Washington Park Profile December 2023

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December 1, 2023De

More than politics Teens build life skills in the YMCA’s Youth in Government program

BY BRYN WEBSTER SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

In late November, about 90 high schoolers from seven schools across Colorado gathered in Denver to lobby for and pass their own mock legislation.

“Because of Youth in Government, not only has my knowledge of civics and the government system grown,

but I have learned about how much more there is to our government than just politics,” said Dathan Montera, a particpant in the program.

The YMCA of Metro Denver’s Youth in Government program reveals the real inner workings of the government, teaches key public speaking and advocacy skills and launches many participants into political- or law-related careers. The YMCA of Metro Denver has been building strong, thriving and equitable communities since 1875 and provides a wide variety of programs and resources for Denver families. It is a nonprofit organization positioned to help young adults rise through middle and high school with mentoring pro-

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grams in a safe space where they can connect with fellow students.

Its Youth in Government program is nearly 70 years old and has impacted generations of Coloradans. It is modeled after the national YMCA Youth & Government program, and one of several programs the Denver Metro YMCA offers to engage teens and help them navigate their formative years.

“The YIG program encourages students to share their thoughts and opinions on key topics like women’s rights and gender discussions at school in a space where they can debate on neutral ground,” said the YMCA Youth in Government State Director Marlana Krulish. “It gives them an opportunity to open up their thoughts and minds to new topics or things they may not have been aware of — the diversity of participating schools is a strength.”

For several months this fall, the student delegates worked to draft mock legislation on topics of their choice through their school’s local program delegation and under the oversight of a local teacher or advisor. Then, for three days during the week of Thanksgiving, they participated in a model government experience.

Students were assigned various roles as senators, representatives, judges, lobbyists and members of the media.

On the first day, they considered their fellow delegates’ draft bills in smaller committees, while the lobbyist and media delegates persuaded and interviewed key representatives.

The second day, bills that passed committee continued to full review and voting by the combined senate, house and judicial branches. The evening of the second day, delegates enjoyed their own Governor’s Ball and campaigned for the Youth in Government program’s eight presiding offices, including Speaker of the House and Senate Majority Leader, where those elected will serve the following year.

Finally, bills passed on the second day were signed by the youth governor on the program’s last day.

The delegates generally get to hold their second day inside the Capitol Building. But since Gov. Jared Polis called a special session this year during Thanksgiving week, the students met instead at nearby Baptist Church of Denver and the State Services Building.

The program demystifies the political process and teaches young people how to advocate for the changes they

Dathan Montera, a participant in the YMCA of Metro Denver’s Youth in Government program, stands next to a Colorado flag during this year’s mock legislation event.

COURTESY OF THE YMCA OF METRO DENVER

want to see. It also develops public speaking, leadership and advocacy skills.

“It gets you comfortable with speaking out and speaking on things you believe – giving you a confidence boost to do better in school,” Montera said.

“Youth in Government showed me the purpose for all the rest of the things I was learning.”

The program also opens the door to additional opportunities and career paths. Many participants have gone on to participate in national law and government-related programs, including the Conference on National Affairs.

“The Conference on National Affairs was the greatest experience. It provided me with so many skills that I never would have developed so fast,” Montera said. “You have to develop leadership skills.”

Many former participants have also pursued careers that make a positive political impact.

“All of those at my school who joined (my) year have gone into professional roles that involve working with the public or grassroots campaigning or law,” said former participant Ryan Tseng, who is now about to pass the bar exam and enter a career in construction-related litigation. “For those who are looking for something to help them far beyond their time in high school and are looking for ways to effect change, I think this is a great program.”

Editor’s note: Bryn Webster represents the YMCA of Metro Denver in communications and media relations.

To learn more about the YMCA of Metro Denver’s Youth in Government and other teen programs, visit denverymca.org/teen-programs.

Washington Park Profile 3

December 1, 2023

Findings: Denver Basic Income ON THE COVER Project shows promising results so far 800 participants of the project received money to help keep them out of homelessness

BY GANNON ROTHMAN SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

A project that has paid more than 800 of Denver’s residents experiencing homelessness is gaining confidence and showing life-changing results, according to the Denver Basic Income Project’s quantitative interim report.

The Denver Basic Income Project is a 12-month program that has given no-strings-attached cash payments to adults experiencing homelessness.

The project hopes to fight income inequality for those who are unhoused.

“Everyone can see we have an ongoing problem,” said Mark Donovan, the project’s founder. “We have a housing crisis and we have a lack of sufficient affordable housing. We’re facing an eviction crisis in 2024 and we also have an influx of migrants, so we have really big challenges as a community.”

The project’s cash payments were broken into three groups. Group A received monthly payments of $1,000 for 12 months. Group B received $6,500 the first month followed by $500 a month for 11 months. Group C receives $50 a month for 12 months totalling $600.

After a six month follow-up, participants in the program reported spending their cash payments on vital things such as housing, transportation and obtaining a job.

Donovan said he initially thought the project was going to be a small program, but after various foundations – including The Colorado Trust, The Colorado Health Foundation and The Denver Foundation – got behind it, the program was able to put up more money. So far, the Denver Basic Income Project has reached nearly $6 million, with most of the money coming from a total of 19 partner organizations, including $1.5 million from the Colorado Trust.

“I really believe basic income has incredible potential to create wide-

spread societal good,” Donovan said.

“We’re thriving just in equitable communities and it’s so simple.”

The project’s participants were recruited through homelessness service-providing agencies in Denver.

Eligibility included being at least 18 years of age, not having severe and unaddressed mental health or substance abuse needs, and experiencing homelessness as defined by the project. Enrollment took place for four months, from November 2022 through February 2023.

In coordination with University of Denver’s Center for Housing and Homelessness Research, the Denver Basic Income Project released its interim report in October, showing key findings halfway through the experiment. Participants were surveyed and were asked questions about their housing situation, mental health, sense of safety and well-being.

Key findings

All three groups reported improvements in their living situations after six months. At the time of enrollment, participants in all three groups reported that between 21% and 26% of them were sleeping at a shelter. After the six-month follow-up, 34% of the participants in Group A – those who receive $1,000 a month – reported they were sleeping in housing they either rented or owned.

Of these 154 participants in Group A that completed the six-month survey, no one reported sleeping outside. Group B – who received the lump sum of $6,500 in the first month – reported that 40% of them were sleeping in rented or owned housing. Thirty-one percent of Group C – those who got $50 a month – reported they were sleeping in rented or owned housing.

Changes in the participants’ distress and anxiety also showed some improvements. Participants in both Group A and Group B showed decreases in distress, while participants from Group C showed an increase in distress at the six-month survey mark than at the time of enrollment. Fulltime employment for participants in Group A and Group B also increased while Group C showed no change.

SEE PROJECT, P6

Bruce Randolph, aka Daddy Bruce, was a community philanthropist whose humanitarianism lives on through The Epworth Foundation, as well as having a local school and street named in his honor.

Story on Page 10.

Mark Donovan, founder of the Denver Basic Income Project, speaks a rally in Denver earlier this year.

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December 1, 2023De

Denver to ‘Light the World’ with donations for fifth annual year The 2023 Giving Machines will be in Cherry Creek North

To learn more about the Denver Giving Machines, givingmachinesdenver.org.

BY ELICIA HESSELGRAVE SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

The Giving Machines are back in Denver again this year to “Light the World.”

Craig McIlroy, team lead for the Denver Giving Machines, said his favorite part about the machines is watching the faces of people as they give.

“And seeing the excitement in the eyes of children and parents as they select what they want to (donate),” McIlroy said.

The Giving Machines are part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints’ annual Light the World holiday initiative. They offer a tangible way to give that benefits people locally and globally.

This year, the machines will be in a new location at 2nd Avenue and Fillmore Street as part of Cherry Creek North’s Winter Wanderland. The machines’ Grand Unwrapping event took place in November, and donations can be made until Dec. 24.

They work like a vending machine, but every purchase benefits a charity. People visit the Giving Machines and select an item they wish to purchase. Upon selection, the donor is

A person selects an item to donate from the Giving Machines during the Grand Unwrapping event, which took place on Nov. 16. The machines this year are located COURTESY OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS at Cherry Creek North.

given a card-like, tax-deductible receipt of their purchase. One hundred percent of every dollar contributed goes directly to the participating charities, and all overhead is covered through other sources, McIlroy said.

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“Everything you look at is going to have a significant impact on the life of someone who needs help,” McIlroy said.

Items this year range in cost from $5 to $175, and there are about 30

items to choose from. Some examples include a $5 bus pass, a hot meal for a first responder or shelter guest for $10, a recital costume for a performer with Down syndrome for $40, measles and rubella vaccines for children worldwide for $50, apartment essentials for a newlyhoused person or family for $100, and a bicycle for $175.

Each year, the Giving Machines feature a mix of local and global charities. They are selected by a committee composed of Denver Mayor Mike Johnston’s Faith Council and the Giving Machines’ Organizing Committee.

“We try to choose charities that are people-oriented, those that support people and individuals to help them become more self-sufficient and healthy,” said McIlroy.

This year, the five local charities are: Colorado Hosting Asylum Network, which aids asylum seekers fleeing physical and political persecution; The Delores Project, which assists disabled women with emergency and supportive housing; Global Down Syndrome Foundation, which offers classes and training for people with Down syndrome; SEE DONATIONS, P5

Washington Park Profile 5

December 1, 2023

DONATIONS FROM PAGE 4

The Salvation Army Intermountain Division, which helps individuals with food insecurity and transitional housing; and Volunteers of America-Camp POSTCARD, which provides local children with a first-time mountain summer camp experience.

The two international charities are Church World Service, which helps people around the world become self-sufficient with food and a safe home; and American Red Cross, which alleviates human suffering during times of emergencies.

Denver gives big

This is the fifth year the Giving Machines have come to Denver, and since their implementation in 2019, the Denver machines have

raised more than $1.6 million in donations. Last year, Denverites raised about $350,000, ranking fifth nationally when compared to other cities where Giving Machines are located.

The Giving Machines concept began in 2017 in Salt Lake City and the machines will be in 61 cities this year, including 13 international cities. Denver will remain as Colorado’s only Giving Machine location as expansion grows to areas in the U.S. that have yet to receive their first machine.

A soft spot for those who are less fortunate

The Watabe family of Highlands Ranch — which consists of mother Michelle; father Nate; Harrison, 19; Lizzy, 16; Johnny, 13; and Annie, 10 – has been donating to the Denver Giving Machines since 2019. It started as a youth activity with their church and they continued the tradition each year.

“Knowing my kids’ hearts, they have a desire to help and this is one of the ways they are able to do it,” said Michelle Watabe. “Even if you are a little child using your allowance, you can get something for $5.”

Last year, when Michelle asked her son, Johnny, what he would like for Christmas, he said he wanted to donate his entire $100 Christmas budget to the Giving Machines.

“Since I couldn’t think of anything I wanted, I knew (donating to the Giving Machines) was the best way to spend the money,” Johnny said.

He added he has a soft spot for those who are less fortunate and is always thinking about the ways he can help.

“If everybody helps each other out, we would have a better life,” Johnny said. “With kindness, whatever you put in comes back out.”

Representatives from the Colorado Hosting Asylum Network gather for a photo in front of this year’s Giving Machines. Colorado Hosting Asylum Network is one of five local charities that people can donate to through the machines.

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December 1, 2023De

PROJECT FROM PAGE 3

Hope during a dark time

Moriah Rodriguez, a participant in the Denver Basic Income Project, first learned about enrollment through her daughter’s employer.

She said she didn’t believe it at first, but decided to apply because she had “nothing to lose.”

Rodriquez was put in Group A. She said the program helped her and one of her children who has a disability find permanent housing.

“I was able to pay for my phone with the money, and that was a big barrier to being able to connect with people,” Rodriguez said. “I was able to build my credit (and) not worry

about going to food banks. (And) it was a big burden taken off not having to borrow money from people.”

Rodriguez has a brain injury and is considered disabled. She has been working on her GED since the start of the program.

With the Denver Basic Income Project now finished with the cash payments to the group Rodriguez was in, she said she’s worried on what to do next now that payments have stopped, but is grateful for the project for giving her a good starting place.

“I’m just really thankful that there was an opportunity with the program. I know it made a difference.

It gave me some kind of foundation to start on,” Rodriguez said. “It gave me a lot of hope when I was in a dark place.”

Before the Denver Basic Income Project, Rodriguez said she was living out of her car. Though she isn’t sure on what’s ahead, she hopes there are some kind of wrap-around services to keep her out of homelessness.

Finding a solution

The future of the Denver Basic Income Project ultimately depends on policies and continuing to build on the project’s initial results. Donovan said it’s about acknowledging people who are unhoused with respect and helping support the project through additional funding with the individual donors and foundations that have already supported the Denver Basic Income Project. Donovan said project leaders are working on the next steps to build on these success-

ful results.

“A large percentage of our population is kind of one emergency away from being in a really tough situation. That creates a lot of stress,” Donovan said. “Most people can benefit from $1,000 a month.”

A final report on the Denver Basic Income Project will be available in June 2024 with the overall findings from the 12-month long experiment.

“Denver is unique in that we’re the largest to focus specifically on our unhoused neighbors,” Donovan said. “And that’s really important because we’re showing what’s possible.”

To learn more about the Denver Basic Income Project, visit denverbasicincomeproject.org.

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December 1, 2023

Words matter Clean Speech Colorado campaign has a lasting impact

BY BRUCE GOLDBERG SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Keep a civil tongue, no matter the topic at hand. Compliment others so that they feel better about themselves. Ignore the bully who seeks to provoke you into a loud argument. Be respectful to those who have earned it – and if they haven’t, give them a chance to do so.

Follow these guidelines – many of which come from the Torah - and you’ll make Rabbi Raphael Leban happy.

“Each and every one of us is precious, special and filled with greatness,” said Leban, executive director of The Jewish Experience in Denver.

“Be worthy of respect – self-respect, as well as the respect of others. When we speak to one another, the words we exchange should reflect that greatness.”

Clean Speech Colorado is an education and awareness campaign that pushes for more civility by using mindful speech and improving the dynamics of human relation-

ships. The Jewish Experience, which is based in Denver, drives the campaign. Clean Speech Colorado got its start in 2019.

Since then, the campaign’s growth has been impressive. It has grown to thousands of people participating annually each November and more than 200 organizations – 70 in Colorado alone – have participated. Clean Speech Colorado educational videos, which teach how to act in a positive manner, have generated more than 100,000 views.

Though the campaign only takes place for 30 days annually, its impacts are everlasting.

“The world is reeling from a breakdown in communication skills and civility, and our ability to utilize language to maintain healthy relationships socially, personally and communally is important,” Leban said.

What others say

Howard Wedgle, who participates in the program, said the rabbi’s tenacity on the subject of not speaking ill of others resonates with his core values.

“Besides, it’s a commandment in the Torah,” Wedgle said. “The takeaway is that words matter. We can use words to help somebody and lift somebody, or speak kindly of somebody or to somebody.”

Elisa Robyn is board chair for

the Shalom Park senior living facility in Aurora and is active with Clean Speech Colorado. She has a particular focus on treating the facility’s 135 residents with respect.

“We honor our elders,” Robyn said.

They’re “somebody who can give back to the community, somebody that can still learn and still has something to give.”

Kara Larkin is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Colorado who teaches courses in anatomy and physiology, microbiology and science.

From Clean Speech Colorado, she has learned to be careful with her speech.

“The program reminds me to find kindness for others and (be mindful of) the tone of my voice even if my students can’t see me,” Larkin said. “(And) bring my best self into the conversation even if I’m frustrated with somebody.”

Keeping the general idea of being respectful with our words is something Larkin discusses with her husband and 13-year-old daughter, Scout, at least once a week.

Scout perhaps summarized the value of the campaign best: “It means to me, like, not speaking gossip and stuff like that. I think it reminds me that everyone is trying as hard as they can.”

Rabbi Raphael Leban makes his way around the city in the Clean Speech COURTESY PHOTO Colorado Cruiser.

To learn more about The Jewish Experience, visit theje.com. To learn more about the Clean Speech campaign, visit cleanspeech.com. To access the local page and all of the daily lessons, select Colorado from the ‘locations’ tab.

8 Washington Park Profile

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Mailing Address: 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225 Englewood, CO 80110 Phone: 303-566-4100 To subscribe call 303-566-4100 or visit washparkprofile.com/subscribe

December 1, 2023De

Looking back at 2023, MAZING DENVER WITH WARREN STOKES the stories of 12 wonderful Denverites

D

LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com

MICHAEL DE YOANNA Editor-in-Chief michael@coloradocommunitymedia.com

CHRISTY STEADMAN Editor csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

LINDSAY NICOLETTI Operations/ Circulation Manager lnicoletti@coloradocommunitymedia.com

ERIN ADDENBROOKE Marketing Consultant eaddenbrooke@coloradocommunitymedia.com

AUDREY BROOKS Business Manager abrooks@coloradocommunitymedia.com

ERIN FRANKS Production Manager efranks@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Columnists & Guest Commentaries Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of the Profile.

We welcome letters to the editor.

Please include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone.

Email letters to csteadman@ coloradocommunitymedia.com Deadline 5 p.m. on the 20th of each month for the following month’s paper.

“Dedicated to loved ones” This mazetorial of holiday candles is dedicated to our loved ones of the past, present and future. To solve, start at the ‘S’ in either of the flames on the candles on the right and left, and maze-out to the ‘W’ for win in the flame in the center candle.

ecember is here, New Year’s Eve is on the horizon and before 2024 arrives, FROM THE we want to take EDITOR a look back at some of the stories that inspired us. This past year Christy Steadman brought some wonderful stories about your neighbors. Here is a look back at 12 of their stories, beginning with last December and wrapping up with November this year. To read the stories in full, visit us online: coloradocommunitymedia. com/washington-parkprofile.

December 2022

Two

Warren

Village

residents shared their personal journeys of becoming new citizens of the United States. Rachel fled abuse in the Democratic Republic of Congo and eventually came to the U.S. in 2017. Kim Duby is a widow, originally from Vietnam. Her late husband was from Denver, so this is where Duby has chosen to raise her son.

January

Xinyi “Katya” Zhou, a doctoral student at Colorado State University, filled us in on how her family in Beijing celebrates the Chinese New Year. Potstickers, decorations, friends and family are big parts of the tradition. “Grandma, my mom, and sometimes my aunt, would actually make the potstickers. I would help as well, especially as I got older.”

SEE STEADMAN, P15

Collection highlights from the Kathryn Kalmbach Herbarium of Vascular Plants

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ocumentation of the flora of Colorado is key to the mission of the Kathryn Kalmbach Herbarium of Vascular Plants at Denver Botanic Gardens. By collecting and preserving plants as herbarium specimens, we create a snapshot in time, or in other words, a permanent record of our natural world. The theme of this year’s collection efforts was May and June showers bring July, August and even September flowers. Thanks to the

incredible amount of rain we received this spring, we decided to Jennfier Ackerfield take advantage of the extra moisture and document plant species in two undercollected areas: the Denver metro area and adjacent plains.

You might not think there are many native and rare plant species to document in the Denver metro area. However, thanks to numerous green spaces

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and parks, many native plants occur throughout the metro region. One of the most memorable plants we found this summer was Acorus calamus (sweet flag). Only known from a handful of locations along the Front Range, we were able to add five new occurrences. These new distributions will provide valuable information for tracking this rare species.

SEE ACKERFIELD, P16

Washington Park Profile 9

December 1, 2023

Art Students League of Denver introduces new art market Winter Holiday Art Market will feature local artists who work and teach at ASLD

BY NATALIE KERR SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Giuliana Maresca, a mixed media artist who teaches digital photography at the Art Students League of Denver, believes the work of local artists make great gifts because they are often one-of-a-kind and have a unique personality from the artist.

“As we navigate this world where small businesses are slowly falling and big corporations are taking over, I feel that as human beings in these wonderful communities, we should support these art makers … more than ever,” Maresca said.

The community will have the opportunity to do just that with the ASLD’s inaugural Winter Holiday Art Market, WHAM, on Dec. 9 and 10. WHAM is a seasonal event modeled off ASLD’s Summer Art Market, SAM. ASLD has been hosting SAM for 30 years, and got the idea for WHAM from faculty who wanted more opportunities to showcase their work and promote the organization, said Tessa Crisman, director of communications and development at ASLD. “For people who love to go to SAM and have artists they always stop to check out, this will be a great way to meet some new people in our community,” Crisman said.

WHAM will feature art from 30 artists, all of whom work and teach at ASLD. Because WHAM will feature a smaller group of artists than SAM, it will allow people to explore their work more in depth, Crisman said.

“It’s very fun to be in a room with these people who are part of the same arts community and show up for each other and together,” Crisman said. “That energy really comes across when you attend one of these events.”

Giuliana Maresca stands next to her handmade bags, which she will be selling at the Art Students League of Denver’s inaugural Winter Holiday Art Market this December.

Giuliana Maresca works with her screen printing press on Nov. 18. Maresca is one of 30 artists who will be part of the Winter Holiday Art Market put on by the Art StuPHOTOS BY NATALIE KERR dents League of Denver.

The Dec. 9 market will take place in the evening and will have a live DJ and food and drink from Trve Brewing and Music City Hot Chicken.

Dec. 10 is geared toward families, and takes place during the daytime.

All ticket proceeds from both days will go to support ASLD’s programs and classes, and all artists will keep the proceeds from the purchases of their work.

Conner Choi, a painting and drawing teacher at ASLD, is excited to see his colleagues’ work after his first session teaching. Choi enjoys selling his work at markets because it lets him connect with people interested in purchasing his paintings.

“I really like that you can interact with people who are looking at your work,” Choi said. “If someone decides they want to buy a painting, you can be there to talk to them about the process and what inspired you to make the painting.”

Choi paints many iconic Colorado scenes that people will likely recognize, and will have prints and original pieces available that make great gifts for locals, he said.

Maresca plans to sell a variety of her handmade bags, which include vinyl bags with her photographs screen printed onto the material, and hand sewn bags made from faux fur that are designed to look like spiders.

Like Choi, one of Maresca’s favorite parts about art markets like WHAM is getting to have conversations with people who attend and hear how they interpret her work.

Often people who are coming to art markets are positive, kind people, who make the event really enjoyable, she said.

“It’s a wonderful thing to support these nonprofit organizations and artists who really love art and sharing it with other people,” Maresca said.

The Art Students League of Denver’s inaugural Winter Holiday Art Market, WHAM, takes place on Dec. 9 and 10 at Import Warehouse, 235 N. Broadway in Denver. To learn more about WHAM or to purchase tickets, visit asld.org.

10 Washington Park Profile

December 1, 2023De

How a nonprofit is leaning into Daddy Bruce’s example The Epworth Foundation supports community year-round

BY CHRISTY STEADMAN CSTEADMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

After Princess Dandoo-Young’s team at Spelman College won the Goldman Sachs Market Madness Competition, she was moved that The Epworth Foundation reached out to pass along a congratulations.

“It was unexpected because I didn’t think people in Colorado were still following what I was doing,” Dandoo-Young said. “It made me feel like I’m still part of the Epworth family.”

Dandoo-Young was born and raised in Aurora and is currently studying economics with a double minor in mathematics and management and organization at the college, which is a historically Black, women’s liberal arts university in Atlanta, Georgia.

Her heart lies in entrepreneurship and, earlier this year, Dandoo-Young started her second business, which aims to help minority young adults bridge the generational wealth gap.

Dandoo-Young attributes a lot of her success to The Epworth Founda-

Daddy Bruce Randolph with people attending one of his community Thanksgiving PHOTO COURTESY OF THE DADDY BRUCE RANDOLPH LEGACY FOUNDATION meals in the background.

tion, which has offered her not one, but three scholarships.

“It’s the investment they’ve put in me,” she said. “They looked at me and saw my dreams, aspirations and faith.”

Carrying on Daddy Bruce’s legacy

The Epworth Foundation is an allvolunteer run nonprofit that focuses on four core areas: youth, family,

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hunger prevention and health. Its programs run the gamut from health screenings and a twice-a-week food bank to fatherhood/motherhood counseling and a children’s day camp.

But perhaps it is best known for its Denver Feed-A-Family in Honor of Daddy Bruce annual event, which provides thousands of families with a full Thanksgiving meal.

“There is a reality that this is a tough time of the year for many families,” said Steve Swinney, CEO and co-founder of Kodiak Building Partners which donates to the foundation’sThanksgiving efforts.

“We wanted to be a small part of what they are doing.”

Bruce Randolph — Daddy Bruce — was originally from Arkansas, but eventually settled in Denver, opened a restaurant and became known for his barbecue.

“He felt that on Thanksgiving, everyone should have a hot meal,” said Xiomara Yanique, who serves as The Epworth Foundation’s program director.

So, in 1964, he set up in City Park and about 200 people gathered to eat barbecue for Thanksgiving, which Randolph provided for free.

Everyone was welcome, and the

gathering grew and grew every year, now located in Denver’s Cole neighborhood, Yanique said.

Today, the event draws thousands of volunteers to help with its massive effort of feeding 5,000 families a Thanksgiving meal.

“I’m feeding people and I’m helping people,” said Clarence Williams of Highlands Ranch who has been volunteering at the event for 18 years. “That’s what it’s all about.”

Daddy Bruce died in 1994, but lasting recognition of his humanitarianism lives on in various ways. There is a school that bears his name. And the street where Daddy Bruce’s barbecue restaurant was once located is also named in his honor.

In 2003, The Epworth Foundation, based out of the Epworth United Methodist Church at 1865 Bruce Randolph Ave., took over the Thanksgiving meals event.

It’s important for people to know Daddy Bruce’s legacy and the story of his humanitarianism, Yanique said.

“We’re getting a lot of new people in Denver, and not everybody knows about Daddy Bruce like they used to,” she said.

When Daddy Bruce did it, he set up tables in the streets and served barbecue. Today, it is run as a Thanksgiving meal distribution. The nonprofit packs baskets with enough traditional Thanksgiving food items — turkey, green beans, gravy, bread, a dessert, etc. — to feed an entire family.

That’s about the only thing that’s changed, Yanique said. Otherwise, it’s still like a community-oriented family reunion, she added.

“That part of Daddy Bruce has lived on,” Yanique said.

Denver native Joe Lopez has always wanted to volunteer for an event like the Denver Feed-A-Family in Honor of Daddy Bruce. This year, he was finally able to do so — and brought three of his family members, equaling three generations who came to volunteer this year.

“It made my evening doing this with my kids and grandson,” Lopez said.

SEE NONPROFIT, P11

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December 1, 2023

NONPROFIT FROM PAGE 10

Struggling for sustainability

Vaughn Nichols has been involved with The Epworth Foundation for roughly 20 years — and the Daddy Bruce Thanksgiving for about 25 — and currently serves on the foundation’s board of directors. He got to know Daddy Bruce Randolph sometime in the 1980s and they developed both a professional and friendly relationship — Nichols is a banker, and Randolph was a customer at the bank he worked at and Nichols would often eat lunch at Randolph’s restaurant.

People identify with a need around Thanksgiving, and many are familiar with the nonprofit’s meal distribution because of Daddy Bruce, so that event typically sees a big turnout of volunteers and donations, Nichols said.

The foundation’s annual summertime golf tournament fundraiser is also successful in raising funds, Nichols said.

But the nonprofit needs ways to get a steady flow of donations throughout the year to help it fund a variety of its community resources, Nichols said. Much of The Epworth Foundation’s programming is offered for free — or subsidized — to community members.

“There’s a constant need for fundraising,” Nichols said. “You can only service what you have the money to serve.”

Additionally, the foundation needs people who can bring new ideas to help with the nonprofit’s long-term sustainability.

Not counting the Thanksgiving event, only about 50 people volunteer with the foundation on a regular basis. And the chair of the ninemember board is more than 80 years old, Nichols said.

“While he won’t be replaced, we need people to pick up the puck,” Nichols said. “We need people who have networks and fresh ideas for how to maintain the (foundation’s) mission.”

Representing the foundation from afar Dandoo-Young didn’t know much about The Epworth Foundation until someone told her about it at the 2021 Spelman Sendoff event hosted by the Colorado chapter of the National Alumnae Association of Spelman College. She did her research

Three generations of the Lopez family came to volunteer at the Denver Feed-AFamily in Honor of Daddy Bruce event this year. Pictured is Joe Lopez on the far right, his daughters Michelle Martinez and Kara Lopez, and his grandson Christian Solano.

Clarence Williams fills up the volunteers’ snack bowl on Nov. 17. He has been volunteering with the Denver Feed-A-Family in Honor of Daddy Bruce PHOTOS BY CHRISTY STEADMAN event for 18 years.

on the nonprofit and learned that its values aligned closely with hers.

“We share the same social values,” Dandoo-Young said. “I try to represent them whether I’m in Georgia or Colorado.”

Dandoo-Young encourages everyone to look into the resources that The Epworth Foundation offers – particularly those who are in need and may not otherwise have access to such resources.

“Colorado is blessed to have The Epworth Foundation,” DandooYoung said. “They ensure that they put action on the table.”

All about community

The Epworth Foundation’s “big thing” is being able to wrap itself around the community and uplift it, said Yanique, the foundation’s program director.

“It’s not just about an individual, it’s about community,” Yanique said. “A lot of the time, people don’t realize how important community is. But we can accomplish so much more together.”

To learn more about The Epworth Foundation, visit epworthfoundation. org.

12 Washington Park Profile

December 1, 2023D

This month is full of holiday-themed things to do in Denver. But there’s also a lot of fun things to do this month that aren’t necessarily all about the holidays, but are still worth checking out with friends and family. There’s a musical tour of church organs, ice skating and more. One thing is certain: December in Denver will not disappoint you.

Learn about our ‘Winter Warriors’

Ice skating at Skyline Park

Of all the World War II stories, I never tire of hearing about the Army’s 10th Mountain Division. This has to do with me loving Colorado and its history, but also because many years ago I got to interview Dick Over, who invited me into his home on Lookout Mountain in Golden. He told me stories of his time serving in the division. You can read my story here. In November, History Colorado opened an exhibit called “Winter Warriors: The 10th Mountain Division in World War II.” The exhibit is included in regular museum admission, which is $15 for adults and free for children and members. The 10th Mountain Division is now based in New York, but I think it’s important for us, as Coloradans, to remember its roots at our own Camp Hale. This exhibit is one that’s not-to-miss.

It’s official: The Downtown Denver Rink at Skyline Park has already opened for the season. The ice rink in the heart of downtown Denver offers free admission. So, bring your skates and hop on the ice. If you don’t have skates, the rink has you covered, but you’ll have to pay $9-$11 to rent them (for children and adults, respectively). The rink is open through Feb. 11 and reservations are not required. Hours vary month-to-month, so check the website or follow on Facebook to stay up-to-date.

PHOTO: People of all ages enjoy ice skating at the Downtown Denver Rink at Skyline Park. File photo by Christy Steadman.

Nostalgic Little Golden Books

View some of Denver’s most beautiful church organs

Each year, Historic Denver and the Denver Rocky Mountain Chapter of the American Guild of Organists team up so people can view some of the city’s most beautiful church organs. This year, the tour takes participants to churches between Hampden Avenue and University Boulevard in Denver. They are: • Calvary Baptist Church, 6500 E. Girard Ave. • Wellshire Presbyterian Church, 2999 S. Colorado Blvd.

• Christ Church, 2950 S. University Blvd.

At each location, attendees will learn about the church’s unique architecture and will hear a musical demonstration. The tour takes place from 9:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. on Dec. 9. Tickets – which cost $25 for the general public and $20 for Historic Denver and American Guild of Organists members – need to be purchased in advance.

Learn more at agodrmc.org (American Guild of Organists Denver Rocky Mountain Chapter) or historicdenver.org/event/organ-tour.

Get on stage at the Denver Art Society

The Denver Art Society is inviting you to show off your talent at its December Open Mic Night.

All talents are welcome – singing/songwriting, comedy, poetry readings, drag, etc. Denver Art Society hosts its Open Mic Night monthly, so if you miss the Dec. 8 show, mark Jan. 12 and Feb. 9 on your calendar. Admission is free. Sign up in advance at denverartsociety.org. Denver Art Society is a nonprofit that has a gallery and hosts a variety of events and classes that are open to the public. It is located at 734 Santa Fe Dr. PHOTO: A performance during a previous Open Mic Night at the Denver Art Society. Photo

by Andrew Piper.

For a dose of nostalgia, the Denver Botanic Gardens has an exhibit that highlights the Little Golden Books series. These books were first published in 1942 and helped pave the path to make reading more accessible for many families. Even as a child of the 1980’s, I remember these books – particularly “The Poky Little Puppy.” The exhibition at the gardens’ York Street location, 1007 York St., boasts 36 works on paper,first-edition copies of Golden Books, biographies of eight illustrators and a reading nook. Additionally, the Helen Fowler Library onsite has Little Golden Book titles in its collection, which all guests are allowed to browse and read during their visit, and gardens’ members are allowed to borrow.

The “Golden Legacy: Original Art from 80 Years of Golden Books” is on view through Feb. 18 and included with general admission.

PHOTO: Gustaf Tenggren, illustration from “The Poky Little Puppy.” Story by Janette Sebring Lowrey, published by Golden Press, NY, 1942.

Courtesy of the Kerlan Collection, University of Minnesota.

Flip out with DU gymnastics

The University of Denver’s Women’s Gymnastics’ Crimson & Gold Intrasquad meet is at 7 p.m.

Dec. 20 at Magness Arena on the DU campus.

This annual free event offers fans an opportunity to get a first look at the 2024 squad. To learn more

Washington Park Profile 13

December 1, 2023

THINGS TO DO FROM PAGE 12

about DU gymnastics, find a 2024 schedule or to purchase season tickets, visit denverpioneers. com/sports/womens-gymnastics.

‘Tell Me a Story’ photography exhibit

It is a form of art when a photographer can tell a story with a picture. An opportunity to see this for yourself is being offered at the Colorado Photographic Arts Center with its latest exhibit, “Tell Me a Story: The Role of Storytelling in Photography.” The exhibit, which runs through Jan. 6, features the work of 32 photographers, with 15 of them being based in Colorado. The exhibit “explores how photographs tell stories through the depiction of objects, people and places,” the center states. The Colorado Photographic Arts Center is located at 1200 Lincoln St., Suite 111, in Denver’s Golden Triangle. Admission is always free. Learn more at cpacphoto.org.

PHOTO: “Ghost Town Billiards” by Coloradobased Robert Anderson. Courtesy of the Colorado Photographic Arts Center.

‘Ice, Ice, Baby’

The Clyfford Still Museum’s monthly Art Crawl events offer parents and caregivers the opportunity to learn about art with their baby. The December theme is “Ice, Ice, Baby.” A museum educator will lead a crawl through the galleries and a hands-on activity during which babies will learn cool and warm colors by touching cool and warm temperatures. The December Art Crawls take place Dec. 27 and Dec. 30. Art Crawls are appropriate for babies age newborn to 14 months. Space is limited so advanced reservations are required. Babies are free, but accompanying adults must purchase a museum

admission ticket, which costs $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and $6 for teachers, college students and military. To learn more or purchase tickets, visit clyffordstillmuseum.org/events. The museum is located at 1250 Bannock St. in Denver.

Annual memorial for local persons experiencing homelessness

Every December, the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless hosts a vigil outside the Denver City & County Building, 1437 Bannock St.,on the winter solstice to remember those who passed away while experiencing homelessness. This year, the event takes place from 5-7 p.m. on Dec. 21. It will include a eulogy, luminary memorials and a reading of the names of the deceased in the past year. To learn more about the event, or to have the name of someone you know who died unhoused read, visit coloradocoalition. org/vigil.

PHOTOS: Top: A person holds a candle for the people who died as unhoused community members during the 2017 We Will Remember: Homeless Persons’ Memorial Vigil. Bottom: An attendee of the 2017 event reads a program that lists the names of each person memorialized during the event. File photos by Christy Steadman.

Plan ahead: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Tribute and Humanitarian Awards

The Colorado Symphony will perform at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Tribute and Humanitarian Awards on Jan. 9. The event takes place at 7:30 p.m. at Boettcher Concert Hall in the Denver Performing Arts Complex, 1385 Curtis St. This annual event, in partnership between the MLK, Jr. Holiday Commission and Denver Arts & Venues, will feature the Colorado Symphony and guest performances. It will honor recipients of the 2024 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Awards. It is free and all seating is general admission. Tickets must be reserved in advance and will be available beginning on Dec. 26. To learn more, visit coloradosymphony.org.

PHOTO: A guest performer at a previous year’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Tribute and Humanitarian Awards event. Photo by Amanda Tipton.

14 Washington Park Profile

December 1, 2023De

A roundup of festive things to do in Denver during the 2023 holidays advance. Denver Union Station, 1701 Wynkoop St. denverunionstation.com.

STAFF REPORT

Denver boasts a myiad of holiday events this December. While it would be nearly impossible to mention everything going on this season, we rounded up a list of picks from our writers at Colorado Community Media that are sure to provide a fun and festive time for all.

From a brunch with Father Christmas to Hanukkahin story and song, there’s plenty to do and see.

Bright lights

Blossoms of Light at Denver Botanic Gardens: 4:30-9 p.m. through Jan. 7. $25 for adults with discounts for seniors, children, military and students.

Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York St. botanicgardens.org.

Denver Zoo Lights: Entry tickets are available beginning at 5 p.m. every night from Dec. 2-Jan. 7. $25-$28 for adults and $18-$21 for children. Denver Zoo, 2300 Steele St. denverzoo.org.

The Mile High Tree: 5-10 p.m. daily until Dec. 31 with a special ball dropstyle countdown at 9 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. Free. Civic Center Park, 101 W. 14th Ave., Denver. denver.org/milehighholidays/mile-high-tree.

Santa sightings

Breakfast with Santa at the aquarium: Seating begins at 8:30 a.m. Dec. 9-10, Dec. 16-17 and Dec. 23-24. $15.99 for children age 3-10 and $20.99 for adults. Downtown Aquarium, 700 Water St., Denver. aquariumrestaurants.com/downtownaquariumdenver.

Brunch with Father Christmas at Four Mile: Reservations available for 9 a.m. and noon on Dec. 9. $35 for children and $45 for adults. Four Mile Historic Park, 715 S. Forest St., Denver. fourmilepark.org.

Santa at the Station downtown: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 4, 11, 18. Free for non-reserved visits. A St. Nick Express Pass is available for purchase in

Performances to enjoy

‘A Christmas Carol’ with Denver Center for Performing Arts: Performances take place on many dates and various times through Dec. 24. $40$150 depending on performance date, time and desired section in the venue.

Wolf Theatre in the Helen Bonfils Theatre Complex, approximately Speer and Arapahoe in Denver. (Near the Denver Performing Arts Complex, 1385 Curtis St.). denvercenter.org.

‘Granny Dances to a Holiday Drum’ with the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble: 2 p.m. on Dec. 10-11, 17-18 and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 10, 15-17. $45 for adults with discounts for children, students, seniors and wheelchair-accessible seats. Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, 119 Park Ave. W., Denver. cleoparkerdance.org.

‘The Nutcracker’ with Colorado Ballet: Performances take place on many dates and various times through Dec. 24. $40-$195 depending on performance date, time and desired section in the venue. Ellie Caulkins Opera House, Denver Performing Arts Complex, 1385 Curtis St. coloradoballet.org.

Hanukkah shines

Chanukah in Story and Song with Colorado Hebrew Chorale and storyteller Albert Banker): 11 a.m. to noon Dec. 8. Free. Denver Public Library Decker Branch, 1501 S. Logan St. denverlibrary.org.

Chanukah Wonderland with Chabad of Cherry Creek (celebration and menorah lighting): 5-7 p.m. Dec. 10. Cherry Creek North, 250 Fillmore St., Denver. jewishcherrycreek.com/ chanukah.

Light the Night at Temple Sinai: 4-6 p.m. Dec. 10. Free, RSVP required. Temple Sinai, 3509 S. Glencoe St., Denver. sinaidenver.org.

Concerts abound

Augustana Lutheran Church’s annual Christmas Concert: 7 p.m. Dec.

8. Free, reservations in advance requested. Augustana Lutheran Church, 5000 E. Alameda Ave., Denver. AugustanaArts.org.

‘Holiday Carillon Concert’ with University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music/University Carillonist Joey Brink): 3-4 p.m. Dec. 10. Free. Ritchie Center Lawn on the University of Denver campus. The Ritchie Center is located at 2240 Buchtel Blvd. S. in Denver. liberalarts.du.edu/node/37060.

‘Holiday Cheer!’ with the Denver Philharmonic Orchestra and Colorado Chorale: 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 15 and 3 p.m. on Dec. 16. $27 for adults with discounts for seniors and students, and free for children 12 and younger. Antonia Brico Stage at Central Presbyterian Church, 1660 Sherman St., Denver.

Denverphilharmonic.org.

Holiday markets

Cherry Creek Holiday Market: Open daily through Dec. 24. Market hours vary by day. Part of Cherry Creek North’s Winter Wanderland, which offers free admission. Located in Denver’s Cherry Creek North Fillmore Plaza, which is just north of 1st Avenue. cherrycreeknorth.com.

Christkindlmarket: Open daily through Dec. 23. Market hours vary by day. Free admission. Located in Denver’s Civic Center Park, 101 W. 14th Ave. christkindlmarketdenver.com.

New Year’s Eve celebrations

Downtown Fireworks: Two eightminute fireworks shows will be presented at 9 p.m. and midnight on New Year’s Eve. Best viewing spots are near the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel, 1550 Court Place, and within the vicinity of Curtis Street. denver.org/milehighholidays.

Noon Year’s Eve at the Children’s Museum: Ball drops will occur at the top of every hour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Dec. 31. Included with museum admission, which is $16-$18 per person.

Children’s Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus, 2121 Children’s Museum Drive. mychildsmuseum.org.

Washington Park Profile 15

December 1, 2023

STEADMAN FROM PAGE 8

February

Denver photographer Robert Weinberg, who documented Denver in the 1980s and 1990s, discussed the History Colorado exhibit of his work. He’s been legally blind since the 1990s, but uses the latest technology to make the most of the little vision he has remaining to take photos, to get around on his own and to help other people learn how to live with blindness.

March

New Denverite Natalia Roberts talked about her Visiting Artist of Color Residency at the Art Students League of Denver. “Natalia was cho-

sen for her mastery of dance and photography, as well as her excitement around building artistic community as a new Denverite,” said Tessa Crisman, communications manager at the league.

April

Tocabe co-owner Ben Jacobs told of his “seed to soul” mission and the launch of the Direct-to-Tribe Ready Meal program, which helps feed the Spirit Lake Nation in North Dakota.

“Our work is not about, how do we solve for tomorrow, but, how do we solve for years from now,” Jacobs said. “If we can all inspire each other, we can live in a much better world.”

May

We met an important out-of-state visitor: a Holocaust survivor named Paul Galan came to Denver to give a

presentation to RiseUp Community High School’s history students. “I spent my whole life recalling terrible things,” Galan said. “But I put it into perspective, with the rest of my life, that I wanted to do something useful. I decided I was going to teach young people.”

June

Small business owner Kaitlin Christenson Austin told how she uses flower therapy to overcome grief. “We laugh, cry and share memories knowing it’s OK to not be OK,” Austin said. “We tend to be really harsh critics of ourselves, but flowers don’t judge us. They just ask that we take care of them and appreciate their beauty.”

July

We learned about 97-year-old

Polly Coleman’s dedication to Denver’s Saint Joseph Hospital.

She is the first of three generations involved with the hospital.

Her daughter, Dianne Montanari, is also a longtime volunteer, and her granddaughter, Sarah Owen, serves as the hospital’s director of service excellence.

August

Jacob Lemanski introduced us to his world of psychedelic ant farms.

It all started when he built an illuminated ant farm after he returned from a cycling adventure during which he circled the globe twice.

Today, Lemanski runs an events venue in downtown Denver and welcomes anyone to experience his artform.

SEE STEADMAN, P16

Celebrate the Holidays with a Little Regifting.

16 Washington Park Profile

ACKERFIELD FROM PAGE 8

Although approximately one-third of the state of Colorado is comprised of the plains, far fewer herbarium collections are made there as opposed to the mountains. However, many plants make the prairie home, and with the extra rain this year we couldn’t wait to get out there and see what was blooming. We made two trips, one to the northeastern corner of the state in early summer and one to the very southeastern corner at summer’s end. In the northeastern plains, we found hills of green as far as the eye could see. We even came across a “superbloom” of Thelesperma filifolium, stiff greenthread,

December 1, 2023De their bright yellow blooms stretching across the plains. From here, we collected 20 county records (species which had never been formally documented from that county), adding important distributional data to this under surveyed region.

In the southeastern plains, we journeyed to the Comanche National Grassland in search of Solidago capulinensis, Capulin goldenrod, to survey and collect seed of this rare plant. While hunting for the goldenrod, we trekked through canyons, walked through fields of big bluestem taller than us, and even saw a roadrunner trying to outcompete our vehicle! While we only found one single plant of Capulin goldenrod, we were able to document several other rare plants including the bright red Lobelia cardinalis (Cardi-

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September

Theater artists Christina Roberts and Bussy Gower told us of their latest endeavor: a nonprofit called Mile High Youth Theatre, which aims to provide access to the theater arts to all children. “So many kids have ideas and want to produce work but don’t have a platform or anyone to support them through it,” Roberts said. “We want to bridge that gap.”

October

Dancers with the Colorado Ballet discussed the art form as they prepared for the production of “Swan Lake.” “The connection you have

rator of Natural History Collections and an associate director of biodiversity for the Denver Botanic Gardens.

with the audience is truly fantastic,” said ballerina Jennifer Grace, who played the dual role of Odette/ Odile. “When you’re on stage, you can’t see the audience but you can feel them.”

November

Another profound visitor made his way to Denver: Mexican artistSpaik traveled from the Yucatán Peninsula to create the “Unidos” mural on the Auraria Campus. The mural commemorates the 200th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Mexico and the United States, marks the 130th year of the establishment of the General Consulate of Mexico in Denver, and honors the rich history of the Mexican American families who were pushed from their homes to make way for the Auraria Campus.

Washington Park Profile 17

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18 Washington Park Profile

December 1, 2023De

Metalsmithing and jewelry making Local artists express themselves through forms of metal, precious gems, unique designs

at 16 E. Girard Ave. in Englewood.

She describes her styles as “Southwest, feminine, natural and detailed.”

“I make mostly sterling silver. They’re usually hand stamped using Navajo stamps that I buy from the Navajo artists themselves and then (I use) unique gemstones that I literally search the world for,” DeAngelo said.

DeAngelo moved into her current location after outgrowing her last studio and while she wasn’t looking for retail, she’s happy she found it and she loves the connections she forms with people.

DeAngelo is an established artisan in the industry and she said she was featured in the Sundance Catalog. She said that was a dream goal for her and her work is sold in about 50 stores across the country.

She said the jewelry-making community is vast in Colorado because in her experience people seem to appreciate and value homemade items.

DeAngelo makes all sorts of pieces including rings, earrings and necklaces but she loves making earrings the most because they’re her favorite type of jewelry to wear.

DeAngelo said making a delicate piece can be very meticulous and detail-oriented.

“It’s harder than it looks…and it’s very exact,” DeAngelo said.

BY ELISABETH SLAY ESLAY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

The heat of the torch, the smell of pickling solution, the sound of metal on a mandrel and the look of a completed piece are common aspects silversmiths and jewelers in the Denver metro area enjoy about their craft.

Sarah DeAngelo Jewelry: “Southwest, feminine, natural and detailed”

For Englewood business owner and professional jeweler Sarah DeAngelo, these aspects of the silversmithing system are elements she loves, but they come secondary in her personal process.

“I am obsessed with stones and the history of how a stone is formed and how it’s literally the only one in the world like it,” DeAngelo said.

She said taking a unique “peace of the Earth” and “turning it into this beautiful treasured something that makes somebody feel more beautiful” is her favorite part of the craft.

Originally from Los Angeles, DeAngelo began her career in 1997 after a terrible encounter with a rude customer. DeAngelo said she quit her job and the very next day began selling her pieces door-to-door at different businesses.

“I walked out the door and then the next morning I went around with my little trays of jewelry to a bunch of stores and I got two retail stores that first morning and that sent me on a totally different path,” DeAngelo said.

DeAngelo currently has a retail store and studio

Velvet Moss Magic: “Edgy, kinky and biker babe”

Metalsmither Sarah DeAngelo works on a piece at her PHOTO BY ELISABETH SLAY bench in her studio.

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Fellow silversmith and production assistant of DeAngelo’s, Katie White is also enjoying the process of building her own business and finding a balance between her two worlds.

White said her specialties in jewelry making are stone setting and intricate stamping work and making things that “excite people and offend them too.”

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JEWELRY FROM PAGE 18

Originally from New Jersey, White moved to Colorado about seven years ago and is now based in Boulder. White sells her pieces in Denver at markets and in galleries.

White said she was “stone obsessed” as a teenager. “I was collecting raw stones and I actually started wire wrapping and making mainly pendants and rings out of copper and brass,” White said.

During her senior year in high school, White said she was supporting herself, and while she enjoyed making her pieces, she was also selling them as a means of survival.

For White, the best aspect of jewelry making, which she has been doing for about nine years, is that it’s a three-dimensional art form.

“I really love that metal feels like a resource that I can time and time again manipulate,” White said.

“It feels like it can be recycled and repurposed. It feels like there is always a story to any jewelry pieces and anything metal-related.”

When she makes a piece, White said she notices a correlation between her mental state and the process.

The silversmith said she will start her process off with a “ceremony” whether it’s making a cup of coffee, smoking herbs or cannabis or saying a prayer.

“Jewelry making is like putting a little piece of my soul and body energetics into something that someone’s going to wear forever,” White said.

White describes her jewelry as different, unique and bold.

“I would say my jewelry has a core theme of being alternative,” White said. “I definitely dabble in everything from being edgy punk to almost like biker babe to boho flowy (and) gem-centered.”

White said people enjoy her jewelry which she

sells through Instagram, on her website and in five stores in Denver and two in New Jersey.

White joined DeAngelo’s studio about three months ago and enjoys executing DeAngelo’s style of wire wrapping and knotting.

“What’s cool is I feel like I am honing a lot of my more nitty gritty skills,” White said. “Just making my things look nicer, cleaner, production style and mass quantity.”

In her home studio of organized chaos, however, with her own production assistant and canine companion Dobby, White said she’s a “one-man show.”

“I move all over the place. I change things. I do have a tendency to go in between projects,” White said.

White said she believes she’s “creating magic” in her studio.

“I feel like I am working with my hands and get to view magic by the end. I feel like I am an alchemist.

I feel like I am connecting to the Earth,” White said.

Michelene Berkey: “Not for everyone”

Michelene Berkey is a metalsmith who has made jewelry for a large portion of her life and works from her home studio.

Based in Evergreen, Berkey said she designs and makes silver jewelry with high-carat gold accents, gemstones and different kinds of pearls.

Originally from New York, the 73-year-old said she has had an interest in jewelry making since she was child.

“My grandfather would go to the jewelry exchange in New York and bring home things wrapped up in little pieces of tissue paper and rubber bands,” Berkey said. “I remember standing at the table watching him unwrap these things and just being fascinated with jewelry.”

She attended California State of Long Beach, learned her techniques and “never stopped making (jewelry) and designing it.”

When she was in California, Berkey said she worked in various jewelry shops in the late 1970s and then she moved to Colorado. She said she didn’t have any jewelry connections and took a break from the craft profession to own and operate her own wallpaper and paint business.

Berkey said she returned to full time metalsmithing in 2000.

“The jewelry that I make is not traditional jewelry. It’s more what they call art jewelry,” Berkey said.

“I know how to make traditional jewelry…That’s what I was trained to do but the jewelry that I am making now is made from little sections of cottonwood twigs and just natural things that I find.”

Berkey said the traditional process consists of a metalsmith making a piece out of wax, plastering it and then placing it in a “burnout” kiln where the wax is melted away.

“What’s left is the void of that particular piece that you’re making and then when you’re ready to actually do the casting you melt your metal and you pour it in and it fills in all of those places where the wax had been originally,” Berkey said.

She siad she wants her pieces to have a lot of texture.

“It’s an interesting process. The casting is the same as manufacturers would use to make anybody’s traditional wedding ring,” Berkey said. “In my case I am actually burning away the twigs because they burn away just the same as a wax.”

Berkey said her work is “not for everyone” but those who love it have responded well to her creations.

“The more people have seen it and understood that it’s silver and it’s made from the twigs they’re really fascinated with that,” Berkey said.

Berkey sells her work in galleries and she attends various shows throughout Colorado and other states.

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JEWELRY

Foulkes said she recently moved to Colorado and found the studio.

“I needed bench space because my studio is not set up in my home and (Brown) has all the tools, all the solder stations and they’re open all day,” Foulkes said. “I like the warm welcoming atmosphere.”

FROM PAGE 19

Denver Jewelry Studio: A place to learn

Berkey is always willing to learn, and said she has attended the Denver Jewelry Studio in Littleton and taken classes in different techniques.

The studio has various levels of classes taught by many different instructors and managed carefully by studio owner Judy Brown.

“Our studio we call it a maker space. It’s basically for people who have no experience at all in metal smithing or they’re professionals and they’re looking to learn a new technique,” Brown said.

Located at 8392 South Continental Divide Road, Unit 104 in Littleton, Brown said Denver Jewelry Studio is open daily, except on Wednesday, from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

There are four total employees including Brown and 30 contract instructors who travel from all over the country to hold classes.

Brown said she purchased the studio from the previous owners in 2018 after teaching there.

“I am a retired state auditor for the state of Texas and Colorado and I needed a creative outlet,” Brown said.

Brown loves “the endless learning” of metalsmithing.

Brown said her style of jewelry is more natural, which was what she was interested in exploring.

“For somebody that’s a numbers cruncher I found that I gravitate to the organic because it gave me so much more freedom and a lot of times it mimics nature,” Brown said. “I am always fascinated with not only textures but colors that we find in natural rocks and tree bark.”

Brown said her primary technique to do and teach is cuttlebone casting.

“It’s a very old technique. They use the cuttlefish.

I learned that one in 2007 and I just gravitated to it because I love the texture that you find in that,” Brown said.

Brown said she was developing her own style to

Miro Jewelers: A family owned business

Artist and metalsmith Katie White works in her chaotic COURTESY OF KATIE WHITE home studio on her next creation.

the technique by making the casting thinner which wasn’t common. This she said is how she also entered the world of teaching.

“I love teaching because I love to see people learning to be creative. I think being creative feeds our souls,” Brown said. “All of us need that in our lives in whatever form we have whether it’s cooking or painting.”

Brown said for those looking to venture into metal smithing the studio recommends that they take the 30-hour Metalsmithing course and then go from there. She said information on classes can be found on the studio’s website.

She said people will learn the basics including sawing techniques, filing, hammering and setting stones.

“For us teaching the beginning students all of these techniques they don’t have to buy a lot of equipment to get started at home and they can really express their creativity,” Brown said.

Denver Jewelry Studio also offers Open Studio where artisans can pay a monthly fee to utilize its tools.

New Denver resident and jewelry maker Jenny

Maira Miro, marketing and supplies of Miro Jewelers, said her family has been in the jewelry-making business for four generations.

“We’re a custom fine jewelry store. We do retail and manufacturing,” Miro said.

Located at 6750 S. Emporia St. in Centennial, Miro said the family opened their retail space 15 years ago.

Miro said both her father and her brother are jewelers and the family owns a factory in Lebanon, which is where the business began.

The family opened their current location in 2017 and Miro said her father attended college in Colorado and wanted to return.

For Miro, the best aspects of what she does are the custom pieces the business creates and seeing it journey over the last several years.

“It’s just the custom part of it and being able to take something that has been in our family for a long time and evolve it over time,” she said.

Miro explained the business has evolved from bench jewelry to manufacturing and retail.

She said they make everything from wedding bands to engagement rings to necklaces to earrings.

“The nice thing about custom is you can work with any style because you’re creating it all,” she said. “It’s not like you’re a brand that you have specific styles that you’re working around.”

While versatile in design, Miro said she would describe the company’s pieces as classic and trendy.

Miro said she is not a jeweler but she works on the back end of the business in purchasing and finance.

“I like that it’s a family business that we’ve grown over the generations and we will have for future generations too,” she said.

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Emily Griffith auto collision repair students try their hands at statue repair Students take on Ronald McDonald House project

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For four months, a handful of automotive collision repair students at Denver’s Emily Griffith Technical College worked on a rather unique project. It wasn’t a beat up jalopy that they took on. Instead, they plied their skills on four life-sized statues of Ronald McDonald.

The statues from the Ronald McDonald Houses in Denver and Aurora, each about two decades old, had become damaged and faded

Students in Emily Griffith Technical College’s automotive collision repair program gather for a photo with the Ronald McDonald House statues that they refinished.

COURTESY OF EMILY GRIFFITH TECHNICAL COLLEGE

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Evan Balogh, one of the students who worked on the project, is planning to enter a career as an auto repair technician following graduation in February.

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STATUES FROM PAGE 21

Repairing the damage to the statues was similar to repairing body damage on a vehicle, Balogh said.

“I enjoyed it so much because of the detailed painting,” Balogh said.

He added that he has always enjoyed painting and plans to do lowrider art on cars and motorcycles.

Painting the statues included working with an airbrush, so the project provided him with hands-on experience using an airbrush, which he’ll use in his profession.

Moreover, the students enjoyed the Ronald McDonald statues project because they were helping to spruce up the community for years to come.

Ronald McDonald Houses serve families who have a sick child by providing temporary lodging at no cost while the child is treated at a nearby hospital.

Balogh remembers noticing the statues when he and his family would drive by them during his childhood.

“Seeing them made me happy,” he said. And work- Evan Balogh paints a Ronald McDonald House statue as Stephanie Nicole Monroy paints details on a Ronald Mcing on the project, he added, “felt good to be able to a project for Emily Griffith Technical College’s automotive Donald House statue as a project for Emily Griffith Technicollision repair program. PHOTOS COURTESY OF EMILY GRIFFITH TECHNICAL COLLEGE cal College’s automotive collision repair program. help other little kids feel joy.”

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