ADAMS COUNTY FAIR GUIDE • INSIDE THIS ISSUE Weld Food Bank mobile pantry helping rural communities How Coloradans can save water at home

BY SHANNON MULLANE THE COLORADO SUN

OK, Coloradans, let’s clear the shampoo out of our eyes: Your shower water is likely connected to the Colorado River water supply crisis. But can you really help by conserving water at home?

In recent years, two decades of drought and prolonged overuse have brought the Colorado River Basin’s largest storage reservoirs to the brink of collapse. e crisis is reaching Coloradans’ lives in the form of summer lawn watering restrictions, higher utility bills and even a shortage of Sriracha. Some cities have bought agricultural water rights for more municipal water, and people with junior water rights often have their water supply cut in dry years.

BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

e refrigerated truck pulls into Fort Lupton’s Recreation Center parking lot about 30 minutes before it’s expected on July 20.

Weston Edmunds, communications manager for the Weld Food Bank, said he knows they’ll need that time to set up all the tables and prepare the produce. It takes about a half-hour to get it up and running for distribution.

“We started getting people coming through, and by the looks of the line, and folks from the community, it isn’t getting shorter,” Edmunds said. “Fort Lupton is one of our busier sites. We serve 150 to 200 families at this distribution site. e average family size is about three or four members and you multiply that by 150 families each time we come here, so it’s very important.” e Weld Food Bank mobile truck

OBITUARIES: PAGE 4 | VOICES: PAGE 5 | LIFE: PAGE 6 | CALENDAR: PAGE 19

Farms to Families visits students monthly at the Greeley and Windsor campuses, providing fresh produce. ey’ve partnered with Arty’s Pantry, housed on the Aims Community College campus, to bring the same services to Aims’ campus in Fort Lupton.

“Amazingly, we have so many volunteers who help in the community that takes ownership of this

Water experts say Colorado residents can help with the crisis, and they have plenty of tips to help the conservation-minded Coloradan start saving water at home. One drawback: In many cases, there’s no guarantee that in-home savings help re ll the system’s struggling reservoirs.

“It’s like, OK great, our city is now saving 10% of what it was using,” said Gregor MacGregor, a

SEE TIPS,

Briefs

Spaghetti Dinner on August 30 e Spaghetti Dinner is sure to ll you up and help our kids thrive in school. Tickets cost $20 for adults and $15 for kids 10 and under.

Fort Lupton’s Spaghetti Dinner is a very special fundraising event where 100% of the net proceeds from this dinner go directly to purchase school supplies – everything from backpacks to modeling clay to notebooks to computers– for students in Fort Lupton’s Weld RE-8 School district.

Enjoy homemade dinner and dessert, wine, and craft beer. Bring your appetite and your generosity!

Drink wristbands are separate for $25 each.

Learn more at: https://www. fortluptonco.gov/968/SpaghettiDinner

Splash Park Sponsorship Opportunities

Fort Lupton is working on a Splash Park, but the city will need help from our local businesses and residents. If you’d like to sponsor the Splash Park and have your name engraved on the agstone sponsorship wall, contact Doug at dcook@fortluptonco.gov.

Platte Valley Medical Center earns recognition for breastfeeding program

Platte Valley Medical Center is one of 45 hospitals recognized by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment for e orts to promote breastfeeding and o er healthier food and beverage options through the Colorado Healthy Hospital Compact and Colorado Baby-Friendly Hospital Collaborative. e initiatives are part of the state’s work to promote healthy eating and active living to reduce rates of death and disease from chronic illness among Coloradans.

Platte Valley was recognized at the Gold Level for the Healthy Hospital Compact.

Learn more about the Colorado Healthy Hospital Compact and the Colorado Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative at cdphe.colorado.gov/ colorado-healthy-hospital-compact and at BreastfeedColorado.com.

Farm to Market tickets on sale e Foundation’s biennial fundraising campaign will bene t women’s health services to help women connect with the care they need throughout their adult years and to support area women who do not always prioritize their own health needs. e foundation hopes to raise $500,000 in the campaign cycle. ey conduct multiple fundraising e orts annually with Farm to Table as the largest event. e event garners so much support that it often sells out long before the date. is year, Muñoz reserved a block of tickets that are available to the public for $75 each. ey are available at https://ftt2023. cbo.io.

Tickets for Farm to Table, a fundraising event for the Platte Valley Medical Foundation scheduled for Aug. 17 are on sale now.

Farm to Table will be at 6 p.m.

Aug. 17 on the hospital campus. Platte Valley Medical Center’s Chef Mike Anderson uses produce donated by area farmers to create a gourmet meal for about 450 guests.

State youth council needs members e Colorado legislature’s nonpartisan Colorado Youth Advisory Council has openings for new members across the state for the 2023-25 term. e Youth Advisory Council is a statewide organization dedicated to youth-led civic service learning. Youth members lead policy committees that analyze issues and policies that impact youth across Colorado. Policy work can include making recommendations about current policies or advocating for new ones. Council members conduct research, write problem/solution statements, meet with subject matter experts, build relationships with legislators, and seek feedback from their peers and communities. e Colorado Legislature created the youth advisory council in 2008 to give Colorado’s youth ages 14-19 a voice in lawmaking. Youth council members work each summer to propose policy ideas to a committee of legislators. Each summer, students present policy proposals to legislators. During the last two years, several policies the youth council identi ed became law, including increased crisis services, higher education programs for fostered youth, educational standards and e orts to prevent eating disorders.

Applications are due June 19. State organizers plan to host an informational session for applicants at 6 p.m. June 14. Find info at www. coyac.org/apply.

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., on weekdays between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Call 303-8571096.

Walk with a doc

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. 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.

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 303718-4440. Mail donations to Blessings in a Bag, 306 Park Ave., Fort Lupton 80621.

Drop-in child care e Fort Lupton Recreation Center o ers drop-in child care from 8:30 to 11 a.m. Mondays and Wednesdays or Tuesdays and ursdays. 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 ursday. Call 303-857-4200, ext. 6166.

Co ee group

Fort Lupton’s weekly co ee 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 e city’s water aerobics class meets from 6 to 6:45 p.m. Tuesdays and ursdays 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-Pen-PalProgram.

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.