Life On Capitol Hill 0221

Life On

FEBRUARY 2021

LifeOnCapHill.com

Founded in 1975

CAPITOL HILL TAKING IT TO THE STREETS

Street performers offer entertainment on demand

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COOKIE TIME Girl Scouts are ramping up online sales this year

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‘THESE GESTURES MEAN EVERYTHING TO US’

FILLING A VOID IN WOMEN’S HISTORY

Mural at St. Joseph Hospital honors staff battling COVID-19

Local playwright tells the often-untold stories in Iconic Women Theatre Series

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2 Life On Capitol Hill

February 2021

Business Matters Christy Steadman | csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com and reducing materials whenever possible,” requesting that shoppers bring their own bags for purchased items and asking if customers “if they need a receipt before automatically printing one out,” the website states.

Owner Kelly Valentine opened the first Scout store in Omaha, Nebraska, in 2008. The Denver location is Valentine’s second Scout store.

To learn more about selling items to Scout or the shopping experience, visit https://ilovescout.com/.

Business Matters is a monthly column featuring business news in the Life on Capitol Hill and Washington Park Profile coverage areas, which is roughly centralnorth and south Denver.

On Jan. 4, Denver moved from Level Red to Level Orange on Colorado’s COVID-19 dial. This allowed for increased capacity limits at many businesses, and indoor dining at restaurants.

• INDOOR DINING AT RESTAURANTS: 25% capacity or 50 people, whichever is fewer, with on-premises last call at 10 p.m. Bars that do not serve food or have a food service partner, such as a food truck for example, remain closed at Level Orange.

• RETAIL BUSINESSES: 50% capacity remains.

• GYMS AND FITNESS BUSINESSES, AND PERSONAL SERVICES SUCH AS SALONS: 25% capacity or 25 people.

• OFFICES: 25% capacity.

• INDOOR SEATED AND UNSEATED EVENTS, SUCH AS MUSEUMS: 25% capacity or 50 people.

Even with moving to Level Orange, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is taking a toll on local businesses. 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 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.

NEW OPENINGS Danger Zone Calzones A local food truck opened its first brickand-mortar location at 32 N. Broadway just prior to dine-in service resuming at restaurants on Jan. 4.

Danger Zone Calzones got its start as a fighter jet/aircraft carrier themed food truck in 2008.

Along with its namesake of calzones, the restaurant offers meatballs and bread sticks.

To learn more, visit www.dangerzone calzones.com

Yen

Pandia Health Pandia Health, a birth control delivery service, launched in Denver in December.

The company serves the entire state of Colorado, but does not have a local brick-and-mortar. Rather, Pandia Health provides its services remotely via telehealth/telemedicine, online and delivery.

Pandia Health can serve those who already have a prescription, and those in need of one through its online doctor review, which costs $20. Pandia Health works with partner pharmacies to fulfill the medication - birth control is $0 copay with most insurances or as low as $15 per pill pack without insurance, according to Pandia Health’s website. Delivery is free.

Co-founded by Dr. Sophia Yen who serves as the company’s CEO, Pandia Health is female-founded, female-led and doctor-led.

To learn more, www.pandiahealth. com.

Scout Dry Goods and Trade Scout Dry Goods & Trade, a clothing resale store, opened in early January at 51 N. Broadway in the space formerly occupied by the Buffalo Exchange.

Scout buys modern-and-vintage men’s and women’s clothing and accessories from customers to offer “a large, constantly rotating stock of great, unique and affordable clothes and accessories” in store, according to Scout’s website.

All items are “pre-screened for quality and timeliness,” states the website.

The store also emphasizes its commitment to the “environment by reusing

The Urban Cookie The Urban Cookie, 2260 E. Colfax Ave., opened mid-January.

According to the Colfax Ave Business Improvement District newsletter, “the shop bakes traditional cookies, paying respect to each variety’s unique qualities and textures as well as over-the-top flavors celebrating the more rebellious, nontraditional side to cookie construction. Sounds like they’ll fit in perfectly on Colfax.”

To learn more about The Urban Cookie, visit https://theurbancookie. com.

CLOSINGS Denver Diner On Jan. 17, Westword reported that the Denver Diner, 740 W. Colfax Ave. in the Golden Triangle, decided not to reopen following its closure on March 17 because of COVID-19 restrictions.

The building itself has served as a diner since the 1960s, when it was a White Spot. George Skordos bought the building in 1990, first opening it as the Colorado Cafe, then re-naming it to the Denver Diner a year later, according to the Westword article. It remained a family-owned-and-operated business.

The Westword article states that the Denver Diner expects to reopen in a new location at some point.

MILESTONES/CHANGES/OTHER The CBD Suite The CBD Suite, 1078 S. Gaylord St. in Denver’s Washington Park neighborhood, celebrated its one-year anniversary in January.

The store is a boutique-style shop that carries a variety of CBD products for health, beauty and wellness, co-founded

by Samantha Bowers and Jessica Kiley.

Bowers continues to serve The CBD

Bowers

Suite as its director and owner. In the fall, Kiley opened Skin Polish, a skin care suite located on the second floor of the building. Skin Polish offers skin care, IV therapy, vitamin B12 and D shots, aesthetics injectables and more.

High-caliber CBD products will always be the root of The CBD Suite, Bowers said, but added that she additionally plans to offer more apothecary products and expand into energydriven healing services in the future.

She has already begun to work with like-minded professionals to offer Energy Healing Nights, guided meditation, hypnosis, sound healing and more, Bowers said.

“The CBD Suite is constantly evolving and blossoming,” Bowers said. “My big picture goal for this shop has always been to morph into a health-and-wellness space for our community.”

Though the COVID-19 pandemic brought on “many unforeseen trials and tribulations” during The CBD Suite’s first year in business, Bowers said the neighboring businesses on South Gaylord Street are likewise resilient, and she is grateful for the relationships that have been built with the greater community in the past year.

“The daily conversations about life, health, prosperity and silver linings have become the highlights of my days,” Bowers said. “I think the pandemic has reminded everyone that we need each other to survive - especially the small, locally owned and operated businesses.”

To learn more about The CBD Suite, visit www.thecbdsuitedenver.com. To learn more about Skin Polish, visit www.skinpolishdenver.com.

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Life On Capitol Hill 3

February 2021

Music Advancement Fund addresses cultural needs Annual program awards $75,000 to 11 projects

“This grant support was essential in helping us to provide work opportunities for artists who otherwise saw their income significantly depleted due to the nature of COVID-19 and the inability to participate in live performances.”

By Clarke Reader Special to Colorado Community Media

Music does much more than entertain and affect the emotion of listeners — as an industry, a vibrant music scene can positively affect the economy of a city, and as a form of creative expression, it can inspire and drive social change.

By embracing the power of music in all its forms, the Denver Music Advancement Fund grants program — provided

by Denver Arts & Venues, Illegal Pete’s and Take Note Colorado — aims to make Denver a more dynamic, welcoming and just city. And given all the challenges 2020 presented, music’s power was more needed than ever.

“One way we look at arts and culture as an agency is as a tool to support thriving communities and create social change,” said Tariana Navas-Nieves, director of Cultural Affairs with Denver Arts & Venues. “For 2020 we did not change the purpose of the fund, but everything that was happening became a key driver to the work we are doing as agency and the organizations we wanted to support.”

Since its launch in 2018, the Denver Music Advancement Fund has provided $275,000 to projects, and in 2020, 11 projects received $75,000. The organizations that received the funds are Su Teatro, Japanese Arts Network, Colorado Conservatory for the Jazz Arts, Youth on Record, Creative Strategies for Change, Titwrench Collective, Levitt Pavilion, Soundscape Collective,

— Courtney Ozaki, creative producer and founder of The Japanese Arts Network

Music Minds Matter, New Cottage Arts and Vocal Coalition.

“We look very intentionally at what areas we want support and that’s what leads to the great diversity of projects we work with,” Navas-Nieves said. “There has always been a big need, but this year we saw a big shift in the type of projects - we’re supporting projects on mental health, challenges brought on by the pandemic and a lot addressing social justice and racial equity.”

The Japanese Arts Network, which is an organization that provides resources and connections for Japanese artists in America, received funds that will go to providing work opportunities for musicians, sound design artists/producers and voice actors as part of the “ZOTTO” multimedia project.

According to Courtney Ozaki, creative producer and founder of the network, the project is influenced by Denver’s own history, with a focus on towards social justice and community issues that parallel those faced today.

“This grant support was essential in

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helping us to provide work opportunities for artists who otherwise saw their income significantly depleted due to the nature of COVID-19 and the inability to participate in live performances,” Ozaki wrote in an email interview. “It also allowed us to share important and timely stories from Denver’s history to a broad spectrum of audience members, and to do so while integrating aspects of Japanese culture creatively into the framework of the production.”

For Music Minds Matter, which is an organization dedicated to providing mental health and wellness to members of the musical community, the grant is an opportunity to teach more people about Mental Health First Aid. Co-founders Spencer Townshend Hughes and Angela Rose Whaley are both Mental Health First Aid instructors thanks to a previous Denver Music Advancement Fund grant, and this year’s funds will go toward more instruction on this helpful resource.

“With the pandemic, mental health professionals have been completely over-

whelmed, but anyone who is certified in Mental Health First Aid can help someone who is experiencing mental illness,” Hughes said. “We think of those who are certified like lifeguards — they can help save a life and call for deeper support. We believe if we certify as many in the music community as possible, they can be a front line for mental health professionals.”

Looking ahead to an uncertain 2021, the work being done by the 11 recipients and countless other community organizations will be incalculably important — not only for those they work with, but to let the community at large know where work still needs to be done.

“It’s incredible to see the strength of these communities and how so many are creating without losing hope,” Navas-Nieves said.

“As we look ahead, we’re as committed to our communities and city as we have always been. We believe arts and culture play a key role in healing and how we move forward, and those foundational values have not changed.”

4 Life On Capitol Hill

February 2021

MAKING THE LIVES OF HEALTH-CARE WORKERS

BETTER AND BRIGHTER Local artists paint mural in employee stairwell at St. Joseph Hospital to honor frontline staff battling COVID-19

By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

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or three days, local artists Karlee Mariel and Raj Chaudhuri spent time photographing the frontline health-care workers at Denver’s St. Joseph Hospital.

They sought to capture the diversity of the staff, and all the different roles at the hospital — from nurses, doctors and therapists to cafeteria workers, janitors and security staff.

The people in these photographs would come to serve as the inspiration for a mural of gratitude located in an employee-only stairwell inside the hospital, which is located at 1375 E. 19th Ave. in Denver’s City Park West neighborhood.

“We’re caregivers by training. (But) the people who work in a hospital are humans first,” said Dr. Christy Chaudhuri, a hospitalist physcian at St. Joseph Hospital.

“It’s really important to say thank you to all the people who make the hospital function so that we can continue to care for so many people.”

To help represent the human element behind the battle with COVID-19, another important aspect of the mural is the inspirational messages — for which the hospital workers themselves were invited to write.

“It’s meaningful to be able to read something written by your colleague,” said Katie Yahya, a physical therapist at St. Joseph Hospital, “because we’re sharing similar experiences.”

Yahya was especially happy to see that the hospital’s volunteers were represented in the mural. The volunteers are extremely dedicated, she said, and prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, they were coming in nearly every day. During the spring shutdown, when they could not come to the hospital in person, they spent their time at home sew-

A new inspirational/gratitude mural in the employee-only stairwell at St. Joseph Hospital represents all the frontline workers in health care, including the hospital’s board, volunteers, janitorial and cafeteria staff, as well as the doctors and nurses.

COURTESY PHOTO BY GIUSSEPPI BUSTIOS ALBAN

ing masks and coming up with other ways to make the hospital staff feel appreciated, Yahya added.

“It brings me so much joy seeing the volunteers represented,” Yahya said. “It’s important to remember that we’re all appreciated.”

Something that the mural does not include are masks. This was a conscious decision because the mural — a permanent fixture — is meant to inspire and show gratitude to the health-care workers for their everyday work, well after the pandemic is over, the artists Mariel and Raj Chaudhuri said.

“During the pandemic, we’ve done it to say thank you,” said Raj Chaudhuri. “But it’s not just to say thank you in the short term. This (the mural) is something that will outlive the pandemic.”

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The mural was completed about midJanuary, but the idea for it came about in the fall when COVID-19 cases began to rise for the second time. Christy Chaudhuri noticed that although her colleagues were feeling fatigued, they kept going — and continue to do so — with courage and relentless commitment, she said.

She thought about how supportive the greater community has been — such as local restaurants catering meals and community members sending thank-you notes, for example — throughout the pandemic, and how meaningful each of these tokens of gratitude have been.

“These gestures mean everything to us,” Christy Chaudhuri said.

This led her to start discussing the idea to create a gratitude/inspirational mural with her husband, Raj Chaudhuri, who is a fine

arts artist. He then networked with Mariel, a Denver-based muralist, to get involved with the project.

Raj Chaudhuri and Mariel knew they could use their talents to create something truly meaningful, and contribute to making the lives of the health-care workers better and brighter, they said.

Mariel added that she is humbled to be able to serve the health-care workers and honor them for their resiliency.

While working on the piece, one of the nurses expressed to Mariel what a gift the mural is, she said.

The nurse started to tear up, Mariel said, “and that made me start to tear up.”

“Artwork can serve to uplift and inspire,” Mariel said. But this mural, in particular, she added, “is so special because of the individuals it represents.”

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Life On Capitol Hill 5

February 2021

Telling the

of

often-untold stories

significant women

LEFT: Cathy Washburn as Helen Bonfils in Mike Broemmel’s “The Bonfils Girl.” The full-length, one-actor play is one of six in Broemmel’s Iconic Women Theatre Series, which tells the life stories of women that history either overlooked or did not fully chronicle. PHOTO BY TOM HINERMAN RIGHT: Emily Ebertz as Hedy Lamarr in Mike Broemmel’s play, “Stand Still & Look Stupid.” Broemmel’s plays in the Iconic Women Theatre Series have entertained audiences across Colorado, the United States and internationally. This photograph was taken in 2019 when “Stand Still & Look Stupid” was staged at the Shoot Belfast Gallery in Belfast, Ireland, during Ireland’s Festival of the People. PHOTO BY SEAN MCKERNAN/SHOOT BELFAST GALLERY

Denver playwright talks about his Iconic Women Theatre Series

By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Mike Broemmel says he stumbled into becoming a playwright.

In the early 2000s, he wrote a short story called “The Baptism,” which tells the story of a “town run amuck with religious zealotry,” states Broemmel’s website. However, it did not get published as a short story because the publisher Broemmel was working with thought it was too controversial, Broemmel said.

LEARN MORE To learn more about Mike Broemmel and his plays, visit www.mikebroemmel. com.

“So I turned it into a play,” Broemmel added. “I found I enjoyed the format and everything involved with writing a play.”

Today, Broemmel, 58, a Denver native who currently resides in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, has written about 30 plays.

He is best known for his Iconic Women

Theatre Series. The series consists of six full-length, one-actor plays that chronicle the life stories of women that history has “somewhat overlooked or previously failed to fully explore,” Broemmel said.

Not all the plays in the Iconic Women Theatre Series tell the story of a local woman, but the first Broemmel wrote for the series is about Denver’s own Helen Bonfils. In addition to being an heiress and philanthropist who funded the building of the Holy Ghost Catholic Church at 1900 California St. in Denver, Bonfils became the

first woman to head a major metropolitan newspaper — her father co-founded The Denver Post and Helen Bonfils acquired it after his death, serving the newspaper in a variety of leadership roles. Bonfils also became a producer of Broadway plays in New York, and locally, her love of theater led to building the former Bonfils Memorial Theatre on East Colfax Avenue for the Denver Civic Theatre. This building eventually became today’s Lowenstein CulturePlex, SEE THEATRE, P6

Q&A with local playwright Mike Broemmel What is the value of bringing theater to the people? For example, making it available at the places where people gather such as pubs or churches.

Large Broadway productions are fantastic, but very expensive. So-called community theater has become something of a misnomer. It has moved far away from being geared towards the general public at large - the community — but towards a more insular and limited group of people more closely connected to the productions themselves.

By bringing live theater to nontraditional spaces - from churches to pubs and other places in between — a real connection is made with a much broader swath of the general public. Many, many more people who have not had occasion to see a live theatrical show get that opportunity when it’s occurring in their regular stomping grounds.

Additionally, by staging plays in nontraditional spaces, live performances become accessible to individuals from all walks of life. Theater in a pub or church is far more affordable. Nontraditional spaces also make play sponsorship more appealing to businesses and others. This permits an expansion of the availability of no-cost tickets to underserved populations.

Why is it important that youth/schools have access to theater?

My first real hands-on experience in the creative and arts world was serving as the board chair of a metropolitan arts council for six years. A primary focus of the agency was bringing arts in education programming to students.

I learned from my mentor, Tish Rogers-Appignani, that children and young people who are exposed to the arts — including live theater — not only have the opportunity to explore their creativity but become more adept in so many other ways. Students exposed to, and participate in arts in education, have greater confidence in their abilities and in themselves.

What do you enjoy most about writing plays and how do you come up with your ideas?

The most enjoyable aspect of writing plays is sitting down to work on a script, and seemingly out of nowhere, a scene just seems to materialize. There is a sense of the unexpected when I finish a writing session and am surprised by what has ended up on the page.

It’s also enjoyable to see how directors and actors interpret what I’ve written.

I must admit that I sometimes come up with the idea of who to write about on something of a whim. For example, I just finished work on a play called The Unreachable Star about the life story of singer-actor Connie Francis. I was unable to sleep one night and stumbled on to a recording of Connie Francis singing “The Impossible Dream.”

The power of her voice caught my attention and prompted me to find out more about her. Within a couple of days, I started work on the play.

What inspired you to start writing the Iconic Women Theatre Series?

I initially was inspired to write the plays in the Iconic Women Theatre Series when I came to realize the very real void in complete, accessible and factual information about the lives of women who have made notable, Broemmel and even remarkable, contributions to society. I felt that a series of plays would provide an avenue by which the public not only would be entertained, but informed and educated about important women in history.

These plays have attracted very talented, engaging actors to play the roles of these historical figures. As a result, the plays are entertaining. Audience members leave a performance knowing at least a little bit more — and sometimes a great deal more — about a person who really is an incomparable individual.

6 Life On Capitol Hill

FOR THE

February 2021

LOVE OF MONSTERS

Immersive artainment experience offered at Denver Pavilions

By Christy Steadman

T

A group of friends gather for a photo in front of a display at Distortions Monster World. Masks must be worn while exploring PHOTOS BY CHRISTY STEADMAN the 19,000-square-foot space, but guests are permitted to remove them for photos.

csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

he world-renowned monster-makers at Greeley’s own Distortions Unlimited and the award-winning production team at Lovelandbased Blazen Illuminations have teamed up to offer Denver an out-of-this world adventure filled with spooky and supernatural creatures.

Distortions Monster World, an immersive artainment experience, offers guests an opportunity to explore life-sized creatures – many recognizable from television and film – and interactive, technologyforward installations in a 19,000-square-foot space in the Denver Pavilions on the 16th Street Mall.

The monsters featured in the various scenes of the exhibit are the creations of Distortions Unlimited owners Ed Edmunds and Marsha Taub-Edmunds, their team and the many artists and sculptors they work with. The monsters in each scene are accompanied by special effects, props, theatrical lighting and sound design by Blazen Illuminations.

“Distortions Monster World is a celebration of a lifetime of making monsters and a way to share our love for all things monster,” Edmunds said in a news release. “I have never seen monsters as ugly, and certainly haven’t associated them with just one time of the year. My hope is that visitors will walk away appreciating the art and beauty behind these creatures, and realize there is more to monsters than meets the eye.”

IF YOU GO Distortions Monster World is located at 500 16th Street Mall on the first floor in Suite #180.

Typical hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Thursdays through Saturdays, and noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays.

Tickets must be purchased online in advance, and are available up to one hour before your desired time slot. Each time slot lasts one hour.

Tickets cost $25 per person for guests age 12 and older, $18 for youths age 6-11, and children age 5 and younger are free.

Masks must be worn while exploring the exhibit, but may be removed briefly for taking a picture.

The exhibit is deep cleaned before opening and at the end of the day.

To purchase tickets or learn more about the Distortions Monster World exhibit, visit https:// distortionsmonsterworld.com.

Distortions Monster World guests have an opportunity to purchase life-sized displays, such as this Dracula, for a home collection.

Theatre FROM PAGE 5

2526 E. Colfax Ave. Money from her estate also helped establish the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, after her death in 1972.

“The Bonfils Girl” was completed in 2014, and in 2021, a seventh play for the Iconic Women Theatre Series will be finished, Broemmel said.

“At the outset, I think I thought there would be two or three,” Broemmel said. But “the thing is, I am always coming across examples of women who have lived amaz-

Some of the displays at Distortions Monster World include props and an accompanying video that gives visitors a behind-thescenes look at creating the monsters.

Distortions Monster World offers guests an opportunity to interact with fantasy creatures, such as this dragon.

ing lives, and whose stories just haven’t been fully told or sometimes, even properly chronicled.”

Plays part of the Iconic Women Theatre Series have been performed locally, across the U.S. and on international stages. They feature Colorado-based actors and crew teams.

The plays are expected to go on the road again later in 2021, depending on the state of the coronavirus pandemic, Broemmel said. He added there will be opportunities for those in Denver to also see the plays either live in-person or as an online, virtual experience.

PLAYS IN MIKE BROEMMEL’S ICONIC WOMEN THEATRE SERIES: “The Hours of Anne” — Anne Boleyn, former Queen of England/Henry VIII’s second wife.

“The Bonfils Girl” — Helen Bonfils, Denver philanthropist.

“Call Me Mrs. Evers” — Myrlie Evers, civil rights leader.

“Mother!” (co-written with Jennifer Dempsey) — Mother Jones, union organizer, activist and co-founder of Industrial Workers of the World.

“Stand Still & Look Stupid” — Hedy Lamarr, Hollywood actress and inventor.

“La Primera Mujer” — Eva Peron, former First Lady of Argentina.

Life On Capitol Hill 7

February 2021

‘We bring the joy of music’

Thomas Jennings, 29, of Denver’s Baker neighborhood, is a seasoned guitarist who will be teaching Swallow Hill Music’s newest pilot music class called Progressions.

To learn more about Jennings, visit his website at www.

COURTESY PHOTO BY ANNIE ROSE thomasplaysguitar.com.

By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

T

he COVID-19 pandemic has hit the music industry, and music education, hard.

But for Swallow Hill Music, 2021 is a year for re-building and for growth.

Swallow Hill Music, 71 E. Yale Ave., got its start in 1979. It hosts a variety of programs, including a music school, live music concerts and community outreach such as music therapy, enrichment and early childhood education.

“Both on the stage, and in the classroom,” said the nonprofit music organization’s CEO Paul Lhevine, “we bring the joy of music.”

However, in late March, Swallow Hill put all of its in-person programming on pause and started looking into implementing various virtual programming.

The efforts were successful. Since May, the organization has live-streamed roughly 200 concerts that featured musicians from 29 U.S. states including Colorado, and New Brunswick, Australia, Ireland and British Columbia, Lhevine said. These concerts attracted more than 125,000 virtual audience members, with the proceeds from ticket sales benefiting both the performance’s musicians and Swallow Hill.

Additionally, Swallow Hill Music’s Little Swallows TV has launched.

Available for free, this is an early childhood music video series geared toward children age 3-6 that incorporates social emotional learning themes and activities.

In July, the first session of Swallow Hill’s online music school took place.

“It’s exciting to be putting musicians back to work as instructors,” Lhevine said.

And because online music schools break the barrier to access, Lhevine added, Swallow Hill is attracting students from across the country. Though it’s still not quite the numbers that Swallow Hill had before the pandemic, about 500 students have, or are currently, taking classes through Swallow Hill’s online music school.

“Online music education is very empowering,” said Tyler Breuer, Swallow Hill Music’s school director. “The adaptability of the instructors has made this work really well.”

But Breuer had no doubt that Swallow Hill instructors would be able to adapt to the shift to online teaching, he said.

Many of Swallow Hill’s instructors are gigging professional musicians, so “they’ve already been making a living in the most creative sense,” Breuer said.

Swallow Hill’s online music school offers quite the variety of experiences for all skill levels of music learners - group classes, private lessons, workshops and more, including classes specifically for kids and teens. This is not to mention that instructors are available for all sorts of instruments, from accordion to ukulele and everything in between - even songwriting, digital audio production and music theory.

One benefit to the online music school is that Swallow Hill can do a more comprehensive job of getting certain classes that the students request, and/or better curate the programming, Breuer said.

“It all starts with our students who made this transition online with us,” Breuer said. “We definitely want teachers and students connecting.”

Swallow Hill has also created a brand-new program called Progressions, which is a four-month immersive

LEARN MORE To learn more about Swallow Hill Music, purchase tickets to any of the organization’s live-stream concerts or register for a class through its online music school, visit https:// swallowhillmusic.org/.

guitar course. This class required an application — a first for Swallow Hill and is meant for intermediate students looking to become more advanced musicians.

It is being taught by Thomas Jennings, a seasoned guitarist who is involved with a couple of Denver-based bands, and who has nearly a decade of teaching experience.

“Getting better at music takes time,” Jennings said. “But the joy of exploration never goes away.”

The Progressions pilot runs Feb. 2-May 30, and if it is successful, it will likely be offered again in the fall, Jennings said. Additionally, Swallow Hill may extend it to other instruments at some point, he said.

As an instructor, Jennings enjoys seeing people spending time with their instruments and is especially looking forward to Progressions, he said. His hope for the class is that the students “leave feeling empowered and confident with music and the guitar,” Jennings said.

Swallow Hill realizes the value of music and music education, Breuer said. It is expected that the online music school and the virtual concerts will become a part of Swallow Hill, perhaps alongside the in-person activities once those resume.

“Swallow Hill, for many, is a community,” Breuer said. “Swallow Hill as a whole will always be here. It’s a piece of Denver.”

L E T ’S H AV E E AC H O T H E R ’S B AC K S .

Get the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it’s available to you and help us save lives.

Rachel Hoopes, Nurse Manager, Emergency Services

Learn more at centura.org/vaccine Centura Health does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex, religion, creed, ancestry, sexual orientation, and marital status in admission, treatment, or participation in its programs, services and activities, or in employment. For further information about this policy contact Centura Health’s Office of the General Counsel at 1-303-673-8166 (TTY: 711). Copyright © Centura Health, 2021. ATENCIÓN: Si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-719-776-5370 (TTY: 711). CHÚ Ý: Nếu bạn nói Tiếng Việt, có các dịch vụ hỗ trợ ngôn ngữ miễn phí dành cho bạn. Gọi số 1-719-776-5370 (TTY: 711).

8 Life On Capitol Hill

LOCAL

February 2021

VOICES

Spread the love this Valentine’s Day

A

FROM THE EDITOR

Christy Steadman

s a child, I used to enjoy Valentine’s Day for the arts-and-crafts aspect of it.

I enjoyed picking out the box of valentines at the store, and going down the list that the teacher provided with all the names of my classmates and picking out which valentine would go to whom.

I liked decorating the box that would sit on my desk at school on Valentine’s Day to serve as a mailbox for all my classmates to drop their valentines in.

That’s not to mention the break from learning during the bit of classtime that was set aside for all of us to go around room and deliver our valentines.

And of course, coming home and opening my box and seeing all the different valentines that the other

kids had picked out was always fun.

As an adult, Valentine’s Day took on a whole new perspective for me. I paid my way through college by bartending and waiting tables for tips, so in those years, Valentine’s Day usually meant I could look forward to a little extra spending money in the remaining days of February.

Valentine’s Day is customarily for lovers, but it has become increasingly more popular in the recent past years to spread the love — so to say — to family members other than spouses, your bestie, leisure activity comrades and even co-workers.

I think this year, we have even more of an opportunity to spread the love since we’re still not out-of-the-woods yet with COVID-19. It could be a

A look back on the year past — and a look forward

L

ast year, 2020, was among the most challenging years many of us have experienced, with new crises like the pandemic and economic collapse colliding with persistent problems like racism and homelessness.

GUEST To govern through these COLUMN challenges, my focus has first been to ensure that Denver maintains ongoing services and policy efforts that began before the pandemic, and that remain important. Second, I’ve advocated for a sciencebased and equitable emergency pandemic response.

Councilmember Third, which was the Robin Kniech subject of my July 2020 column, is to ensure we rebuild better than before.

All three of these priorities had to be addressed simultaneously. Here are a few highlights: Re-imagining more effective and racially-just public safety

STAR is a mental health and EMT response team that launched a limited central-Denver pilot in summer 2020 as an alternative to police for those in mental health or substance abuse crises. Several colleagues and I led the effort to increase funding for the STAR program in the 2021 budget, and we succeeded in moving the program under the oversight of the mental health experts in the Department of Public Health. While an initial increase was won for 2021, I will fight for additional supplemental funding to further expand the program based on forthcoming analysis and input from stakeholders.

I get more inquiries from constituents in Capitol Hill than from any other neighborhood about how to help those experiencing a crisis without calling the police. STAR is the answer, but the hours are limited. Additional resources will help us expand those hours and deliver these services to more neighborhoods across

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CAPITOL HILL

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Denver.

For now, STAR operates from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and can be reached by calling 720-913-7827.

The city estimates that STAR is serving less than one half of one percent of all the 9-1-1 calls that could benefit from this response. So, expanding it could also free up police time to better address more serious crimes.

I also worked with Denver’s police oversight body, the Citizen Oversight Board, to secure a full-time staffer to support their police accountability work.

Helping those hit hardest by the pandemic

I’m proud that Denver stepped up to help more than 3,960 immigrants and their families who lost jobs but were left behind by state and federal relief programs.

I also worked alongside service providers and city agencies to help open auxiliary shelters so that nearly a thousand people experiencing homelessness were not turned out onto the streets when we had to cut shelter capacity in half to provide more distance in our tightlypacked facilities. This effort also created the first large-scale, 24/7 sheltering in Denver, which includes health services.

Street homelessness also grew in size and visibility as other public activity in our communities diminished. Like other crises, we must focus on both emergency interventions and long-term solutions to homelessness — we can’t choose just one. That’s why I worked with the community and providers to develop the model for the temporary safe outdoor spaces that are helping those who were falling through the cracks of the shelter system. While hosting new services has been challenging for some in Capitol Hill, many have risen to the occasion to understand how this service-rich, highly regulated model can make life better both for those experiencing homelessness and neighborhoods, while we work concurrently to expand supportive housing and other permanent solutions. The search continues for additional sites in other areas of SEE KNIECH, P9

fun family activity to purchase an inexpensive box of valentines, fill them out and mail them to distant friends and family who may be feeling isolated this year. Or, perhaps to healthcare workers or others on the front lines as a thank-you. I guarantee a goofy little valentine would bring a smile to anybody’s face.

We also have an opportunity to boost the economy a little. According to a February 2019 article in USA Today that studied spending on dinner, chocolate, flowers and other gifts for Valentine’s Day, 50 years ago, in 1971, the average cost of Valentine’s Day was $14.53 per couple — for comparison, a movie ticket back then was $1.65. And 20 years ago, SEE EDITOR, P9

A preventable health crisis in the LGBTQ community

S

moking is a significant health issue facing the LGBTQ community and it could be drastically improved by ending the sale of flavored tobacco in Denver.

In Colorado, and nationwide, the LGBTQ population has one of the highest smoking rates compared to any other group, smoking at rates more than double their heterosexual/cisgender neighbors. While the smoking rate for all Coloradans has been declining, the rate of smoking among the LGBTQ commuGUEST nity has remained steady.

COLUMN It’s not by accident.

For decades, the tobacco industry has targeted the LGBTQ community with their deadly products.

Tobacco companies advertise at Pride festivals and other community events, promoting smoking as a “normal” part of LGBTQ life. They promote messages of freedom — ironic since they are selling a highly addictive product.

According to researchers, LGBTQ people are significantly more likely to smoke menthol cigarettes, with Thomas Ylioja more than 36% reporting that they usually smoke menthols. This is significant because we already know flavors are tailor-made to get young people to start, and make it harder for adults to quit.

The most recent Healthy Kids Colorado Survey shows tobacco use is still higher for LGB youth than their heterosexual peers, whether for e-cigarettes, traditional cigarettes, or any menthol-flavored tobacco product. Nearly one-third of LGB youth who smoke cigarettes said they use menthol products.

At National Jewish Health, the nation’s leading respiratory hospital and Quitline operator in 20 states, we know all too well the damage caused by smoking and vaping, and how hard it is to quit. Being a young LGBTQ person is stressful enough without needing to deal with an addiction to tobacco that will only cause more health problems. We owe it to Denver’s youth to offer ways of coping that do not lead to addiction and lifelong poor health from smoking or vaping. Removing flavored tobacco products means we are prioritizing the health of the next generation over the profits of the industry.

Now is the time — as we deal with the COVID-19 respiratory pandemic and the impact on lung health — to protect our youth. Their lives depend on our actions. It’s time to end the sale of flavored tobacco in Denver.

Thomas Ylioja, Ph.D., is the clinical director of health initiatives at National Jewish Health in Denver

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Life On Capitol Hill 9

February 2021

T

The Victorian meaning of flowers

he Victorian Era was a time rich in technological advances, steeped in following proper social graces and following many rules in which to act. Courtship was regimented - long, and GUEST had many watchful COLUMN eyes on young people Bridget Blomquist at social gatherings where they would hope to find a match.

Victorians may have been repressed when it came to dating, but were the most romantic when trying to gain the affection of those who caught their eye. Rules of courtship, and what was acceptable as romance, gave way to the popularity of using flowers as a secret language.

Although flowers and herbs had been assigned meanings for centuries, it was Lady Mary Montague, the wife of the English ambassador to Turkey, who was responsible for popularizing the use of flowers as messages in Europe. Lady Mary Montague observed the Turks using flowers to communicate expressions of love, and sometimes disdain.

Enamored by this practice, she wrote letters to her friends in Great Britain describing this practice. Soon, floriography dictionaries with lists of flowers and their meanings were all the rage in the United Kingdom and eventually spread all over Western Europe.

Tussie mussies were small, hand-tied bouquets given by suitors to let the apple of their eye know that they fancied them. The specific flowers and herbs in tussie mussies communicated a perfumed message of love and affection. Even the placement of flowers within the bouquet had significant and intricate meanings. The act of flirting, exchanging desires or rejecting a suitor could be communicated in a somewhat discrete way in a tussie mussie. If the recipient was happy to receive the message, she would hold it close to her heart. If this affection was unwanted, she would hold it down by her side, and in some instances, gave a return tussie mussie with specific flowers that meant she was not interested.

After a while, tussie mussies began to gain popularity in Victorian culture as gifts and sentiments to mark many special occasions like graduations, weddings or the birth of a new baby.

This Valentine’s Day, why not break from the traditional bouquet of red roses? Send your special someone a personalized message of love, desire or admiration by using the floral language of the Victorians.

Enlist your florist early to help track down the blossoms for a flirtatious bouquet.

During the upcoming growing season,

Red poppies signify pleasure.

PHOTOS BY SCOTT DRESSEL-MARTIN

you can also create your own tussie mussie from your home garden to mark celebrations or milestones for the special people in your life.

There are many publications and floriography dictionaries available to help you create your floral messages. But to get started, here are some examples of Victorian flower meanings: Anemone - forsaken Bachelor button - single blessedness Carnation red - my heart aches for you Carnation yellow - rejection Daffodil - unrequited love Dandelion - faithfulness, happiness Iris - your friendship means so much to me Ivy - wedded love Marigold - jealousy Pine - hope Poppy red - pleasure Rose pale pink - grace Rose dark pink - thankfulness Spider flower - elope with me Zinnia white - goodness Bridget Blomquist is a horticulture specialist with the Denver Botanic Gardens

Editor

Kniech

FROM PAGE 8

FROM PAGE 8

in 2001, the average cost of Valentine’s Day was $52.89, with movie tickets going for $5.65.

I couldn’t find exact spending data for 2020, but WalletHub — a finance management website specializing in credit scores that publishes various finance-related studies — on Feb. 4 last year published data that projected Valentine’s Day spending would be about $27.4 billion in 2020.

To me, these numbers suggest that we as a society enjoy spending a little extra money on Valentine’s Day to make our loved ones feel special.

So if you’re planning on doing the traditional dinnerand-gifts to say, “I love you,” to your someone special this year, I encourage you to shop and dine local. It is still January when I am writing this column, but my guess is restaurants will soon begin to announce Valentine’s Day specials for both dine-in and take-out. And you’re sure to find a special, unique gift that nobody else has at a small business.

By shopping and dining locally this year, you’ll be spreading the Valentine’s Day love to all of Denver.

An iris means ‘your friendship means so much to me.’

the city to help reduce unregulated camps, but the ongoing support of residents will be critical to achieve the scale needed.

The safe outdoor spaces hold regular neighborhood meetings to answer questions - please attend if you have a question you would like answered.

Thank you to all Denver voters for stepping up for one piece of the long-term solution - the passage of 2B. In 2021, the tax is expected to generate around $37 million to reduce homelessness. This first year will focus on continuing any emergency responses not covered by FEMA, and on re-housing people into existing housing.

Future years will fund additional new supportive housing throughout the city — similar to the successful St. Francis apartments at Cathedral Square — and new catalytic projects that combine shelter and housing with services.

If you’d like to learn more about supportive housing, I encourage you to check out a guide on the topic developed with input from resident leaders of Capitol Hill at bit.ly/SHNEGuide.

Vaccines

COVID-19 vaccines represent hope for our health and our economy. But only if a critical mass of people — more than 70% of us — get the shots, will we begin to overcome the pandemic.

By the time this column is published, more elders and essential workers will have started to get their vaccines.

But others might be anxious about the wait, and frustrated by incomplete answers from local health personnel doing their best to manage a federal supply we don’t control. The phased, prioritized approach will help us protect those who are most at-risk, therefore reducing COVID deaths — which is why our community’s patience is critical.

The most up-to-date information on the vaccine will be available at bit.ly/DenverVaccine.

Thank you to the people of Denver for the tenacity and courage you have demonstrated over the last year. I will do my humble best to continue to serve you throughout, whatever may come. Please reach out with your ideas, engagement, and feedback - they are more critical than ever.

Robin Kniech is an at-large Denver City Council member.

She can be reached at Kniechatlarge@denvergov.org.

10 Life On Capitol Hill

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Life On Capitol Hill 11

February 2021

Enhancing the Capitol Hill community Annual Good Neighbor and S.E.E.D. awards recipients recognized

By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods honored some outstanding community members and organizations in January.

The 2021 S.E.E.D. Awards Program recipients were recognized during virtual presentation on Jan. 6.

This is the second year for the S.E.E.D. Awards Program. The program exists to

help organizations meet immediate funding needs for smaller projects that encourage civic entrepreneurship and/or promote neighborhood engagement. To be awarded S.E.E.D. funding, a project must enhance the greater Capitol Hill community and align with CHUN’s mission and values.

S.E.E.D. is an acronym for Smart development, Enrichment, Environmental sustainability, and Diversity in the community.

The Good Neighbor Awards is a longtime program of CHUN. This award recognizes nonprofit organizations, individuals or businesses for outstanding contributions to the greater Capitol Hill community. Good Neighbor Award recipients were recognized on Jan. 27 during CHUN’s annual membership meeting, which took place virtually.

2021 S.E.E.D. FUNDING RECIPIENTS: Harm Reduction Action Center The project: underwrite ongoing community cleanups where the organization can facilitate hard conversations regarding homelessness and drug use issues.

Our Saviors Lutheran Church The project: purchase clothes and toiletries for those needing a helping hand in the neighborhood.

SafeHouse Denver The project: upgrade playground fencing to create a music fence, which will ensure child safety and provide more outdoor play options.

“SafeHouse Denver is honored to receive a CHUN SEED Award. The Award will allow us to spruce up fencing at our location serving survivors of domestic violence, while also making a special music and art fence for the children accessing our services. This is exciting for our agency, but more importantly, gives survivors an even greater sense of safety and dignity as they work to rebuild their lives.” — Victoria McVicker, CEO of SafeHouse Denver.

Senior Housing Options The project: enhance the exterior grounds of the Olin Hotel apartments, which provides affordable housing for more than 100 seniors in the heart of Capitol Hill, by installing garden boxes for which the residents can use to grow their own flowers or vegetables. The garden boxes are part of a larger renovation project, which is expected to be complete within a couple of months.

“Gardening is fulfilling because it produces something. The garden boxes will also offer an opportunity for socialization (and) a connection to nature. It’s all about enriching their lives.” — Jim Goddard, CEO of Senior Housing Options.

South City Park Neighborhood Association The project: collaborate with Front Line Farming to provide affordable, locallygrown food for those needing food assistance.

Swallow Hill Neighborhood Association The project: employ adults experiencing economic insecurity and offer them a unique opportunity to rebuild their lives through work in their own neighborhood.

Particular emphasis will be placed on neighborhood cleanup efforts surrounding the Temporary Safe Outdoor Site at 16th and Pearl Street.

The Gathering Place The project: expand the organization’s recovery program to include a trauma-informed program in a community-based day shelter setting in the neighborhood.

Urban Servant Corps The project: pair young adult volunteers with nonprofit organizations to give them opportunities to understand social needs, to create social change and to achieve personal growth through the experience.

A resident waters the plants in the garden box at Senior Housing Options’ Park Hill Assisted Living facility. Senior Housing Options will use its S.E.E.D. funding to install COURTESY PHOTO similar garden boxes at Olin Hotel apartments in Capitol Hill.

2021 GOOD NEIGHBOR AWARD RECIPIENTS: Roger Armstrong Award for Outstanding Volunteerism: Bill DeMaio for his work on CHUN’s successful efforts to rezone the Tears-McFarlane property at 1290 Williams St. Neighborhood Safety Award: Courageous Yoga for creating safe communities for historically marginalized populations by increasing access to yoga and wellness programs.

Affordable & Accessible Housing Award: REDI Corp for its contributions to address homelessness and ensure accessible, affordable housing in neighborhoods throughout the greater Capitol Hill community.

“REDI has been a provider of supported, affordable housing in the Capitol Hill neighborhood for over 40 years. We take great pride in the appearance and upkeep of our properties, yet we are most proud of our residents for being the great neighbors that they are. This award honors them as much as it does our organization.” — Sandra Goldhaber, vice president of REDI Corp.

Tom Knorr Award for Outstanding Community Leadership: Rev. Bonita Bock for bringing people together and building partnerships to work collectively to become a better neighborhood. Her efforts include addressing climate change, including helping to organize a community electronics recycling event, which will take place in May; extensive work to address income inequality; and engaging communities of faith to support socioeconomic justice in Denver and throughout Colorado.

“A sense of community gives us purpose and meaning. Being able to feel like you’re making your corner of the world a better place is really rewarding.” — Bonita Bock.

Neighborhood Character Award: Smith and Cannon Ice Cream and Joy Wine and Spirits for preserving and developing neighborhood character through smart land use, effective zoning, community beautification, small business development and architectural preservation.

Historic Preservation Award: St. Francis Center for preserving and restoring the historic, architecturally significant Warren Church at 14th Avenue and Gilpin Street to provide affordable housing options for Denver residents.

Upcoming virtual film fests Staff report Denver Jewish Film Festival

The 25th annual Jewish Community Center (JCC) Mizel Arts and Culture Center’s Denver Jewish Film Festival takes place Feb. 8-17.

The event is powered by The Chotin Foundation, and will take place virtually and on demand. Films can easily be viewed by Chromecasting to your TV, or via the Even-

tive Smart TV apps for Roku or Apple TV. Festival passes went on sale on Jan. 18.

All Access Passes, which include access to view every film in the festival, cost $180.

Ten-pack passes for access to 10 films cost $100.

Tickets for individual films cost $12 per household and go on sale on Feb. 8.

Most films will be available for the entirety of the festival. To view the festival lineup and purchase tickets, visit www.jccdenver.org/film.

Colorado Dragon Boat Film Festival

Denver Film and Colorado Dragon Boat has announced the dates for the sixth annual Colorado Dragon Boat Film Festival.

This year’s event takes place March 4-7.

The full program and schedule will be released Feb. 5, which is when tickets go on sale.

The 2021 festival is taking place virtually, and can be accessed through Denver Film’s Virtual Cinema platform at www.denverfilm.

org or by downloading the Denver Film app for Roku TV or Apple TV. A full festival pass costs $55 for Denver Film members and $65 for non-members.

Individual film tickets cost $12 for Denver film members and $15 for non-members.

Tickets can be purchased at denverfilm. org.

Colorado Dragon Boat is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. To learn more, visit www. cdbf.org.

12 Life On Capitol Hill

February 2021

t i g n i k Ta ets e r t e s h to t

Traveling poet, buskers share words of love and music in the age of COVID

Traveling poet, buskers share words of love and music in the age of COVID

By Belen Ward bward@coloradocommunitymedia.com

A

small desk, an antique typewriter and some space on Denver’s 16th Street Mall are the tools Colorado native Devan Kingsford needs to arouse some pretty strong emotions.

With a few taps on the Remington mobile’s keys, he creates unique poetry on demand for strangers passing by.

“I love doing this. I have an English degree, so I’m probably going to end up teaching at some point,” said Kingsford.

“But for now, I’m fine just writing poetry for strangers.”

Up the street, Peter Olschner and Kyle Lang are two young street musicians performing soulful jazz tunes and trying to preserve downtown Denver’s rich history of street music.

“We don’t have a band name because we just started jamming together,” said Olschner. “We both love playing music with other people.”

It was a cold January day on the mall and it was bare with masked people enjoying entertainment, restaurants and shopping to escape COVID quarantines. COVID-19 has presented some challenges, especially for performers and musicians. The pandemic took away Lang’s job, sending him to the streets to play.

“I used to teach percussion in public schools around Colorado and after the pandemic shut down extracurricular activities, I was kinda lost for a bit,” he said. “It’s been great getting back into it, though.”

Olschner said the pandemic had a positive impact on playing his music because he was able to still earn an income.

“I would not have discovered my love for busking if I had a traditional gig opportunity.

I’ve been able to continue to be a performer despite the situation surrounding the pandemic,” he said.

As for Kingsford, the typewriter poet, the pandemic moved him away from his favorite spot in Larimer Square, but it has not slowed him down. He is still able to find locations to set up his typewriter.

“There was more walking space and, luckily, we have the 16th Street Mall, which is a pedestrian mall which gives you a lot more space. Without that extra space, I probably would not have been able to work.

Also, it would not be at a safe distance,” said Kingsford.

Shouting on the street corners

Kingsford is a native of Colorado and received an English degree from Metropolitan State University of Denver. He has been creating poetry for strangers for more than

Ivory Sykes, aka Vio the Violinist, of Aurora performs near Welton Street on the 16th Street Mall in Denver on Jan. 16.

PHOTO BY CHRISTY STEADMAN

seven years on the streets of Denver and at special events. He does not charge for his poetry but accepts donations.

Kingsford started working as a poet at the Art Walk on Santa Fe Drive in Denver, standing on the street corner with a book of his own poems in his hand, shouting his creations to strangers.

He did that until a woman warned him that he should stop.

“You are gonna get yourself killed — there’s one thing people hate worse than poetry, is when it’s screamed at them by a stranger,” said Kingsford.

She suggested that he get a typewriter to choose a topic and write for strangers.

“I started doing that and never looked back. It’s incredible,” he said.

Crying and hugging

Kingsford’s poetry has touched many hearts with his words, none more than his own — sometimes in ways he has a hard time describing.

“You know, I can’t even imagine as a poet, I should have had a word for it,” said Kingsford.

A few years ago a woman approached him and asked for a poem.

“She was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor, and she had six months to live.

She wanted me to write her a poem that made her not afraid of death,” said Kingsford. “I wrote her poem. Then we cried together and hugged, and then she left.”

Have Remington, will travel

Why did Kingsford choose an antique Remington typewriter to create his poems?

“I own about 11 typewriters. Three of them are Remington portables because they are incredible,” he said. “It’s like a laptop. It’s small, the fonts are 10 points and I average from three to 16 lines. I only use little quarter sheets of paper to write my poems.

So you can fit a lot of words.”

As far as personalizing each poem, Kingsford said he relies on the subject to get him started. Some people offer up their whole life story, others only give non-verbal clues.

“There are other poets who do this, and they have their methods. I don’t like to ask a lot of questions, I don’t want to put words in your mouth or suggestions. I ask people to give me whatever they have at that moment,” said Kingsford.

Kingsford is available at 720-546-9494 or by email at devankingsford@gmail.com to book him for an event or to create a special poem for a loved one.

Street musicians

Olschner plays guitar and Lang plays drums. Both have been playing music since they were children and have been playing together for a short time. Lang loves instrumental math-rock music, and Olschner loves jazz. So the plan is to form a jazz combo and do covers with popular tunes.

Olschner 24, was born and raised in Arvada. He attended Pomona High School in Arvada, learning choir and musical theater.

Olschner went to Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington, and studied philosophy and music.

He has been playing guitar since he was 16 years old and mostly earns income full time as a street performer in Denver and Boulder — supplemented by walking his brother’s dog for extra income.

Kyle Lang, 21, was adopted from Korea and grew up in Westminster. He is studying psychology at Front Range Community College and was a music major at Metropolitan State University. He’s been playing drums for 12 years, which supplements his regular paycheck from NAPA Auto Parts in Boulder.

Expressions and Guitar Hero

Lang was inspired to play drums to express himself.

“It’s another way for me to speak, and it

gives me a creative outlet to express myself,” said Lang.

Olschner was inspired to play guitar by a music computer game.

“I grew up playing the game Guitar Hero 3 and I loved the soundtrack so much,” Olschner said. “I realized that I could play the songs on a real guitar if I practiced enough. When I was a sophomore in high school, my friend sold me his acoustic guitar with a buzzy string for $20, and I haven’t looked back since.”

He’d like to open a private lesson studio teaching students music theory and guitar techniques.

“I am working towards producing original music, music videos, and educational videos for the internet as another source of income down the line,” said Olschner.

Lang’s short-term goal is to finish his degree at Colorado State University. After graduation, he plans to start a career in counseling.

“My long-term goal is buying a Honda Civic type R,” said Lang.

Mall music

Olschner enjoys performing his music for people on the 16th Street Mall and the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder. The practice has developed him into an experienced performer.

“The people are very generous with their tips when they are enjoying the music. I love making cash tips, because it allows me to pay for my rent and my groceries as I continue to develop my career as a professional musician,” said Olschner.

Lang enjoys playing at the mall for a variety of people.

“Music always brings people together... I love the crowd, and I love being able to share my craft with others,” Lang said.

Lang and Olschner’s plans are to play Sunday jazz night at Dazzle in downtown Denver. You can watch the Lang and Olschner on tiktok with username @cattrumpets.

Life On Capitol Hill 13

February 2021

New skills to gain during this year’s cookie season Digital Cookie will be a big component of 2021 Girl Scout cookie sales

By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Selling cookies is an integral part of the Girl Scout experience.

“Cookie (sales) play a big role in helping our girls become the leaders of tomorrow,” said Leanna Clark, CEO of Girl Scouts of Colorado. “The important leadership, business and financial literacy skills the girls learn through the program position them for success in the future.”

With every package sold, the girls learn five lifelong skills, Clark added.

They are goal-setting, decisionmaking, money management, people skills and business ethics.

Cookie sales are still on for 2021, but considering the COVID-19 pandemic, the way Girl Scouts will sell will be a bit different this year. Specifically, there will be no door-to-door sales, and it is predicted that many Girl Scouts will be taking advantage of the Digital Cookie, which is a platform that serves as a Girl Scout’s personal cookie sales website.

“The increased focus on the digital sales this year will enhance girls’ skills in all areas,” Clark said. “They will be learning how to transition their people skills and marketing prowess to resonate in a digital environment. And they will learn how to behave honestly and responsibly in the online environment, which will complement their business

Denver Girl Scout Bianca Morris, 11, will be doing some booth sales for this year’s cookie sales, but she will also be ramping up marketing her online Digital Cookie more so than in past years. COURTESY PHOTO

ethics skills.”

The Digital Cookie launched in 2015, and though it has grown in popularity each year, it primarily served as a way for girls to sell to their friends and family who live outside of the immediate local area or out-of-state.

This year, the girls “will learn to adapt and be flexible from what they’ve done in past years,” said Robin Morris, the troop leader for her daughter Bianca’s troop, which is based in south-central Denver

Girl Scout cookie sales began in Colorado on Jan. 31, and will end on March 7.

Thin Mints, Samoas, Tagalongs, Trefoils, Dos-si-Dos and Lemon-Ups cost $4/package. S’mores and gluten-free Toffee-tastic cost $5/package.

Cookie sales are a little different in 2021, but there are still four easy ways to get cookies.

1. Booth sales: Some Girl Scouts will still be doing booth sales this year. However, it is a little different than in years past in that many of the booths will operate as drive-thru. There is a mobile app to help find the booths or text COOKIES to 59618. To use the Cookie Finder online, visit www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org, and select Find Cookies. Enter your zip code in the Cookie Finder, and a new window will provide you with a list of dates, times and locations of a local Girl Scout cookie sales booth.

2. Digital Cookie: If you know a Girl Scout, this might be the most direct way to get your cookies. Your Girl Scout might and consists of four girls who live in different areas of the city. With Digital Cookie, she added, “they’ll be learning to market their own business.”

Bianca Morris, 11, added that though she will be participating in some booth sales this year, she is “looking forward to testing out the new way of selling” and plans on applying some of the outreach methods she learned last year.

This is the fourth year Bianca Morris has been in Girl Scouts, and the fourth

send you an invite to purchase cookies from her Digital Cookie site, but you can also ask her for her Digital Cookie link.

Through Digital Cookie, you pay online and cookies can be shipped. New this year, if you are local to the Girl Scout you are ordering from, the two of you can arrange a contactless delivery during which she will deliver your cookies.

3. Online: This is similar to Digital Cookie, but it is available to anyone who does not personally know a Girl Scout.

The proceeds still stay local, as a local troop will be randomly selected for the credit based on the zip code you enter.

Online sales offer shipping – no in-person delivery will be offered.

4. Grubhub: Starting Feb. 12, a new national collaboration with Grubhub will allow Girl Scouts in select Colorado locations to take contactless pickup and delivery orders. To use this method, place an order at www.grubhub.com/food/ girl_scouts. Grubhub has waived fees for the Girl Scouts organization. year for her to participate in cookie selling. She expects to still be successful with her sales.

People enjoy Girl Scout cookies, she said, and “even though there’s a lot of things that make this year different, cookie sales are still going on.”

Another skill-building opportunity the girls have this year, in particular, is the goal-setting. Sales, because of COVID-19, SEE COOKIES, P14

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14 Life On Capitol Hill

February 2021

Registration for Denver solar co-op closes March 1 Staff report Denver homeowners and small businesses have about one month left to join the Solar United Neighbors (SUN) co-op to get a group rate on solar installation, or simply learn more about going solar.

SUN has a goal of getting 150 co-op members by March 1. As of late-January, the co-op had about 95 members.

“If you’ve ever thought about going solar, now is the time,” said Bryce Carter, Colorado program director for SUN, in a news release.

“The solar co-op provides tangible benefits

Cookies FROM PAGE 13

are unpredictable this year, Robin Morris said.

“So setting a reasonable goal is different this year,” Robin Morris added.

To help her set reasonable goals for this year’s cookie sales, 12-year-old Mary Fernandez, who is one of Bianca Morris’ troopmates, created a color-coded spread sheet based on last year’s sales data.

“The cookie program is very goaldriven,” said Kathryn Fernandez, Mary’s mom, adding that the girls have complete ownership of setting their goals and meeting them. So “a lot of girls are looking at past sales data to determine their inventory this year.”

Mary Fernandez will be selling 100% digitally this year, and is looking forward to managing her Digital Cookie online business - something she didn’t do too much of last year, she said. Last year, only about 20% of her total sales were digital,

that help transform our electricity system into one that is cleaner, fairer, and shares its benefits more broadly.”

SUN is a nonprofit organization that helps people and small businesses go solar. SUN works nationwide, and its Colorado office is based in Denver.

Since its launch in Colorado in 2019, SUN has facilitated six solar co-ops throughout the state. This current Denver solar co-op is the second for Denver’s residents and small businesses. It is in partnership with the Denver Office of Climate Action, Sustainability & Resiliency; Alpine Bank; Colorado Renewable

Mary Fernandez added.

“My customers depend on me for their cookies,” Mary Fernandez said. “While you’re at home (more often) these days, it’s better to be at home with Girl Scout cookies.”

COVID-19 will make selling different for the girls this year, Robin Morris said, and added she asks for everyone who wants to purchase cookies this year to be patient with the girls as they navigate the additional safety precautions during cookie sales.

Because all-in-all, Robin Morris said, they’re just excited to get to sell cookies this year.

Clark agreed.

“The girls always show so much creativity and dedication during cookie time.

This year, that’s coupled with resilience and perseverance,” Clark said. “The way they have taken on the challenge of doing things differently this year is absolutely inspirational. I am so proud of our girls for forging ahead and making this a great cookie season, no matter what.”

Energy Society; Vote Solar; Physicians for Social Responsibility-Colorado; New Energy Colorado; and the Northside Sustainability Alliance.

In December, through a competitive bidding process, current members of the Denver solar co-op selected Photon Brothers to be the installer for the group. Members have the option to individually purchase a solar system, electric storage and/or electric vehicle chargers with the group rate - Photon Brothers is currently in the process of developing personalized proposals for each co-op participant.

It is free to join the co-op, and joining does not obligate members to purchase solar, Carter said. Joining the co-op is especially beneficial to learn about what going solar means to you, Carter said in a previous interview. If, for whatever reason, a person or small business decides not to go solar, they can walk away, Carter added.

To learn more about Solar United Neighbors, visit www.solarunitedneighbors.org/ denver. The orientation video is available for view on the website. The next information session takes place at 6 p.m. Feb. 16 as a webinar. There is a registration link on the website.

Mary Fernandez, 12, of Denver will be selling Girl Scout cookies digitally this year, and she is looking forward to enhancing her business ethics skill of managing her online business through Digital Cookie.

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Life On Capitol Hill 15

February 2021

The ripples of events, leadership and legacies New website is a project of the Governor’s Residence Preservation Fund

By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

The Governor’s Residence Preservation Fund wants to ensure the stories of Colorado’s rich history are accessible to all.

To do this during a time when the organization temporarily cannot welcome visitors inside the Governor’s Residence at the Boettcher Mansion, the Governor’s Residence Preservation Fund has launched a new, interactive website to share Colorado history.

“The Governor’s Residence Preservation Fund has taken this opportunity to broaden our reach and share Colorado history with all who are eager to learn, near and far,” said CoCo Criste, executive director of the Governor’s Residence Preservation Fund.

The website, https://www.coloradoleaders.com/ looks at the ripples of events, leadership and legacies of three centuries of Colorado history. The three centuries are: 1776-1876 - One hundred years to statehood.

1876-1976 — Colorado’s Centennial.

1976-2076 — Colorado’s Bicentennial.

“We could have gone back thousands of years, but our timeline and budget did not allow,” Criste said. “Therefore, we decided to focus on three centuries of Colorado history beginning in the 1770s because Colorado is the Centennial State.”

She added that the website’s timeline includes the future so today’s leaders can recognize how they, and everyone, have the

LEARN MORE

The Governor’s Residence Preservation Fund’s new, interactive website looks at the ripples of events, leadership and legacies during three centuries of Colorado history. To view the website, visit https://www. colorado-leaders. com. COURTESY PHOTO

To check out the Governor’s Residence Preservation Fund’s new, interactive website, visit https://www.coloradoleaders.com.

To learn more about the Governor’s Residence Preservation Fund, visit https://governor-residence.colorado. gov/. “opportunity to have an impact on your community and the future.”

The funds for the website came as a grant from the Boettcher Foundation. The Governor’s Residence Preservation Fund applied for the grant in 2019 to build the website in 2020, Criste said.

Since its inception 12 years ago, the Governor’s Residence Preservation Fund has hosted about 5,000 students and 130,000 members of the general public into the Governor’s Residence at the Boettcher Mansion, 400 E. Eighth Ave. in Denver’s Capitol Hill neighborhood.

“Our tours and education programs have always been free of charge,” Criste said.

She added, however, field trips to visit the residence were sometimes difficult for schools - whether it be because of distance from Denver and the expense for transportation, or the additional need for volunteers and supervision to accompany the children.

“This project (the website) falls in line with the education and preservation aspects of our mission,” Criste said. It “is an extension of our programs and we want to offer this as a tool for students, teachers and all eager to learn more about Colorado history.”

Phase I of the website was development

and launching it, Criste said. Phase II is adding additional content, and for this part, Coloradans are invited to contact the Governor’s Residence Preservation Fund to provide suggested content, Criste said.

“There are thousands of stories to tell,” she said.

The Governor’s Residence Preservation Fund is looking forward to welcoming people back into the Governor’s Residence, Criste said, and discussions have already begun on how the website will supplement the in-person programming. For example, Criste said, offering self-guided audio tours or some sort of a kiosk option. The idea, she said, is for the website to be an additional resource for teachers and students completing a social studies unit or anybody who wants to prepare ahead of their visit.

“I find civic pride in learning about the progressive nature of Colorado,” Criste said. “It is important to learn about successes and failures in history, and to be well informed so that we can progress as members of society moving forward.”

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16 Life On Capitol Hill

February 2021

Winter of Reading offers adults a way to engage Annual library program runs through Feb. 28 this year

By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

The library is a place where children can have fun and unique experiences, and a place full of study resources for teens and college students.

Now, it’s the adults turn experience the library beyond its books.

While the library’s annual Summer of Adventure program is geared toward youth and their families, the Winter of Reading program is designed specifically for adults age 17 and older. It is an opportunity for adults to be reintroduced to the library’s vast array of literary experiences.

Winter of Reading “offers different ways for adults to engage with their library and other readers in the community,” said Hana Zittel, Denver Public Library’s community engagement and outreach coordinator.

Now in its seventh year, Winter of Reading began on Jan. 2 and runs through Feb. 28. It is a challenge that encourages adults to read and complete free library-related activities for prizes.

The goal is to complete any five activities before Feb. 28.

The program’s activities range from reading a genre of books or stories you are unfamiliar with to creating a postcard and sending it to someone. The variety of activities also allows partici-

For more information about Winter of Reading, visit www.denverlibrary.org/ winterofreading. pants to explore other library services that are addition to reading, such as virtual events, classes and electronic resources such as eBooks, movies and music.

“This is a unique way for us to highlight the offerings the library has for adults,” Zittel said of Winter of Reading.

One way to discover new books through the Winter of Reading is to participate in the Winter of Reading Trivia Walk. To participate, visit Cranmer Park - located at 4501 E. First Ave. in Denver’s Barnum West neighborhood - and walk around the park’s sundial to look for all 10 featured books from the library’s Ross-Cherry Creek Branch.

This year, the library is offering two ways to participate in Winter of Reading. The online option entails creating a Beanstack account, which can be done through the Denver Public Library’s website. Beanstack is a way to keep track of all the books you read, and is available anytime and/or for any of the library’s reading programs.

Participation in Winter of Reading can also be done with the classic paper brochure, which can be downloaded and printed from the library’s website or by requesting one from any branch during curbside hours.

Prizes this year are a neck gaiter, notebook/journal or mug. Prizes are limited to one per participant and are available while supplies last. Prize-winning par-

Prizes for the 2021 Denver Public Library’s Winter of Reading is a neck gaiter, mug or COURTESY PHOTO notebook/journal.

ticipants are encouraged to pick up their prizes through the library’s curbside service — when making an appointment, enter “Winter of Reading prize pick up” in the special notes field. Or call 720-865-1111 or your local branch location to set up a pick up time.

“The library serves the community in so many ways other than just checking out books,” said Dodie Ownes, adult services librarian at Denver Public Library’s Central Library. “Winter of Reading re-introduces adults to the library in different ways.”

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