 6060 E. Parkway Drive, Commerce City

Website: www.recreation.c3gov.com/ classes-programs/camps

Details: Youth Camp Venture is a traditional camp for children ages 6 to 10 and offers arts and crafts, STEM, active play, swimming and field trips. Camp takes place primarily outside at Eagle Pointe Rec Center. Adventure Trek is an outdoor adventure program that provides a new experience every day. Those ages 11 to 15 travel offsite for hiking, survival skills training, water activities and nature-based programming.

Douglas County Libraries

Locations: See website

SUMMER CAMP PAGES

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Website: www.dcl.org/camp-dcl

Details: Choose from weeklong half-day camps at six DCL locations or full-day camps at select locations from June 5 through Aug. 4. Camps are facilitated by subject matter experts and supported by trained staff and volunteers. Camp themes include science, robotics, creative arts, LEGOs, cooking and baking, with each camp geared to a specific age range.

Englewood – 2023 KidConnections

Summer Camp

Locations: See website

Website: www.bit.ly/3YRWCcC

Details: The program is a fully licensed day care by the State of Colorado, Department of Human Services for children 5 years old (and completed kindergarten) through 14 years old. There is a registration fee of $10 per child.

Evergreen Park & Recreation District

Locations: Variety of locations

Website: www.evergreenrecreation. com/201/Camps

Details: The annual programs provide options for kids starting at 3 years old.

Foothills Parks & Recreation District

Location: 6612 S. Ward St., Littleton

Website: www.ifoothills.org/ school-care-camps/#camps

Details: Details will be posted online for the 2023 summer program in March.

Highlands Ranch Community Association

Locations: Recreation centers throughout the community

Website: www.hrcaonline.org/ classes-camps-activities/camps

Details: Every year, the Highlands Ranch Community Association works to provide something for everyone in its summer camp program. For children into sports, there are plenty of athletic camps available. For those looking to improve in art, arts and education programs are plentiful.

Jefferson County Library

Locations: Events in Lakewood, Arvada, Golden, Evergreen, Edgewater, Wheat Ridge and more

Website: www.jeffcolibrary.org

Details: With summer coming, the Jefferson County Library system is already holding information sessions and planning events, such as the Cosmic Conversations: Telescope Highlights of the Midnight Sky in June.

Town of Castle Rock Summer Camp

Program

Locations: Vary based on camp

Website: www.crgov.com/3270/

Summer-Camps

Details: From sports camps to jedi training and science and arts — the Town of Castle Rock prevents a full slate of summer camp programs in 2023. Visit the town’s website to learn more about ages, prices and details.

Town of Parker/Parker Fieldhouse

Location: 18700 Plaza Drive, Parker Website:  www.parkerrec.com/2029/

Summer-Day-Camp

Details: Ages 5 to 13 can join this camp for themed games, activities, crafts and a ton of fun at the Parker Fieldhouse. Campers will be separated into age groups 5 to 6 years, 7 to 9 years, and 10 to 13 years. Expect swimming days and field trips too.

Wheat Ridge Parks & Recreation

Location: 4355 Field St., Wheat Ridge Website: www.rootedinfun.com/191

/Sun-Camp

Details: Wheat Ridge Sun Camp is a state-licensed day camp for children ages 6 to 13; offered during Jefferson County Public Schools’ spring, summer and winter breaks.

THE GREAT OUTDOORS

The Giggling Life Care Farm

Location: 14583 Cherry St., Thornton Website: www.thegigglinglife.com/ summer-farm-fun

Details: If your kids love animals you need to check out The Giggling Life Care Farm in Thornton for summer activities. The Giggling Life Care Farm is special for a lot of reasons, but the most important one is Kristi — the owner. She has a BS in psychology and a master’s in education, has studied life coaching for the last eight years, and is certified in Equine Assisted Coaching and Pet Therapy.

Highlands Ranch — Camp Backcountry

Location:  6005 Ron King Trail, Littleton Website: www.hrcaonline.org/ classes-camps-activities/camps/ camp-backcountry

Details: Nestled into 8,200 acres of wildlife conservation property just south of C-470 on Santa Fe Drive, Camp Backcountry is the spot for a build-a-fort, hikejust-to-explore, and don’t-forget-yourbinoculars kind of summer for your kids. The Backcountry believes that children learn, grow, and thrive best when outdoors and immersed in nature. Our week-long, full-day outdoor camps support the needs of children by using a whole-child, experiential learning approach. From minicamps to leaders-in-training programs, the camps are for ages 5-17.

Great Outdoors Summer Camp Location: Miller Activity Complex

1375 W. Plum Creek Pkwy, Castle Rock Website: www.crgov.com/3270/ Summer-Camps

Details: This regional park includes the Miller Activity Complex (MAC), Millhouse, Amphitheater, Challenge Hill, ziplines, Adventure Tower, Sky Trek, and adventure playground area as well as over ten miles of hiking and biking trails.  For ages 10-15.

Chatfield Stables Horse Camps Location: 11500 N. Roxborough Park Road, Littleton Website: www.chatfieldstables.com/ horse-camps.html

Details: Chatfield Stables is the longestrunning horse camp in the area. Every child has their own horse for the entire week. Kids get to lead, feed, water and work with their horses every day. Campers learn horse care, including grooming and bridling. They water and feed their horses, learn to groom them, and take care of

them at the end of the day. We ride daily, whether in the arena or on the trail.

Community Sailing of Colorado

Locations: 4800 S. Dayton St., Greenwood Village

Website: www.communitysailing.org

Details: Community Sailing of Colorado provides premier sailing programs (summer camps, adult classes, adaptive sailing, and community partnership events) at Cherry Creek and Boulder reservoirs. The weeklong summer camps range from beginner through advanced sailing for youth ages 5-17. It’s a perfect fit for any adventurous spirit who loves the outdoors.

YMCA SUMMER PROGRAMS

At the YMCA of Metro Denver, our youth development philosophy is grounded in 150 years of lifting up kids and helping them reach their full potential. It’s a philosophy centered on two critical factors: creating a unique sense of belonging and always incorporating the pure fun and joy of childhood.

Camps include adventure camps, sports programs, art that focuses on ceramics, painting, drawing, digital media and more. To find camps in local communities, visit the website at www.bit.ly/3Kg6GYM.

Summer camp programs are available in the following Denver metro cities:

• Arvada

• Aurora

• Broomfield

• Centennial

• Commerce City

• Denver

• Golden

• Lakewood

• Littleton

• Thornton

• Wheat Ridge

MAD SCIENTISTS

Kookalooz Space Playground: STEM

Summer Camp

Locations:

6805 W. 88th Ave., Westminster

Website: www.kookalooz.com/ westminster-co/summer-camps

Details: 5 different camps from the basics of space to engineering. Each camp is one week long. For ages 5-10.

Colorado Adventure Point

Location: 10455 W. 6th Ave., Suite 150, Lakewood

Website: www.coloradoadventurepoint.org

Details: CAP’s STEM Camp isn’t your typical science camp. Our campers get to experiment with chemistry, physics and engineering through a variety of materials, experiments and challenges to meet their curiosities and skill level in our challenge by choice model. In addition to building engineering models and friendships, the campers get to enjoy our climbing wall, archery range and more — and learn the science behind these fun activities. Camps are available for ages 6-12.

Butterfly Pavilion

Location: 6252 W. 104th Ave., Westminster

Website: www.butterflies.org

Details: Starting June 5 and running through Aug. 11, the Butterfly Pavilion hosts all the creepy crawlies and your children at camp. There are five themes, which repeat once and include spider

Whether

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SUMMER CAMP PAGES

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE week, junior zookeeper and survival stories, where kids can learn about how insects adapt to survive.

Mad Science

Locations: Multiple locations in the Denver metro area, including the Littleton area, Denver and Broomfield

Website: www.colorado.madscience.org

Details: These camps are designed for ages 6 to 12, though sessions such as Red-Hot Robots and Advanced Robotics camps are more appropriate for ages 8 to 12. Instructors are mostly college students pursuing degrees in education or science and teachers off for the summer. Themes include chemistry, space science, forensics, engineering and more. Each camp is weeklong, though times can vary.

Air & Space Camp

Location: Wings Over the Rockies

7711 E. Academy Blvd., Denver

Website: www.wingsmuseum.org/ education/camp

Details: Ready for an aerospace adventure?

At Wings Over the Rockies that’s exactly what kids ages 8 to 14 can expect in these week-long camps. The fun starts June 5 and goes on until Aug. 11, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

EMERGING ARTISTS

Center for the Arts: Summer in Color

Location: 31880 Rocky Village Dr., Evergreen

Website: www.evergreenarts.org/ summercamp

Details: Camps explore various media, from clay sculpting and wheel throwing, to pop art and mural painting, to the art of different cultures and the art of the masters. Several of our camps also incorporate outdoor components, including hikes, yoga, and opportunities for photography and eco-art projects. Let kids explore their creative side with imaginative and inspiring camps at CAE this summer. For ages 5-17.

Denver Art Museum

Location: 100 W. 14th Ave. Pkwy., Denver

Website: www.denverartmuseum.org/en/ summer-camps

Details: The camps at the Denver Art Museum get broken into three age groups: 5 to 6, 7 to 8, and 9 to 11. Overall, the themes remain the same — there are camps about art in nature, how to draw, learning about color and sculpture. Each camp runs from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and includes plenty of time in the museum to garner inspiration.

Craftsman & Apprentice

Location: 1335 E 22nd Ave., Denver

Website: www.craftsmanandapprentice.com/ pages/summer-2023

Details: Ages 5 to 11 can spend the summer creating worlds out of cardboard, paint, hot glue, ribbons, corks, buttons and more at this Denver kids’ crafting studio. Themes include toys, crafty critters, fiber arts and more.

ON THE STAGE

The Apollo Center Summer Camps

Location: 2655 Industrial Lane, Broomfield

Website: www.theapollocenter.com/ summercamps

Details: The Apollo Center offers a variety of skill-based camps for kids and adults alike. Aerial Performance Camps for kids ages 5-17 years focus on learning aerial technique and choreography throughout the week which will culminate with a camp performance based on the camp theme.

Front Range Theatre Company Triple Threat Summer Camp

Locations: 15035 Performing Arts School, Parker

Website: www.frontrangetheatre.org/ triple-threat-summer-camp.html

Details: Working with professional instructors with years of experience, your child will learn the three major elements of any stage performer: Voice, Dance and Acting. The camps are designed to challenge performers in the entire range of life in the theatre, including a live performance in a mainstage venue!

Audience of One Youth Theatre Camp

Location: Highlands Ranch

Website: www.AO1Theater.org

Details: Whether a student is looking to try out theater for the first time, polish skills or have fun with friends, the AO1 has one-totwo-week camps can work in the summer schedule. AO1’s summer programming includes kids’ productions for ages 5-12, workshops for ages 8-18, and a two-week intensive program for teenagers.

The Arvada Center

Location: 6901 Wadsworth Blvd. Arvada

Website: www.arvadacenter.org

Details: If your kid is 5 to 12 and loves a bit of drama and/or art, the Arvada Center has a slew of full- and half-day camps available. The best and most economic way to sign up for camp is to do it in three- or four-week blocks, and the venue offers combinations of visual art, musical theater, drama and music.

Kent Denver Performing Arts Camps

Location: 4000 E. Quincy Ave., Englewood

Website: www.KentDenver.org

Details: Summer at Kent Denver School offers all children ages 4–18 the opportunity to experience innovative, creative, handson learning in the arts, athletics, our Tiny Farm Day Camp, academics, innovation and technology.

St. Lukes Performing Arts Camps

Location:  8817 S. Broadway, Highlands Ranch

Website: www.StLukesPAA.org

Details: From preschool age to high school students there are a large variety of summer camp shows planned in Highlands Ranch and Castle Rock areas. Registration is now open.

Castle Rock Dance Academy

Locations: 140 S. Wilcox St. Suite A, Castle Rock

Website: www.castlerockdanceacademy. com

self-discipline are taught, and students learn skills they can carry with them through life. The program offers weekly dance classes in five-week sessions for ages 3–18.

LET’S GET PHYSICAL

Details: At Castle Rock Dance Academy (CRDA), best friends are made, etiquette and

Bowlero

Locations: Multiple locations in Cherry Creek, Littleton and Lone Tree Website: www.bowlero.com

Details: Fun for all skill levels, Bowlero’s modern spin on bowling is the perfect way to spend quality time with the kids. Celebrate every strike, spare and yes, even gutter balls, with the most famous lanes in the game and a delicious menu of classic American eats.

Golden Goal Sports Complex

Location: 2650 Alkire St., Golden Website: www.goldengoalsc.com/ summer-soccer-camps

Details: Golden Goal offers spring break camps and summer camps for all ages from under 5 to high school.

Camp Urbie at Urban Air Adventure Park

Location: 15400 E. Briarwood Circle, Aurora

Website: www.bit.ly/3IuCQOO

Details: Let ‘em Fly for a whole week of play, in-park activities, snacks and more. Camp Urbie’s Adventure Camp is the best way to beat the summer heat and play in the best indoor playground in town. The weeklong camp is open to kids 7 years and up.

Gold Medal Athletic Camp

Location: Castle Rock Recreation Center

Website: www.crgov.com/2628/Camps

Details: Athletes will participate in small- and large-group instruction, drills and games or scrimmages. We welcome beginner athletes to learn how to use proper mechanics and fundamentals of the sport and intermediate or advanced athletes who want to continue to grow their motor skills and skill in the sport. For ages 7-12.

Tigar Gymnastics Camps

Location: 4860 Van Gordon St. Unit B, Wheat Ridge

Website: www.tigargymnastics.com

Details: A variety of programs at a variety of ages is available at the gymnastics center, including ninja classes and programs for older ages.

RMF Soccer Camp

Location: Aurora Sports Park 19300 E. Colfax Ave., Aurora

Website: www.rmfsoccercampsusa.com/ soccer-camp-denver

Details: From July 17 to July 21, this prorun soccer camp will come to Colorado. It’s run by experienced Spanish UEFA coaches, and goes from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. Kids from 6 to 16 can sign up.

Aerial Cirque Over Denver

Location: 4605 Quebec St., Denver.

Website: www.aerialcirqueoverdenver.com

Details: If your child is thinking of joining the circus, or just wants to bend, twist and soar through the air, this is the camp for them. Dates run from May 29 through August 14, and include morning and afternoon camps (9:30 a.m. to noon and 12:30 to 3 p.m.) for ages 6 to 16.

LET’S GET MUSICAL

Maestro Music Institute

Location: 6478 Ward Road, Arvada

Website: www.maestromusicinstitute. com/2023-instrumental-summer-camp

Details: Instrumental Summer Camp is back this year covering a myriad of ensemble opportunities. We will be offering Rock Band, Orchestra, Choir/Theater, Piano ensemble and composition. Summer campers will have the opportunity to learn new instruments in addition to honing their skills on their primary instrument. Students will work in large and small ensemble groups and perform a variety of music at the end of the week.

Kidzrock Rock Band Camp

Location: 2842 S. Broadway, Englewood

Website: www.musicallifedenver.com/ summercamp

Cost: $319

Details: Rock Band Summer Camp teaches children ages 4 to 7 how to play in a rock band. Campers learn to play drums, electric guitar, keyboard and sing. On the final day, campers perform a short (adorable) concert for parents and family. In addition to rock band time, students get to make music-related arts and crafts, create a fantasy band identity, and play outdoor games at the park next to the school. No prior musical experience is required. No investment in gear is required.

OVERNIGHT CAMPS

Avid 4 Adventure

Locations: Various spots

Website: www.avid4.com/ summer-camps

Details: For two weeks kids get to bask in nature, away from their parent, at either Camp Windy Peak near Bailey, or Camp Blue Sky near Evergreen. The kids sleep in cabins and build their skill sets in nature and with outdoor sport activities.

Cheley Colorado Camps

Location: Cheley Colorado Camps 3960 Fish Creek Road, Estes Park. Website: www.cheley.com

Details: If your kid is 9 to 17, send them off to a 27-day overnight camp in Estes Park. Full term is June 13 to August 6, or chose a half term from June 13 to July 9, or July 11 to Aug. 6. Activities include horseback riding, water sports, art and plenty of outdoor adventure.

Camp Granite Lake

Locations: 11902 Camp Eden Road, Golden

Website: www.campgranitelake.com

Details: Located in the mountains about an hour from Denver, the camp covers 135 acres including a private lake. It’s a co-ed camp for grades second to ninth. Choose from two sessions, either June 19 through July 8, or July 10 through July 29. There are also minicamp options for grades 1st through 4th, covering the week of July 31 or Aug. 7.

School board members threaten resignation

e Elizabeth School District may be short a full board as several members threatened to quit late last week.

School board members threatening to quit were planning to submit o cial letters of resignation during the March 13 regular board meeting. Details from the meeting were not available when the print edition of this week’s Elbert County News was being produced on March 10, but the district’s communications director, Jason Hackett, was able to provide some insight that day via email.

Hackett con rmed that at least three board members had said they would be submitting letters of resignation. Hacket said the board expected to conduct regular business at its March 13 meeting, including approval of the new superintendent contract, and then submit the o cial resignations with an e ective date of March 14.

While the letters had not been o cially submitted, copies of the resignations were made available to the public on March 10. e letters were sent from board members Craig Blackham, Kim Frumveller and Cary Karcher.

In the letters, the conservative board members said the public is continuously bringing up the issues of

On the dais at the Feb. 13 Elizabeth School Board meeting were, from left, Craig Blackham, Kim Frumveller, Cary Karcher, Interim Superintendent Dr. William Dallas, Rhonda Olsen and Heather Booth.

However, the board members said, the emails and public comments at meetings are unnecessary, because members agree that the programs should not be taught in the school district.

In the letter that was expected to be submitted during the March 13 board meeting, Karcher said, “Board meetings have become chaotic and have brought behavior unbecoming of the community. Public comment has become the priority for board

AUCTION VEHICLES & EQUIPMENT

ITEMS SELL NO RESERVE!

Besides continuous public comments, resigning board members said they get up at 6 a.m. to an in ux of emails complaining about the programs that are not taught or utilized in the district.

Hackett said the letters of resignation can be submitted, but to become o cial, a vote of the board to accept them is customary.

In this case, if all went as planned on March 13, three members would be leaving the board, leaving only

two to vote to accept the resignation, which does not constitute a quorum. not submitted letters of resignation by press time on March 10 were Treasurer Rhonda Olsen and Assistant Secretary Heather Booth.

On March 10, Hackett said the district was consulting with legal counsel, Caplan & Earnest, to determine what those next steps might be in what he referred to as an “unprecedented situation.”

To see what transpired in the developing story this week, visit the website at elbertcountynews.net.

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DN6294 ‘15 Chevy Silverado 2500HD pickup truck

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GOLDEN COMMERCECITY

PHOTO BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON

Issues called ‘unprecedented’

Thu 3/23

Community Service at Living Way

Fellowship @ 11am / Free Living Way Fellowship, 345 E Wildcat Re‐serve Pkwy, Highlands Ranch. 303-4713000

Featured

Featured

Featured

Pinback @ 7pm

Gothic Theatre, 3263 South Broadway, Englewood

Fri 3/24

Live Wire: A Tribute to AC/DC @ 6pm Wild Goose Saloon, Parker

Featured

Marty NIghtengale @ 1pm

Wide Open Saloon, 5607 US-85, Sedalia

Ninja Robotics and Coding @ 4:30pm / $40

Z Ultimate Studio - Parker, 12999 S Parker Rd, Parker. 515-708-0433

powered by

Adam Ezra Group: Gathering Series Live - Parker, CO - Adam Solo @ 6pm

Twenty Mile House Concerts, 11875 Cattle Lane, Parker

Mon 3/27

Spring Valor Wrestling Club @ 4pm / $225

Mar 27th - Jun 2nd

Valor Athletic Building, 3775 Grace Blvd, Highlands Ranch. 303-471-3000

Modern Swing Mondays @ 5pm / $10

Stampede, 2430 South Havana, Aurora

Tue 3/28

Featured

Featured

Tony Medina Music: The Open Mic at The Alley @ 5:30pm

Neil Z @ 5pm

2 Penguins Tap and Grill, 13065 E Briarwood Ave, Centennial

Featured Featured

SOLD OUT! Brandon LakeMiracle Nights Tour - Denver, CO @ 6pm

Cherry Hills Community Church, 3900 Grace Blvd, Highlands Ranch

Featured

AJ Finney Fan Page: The Comedy Zone: AJ Finney & Mitch Jones @ 6:30pm Parker Arts, Culture & Events Cen‐ter, 20000 Pikes Peak Avenue, Parker

Capitanes de Ojinaga @ 8pm

Stampede, 2430 S Havana St, Aurora

Sun 3/26

Featured

Dear Marsha,: DM Acoustic @ Brewability @ 5:30pm Brewability Lab, 3445 S Broadway, Englewood Trauma @ 5:30pm

Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Engle‐wood

Marty Friedman @ 6:30pm

Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Engle‐wood

Tenia Nelson: CJRO Ladies of Jazz @ 6:30pm

The Schoolhouse at Mainstreet, 19650 Mainstreet, Parker

La Mera Vena @ 7:30pm Stampede, 2430 S Havana St, Aurora

Sat 3/25

Bridging The Music Productions: Denver Mega miniFEST @ 11:30am

Herman's Hideaway, 1578 S Broadway, Denver

Grizzly Gopher @ 1pm Wide Open Saloon, 5607 US-85, Sedalia

The Alley, 2420 W Main St, Little‐ton

ARTS: Pottery @ Platt Park @ 6pm

Mar 28th - May 23rd Platt Park Recreation Center, 1500 S. Grant St., Denver. 720-913-0654

Art: Chancery Hand Calligraphy Workshop (16yrs) @ 11pm Mar 28th - May 2nd

PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Avenue, Parker

Wed 3/29

Jeffrey Dallet @ 11:30am

InnovAge Colorado PACE - Lakewood, 8405 W Alameda Ave, Lakewood

Heartsick Heroine w/ Adelitas Way & Otherwise @ 5pm

Herman's Hideaway, 1578 S Broadway, Denver

Above Snakes @ 6pm

Herman's Hideaway, 1578 S Broadway, Denver

DJ Rockstar Aaron: Forbidden Bingo at 'Bout Time Pub & Grub @ 7pm Bout Time Pub & Grub, 3580 S Platte River Dr A, Sheridan

Thu 3/30

Mardi Gras Maquerade @ 8pm / $55-$125

Stampede, 2430 South Havana, Aurora

word

It seems that over the last two years, maybe more, the words “a ordability” and “equity” are trigger words for some.

It seems like when anyone says a ordable housing is being planned for an area of the Denver metro area – It must mean ghetto because residents speak out against it and ght to stop it.

When I hear about an a ordable housing or apartment project, I am usually in favor of it, especially in areas of Arapahoe and Douglas counties. I do not think this housing is going to attract criminals and bad people. Let’s face it, the idea of “a ordable” right now doesn’t mean the neighborhood is going to become trash.

For many of those calling these plan a recipe for turning neighborhoods into the ghetto, another term I can’t say I am fond of, they should look at the price tag.

In all reality, the word “a ordable” likely means starter housing for young couples growing their income status year by year. It is likely meant for teachers how are struggling to live and work in the same communities. ese are not bad people. ese are people I would happily be neighbors with.

Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, the word “a ordable” gained an unfair stigma that will continue to prevent progress.

As homes stay out of reach for the common, hardworking families — the Denver metro area will su er. It will su er because those hard-working, fundamental families that make an economy and community run — will leave.

ey will go somewhere a ordable, turn that community into a thriving area and we will lose here in our hometown.

To those who cringe when they hear about a project that is aimed at “a ordable housing” — I say do not get hung up on the word. Instead, read the plans, go with an open mind and look at what rent and sale prices will be and ask yourself if it will attract the bad neighbors that some seem to be afraid of.

Now, on to the second word that has gained a lot of attention in recent years — “equity.” Now, I get it. e media has certainly made that a true talking point and whatever side of the debate you are on — the word “equity” is coming up a lot.

e bottom line is, equity policies in schools, government and business are nothing new. ey have been around for as long as I have been alive. ey do have value in our society.

I just hate that any time an organization is looking at equity policies, we are starting to see the word as something bad, something that will change our way of lives.

Just like an a ordable housing, I encourage all to not stop at the word, but consider the policy or discussion being had. Don’t listen to the noise and nonsense generated on social media. Read them, form an opinion and have a true, useful debate and discussion.

After reading, it may very well be the language is too much and you want to have more discussion to tone it down. at is OK.

However, after looking past the word “equity” and giving a true, fair read to any proposal — try to nd common ground.

elma Grimes is the south metro editor for Colorado Community Media.

LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com

MICHAEL DE YOANNA Editor-in-Chief michael@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Courage, discretion and making a choice

Discretion is the better part of valor,” “Caution is preferrable to rash bravery,” and “ e better part of valor is discretion, in the which better part I have saved my life.” - All attributed to William Shakespeare e father and son were skiing together and had decided to head into a tight tree run. e son being in his late teens, and still somewhat made out of rubber, encouraged his dad, who had just turned 51 into joining him on the run. As they picked their way across the top of the run looking for the best entry point, the son without warning dropped into a powder stash and was quickly on his way down the mountain.

e dad stood there on his skis looking for his own entry point down. e longer he stood there, the more nervous he became, and the more nervous he became, the more his muscles tensed and froze. With no way back out, he remembered something he had heard in his life, “God hates a coward.” He wasn’t sure where he had heard it, but the timing was right as it was all the persuasion he needed as he pointed his tips over the ledge and took o down the mountain after his son.

Happy to report that both father and son

LINDSAY NICOLETTI Operations/ Circulation Manager lnicoletti@coloradocommunitymedia.com

ERIN ADDENBROOKE Marketing Consultant eaddenbrooke@coloradocommunitymedia.com

were reunited safely at the bottom.

I share that story as one recently shared with me because not too long ago I happened to be playing golf with a couple of customers. One of the guys in our group kept nding himself in trouble, meaning always hitting out of the woods or over water, playing a bit of rescue golf all day. I was standing next to him as he was trying to line up a shot around a tree. He kept walking around trying to decide to just punch the ball out or go for the risky shot that called for an intentional draw around the tree. He looked over at me and said, “God hates a coward,” and swung away.

Happy to report that although his ball did not nd the green, it ended up just a few yards short. It was a magni cent shot.

We have all been faced with moments of decision on when we should choose discretion over rash bravery, and hopefully we have all decided in those most critical decision points of life that indeed discretion was the better part of valor. Making a bad decision could end up in serious injury. Making a bad decision in golf will just usually end up with several lost balls and a very bad score. But decisions when it comes to family, health, nances, careers and other key areas of life require us to use judgment and discernment before rushing into something that could cause us much greater harm than good.

Columnists & Guest Commentaries

Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of the Elbert County News.

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

750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225 Englewood, CO 80110

Phone: 303-566-4100

Web: ElbertCountyNews.net

To subscribe call 303-566-4100

THELMA GRIMES South Metro Editor tgrimes@coloradocommunitymedia.com

SCOTT GILBERT Editor sgilbert@coloradocommunitymedia.com

AUDREY BROOKS Business Manager abrooks@coloradocommunitymedia.com

ERIN FRANKS Production Manager efranks@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Email letters to letters@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Deadline Wed. for the following week’s paper.

Thelma Grimes

Mindset is crucial when planning

Investors have been on the stock market and interest rate roller coaster so long they may feel as though they have gone mad. Planning around continued volatility is a challenge unless you are committed to updating goals at least annually. People who stick their heads in the sand and avoid planning “until the market settles down” are missing opportunities and are likely to go o track. is could take years or never rectify once you lose focus.

is is one of the many reasons why the Board of Certi ed Financial Planners has added psychology as an important component of nancial planning. Until the advisor and client can discuss fears, con icts, money beliefs and biases openly, it will be difcult to stay on track or even build the right kind of plan.

It is not easy to discuss these things, such as:

— Your rst recollection of money

— Your money story, beliefs, con-

NORTON

Is it always the case? No, sometimes those quick or rash decisions work out. I have had a few of those over the years where my instincts took over and I went with my gut, meeting with tremendous success. However, I can share with you that I have also made many bad decisions to take an immediate action, being brave or courageous at the absolute wrong time, and well, those turned out as you would expect, some injury, heartache, and metaphorically a lot of lost golf balls and high scores in life.

I love this quote from Matt Damon’s character in “We Bought a Zoo”: “You know, sometimes all you need is 20 seconds of insane cour-

ABOUT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

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icts, biases — In uences on your nancial behavior

However having these conversations helps boost emotional intelligence. is includes self-awareness of mental triggers, taking responsibility for a situation and helping to facilitate positive change.

Many people become frustrated when they cannot make progress toward their nancial goals or may not even know how to set realistic goals. It is crucial to have the right mindset before you begin your nancial improvement journey. Speak to your advisor about the psychology exercise to help you progress, especially if any of these sound familiar:

• Squandering nancial windfalls

• In denial about spending, lack of saving or investment knowledge

• Enabling others or controlling others with money

• Over or underspending

• Extreme anxiety around nancial matters

• Unrealistic expectations

• Feeling guilty for having or receiving wealth

• Fear of losing money or making the wrong decision

Normalizing irrational behavior

age. Just literally 20 seconds of just embarrassing bravery. And I promise you, something great will come of it.”

Using Shakespeare’s quotes to temper enthusiasm in the heat of the moment, with the thought that God hates a coward, and all I need is 20 seconds of insane courage, has helped keep my balance. Do you know when and how to choose wisely? I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when we nd that balance between discretion and courage, it really will be a better than good life.

Michael Norton is an author, a personal and professional coach, consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator of individuals and businesses, working with organizations and associations across multiple industries.

helps decrease anxiety and shame. We are not often taught how to handle nancial a airs so when pressed to do so, we lack the con dence and knowledge to make good decisions.

We often quote George Kinder, CFP,* a pioneer in the early 1980s in nancial planning, by asking three main questions:

1. Imagine you are nancially secure, and you do not need to worry about money. How would you live your life?

2. Imagine your doctor tells you that you only have ve more years to live, but you will not feel ill or be in pain. What will you do with your remaining time?

3. You only have one day left to live. Ask yourself, “What did I miss?” “Who did I not get to be?” “What did I not get to do?”

e idea of these questions is to help prioritize what is most important so you have no regrets, don’t waste any more time getting started, and are able to enjoy your passions.

Kinder states that these answers don’t reveal the desire to make more money, work harder or receive a promotion. ey typically relate to one of these ve categories:

1. Family or relationships

2. Authenticity or spirituality

3. Ful lling creative goals

4. Giving back and leaving a positive legacy

5. A sense of place such as travel to special places or living in a certain environment.

All of these exercises are designed to help you create a more meaningful thought process around your nancial goals and challenges. While it may be uncomfortable, few things in life bring immediate gain without a little pain. You can think about these questions before your next planning meeting and even discuss them with your family to gain perspective. en let your wealth advisor help you discover what is important and how to create a plan that is e ective for you. You will be less worried about things out of your control, such as the stock market or interest rates, and more concerned about your nancial impact on your family and other passions you have.

* George Kinder, CFP, e Kinder Institute of Life Planning.

Patricia Kummer has been a Certied Financial Planner professional and a duciary for over 35 years and is managing director for Mariner Wealth Advisors.

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Make-A-Wish Colorado alumni, volunteers celebrate its 40th anniversary

BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

2023 has already been a big year for Make-A-Wish.

Wish Week fundraisers have been in full swing at local schools this winter, and basketball legend Michael Jordan donated $10 million — the largest individual donation ever — to the national organization last month. And spring 2023 could be even bigger.

Make-A-Wish Colorado celebrates its 40th anniversary this year and is hosting an anniversary celebration and fundraiser in April in Denver. Since it started, Make-A-Wish Colorado has granted more than 6,000 wishes for children with critical illnesses as a way of giving them hope and something to look forward to during their treatment.

Golden’s Ben Bontrager, 10, went

to Hawaii for his wish last spring. He was diagnosed in early 2020 with Burkitt’s lymphoma and was sick for almost a year, with his mom Sarah saying, “We almost lost him a couple times.”

Ben, who’s now in remission, said going to Hawaii was “the rst thing idea that popped in my head,” because he wanted to get out and do something fun.

“I was sick of being home,” he continued.

Now, Ben and his family are becoming Make-A-Wish ambassadors so that they can help other families through the same process.

Dad Je Bontrager said Ben’s wish was a “bright spot” to think about during those long days at the hospital, adding, “ e thought that (MakeA-Wish) has done it over and over for people, it’s really pretty amazing.”

For Jennifer Joan Mazak has been the proverbial fairy godmother for thousands of Colorado children after she founded the organization in 1983. She started it in honor of her daughter, Jennifer, who died at 7 years old of a liver disease.

Mazak recalled how, about a week before Jennifer’s death, she was granted an uno cial wish to meet local radio mascot KIMN Chicken. He stopped by the family’s house, walking around the entire property hand-in-hand with Jennifer. Many of the neighborhood children stopped by to see KIMN Chicken, but he was focused on making Jennifer feel special.

“It was great for her to be able to have that,” Mazak said.

After Jennifer’s death, Mazak used funds that people had raised for a liver donation to start Make-A-Wish

Colorado. ere were only three other chapters in the country and no national organization yet, she said. e local chapter was all volunteers working out of their homes, helping to create memories for children who needed them. Mazak said the very rst wish was to catch a sh, so they set up a shing trip at Dillon Reservoir.

Longtime volunteer Gary Aboussie recalled wishes to meet the pope and the Broncos. One of his favorite stories was sending a guitar to Bruce Springsteen to sign, him keeping that one, and sending back his own guitar instead with a special message. Mazak said of wishes: “ ey come in all shapes and sizes. ere are so many logistics to putting together a single wish. It’s di erent for every single family.”

Ben Bontrager of Golden had his wish to visit Hawaii granted in spring 2022. Ben, now 10, was diagnosed with Burkitt’s lymphoma in early 2020 but is now in remission.

Jack Rodell of Castle Rock had his wish to be a Colorado Avalanche player granted in November 2022. Jack, now 8, was diagnosed with leukemia but has been in remission for two years. COURTESY PHOTOS

About 20 years ago, Make-A-Wish Colorado started partnering with local schools for Wish Week fundraisers. Mazak said it’s been a winwin situation, as it helps instill philanthropy in the students and raises money for their sick peers. Plus, she always loves seeing schools’ creative fundraising methods, like shaving teachers’ heads or taping their principals to the wall.

While nancial contributions are needed, so are volunteers.

Aboussie described how meeting Make-A-Wish children and their families “touches your mind and heart.” So, he works to help however he can — whether that’s serving on the board of directors or speaking at events.

“(Volunteering) shows you how much more there is to do,” he said. “… We can’t stop the problems, but we can ease the e orts and give the child something to dream about when they’re going through the possibly the most di cult time of their life.”

Both Aboussie and Mazak stressed how much these children and their families need “a sense that there will be a better tomorrow,” as Aboussie described it.

ey said these children also need to feel normal after feeling di erent during their formative years.

Hope and normalcy

Castle Rock’s Jack Rodell, 8, might be a little shy, except when it comes to talking about the best day of his life.

On Nov. 14, Jack was the guest of honor at a Colorado Avalanche game. He described the entire day in detail, saying he met the players, got his own jersey and more.

Jack, who wants to be a professional hockey player when he grows up, was diagnosed with leukemia but has been in remission for two years. His wish was delayed because of COVID-19.

Over the past few years, he’s represented Make-A-Wish Colorado at fundraising events, and he and his family are now becoming wish ambassadors, like the Bontragers.

“When your kid is diagnosed with cancer, and you just live appointment to appointment, it’s very lonely,” his mom Krystalyn said. “… In his head, he just feels di erent. … It’s nice to see other people celebrate him, and it’s something he’ll remember for the rest of his life.”

at’s something Denver’s Austen Swinton can con rm.

Swinton, who’s graduating from the University of Colorado-Boulder this spring, was diagnosed with end-stage renal failure as a child and eventually received a kidney transplant. For her wish, she met singer and actress Demi Lovato at a July 2009 concert.

vato pulled Swinton on stage and asked her to sing “ is Is Me” for the crowd. Swinton said she didn’t have stage fright at all, and Lovato sang with her.

Swinton spoke at World Wish Day in California where Lovato was being honored for helping MakeA-Wish.

riences with Make-A-Wish helped brighten her life when she needed it most.

“Looking back at how much I was going through at that age — I was only 10 or 11 when I was on dialysis — I was missing out on some of those peak childhood moments,” she continued. “ … Everyone says how much a wish impacts a child. You don’t truly know until you’re living that experience.”

Having a wish granted is the best day in a child’s life, Jack described, and now he’s hoping he can help other children as an ambassador, paying forward all the kindness he received.

“People really helped me, and I want to help other people so they feel the same way,” Jack said. “I felt special. I felt really happy. … I want other kids to feel happy.”

MAKE-A-WISH COLORADO’S 40TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

“Whiskey, Wine & Wishes” presented by PDC Energy 6 p.m. Thursday, April 20 Denver’s Mission Ballroom at 4242 Wynkoop St. A party with a purpose. Guests will enjoy great food, drinks, and

country music, while raising crucial funds to grant wishes for Colorado children with critical illnesses. Peyton Manning will be honored as a Wish Hero for his longtime support of the organization. For more information, visit wishes2023.givesmart.com.

Austen Swinton of Denver, left, reunites with singer Demi Lovato at World Wish Day in spring 2022. Swinton had end-stage renal failure as a child and had her wish to meet Lovato granted in 2009.

Make-A-Wish Colorado founder Joan Mazak started the organization 40 years ago, and it has now granted more than 6,000 wishes for children with critical illnesses. Mazak said the wishes over the years have ranged from catching a fish to visiting Disneyland.

Teachers often spend own money on classroom supplies

State may pay them back

BY ERICA BREUNLIN THE COLORADO SUN

Everywhere you look in Lucy Squire’s classroom, you can spy the teacher’s touch.

Strands of lights carefully strung across the ceiling cast the room in a calming glow. Curtains fashioned from greenish blue bed sheets soften sunlight pouring in through the windows. Shelves of books sit organized in the back corner.

Squire, a third-grade teacher at Copper Mesa Elementary School in Highlands Ranch, purchased the lights, makeshift drapes and many of the books that help make her classroom what she calls “our home away from home for our kids.”

She also bought many of the basics that make it a classroom in the rst place — dry-erase markers, bulletin boards, a stool where she can sit while teaching at her whiteboard, a dark pink director’s chair that has lasted almost all her 18 years of reading aloud to students and bookcases that hold the hundreds of books in her class library.

“It seems like the expectation is just that we spend our money for whatever we need,” said Squire, who earlier in her career would drop more than $500 on her classroom and has tried to scale back her personal spending to less than $200 per school year. “I try to just keep it to the basics of what I need and

just whatever I need throughout the years, it comes up.”

A bipartisan group of lawmakers wants to ease that nancial burden with legislation that would provide an income tax credit to public school educators aimed at reimbursing them for classroom supplies, costs tied to professional development, continuing education, extra educational materials and eld trips.

House Bill 1208 would grant a $1,000 income tax credit to educators who teach an entire school year and a $500 credit to teachers in the classroom for half a year. e credit would be available in 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026 and could bene t nearly 50,000 licensed public school teachers per year, including educators at charter schools, according to state Rep. Bob Marshall, a Highlands Ranch Democrat and a lead sponsor of the bill.

e bill could lower state revenues by an estimated maximum of $50 million each year if all 50,000 eligible teachers apply for and get the $1,000 credit. e credit is refundable, meaning that if the amount of the credit is larger than what a teacher owes in taxes, they would receive a check for the di erence.

e measure won’t solve low teacher pay, lawmakers acknowledge, but it’s a step that inches them toward better compensation.

“It’s not a home run in the game,” Marshall said. “It’s a nice base hit … a nice hit for a win to get on the base. A thousand bucks in every

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teacher’s pocket in the public school system, how can that not be a win?”

e measure wouldn’t really a ect Colorado’s budget in years where the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights cap on government growth and spending is exceeded. It would, however, lower the amount of money available for taxpayer refunds.

In years when the TABOR cap isn’t exceeded, the measure would reduce the amount of money legislators have to spend on other priorities.

“Public education needs to be funded by the public, and our education system in Colorado has fallen way behind from where it was,” Marshall said.

“ is has been an ongoing issue for 50 years where they shouldn’t have been paying out of their pocket for these expenses,” he added.

Rep. Matt Soper, R-Delta, has seen rsthand how much educators sacri ce so their students have what they need to learn. Soper, another lead sponsor of the bill, watched as his mother, who taught in Delta Public Schools for 40 years, and two great aunts took part of their pay and put it back into their students, despite not seeing pay increases.

“ ey didn’t even think twice, and it was all about putting the kids rst,” Soper said.

He noted that income tax credits are a way to thank teachers and boost the money they receive when lawmakers are limited in how much they can directly in uence teacher pay across the state. In line with

Colorado’s focus on local control, individual school boards set their own educator salaries.

“We can’t just pass an educator funding bill in Colorado and actually have it hit the back pockets of teachers because so much of our education is localized and based on the local school boards,” Soper said.

Sen. Janice Rich, R-Grand Junction, is also a lead sponsor of House Bill 1208 after running a separate teacher funding bill earlier this legislative session that was rejected. at legislation sought to reimburse teachers for classroom expenses up to $500, but not for continuing education.

“Sometimes teachers can’t wait for special books or special needs for some of their students, and so they go ahead and they expend some of their own money to help their students,” said Rich, who also comes from a family of teachers. “So I think that they should be compensated for that.”

Marshall said he has received pushback from some public education advocates who are more narrowly focused on paying down debt the state has owed to schools since 2010, when it implemented a budgeting tool known as the budget stabilization factor during the Great Recession. e tool allows the General Assembly to allocate to schools each year less than what they are owed. For the current school year, legislators owe schools $321 million.

Making more dents in that debt has been a priority of Gov. Jared Polis, which he cited in his State of the State address in January.

“Anything that distracts from that they don’t like,” Marshall said.

Other opposition has come from public education advocates who are wary of tax credits altogether, he said.

Marshall is adamant that the income tax credits would make a signi cant di erence for teachers, particularly since money would be funneled directly to them.

“It goes straight to them,” he said, adding, “Get the money in the teachers’ pocket. at’s the bottom line, right?”

‘Our educators are hurting’

e Colorado Education Association, the state’s largest teachers union, backs the legislation so that more money can ow to educators, some of whom purchase more than paper, pencils and other supplies for their students, reaching deeper into their pockets to buy food, winter coats and shoes for kids, said CEA President Amie Baca-Oehlert.

“Basic survival things,” BacaOehlert said, “so it goes beyond basic classroom expenses.”

Medical professionals aren’t asked to buy their own equipment to tend to patients, she noted.

Neither should teachers, she said.

“Our educators are hurting,” Baca-Oehlert said. “We’re seeing it play out in so many ways from the

educator shortage to the high stress and low morale that our educators are saying they’re experiencing. And so when we can do things at the legislative level to alleviate those pressures, to provide some relief to our educators, we should.”

Squire, of the Highlands Ranch elementary school, has stretched her creative side as much as possible to avoid straining her budget, crafting bulletin boards out of fabric that she can wash and reuse instead of making them with paper or cork. She has stitched together her classroom library book by book, buying a couple hundred on her own, inheriting many from a teacher who transitioned into a di erent position, swapping books with other educators and using points from publishing company Scholastic to get new books and add to her collection.

“We don’t make a whole lot of money, especially compared to

the amount of work that we do, the hours we put in,” said Squire, whose entire teaching career has unfolded at Copper Mesa Elementary School. “If you were to compare our hours and our workload to people in the business world or other professionals, I think we de nitely drew the short stick. It should be better. It should be better set up so that we have all the resources we need to support our kids.”

Squire has also completed college classes to meet state requirements for renewing her teacher’s license. She earned nine credit hours last summer and is currently pursuing another six credit hours. Each three credit hour class costs $400.

“ at adds up very quickly,” Squire said.

Squire has paid upfront and received tuition reimbursement through her district, Douglas County School District. e income

tax credit in House Bill 1208 would also cover those tuition costs.

She supports the legislation so that personal funds she would otherwise divert to her classroom and profession can go toward her family instead.

“If you put your money with the people,” Squire said, “won’t you have a better impact?”

House Bill 1208 is scheduled to get its rst hearing in the House Education Committee on March 23.

Sta writer Jesse Paul contributed to this report.

is story is from e Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news outlet based in Denver and covering the state. For more, and to support e Colorado Sun, visit coloradosun. com. e Colorado Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colorado Community Media.

‘If you were to compare our hours and our workload to people in the business world or other professionals, I think we definitely drew the short stick. It should be better. It should be better set up so that we have all the resources we need to support our kids.’

Lucy Squire, third-grade teacher at Copper Mesa Elementary School

Littleton High School parents reflect on lockdown

Communication, strategy discussed

BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

When Littleton High School ninth grader Osso Siddall heard lockdown alarms begin during his lunch period, he did the safest thing he could think of — he ran.

“ e lockdown alert sounded, and then everybody was just screaming and confused,” he said. “And then I heard someone, I think it was like a sta member, said something about somebody was in the building… So I got out of there as fast as I could.” ree blocks and a couple hundred rapid heartbeats later, he arrived at his home. His mother, Mary Siddall, knew something was wrong right away when her son opened the door, out of breath.

“I’m like, ‘What’s going on?’” she said. “And he’s like, ‘Well there was a lockdown.’ And I was like, ‘Why are you here?’ And he said, ‘Well, because I left. Why would I be in the building if there is a shooter?’”

Littleton High School was one of more than a dozen Colorado schools that were targeted by hoax threat calls, known as “swatting” calls, on Feb. 22. e incident threw parents, students, school sta , law enforcement o cials and district o cials into immediate response mode as they tried to gure out what was happening and how to communi-

cate during the incident.

Communication

Melissa Yongue found out about the lockdown when her ninth-grade daughter texted her from inside the school. Yongue was aware of the swatting calls happening at other schools. Her daughter said she heard no gun re in the building.

“I would say within probably 10, 20 minutes, I think… my husband and her and I all felt pretty condent that it was just part of the hoax calls coming in because she wasn’t hearing anything,” Yongue said. “So it was kind of a short-lived panic, but it was de nitely a panic. I mean, it’s not something that any parent wants to get from a text message from their child in 2023.”

While the lockdown was happening, Yongue said she continuously refreshed the Littleton Police Department Twitter page to see updates on the situation. On the police department’s Tweets, comments from some parents expressed frustration that Littleton Public Schools was not communicating more during the lockdown.

One comment at 2:31 p.m. thanked the department for its updates, saying that the district had “communicated nothing” at that point. Another comment posted the next morning said, “And there was also no communication with the parents until 2 hours and it was over! Not cool.”

e lockdown started at 1:47 p.m., according to the district. e district sent a text message and email to par-

ents about the lockdown at approximately 3:27 p.m., just a few minutes before the school’s regular dismissal time and about 17 minutes before the lockdown lifted. Later in the evening, the district sent messages from Littleton High School Principal Cathy Benton and Superintendent Brian Ewert.

Yongue recognized there could be many reasons the information didn’t come faster from the district, but said it was still frustrating that the information came out as late as it did.

“I understand it’s a sticky situation, but I think lack of information is what causes people to speculate,” she said. “And it takes one student or

one person to misinterpret something or mishear something or mistake something and that information spreads like wild re… I would like to have more information coming from them but like I said, we had the information coming from (the police department) and that is what I think kept a lot of parents as calm as you can be in a situation like that.”

Police spokesperson Sheera Poelman said her goal with police communications is to get information out quickly when it relates to public safety. e district, she said, is a different entity with di erent communication processes.

LITTLETON POLICE DEPARTMENT

SEE LOCKDOWN, P19

“Both the school system and the police department realized that we need to get our communication teams together,” she said. “So that way, if something like this happens in the future, we’re ready.”

Littleton Public Schools spokesperson Diane Leiker said the district was working to get information out as fast as they could while also juggling many other concerns during the incident, especially because it happened near dismissal time. ey were coordinating with law enforcement, guring out delayed dismissals, adjusting bus plans and also managing situations at the district’s three other schools that were on secure perimeter at the same time as the lockdown, she said.

“It’s important to note that (the school district’s) rst priority anytime that there’s an incident is to ensure the safety of our students and sta ,” she said. “We always want to communicate with our parents and our sta and our community as quickly as possible. We’re not always in a position to do that, though, because the information isn’t available to us or it’s changing so rapidly.”

She said the district learned from the experience and has made changes for the future.

“We wish that we could have communicated in a much more timely manner,” she said. “Every incident we have, we learn, and we certainly learned from that one. And so it is our goal and our mission to do better.”

Leiker said the district implemented an enhanced communication strategy on March 1 when more swatting incidents happened in Boulder, Brighton and Aspen. Although Littleton schools were not targeted, the district sent out texts and emails and posted on their website to keep families informed.

“I appreciated them acknowledging the situation quickly,” Yongue said about the March 1 communications. “It was very soon after news reports of the other calls being made again that we received the message from (the district).”

Other parents said they were pleased by how the district handled communications during the lockdown and did not see a need for change.

“It’s di cult because as a parent, I really would like to know what’s going on right away, right?” Siddall said. “But I have learned with all the issues we have been having at all di erent schools that it takes a lot of time to put the communication out… You have to trust our principal, you have to trust our resource o cer and the police — even when, yes, of course, we want to know what’s going on.”

Impact on students

When asked if he was afraid when the lockdown began, Osso said he was more confused than anything.

“For the most part, I was just confused about like, what’s happening?” he said. “I’ve lived my whole life in Littleton, and nothing really happens that’s too big. So I was just confused about what could happen.”

Laura Mehew, a Littleton High School mother, said she is con-

cerned about the impact of swatting on students, especially considering how many are being victimized by these incidents.

“ ese kids have been exposed to so much, they’re almost becoming desensitized to it a little bit, which is, in my opinion, a defense mechanism,” she said. “It’s in the hundreds, I would say the thousands of students who are being impacted by (swatting)… It causes trauma.”

Littleton High School alone has approximately 1,300 students, so thousands of Colorado students have been victims of swatting in recent weeks.

Mehew is particularly concerned because her family was involved in an active shooter situation a few years ago. e suspect in that situation ended up being unarmed, making her familiar with the trauma that threat situations can cause, even if they do not end up causing physical harm.

Yongue said swatting is “frustrating” and “disgusting.”

“(Kids) have this true threat that they deal with, and we as parents deal with every day that we send our kids to school,” she said. “To have

somebody exploit that is — I don’t understand how you get to a state of mind where you think, ‘ is is what I’m going to do today.’ And it’s even more frustrating to know that they will most likely never be caught.”

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, those who post or send false threats can receive up to ve years in federal prison, or they can face state or local charges. In Colorado, false reporting of an emergency is a class 1 misdemeanor, but can be raised to a felony if injury occurs.

e Littleton Police Department said they are working with local partners and the FBI as investigations into the incident move forward.

Mehew said she is grateful for those who work to keep students safe when situations like this occur.

“Our school people are put on the frontlines of so many issues that kids are facing right now,” she said. “Education and trying to educate them is just one part of it. ey’re having to help these kids through so much more. So I’m very appreciative of the school and of the Littleton Police Department.”

UP DRO ELZZ

Lawmakers look to expand ‘red flag’ law

BY ANDREW KENNEY COLORADO PUBLIC RADIO

Colorado lawmakers on March 7 debated whether to expand the state’s Extreme Risk Protection Order law, along with two other proposed gun laws.

e existing ERPO law is meant to disarm people who might be a risk to themselves or others, before anything happens. But it has seen relatively little use in Colorado since it was instituted in 2020, leading Democrats to propose changes this year.

“ e changes we have made … are a result of the actions taken or not taken prior to the Club Q shooting last November,” said state Sen. Tom Sullivan, a Democrat, at the beginning of a daylong committee hearing.

Sullivan is a sponsor of a bill, SB23170, which would expand the state’s Extreme Risk Protection Order law. It was the focus of the hearing’s rst hours.

What the bill would do

e biggest proposed changes are:

• Expanding the list of people who can initiate the “red ag” process.

• Requiring the state to spend money on a public education campaign about the law.

A red ag case begins when someone

les a petition in court. Currently, those petitions can be led by law enforcement o cers, and also by individuals close to the person in question. at includes current and former romantic relations, roommates and family members. If a petition is led by anyone else, it is automatically dismissed.

e new bill broadens that, allowing a range of new professionals to le the petitions, including psychologists, social workers, family therapists, counselors, doctors, physician assistants, teachers, school counselors, administrators, school nurses and college faculty, and district attorneys, among others.

Backers say these professionals are well-positioned to spot warning signs, and that giving them the power to seek a red ag order can serve as a backstop in areas where law enforcement isn’t using the law.

“We have some communities around our state that either can’t, or won’t, le or enforce extreme risk protection orders,” said Senate President Steve Fenberg, referring to the fact that many law agencies have never led an ERPO petition.

Adding new petitioners “provides different options,” he said.

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Proposal draws objections from sheri s in conservative areas, among others

Sheri Darren Weekly of Douglas County said that people might avoid seeing a counselor if they’re worried it could result in a red ag petition.

“ e very people who will need help will be reluctant to seek it,” he said.

Weekly’s predecessor, Sheri Tony Spurlock, was a key supporter of the original ERPO law.

Weekly also argued that the existing law violates due process protections. A judge can order someone’s guns be taken for up to two weeks without giving them an immediate chance to respond.

e red ag law says that a judge must nd a “preponderance” of evidence of a “signi cant” risk before issuing a two-week ban. A one-year ban requires “clear and convincing” evidence, and can’t be issued until the judge holds a court hearing and gives the person an opportunity to respond.

Sheri Joseph Roybal of El Paso County disputed the idea that an expanded red ag law could have stopped the Club Q shooting.

“ is proposed bill is here to try to predict the future or rewrite the past,

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both of which are awed,” he said.

Authorities in El Paso County have come under heavy criticism because they did not le a red ag petition against the suspect. e suspect had allegedly threatened a mass shooting and engaged in an armed stando with police a year earlier, and authorities con scated the suspect’s weapons at the time. But the court case was dismissed and the suspect faced no known restrictions on acquiring new weapons at the time of the shooting.

However, in his testimony, Roybal indicated the suspect could have acquired the guns illegally — which a red ag order would not have stopped.

“I will tell you, the weapons that were used in that incident would not have applied to ERPO,” Roybal said. He added later: “People are making the assumption the weapons that (the suspect used were) obtained legally.”

9News and other outlets have reported that so-called “ghost guns” were used in the attack.

Social worker, teacher, medical groups support proposal, while gun rights group threatens to sue

e gun rights group Rocky Mountain Gun Owners has threatened to sue the state, should lawmakers pass the new legislation.

Erik Stone, a commissioner in conser-

vative Teller County, said that teachers aren’t ready to take on the burden of considering red ag petitions.

“It extends responsibilities to people who already have enough on their plate,” he said.

e American Federation of Teachers’ Colorado branch is supporting the bill.

e state’s largest teacher’s union, the Colorado Education Association, has not led to lobby on the bill.

Leanne Rupp, executive director of the Colorado chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, acknowledged concerns about protecting client con dentiality, but said her organization supports the proposal, arguing it could save the lives of clients and others.

“ ere are times when we as providers may be able to prevent a catastrophic event from occurring,” she said.

e bill requires that judges must place health records under seal, and it includes legal protections for professionals who make ERPO decisions in good faith, including if they don’t le a petition and their client goes on to commit an act of violence.

Dr. George Hertner, president of Emergency Medical Specialists in Colorado Springs, said that emergency room doctors are well-positioned to identify dangerous cases.

“We are able to identify and treat these individuals. We treat the victims

of these violent crimes,” he said. “What we are lacking is the ability to raise our hands and cry out, ‘Help, this person is at risk.’”

e Colorado Medical Society and the Colorado Psychiatric Society have both requested amendments to the bill, according to lobbying records.

“CMS understands the issues in this bill and wants to ensure that in situations where physicians are trying to help that they do not either unintentionally get exposed to other risks per other laws and regulations,” wrote a spokesperson for CMS in an email.

Other witnesses said that expanding the red ag law could save lives.

“You think about all the ‘what ifs,’” said Jane Dougherty, whose sister Mary Sherlach was killed while trying to stop the shooter at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012. “What if the shooter didn’t have access to those guns?”

e ERPO bill passed the committee on party lines with a 3-2 vote. It heads next to the full Senate. Later in the day, the committee was set to consider bills that would create more legal liability for the rearm industry and raise the rearm purchase age to 21.

is story is from CPR News, a nonpro t news source. Used by permission. For more, and to support Colorado Public Radio, visit cpr.org.

OR BE

PROVID-

BARRED. YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that any party who wishes to oppose an application, or an amended application, may file with the Water Clerk, P. O. Box 2038, Greeley, CO 80632, a verified Statement of Opposition, setting forth facts as to why the application should not be granted, or why it should be granted only in part or on certain conditions. Such Statement of Opposition must be filed by the last day of APRIL 2023 (forms available on www.courts.state.co.us or in the Clerk’s office), and must be filed as an Original and include $192.00 filing fee. A copy of each Statement of Opposition must also be served upon the Applicant or Applicant’s Attorney and an affidavit or certificate of such service of mailing shall be filed with the Water Clerk.

applications, and certain amendments filed in the Office of the Water Clerk during the month of FEBRUARY 2023 for each County affected.

2023CW6 LELAND V. GARDINER AND KATHLEEN J. GARDINER 35322 Whetstone Ct., Elizabeth, CO 80107. 303-646-3383. csgard@ aol.com APPLICATION FOR UNDERGROUND

WATER RIGHTS IN THE DENVER BASIN

AQUIFERS IN ELBERT COUNTY. Name of Structure: Gardiner Well located NW 1/4, SE 1/4, S5, T8S, R64W 6th PM in Elbert County, at a distance from section lines of 1515 ft. from S and 2530 ft. from E. Subdivision: Saddlewood, Lot 73, Filing 2, also known as 35322 Whetstone Ct., Elizabeth, CO 80107. One well located on property. Parcel of land consists of 2.71 acres of land. Well Permit 145272. Date of appropriation: 09-04-86. Date water applied to beneficial use:

11-24-86. Depth to bottom of well: 365 ft. Pumping Rate: 15 gpm. Amount claimed in acre-feet annually: 1. Single family dwelling, irrigation, domestic animals watering.

THE WATER RIGHTS CLAIMED BY THESE APPLICATIONS MAY AFFECT IN PRIORITY ANY WATER RIGHTS CLAIMED OR HERETOFORE ADJUDICATED WITHIN THIS DIVISION AND OWNERS OF AFFECTED RIGHTS MUST APPEAR TO OBJECT WITHIN THE TIME PROVIDED BY STATUTE OR BE FOREVER BARRED.

YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that any party who wishes to oppose an application, or an amended application, may file with the Water Clerk, P. O. Box 2038, Greeley, CO 80632, a verified Statement of Opposition, setting forth facts as to why the application should not be granted, or why it should be granted only in part or on certain conditions. Such Statement of Opposition must be filed by the last day of APRIL 2023 (forms available on www.courts.state.co.us or in the Clerk’s office), and must be filed as