Life on Capitol Hill

Life On LifeOnCapHill.com

August 2020

Founded in 1975

CAPITOL HILL

PROTESTING WITH MUSIC Local musicians perform free concert for unity

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PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE East Central Area Plan being finalized

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SCOOPING FOR METRO CARING Rotary Club, volunteers portion food to help anti-hunger organization

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DENVER’S UNIQUE STORIES Historic Denver offering its annual Walking Tours

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2 Life On Capitol Hill

August 2020

Business Matters Christy Steadman | csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com Editor’s note: 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-north and south Denver.

Businesses are beginning to reopen after being closed — for some, several months — because of COVID-19. Colorado Community Media urges you to reach out to your favorite local businesses to find out their reopening status, or to check if they are operating slightly differently upon reopening.

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

OPENINGS/REOPENINGS Ace Eat Serve Ace Eat Serve, a restaurant that features modern Asian cuisine, has announced its Peking Duck Thursday is back with limited availability and must be preordered.

The August dates for the Peking Duck are Aug. 13, the pre-order must be made

by Aug. 7; and Aug. 27, which must be preordered by Aug. 21.

Peking Duck is available for dine in or takeout. It includes a whole duck, mu-shu crepes, scallions, cucumber, apricot chili sauce and hoisin for $42.

To reserve a Peking Duck, call 303-8007705. Ace Eat Serve is located at 501 E. 17th Ave. in Denver’s Uptown neighborhood.

On July 27, the restaurant also announced that its chef, Thach Tran, has launched Ace at Home frozen meal kits.

To learn more, visit www.aceeatserve. com.

Adrift Tiki Bar & Restaurant Adrift Tiki Bar & Restaurant, 218 S. Broadway, reopened on July 9 for dine-in with an expanded patio called The Hurricane Lounge. Reservations are required for dine-in service.

The restaurant’s emphasis is to provide “a magical island getaway,” states a news release.

Seating on the new patio is spaced to meet Colorado’s state regulations, and offers colorful picnic tables adorned with lei designs by Jolt, a local street artist; and beachy buoys, tiki boats and lanterns donated by a local collector.

Adrift originally opened in September 2016 and closed in late March because of COVID-19. During the closure, Adrift launched its Covid Cocktail To Go, which features many of its best-selling cocktails.

Because of its popularity, Adrift will continue to offer Covid Cocktail To Go for takeout.

“As we embark on this ‘New World’ journey, we do so with care, respect, empathy and safety as our top priorities,” said owner Loren Martinez in a news release.

“We realize that some of our guests will still be happier having their luau at home, so we want to bring the Adrift party to them, wherever they feel the safest.”

To make a reservation or to view Adrift’s menu, visit www. adriftbar.com.

Punch Bowl Social The Broadway Punch Bowl Social, 65 Broadway in Denver’s Baker neighborhood, recently reopened and recently expanded seating into the parking lot with picnic tables and large umbrellas.

Hours are 4-10 p.m. daily and reservations are encouraged.

To learn more, visit https://punchbowlsocial.com/ and select Denver in the locations search bar.

The Adrift Tiki Bar & Restaurant’s management teams stands outside of the restaurant at 218 S. Broadway, which reopened early July with an expanded patio. From left is owner Loren Martinez; Monica Stephens, bar manager; and Joshua Duncan, general manager.

Community Meeting

You're Invited to Join Saint Joseph Hospital and Lutheran Medical Center for a Community Meeting.

Please join us for a virtual one hour public meeting scheduled on Wednesday, August 12 from 6:00-7:00pm to learn more about how our hospitals are making a positive impact on the health and well-being of our local communities.

Please visit scl.health/communitymeeting to register to attend. If you have questions, please contact Chuck Ault at chuck.ault@sclhealth.org

Route 40 Café and the Colfax Museum Route 40 Café is now open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays.

Located in the Lowenstein Complex at 2550 E. Colfax Ave., the café is also home to the Colfax Museum.

Westword reported that history buff and memorabilia collector Jonny Barber has “been collecting Colfax-related artifacts for more than 15 years.”

According to Westword, Barber made a connection with Charlie Woolley, owner of the Lowenstein Complex, though the History Colorado center. Woolley introduced Barber to Mark Whistler, who at the time, was looking to bring more focus to his restaurant — formerly called the Goods, and now the Route 40 Café.

The Route 40 Café is open for dine-in, curbside pick-up, delivery, and also offers grab-and-go items.

To learn more about the restaurant or the museum, visit http://route40cafe.com.

Trouts Fly Fishing Trouts Fly Fishing, a locally owned fly shop, opened its new location in Lincoln Park on July 10, BusinessDen reported.

Trouts Fly Fishing opened shop on Old COURTESY OF HARRY WARTERS South Gaylord Street in the spring of 1995, Broadway Market according to its website. It served the greater Broadway Market, a food hall located at Washington Park community for about 10 950 Broadway which borders Denver’s Goldyears when longtime Trouts customer Tucker en Triangle and Capitol Hill neighborhoods, Ladd purchased the store to keep it from reopened for in-person dining on July 23. shuttering. The business outgrew its first locaIt reopened with socially-distant tables tion, and in 2007, moved into a 19th-century both indoors and on the patio, and a new Victorian home in Denver’s Country Club outdoor dining space on the sidewalk along neighborhood, states the website.

Broadway. Reservations are recommended The shop is now located at 1025 Zuni St. and but walk-ins are accepted. Guests are backs up to the South Platte River. required to wear masks when not seated at Along with being a full-service fly shop, their assigned table.

Trouts Fly Fishing also offers a wide selection The food hall’s bottoms-up beer wall is of fly-fishing classes, guided trips and destinaavailable via a beertender during select tion travel options. To learn more, visit https:// hours. troutsfl shing.com.

St. Vincent Healthcare is excited toyfionce again be a part of the 201 Broadway Market opened in February MATE show. Our booth will host a number of healthcare specialist 2019, and closed a few weeks after celebratSEE BUSINESS, P3 health coaches to answer your questions and provide free screeni ing its one-year anniversary because of COVID-19. Curbside pickup and delivery including blood pressure and glucose testing. The Mobile offerings began on June 12.

Mammography coach will be on hand Thursday and Friday. Invest Hours for dine-in are 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. yourand personal Tuesday to Thin ursday, 8 a.m. tohealth 11 p.m.and wellness this year.

Friday and Saturday. Groups are limited to eight people.

To learn more about the restaurants at Broadway Market, visit www.broadwaymarketdenver.com.

Visit us at Booth #616

Pete’s Restaurants Montana Pavilion at MetraPark Three of the five Pete’s Restaurants’ have Thursday – Friday, February 19 – 20 | 10 a.m. – 6 p reopened.

Pete’s Kitchen, 1962 E. Colfax Ave., is openFebruary 21 | 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Saturday, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily; Pete’s University Park Café, 2345 E. Evans Ave., is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily; and Pete’s Central One, 300 S. Pearl St., is open from 5-9 p.m. daily.

With the reopenings, a new outdoor patio has been built Pete’s Kitchen and the yet-toopen Pete’s Satire Lounge.

The locally owned restaurant concepts got their start back in 1962 with Pete’s Satire Lounge, located near Colfax Avenue and Race Street. The family now owns and operates five restaurants — Pete’s Satire Lounge, Pete’s Kitchen, Pete’s University Park Cafe, Pete’s Greektown Cafe and Petes Central A new outdoor patio adorns the parking One. lot between Pete’s Kitchen, 1962 E. To learn more about the restaurants, visit Colfax Ave., and Pete’s Satire Lounge.

COURTESY OF ALEX BARAKOS/PETE’ www.petesrestaurants.com.

Life On Capitol Hill 3

August 2020

Business FROM PAGE 2

CLOSINGS The Frye Co. The Frye Co., a leather shoe retailer, has closed its Cherry Creek location at 200 Fillmore St., Unit 108, BusinessDen reported.

According to its website, the company was founded in 1863 in Marlborough, Massachusetts, by John A. Frye. Its ecommerce site launched in 2000, and the company opened its flagship store in 2011 in New York City.

BusinessDen reported that the Cherry Creek location opened in 2016. According to BusinessDen’s article, the location’s landlord, Western Development Group, was awarded possession of the premises by a judge after suing in June, citing that The Frye Co. “owed $35,819 for rent and other costs associated with the unit.”

MILESTONES/OTHER Live Local initiative Storyvine, a Denver-based video technology company, has partnered with 9News’ Colorado & Company to create the Live Local initiative.

The purpose of the Live Local initiative is to “allow local businesses to create free, professional videos as they reopen their doors to the community,” states a news release.

To learn more about Storyvine, visit www.storyvine.com.

Eighth & Fork Eighth & Fork, a Denver dining club, is celebrating its first year in business.

Within its first year, the dining club has supported 60 local restaurants and establishments and donated 520 meals

to Denver Rescue Mission, states a news release.

“Restaurants have been some of the most hard-hit (by the COVID-19 pandemic), as a result, we have seen a dramatic shift in the way they are operating due to the uncertainty in the world,” said Lori Hoest, founder of Eighth & Fork, in a news release. “In our second year in business, we want to continue to encourage people to support their local restaurants and establishments and give back. Our members are making a huge impact by supporting local businesses, helping those in need, and saving some money while they’re doing it.”

To learn more, visit www.eighthandfork. com.

PaintCare PaintCare, a national nonprofit that makes it easy for consumers and businesses to recycle leftover paint, is celebrating its five-year anniversary in Colorado.

Since 2015, Coloradans have recycled more than three million gallons of unused and unwanted paint, states a news release.

According to the news release, the program helps protect the environment by diverting paint from landfills.

PaintCare drop-off sites are located mostly at paint and hardware retail stores, which accept all paint brands, regardless of when or at which store in Colorado it was purchased. Items that can be dropped off for recycling include most house paints, primers, stains, sealers and clear top coatings such as varnish and shellac.

There is no charge to drop paint off for recycling — a nominal fee is added to the price of all new paint sold in Colorado to fund all aspects of the PaintCare program, including paint collection, transportation, recycling, public education and program administration.

For more information about the PaintCare program or to find a PaintCare dropoff site in Colorado, visit www.paintcare. org/colorado.

The 21st annual Donor Dash took place on July 18 in Washington Park. Rather than the regular 5K run/walk, this year’s event took place throughout the week and culminated with a car parade.

COURTESY OF DONOR ALLIANCE

Donors ‘dash’ to save lives 21st annual Donor Dash takes place as car parade in Washington Park The 21st annual Donor Dash took place on July 18 as a car parade in Washington Park. The event takes place each year “to honor the lives of organ, eye and tissue donors; celebrate the lives of organ, eye and tissue recipients; and recognize those who continue to wait for a lifesaving transplant,” states a news release.

The Donor Dash is normally 5K run/walk in

Washington Park, but this year, was converted into a weeklong celebration during which participants could run their own race if they wished.

It culminated with the July 18 car parade, and participants decorated their cars with Donate Life colors — blue and green — and drove through Washington Park, beginning and finishing their route where the Donor Dash start line would normally be.

To learn more about becoming a donor, visit www.DonateLifeColorado.org. Coloradans can sign up to become an organ, eye and tissue donor at the time of death by selecting “yes” when obtaining or renewing a driver license or state ID, or online at the above website at any time.

4 Life On Capitol Hill

August 2020

Girl Scouts offer new Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion program Entire community invited to participate in Colorado effort Staff report The Girl Scouts of Colorado organization has launched a new program, and any youth in the community can participate.

The program is called Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. It is “designed to help participants start the conversation about race and racism by learning to appreciate diversity and honor and celebrate differences,” states a news release.

Anybody is welcome to participate in the program — it is not limited to Girl Scouts, and is designed for families, communities, schools, religious groups and other social engagement groups. The programming includes hands-

on activities, reflective writing, discussions on understanding and more, states a news release. The activities ease the way for having “meaningful conversations with youth starting at kindergarten through 12th grade,” states the news release. All activities are available in Spanish.

A comprehensive list of the activities for each age level can be found on the Girl Scouts of Colorado’s website: www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org. Everyone who completes the activities for the program will earn the “Diverse.

Inclusive. Together.” patch. A digital version of the patch is available for those who are not Girl Scouts.

The programming is brought to the community through a partnership between the Girl Scouts of Colorado, Children’s Hospital Colorado, Colorado Mountain College, Denver Public Schools and Denver 7.

In addition to the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion activities, the program also includes virtual roundtables for anyone who would like

to participate. Called Conversation Starters: Let’s Talk Differences, the virtual roundtables will provide families with the “tools they need to begin talking about issues related to race and racism,” states a news release.

A Conversation Starters session for parents and caregivers was held in late July, but a second session on Aug. 13 is “specifically designed to answer questions on these topics directly from children,” states the news release.

“The Girl Scout movement has been about social justice, equity and inclusivity from its very beginning, and part of the Girl Scout mission is to make the world a better place,” said the Girl Scouts of Colorado’s CEO Leanna Clark. “As an organization, Girl Scouts of Colorado is recommitting to that mission.

That’s why we’re opening up this programming beyond girls and beyond our Girl Scout community to make it available to as many people as possible. We hope families will take part together to deepen their understanding of themselves and others.”

The Girl Scouts of Colorado has launched a new program called Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for which the entire community can participate. Any youth who completes the activities for the program will earn the new “Diverse.

Inclusive. Together.” patch, of which a digital version is available. COURTESY PHOTO

Group Living Zoning Code Updates making its way to legislative review process

By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

With expected increased evictions because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the city of Denver believes it is important to allow flexibility for all

types of housing and households.

“There is a very high cost of living” in Denver, said Andrew Webb, a city planner and the project manager for the Group Living Zoning Code Update. “It is important that the code is not preventing all types of housing where appropriate.”

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Denver’s Group Living Zoning Code Update is currently making its way to the city’s legislative review process. If it passes, the updates would allow more unrelated people to reside as a household unit under one roof.

It is expected to go to Denver’s Planning Board late August, and city council in October. There will be public hearings at both meetings.

The code update, commonly known as Group Living, will determine “who can live where, and what types of residential” housing are allowed, Webb said.

It is meant to bring existing rules up-to-date and define the “city’s overall strategy to provide more and better housing opportunities for all residents,” states the project’s website.

The current zoning code was adopted in 2010, with some of the language having been transferred from the previous code that dates back to the 1950s. An update will clarify and eliminate the outdated and/or confusing language, and will address the city’s changing housing needs. Examples of the latter include new types of housing such as tiny homes; expansions such as those for ADA; and some unique housing needs such as nursing homes, homeless shelters and community corrections.

One of the biggest issues in the current code is the definition of a household, Webb said. Currently, only two unrelated people are allowed to live together in Denver — a rule that city staff and Denver residents, in general, feel is outdated.

The latest proposal is to allow five unrelated persons and any number of their relatives to live together in any dwelling unit. Structures larger than 1,600 square feet will be allowed to have one additional unrelated person per 200 square feet up to a maximum of 10 unrelated persons in a 2,600 square foot or larger home.

Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods addressed Denver City Council with a letter dated June 29 that supports the proposed updates to the Group Living Zoning Code.

“We believe that the proposed Group Living Zoning Code Amendments are a much-needed update to our code and will assist in creating more safe, accessible, diverse places for people to live within CHUN’s geographic boundaries and our beloved city,” states the letter. “Moreover, we support the categorization of residential care and group living homes by size rather than the type of facility or services being provided, to advance people’s ability to live in places accessible to transit, jobs and other community-based services.”

Denver resident Christine O’Connor, who cochairs Denver Inter-Neighborhood Cooperation’s

LEARN MORE To learn more, visit www.DenverGov.org/ groupliving Zoning & Planning Committee, feels that not all Denver residents have been able to fully educate themselves on it — perhaps because of distractions brought on by the pandemic.

She said the process has been going on for two years, but a lot of people didn’t know about it, despite that the proposed changes would affect all Denver residents and every neighborhood in Denver.

“I believe most residents who have learned of this work understand the importance of the issues identified by the (city’s) Group Living Advisory Committee,” O’Connor said. “They want to see these solutions evaluated and discussed by residents of all council districts since the amendments apply citywide.”

The Denver INC Zoning & Planning Committee on July 25 discussed the proposed changes to the Group Living Zoning Code and drafted a resolution to advance to the Aug. 15 INC delegate meeting for a vote. The resolution suggests that Denver City Council provide additional time — while still being mindful of how the pandemic is affecting residents — “for further consideration of the proposal in order to allow council members to make sure that their constituents are educated on the proposal and its implementation/effect.”

It also suggests that the various issues of the updates be “unbundled to allow full consideration of each material aspect of the proposal and, when outreach and compromise is achieved to the satisfaction of council members, such portion should be adopted separately.”

Washington-Virginia Vale resident E.J. Lorimer believes it is important to note that comments about the proposed changes are separate from current needs connected to COVID, she said.

“While current needs are critical without question, the ordinances will be permanent changes post-COVID,” Lorimer said. “Those who intertwine the issues are not considering future impact once COVID is resolved.”

She is also concerned about the “so many unknowns” and “unanswered questions” that may come up should the proposed changes be adopted.

“There are layers of complexity. We need to make sure this works correctly,” Lorimer said.

“I’m worried because Denver is changing. I want those changes to reflect the beautiful city that it can be.”

Life On Capitol Hill 5

August 2020

COLORCON F E A T U R E S

all-female lineup

By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

The second annual COLORCON will take place this year on Aug. 28 in the alleyway behind 1112 Broadway.

This year will feature a lineup of 13 Colorado female artists.

COLORCON debuted in 2019 and is an annual mural event hosted by the Golden Triangle Creative District in partnership with local businesses.

Its purpose is to “reimagine alleyways as iconic destinations,” states a news release.

It is free to attend COLORCON, but this year, special ticketing arrangements have been made to keep the event socially distanced. Attendees must reserve a ticket for a time slot on the event’s website: www.coloradocolorcon.com.

Attendees and artists will also be required to wear face masks for the duration of the event.

A full list of this year’s participating artists can also be found on the event’s website.

Here is a sneak peek at what a few of them have to say about the event.

“It is not common to see an all-feminine lineup in a mural festival. Typically, we are the minority. It is exciting to be painting together for a project like this. I am looking forward to having a big art party with some of (my) greatest friends and favorite creatives.”

— Moe Gram of Verbena Park, Denver

“One of street art’s primary benefits is to its community members who might not visit museums. Many people think that art is a very serious endeavor, but after seeing that artwork can be outside and temporary, visitors are often more open to exploring their creativity simply for fun. An often-overlooked bonus is to the artist community — the public who witness artwork being made appreciate not only the art, but also artists and our efforts.”

— We Are Wild, a collaboration of Meredith Feniak of Capitol Hill and Risa Friedman of northeast Denver COURTESY PHOTOS

“COLORCON is a beautiful way to invite community members and artists into a gallery of their own neighborhood. It brings artists out of traditional spaces and allows them to express their creativity where anyone can view it. It is my hope that events like this continue to inspire communities to tap into their own creativity while making once-overlooked spaces come alive.”

— Kendall Rose Kippley of Golden

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“In my experience, people love watching artists make work, and it’s a rare thing to be able to witness a piece being created from start to finish. One of the reasons painting murals is important to me is because it’s artwork that belongs to everyone. An event like this helps to create the feeling of ownership and involvement in the work that people see every day in their community.”

— Olive Moya of Englewood

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6 Life On Capitol Hill

August 2020

University of Denver graduate student Brittney Woodrum is pictured climbing Colorado’s Little Bear Peak in the Sangre de Cristo Range. Through September, Woodrum will be climbing all 58 of Colorado’s 14,000-foot mountains to benefit ShelterBox USA’s COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund.

Woodrum pauses for a photo as she makes her way up Longs Peak.

Woodrum is an outdoor enthusiast who has a passion for helping others.

Brittney Woodrum, an outdoor enthusiast who has a passion for helping others, smiles as she summits Blanca Peak in the Sangre de Cristo Range. Woodrum, who is pursuing a master’s degree at the University of Denver, is climbing all 58 of Colorado’s 14,000-foot mountains to benefit ShelterBox USA, which is an international disaster relief organization.

COURTESY PHOTOS

DU student ‘climbing for a cause’ Woman summiting fourteeners to help ShelterBox

By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

A University of Denver graduate student has found a way to combine her love of the outdoors with her passion for helping others.

Brittney Woodrum, 27, is an ambassador for ShelterBox USA — an international disaster relief organization that “focuses on providing shelter to those who have lost it,” Woodrum said. A ShelterBox is a container of essential items to sustain displaced people.

To bring awareness and raise money for the organization’s COVID-19 emergency relief fund, Woodrum has embarked on her Climbing for a Cause: the Fourteeners Project — she will be climbing all 58 of Colorado’s 14,000foot mountains.

And she’s climbing them with a 60-liter teal ShelterBox on her back.

“ShelterBox ambassadors tend to do crazy challenges with the box,” Woodrum said, adding the box accompanies them on the physical challenges for awareness purposes. “Physical challenges are nothing new to me (and) I’m always looking for opportunities to combine my passions.”

Woodrum is a triathlete and in the past has participated in physical challenges for various fundraising/awareness events. She became an ambassador for ShelterBox after learning

about the organization as she was researching humanitarian groups that she could get involved with as she pursued her master’s degree.

Originally from Kentucky, Woodrum earned her undergraduate degree in nonprofit administration and Spanish from the University of Kentucky. She lived abroad for about five years — most of the time was spent in southeast Asia — and moved to Denver about a year ago to earn a graduate degree in humanitarian assistance from DU. Colorado was particularly attractive to her because of the state’s abundance of outdoor recreation, she said, pointing out that she had heard of Colorado’s iconic fourteeners.

ShelterBox is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in both 2018 and 2019. It got its start as a project by a Rotary Club in England.

What ShelterBox does is provide people who have been displaced because of natural disaster or conflict with the essential items needed to set up a household, said Kerri Murray, president of ShelterBox USA. These items include a tent, in addition to other basic needs such as water filtration, solar-powered lights, warm blankets, cooking equipment and even a children’s activity set, Murray said.

“They’re little things,” Woodrum said, “but they play a big role in keeping vulnerable communities safe.”

ShelterBox has responded to at least 300 disasters around the globe, Murray said, including the 2015 earthquake in Nepal and the earthquake in Haiti in 2010. Since 2012, ShelterBox has provided emergency shelter to

about 250,000 displaced Syrian refugees.

“The need for ShelterBox has grown because of COVID-19,” Murray added. “And it has also had to adapt because the needs are different for this (public health) disaster.”

One adaption is including water basins and soap in the box, Murray said.

Woodrum had originally planned on doing her Fourteeners Project after she had graduated from DU. But then the coronavirus hit and began to spread worldwide.

“Disasters haven’t stopped just because COVID is happening,” Woodrum said. “It was challenging to be stuck at home and not able to help. I felt this was the time to do this project. It’s something I can do without putting others at risk” of spreading the virus.

Woodrum is camping on public lands about 97% of the time, and the other three percent will be at a private residence - no hotel/motel stays are part of the excursion, Woodrum said.

She also spent May and June dehydrating food to minimize trips into towns, she added. The ShelterBox she is hiking with is mostly empty, with the exception of water, snacks and extra layers of clothing, Woodrum said. It weighs about 10 pounds, Woodrum said, adding everybody always wants to know how much it weighs.

Woodrum’s goal is to fundraise $1,400 per peak, for a total of about $80,000, all of which will go to ShelterBox’s COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund. A special peak sponsorship is available for people or a group of people who donate the entire $1,400. Calling such a supporter a mountain hero, Woodrum will climb the mountain with an item or keepsake that

MORE ABOUT PROJECT ShelterBox USA is an international disaster relief organization that provides emergency shelter to those who have been displaced because of natural disaster or conflict.

Brittney Woodrum, an ambassador for ShelterBox and University of Denver graduate student, is climbing all 58 of Colorado’s 14,000-foot mountains to benefit ShelterBox’s COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund.

Woodrum’s goal is to fundraise $1,400 per peak for a total of about $80,000, all of which will go to ShelterBox. To learn more about ShelterBox and Woodrum’s Climbing for a Cause: the Fourteeners Project, or to donate, visit www. shelterboxusa.org/Fourteeners.

Follow Woodrum’s progress on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/the14ersProject. the donor provides and take a photograph of herself at the top with the item. And/or they can choose to get a name mention by Woodrum in a video at the summit.

She began on July 10 and about five days later at the time of the interview, guessed that she will have climbed 15 or 20 mountains by the beginning of August. Woodrum expects to finish the challenge with Pikes Peak near the end of September.

Woodrum “wants to make a difference in the world,” Murray said. And “what’s so touching is that ambassadors work to help people who they’ll probably never meet in their lifetime.”

Life On Capitol Hill 7

August 2020

5

THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE EAST CENTRAL AREA PLAN

There are six themes outlined in the plan, as quoted directly from the summary:

— “Strengthen the local economy by providing training for jobs in local industries, improving access to employment and supporting locally owned, independent businesses.”

— “Make housing more affordable and make more options available to a wide range of families and individuals.”

— “Improve services for residents experiencing homelessness and take steps to prevent more people from losing their homes.”

— “Make streets safer and more comfortable for everybody by improving walking, bicycling and public transit infrastructure.”

— “Increase historic preservation by making it easier to reuse existing buildings, creating more historic districts and ensuring new buildings fit in with surrounding neighborhoods.”

— “Reduce carbon pollution and create more climate-resilient neighborhoods by providing more opportunities for people to live and work near transit, adding shade trees and taking a green approach to stormwater management.”

The East Central Area Plan is a city-led plan for six Denver neighborhoods. The neighborhoods are Capitol Hill; North Capitol Hill, commonly known as Uptown; Cheesman Park, City Park, City Park West and Congress Park.

The planning process began in July 2017. A plan was drafted and the community had the opportunity to provide input.

The city is now reviewing comments on the second public review of the proposed plan. A third draft is expected to go to the plan’s steering committee mid-August. The steering committee will vote whether to endorse it, and if so, it will then go to Denver’s Planning Board in early September. The Planning Board will vote on a recommendation to approve it or not, but city council will make the final decision, which is expected to occur in early October.

The purpose of the plan is to provide “a vision and policy guidance for land use, urban design, housing, mobility, parks and the local economy for the next 20 years,” states the city’s website.

“The East Central Area Plan sets the vision for how these neighborhoods will grow and change over the next 20 years into an equitable and inclusive community,” said Scott Robinson, senior city planner for Denver.

“The real vision is to create a complete community, building on what people love about these neighborhoods to make them even better.”

Cady Field and Yoav Sterer enjoy conversation in Cheesman Park.

Parks are included in the East Central Area Plan under qualityof-life infrastructure.

According to the plan’s draft, about 86% of the households within the plan’s study scope live within a 10-minute walk of a park. Because of the abundance of iconic parks in the area, the draft plan’s primary focus for parks is ensuring “safe and comfortable access to existing parks” remains in place.

James Posney, a maintenance worker with Warren Village, 1323 Gilpin St., does yardwork in the neighborhood. “Warren Village’s goal is to help low-income, single-parent families make the journey from poverty to self-sufficiency,” states its website.

Affordable housing and options for a variety of individuals and families are one of the themes the East Central Area Plan addresses.

PHOTOS BY CHRISTY STEADMAN

A person walks his dog near East 16th Avenue and Josephine Street in the City Park neighborhood. Transformative streets that prioritize multiple modes, including safety for pedestrians and cyclists, are one of the priorities of the East Central Area Neighborhood Plan.

One theme outlined in the East Central Area Plan is to preserve “the independent culture of Colfax by proactively helping small, independent businesses survive and thrive during and after the Colfax Bus Rapid Transit construction,” states documentation for the East Central Area Plan. Pictured is the Crimson Hilt Tattoo shop, 2907 E. Colfax Ave., and The Bad Kittie Salon, 2909 E. Colfax Ave.

Maintenance workers put in a new hydrant at West 11th Avenue and Acoma Street in the Golden Triangle.

Recommendations from the Golden Triangle Neighborhood Plan in the Broadway/ Lincoln corridor will be advanced to create the “opportunity to capitalize on the cultural facilities and creative uses within the Golden Triangle neighborhood when transitioning to Capitol Hill,” states documentation for the East Central Area Plan.

8 Life On Capitol Hill

LOCAL

VOICES

I

FROM THE EDITOR

Christy Steadman

August 2020

Where did all the quarters go?

never realized how dependent I am on coins — quarters, specifically — until recently with the national coin shortage.

USA Today on July 21 reported: “As the spreading coronavirus and resulting business closures crippled economic activity in the United States, the circulation of coins dropped off significantly.

The U.S. Mint, which manufactures the nation’s coin supply, also decreased staffing in response to the pandemic.

As the nation’s businesses have reopened, demand for coins has exceeded the available supply.”

The condo complex I live in has a shared laundry facility. Luckily, the machines accept card payment as well as quarters. So, between doing some handwashing-and-hang-drying — for my summer blouses, for example — and using my debit card to use the machines for the bulkier items — hoodies and jeans, for example — a coin shortage did not affect my ability to do laundry.

Then the day came earlier this month that I needed air in my tires. The tires did not need to be serviced or replaced — the in-dash gauge read that the rear two

were simply getting a little low.

My boyfriend and I decided to take care of putting air in my tires while out running our regular weekend errands. We went to the grocery store and afterwards, stopped at an air pump at a nearby gas station. Without thinking about a coin shortage, I went in, bought fountain soda and asked for a couple dollars to be exchanged for quarters. The clerk could not fill that request, as he said he didn’t have any quarters in his cash register drawer.

This was one of the hotter days this past July, so mindful of the melting ice cream purchased during the grocery store errand, I decided to go home, unload the groceries and Google what to do about the air-in-mytires-situation.

My boyfriend’s parents live in Platteville, and my parents live in Bailey, so we have an hour commute to go visit either one of our families. Pre-pandemic — perhaps it was over the holidays — I remember stopping to get air in my tires on the way during one of these visits. The station had a high-tech, digital air pump, and I figured surely one of these would accept card payments.

Homelessness and constituents: Are they compatible?

I

n the past two years, I have talked a lot about three simple principles: housing, transportation and representation. I have heard from so many GUEST of you that COLUMN these three principles are critical to your value system, and I agree.

In today’s article, I want to focus on one difficult topic: can people experiencing Councilmember homelessness Chris Hinds also be constituents?

I’ve heard from so many of you that you currently experience what is called “housing insecurity.” Even before COVID-19 descended on us, 80% of Americans reported living paycheck-to-paycheck. Millions of Americans report having no savings, and the data is even worse for underserved communities, including people of color and people with disabilities. I have personally faced housing insecurity, and one member of my campaign staff did not have a home.

Housing insecurity is a spectrum.

Sure, it includes the increasingly common person who lives in a tent in our city. But housing insecurity also includes those living in their car, the couch surfer and so many other types of people.

Generalizations are always risky, but I’m going to make one anyway.

Generally, the closer someone is to homelessness, the more sympathetic their outreach is to my office regarding people experiencing homelessness. However, what seems to be a misunderstood concept for many is whether people experiencing homelessness are, in fact, constituents.

According to the Colorado Secretary of State, someone must list a residence when registering to vote. However, the SOS website specifically states that homeless voters can register to vote. “A homeless voter may use any address within a specific county that he/she regularly returns to, and has the intent to remain. This may include a homeless shelter, a homeless service provider, a park, a campground, a vacant lot, a business address or any other physical location,” states the website.

Colorado’s law does not judge anyone based on the quality of their home, or lack thereof. Colorado also does not judge someone should they fall on hard economic times.

So many people were already experiencing housing insecurity pre-COVID. Now that we’re setting records with the speed at which people have become jobless, now that we’re having trouble keeping unemployment insurance solvent in our state, and now that our eviction moratorium has been lifted, we may soon see many other people find themselves further along on the spectrum of housing insecurity.

If COVID-19, and all the complications that so many Americans

Life On

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are now facing leaves you homeless, wouldn’t you still want the government to represent you?

The economic diversity of my constituents is greater than most elected officials. In my small, perfect slice of Denver, we have many millionaires and billionaires, and many homeless. During my campaign, I heard loud and clear that you wanted your elected official to represent ALL of you throughout District 10. If your fortune provides you a penthouse, I must consider you and your needs, along with the needs of anyone living in District 10 — even those who might be living in a tent, not far from your high-rise condominium’s entrance.

To me, representing all of my constituents means advocating for near-term solutions such as safe open spaces, while also advocating for evidence-based, proven techniques such as a housing-first policy with wraparound services.

What is clear is that we must all work together if we want housing, transportation and representation for all of District 10.

Chris Hinds was elected to serve as the Denver City Council representative for District 10 for the 2019-2023 term. District 10 neighborhoods include Capitol Hill, Uptown, Golden Triangle, Alamo Placita, Cheesman Park, Congress Park, Country Club, Cherry Creek and Belcaro. For more information from the District 10 office, sign up for the official newsletter, Hinds’ Sights, at bit.ly/denverperfect10.

Back to July, I searched online for such a digital air pump in the vicinity of my condo, with no luck of locating one.

So, the next day, a Sunday, my boyfriend and I got back in my car to drive around and search for either an air pump that accepted a card, or somewhere that would have $1.50 in quarters to spare. We stopped at probably three different gas stations and it was the same response each time — there were no quarters to be found anywhere. We even drove to the brand-new car wash down the street, but they were closed and did not have an outdoor quarter dispenser. Finally, quite desperate at this point, we went into a small, familyowned laundromat. The employee — not sure if she was the owner — was sympathetic, and exchanged two, dollar bills for quarters. She said “just this once,” and asked that we come back and do some laundry.

Though I would typically take a trip to either my parents’ or my boyfriend’s parents’ house later in the fall for the task of laundering the winter blankets, I think this year, I will be doing that chore a little early… at the little laundromat where they were kind enough to spare much-needed quarters during a national coin shortage.

A solution can be found for safe camping in the city

I

n the midst of COVID-19, it seems like every day presents new public health guidelines, new struggles and new environmental issues. One of these issues is safe ENVIRONMENT camping and the benefits WITH EAN of organized encampments for the health and well-being of our city and those individuals who are experiencing homelessEan Thomas Tafoya ness.

There was an opportunity just months ago during the stay-at-home orders for Colorado Gov. Jared Polis to exercise his executive emergency powers to take over hotels or other vacant properties for our growing housing crisis. The annual Point in Time survey — an annual national snapshot of homelessness, overseen in the Denver region by the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative — found that 4,000 people experienc-

ing homelessness were in shelters during the 24-hour period in which the Point in Time was conducted.

Denver Homeless Out Loud produced its own count, which estimates that about 2,000 people are living outside or in their cars.

Matt Meyer, the executive director of the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative, said the pandemic, which has slowed the economy and led to massive job loss, had likely worsened the crisis of homelessness.

According to the Eviction Defense Project analysis, “almost 500,000 Coloradans may face eviction risk in the months ahead, with further increases anticipated as unemployment increases and stayat-home orders are extended.” An analysis by the Party of Socialism and Liberation-Denver estimates there are more than 1,200 vacant empty apartment units in 10 apartment buildings alone. For years, activists have been pushing politicians to use these vacant spaces as homes for the unhoused. The resistance to that action has instead shifted elected officials to organize safe outdoor camping as an immediate SEE ENVIRONMENT, P9

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Wear a mask: It’s simple, it’s responsible, it’s a no-brainer. Please get everyone on board… it’s the right thing to do.

Bill Loper, resident of Denver’s Capitol Hill neighborhood.

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Life On Capitol Hill 9

August 2020

The Climate Action Task Force

T

he year 2020 is only half over, and already it has been a year like no other. The first six months were dominated by a health crisis due to COVID-19, an economic crisis as a result of the pandemic and a global civil rights GUEST movement after the COLUMN murder of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis.

Amidst these issues, a local task force — launched in 2019 to tackle how Denver should be responding to the climate crisis — grappled with that global Councilmember issue, with 2020 as Jolon Clark a new backdrop.

They had to adapt to virtual meetings and outreach, when in-person had been planned; and although they had put race and social justice at the front of their work before George Floyd was murdered, it took on a new level of urgency as their recommendations came together.

The task force has finalized its work into Denver’s Climate Action Recommendations Report. The report is an aggressive call to immediate action to prepare Denver to cut emissions in order to combat the worst effects of a rise in global temperatures, and to adapt to a climate that is already changing. COVID-19 has taught us how quickly we need to adapt and respond to a crisis in order to save lives, and just how disproportionately communities of color are affected when we don’t act. Our community, state and the country have not addressed the climate crisis adequately, but with this report, we have a roadmap for Denver to step up to meet this challenge head on.

Last year, I brought forward legislation to create a separate office dedicated to tackling the climate crisis, putting us in line with most other major cities that are taking the necessary steps to combat climate change. The Denver Office of Climate Action, Sustainability & Resiliency was officially launched on July 1. Over the past months, I sat in on and listened to the

Climate Action Task Force meetings. They were charged with the enormous challenge of how Denver should respond to climate change equitably and with broad community support. The task force represented many different backgrounds including small business interests, real estate, Xcel Energy, the solar industry, the oil and gas industry, environmental groups, religious institutions, transportation organizations, youth-led organizations, communities of color and more. Most importantly, the task force was comprised of community leaders who hosted numerous meetings to hear from under-resourced communities, who will suffer the most damaging effects of climate change if we do nothing or fail to do enough. The task force spent hours and hours over months debating these issues, but in the end, was able to reach consensus for bold action.

The task force made it clear that the goal is not to return to normal as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, but to emerge from this crisis with a more just, equitable, healthy and sustainable community. Climate action is intertwined with racial justice and is a necessary part of building a better, cleaner and more just Denver.

For this reason, the report is focused on equity, the cost of inaction, and support for under-resourced communities; and broken down into specific goals and recommendations for buildings and homes, transportation, electricity supply, consumption and waste, and adaptation and resiliency.

The most difficult ask for the task force was to deliver a package of revenue streams to fund the work of the new office, without negatively impacting vulnerable communities. Too often, low-income folks face extra burdens and pay more than their fair share, so the task force made it a priority to generate revenue and directly reinvest the money in these under-resourced communities.

To generate the largest amount of this needed funding, the task force recommended that city council refer a .25% sales tax — a quarter on a $100 purchase — to generate $40 million a

Environment

Camping on asphalt in August. Directly adjacent to some of the highest levels of air pollution in the state. Not to mention the small particles being dug up for the construction of the I-70 ditch in the midst of a pandemic. It is illogical to place campers here where high temperatures lead to higher levels of ozone creation from the volatile organic compounds emitted from the highway during a respiratory pandemic. Let me be clear, the residents of Globeville Elyria Swansea also deserve protection from air pollution in this pandemic.

Dating back to 1914, people used campsites at City Park. Denver Homeless Outloud is calling for small campsites in neighborhoods across the city. This type of distributed camping would make life easier for those with jobs and seeking employment because they could cut down on commute time. It seems humane and equitable for each community to be able to take on shade and basic amenities instead of a concrete jungle.

I have worked in the large events industry for a decade. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, there are many unemployed event producers with direct skills to safely manage campsites.

They also have experience with resolving mental health crises without involving the police.

Safe camping is a win-win to put people back to work and to protect the constitutional and human rights of those experiencing homelessness during this global health and economic crisis.

FROM PAGE 8

policy solution.

It is a real shame here in Colorado that we have such inequity in use of public lands and camping. If one has the means and the transportation, then they can access public lands and camping with amenities. Denver Mountain Parks maintains campsites that provide water, showers, bathrooms and waste disposal.

When there is a plan for the management of waste, our waterways and the public health of those camping is protected.

For a long time, our city has needed public water fountains, public restrooms and a welldeveloped trash receptacle system. In fact, in 2015, I campaigned for Denver City Council District 9 on meeting these basic needs, and since then, only a handful of mobile restrooms were constructed. It seems reasonable that if these types of camping amenities are provided to those with means, then a solution can be found for safe camping in the city. Every human has the right to access these utilities.

Of the 11 sites identified by members of Denver’s city council that potentially could serve as a campsite, at least seven are uncovered asphalt.

Take, for example, the Denver Coliseum parking lot. I understand that this selection is tied to the fact that Denver owns the facility and wouldn’t have to pay substantial rent for its use, but I believe smaller distributed sites would be more suitable than this location.

SEE CLARK, P13

Ean Thomas Tafoya is a climate and government activist. He can be reached at @BelieveEan on Twitter.

Time is now to invest in Western water infrastructure

T

he coronavirus crisis reminds those of us in the water world of the importance of the systems which sustain us.

Our water systems GUEST are among the very most important. The COLUMN need for effective Christine Arbogast planning, preparation and Patrick O’Toole and implementation of water policy and infrastructure is critical, as we manage the engines which drive our economy, our health and our safety. It is most certainly a primary focus of the Western water community, which develops and manages the water infrastructure so critical to every individual and every economic sector.

Our organizations and other industry leaders have long anticipated the potential crisis if we fail to invest soon in the aging systems which store and deliver water for safe drinking, for agriculture production and for industry. We will face another crisis if we fail to invest in new water storage infrastructure to save water for use in dry years. Years of recurring drought conditions in Western states, and the economic and human impacts of drought, require us to look ahead.

But as we have seen in the health crisis of the spring of 2020, anticipation on paper isn’t enough. We must prepare, and

we must invest.

An investment in water infrastructure is a powerful investment in our economy, our communities and our health. Since 1902, the investment in Bureau of Reclamation infrastructure has been about $20 billion. Annually, this infrastructure spurs $62 billion in direct and associated economic activity. Between 2010 and 2013, every dollar invested in Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works generated $16 in economic benefits. Every year, our economy recoups its investment in water infrastructure multiple times over.

For the 17 Western states studied in a 2015 Family Farm Alliance economic report, the total household income impacts from irrigated agriculture, associated service industries and food processing sectors was $172 billion annually.

Irrigated farming and ranching is a huge economic driver in the West, particularly in rural communities. However, this economic force would virtually disappear, along with the rural American communities dependent on farming and ranching, if the water infrastructure that supports it crumbles.

Infrastructure needs offer an immediate and long-lasting way to stimulate our deeply troubled economy. We saw the SEE WATER, P11

“Learn How To Put An End To Knee Pain Even If It’s Been Years of Misery, All From The Comfort Of Your Living Room”

By Leading CO Back Pain Doctor of Physical Therapy, Brooke Olsen

Denver - If I were to get bad knee pain again, here’s what I would do differently…

First, I wouldn’t wait and hope it just goes away.

That only made it worse. I wouldn’t try to stretch, or get adjustments on it. I definitely wouldn’t get an injection (very dangerous long term).So what would I do?

Hi, my name is Dr. Brooke Olsen.

I’m a national knee pain expert. I’ve made a career for myself helping hundreds of active adults end their knee pain naturally, and I help them do it all over the world. But that wasn’t always the case. Early on in my career, I had bad knee pain. I previously tore my meniscus, MCL, and part of my ACL when I was young. They removed a big portion of my meniscus when I was 17.

I had so much swelling and pain when just walking up and down stairs in the hospitals, nonetheless trying to go for a hike or walk around the park.

I tried what felt live everything to help, and it just wouldn’t go away.

You can imagine the frustration and hopelessness that set in. I asked my colleagues for help, but most of what they tried did nothing for me.

When it got really bad and I still had to work, I took Advil, and sometimes wish I had something stronger. (I hate

pills by the way, so that’s really saying something).

Desperate for a return to my normal life, I set out on a journey. I traveled the country, in search of learning from the best and brightest. I took many courses, and eventually found a mentor who had some answers. I learned that in order to fix knee pain permanently and naturally, which is the holy grail, it’s really not that hard.

The secret is fixing the root cause, which is the thing that’s causing your knee to hurt in the first place. Most treatment options just focus on relieving the pain where it hurts, without ever questioning why it hurts and what other areas could be affecting it.

So if I ever got bad knee pain again, I would immediately start fixing the root cause of my pain, rather than waste time on temporary band-aid fixes.

If you are wondering how you find what your root cause is, and how you can fix it once you find it, you can join me on a free training webinar that will show just that. There is no cost to attend, and you can watch from the comfort of your living room. Just go online to this link:

www.ThePhysioRevolution .com/Cap-Hill and I’ll see you on the webinar! We only have room for 50 people before we have to take it down, so don’t wait and miss it!

10 Life On Capitol Hill

August 2020

Local musicians perform for unity

The Pink Hawks, a Chicano hip-hop/Afrobeat band from Denver, performs during the Songs of Freedom: Unification through Music event on July 18 in Civic Center Park.

PHOTOS BY CHRISTY STEADMAN

By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

A

musical protest/demonstration called Songs of Freedom: Unification through Music took place on July 18 at the Greek Amphitheater in Civic Center Park in Denver. A variety of musical guests performed; and the free, threehour event also included vendors; speeches, including one for Elijah McClain; and a violin vigil.

Reggae artist Harry Mo performs during the Songs of Freedom: Unification through Music.

Two people dance to Los Mocochetes, a cumbia/funk band from Denver, during the band’s performance for the musical protest/demonstration on July 18.

A woman dances with a demonstration sign during the Songs of Freedom: Unification through Music event.

A person juggles at the musical protest/demonstration on July 18 at the Greek Amphitheater in Civic Center Park.

Life On Capitol Hill 11

August 2020

SCOOPING AND CHATTING

Denver Cherry Creek Rotary Club portions bulk food to help Metro Caring serve community

By Christy Steadman

GET INVOLVED

csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

T

he Denver Cherry Creek Rotary Club is a small club, but its 30 members are dedicated to making a big impact.

“Our motto is ‘Service Above Self,’” said Joel Russman, a Washington Park resident who has been a Rotarian for more than 15 years. “When the pandemic hit, we were looking for something we could do.”

Early on, the club heard about the toll that the COVID-19 virus was taking on health-care providers, and began delivering meals to five Denver-area hospitals. This effort continued for about six weeks — roughly from late March to early May — until the need was not as great, Russman said.

But the group wanted to do more, Russman added. So, having a previously established relationship with Metro Caring — a nonprofit anti-hunger organization located in Denver’s City Park West neighborhood — the Rotary Club reached out to see if they could help during the pandemic.

“What they needed,” Russman said, “was help portioning food.”

Pre-pandemic, Metro Caring offered a Fresh Foods market for choice shopping. During COVID-19, however, the organization began providing pre-packaged boxes of food to people as a drive-up service to adhere to social distancing measures.

“We quickly saw a large disruption in the dry goods supply chain,” said Tommy Crosby, food access manager for Metro Caring, “and needed a creative way to meet the requests of our community for staple items such as rice, beans, oats and flour.”

All “shelf-size” dry goods were going to grocery stores, he said, but Crosby was able to procure dry goods in bulk. Still, there was the predicament of having the extra volunteers and volunteer time to get the goods into smaller portions. Metro Caring also did not have the space to do the repackaging work.

This is where the Rotary Club comes in.

Russman knew of a warehouse in the Northeast Park Hill neighborhood that had approximately 20,000-sqaure-feet of space that was not being used. He was able to make

Water FROM PAGE 9

positive impact of such investment after the recession of 2008.

Across the West, there are hundreds of small, non-federal dams which store water for domestic and irrigation purposes in rural areas. Many are under state restrictions and cannot store water to capacity because they are not safe. In Colorado, for instance, the cost of many of these dam repairs is $1 milliion to $3 million each. That infrastructure investment is one-time and would not require ongoing federal cost.

Let’s do it.

Many existing storage facilities, federallyowned and provider-owned, could easily be expanded to store more water when the semi-arid West is blessed with good precipitation. Enlarging existing facilities has a more immediate impact on supplies, is an affordable way to expand supplies, and enjoys significant public support.

Let’s do it.

We’ve seen technologies develop which increase the efficiency of water delivery for both domestic and irrigation purposes. Increasing the manufacture of these technologies and providing incentive for applying them to municipal water systems and agricultural production can conserve finite water resources. In this way, they can be made available in drought periods and can be used for economic development across the board.

Let’s do it.

And we know that, while we are unlikely

The Denver Cherry Creek Rotary Club arranged for a 20,000-square-foot warehouse space to host volunteers who can help portion dry goods. The food in bulk comes from Metro Caring, a nonprofit anti-hunger organization. The volunteers repackage it into smaller portions so that Metro Caring can then provide it to the community.

COURTESY OF SARAH WERNER/DENVER CHERRY CREEK ROTARY CLUB

an arrangement to use the space free-ofcharge.

Metro Caring then provided the equipment needed for the food portioning and repackaging; and the training for proper food handling such as cleanliness and sanitary procedures, as well as food portioning guidelines.

“This is the type of thing Rotarians enjoy doing,” Russman said. “We like rolling up our sleeves and doing things.”

Everything was up and running by the first week of June, Russman said. He expects the effort to continue until either the space is rented to an outside party or Metro Caring no longer has the need to portion the bulk food.

“It’s likely to keep going for the foreseeable future,” Russman said.

He added that the Rotary Club is seeking

volunteers to help with the effort. The space allows for 16 to 20 volunteers at a time to maintain social distancing measures for a three-hour shift. Volunteers must be under the age of 65 and in good health. Minimum age is 14, unless accompanied by an adult, and there is a maximum of two children per adult.

It is a great volunteer opportunity for an individual, couple or a group such as a faithbased organization, a sports team, a book club or a Girl Scouts or Boy Scouts troop, Russman said.

“A lot of people want to do something, but don’t know how to help,” he said. “This is just scooping, and chatting. But it gets food out to hungry people. The volunteers look at the food they processed in three hours, and they’re proud of it. They walk away charged.”

to building another Hoover or Grand Coulee Dam, the long-term value of developing more storage is certain. It must be done in an environmentally sensitive and strategic way. And it must be done cooperatively between the federal, state and local water agencies which ensure the water supply which absolutely is our lifeblood.

Crisis — be it a health crisis, a drought crisis, a flood crisis — compels us to work together.

Partnerships are a critical piece of infrastructure investment, and can reach beyond the three levels of government to private sector involvement as well. Policies on infrastructure investment would be most effective if a cooperative development and management structure were a requirement.

The infrastructure investment conversation has been loud and clear in recent years.

But the actual infrastructure investment has not been made.

The time is now. Let’s do it.

We understand the fiscal difficulty of a large infrastructure stimulus package. But we also understand the historical proof of its effectiveness If indeed our leaders are unable to reach consensus on a large-scale infrastructure investment plan, we have other specific opportunities for the administration and Congress to invest in Western water infrastructure. Bills like Senate Bill 1932, the Drought Resiliency and Water Supply Infrastructure Act; and Senate Bill 2044, the Water Supply Infrastructure Rehabilitation and Utilization Act, address needs long anticipated

by Western water resource managers. The biannual Water Resources Development Act, currently teed up in the House and the

Senate, affords the opportunity to anticipate and act on Western water needs if it includes a title for Bureau of Reclamation programs and projects, as it has in recent years.

The importance of anticipating a potential crisis, and effectively preparing for it with solid planning and investment, can mitigate or even avert the crisis. We in Western water have done that. The federal government needs to be our partner.

Let’s do it.

Christine Arbogast is president of the National Water Resources Association, which

The Denver Cherry Creek Rotary Club is seeking volunteers to help portion and repackage dry goods from bulk into smaller quantities for Metro Caring.

Volunteers must be between 14 and 65 years of age and in good health. Youths younger than 14 may also volunteer if accompanied by an adult, but no more than two children per adult.

Shifts are for three hours each, and are available in the mornings and afternoons, Saturday through Monday. Rotary Club members oversee each shift.

The location is a warehouse in Denver’s Northeast Park Hill neighborhood, near Colorado Boulevard and Smith Road. The approximately 20,000-squarefeet space allows for 16 to 20 volunteers at a time to adhere to social distancing measures. The facility is well ventilated and masks are required.

For more information, visit www.cherrycreekrotary.org. A link to sign up for a shift is available on the club’s website, or can be accessed through this direct link: https://signup.com/go/URZxUJE. Metro Caring is a nonprofit anti-hunger organization located at 1100 E. 18th Ave. in Denver that serves the seven-county Denver metro area. Now providing food for about 300 to 350 families per day, demand for Metro Caring’s services has increased because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

To learn more about Metro Caring, visit www.metrocaring.org.

Food is something that everybody needs and serves as a tool for togetherness, Crosby said.

“This project is bringing people together around food, to make sure that bellies are full,” Crosby said. “Volunteers are showing up with our community, the Rotary Club is showing up with our community, Metro Caring is showing up with our community. We’ve built this together and will continue to do so, until no Coloradan goes hungry.” represents state water associations, irrigation districts, municipal water providers, end water users and their collective interests in the management of irrigation and municipal water supplies throughout the Western U.S. and portions of the South.

Patrick O’Toole, a cattle and sheep rancher from Wyoming, is president of the Family Farm Alliance, which advocates for family farmers, ranchers, irrigation districts and allied industries in 16 Western states with a mission to ensure the availability of reliable, affordable irrigation water supplies to Western farmers and ranchers.

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12 Life On Capitol Hill

August 2020

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Life On Capitol Hill 13

August 2020

Discovering Denver’s history and unique characters Historic Denver offers its annual walking tours with in-person, phone and virtual options

By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Denver’s past includes a multitude of creative self-starters. Some became self-made millionaires, and others were not quite as fortunate.

“They’re all interesting characters,” said Diane Travis, a retired architect who serves as a docent for Historic Denver’s Walking Tours.

“The West was populated by people who were willing to work hard for what their future would be.”

In July, Historic Denver kicked off its seasonal Walking Tours, offering tours of LoDo, Capitol Hill, Historic 16th Street and Larimer Square which includes exclusive access to the Daniels & Fisher Tower. The tours will be offered through the fall.

“Each of the tours is custom,” said Travis.

She added that some tour attendees are most interested in the history, others want to learn about the architecture and still others want to hear about Denver’s fascinating people from the past. But most attendees want a combination of all three, Travis said.

Traditionally, the walking tours can host up to 20 people, but this year, the tours have been

Clark FROM PAGE 9

year of new funding. The sales tax would exempt essential items such as food and

reformatted for social distancing. Participants now have three options to choose from to attend a tour. They are in-person guided tours, Dial-aDocent and virtual.

An in-person guided tour is available for private groups of no more than five with advanced registration. Masks are required for the duration of the tour for all participants and guides.

Dial-a-Docent allows attendees to connect live via phone with one of Historic Denver’s trained guides while exploring the city on their own.

Attendees are provided a map, and the guide will share insider stories along the way, point out architectural details, relate significant historical facts and answer questions.

The current virtual tour being offered is the Women’s Suffrage Tour. This tour is hosted on Zoom, and includes a combination of photographs and video with an expert who discusses the important people and architecture in Denver during the women’s suffrage movement.

“You may have walked by a building and always wondered what it was,” said Alison Salutz, director of community programs for Historic Denver.

“The tours are a fun way to learn more about your city.”

People enjoy hearing the stories of the people who lived here “and how they contributed to Denver becoming the city it is today,” Salutz said.

Historic Denver’s tours attract tourists and longtime residents alike, she added.

“They feel like they know the city, but always walk away with new information,” Salutz said.

“When we stop and take a closer look, we discover so many neat things.”

The Crawford Hill Mansion at 150 E. 10th Ave. in Denver, which now hosts the Haddon, Morgan & Foreman law offices, is one of the historic places part of Historic Denver’s Capitol Hill Walking Tour.

CHRISTY STEADMAN

GO ON A HISTORY TOUR Historic Denver is offering its annual walking tours with three options for participants. The options are in-person, Dial-A-Docent and virtual.

Tickets range in price from $15-$25 per

be more expensive for our communities every day that we delay action. The recent crises have taught us that we need to be prepared for the next major challenge of our time, instead of attempting to react when it hits us.

I hope you will join me in supporting

necessities. The bill is scheduled for final reading at city council on Aug. 3, to be decided on by voters in the November 2020 election.

I’m so proud of the work of the task force and its bold steps to address climate change. We can’t wait any longer — it will

person.

All tours must be reserved in advance.

To learn more about the tours’ programming or to purchase reservation tickets, visit www.historicdenver.org.

the work of the Climate Action Task Force.

You can learn more at denvergov.org/climate.

Want to chat? Send me an email at jolon. clark@denvergov.org. Get involved at www. luckydistrict7.org.

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14 Life On Capitol Hill

August 2020

Native Roots joins neighbors for cleanup 45 volunteers collect trash, recycling in Speer area

By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Rules barring large group gatherings because of the coronavirus prevented Native Roots from hosting a traditional grand opening in May for its new flagship store in Denver’s Speer neighborhood.

So, the marijuana dispensary decided to celebrate its by giving back to the community, and teamed up with the Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods organization and

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the Harm Reduction Action Center for a neighborhood cleanup effort on June 27.

“Community is one of our core values as a company (and) this seemed like a good way to celebrate the grand opening,” said Shannon Fender, director of public affairs for Native Roots. “People really enjoy getting out and doing these types of things — especially because of COVID and recent stay-at-home orders.”

The cleanup took place in the vicinity of Native Roots’ new location at 500 Grant St. and included the Cherry Creek Trail, south Capitol Hill and Alamo Placita.

To participate, volunteers had to wear masks and practice social distancing, Fender said adding the event was a “fun and safe event for a good cause.”

About 45 people volunteered — a mix of Native Roots employees and community members. In about three hours, they collected 45 garbage bags of trash and 10 garbage bags of recyclables such as aluminum and plastic. Additionally, Native Roots gave a contribution to the Harm Reduction Action Center on behalf of each person who volunteered for the cleanup. The donation ended up totaling about $750, Fender said.

The Harm Reduction Action Center is a nonprofit with a mission “to educate, empower, and advocate for the health and dignity of Denver’s injection drug users, in accordance with harm reduction principles,” states its website.

CHUN is a registered neighborhood organization, and its relationship with Native Roots began in August 2019 when the two worked closely to develop a good neighbor agreement prior to Native Roots opening its business in the Speer neighborhood, said Travis Leiker, CHUN’s president.

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Life On Capitol Hill 15

August 2020

Addressing racism is a mental health priority

I

priority. For far too long, we have ignored the mental health effects of violence and systemic racism on members of our society. The systemic inequities that permeate all our lives prevent any of us from achieving healthier minds. Ignoring these inequities is a disease that destroys lives, causes the privileged to remain underdeveloped as humans and threatens the vitality of the nation.

When we say that we aspire to achieve healthier minds across the lifespan for all Coloradans, we mean that we must achieve a state and a nation that isn’t like this anymore.

If we’re going to have healthier minds across the lifespan for all Coloradans, we need to build a state and a nation where Black people and all people of color don’t have to fear the police, their armed white neighbors or that they and their descendants will be trapped forever in a system of injustice.

If we’re going to have healthier minds across the lifespan for all Coloradans, we all need to call out and correct the thinking, the manners of speech and the behaviors that derail us from our mission. If we’re going to achieve healthier minds across the lifespan

love America more than any other country in the world and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.” — James Baldwin

In July we celebrated the birth of independence and our freedom from tyrannical government. But in a country where Black, Indigenous and people of color are less likely to have access to mental health services and more likely to have lower-quality care; in a country where Black, Indigenous and people Vincent Atchity of color experience discrimination and systemic alienation from life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; in a country where we have not all been treated equally — many do not experience the freedom that has been our country’s principal source of pride.

Addressing racism is a mental health

GUEST COLUMN

for all Coloradans, we all need to learn to be better, braver people than we have ever been before. We need a second American Revolution. We can choose to number ourselves among the revolutionaries who — with each utterance, decision and action — join forces to free ourselves from the mind-stunting, strength-sapping twin tyrannies of proud, vaunting ignorance and smug satisfaction with the status quo. Or, we can fail to rise to the challenge of this revolution and remain part of the problem, as enemies of freedom, science and humanity. There are no innocent bystanders when it comes to the health of the mind.

Given our heartfelt understanding that Black Lives Matter, Mental Health Colorado supported a number of bills this legislative session to address or correct for disparities that have been disproportionately harmful to Colorado’s Black communities and other communities of color throughout the state’s history. There is so much more corrective work to do. We are weighted down with laws and failures in lawmaking that perpetuate the most disgraceful shortcomings in our still

aspirational civilization.

Mental Health Colorado followed the lead of Bebe Moore Campbell — a mental health advocate, journalist, best-selling author and teacher — and honored July as Black, Indigenous and People of Color Mental Health Month. When we have ensured that all Black, Indigenous and people of color are free at last from systematic discrimination and oppression, when all receive the support and resources needed to truly thrive, then we will be strong and thriving and will truly have cause to celebrate.

Until then, we can celebrate that we have set our sights on the worthiest goal and that we are determined to achieve it before the sun sets on another generation.

Vincent Atchity is the president & CEO of Mental Health Colorado, a leading advocate in promoting mental wellness, ending shame and discrimination and ensuring equitable access to mental health and substance use care.

Visit www.mentalhealthcolorado.org to find resources or learn more.

Womxn’s March Denver presents virtual panel discussion Aug. 4 Staff report The Womxn’s March Denver nonprofit organization is offering a free, virtual panel event titled The Current and Future State of Affairs and How to Better Position Our Allies.

The event takes place from 6:30-8 p.m. Aug. 4. The event will also be available for viewing after the livestreamed event on the Womxn’s March Denver’s Youtube channel.

Panelists include leading members of Denver’s Black community, including: • Apryl Alexander, associate professor and clinical psychologist at the University of Denver/Denver Forensic Institute for Research, Service, and Training • Tamra DeBrady, president of Colorado Black Women for Political Action

• Kim Desmond, director of the Denver Mayor’s Office of Social Equity and Innovation • Abria Duran, co-chair of the Denver Mayor’s Youth Commission • Ashle Mirahzh Mygat, 100 Women in Black • Barry Overton, co-chair of the Denver African American Commission, former military police officer, former Denver patrol officer and narcotics detective, and veteran of Operation Desert Storm/Gulf War veteran.

• Sondra Young, president of NAACP Denver Branch Registration for the free event is available on Eventbrite. Registrants will receive the event’s Zoom link after registration, and will have an opportunity to submit questions to panelists in advance.

The event will also serve as a kickoff to a digital toolkit cam-

paign and drawing called #Vote2Vent, which is meant to motivate and inspire folks to vote.

“Womxn’s March Denver recognizes our role and responsibility to womxn and non-binary people of color. To ensure that we address the disparities impacting our communities, Womxn’s March Denver is committed to doing anti-racist work. Our Aug. 4 event is to uplift Black voices, and go deeper in conversations with community partners to listen and learn,” said Angela Astle, a Womxn’s March Denver board member, in a news release. “Our commitment to doing this work means educating our constituents and offering resources to develop stronger allies to support the movement.”

To learn more about Womxn’s March Denver, visit www.womxnsmarchdenver.org.

Denver artist Chelsea Lewinski on July 22 paints a mural on the side of the Goodwill building at 4160 S. Broadway in Englewood. She was commissioned to do the piece by Goodwill, Two Parts marketing and Colorado Crush. The mural was finished by the end of that week.

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16 Life On Capitol Hill

August 2020

B-Side Fridays spin again in virtual format Indie 102.3, MCA partner to highlight local musicians

By Clarke Reader Special to Colorado Community Media

Ask anyone what they’re missing most this summer, and the responses will be as varied as the residents of the city. But there’s one answer that’s bound to pop up over and over — live music.

Sarah Baie, director of programs at the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, understands that feeling, especially since B-Side Music Fridays, the museum’s summer rooftop concert series, has become a favorite for local musicians and audiences alike.

“Ask fans of live music and they’ll say the biggest sacrifice is not being able to gather in the same space,” she said. “We’ve been working on how to fund new opportunities to build creative spaces in virtual spaces, and one of the things we want to bring to light is the rich depth of the music scene. And who better to do that with than Colorado Public Radio, which has a similar goal? It’s a dream come true.”

Together the MCA and CPR’s Indie 102.3 — an independent platform that focuses on Colorado-based music, musicians and experiences — will be bringing the B-Side Music Fridays to audiences online and via the airwaves with its new virtual version, which will be aired Fridays in July and August.

“We were looking for a way to go beyond what we normally do, especially since we can’t do live music, so this came along at just the right time,” said Willobee Carlan, program director at Indie 102.3. “This allows us and the musicians to reach a wider audience than can fit on the museum’s rooftop.”

The musicians will perform on the MCA’s roof, just like if this were a normal summer, and it will be livestreamed on Indie 102.3’s Facebook page at 7 p.m., broadcast on the radio at 9 p.m. and then available online, including on the NPR Music Live Sessions platform, for a national audience.

Performers include Esmé Patterson, The Yawpers, Adiel Mitchell, Ella Luna, Neoma and The Grand Alliance.

“We’ve got it set up so audiences are seeing these beautiful multi-camera shoots,” Baie said.

“Our roof can hold about 200 to 300 people, so this provides a much better view. It allows us to bring a bit of summer to our viewers.”

The concert series is just the latest way both the museum and radio station are trying to remain connected and vital during the COVID-19 shutdown. The museum reopened its doors on July 1, including its rooftop, and has on display the “Nari Ward: We the People” exhibit through Sept. 20. The summer is particularly exciting because all the events at the MCA will be free, including new programs that will be announced in the coming weeks.

Indie 102.3 only recently celebrated its first anniversary and has been growing by leaps and bounds in just 12 months. The station’s three main missions are to grow the audience, to provide a larger platform to local artists, and to highlight the diversity of music. Before the pandemic, the station was looking to expand to Colorado Springs and Fort Collins and was building relationships with promoters both large and small. As Carlan explains, since everything has shut down the station has worked — and will continue — to provide resources to struggling musicians.

“This situation has made us look at the scene with a whole new set of eyes and philosophy.

We’re asking, how (can) we keep this scene moving forward,” Carlan said. “We’ve created a very engaging and enticing music station, and we think once people hear it, they’ll be hooked.”

Argonaut Has It!

Adiel Mitchell performs on July 10 for B-Side Music Fridays, the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver’s summer rooftop concert series. This year, through a partnership between the museum and Colorado Public Radio’s Indie 102.3, the concert series is being presented virtually.

COURTESY OF KENDALL SMITH/COLORADO PUBLIC RADIO

LIVESTREAM ONLINE OR LISTEN ON THE RADIO B-Side Music Fridays are available for livestreaming at 7 p.m. on Indie 102.3’s Facebook page and will be broadcast on the radio at 9 p.m. It will also be available online for later viewing.

More details, including air dates for the musicians involved, are forthcoming and can be found at www.mcadenver.org and www.indie1023.org.

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