CREATING ELEVATED HOMES
TIMELESS & ELEGANT DESIGN
PROVIDING RESIDENTIAL INTERIOR DESIGN AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT SERVICES AND OFFERING TIMELESS FINISHES, FURNISHINGS, AND DÉCOR TAILORED TO EACH CLIENT.
WE COLLABORATE WITH ARCHITECTS AND BUILDERS TO CRAFT BEAUTIFULLY DETAILED AND FUNCTIONAL SPACES.
UPCOMING 2025 EVENTS
*VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR DETAILS & TICKETS!
MOTHER’S DAY FLOWERS | MAY 7
WILD AWARE ART SHOW | MAY 16
RODEO PARADE | JUNE 14
BOOTS & BOTOX | JULY - TBD
TENT SALE | AUG 8
Love & Labor - What’s It Like To Run A Business Together?
Ever wondered what it’s like to be partners in both life and business? Many would say, “Oh no, I couldn’t ever work with my spouse! But many of us do, and here are our stories.
“At first, you each want to be in charge and it takes time to settle into strengths and learn how to step back,” says Mark Pridgen. He and Sara are owners of the very successful Evergreen Market in Bergen Park, and have been in business as husband and wife for 11 years - the same amount of time they’ve been married. The biggest challenge is letting each other handle what they do best, and this they learned over time. Sara is great with numbers and while Mark has run many businesses and done all aspects over the years, he’s happy to leave the financials to Sara. He prefers the chef’s work of sales, cooking and creating. Sara jumps into this aspect of the business too, saying they have a lot of special times working side by side. “It’s a physical job, but we can just look at each other those times when we are exhausted and know, without words, that we are in the same place.”
Also in Bergen Village is Jim and Katie Compton’s Quiver, a wonderfully curated clothing store for men and women. Jim and Katie worked together as clothing reps in Costa Rica….their first step in their work & marriage journey.
Starting an actual storefront business was something they wanted to do for a long time, and finally took the leap in late 2022. To say it’s been hard work is an understatement…they both had other full time jobs and two young children! Katie now runs the business full time and their work life balance is better. Balance is a challenge for all couples in business. Katie says, “We allow the other to prioritize exercise, for example I’ll do yoga while he watches the shop.” They had to work on not stepping on the other’s toes, and have learned that their skills complement each other.
For John and I as a real estate duo, and for our PandoraJohnProperties teammates Jenna and Patrick, creating our lanes and sticking to them is essential. Like the others, we must let the other person do their job, without too many cooks in the kitchen. For instance, I handle marketing and listings and John focuses more on contract-to-close. As Mark said, trust is a big factor. We trust the other to do our part, and to do it with excellence. Owning a business is hard, but the challenges build the relationship and foster trust. All of us have struggled as business owners. COVID was profound for Evergreen Market, changing their business model, but Mark & Sara grew stronger as a result. Building their dream of Quiver carried Jim and Katie through
the immense demands of balancing family, two jobs on top of starting a new business. For me and John, negotiating, putting out fires, and problem solving to get to closing can lend itself to big highs and lows. But on the flip side-- and most importantly--is that we are in it together. As Katie says, “Going through the ups and down can be rewarding, and even fun. We have a shared pride in what we have accomplished.”
Sharing is an operative word for all of us - we are in this together, and a key aspect is that we understand each other’s world. Yes, we all talk shop too much, it’s hard to have a work life balance, and yes, there are times we may drive each other a bit crazy, but for the others, and for John and I, we can’t imagine doing it alone. As couples in business together we have the joy of having someone who cares as much as we do about the business, someone to bounce ideas off of, to share the load, to problem solve with, to create new ideas and to celebrate with. Mark, whose had many business partners over the years, said it perfectly, “The only real partner you have is family because that partner puts their heart and soul into it, just like you do. You can’t find that with anyone else.”
By Pandora Erlandson Pandora@PandoraJohnProperties.com
Peter Eggers, a lifelong Evergreen resident and advocate has contributed so much to our beloved town. He was involved in both the building of the Evergreen Lakehouse and Buchanan Rec Center. With Peter Eggersʼ leadership, the EPRD board has an incredible vision for Buchanan Rec centerʼs transformation. They're not done yet! ReElect Peter so they can finish the job!
VOTE
MAY 6TH
Vote In-Person | Ballot Dropo
REC CENTER
eries Finale Concert at. May 24th, 2025 - Evergreen Sun May 25th, 2025 - Denver
eethoven’s Symphony No. 9 William Hill’s The Raven’s Tears with the Evergreen Chorale
azz Gala hurs. June 26th, 2025
Mt. Vernon Canyon Club ill Hill & Friends
special fundraising event All proceeds benefit the Evergreen Chamber Orchestra
Peggy Eggers
Peggy Eggers knows a lot about birthing, both babies and community. Peggy’s resume is lengthy and touches most of our lives in Evergreen but there is so much more to this lady.
Raised in Massachusetts, she spent her summers on her grandfather’s rural Virginia duck farm where she so admired one employee in particular, that she named her daughter after her, Moria. “She was such a strong leader. She would sing gospels as they picked the ducks, swayed to the glory music, and put everyone at ease. She always wore a baseball cap and chewed on a cigar,” Peggy laughed at the memory. “My grandfather built a segregated school but I went to the integrated school where my mother taught.”
After graduating from Mary Baldwin College in 1970 with an English degree, she and her friend Connie took off to explore Europe for six months. Returning home, they headed West. “We wanted ‘flowers in our hair’, to protest for peace and freedom, we were passionate about it.” They loaded into a yellow Dodge with two kittens but by Denver, they were out of money. Peggy found work in Denver, making $88 per week. After Connie returned from a blind date in Evergreen, they decided to move here.
That’s when Peggy spotted “a handsome man on a motorcycle” and she knew it was love at first sight. “I’m going to marry that man,” she told Connie. She found a job at the Mountain Bell office in Denver and then transferred to Evergreen in the current mural building downtown. In August of 1973, she married Peter in the same Virginia church where her mother and sister had both been married.
Returning to Evergreen, Peter told Peggy he wanted to do woodworking, from which Peter just recently retired after 51 successful years doing just that. Peggy’s work at the phone company paid for groceries; she has always been a team player.
Peggy and Peter have four children, whom they refer to as the FOURce. When their second child was born, Peter was the first father in attendance at his cesarean birth. A friend took photos and since the cesarean rate was increasing, Peter and Peggy started teaching cesarean to local childbirth classes. With their third child, they produced a family-
centered cesarean film that brought precious knowledge of the process to parents in English-speaking countries all over the world. Their fourth child – a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) – was completely natural.
Peggy had found her passion in teaching birthing classes. She was one of the first certified by the International Childbirth Association. From 1977-1995 she was the Owner/Instructor of Mountain Area Childbirth where she informed couples about the birth process. Later, Peggy offered daycare during the day, and in the evening taught childbirth classes. “I taught three or four nights in Evergreen and on Sundays did three back-to-back classes at Presbyterian/St. Luke’s (P/SL).” As a perinatal consultant at the high-risk birth hospital, Peggy started a relaxation channel for those needing long-term stays. She went on to develop healing arts volunteer programs that included harpists, massage, and pet therapy, and even had Peter construct a ‘humor cart’ that could be pushed into patient’s rooms filled with books, and funny items to entertain and distract patients. “We had so much success that other hospitals replicated our programs.”
Peggy was the Colorado Coordinator for the International Childbirth Education Association (ICEA) and then Western Director and Consultant for ICEA. For eight years, she traveled North America as a teacher trainer and keynote speaker at ICEA continuing education conventions. She “evaluated other educators, while listening to their tapes while doing chores around the house,” and used her writing skills for childbirth education publications.
Then it was time for a job to cover tuition as her children headed to college. As P/SL Volunteer Director she managed 161 volunteers giving 29,000 hours per year and served as President of Colorado Healthcare Volunteer Services. By the time she left P/SL in 2005, she had grown the program to include 275 volunteers serving 55,000 hours a year and a senior wellness program with 3,000 members. She was looking for “a part-time job close to home” and worked in a private psychiatric office. In addition, she teamed up with Peter who chaired the Buchanan Park Master Plan, coordinating the committees and writing the 2008 plan.
Peggy remains active in our community. She graduated from Leadership Evergreen in 2009, served as President and Secretary, and continues on their Advisory Board. She wrote a history of the arts for the Evergreen Creative District, where she serves on the Advisory Board. She was named to the Chamber’s Mountain Area Women in Business Hall of Fame. In pursuit of a permanent home for Center for the Arts Evergreen, it is estimated she and Peter welcomed over 150 people to their table to share their vision and raise funds. She was Board President, coordinated 150 Summerfest volunteers for 15 years and remains on the Advisory Board.
“What brings me joy these days is being a community weaver. I love doing what I can to foster unity in our community. There is nothing better than gathering young movers and shakers with seasoned citizen leaders around our table. As we raise a glass, engage, and explore possibilities that serve us all, we feel connected to something larger. We love being part of that ‘we.’”
Peggy has given birth to so many aspects in our community. Evergreen wouldn’t be the same without her. by Anne
Vickstrom
Special to Life Above 7000
WHAT’S GOIN’ ON Music, Events & Arts Calendar
PandoraJohnProperties ... For the Arts!
5/1 CAE Exhibition: Radical Optimism - Reception 5/31 Center for the Arts Evergreen, 4 - 7pm
5/7 Resilience 1220 Fundraiser Center for the Arts, Evergreen, 5:30 - 8 pm
5/16 Art Gone Wild – Wild Aware Fundraiser Mountain Home, Evergreen, 5 - 8 pm
5/24 Season Finale Concert | Evergreen Chamber Orchestra Rockland Community Church, Golden 3 - 5 pm
5/27- Farmer’s Market Opens | Every Tuesday thru Sept. 9/23 Center for the Arts Evergreen, 10 am - 2 pm
6/7 Blue Sky Summer Kick Off Concert John & Pandora’s Home Deck, Evergreen, 5 pm
6/11 Summer Concert Series | TBD Evergreen Lake House, 4 - 8 pm
6/14 Evergreen Rodeo Parade | Main Street Evergreen, 10:00 am – 1:30 pm
6/14- Evergreen Rodeo | Rodeo Grounds 6/15 Evergreen, 2 pm Sat & 12 pm Sun
6/19 Yoga in the Park with Carrie Lehtonen, Holistic Healer Peace Park, Conifer 6 - 7:30 pm
6/21 MALT Night in the Meadow Behind Our Lady of Pines, Conifer 5 - 9 pm
6/25 Summer Concert Series | TBD EPRD Buchanan Fields, 4 - 8 pm
6/27 EPRD Family Movie Night | Buchanan Fields, 6 - 11 pm
6/28- Evergreen Mountain Art Celebration 6/29 3719 Evergreen Pkwy, 10 am - 5 pm
7/4 Foothills Fourth | Buchanan Fields, 11 am - 4 pm
7/9 Summer Concert Series | TBD Evergreen Lake, Evergreen 4 - 8 pm
7/10- Exhibition: Evergreen Through the Ages 8/9 Center for the Arts, Evergreen
7/11 EPRD Family Movie Night | Buchanan Fields, 6 - 11 pm
7/12 Triple ByPass Bicycle Ride | Evergreen to Avon Buchanan Park Start, Evergreen
7/19- CAE SummerFest Art & Music 7/20 Buchanan Field, Evergreen 10 am - 5 pm
7/23 Summer Concert Series | TBD EPRD Buchanan Fields, 4 - 8 pm
7/25- Evergreen Jazz Festival | 5 Venues 3 Days 7/27 Visit www.evergreenjazz.org for details!
7/26- Elevation Celebration Crafts-Food-Music 7/27 Sutton Road, Conifer 10 am - 8 pm
8/2 Dam Duck Derby | Downtown Evergreen Evergreen Dam, 11 am - 3 pm
8/6 Summer Concert Series | TBD Evergreen Lake, Evergreen 4 - 8 pm
8/9 Kiwanis Corn Hole Tournament Buchanan Field, Evergreen 9 am - 6 pm
8/14- 130 for $150 Fundraising Exhibition 9/5 Center for the Arts, Evergreen
8/16 Mountain Music Fest Buchanan Field, Evergreen 12 - 9 pm
8/21 Music for Peace featuring John Erlandson Peace Park, Conifer 6-8 pm
8/23 Boogie at the Ranch | Nelson Ranch Visit www.boogieatthebarn.com for tix
8/23- Evergreen Fine Arts Festival 8/24 Buchanan Fields, Evergreen 10 am - 5 pm
It’s a bird… it’s a plane… it’s Cortland Langworthy IV. He is stronger than a locomotive and even kryptonite cannot bring him down. He’s resilient. He’s persistent. He can be maniacal. And he’s been creating and bringing well-crafted and well-played music to Evergreen for 20 years with his rawkish (rock-ish) bandmates.
As a gifted singer-songwriter, guitarist and frontman, first with Evergreen’s local-favorite Open Space band, and now bringing it with his newly formed The Midday Sons, Cort continues to hone his talents with strong, fresh originals and deep covers that move us to think, cry, laugh and dance. He is an “eat, drink and be merry” kind of guy, that in the end, just wants to have fun with his buddies. But he’s much more than that. His lyrics sometimes go deep but may be whimsical (tongue-in-cheek) at times and can even be caustic & irreverent.
Cort is one-of-a kind. He’s infectious and draws good people and great musicians to himself. Electric guitarist/vocalist & mandolin aficionado, Dean Dalvit, goes way back to the 2006 origins of Open Space. Lopey Wedel, talented bassist & harmony vocalist is invaluable to the mix, and has been with Cort since 2010. Add drummer Doug Stormont, Bob Strausser with electric guitar leads/vocals, and Tom Broderick on the pedal steel, and you have the well-rounded and accomplished Midday Sons. Their music can be described as alt-country, americana, new grass & rock. Cort may not be able to leap tall buildings with a single bound, but he’s just that close. Bravo!!
“When your picture fades and the credits run, your song’s been played, and you’ve had your fun, it’s knowing that you just had a great ride, smiling by the ones you keep at your side.” -Cort (for Scott)
Come hear Cort and The Midday Sons at The Little Bear, local and Denver-area venues whenever you can. For more, go to themiddaysons.com. –John Erlandson
Cort & Dickie Langworthy
Working with Buyers
What makes an amazing Buyer’s Agent? Well, it’s a long list of things, but let’s start by saying that buying a home isn’t something most people do every day. That’s why having someone on your side who can be your guide and your translator, and who works through the ins and outs of the process frequently is so important! With that, let’s go over some things to investigate when choosing great representation.
Local Knowledge: In the foothills, there are so many things that are different than “down the hill.” From contractors, insurance, wells and septics, to restaurants, wildlife, and culture, a local expert (Certified Mountain Area Specialist CMAS) is someone who can get the job done right the first time. An agent with local knowledge and ongoing education to keep up to date with the dynamism of the foothills is paramount.
Experience: There are some things that just can’t be taught better than through experience. Agents who have been in the field for some time and/or done
many deals in the past are likely able to problem solve when things get stickythey’ve got the experience to draw on should anything arise that is atypical. This makes for the smoothest possible transaction.
Reputation: It matters! An agent with a solid reputation has it for a reason. It may be from them alone, but their brokerage matters, too. If a solid agent has solid support, that gets reflected to the Buyer. Reputable agents close more deals, work with a high level of ethics and other agents want to work with them. They even have a solid referral network from other markets to help both Buyer and Seller alike.
These are just a few of the things to look for in a solid Buyer Agent, but what do they do, really? See the Buying Process at left… the Buyer agent is there helping the Buyer to work through and negotiate each of these steps to put their Buyer in the best possible position on one of the biggest financial investments they can make!
If you have questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to one of Madison’s agents to help work through the process. We love what we do and are here to help!
by Jenna McMenaman jenna@madisonprops.com
We create authentic Italian dishes, cra ed only with fresh, local ingredients. Chef changes the menu seasonally to showcase the best of the season. Our wines are Sommelier selected and make for the perfect pairing with our menus. Come dine in a sophisticated atmosphere surrounded by incredible art and live music. The unique supper club vibe delivers an exceptional dining experience!
The Real Housepets of Evergreen
My family tries to catch me in the middle of dog shaming activities all the time, but for the most part, they say I’m pretty perfect. I do have one small… idiosyncrasy…
some might call it. When I’m bored, or when my anxiety runs away with me, I either terrorize my little pup sister or take shoes.
Carni has this toy that we all call the Bilbo Baggins. She squeaks it, smacks me in the face with it, runs around like a fool and desperately tries to get anyone to play with it with her. It’s annoying to me, so whenever I get the chance, I take it, tease her with it a little and then run out to the dog run (all while taunting her with it as she barks and cries at me), and I dump it out there. It’s too big and awkward for her to
get it back through the doggy door and it pleases me that I can take it from her. I don’t know why it gives me so much joy, but it is what it is.
I do have a truly guilty pleasure that my hoomans idly threaten me over all too often. I love to take their shoes out to the dog run whenever I’m bored, riddled with anxiety or generally just want to be a pain. While out there, I take out the insoles and partake in the foot flavors. The tiny boy hoomans are definitely the most interesting and enjoyable to me… conveniently enough, they love to leave their shoes all over the house for me to have easy access—they are so thoughtful!
Send us your pet’s naughty pictures and we would love to share in the joy of some pet-shaming with the community! Send to Jenna@MadisonProps.com or your pet’s cameo!
New Peace Park in Conifer
If music, poetry, storytelling, meditation, crafts and sharing a meaning for peace can attract the best in us, that is what the Peace Park in Conifer intends to pursue.
The Peace Park was conceived as a place to contemplate, enjoy and learn about peace. It is one of over a hundred peace parks worldwide. In June of 2023 the concept became a reality. The land was donated by the Aspen Park Community Center Home Improvement Association and transformed by Conifer Rotary along with volunteer/ business support from the people of Conifer, Bailey and Pine Junction. The indigenous designed park encompasses a wildflower aspen grove
with three peace poles that say, “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in 24 languages, native plants, a wind spinner mandala, and benches for peaceful contemplation. The park, located on Sutton Road behind the Aspen Park Community Center welcome visitors anytime, and will hold events in the summer to commemorate and educate about peace with an emphasis on reaching out to an intergenerational audience. For events & information contact coniferpeacepark@gmail. com or find us on Facebook at Conifer Peace Park.
by Dennis Paige coniferpeacepark@gmail.com
