Transcript Golden
Jefferson County, Colorado • Volume 146, Issue 52
November 29, 2012
50 cents
A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourgoldennews.com
Tighe topples Odom In a turn-around from early election results, Tighe defeats Odom By Glenn Wallace
gwallace@ourcoloradonews.com
Children and their parents bag onions and potatoes as Thanksgiving dinner food items Nov. 17 at Calvary Episcopal Church in Golden. An estimated 45 volunteers helped assemble boxes for distribution. Photos by Andy Carpenean
Turkey time for Golden
Community comes together to feed the less fortunate
By Glenn Wallace
gwallace@ourcoloradonews. com
There was a lot of thanks to be given last week, as 160 households were given enough food to make sure the Thanksgiving weekend would not be a hungry one. The Great Hall of Calvary Episcopal Church in Golden became a production line facility on Nov. 17. Two long lines of tables were set up, running the length of the hall. Volunteers in the center helped tear open
bulk packages of food, including pumpkin pie mix, tuna, green beans, hot chocolate, muffins, corn, and noodles. A table overflowed with potatoes and onions, ready to be added to the boxes as well. “We have done Thanksgiving food boxes for, I don’t know, maybe eight to 10 years now that we’ve really kicked up the scale,” Calvary’s Outreach and Care Pastor Bethany Thomas said as she helped direct her group of nearly 70 volunteers. The food was largely purchased from the Food Bank of the Rockies, using donated funds from the Calvary congregation, and the Golden Rotary. “Everybody helps everyone in this community,” said Rotary Public Relations Chair Jim
Daniel Coffey and Morgan Lorenz assemble Thanksgiving dinner food items Nov. 17 at Calvary Episcopal Church in Golden. An estimated 45 volunteers helped assemble boxes for distribution. POSTAL ADDRESS
Dan Green and Peggy Halderman box up Thanksgiving dinner food items Nov. 17 at Calvary Episcopal Church in Golden. An estimated 45 volunteers helped assemble boxes for distribution. Halderman. “We do about 300 (food) boxes for Christmas.” Drew Callahan, a church member and volunteer, slid a donation box down the table to be filled, alongside his three children, ages 6, 4, and 2. “We’re starting a few new traditions with the kids as they get older,” Callahan said. “We’ve been ringing the (The Salvation Army) bell the last few years, too. They actually really enjoy that. People tend to give more when it’s one of the little ones,” Callahan said smiling at his 2-year-old daughter in his arms. Gavin Callahan, the 6-yearold, said his favorite part of the day was helping other people. “Cuz it makes me feel good and it makes them feel good,” Gavin said. Outside the hall, city residents began gathering, waiting to pick up their boxes. Among them was Dan Hoffman, a Golden resident for 57 years and a disabled vet.
Hoffman said he attends church at Calvary, and he was thankful that “they run this kind of stuff year-round.” The Golden community has helped Hoffman out in several ways. The church holds occasional potlucks, where Hoffman can get a warm meal. Pastors at Calvary also refer Hoffman to the Christian Action Guild’s community food pantry once a month so he can have food at his home as well. He also has a new door that keeps out winter’s chill, thanks to the recent faithbased Golden Neighborhood Rehab Day. Hoffman said the Thanksgiving box would ensure that he could actually have enough food in the house to feed others as well. “I’ve got two people who used to be living on the creek, staying in my backyard shed right now. We’ll have them, and maybe a few others over,” Hoffman said. “For somebody to go hungry in this town … there’s no reason.”
Casey Tighe is the new 2nd District Jefferson County commissioner. The county clerk and recorder certified the votes for the 2012 General Election on Nov. 21, and the final tally put the Democratic candidate Tighe ahead of appointed incumbent John Odom by 738 votes. Tighe’s 136,164 votes gave him just enough of a cushion to avoid triggering a mandatory recount. Tighe “I’m honored by the voters of Jefferson County, and I hope I do a good job,” Tighe said last week. The race results remain close enough that Odom or the Republican Party could request a recount and accept responsibility for the costs involved. A recount could begin as early as this week, and would be expected to take five business days. Odom could not be reached over the Thanksgiving weekend. There were several close races in Jefferson County this year, but none triggered an automatic recount. The county certified its vote results on the day before Thanksgiving. “Our elections staff performs a tremendous amount of work after Election Day to ensure that our accounting for this election balances and every eligible vote is counted,” said Jefferson County Clerk Pam Anderson in a released statement. Anderson’s office reported a total of 313,662 ballots were counted in this election, which is the highest number of ballots cast in an election in Jefferson County. Turnout for this election was at 96 percent of all active registered voters. When the polls closed on election night, Odom had been in the lead by 133 votes. “I was a little worried and disappointed, but still had hope,” Tighe said. Thousands of other ballots were counted after Election Day though, including military, oversea, and provisional ballots. Those ballots provided the 871-vote swing needed to grant Tighe the win. Tighe thanked his campaign manager Audrey Kline, and the coordination of the Jeffco Democratic Party for pulling out the close win. “I also think that voters in Jefferson County really listen to what a candidate says, and not just voting the party card,” Tighe said. Tighe will be sworn in and take office in January, alongside his fellow commissioners Donald Rosier and Faye Griffin.
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