LIFESTYLES
‘Come Home’ Again…
Discover Innovative Home Products and Services at the 18TH ANNUAL
FOOTHILLS HOME, GARDEN AND LIFESTYLE SHOW
By Jo Ann M. Colton Special to Lifestyles
The 18th Annual Foothills Home, Garden and Lifestyle Show (FHGLS) is scheduled for Saturday, April 12 from 10:00am-4:00pm and Sunday, April 13 from 10:00am-3:00pm at Evergreen High School (29300 Buffalo Park Road). There is no admission fee required to attend this event and parking is also FREE.
Whether you are looking to renovate your existing home, build a new home or simply want to spend an exciting weekend with family and/or friends viewing all the new home products currently on the market, The Foothills Home, Garden and
FEATURE OF THE MONTH
Lifestyle Show is a beloved community event that has something to offer just about everyone.
“The Foothills Home, Garden and Lifestyle Show is organized by the Evergreen and Conifer Rotary Clubs. The location of this annual event alternates each year between Evergreen and Conifer High Schools,” said Erica Sprenkel Evergreen Rotary Club Member.
Erica Sprenkel, 2025 Foothills Home, Garden and Lifestyle Show Chair, along with her co-chair Dave Laughlin, are spear-
heading this year’s event at Evergreen High School. The show draws local residents as well as visitors and tourists from Denver metro and all points beyond. The community happening will showcase 80-plus reserved booths featuring area construction trades, remodeling companies, and gardening/landscaping businesses. You will also fi nd a plethora of other service vendors and nonprofits represented at the show (leisure, health, cooking, Colorado artistic/creative businesses—and more). While some will offer demonstrations of their products, all participants will exhibit and offer their
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products/services for sale, interact with the public, and answer questions from attendees.
“We are happy to announce that Evergreen Animal Protection League (EAPL) will also be a participating exhibitor this year and they will feature puppies for adoption,” stated Erica Sprenkel.
This year’s returning Presenting Sponsor is Lifetime Home Remodeling (formerly Lifetime Windows & Siding). Gold Sponsors are 5280 Exteriors and Old Growth Tree Service; the event’s Bronze Sponsor is 1st Bank. Check out the FHGLS website foothillshomeshow.com for a list of sponsors and participating businesses/ organization including this year’s food truck vendor who will be selling food and beverages on the grounds outside the event.
Since 2005, The Foothills home show has been “welcoming home” more than 1,000 at-
tendees each year (depending on the weather) and helping “business to happen” in our foothills. Residents of our community understand that shopping locally keeps monies in our own community. Supporting the success of our mountain businesses, retailers, and nonprofit organizations, as well as the show’s vendor participants from down the hill, ultimately fuels our local economy and real estate market enabling our community to thrive while perpetuating our beloved mountain lifestyle.
The Evergreen Rotary Foundation (ERF) and the Conifer Rotary Foundation (CRF) are the entities that distribute grant money to the local community and internationally on behalf of the Evergreen and Conifer Rotary Clubs. Last year, Evergreen Rotary’s fundraising efforts enabled them to purchase a delivery truck for the Evergreen Christian Outreach nonprofit. In addition, Evergreen Rotary donates approximately 120-pounds of food to
the EChO Pantry each month.
Over the years many local organizations have benefited from Rotary grants, including: Seniors’ Resource Center, Mountain Resource Center, Evergreen Christian Outreach, Blue Spruce Habitat for Humanity, Evergreen Chamber Orchestra, Evergreen Fire and Rescue, Evergreen and Conifer High Schools, Mountain Area Land Trust, Mount Evans Home Health Care & Hospice, Stage Door Theater, Staunton State Park Track-Chair Program, and more.
Since its inception, the Foothills Home, Garden and Lifestyle Show has raised well over $325,000, all of which has been, and will again be, apportioned back to the benefit of our community. Although the home show admission is FREE to the public, non-perishable food donations will be collected at the door for the EChO Food Pantry and the Mountain Backpack Project, a Rotary led project that sends food home with kids at the end of each week. One in five children in Colorado belong to families that cannot afford food, or do not have regular access to food. Consequently, the Conifer Rotary-led project partners with the Conifer and Bailey communities to ensure these children have enough food at home to
sustain them through the weekend.
“It takes a coordinated effort to organize any major community event,” said 2025 FHGLS Show Director Erica Sprenkel. “We know we simply could not have produced the Foothills Home, Garden and Lifestyle Show for the past 18 years (except for a shutdown in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID virus) without the continuing support of our dedicated Evergreen and Conifer Rotary Club members,
our loyal sponsors, our 70-plus volunteers, and the many attendees who, over the years, have enabled the Foothills Home, Garden, and Lifestyle Show to become such a popular and successful community event. Foothills residents like to do business with people they know, like, and trust. So, show your support to keep our local community’s economy flourishing. Set your sights on traveling “homeward” to Evergreen High School on
Thinking
April 12 and April 13. Plan to attend the 18th Annual Foothills Home, Garden and Lifestyle Show with family and/or friends. Allow yourself the opportunity to interact with other community members and residents, meet area vendors face-to-face, learn more about their products/services, and discover the latest home/garden trends and current products just right for you, your own home, and your lifestyle.
About Refinancing Your Current Mortgage? Mortgage Broker Grant Brewster Can Guide You Through the Process…
By Jo Ann M. Colton Special to Lifestyles
Considering refi nancing your current home loan? Let mortgage broker Grant Brewster of Edge Home Finance guide you through the process. For over thirty years, the foothills native has consistently helped his customers meet their real estate requirements by providing mortgage services that exceed their expectations.
To help you make an educated refi nancing decision simply send Grant a copy of your recent mortgage statement (via email or text). Upon your property review, he will promptly contact you to discuss your goals and provide you with your best refi nancing options.
“Whether you want to lower your interest rate and/or monthly payments, shorten/change your loan term/type, or cash out a portion of your home’s equity for repairs/renovations, refi nancing might be a good choice.” said Grant Brewster who as a mortgage broker is not employed or affi liated with any lending institution and can offer you unlimited products.
Should you decide to refi nance, Grant will protect/lock-in the agreed interest rate/terms, process the loan with your supporting paperwork, and place that loan with the lender. Loan closing generally completes between two-four weeks thereafter.
Grant Brewster (720-668-4183/grant. brewster@edgehomefi nance.com/www. grantbrewster.com) is located at FlowTheory Coworks, 3540 Evergreen Parkway. Contact him for more refi nancing information, and for all your fi nancing needs.
The Fireplace of Your Dreams
Spring is (almost) here and with it, a surge in home renovation projects like adding a new fi replace.
Here’s how we take your fi replace dream from an idea to reality.
Step 1: Idea
Our NFI-certified showroom staff will conduct a thorough assessment of your needs and desires. We’ll help you choose the right product based on fuel, heating needs, size, aesthetics, and budget. The fun part is choosing design elements including fi nishes, fronts, media, and optional accessories.
Then there’s the less fun part: planning and logistics. We handle everything for you! Installing a fi replace may seem straightforward but ask any of our installation technicians… They’ll tell you it’s never as easy as it looks. It’s a complex process! We have the experience to navigate the most unique of fi replace installations with an eye on safety and function.
Some fi replace companies give you a “rough estimate” for installation. We don’t.
We detail every cost to prevent expensive surprises. Once you accept the proposal, we order your appliance, accessories, and parts so that all necessary items are ready on installation day.
Some fi replace companies do inspections, measurements, etc. during the “installation phase.” We don’t. These essential logistical steps take time. And what if the installers need to order specialty parts for a safe installation? They have to put the project on pause! We say that’s too many days of inconvenience for you. That’s not acceptable and that’s not how we work!
We do the logistical prep work well before installation day to streamline the process and minimize the intrusion into your life. We take measurements to determine which models and styles fit your space. We address clearances, venting requirements, utility hookups, special considerations, and identify the components needed to ensure safety and compliance with local building codes. We order everything ahead of time. Seems
simple, right? We think so. We’re committed to making things as easy and convenient for you as possible.
Some fi replace retailers just sell products and leave you to handle or outsource the logistics and installation. We don’t. A DIY approach often leads to costly mistakes and wasted time. And, many fi replace brands won’t honor warranties unless the appliance is professionally installed. We leave nothing to guesswork or chance.
The entire process never leaves the building. The buck stops here.
Step 2: Fire
Yay, it’s installation day!
Our in-house uniformed NFI-Certified technicians arrive in a branded truck: no sub-contractors, just our friendly crew of licensed, bonded, insured, and courteous professional employees. We treat you and your home with the utmost respect. We follow all safety protocols and protect your investment with our 10-year Workmanship Guarantee!
We will also set you up for success with
instructions for using your new fi replace, insert, or stove. You’ll become an expert on adjusting heat and ambience for maximum value, efficiency, and enjoyment.
After the installation, we follow up to make sure you’re 100% happy and troubleshoot any issues.
Then, we’ll conduct an optional Customer Appreciation Visit where we present you with a gift to express our sincere appreciation for your business and take a few pictures for our portfolio.
We also offer professional fi replace maintenance service and repairs. We’re always here when you need us!
Get started on your dream fi replace project today so you’re ready by the time the fi rst snow fl ies in September! (So soon???)
Give us a call at 303-679-1601, browse our website at www.mthnp.com, or stop by our showroom at 7001 Hwy 73 in Marshdale to see wood, gas, and electric replaces, inserts, and stoves in action!
Choosing Healthy Beverages for Kids and Teens
(StatePoint) Choosing healthy beverages for children and adolescents is just as important as choosing healthy foods, as it impacts everything from oral health to chronic disease risk. That’s why leading health and nutrition organizations developed new healthy beverage recommendations for families with children ages 5-18.
These evidence-based recommendations were created as part of a collaboration by experts at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Heart Association, who were brought together by Healthy Eating Research (HER) with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
To make choosing healthy beverages easier for families, the organizations created these three categories:
Beverages to Drink
These beverages are recommended as part of a healthy diet because they provide essential nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, and don’t contain added sugars.
• Plain drinking water is still the best option to keep kids healthy and hydrated. It’s also often the most accessible and affordable.
• Plain, pasteurized milk is another healthy option because it provides important nutrients that growing kids and teens need.
Beverages to Limit
• 100 percent fruit and vegetable juice can
be part of a healthy diet, but daily consumption should be limited. Whole fruits and vegetables are generally better choices because they provide dietary fiber, contributing to a feeling of fullness.
• Plant-based milk alternatives like oat milk and almond milk should be limited because they are not nutritionally equivalent to cow’s milk, which provides essential nutrients that kids need to grow up healthy. Many also contain added sugars and non-sugar sweeteners, which are harmful to kids’ health. If your child is allergic to dairy milk or has a dietary restriction, talk to your doctor or registered dietitian about finding the plant-based milk
alternative that is best for your child.
• Flavored milks, like chocolate milk and strawberry milk, should be limited because they contain high amounts of added sugars and non-sugar sweeteners. If your child does not like drinking plain milk, it’s best to consider other foods from the dairy group (like unsweetened yogurt) before offering flavored milk.
Beverages to Avoid
These beverages are not recommended as part of a healthy diet because they offer no nutritional value and have ingredients that can be harmful to kids and teens.
• Sugar-sweetened beverages, such as sports
drinks, sodas, fruit drinks, fruitades, aguas frescas and sweetened waters are high in added sugars, which can put children at risk for dental cavities, and diet-related diseases like type 2 diabetes and obesity.
• Drinks with non-sugar sweeteners, such as aspartame, stevia and monk fruit, should also be avoided. Just because a drink is advertised as sugar-free doesn’t mean it’s healthier. In fact, new research shows non-sugar sweeteners may not help control body weight and may increase the risk of diet-related chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
• Drinks with caffeine or other stimulants like taurine should be avoided. These include energy drinks, energy shots, coffee, and tea. Evidence suggests that there is no safe amount of caffeine consumption for children under 18 and that even small amounts can lead to poor sleep quality, increased blood pressure, and depressive moods and anxiety.
You can learn more about healthy drinks at healthyeatingresearch.org.
“We all want our kids to grow up healthy, and research shows that what kids and teens drink is an important part of a balanced diet, not just what they eat. But there are so many drink products on the market, it can be hard to figure out what’s healthy and what’s not,” said Megan Elsener Lott, MPH, RDN, deputy director of HER. “These recommendations provide a gold standard based on the latest research and can be goals that families work toward together.”
HAPPY SAINT PADDY’S DAY
A womanizing US president. Gin-drinking, poker-playing, skirt-chasing Cabinet members. And a plot from the inside to usurp control of the Navy’s oil reserves. Wild and juicy stuff this. And all of it a true chapter of America’s history.
With a deft researcher’s hand and the heart and attention of a creative writer, Constance Bierkan has written a rstof-its-kind ctionalized recounting of what led up to this nearly forgotten nugget from the past, the Teapot Dome Scandal. Like No Place on Earth is a spirited coming-of-age story set in Wyoming at the start of the madcap Roaring Twenties and the birth of the oil industry. As much a love story as it is a historical deep-dive, Like No Place on Earth will be irresistible to book clubs and history buffs alike.
