A LETTER TO OUR READERS AND ADVERTISERS

To our supporters: is press closure presents a challenge for us, to be sure, but our commitment to continuing to print the newspapers you depend on remains unwavering. We have not yet identi ed a solution to ful ll the demand starting in August, but we are determined to nd innovative ways to solve it. ank you, as always, for your support of local news. We welcome questions and comments, and we’ll be sure to keep you informed in the weeks ahead as we identify a new printer.

At Colorado Community Media, we’re proud to be your go-to source of local news and advertising in the rich tapestry of growing communities in the Denver metro area and beyond. In recent weeks, we’ve brought you the news of spring ooding and its a ermath, the growing number of property valuation appeals and celebrations surrounding the Nuggets’ historic win.

We know our subscribers appreciate getting their news in many ways, from digital newsletters to timely updates on our website to printed newspapers delivered to your door. We’re committed to ensuring that continues, even as the media industry evolves and faces challenges.

We recently learned the facility that prints all of CCM’s newspapers, located in Pueblo, will be closing in August. In recent years, as newspaper circulation has declined, the costs associated with printing and distributing newspapers have increased dramatically, forcing press facilities across the country to close or consolidate.

And we aren’t alone: We’re working toward a long-term approach by collaborating with partners throughout Colorado. By joining forces, we believe we can identify solutions that not only address this immediate challenge but also provide for future viability.

What does this mean for our subscribers and advertisers? Our goal is to nd a solution that ensures a seamless transition for your reader experience. We are evaluating every available option, and we are committed to keeping you informed as we go through this process.

We’re proud to be part of your community, and we know news plays an essential role in informing, engaging and empowering us. Please consider joining our mailing list, sharing articles, or donating to to help us continue this tradition.

Linda Shapley Elizabeth Hansen Shapiro Publisher, Colorado Community Media CEO, e National Trust for Local News

Denver Museum of Nature & Science’s mobile Curiosity Cruiser brings education to all

BY CLARKE READER SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Wh en the Denver Museum of Nature & Science was looking for different ways to engage with the community, staff kept receiving a similar request through its community outreach.

Feedback included statements such as: “We love going to the museum, but we will love it more if it comes to us” and “Can you imagine the museum showing up in our neighborhood like an ice cream truck, but with science?”

“These comments inspired us to explore ways to bring the museum experience directly to the neighborhoods, making it more accessible and convenient,” said Daniel Ville, the museum’s manager for community engagement.

The newly launched Curiosity Cruiser is the museum’s response to these requests. It is a kind of museum on wheels — one that brings activities and education to the inquisitive of all ages.

“There was a massive amalgamation of ideas, prototyping, design, redesign and collaboration, with not just our internal staff and partners,” said Zack Garvin, community event specialist. “We did our homework with the community as well. So, the Curiosity Cruiser was designed for multigenerational groups involving adults and families.”

Currently the Cruiser has three different exhibits to offer visitors: Wonder-osity, Flavorology and Spicy: Revealed. Experts travel with the vehicle to connect with visitors and run the exhibits.

Wonder-osity provides participants with the opportunity to solve a mystery centered on missing hikers, and encourages critical thinking and the power of keeping an open mind. Flavorology immerses participants in the world of the five tastes — bitter, spicy, umami, sweet and sour — to teach about the differences between taste and flavor. And Spicy: Revealed delves into the science behind spicy foods and flavors.

“There are so many basic things that people do all day, everyday with fascinating scientific explanations,” Garvin said. “Our three themes explore how you interact with the world around you and understanding it through the scientific method.”

Designed to be highly mobile and adaptable, the cruiser has already appeared at events such as Adams County Pride, the Juneteenth Music Festival and Denver PrideFest. In addition

Look for the Denver Museum of Nature & Science’s Curiosity Cruiser at these summer events in Denver:

Cherry Creek Arts Festival

July 2: 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Colorado Black Arts Festival (City Park West)

July 7-8: 3-8 p.m.

July 9: 2-7 p.m.

Family Nature Adventure Day at Bluff Lake

July 15: 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Mile High Flea Market

Aug. 6: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Huerta Urbana Farmers Market

Aug. 11: 2-6 p.m.

Cherry Creek Farmers Market to large community events like these, it can also be brought to smaller-scale happenings like block parties and breweries.

Aug. 19: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Find more information on the cruiser, including stops that are outside of Denver, at dmns.org.

“The activities offered on the Curiosity Cruiser are carefully crafted to ensure they appeal to a wide range of interests and abilities,” Ville said. “From fun personality quizzes to hands-on experiments, the experiences provided are designed to spark curiosity, foster learning and encourage active participation.”

Not only does the cruiser meet residents where they are, it also provides a critical service by demystifying scientific concepts and offering informal ways to learn about complicated concepts.

“Providing everyone with the understanding that you, too, are indeed a scientist — by very definition — can help inspire and foster creativity,” Garvin said.

“Everyone deserves to know just how brilliant they are. If we can come bring that to your neighborhood, all the better.”

It isn’t often that an institution like the DMNS can respond directly to community feedback and meet people exactly where they are, but the Curiosity Cruiser allows the museum to do both.

“The Curiosity Cruiser’s content has been thoughtfully created to address community voices and provide welcoming spaces,” Ville said. “The goal is to leave people with smiles on their faces, fostering a love for learning, and nurturing their curiosity for the world around them.”

BY TAYLER SHAW TSHAW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

When people think of horses, they might associate them with ranch living, horse racing or recreational riding, but horses can be therapeutic, too. erapy takes many forms, from physical to mental. Some people travel to a ranch to work with horses as part of the therapeutic process.

Equine-assisted therapy was something Arvada native Kelsey Petitt discovered while studying occupational therapy at Pima Medical Institute in Denver. Having grown up riding horses, it immediately caught her attention.

“I just, kind of, was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is the coolest thing ever. I can combine my true passion of horses and really being able to help and assist participants and patients with doing therapy and reaching their functional goals while also having fun with horses and having that relationship,’” Petitt said.

Although she knew immediately that equine-assisted therapy was something she wanted to pursue, she did not do so immediately. Following her schooling and clinical internships, she quickly began working and then had her daughter.

However, in 2021 Petitt, who now lives in Brighton, decided to establish the Brighton-based Prestige erapeutic Equestrian Center, o ering an occupational therapy program that brings the four-legged companions into the practice.

“Now, I’m going on 11 years of being a therapist and so it’s taken me a little bit of time to get back to, really, what I wanted to do,” said Petitt, who also works as an occupational therapy assistant for a company called erapeutic and Rehabilitative Associates. Her purpose, like many other therapists incorporating horses into their practice, is clear: “Transforming lives through the therapeutic power of horses.”

Bringing horses into occupational therapy

Occupational therapists help people develop skills so that they can perform day-to-day tasks such as bathing, dressing and eating, as well as techniques to aid in memory and concentration, according to the American

Occupational

erapy Association.

For example, occupational therapists may work on a person’s ne motor skills, such as being able to button a jacket or holding a fork, Petitt said. ey also work on sensory integration, which she said usually comes up when working with someone who is on the autism spectrum.

Another example of work they do is helping someone with their feeding skills, such as for patients with Parkin- son’s disease who experience a lot of tremors. Improving core strength may also be a focus for patients, such as for someone who struggles to put their shirt on due to a lack of strength.

“ ere’s an array of di erent settings that you can get into in the occupational therapy eld, but I think for me, the equine-assisted movement is just something that I’ve always loved,” she