Life on Cap Hill December 2021

December 2021

Founded in 1975

LifeOnCapHill.com

‘WE’RE HERE TO TEACH PEOPLE’ Cook Street School of Culinary Arts offers recreational, professional classes

P10 GETTING KIDS READY FOR KINDERGARTEN Denver Preschool Program reflects on successful year

P13 AN UPLIFTING BUILDING St. Francis-Warren Residences provides housing for homeless

P4 LOCAL GIFTS Cherry Creek North Holiday Market features many small businesses

P11

2 Life on Capitol Hill

December 1, 2021

Business Matters Christy Steadman | csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com Business Matters is a monthly column featuring business news in the Life on Capitol Hill and Washington Park Profile coverage areas, which is roughly central and central-south Denver.

If you are a local business that would like to announce any updates to your operations, email Christy Steadman at csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com.

NEW OPENINGS Fox Restaurant Concepts Two new Fox Restaurant Concepts opened in early November in Denver’s 9+CO development, a new multi-use development that borders the Congress Park and Hale neighborhoods near East Ninth Avenue and Colorado Boulevard.

The two new restaurants are Blanco Cocina + Cantina, 4177 E. Ninth Ave., and Culinary Dropout; 4141 E. Ninth Ave. Blanco Cocina + Cantina is a Mexican restaurant specializing in Sonoran-style cuisine and a variety of house margaritas, and features a weekday happy hour.

To learn more about Blanco Cocina + Cantina, visit www.blancococinacantina.com.

Culinary Dropout serves classic meals such as house-made pretzels and fried chicken, and offers a variety of craft cocktails. The venue will also host free yard games and live local music. To learn more about Culinary Dropout, visit www.culinarydropout.com.

Fox Restaurant Concepts got its start

by Sam Fox in Tucson, Arizona. Today, there are more than 50 Fox Restaurant Concepts eateries across the U.S., including Flower Child and North Italia in Denver’s Cherry Creek.

To learn more about Fox Restaurant Concepts, visit www.foxrc.com.

Western States College of Construction A new trade-school college to serve people in the metro area who are interested in construction industry professions officially launched on Nov. 8.

Called the Western States College of Construction (WSCC), the school has 10 campuses located in Denver, Colorado Springs, Grand Junction and Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Its administrative campus is located at 1391 Speer Blvd., Suite 450, in Denver’s Lincoln Park neighborhood, just west of the Speer neighborhood.

WSCC offers its students an apprenticeship model, allowing students to simultaneously earn an education and salary, while

practicing learned skill sets on-the-job.

“WSCC creates a program for workforce education that pairs apprenticeship programs and partners in higher education in a way that more directly acknowledges the work completed as part of the apprentice training,” states a news release.

Students graduate with a certificate in a skilled trade in the construction industry, including electrical, HVAC/R service, pipefitting, plumbing and sheet metal. WSCC will soon be offering two-year degrees.

WSCC is powered by the MEP Alliance and supported by Rocky Mountain MCA as a founding member.

To learn more about WSCC, visit www. westernstatescollege.org.

MILESTONES

Last year, Denver residents Megan Trask and Cody Galloway launched a small business called Tula, which is a local personal assistant service. COURTESY PHOTO

Tula Tula, a local, app-based personal assistant service launched by two south Denver residents, celebrated its one-year anniversary this fall.

Megan Trask and Cody Galloway had a soft opening for Tula in October 2020, and fully launched their business in December that year. The small business picked up traction and in early spring this year, expanded to serve Boulder. In July, Tula launched in Austin, Texas.

Tula offers people assistance with a task by deploying a vetted personal assistant.

Tula’s clients can choose from a variety of customizable services — meal planning and prep, including writing a grocery list; redecorating; gift shopping; help with research for a project; home and business organizing and scheduling, including those for home repairs; and running day-to-day errands such as picking up mail and deliveries at the post office.

“We want to help busy parents and professionals bring some balance back to their lives,” Trask said in a previous interview.

“We want people to be able to prioritize with purpose.”

To learn more about Tula, visit www. tulabalanced.com.

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Queen City Collective Coffee/iDE Queen City Collective Coffee has partnered with iDE, a Denver-based international nonprofit, to support individual Honduran coffee farmers by using technology called blockchain, states a news release.

According to the news release, the blockchain serves as a data trail that “guarantees local coffee drinkers get an authentic Cen-

tral American cup of joe, while the farmers get paid extra for supplying the real thing.”

Increased value of the Honduran coffee is generated through “the transparency and traceability of the product along the blockchain,” states a news release. “Key steps of the (coffe’s) journey were tokenized in ‘blocks’ and stored across a secure, transparent peer-to-peer computer network, guaranteeing its authenticity.”

“Consumers appreciate the connection to their coffee’s source and want to learn more,” said Gordon Lau, iDE’s information systems director, in a news release. “We want to capture, and then transfer, some of that value back to the farmer. At the end of the day, improving the lives of people in the developing world is what iDE is all about.”

Queen City coffee has a location in Five Points at 30th and Welton Streets; and inside Novel Strand Brewing Co., 309 W. First Ave. in Denver’s Baker neighborhood, through a collaborative coffee shop/brewery partnership.

To learn more about Queen City coffee, visit https://queencitycollectivecoffee. com. To learn more about iDE, visit www. ideglobal.org.

The Bookies Bookstore/BookBar Northwest Denver’s BookBar, an independent bookstore and wine bar located at 4280 Tennyson St. in the Berkeley neighborhood, has purchased The Bookies Bookstore, also an independent bookstore, located at 4315 E. Mississippi Ave. in Glendale.

The Bookies got its start about 50 years ago in the late Sue Lubeck’s basement before eventually moving to its current location.

However, Lubeck’s family put the bookstore up for sale earlier this year after Lubeck passed away in July, with hopes that a buyer would be able to continue Lubeck’s vision and legacy.

In a current news release posted on the BookBar’s website, BookBar owner Nicole Sullivan stated that she does not intend to change The Bookies into another BookBar location. Plans for The Bookies, however, does include reincorporating both stores to a Public Benefit Corporation, and integrating The Bookies with BookGive, a book donation nonprofit that Sullivan launched in 2019. BookGive is located at 4890 Lowell Blvd. in the Regis neighborhood, but redistributes gently-used used books to those in need throughout the Denver-metro area.

To learn more about The Bookies, visit https://thebookies.com. To learn more about BookBar, visit www.bookbardenver. com. To learn more about BookGive, visit https://bookgivedenver.org.

December 1, 2021

Life on Capitol Hill 3

4 Life on Capitol Hill

December 1, 2021

Helping people transition out of homelessness Warren Residences opened in October; residents now moving in

By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

A

s of mid-November, about 35 people who were experiencing homelessness and living with a disability had moved into their new living quarters.

St. Francis-Warren Residences, 1630 E. 14th Ave., opened on Oct. 18.

“The whole effort is toward the housing piece,” said Tom Luehrs, executive director of St. Francis Center, and helping “people feel that they have some stability.”

Housing provides a lot of stability for someone transitioning out of homelessness, Luehrs said. He added that when a person is stabilized with housing, it can lead to many other positives in a person’s life — including employment security.

St. Francis Center is a not-for-profit organization that provides refuge for people in the Denver metro area who are experiencing homelessness. With Warren Residences, St. Francis Center now has three housing facilities in Denver. The organization established about 38 years ago, and in that time, saw that the solutions people needed most to help them get out of homelessness were housing and employment, and some need help accessing additional services such as, for example, mental health or claiming disability benefits.

“Some people just need a little help to get out of homelessness,” Luehrs said.

T

To learn more about St. Francis Center, visit www.sfcdenver.org.

Permanent supportive housing Located in Denver’s Cheesman Park neighborhood, the new Warren Residences housing complex is “in the heart of the city,” so people living there have easy access to public transportation to be able to get anywhere in the city for any other services they may need to travel to, including their job, Luehrs said.

Warren Residences has 48 dorm-style, one-bedroom units to house individuals of any gender with a disability who are employed or ready to enter the workforce, and are currently experiencing homelessness.

“For some, it’s an adaptation after living on the streets for years,” Luehrs said. “We knew there was a need (for housing) for people who would be good with their own private room, and common living spaces.”

The common living spaces include a living room, bathrooms, kitchen, dining room, laundry facilities and an outdoor patio.

Warren Residences has staff onsite 24/7, in addition to the organization’s staff licensed to work with people who are suffering from mental health problems and/or other issues, Luehrs said. St. Francis Center can also help with setting up disability benefits and job placement, Luehrs added.

Tenants pay 30% of their income and sign a year’s lease that’s renewable each year. Lease terms include no weapons, no violent behavior toward staff or other residents and no illegal drug use. Tenants must also agree to live respectfully with the other tenants, Luehrs said.

Referring to Warren Residences as

r e h t a g Let us joy! with

w c y h L

b i t s

A bedroom inside the St. Francis-Warren Residences in Denver. The apartment complex will be able to house nearly 50 individuals experiencing homelessness in the building’s remodeled setup of dorm-style, one-bedroom units and common living PHOTO BY MATT STAVER spaces such as a shared kitchen and bathrooms.

“permanent supportive housing,” Luehrs added that “part of the hope is for (the tenants) to stabilize and eventually decide to live more independently,” thus making room for another person to transition out of homelessness.

At the grand opening celebration of the Warren Residences on Oct. 22, Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods and St. Francis Center announced a partnership that will help each organization further their goals of providing affordable housing in Denver.

An anonymous gift of $10,000 was given to CHUN earlier this year, and CHUN used the money to financially support a crisis fund for Warren Residences, states a news release.

“A financial setback like replacing a bus pass or supporting a loved one with an

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s C emergency expense can cause a financial t hardship that threatens a person’s ability F to obtain employment or stable housing,” t said CHUN’s president Travis Leiker in a news release. “Through this philanthropic i partnership and investment in our newest — neighbors, we aim to create an opportunity b fund for individuals to use when a financiald crisis occurs.”

According to the news release, tenants of a Warren Residences will be able to “access s this fund should an urgent expense arise.

Those who access the funding will be asked p b to make a good faith effort to repay the t fund so that it will benefit others in the future.” h

More Joy, Less Waste

Advent Jazz Vespers

R t m n o

American household waste increases more than 23% during the holiday season—but we can change that.

Learn how to spread more joy with less waste this year at DenverGov.org/WasteLess.

Life on Capitol Hill 5

December 1, 2021

Homeless FROM PAGE 4

Tackling homelessness in Denver According to the 2021 Point In Time survey — which happens annually and aims to gather an accurate count of people experiencing homelessness per year — 5,530 people in the metro-area, with Denver having the majority, were experiencing homelessness, Luehrs said.

But Denver has been moving in the right direction by implementing certain solutions that are working — the Safe Outdoor Spaces and opening hotels to shelter people in a non-congregate setting, Luehrs said.

Additionally, “the launch of this project (Warren Residences) demonstrates that when citizens work together, Denver wins,” Leiker added. “This is how we move can move our city forward, and how registered neighborhood organizations like CHUN must focus on being solutions-oriented and delivering outcomes.”

GOVERNOR’S MANSION ANNUAL HOLIDAY ORNAMENT NOW AVAILABLE

The Governor’s Residence Preservation Fund’s 2021 holiday ornament is now available. The 13th in the collectable holiday ornament series, the 2021 ornament is inspired by the original women who owned the Colorado Governor’s Mansion — also known as the Governor’s Residence at the Boettcher Mansion — located at 400 E. Eighth Ave. in Denver’s Capitol Hill neighborhood.

Called West Portico, the 2021 ornament celebrates the beauty of the home’s west portico, and features Alice Cheesman driving an early Ford Model T. Proceeds from ornament sales benefit the Governor’s Residence Preservation Fund, which is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization established in 2008 to ensure the ongoing preservation and use of the Governor’s Residence at the Boettcher Mansion. The ornament costs $35 plus shipping, and the entire 13-ornament collection is available for $455 plus shipping. To learn more or to order ornaments, visit www.coloradoshome.org/ COURTESY PHOTO gift-shop.

A building meant to uplift people The St. Francis-Warren Residences project got started in roughly 2018 when the Mountain Sky Conference of The United Methodist Church wanted to put the building up for sale, and offered it to St. Francis Center, Luehrs said. St. Francis Center bought the church for $1.25 million.

St. Francis Center kept the outside intact because it’s historic and the building is landmark preserved — it dates more than 100 years old, Luehrs said — but gutted the inside and remodeled it to create the dormitory-style units and communal living spaces.

Because it formerly served as church, the building also had sentimental value to the community, Luehrs said.

He mentioned a recent conversation with a former pastor of the church, who expressed pleasure that the building continues to serve people in a way that lifts them up, Luehrs said.

“People who attended Warren Methodist Church had their spirits lifting by being together for worship,” Luehrs said. “That lifting of spirits continues today with the people now living in the building.”

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6 Life on Capitol Hill

December 1, 2021

House is memento of memorable Denverite

By Kirsten Dahl Collins As a father eight times over, Field knew how to romp with kids in verse. Written nearly 150 years ago, his poems still make great bedtime reading: vivid, amusing and guaranteed to enlarge your kid’s vocabulary with anachronisms such as “clipper sled,” “Fauntleroy,” and “pantaloons.”

In the following verse, Field approaches the holiday season from the perspective of a boy who’s a bit of a scamp. His problem: He’s not very well behaved — but he does want presents.

A sculpture near the Eugene Field House depicts three drowsy children sailing the night skies in a wooden shoe. A Denver landmark since it was dedicated in 1919, the statue evokes Field’s famous children’s poem, “Wynken, Blynken, and Nod.” It was sculpted by Mabel Landrum Torrey, a native of Sterling, who trained at the Art Institute of Chicago.

PHOTOS BY TIM COLLINS

By Kirsten Dahl Collins Special to Colorado Community Media

It’s still dark outside at 6 a.m., when Denver Park Ranger Jessica Johnson arrives at her office in the Eugene Field House in Washington Park. She often looks around the Victorian cottage, with its flocked, rose-colored wallpaper, hoping she’ll meet a ghost. The ghost of former occupant Eugene Field, to be exact.

“No luck, so far,” the park ranger said of her ambition to encounter the journalist and poet who lived from 1850 to 1895.

The Eugene Field House is a house with a storied past.

In the late 19th century, Field was somewhat of a literary rock star, known for his lively wit. His classic children’s poem, “Wynken, Blynken, and Nod,” was set to music and became a popular lullaby. His naughty boy’s confession, “Jest ’Fore Christmas,” ushers in the holidays with a large helping of comedy.

Although Johnson is eager for a chat with Field’s spirit, she doesn’t have much time for ghost-hunting. As one of 25 park rangers responsible for patrolling Denver’s 314 parks, she has plenty to do — teaching busloads of elementary school kids how to fish in nearby Smith Lake, settling arguments over picnic sites and cleaning up formidable amounts of trash.

The ebullient park ranger, who said she’s too much of a “people person” to have continued in her former career as a paleontologist, clearly loves her job. She especially enjoys working out of the Field House, once a Denver Public Library branch. In the foyer, bookshelves lined with aged volumes keep company with a fleet of mountain bikes the rangers use to patrol the park.

House with a past The Field House, 715 S. Franklin St., serves as one of seven park ranger offices throughout the city. Before that, it spent 40 years as Wash Park’s neighborhood library. Johnson said people often stop by out of nostalgia for the library years.

“People come by and say, ‘I used to come here when I was a kid. My mom’s signature is in the book,’” Johnson said, pointing out a leather-bound library registry dating back to 1971.

The fact that the little cottage survived is a minor miracle. So is its current location, over four miles from where it was originally built in 1875. Back then, the house occupied a lot on a woodsy dirt road known as Colfax Avenue, across from what is now the Denver Mint. Field and his wife, Julia, lived there from 18811883, while he served as managing editor of the Denver

Journalist and poet Eugene Field spent only two years working in Denver, but he left a strong imprint. Buildings named for him include the Eugene Field House at Washington Park, the Eugene Field Branch Library on University Boulevard and the art deco-style Eugene Field apartment building on Poet’s Row in Capitol Hill.

Tribune.

So why is their former home now in Washington Park?

According to an online account from History Colorado, the cottage “fell into disrepair” after the Fields moved out. By the 1920s, it was slated for demolition.

To save the writer’s house, a group of female journalists, The National League of American Pen Women, turned to someone experienced at rescues — Titanic survivor Margaret “Molly” Brown. They chose well. The redoubtable Mrs. Brown had performed Field’s poems onstage in her youth and revered him as one of America’s greatest poets.

In 1927, Brown purchased the cottage and presented it to the city of Denver. She also helped pay to move it to its current site, on the east side of Washington Park at Exposition Boulevard. At the time, the house reputedly sported two bullet holes —acquired during the robbery of the Denver Mint in 1922.

When the Eugene Field branch library opened in 1930, Washington Park was already home to an imposing memorial inspired by the poem, “Wynken, Blyken, and SEE FIELD HOUSE, P7

F

Jest ’Fore Christmas

By Eugene Field

ather calls me William, sister calls me Will, Mother calls me Willie, but the fellers call me Bill!

Mighty glad I ain’t a girl — ruther be a boy, Without them sashes, curls, an’ things that’s worn by Fauntleroy!

Love to chawnk green apples an’ go swimmin’ in the lake — Hate to take the castor-ile they give for belly-ache! ’Most all the time, the whole year round, there ain’t no flies on me, But jest ’fore Christmas I’m as good as I kin be!

Got a yeller dog named Sport, sic him on the cat; First thing she knows she doesn’t know where she is at!

Got a clipper sled, an’ when us kids goes out to slide, ’Long comes the grocery cart, an’ we all hook a ride!

But sometimes when the grocery man is worried an’ cross, He reaches at us with his whip, an’ larrups up his hoss, An’ then I laff an’ holler, “Oh ye never teched me!”

But jest ’fore Christmas I’m as good as I kin be!

Gran’ma says she hopes that when I git to be a man, I’ll be a missionarer like her oldest brother, Dan, As was et up by the cannibuls that lives in Ceylon’s Isle, Where every prospeck pleases, an’ only man is vile!

But Gran’ma she has never been to see a Wild West show, Nor read the Life of Daniel Boone, or else I guess she’d know That Buff ’lo Bill an’ cowboys is good enough for me!

Excep’ jest ’fore Christmas, when I’m good as I kin be!

And then old Sport he hangs around, so solemn-like an’ still, His eyes they keep a-sayin’: “What’s the matter, little Bill?”

The old cat sneaks down off her perch an’ wonders what’s become Of them two enemies of hern that used to make things hum!

But I am so perlite an’ ’tend so earnestly to biz, That Mother says to Father: “How improved our Willie is!”

But Father, havin’ been a boy hisself, suspicions me When, jest ’fore Christmas, I’m as good as I kin be!

For Christmas, with its lots an’ lots of candies, cakes, an’ toys, Was made, they say, for proper kids, an’ not for naughty boys; So wash yer face and bresh yer hair, an’ mind yer p’s and q’s, Don’t bust out yer pantaloons, and don’t wear out yer shoes; Say “Yessum” to the ladies, an’ “Yessur” to the men, An’ when they’s company, don’t pass yer plate for pie again; But, thinkin’ of the things yer’d like to see upon that tree, Jest ’fore Christmas be as good as yer kin be!

Life on Capitol Hill 7

December 1, 2021

Field House FROM PAGE 6

Nod.” Near the center of the park, a sculpture surrounded by a large fountain depicted three sleepy children in a wooden shoe sailing across a circular pool. Sculptor Mabel Landrum Torrey created the statue in 1918, at the behest of Denver Mayor Robert W. Speer.

Torrey’s sculpture was moved closer to the newly-arrived Eugene Field House — but unfortunately the pool didn’t make the trip. In its current spot, the magical wooden shoe looks a bit stranded, sitting on a water-stained concrete base that was meant to be submerged.

Over the decades, Wash Park’s small but popular library outgrew its space. In 1970, the city dedicated a newly-constructed Eugene Field Branch Library at 810 S. University Blvd., capable of housing over 30,000 volumes.

The old cottage wasn’t empty for long. That same year, The Park People, a volunteer group that plants thousands of trees and helps maintain park buildings, moved in and renovated the house, restoring its period decor. They also planted the Hazel Woodruff Gates Tribute Garden, which surrounds the house on two sides.

In the early 2000s, the volunteers moved out and the park rangers moved in. The Park People now operate from quarters in Platt Park, although they continue to install commemorative brick pavers in the tribute garden at the Field House.

“We still have a special relationship with that space,” said Kim Yifan-Farrell, executive director of The Park People.

The old cottage is hardly the only building honoring Eugene Field. For a writer who is rarely read nowadays, Field has his name on a lot of Denver real estate, including an apartment building on Poet’s Row in Denver’s Capitol Hill neighborhood.

The honors don’t stop with Denver. Across

the Midwest, Field’s name is emblazoned on many elementary schools and other civic buildings. In St. Louis, his boyhood home is now a museum displaying original manuscripts and childhood toys that inspired his poems.

A poet, prankster and newspaperman A born prankster, Field was a bad student who terrorized three colleges with his practical jokes. He found his calling when he went to work as a newspaperman in 1875. For the next 20 years, he worked for papers in St. Louis, Kansas City, Denver and Chicago.

At the same time, he began publishing light verse, much of it for children, earning him the sobriquet, “The Poet of Childhood.” Since he and his wife had eight offspring, he definitely knew his subject.

Field’s poems for kids still make great bedtime reading. A good selection can be found in Helen Ferris’ classic children’s anthology, “Favorite Poems Old and New.” The book includes Field’s “The Sugar-Plum Tree,” a ballad that whisks kids away to a magical kingdom where candy grows on trees. In Field’s poem “The Duel,” two stuffed animals engage in a ferocious midnight battle.

More soothing verses can be found in “Wynken, Blynken, and Nod,” written in 1889. The statue next to the Field House takes on a whole new meaning once you read this lyrical poem. It tells the story of three little children who set out on a nighttime voyage in a wooden shoe, to fish for stars with “nets of silver and gold.” The words have a rocking motion. You can almost feel the breeze that “ruffles the waves of dew.”

There’s no telling if Ranger Johnson will encounter Field’s ghost this December, but if he does appear, chances are he’ll recite something that harkens back to his prankster past.

“Jest ’Fore Christmas” fits the bill. In this poem, a rascally boy shares his strategy for fooling his parents during the holidays. It has the ring of autobiographical truth.

Denver park ranger Jessica Johnson enjoys working out of the Eugene Field House in Washington Park. The only thing her office lacks, she says, is a visit PHOTO BY TIM COLLINS from Field’s ghost.

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8 Life on Capitol Hill

FROM THE EDITOR

Christy Steadman

December 1, 2021

LOCAL

VOICES

12 Denverites of 2021

F

rom mid-September to mid-December 2012, I was in Madrid, Spain, interning for a website company called Just Landed.

Just Landed is a company of expats for expats. Though a small team, in addition to people from Spain, I got to work with people from all over Europe — England, Poland, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Russia, to name a few that I remember off the top of my head.

I was on the editorial team, and we wrote blogs and created robust country guides, which helped people settle in countries abroad, providing information on everything from obtaining a visa to not-to-miss annual cultural events.

At Just Landed, it was tradition to conclude an internship with a company-wide celebration of sorts, during which the interns had to creatively express or recap their time in Madrid, or their experience at Just Landed. It was meant to be fun and entertaining, and did not count toward a review of how we performed the duties and tasks of the internship itself.

Neither of my two fellow interns had an idea for our presentation, so because it was December, I suggested “performing” the holiday song, “12 Days of Christmas,” except replacing the word “Christmas” with “interning” and “true love” with “Just Landed.”

As so: “On the first day of interning, Just Landed gave to me…”

We replaced all the gifts in the song (like the partridge in a pear tree) with things like blog posts and new Spanish amigos.

I will not say that we performed the song well. In fact, it was probably a disaster, as nobody knew the song, so I had to teach it to them, beginning with its basic tune. But we forged ahead with our “performance” and it was sure fun! We got some good laughs out of it.

Skipping to present day, it is common for newspapers to recap a year with a “top stories of the year” article. So here is a Denver version of “12 Days of Christmas,” recapping some of the Denverites we met over this year through the stories in the Life on Capi-

Solitude on a snowy day

W

hen I moved to Denver, I found an apartment off York Street and 13th Avenue. I was excited to be so close to all the happenings of the city — the Denver Botanic Gardens, parks, museums and countless restaurants.

GUEST I am a city gal, and the noise of COLUMN the city merges easily with my daily Holly G. Haynes routine — the clattering of the traffic, the honking of horns and the laughter, or yelling, of a passerby.

Then, on a crisp autumn or winter day, the first snowfall of the season blankets the city, and a hush follows.

These days, to me, are magical and I am reminded that we all need to slow down and enjoy a little quiet time. I like to take a leisurely stroll around the Denver Botanic Gardens, a local park or in my neighborhood. Usually, there are few people out and many wonderful sights to take in. It’s really a walking meditation.

It has been more than a decade since I lived in that apartment off York and 13th, but I still appreciate the quietness that follows the snow, and now I have the good fortune of working at the Denver Botanic Gardens. So, when the snow begins, I always venture out for a walk around the Denver Botanic Gardens or Cheesman Park to take in the beauty of our little slice of nature. These snowy days highlight the beautiful textures and patterns of plants. From the stunning seed heads of perennials to the movement of the ornamental grasses or the architecture of an evergreen, it is the perfect time to connect to the beauty of nature.

What to be on the lookout for? Here are a few suggestions: • Chocolate flower (Berlandiera lyrata) • Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) • Blue grama grass (Bouteloua gracilis) • Little bluestem grass (Schizachyrium scoparium) • Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra) • Pinon pine (Pinus edulis) Along with gorgeous textures and beautiful patterns, these plants provide many benefits to wildlife. Because so many people are learning about these benefits, there is a wonderful movement going on in the world of home gardening — people are starting to turn in their notice

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12 Denverites of 2021 January — We met George Washington High School alum and Denver Girl Scout Meredith Neid, who earned her Gold Award for helping to spread the word about the importance of self-care among her peers amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (tinyurl.com/ processingapandemic) February — We met Capitol Hill resident and playwright Mike Broemmel, and were introduced to his Iconic Women Theatre Series, which are fulllength, one-actor plays that chronicle the life stories of women that history has somewhat overlooked. (tinyurl.com/IconicWomenTheatreSeries) March — We met Alejandro Flores-Muñoz, a Mexican immigrant and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipient who settled in Denver and became a small business owner/food truck SEE EDITOR, P9

The most wonderful (WASTEFUL) time of the year

I

t’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” is just one of the many classic holiday tunes on a seemingly endless rotation as our ears turn toward the holidays.

The ubiquitous mantra of “‘tis the season” is a compelling excuse for us to set aside worries and indulge in family gatherings, delicious meals GUEST among friends, the allure of twinkling lights, and for many, the exchange of COLUMN as a tangible means to express love Elicia Hesselgrave gifts and affection. These joyful celebrations can be incredibly taxing financially and emotionally, and yet, there is another aspect of our extravagant traditions that has impacts in ways we do not often consider: the environmental toll of holiday waste.

A snow-covered New Mexico agave (Agave parryi ssp.

PHOTO BY HOLLY G. HAYNES neomexicana).

when it comes to doing fall clean-up in their ornamental garden beds. Leaving your grasses and perennials up through mid-spring provides protection to many beneficial pollinators and their eggs, as well as valuable food for our songbirds during the colder months.

I am hoping that, by the time you read this, we have received our first snowfall of the season and that this article will encourage you to take a few minutes to go for a quiet walk and see what mother nature has to offer. Take in the architecture of the Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens) or the playful pompom seedheads of the pale purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida) or the patterns in the New Mexico agave (Agave parryi ssp. neomexicana).

May you open your eyes to the beauty of gardens at rest and be able to enjoy the quiet solitude of a snowy day.

Holly G. Haynes is a plant mapping coordinator with the Denver Botanic Gardens

10,000 Boeing 757s Fast forward to the first week of January. If you are among the many folks who participate in these traditions, you are likely all too familiar with the phrase, “holiday post-mortem.” The depressing scene of streets lined with dry, skeletal fir trees, mountains of electronics boxes and bins of empty celebratory wine bottles crammed next to bundles of plastic film packaging material, and the lightweight tissue gift wrap floating about like aerial tumbleweeds, haunting us of holidays past. The trash may be out of our homes, but it doesn’t magically disappear into thin air. The immense waste produced from our festivities finds a final resting place in landfills, often polluting our water and endangering wildlife. According to a Stanford report, the extra holiday waste produced in the U.S. between Thanksgiving and New Year’s amounts to 25 million tons of garbage, or about one million extra tons per week. Picture 10,000 Boeing 757s being discarded each week.

SEE HOLIDAY WASTE, P9

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Life on Capitol Hill 9

December 1, 2021

Holiday Waste FROM PAGE 8

Go upstream “…but I recycle!” is a common response. While recycling is encouraged, the optimal and more ecofriendly approach would be to “go upstream” and adopt the Five R’s. These are: Refuse what you don’t need, Reduce the need for something new, Re-use what you already have, Repurpose items to give them a second life, and Recycle the rest. We might even be so bold as to encourage a sixth R for Responsibility, because making responsible choices as a consumer is something we can all try. By going upstream, you avoid the potential for contaminants — in this case, landfill waste and carbon emissions.

Here are some tips and ideas to go upstream this holiday season so we can keep the earth as vibrant as our celebrations, for generations to come.

Sustainably-conscious preparations While it may be more convenient to use disposable plates and utensils at family gatherings, it takes one plastic fork 200 years to decay. As an alternative, opt for real dishes and flatware, and use cloth napkins instead of paper. A trip to your local thrift store is an easy solution to ensure you have enough supplies to accommodate your guests. Mix and match your dining set for a personal flair, and the dishes can be offered to guests to take home as a keepsake. Second-hand tablecloths can serve as an alternative for paper napkins — simply cut one into squares for guests. And they can be reused later as cleaning rags.

l

Editor FROM PAGE 8

restaurateur and used a smart refrigerator to build community. (tinyurl.com/SmartRefrigerator) April — We met small business owner Michelle Lasnier, who launched Ruby’s Market as an online shop during the COVID-19 shutdowns of spring 2020. Today, its brick-and-mortar location in Platt Park serves as a neighborhood hub and is the spot in Denver to support local immigrant and refugee artesian entrepreneurs. (tinyurl.com/

Decorating, gift wrap and more That mulch looks familiar If decorating a tree suits your fancy, take heart. While the options are many, they are typically divided into two camps: live or fake trees. According to The Nature Conservancy, surprisingly, it is the real trees that are the more environmentally friendly choice. At the season’s end, donate your tree to Denver’s TreeCycle program, which takes place Jan. 4-15, so it can be made into mulch and “live again” next spring in someone’s garden.

If the low maintenance of an artificial tree is more your style, check out Facebook marketplace, Craigslist and/or local thrift stores for pre-owned or used plastic trees before buying new.

Repair, don’t replace We’ve all been there — unraveling the jumbled mess of last year’s lights only to discover they mysteriously refuse to work

again. Yes, they are inexpensive and our first instinct may be to toss them out and replace with new ones, but as it turns out, these can usually be repaired. Ace Hardware has a useful YouTube tutorial. Repairing your lights not only saves money, but also reduces the carbon footprint of driving to the store to purchase new ones.

If you must discard them, take advantage of free and local string lights recycling initiatives, because if they end up in the landfill, they will have 200 years to get friendly with that plastic fork.

Strands of lights cannot be recycled if placed in city recycling bins, but special recycling programs for these lights are offered through Blue Star Recyclers, and the city at the Cherry Creek Recycling Drop Off. Last year, 5,966 pounds of holiday lights were recycled in Denver. For perspective, one 20-foot strand of lights weighs less than a pound.

Show off your unique, eco-friendly style If you’re in the mood to spruce up your holiday décor, go upstream and check out used ornaments and other decorations before heading to the retail markets.

Think ARC Thrift, Goodwill, Facebook marketplace, Craigslist, Flea Markets, etc.

You might even find a box of rare collectible ornaments, suitable for Antiques Roadshow.

The tradition of gift giving can be stressful and challenging, but you can make it fun and environmentally friendly.

Consider offering experiences that create memories, versus tangible items that may eventually end up in landfill, regardless of our endeavors.

Select recycleable items

“There is often a surge in recycling incorrect items such as greeting cards with glitter or photo paper and gift wrap,” Pitt said.

She suggests to take care when selecting and sorting greeting cards.

Traditional gift wrap is too thin and flimsy to be recycled, so as an alternative, try using a cloth that can live on, like a t-shirt, towel or pillowcase. Think of it as a gift within a gift. Loose ends can be tied up with rustic twine or fancy fabric ribbon, rather than defaulting to sticky tape.

Inevitably, you will end up with some plastic film wrap. Thankfully, King Soopers participates in the TerraCycle recycling program and will accept clean and dry plastic films for recycling. Simply drop it off in the bin at the front entrance labeled “Plastic Film Only” as you head in for the weekly grocery run.

RubysMarket) May — We met local author Joe Beine of Platt Park and learned how his fictional book, “Made Out of Trees,” can inspire people to be friends with the natural world. (tinyurl.com/MadeOutOfTrees) June — We learned some of the rich history of the Denver Municipal Band — which got its start in 1861 — and how music can build community. (tinyurl.com/DenverMunicipalBand) July — We met Denver artists Rachel Crosby, Thomas “Detour” Evans and Ciara Bourne, who were three of about 60 artists who had their work on display at Civic Center Park this summer for the 2021 Black

Love Mural Festival. (tinyurl.com/BlackLoveMuralFest) August — We met Keo Frazier, a Denverite and founder of New Thinkers, which is a group “designed to bring people together who are creating great change and solving world problems,” its website states. (tinyurl. com/NewThinkers) September — We learned about the late Emily Griffith, a Denver resident who opened her Opportunity School in 1916.

Known today as Emily Griffith Technical College, the higher-education institution celebrated its 105th anniversary in September. (tinyurl.com/EmilyGriffithTechnicalCollege) October — We met Warren Stokes, an “ar-

trepreneur/mazeologist” of Washington Park who shared his personal account of using his art to combat racial injustices. (tinyurl.com/ WarrenStokesMazeologist) November — We met Capitol Hill author Adam Kaat, whose debut novel, “Life on the Grocery Line: A Frontline Experience in a Global Pandemic,” provides a fictional account of working in a grocery store, based off Kaat’s real-life experience. (tinyurl.com/ AdamKaat) December — We met Wellshire artist Desmond O’Hagan and learned about his fine art paintings, many of which are inspired by urban and interior views of Denver. (tinyurl.com/DesmondOHagan)

According to Charlotte Pitt from Denver’s Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency, “organic material, specifically food waste, is one of the greatest contributors to holiday waste production.”

It is common for hosts of a dinner party to over-prepare to make sure there is enough for everyone, but then end up with way too much. Pitt recommends using the Save the Food Guest-Imator to appropriately prepare meals for large groups and prevent excess waste. For an effective zero-waste meal this season, calculate sensibly, bring or provide containers for take-home leftovers, freeze meals to enjoy at a later date, make soups with meat scraps and freeze veggie remnants for homemade vegetable broth.

There is no such thing as away These ideas are just the tip of the proverbial — and unfortunately, melting — iceberg that address how even small, simple changes can benefit the environment.

Annie Leonard, co-executive director of Greenpeace USA, once said, “there is no such thing as `away.’ When you throw something away, it must go somewhere.”

So, as you prepare for the fun and cheer of the upcoming festivities, keep Mother Earth in mind and consider how your decisions this holiday season can make a lasting impact on her survival for all seasons to come.

Elicia Hesselgrave is a Denver-based writer with a passion for wildlife conservation, environmental protection and social justice.

10 Life on Capitol Hill

December 1, 2021

Great food, fine wine and good company Cook Street School of Culinary Arts is Denver’s foodie hub

By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Cook Street School of Culinary Arts Chef Jared Kendall shows the salmon mousseline al’americaine, which was the second of five courses during Cook Street’s Wine Tour Class featuring the wines of Burgundy, France, which took place on Nov. 17.

PHOTO BY CHRISTY STEADMAN

Tracy Bruns has taken a few cooking classes at the Cook Street School of Culinary Arts.

A resident of the Golden Triangle, Bruns is able to walk to the school, but she enjoys the classes and events because they’re fun, she said.

Bruns is especially looking forward to attending the sold-out Holiday Cookies class in December.

It happens to fall on the same day that she will be attending a family gathering, so she is excited to be able to bring a tray of fresh-made cookies for her family to enjoy.

“They will be much fancier than anything I would be able to make on my own,” Bruns said.

Cook Street School of Culinary Arts, 43 W. Ninth Ave., provides both professional and recreational experiences for the entire community. Its three main facets are its Professional Culinary Program, which is an intensive certificate program; recreational cooking classes; and private events. This upcoming spring, the school is expecting to launch its restaurant management program, which will also offer its students a certification.

Cook Street is unique in its offerings, said Carol Chamberlain, the

LEARN MORE To learn more about Cook Street School of Culinary Arts, or to register for any of its classes, visit https://cookstreet.com. school’s wine instructor.

“It’s a great place to come if you love food and want to learn,” Chamberlain said.

Particularly for the recreational cooking classes and private events, the main goal is to have fun, said Lindsey Reese, Cook Street’s owner/ operator. Second, she said, is the opportunity to eat great food, and the third is to learn something new.

“It’s an experience,” Reese said, adding, “we’re here to teach people.”

Cook Street’s recreational classes are interactive and run the gamut from dim sum to foods of the Mediterranean, and sushi to pasta 101, as well as offering programming themed for most major holidays.

The school also offers classes on knife skills and classic techniques.

Its Wine Tour Classes, also known as Cook Street’s wine dinners, are less hands-on with the cooking skills, but attendees gain just as much knowledge. The idea is to explore the world through wine, Chamberlain said.

“Every bottle has its own story,” she said.

The Wine Tours — referred to as such because each one focuses on a specific wine region — are offered every third Wednesday of the

month. The dinners feature a multicourse meal accompanied with a wine pairing for each course.

The chefs prepare and introduce the food, and Chamberlain provides attendees with food-and-wine pairing knowledge.

“The culture of wine is wine and food together,” Chamberlain said.

“You get hooked when you’ve had that one wine that provides the ahha moment.”

Getting their start about a yearand-a-half ago, not one Wine Tour has been repeated, Chamberlain said. People can attend one Wine Tour dinner, or purchase a passport to attend many of them, and they will always learn something new, Chamberlain said.

Cook Street first opened its doors in 1999 at, appropriately, 123 Cook St. in Denver. It was there only about a year before moving to LoDo, Reese said, where it operated until 2019. That year, the school moved to its current location in the Golden Triangle.

Liz France of southeast Denver is a foodie and took her first class at Cook Street sometime when it was in its former LoDo location. She enjoys learning about wine and has a particular interest in continuing to educate herself on how food and wine pair together.

Cook Street provides a great venue for that, France said.

“I love that you get good food and wine, education and good company,” France said, “at a reasonable price.”

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Life on Capitol Hill 11

December 1, 2021

‘The glow of the holidays’

Bill and Elsa Devanny stand for a photo with their Italian ceramics. The couple, who live in Denver, imported all the products from Italy to sell specifically at this year’s Cherry Creek Holiday Market. The Devannys are the fifth generation to be involved with the family business, which gets its namesake — Antonio Piscitello Ceramiche — from Elsa Devanny’s family line, which hails from Santo Stefano di Camastra, Sicily, Italy.

Erik Swanson, owner and founder of The Log Candle, places a piece of wax to feed the candle’s flame. This is Swanson’s first year participating in the Cherry Creek Holiday Market, but he has been selling his product at various other arts-and-crafts markets in the Denver area after launching his company in November 2020. PHOTOS BY CHRISTY STEADMAN

Ryan Anderson of The House of Stewart stands with the small business’ display of candies and confections at its booth at this year’s Cherry Creek Holiday Market.

Anderson’s favorite is the Baileys Irish Cream because it is the company’s seasonal product — it’s only made in the fall.

Denver’s Cherry Creek North features lights, local shopping

By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Vendors at this year’s Cherry Creek North Holiday Market are excited to have conversations with people and help shoppers find the perfect gift.

“People like to support local businesses,” said Erik Swanson, owner and founder of The Log Candle. “Especially when it’s something that somebody made out of their garage.”

The Log Candle is a unique item that Swanson came about through what he called a “happy accident.” Swanson has a background in graphic design, but enjoyed dabbling in woodworking as a hobby. He set out to make a bird house in the late spring of 2020, and by June that year, he ended up creating his Log Candle.

Swanson later left his cubicle job and started making the Log Candles fulltime — selling them at the Mile High Flea Market and outdoor arts-and-crafts markets throughout the metro area.

“People seem to really enjoy them,” Swanson said. “It’s something they have never seen before.”

The Log Candle is, like it sounds, a candle made out of a small log — which come from local tree trimmers, Swanson added.

When wax is added, it feeds the flame, which spreads across the top, creating the candle effect. It is meant for outdoor use, and people have enjoyed them for their patios, balconies and porches, Swanson said, adding that some people have even taken them on camping trips.

Swanson, of Englewood, is one 30 vendors at this year’s Cherry Creek North Holiday Market, and many of the 30 are local crafters/artisans or small business owners.

The market, produced by Fetch Concepts and now in its second annual year, opened on Nov. 18 and runs through Dec. 24. It is located on Fillmore Street between First and Second Avenues.

A family business Madison Stewart’s sons are tending House of Stewart’s booth at the market this year.

“They like the fun atmosphere” of the holiday market, she said, “and that people like tasting the candies.”

The House of Stewart makes traditional Scottish candies. This includes caramels and the Scottish tablet, which isn’t found in the U.S., except for rare occasions such as world markets, said Stewart, owner and founder of the Denver-based business.

The House of Stewart got its start in May 2016. Stewart is an Army veteran and went to law school — the only baking she did was on the weekends for her family.

“I never imagined a career in the candy business,” Stewart said.

However, she frequently traveled backand-forth to Scotland on leisure trips and enjoyed the Scottish candies so much that she would bring back as many that she could.

“Then I decided that other Americans would probably enjoy the candies as well,” Stewart said.

LEARN MORE To learn more about the Cherry Creek North Holiday Market, visit www.cherrycreekholidaymarket.com.

Today, House of Stewart candies and confections ship across the U.S., and Stewart is looking to open a storefront in Las Vegas early 2022.

People enjoy the candies and fancy packaging, which is catered to adults, Stewart said. The candies are great for parties or gifts — “And for yourself,” Stewart said. “If you’ve had a hard day and want to treat yourself, why wait for a special occasion?”

Much more to ‘wander’ about The Holiday Market is part of Cherry Creek North’s Winter Wanderland, which offers a variety of free, festive activities for the entire family. The Winter Wanderland Light Walk features Cherry Creek North’s 600 trees adorned with nearly a million lights.

Another not-to-miss attraction is the U.S. debut of Creos’ “domino effect,” created by Ingrid Ingrid, which is located at Third Avenue and Milwaukee Street. Creos is a Canadian company that presents touring interactive installations.

The interactive and musical travelling art installment came to Cherry Creek North from Montreal, and will only be in Denver until Dec. 31.

“We want to provide a place for our

community to create lasting memories they return to year after year,” said Nick LeMasters, president and CEO of the Cherry Creek North Business Improvement District in a news release. “This event has grown into an incredible opportunity for families to feel the glow of the holidays around every corner in Cherry Creek North.”

Something unique and interesting to be found The walkable Cherry Creek North neighborhood includes 275 businesses, of which, 70% are locally owned, said Jeannie McFarland Johnson, director of marketing and communications for Cherry Creek North.

By shopping locally, not only can people help small businesses thrive, but they also won’t need to worry about the supply chain, McFarland Johnson.

“It’s fantastic not working in a cubicle anymore,” The Log Candle’s Swanson said, pointing to the community’s support for some of the success of his small-business venture.

People like shopping at holiday markets because they can find something unique, and see interesting things, Swanson said.

He expects to have lots of different, fun conversations with people at this year’s Cherry Creek North Holiday Market, he said.

And he expects people will gather around the Log Candles’ fire, he said.

“Because it puts out a little warmth,” Swanson said.

12 Life on Capitol Hill

December 1, 2021

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Life on Capitol Hill 13

December 1, 2021

Ensuring every child has access to proper education Denver Preschool Program pilots, expands programming to meet families’ needs

By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Elisa Kim Lee and her husband, Chanyang, are happy to see that because of a preschool education, their young children are learning to write their names and use English, and they get to do enriching, hands-on activities every day.

“But the best is that they are learning to integrate in a society where they can learn diversity and inclusion,” Elisa Kim Lee said.

The Lees wanted to send their children to preschool. All of their family members live abroad, so they could not depend on family for childcare. But they could not afford preschool on their own, so the Lees had no choice but to have one parent stay home and provide full-time childcare.

“I wanted to give my kids the best, but at home, we faced a lot of limitations as parents,” Elisa Kim Lee said. She added that at home, there were challenges with being able to provide education and discipline.

Now, however, the Lees’ two children — Elizabeth, 4, and Anna, 3 — attend the Primrose School at Colorado Station in Denver’s University Hills neighborhood.

“Without the Denver Preschool Program, we would not have been able to even consider a preschool education for our kids. We are very grateful for this program that gave our children (an opportunity) to receive a proper education for their age,” Elisa Kim Lee said. “I (am) also grateful to the

teachers who showed kind compassion and understanding to my children’s transition of adapting to a new environment — without mom and dad.”

Denver Preschool Program’s mission is to get children ready for kindergarten by providing resources and funding assistance so that all Denver families are able to send their children to preschool. It got its start in 2006 and is funded by a sales tax ballot initiative that Denver voters approved two years prior. Every 10 years, it goes back to voters for re-approval, said Elsa Holguin, president and CEO of Denver Preschool Program.

There was a need for DPP before the pandemic, Holguin said, mentioning that sending one child to a quality preschool can cost $1,300 a month, or more, which can equal approximately the same amount as a family’s housing costs.

But in 2020, DPP went into “crisis response,” Holguin said. “We were super concerned about the children, but also for the providers being able to stay in business.”

DPP got to work providing both emergency and innovative funding through several new projects and pilot programs.

In addition to expanding its scholarship program to more families — scholarship recipients get 100% of their preschool tuition covered — new pilot programs include expanding the DPP program to 3-year-olds, and Bonus Preschool Year funding for 5-year-olds.

Serving 3-year-olds has always been a need, Holguin said. She added that when families can send their children to preschool a year earlier — at age 3 versus 4 — it gives parents the opportunity to go to work.

The Bonus Preschool Year is for families who decided their child was not quite ready for kindergarten, Holguin said. This has

been especially helpful for children who were attending preschool at age 4 last year, during the COVID-19 shutdowns and remote learning of 2020, Holguin added.

“The Denver Preschool Program is proud to have been available and responsive in serving our children, families and providers more deeply during the ongoing pandemic,” Holguin said.

DPP has also provided Strengthening Grants to preschools, Holguin said. These include stipends, and retention and recruitment bonuses for teachers.

Compared to 40% nationally, only six of the 250 preschool providers that DPP works with closed in 2019/2020, Holguin said.

But, a few opened since then, and DPP now has 262 quality preschools it works with.

While that is a positive report, DPP still has concerns about the workforce.

“We want to make sure to have some very real conversations,” Holguin said.

These conversations will entail teacher pay, and stating a clear goal of ensuring that that the preschool workforce is sustainable and is paid fairly, Holguin said.

This goes along with DPP preparing for Universal PreK in Colorado. DPP is working with the state on a universal application to help streamline the process for parents.

DPP also plans to expand its services.

Currently, universal preschool for the 20232024 school year will be 10 hours a week, Holguin said.

“We will still need to supplement,” she said, “and meet families where the need is.”

This could be full-time preschool hours and/or extended day preschool options for families who need childcare before 8 a.m. and after 3 p.m.

Having started 14 years ago, DPP’s firstyear preschoolers are now, or will be soon, preparing for college, Holguin said. So as

Anna Lee, 3, works on a project during class time at her preschool. The Denver Preschool Program helped the Lee family of Denver send both Anna and her sister, Elizabeth, 4, COURTESY OF ELISA KIM LEE to preschool.

DPP is working with the state on how to implement universal preschool across Colorado, DPP is also waiting to hear what will happen concerning universal preschool nationwide. Because of its local success, DPP is confident that it can serve as a national model, Holguin said.

Elisa Kim Lee said that DPP never left any of her questions unanswered and served as “kind guidance from the other side of the phone.”

“Every child has potential,” Lee said. “This program is an investment that makes potential bloom and be successful. That child — and every child — can make, and will make, a difference and impact in their community in the future.”

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Life on Capitol Hill 15

December 1, 2021

2022 Beautiful Paws calendar available for purchase Calendar sales benefit homeless pets at Denver Animal Shelter

HOW TO PURCHASE THE CALENDAR

csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

To purchase the Denver Animal Shelter’s 2022 Beautiful Paws calendar, visit tinyurl. com/2022BeautifulPaws. It is recommended to order the calendar by Dec. 17 for it to arrive by Dec. 24 with standard shipping.

Not only is Bandit the “biggest cuddle bug in the world,” according to his owner Kaylee Riggi of Washington Park, the 3-year-old border collie is a calendar model.

Bandit is one of 13 metro-area pets featured in the Denver Animal Shelter’s 2022 Beautiful Paws calendar, a fundraiser for the Denver Animal Shelter.

Shelter pets are sometimes undervalued, Riggi said. But they’re lovable and “cute, and deserving of being in a calendar.”

Between July 31 and Aug. 28 this summer, people voted on their favorite pet photo, which were submitted by local pet ownersfor a contest fee. A total of 83 pets were entered into the contest — many of them were adopted from a shelter, like Bandit, and are now in loving homes.

Each vote cost $1, and the contest garnered 10,504 votes. Combining the proceeds from the votes and contest entry fees, $8,658.78 went to supporting the Denver Animal Shelter.

“This calendar goes a long way to raising dollars that help us care for the more than 12,000 animals that find their way to our shelter each year,” said Tammy Vigil, spokesperson for the Denver Animal Shelter. “Without these additional dollars, we could not provide the extra care and attention that these often-frightened and homeless animals deserve.”

The 13 pets with the highest number of votes won a professional photo shoot with Gaelle Pet Photography, to be featured in the 2022 calendar.

By Christy Steadman

The calendar is now available for purchase. Cost is $20 or $26, depending on the wall calendar size preferred. Proceeds from the calendar sales also benefit the Denver Animal Shelter.

“There’s hundreds and hundreds of homeless animals in Denver,” Riggi said, who formerly worked and volunteered at the shelter. She heard about the contest through a friend and decided to enter Bandit. “The Denver Animal Shelter does so much good for these animals.”

The Denver Animal Shelter is an arm of Denver Animal Protection, which is a division of the Denver Department of Public Health & Environment. It is an open-admission shelter, meaning no animal will be turned away, and is dedicated to reuniting lost pets with their owners and adopting pets to loving homes, among other services to serve as a community resource.

“Every single calendar that someone buys means they are giving an abandoned animal a chance to find a home, a chance to know love and a chance to live a life of meaning and security — some for the first time ever,” Vigil said.

Smokey is one of the 13 local pets featured in the Denver Animal Shelter’s 2022 Beautiful Paws calendar. Proceeds from calendar sales benefit the Denver Animal Shelter.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GAELLE PET PHOTOGRAPHY

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More than a dozen previously unreported instances of sexual misconduct and abuse spanning at least two decades at the Colorado Center for the Blind have surfaced during an internal investigation of the school’s parent organization.

Among the offenses were the alleged sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl by a summer youth camp counselor in 2001, a teacher accused of sexually harassing students in 2019 who was hired despite school leadership allegedly knowing he had faced accusations of unwanted sexual contact at another school, and a teacher

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Reporter David Gilbert has been investigating for several months. Read his report — a collaboration of Colorado Community Media and The Colorado Sun — at ColoradoCommunityMedia.com.

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16 Life on Capitol Hill

December 1, 2021

Providing everyone with an opportunity to give Light the World Giving Machine in Denver until Jan. 2

By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints wanted a way to help people perform an instant act of service.

The legend is that during discussions on how to accomplish that, someone brought in a sandwich purchased from a vending machine. And thus, the idea for the Light the World Giving Machines came about, said Amy Johnson, a Littleton resident who serves as the spokesperson for Light the World Giving Machines.

“The main goal,” Johnson said, “is to give everyone a chance to participate in giving.”

The Light the World Giving Machines provide people with an opportunity to purchase an item to benefit a charity. Items range in cost from $5 for art supplies for refugee children to $173 for a month of meals for a person in need.

Giving Machines got started in 2017 in Salt Lake City. In 2018, it expanded to five cities and raised $2.3 million for charities.

It was in 2018 that Denver Mayor Michael Hancock saw the Giving Machine in Salt Lake City, and wanted to bring it to Denver, Johnson said.

“Denverites are charitable people,” she added.

So the local church committee for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints got together, and they then worked with Salt Lake City to bring a Giving Machine to Denver, Johnson said. It came to Denver for

To learn more about the Light the World Giving Machines, visit https:// givingmachinesdenver.com. the first time in 2019, and in Denver alone, $667,000 was raised for charities — contributing to the total $6.3 million, among the 10 cities that had a Giving Machine in 2019.

The Giving Machines had a hiatus in 2020, but are now back. In Denver this year, it is located in Writer Square on the 16th Street Mall between Lawrence and Larimer streets downtown. It is available 24 hours, but volunteers will be present from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The Giving Machine will be in Denver until Jan. 2.

How it works is people visit the Light the World Giving Machine and select an item to purchase — quite literally as one would do from any vending machine.

All the items benefit a charity, with four of the six being local nonprofits.

The four local charities are: The Crowley Foundation, which mentors young men of color; the Denver Rescue Mission, which helps people experiencing homelessness; JFS, also known as Jewish Family Service, which helps provide food security and housing stability to families in need; and Project Worthmore, which helps refugee families re-settle. The two international charities are: CARE, which helps women and girls globally defeat poverty and achieve social justice; and UNHCR: The UN Refugee Agency, which helps safeguard the rights and well-being of people forced to flee conflict or persecution.

The Giving Machines offer a variety of items that can be purchased to help support the above-mentioned charities — backpacks and school supplies, bus passes, mental

A family selects an item to purchase from the Light the World Giving Machine when it was in Denver in 2019. The Giving Machine is back in Denver this year, located in Writer Square on the 16th Street Mall between Lawrence and Larimer streets downtown.

COURTESY OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS

health counseling, ESL and citizenship courses, goats and chickens to help feed a family in a developing country, a handwashing station to serve a community in a developing country, to name just some of the items available.

“The charities have committed to use the money (that people put in the Giving Machine) to purchase the item,” Johnson said.

“They can be confident that the item they purchase will go to a person who needs it.”

Whether it be a winter coat or hygiene

products, by donating items through the Giving Machine, people are able to provide hope and a sense of security to someone, said Nicole Tschetter, public relations manager for the Denver Rescue Mission.

“The Giving Machines are a festive and one-of-a-kind way to support the (Denver Rescue) Mission and everyone we serve,” Tschetter said. “Our community has shown us time and time again, that when we come together, we can accomplish remarkable things.”

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