SERVICE

gram he started.”

Dispatching e dispatchers helped each other out when one needed to leave the house to take out the trash, do something with the children or take time to vacuum the carpets.

Schleicher, who left reghting and became a dispatcher with Rose Smith in the late 1970s and 1980s, said it was vastly di erent than the current Je com high-tech dispatch center. Five women worked from their homes, and since most had young children, they helped each other, making sure that someone was available to take calls and dispatch rst responders 24/7.

Schleicher says she still has nightmares that the phones are unattended when calls come in.

In those days, GPS didn’t exist, so the dispatchers had maps available to gure out where the emergency was and provide directions to responders.

The 2000s to present day e early 2000s, Weege not- ed, were a time of huge growth for the department, which went from four re stations to its current eight, plus the construction of the Administration Building on Bergen Parkway.

“We doubled the size of the apparatus and the buildings,” he said. “ at was a big change.”

He is proud that Evergreen Fire/Rescue grew along with Evergreen.

“We’re proud of our history, those who came before us and had the foresight to start the department, recognize the growth of Evergreen and the need to expand,” Weege said. “ ey had a willingness to change over the years. e department’s forefathers recognized the growth and need to provide a level of service this community expects.”

While the volunteers are the core of re operations in the department, Weege said, the department has expanded into re prevention and most recently the wildland group.

Mike Gregory, who served with EFR from 2002 to 2014, then was elected to the re department’s board of directors, said joining the department was the best thing he ever did.

“I had 80 immediate friends when I joined, and I still have those friends,” he said.

Nikki Ruelle of Georgetown was running for the rst time with umper the burro.

She joked that she would do well in the race because of communication and a deep understanding of umper, though she meant it when she exclaimed, “ is is the best day of my life.”

Cousins Jason Mounts of Denver and Dewane Mosher of Alamosa participated together, Mounts with burro Bluebell and Mosher with Bunny. is was Mounts’ rst foray into burro racing, and he just wanted to cross the nish line unscathed. is was Mosher’s fourth time in the Georgetown race. He said he used to run road races, and then he tried a race with a burro, and the road races became passé.

“ ese are more entertaining,” he said.

Burro fans

Leslie Russell of Salem, Massachusetts, used the Georgetown pack-burro race as a way to gain more understanding of the book: “Running with Sherman: How a rescue donkey inspired a rag-tag gang of runners to enter the craziest race in America.”

Both Russell and her daughter Erin Gilroy, who lives in Denver, Aare new to watching pack-burro races.

“I’m trying to ful ll a dream,” Russell said. “I am so excited. You have no idea.”

She said she was doing reconnaissance as she considers trying burro racing herself – maybe next year.

Tonya and Paul Pappert of Westminster attended to cheer on their daughter, Brooke Tolmacho , who was running with Esther the burro.

Rotary fundraiser e smiles and chuckles were noticeable as people learned about the Rotary club’s Call to Dooty fundraiser, a unique twist for the pack-burro race.

Five years ago, according to Rotary President Robert Smith, the club came up with the fundraiser, and he said club members have learned over the years that burros relieve themselves while they’re moving, which is why the squares are located near the starting line.

With apologies to those who might be a bit squeamish, Smith said the club wants to make sure the winner truly is the winner, so club members survey the squares after burros run by, and if there isn’t a clear square winner, they don gloves and grab paper plates to scoop up and weigh the excrement.

“We weigh it to one-one hundredth of an ounce,” he said, “to gure out where the most poop is.” is year, the club added a poop-pitching cornhole game with participants throwing bags that look like poop, and winners getting gift certi cates to area businesses.

Tonya Pappert laughed uproariously when she saw the Rotary club’s Call to Doo-ty fundraiser, with Paul adding, “Where else can you gamble on poop?”