North Suburban Medical Center gets air support

Hospital adds medical helicopter in deal with AirLIfe Denver

BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

A new ambulance and helicopter will join North Suburban Medical Center eet, responding to medical emergencies in the northern metro communities out of its 9191 Grant St., ornton, address.

“Providing good quality care to our community is essential, so time matters when you have a heart attack or stroke,” said RN Hollie Seeley, President, and CEO of North Suburban Medical Center. Seeley is a former ight nurse herself and said she’s glad to see her hospital get a helicopter.

“ is allows us to bring up our level of care at North Suburban,” Seeley said. “It provides for all of the tertiary care in Denver for our community and the service. So we are thrilled.” e hospital celebrated a ribboncutting ceremony with AirLife Denver HealthOne medical transport service’s new base on May 3. According to hospital o cials, the ongoing growth along the Northern 1-25 corridor will require quality emergency and critical care service for the North Metro Communities.

Brian Leonard, the Director of Business Operations for Airlife Denver, said his company is now Health One’s critical care transport team and is part of the North Suburban Health One system. It’s a more signi cant partnership between the hospital AirLife service critical care transport facility in ornton.

“Ideally, what this does bring access for rapid transport in this community, but also the surrounding communities. e patients can come to North Suburban and know that they have an immediate access point to get to maybe a level one trauma center or a comprehensive stroke center, like Swedish Medical Center, Health, One’s level one trauma center,” Leonard said.

“It’s wonderful care here at Northside and then extending us into that northern presence to serve the communities around Thornton and beyond,” he added.

Chad Christianson, CEO HealthOne also excited to have a helicopter at the new base.

“HealthOne has always been a part of North Suburban. We are incredibly excited about the Airlife base here at North Suburban with trauma access to this level of care in this community,” Christianson said. “I think it’s needed and this helicopter service will be a great addition to the Northern Denver Metro area community.” unlocking the equity in your home, you can fell good about the possibilities that await you in retirement. Eligible borrowers can pay o an existing mortgage and have no monthly mortgage payments* while receiving proceeds on a monthly or as-needed basis.

Fort Lupton Rec Center hosts lifeguard sessions

Don’t miss out on lifeguard training May 30 - June 3! Are you 15 years old or older and looking for a great part-time job with exible hours or a challenging career? American Red Cross Lifeguarding is the best place to start! Lifeguarding puts you in an exciting position, working as part of a team to help people safely enjoy the water. You must attend every class to receive the American Red Cross certi cation. Call 303-8574200 x6164 or email dcook@fortluptonco.gov for registration.

Sign Up Early - Space is Limited!

Mays Memorial Fore Youth Benefit Golf Tournament June 9 e annual Jacobs Jon Mays Memorial Golf Tournament returns to Coyote Creek Golf Course June 9 to bene t local youth. e tournament is a four-person scramble. After an 8 a.m. start, golfers will enjoy 18 holes with fun games and contests. ere’s also a pre-round breakfast, post-event lunch and prizes.

Individual registration is $140 per player and $455 per team. Registration includes green fees, cart and lunch. Sponsorships are available at a variety of price points, and include bene ts like tee-box advertising, team registration, promotional opportunities and more.

To register for the tournament and view a complete list of sponsorship opportunities, visit www.golfgenius.com/ggid/jmay23. If you can’t participate in the tournament, but want to lend your support, consider a monetary donation or an item for our ra e.

South Platte Historical Society is hosting summer at the Independence one-room school.

Children can have fun experienc- ing pioneer living.

2001 Historic Parkway, Fort Lupton, CO

Session #1 June 5-7

Session #2 June 12-14

Session #3 June 19-20

Go to www.spvhs and click Annual Events, Independent School for Flyer and Registration Form or contact LaVon lwatson@spvhs.org

LaVon Watson 720-273-3609

Splash pad e city of Fort Lupton is searching for comments about and sponsorships for a new splash pad.

Sponsor funds will be used for the splash park and amenities. Call 303857-6694

Donation time e Fort Lupton Food & Clothing Bank is asking for donations of canned fruits and nuts, varieties of dry pasta and pasta dinners, peanut butter and canned meat such as tuna (including the pouches).

Other potential donations could include chicken, Vienna sausages, spam and salmon. e bank also needs personal items, such as toiletries and baby needs.

Drop o donations at the food and clothing bank’s back door, 421 Denver Ave., weekdays between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Call 303-857-1096.

Walk with a doc is is a walking program for everyone interested in taking steps for a healthier lifestyle. After a few minutes to learn about a current health topic from the doctor, spend the rest of the hour enjoying a healthy walk and fun talk.

Platte Valley Medical Center’s cardiac rehab team and Walk With A Doc will host monthly walks with Dr. Christopher Cannon, an interventional cardiologist at Brighton Heart and Vascular Institute.

Blessings in a Bag

Fort Lupton’s Backpack Program helps school children in need with a backpack of healthy food. It’s an all-volunteer program and is in need of volunteers. If interested in volunteering or donating, call 303-718-4440. Mail donations to Blessings in a Bag, 306 Park Ave., Fort Lupton 80621.

Drop-in child care

The Fort Lupton Recreation Center offers drop-in child care from 8:30 to 11 a.m. Mondays and Wednesdays or Tuesdays and Thursdays. Call 303-857-4200.

Fort

Lupton senior lunches

Senior lunches are available at noon Mondays at the Fort Lupton Recreation Center, 203 S. Harrison Ave. Sign up by noon the previous Thursday. Call 303-857-4200, ext. 6166.

Coffee

Group

Fort Lupton’s weekly coffee group sessions are at 8 a.m. Wednesdays. Call 303-857-4200.

Silver Sneakers

Silver Sneaker Yoga is available Fridays from 9 to 9:45 a.m. and from 10 to 10:45 a.m. at the Fort Lupton recreation Center, 203 S. Harrison Ave.

Water aerobics

The city’s water aerobics class meets from 6 to 6:45 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Fort Lupton Recreation Center, 203 S. Harrison Ave. Call 303-857-4200.

Pen pals

Fort Lupton’s senior pen pal program through Twombly Elementary School is looking for participants. Learn more at: https://www. fortluptonco.gov/950/Senior-PenPal-Program.

Craft classes

Monthly craft classes through the Fort Lupton Recreation Center (203 S. Harrison Ave.) are available. Call 303-857-4200, ext. 6166 with questions.

Free short-term radon test kits

Weld County residents can receive a free radon test kit (one per household, while supplies last). Test kits can be requested online at www.drhomeair.com/weld, according to a statement.

Call the Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment at (970) 400-2226 or visit: www.weldgov.com/go/radon.

Warm line up and running

Community Reach Center is offering a warm line (303-2806602) for those who want to talk to mental-health professionals about anxiety, lack of sleep and strained relationships, among other topics. The professionals can facilitate referrals to other programs for assistance.

The line is not for crisis intervention. Those feeling unsafe or suicidal should call Colorado Crisis Services (1-844-493-8255) or text 38255 or visit the Behavioral Urgent Care Center, 2551 W. 84th Ave., Westminster.

Brighton’s community intake location is at 1850 E. Egbert St., on the second floor. It’s open from 8 a.m. to noon Tuesdays.

Alcoholics Anonymous

The Brighton chapter of Alcoholics Anonymous meets at 147 S. Second Place. Meeting times are 10 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Sundays, noon and 7:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 6 p.m. Thursdays and 9 p.m. Fridays.

Call 303-659-9953 or visit www. brighton1aa.org.

directions, making eye contact, asking questions, listening, problemsolving and o ering praise all while building empathy, patience, selfesteem and con dence. And there’s a lot more.

“We can take the characteristics of animal-assisted therapy, then with actual empathy, they learn to focus and follow directions,” Stribling said.

Stribling said she has been in assistance therapy for over 19 years and became interested in the therapy dog program. She had an old Great Dane to train with, but he was too old. So, she improvised.

“I got a young dog to learn about assisted therapy. It’s how I got started with the Caring Canines,” Stribling said.

Stressful time for kids

Stribling said the uncertainty and isolation that came with COVID-19 and the lockdowns have shown the need for therapy dogs with kids.

“Some kids come from situations where is not enough love, or there are drug and alcohol abuse problems,” Stribling said. “ ere were some of the kids who came back to elementary school addicted to drugs or alcohol. It gets worse each year.”

Ryanne McIntosh, Fort Lupton Middle School Counselor, suggested bringing the Caring Canines into the schools last fall.

“It’s kind of pilot program at the middle school to see how it goes and then hopefully being able to get the program into the other school next year as well,” McIntosh.

First, they brought a little therapy dog named Niko, a Cavapoo (King Charles Spaniel mixed with a Poodle) to work with one particular student. Mcintosh said that the child has shown tremendous growth working with Niko.

“I’ve seen from him carrying it into other classes and the activities that he’s involved in and being able to see his assertiveness come out with a little bit more con dence,” McIntosh said.

McIntosh selects the student for the program. So far, they have two working with therapy dogs.

“I tried to get others, but it didn’t work out, getting permission slips back from the parents,” McIntosh said. “But we’ve got two in the program right now we are hoping to build on that next year, to get even more students involved in it,” McIntosh said.

McIntosh said the Caring Canine team puts together speci c activities tailored to each student, designed to help them meet the speci c goals themselves and for the dogs.

Unconditional love

Stribling said these kids had so much going on in their lives, and they needed unconditional love. It’s what the dogs, the volunteers, and the counselors o er.

“ ey have been judged too harshly by their family, peers or teachers and don’t need to be judged, judgment at school can be stressful,”

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Stribling said.

Niko is working with another student who has anxiety.

“It’s great to see. e relationship built between them has been absolutely amazing. e con dence that he has built has been incredible. It was an opportunity for gratifying love between (the student) and the dog with an instant connection,” McIntosh said.

Passion for people, love for dogs

Tracy Starr, a volunteer with Caring Canines for nine months, brought Niko to teach the student how to train a dog.

“ e therapy dogs come in trained with a few commands, and then he learned the command and has taken the lead,” Starr said.

“It really makes me excited and happy to work with Niko,” the student said.

Starr said she always had a passion for helping other people, and she loves dogs and had a couple of dogs that would be good therapy dogs and decided to go for it.

“My mom had Alzheimer’s and she has since passed away. It was a way for me to go into the facility and help other people with Alzheimer’s. I’m a teacher myself. I’ve seen how dogs can a ect kids and make them happy and calm them down,” Starr said.

Show and tell

Stribling said after a child works with the dog for an extended period, typically for the semester or the entire year, if the child’s progress is enough to return to their classroom, they can bring somebody else into education.

Now, The Colorado Sun co-owns this and other Colorado Community Media newspapers as a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy. The Sun is CCM’s partner for the program.

“Hopefully, at the end of the time period spent working with the dog, they’ll go back to their classroom and put on a performance of what they’ve learned with the dog for their classmates or their favorite teachers, the o ce sta , and their parents or guardians, “Stribling said.

“It’s all about building con dence, learning self-control, learning how to talk in a commanding way, not in a mean way. Assertiveness,” she said.

Stribling said students usually work with one dog for 30 minutes and then move to another dog. at’s because the dogs tend to re ect the emotions the children are feeling.

“We don’t ever work our dogs for more than an hour because they pick up on all the stress and emotions the kid has,” she said. “ ey also pick up on all the joy, but there’s not a lot of joy in some of these kids’ lives.” statewide news.

Caring Canines has 33 full-time volunteers and about 40 more are expected to nish their training by the end of the summer. ey have about 80 volunteers in Fort Collins.

“We’re so happy we have the program and honestly cannot wait for next year. We’re talking this morning about how we want to get more students involved in it. ere are other students in our district that could greatly bene t from it, “ McIntosh said.

For more information on Caring Canines or volunteers, call 970646-5019—email info@caringcaninescolorado.org. Visit the website at https://caringcaninescolorado.org/ contact.

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