History Lessons’

Elaine Westblade talked about how she and her husband, the late Maynard Westblade, promised to keep in touch by writing letters to each other every day he was overseas ghting in World War II.

ey met when Elaine attended Denver South High School and Maynard was studying at the University of Denver.

eir romance was put on hold. Maynard was part of the 42nd Infantry’s “Rainbow” Division. e artilleryman helped liberate prisoners in the infamous Dachau Nazi concentration camp in Germany.

Despite the horri c human toll of the war, Elaine was convinced that her beau would return home. ey’d gotten engaged before Maynard left.

“I couldn’t nd a wedding dress because they were using fabrics for dresses for things in the war,” Elaine said.

At home, Elaine had to get creative in the face of wartime rations. She recalled that people were on rations — everything from sugar to gas — and were only allowed to purchase one new pair of shoes per year.

“I was going to several of the stores in Denver down on 16th Street before it became a mall,” Elaine said. “I couldn’t nd anything, so a friend of mine o ered for me to wear hers, but it was too big so I took it to another friend who altered it. My sister had a veil I could use.”

Just months after Maynard returned home in 1946, the two got married.

Karry Frame was drafted and served in the Vietnam War when he was 18. He was stationed as a Marine in that country after completing about a year of boot camp and specialized training. He told students that Vietnam was one of the most controversial wars in U.S. history.

“When I got home, there was a lot of animosity nationwide, and especially in L.A. – there were people demonstrating against the war,” Frame said. “It felt like, ‘Are they supporting us or not? We’re just doing what we’re supposed to be doing for our country.’ ere was apprehension about protesters. ere were instances where people in our group were spit on when in uniform.” e event “brings history to life for these students,” said Col. Marvin Meek, who leads South’s Junior Reserve O cers’ Training Corps, or JROTC, program. e presentation lets students hear from those who helped shape history and experienced tumultuous times. is is the 11th year that Clermont Park veterans presented to the students, Montera said. He expects the program to continue, though WWII veterans and civilians from that era are dwindling in numbers.

Dr. Walter Ordelheide, a South alum, was drafted in 1943. He served in the U.S. Navy during WWII and his job was to care for injured seamen. He was trained at the San Diego Naval Hospital and stationed at the Coco Solo Naval Base Hospital in Panama. After the war, he returned home and started a private practice. “ ere’s nowhere better than Denver, Colorado,” the 102-year-old Ordelheide said.

Westblade, Frame and Ordelheide are residents of the Clermont Park Life Plan Community in University Hills. ey traveled to South on March 2 to give a Living History Lessons presentation to about 150 ninth and 10th grade history students.

Four Junior Reserve O cers’ Training Corps students served as chaperones for the veterans.

A lot of the residents at Clermont Park are South alumni, said Chuck Montera, Clermont Park community relations representative.

“It’s super rewarding to be able to o er this opportunity to students,” said Diana Bustamante, a social studies teacher who helps organize the event. “It’s powerful for students to hear from people who are wanting to share their stories. ey learn (history) is not too disconnected from our experiences today.” the organization in 1983. She started it in honor of her daughter, Jennifer, who died at 7 years old of a liver disease.

— Bryn Phinney Webster contributed some of the quotes by Elaine Westblade and Karry Frame that are used in this article. ey were gathered in preparation for the presentations.

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.”

About 20 years ago, Make-A-Wish Colorado started partnering with local schools for Wish Week fundraisers. Mazak said it’s been a win-win 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. e two reunited last year when Swinton spoke at World Wish Day in California where Lovato was being honored for helping Make-A-Wish.

After the two met backstage, Lovato 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, now 23, said her experiences 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.”