Baseball Memories
By Kent Singer Executive Director
Iattended my first major league baseball game in 1965 when my family made a trip from Topeka, Kansas, to watch the Kansas City A’s play in the old municipal stadium in downtown Kansas City.
I don’t remember who the A’s played that night or any of their players — except for Campy Campaneris — but I remember very clearly the mule Charlie O., the team mascot. Charlie O. was named after A’s owner Charles O. Finley, who was something of a Barnum & Bailey-style team owner. I also remember that instead of a ball boy delivering new baseballs to the home plate umpire, a device would rise out of the ground behind home plate with a basket of baseballs served up on the outraised arm of a mechanical rabbit named Harvey (yes, after the Jimmy Stewart movie). The A’s stunk, but Mr. Finley wanted patrons to have a good time.
The A’s left for Oakland, California, after the 1967 season, and Kansas City was left without a baseball team until 1969 when the Kansas City Royals arrived, and a fancy new stadium was built. The Royals had a lot of success in the late 1970s, but lost three straight years in the American League Championship series to the dreaded New York Yankees — their formidable rival. Those Royals teams had great players including Frank White at second base, Freddie Patek at short, Amos Otis and Willie Wilson in the outfield, and, of course, the incomparable George Brett at third.
When I moved to Colorado in the mid-1980s, I continued to be a Royals fan until Denver was awarded the Colorado Rockies franchise and they began to play in 1993. I’ve been a Rockies fan ever since, although heaven knows in recent years that seems to be something of a fool’s errand. While listen-
ing to a recent Rockies game, however, I was reminded why I continue to love baseball: It takes me back to my youth.
On June 10, the Rockies took a 5-2 lead into the top of the ninth against the San Francisco Giants. Aided by walks and wild pitches, the Giants rallied to score four runs, capped by a two-out, two-run single by Giants outfielder Mike Yastrzemski. For those of us who grew up with baseball in the 1960s, the Yastrzemski name is legendary. Mike’s grandfather, Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski, was one of the all-time greats for the Boston Red Sox. “Yaz,” as he was known, was an 18-time All-Star, a member of the 3,000-hit club, and the winner of seven Gold Glove awards. My mother, an avid baseball fan who listened to every Royals game on the radio with my dad, was always amused trying to pronounce the names of some of those mid-60s Red Sox players including Yastrzemski, Rico Petrocelli, and Tony Conigliaro.
So, while we suffer through another tough Rockies season, we can at least be reminded of the links to the past and hope for better days ahead. There’s always next year!
Kent Singer is the executive director of CREA and offers a statewide perspective on issues affecting electric cooperatives. CREA is the trade association for 21 Colorado electric distribution co-ops and one power supply co-op.
Cooperation Among Cooperatives
By Dennis Herman General Manager
Cooperatives around the world operate according to the same set of seven core principles and values, adopted by the International Cooperative Alliance. These principles are a key reason why electric cooperatives like Highline Electric Association operate differently from other electric utilities and put the needs of our members first.
The sixth principle is Cooperation Among Cooperatives. For Highline, I visualize this principle as a set of concentric circles. The innermost circle starts in our local community. We partner with local cooperative organizations including our credit union, our telecommunications cooperative, and our agricultural cooperative to support local fundraisers and organize the annual Christmas Parade of Lights.
Moving outward, the next circle includes our relationships with neighboring electric cooperatives. This level of cooperation starts with the sharing of employees. Highline has agreements with Y-W Electric, our neighbor to the south, to share engineering and communication employees on an ongoing basis. This level of cooperation also includes helping each other through mutual aid when one of our systems sustains damage during a thunderstorm or ice storm.
Our next stop brings us to our partnerships with our regional neighbors. For Highline, this level of collaboration is most evident with the group of eastern Colorado electric cooperatives. These neighbors are also available to help in storm situations where the damage is substantial. We also call on these neighbors to work collaboratively on projects when it’s beneficial to do so. This collaboration includes sourcing material when faced with long lead times and joint investments
in mobile substations that are used to restore power during emergency equipment failure. There’s no better feeling to know you have a trusted confidant that is a phone call away and is likely working through a similar problem to the one you’re currently trying to solve.
The next circle of cooperation occurs at the statewide level. This cooperation is manifested in our statewide organization, the Colorado Rural Electric Association. We rely on CREA for a multitude of services that include publishing Colorado Country Life, job and safety training, safety accreditation visits, lobbying for our best interest at the state Capitol, and training opportunities to keep our employees and leadership performing at the highest level.
The final layer of cooperation is evident in the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. NRECA is the trustee that provides the medical and retirement benefits for our employees. NRECA also provides employee and director training at a national level. Last, but certainly not least, is the lobbying effort NRECA engages in at the national level. As the national voice of the nearly 900 electric cooperatives that serve electricity to 42 million Americans across 56% of the nation’s landmass, NRECA carries a loud voice to Capitol Hill as well as the regulators housed across multiple agencies that govern the day-to-day business of electric utilities.
Cooperation Among Cooperatives is the cooperative principle that gives your member-owned, local utility a voice and the ability to “punch above our weight” while participating in the policy and regulatory discussions that shape our industry.
1300 S. Interocean P.O. Box 57 Holyoke, CO 80734-0057
phone 970-854-2236
toll free 800-816-2236
info@hea.coop
hea.coop
Holyoke & Sterling: M-Th 7 a.m.– 5:30 p.m. Ovid: Mon., Tues., Thurs. 9 a.m.–3 p.m.
facebook.com/HighlineElectric
HIGHLINE SPONSORS TWO LOCAL STUDENTS AT CAMP
Highline Electric Association is proud to announce that Alexa Kinoshita and Lydia Willeke have been selected to represent the co-op at Cooperative Youth Leadership Camp in Clark, Colorado, near Steamboat Springs. Highline covers all expenses — transportation, accommodations, meals, and admission fees — for Alexa and Lydia. There are a ton of great activities planned for Youth Leadership Camp, held July 12–17. Students from Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Wyoming will learn about cooperative governance, hear an amazing leadership speaker, ride a gondola to the top of Mount Werner, play volleyball, watch a high-voltage display, float down the Colorado River, dance under the mountain stars, and more.
HOT DOG WEDNESDAY IS BACK!
Visit Highline Electric’s Holyoke office on August 6 for a free hot dog lunch!
The co-op is partnering with the Holyoke Chamber of Commerce and STAR 92.3 to bring the community together over lunch.
Join us from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for a free hot dog, chips, and a drink. You’ll also be able to see Highline’s high-voltage demo and learn about the co-op’s new On-Bill Repayment program.
We look forward to seeing you!
1300 S . Interocean Holyoke
COUNTY FAIR DATES
Perkins — July 13–19
Eastern Colorado Round up (Washington County) — July 21–26
Phillips — July 22–27
Dundy — July 23–27
Sedgwick — July 23–27
Logan — July 24–Aug 3
Yuma — July 31–Aug 3
Chase — August 10–16
Deuel — August 14–16
Congratulations
Congratulations to the following Highline Electric Association employees who celebrate an employment anniversary in July.
Dennis Herman - 33 years
Jeff Blochowitz - 23 years
Imer Rodriguez - 10 years
Benjamin Kafka - 10 years
Dustin Carrick - 5 years
Alexa Kinoshita
Lydia Willeke
Welcome to the Highline Team
If you visit Highline’s office this summer, you will see a new face at the front desk. Danielle Wernsman joined the co-op as a temporary clerk and is working at the co-op through the end of August. She teaches second grade at Fleming Schools during the school year and is filling in for a Highline employee who is out this summer.
A busy mom of two, Danielle likes cheering on the local sports teams — especially her kids’ — and helping around the family farm.
Danielle grew up in Merino and graduated from Merino High School and, later, the University of Nebraska - Kearney.
“I’m excited to have the opportunity to assist Highline this summer, and I look forward to working with everyone,” Danielle said.
Welcome to Highline, Danielle!
Highline Electric Association is happy to welcome Layne Green to the team.
The co-op’s new apprentice lineman grew up in Julesburg and graduated from Western Nebraska Community College. Prior to joining Highline’s linecrew, Layne worked as a licensed electrician. In his free time, he likes to hunt and hang out with family and friends. “I look forward to learning about Highline’s system and to work with a great crew.”
Join us in welcoming Layne to the co-op!
Highline offices will be closed Thursday, July 3, to observe Independence Day
As a reminder, we are regularly closed Fridays. Normal business hours will resume Monday, July 7.
Danielle Wernsman
Layne Green
Outside the Box
If you are familiar with The New York Times crossword puzzles, you’ll know that they start off on the easier side at the beginning of the week. The puzzles get more difficult each day as the week goes on, until the ultimate challenge: the Sunday puzzle.
I grew up watching my mom solve Sunday puzzles; she grew up watching her grandma solve crossword puzzles, too. It’s with that tidbit of information that you could deduct that I come from a long line of “Word Nerds” (as my husband likes to say).
One thing I look forward to each morning is solving a Times crossword puzzle with my coffee. It has become a simple little ritual, a slow start to the day.
Admittedly, I have never completed a Times Sunday puzzle. I have a small book of Monday and Tuesday puzzles; one takes me about 20 minutes to solve. Though on the easier side, they still challenge my brain to think outside the box, so to speak, to come up with answers to the clever clues.
My team and I have been toying around with the idea of fitting a puzzle into the magazine, and we were able to make it happen in this issue. Turn to page 33 to find it.
We hope you enjoy solving the puzzle. Email me at kcoleman@coloradocountrylife.org and let me know what you think!
STAFF
Cassi Gloe, Publisher cgloe@coloradocountrylife.org
Kylee Coleman, Editor kcoleman@coloradocountrylife.org
Melinda Taylor, Editorial Assistant mtaylor@coloradocountrylife.org
SUBSCRIBERS
Report change of address to your local cooperative. Do not send change of address to Colorado Country Life. Cost of subscription for members of participating electric cooperatives is 30 cents per month, paid from equity accruing to the member. For nonmembers, a subscription is $15 per year in state/$20 out of state.
ADVERTISING
advertising@coloradocountrylife.org 720-407-0712
National advertising representative: American MainStreet Publications 611 S. Congress St., Suite 504 Austin, TX 78704 | 800-626-1181
Advertising Standards
Publication of an advertisement in Colorado Country Life does not imply endorsement by any Colorado rural electric cooperative or the Colorado Rural Electric Association. Colorado Country Life (USPS 469-400/ISSN 1090-2503) is published monthly by Colorado Rural Electric Association, 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216-1731. Periodical postage paid at Denver, Colorado. ©2025, Colorado Rural Electric Association. Call for reprint rights. View advertising and editorial policy terms and conditions online at coloradocountrylife.coop.
EDITORIAL
Denver Corporate Office 5400 Washington St. Denver, CO 80216
info@coloradocountrylife.org 303-455-4111
Editorial opinions published in Colorado Country Life magazine shall pertain to issues affecting rural electric cooperatives, rural communities, and citizens. The opinion of CREA is not necessarily that of any particular cooperative or individual.
By Kylee Coleman Editor
By Mary Peck
A Bouquet to Brighten Your Day
When you bring flowers into your home, it’s more than just the bouquet that blooms. A famous Harvard study found that fresh flowers can lead people to feel kinder and more compassionate, have fewer negative feelings, and have more energy at work.
Maybe all those positive vibes are why so many people find flowers so enchanting. Botanist Luther Burbank described their magic well when he said, “Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food, and medicine for the soul.”
Whether you grow your own flowers, buy a cut bouquet at the grocery store or farmers market, or visit one of Colorado’s many pick-your-own flower farms, a few simple arranging tips can add to your enjoyment of them.
To start, consider using a plain vase or container, which creates more focus on the flowers themselves. And be creative: a pitcher, shallow bowl, even a vintage tin can elevate a basic bouquet. Thrift stores are great places to look for these.
Fill your container with fresh lukewarm water. If the container has a wide opening, make a grid across the top using waterproof floral tape and place the stems in the sections of the grid for support. A flower
or pin frog — a device that secures stems from the bottom of a vase — is also a great tool.
As you place the flowers, give each stem a sharp, angled cut, which will help it take in more water. A common guideline is for the tallest item in the arrangement to be no more than one and a half times the height of the container. Cut some stems shorter so they sit at the rim of the container, and leave others taller to create height and interest. Vary the sizes, colors, and heights of flowers to form a balanced overall shape, rotating the container as you place them to ensure the arrangement looks good from all angles.
Filler flowers and greenery can help round out your arrangement and fill in any empty spots. Filler pieces are another opportunity to get creative: Small branches from a shrub, tall grasses, or herbs can add unique beauty to your arrangement.
Finally, consider where you’ll most enjoy your flowers. While the kitchen, dining room, or living room are common settings, seeing flowers on your desk, nightstand, or even on a bathroom vanity may very well bring a little unexpected joy to your day.
Mary Peck connects Coloradans with practical tips, ideas, and information to help them prosper.
The Art of the Fly
By Craig Johnson
Fishing with “flies” traces its origins back to the ancient Greeks, who would catch “fish with speckled skins” using hooks dressed with crimson wool and wax-colored feathers from a rooster’s neck. Since these humble beginnings, the art of fly tying has evolved into a hobby all its own.
In the 1800s, explorers filled the museums and zoos of Europe with colorful bird species from around the world, such as the king bird of paradise of Indonesia with its bright red feathers and the resplendent quetzal of Central America. In addition to the scientific world, their brightly colored plumage caught the eye of fly tiers, who used their feathers to create complex and beautiful flies, sometimes incorporating the feathers of more than a dozen different birds in a single fly. Scottish fly tier Jock Scott, for example, tied his namesake fly using the feathers of toucan, macaw, Indian crow, and more. These vintage flies are considered collectors’ items, often selling for hundreds of dollars each — not the kind of investment you want to see destroyed in the maw of a trout or salmon, no matter how nice the catch might be.
While tying ornate flies with exotic feathers was a pastime of the well-to-do in Europe, a distinctly more democratic version of fly tying evolved in the Catskills and Adirondacks of the northeastern United States. These practical flies used drab-colored fur for bodies, feathers tied in an upright position to imitate the wings of a bug, and wraps of hackle to make them float and give an impression of wiggling
legs. These patterns, which predominate today, relied on common materials readily available to the average angler, consistent with the U.S. ideal that fishing is not limited to the aristocracy.
There are now fly patterns for every conceivable bug in every size, shape, and color imaginable. A fly doesn’t have to be a perfect imitation to catch fish. Take the Copper John, a favorite here in the Rocky Mountain region, which consists of a split tail of goose biots (pointy little feathers taken from the leading edge of the wing of a goose), a body of wrapped copper wire, a thorax made of green ostrich herl, a dab of hard epoxy covering a plastic strip on the back to give it some flash, and a shiny bead head. It takes forever to tie and looks more like something you would read about in a sci-fi novel than anything you would find in the natural environment. But the size and shape resemble a little bit of everything and nothing at all, making it irresistible to trout.
There is something special about catching a fish with a fly, especially one you tied yourself; it adds a whole new dimension to the art of fly-fishing. If you want to add a new twist to your fly-fishing experience, take a class or buy a book and try tying a fly of your own. Who knows — you might catch the fish of a lifetime.
Craig Johnson is CREA’s director of policy and strategy/general counsel, and an avid fly-fisher and outdoorsman in his spare time.
Keep Colorado Wild
Get a $29 Keep Colorado Wild Pass with your next vehicle registration to create sweet summer memories. The pass gives you entry to all state parks and supports wildlife conservation.
Eric Larsen Polar Explorer
Generate Safely
By Scott Flood
The wind howls outside your windows as a major storm system blows through the area in the late evening. Your lights flicker for a moment or two before you’re plunged into darkness. The social media feed on your phone is packed with reports of damage and power outages, and the storm shows no sign of letting up for hours.
Fortunately, you had the foresight to buy a backup generator big enough to handle your refrigerator, freezer, and other needs. Flashlight in hand, you attach extension cords. Within minutes, you hear the quiet humming that tells you they’re working again.
Colorado’s electric cooperatives understand power outages are a major inconvenience, and we do our best to prevent them. But when severe weather rolls through, outages can sometimes stretch into several hours after a major storm.
Lineworkers may have to check many miles of power lines to pinpoint the problems before they can begin their work to restore service. Many co-op members consider buying backup generators to provide for their family’s needs while waiting for service to resume.
Backup generators fall into one of two categories. Standby generators are permanently wired into the home’s electrical system by a qualified electrician. They come in a variety of sizes, so homeowners can match the generator to their home’s power needs.
Portable generators, as the name implies, can be moved to wherever they are needed. Because they’re small enough to move, they generally provide less power than standby models. Most use gasoline or diesel fuel, and when they’re operated correctly, both types provide a safe source of backup power.
Some homeowners make the mistake of plugging their backup generators directly into a wall outlet or connecting them to their home’s electrical panel. Beyond the significant risk of electrocution and fire that can create, plugging generators directly into your outlets can send the voltage your generator creates into the power lines connecting your home to the electric grid. That creates a dangerous condition called backfeed, which can seriously injure the lineworkers who are working hard to restore your electricity, as well as anyone who accidentally comes in contact with power lines. Backfeed can also damage the generator.
Standby generators are required to have what’s known as a transfer switch, which should be installed by a qualified electrician. The transfer switch creates a barrier between your home’s electrical system and the outside wires, so backfeed cannot occur. When the transfer switch senses that power has been restored, it switches the power source from the generator back to the outside lines.
The biggest danger associated with backup generators is invisible and deadly. Backup generators burn fossil fuels that produce a variety of gases, most notably carbon monoxide. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, one portable generator can produce as much carbon monoxide as hundreds of cars. The agency reports that nearly 100 people in the United States lose their lives each year because of carbon monoxide poisoning from backup generators. That’s why generators should only be used in dry, well-ventilated areas away from your home and garage.
Carbon monoxide gas is not only invisible, but it’s also odorless. The National Institutes of Health warns that carbon monoxide has the potential to kill in as little as five minutes. People exposed to carbon monoxide typically become dizzy, feel nauseated, and experience headaches. Often, they lose consciousness before noticing any symptoms. Anyone exposed to carbon monoxide should be moved to fresh air immediately.
If you purchase a portable backup generator, protect your home and family by taking the time to read the manufacturer’s instruction manual. Never use a portable generator in rainy or wet conditions unless
you keep it shielded from moisture — just be sure to also keep it well ventilated.
When starting a portable generator, make sure nothing is plugged into it. You can reduce the potential for damage to your appliances and lighting by turning them off. After the generator starts, plug them in and turn them on one at a time to make sure you aren’t overloading your generator’s capacity. Unplug appliances from the generator before turning it off. Unless the manufacturer recommends otherwise, always turn the generator off and allow it to cool before adding fuel.
Finally, as with many home appliances, regular maintenance is the key to ensuring your portable generator operates safely for years to come. When storing it, drain the fuel from the tank. In addition, check the oil and fuel levels, filters, and other components once each season so you know it will be ready to run safely and efficiently the next time a big storm blows through.
Scott Flood writes on a variety of energy-related topics for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the national trade association representing nearly 900 electric co-ops.
A QUICK GUIDE TO GENERATORS
Always contact your electric co-op first if you want to connect a generator to your electric panel. Improperly installed generators can create backfeed, which is dangerous to your co-op’s linecrews and the community.
• Before you purchase a generator, do your research and purchase the correct size for your needs. Make a list of essential appliances and devices you’ll need to power during an outage, then total the required wattage.
DISCLAIMER: Safety requirements may differ based on the type of generator you purchase. Always read the instruction manual and know how to shut off the generator quickly.
What it will power
Fridge and a few smaller items such as a lamp or a phone charger.
Fridge, laptop, five to 10 lights, phone charger, and a 10K BTU air conditioner.
Fridge, gas furnace, 10K BTU air conditioner, dishwasher, multiple lights, TV, laptop, and more.
Powers nearly all home appliance and electronics simultaneously.
Enter to win an outdoor blanket to bring on your stargazing adventures this summer! This blanket has a waterproof outer shell, rolls up for carrying and storage, and is machine washable.
Turn to page 18 for the best places to view the night skies.
To enter the contest, scan this QR code or fill out the form at coloradocountrylife.coop/ ccl-monthly-giveaway
If you need another way to enter our contests, send a letter or postcard with your name, phone number, address, and the name of your electric co-op to 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216.
We will randomly draw one name to win the blanket on July 20.
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Sensational Stargazing
By Melinda Taylor Editorial Assistant
The awe-inspiring Perseid meteor shower will be on display this summer from July 17 through August 23. The very best time for viewing is in the early morning hours before dawn. Sometimes it’s hard to escape the bright lights of cities and towns, but thanks to public support, Colorado boasts 12 certified Dark Sky Parks and six Dark Sky Communities. Almost anyone in Colorado with reliable transportation can access a certified Dark Sky Place within 90 minutes.
According to DarkSky International, a certified Dark Sky Park is “land possessing an exceptional or distinguished quality of starry nights and a nocturnal environment that is specifically protected for its scientific, natural, or educational value, its cultural heritage, and/or public enjoyment.” A Dark Sky Community is a city or town that has shown dedication to night-sky preservation through outdoorlighting ordinances, education, and other efforts.
DarkSky International strives to combat the negative effects of light pollution around the world, protect nocturnal species, and allow astronomers to conduct research. It began in 2001 and has certified more than 200 places on Earth as Dark Sky Places. For more information on DarkSky International, visit darksky.org. For Colorado-specific information, visit darkskycolorado.org.
COLORADO DARK SKY PARKS
1. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
2. Browns Canyon National Monument
3. Curecanti National Recreation Area
4. Dinosaur National Monument
5. Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
6. Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
7. Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area
8. Hovenweep National Monument
9. Jackson Lake State Park
10. Lake Fork Earth and Sky Center
11. Mesa Verde National Park
12. Top of the Pines
COLORADO DARK SKY COMMUNITIES
1. Crestone
2. Norwood
3. Nucla and Naturita
4. Paonia
5. Ridgway
6. Westcliffe and Silver Cliff
Photo by Gunnison County Electric Association member Robert Hazzard
A Light in the Dark
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
Who makes your world brighter?
As we think ahead to the season of shorter days and twinkling lights, we’d like to make space to appreciate the people who bring light into our lives.
Has someone helped you through a hard time by saying a kind word, sharing a warm meal, or just by being there? Maybe it was a friend who made you laugh when you needed it most, a neighbor who stepped in when you were struggling, or a stranger whose simple act of kindness stuck with you.
We’d love to hear your story for our December 2025 issue. Keep it short and heartfelt — we’re looking for the everyday stories that remind us how powerful a little light can be. Content may be edited for space and clarity.
• Deadline: September 20
• Word count: 200–300 words
• Submit by
• Email: editor@coloradocountrylife.org
• Online: coloradocountrylife.coop/light-in-the-dark
• USPS: Colorado Country Life, Attn: Editor, 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216
Let’s shine a little light together.
Trailblazers
Colorado Youth Corps brings 25 years of outdoor impact
By Eugene Buchanan
I believe the perfect life means living in a place that inspires you, having a job that is fulfilling, and surrounding yourself with like-minded people. RMYC provides all these opportunities.”
— Loretta McEllhiney, former Colorado Fourteeners Program Manager, USFS
It’s brutal work. I’m at 12,000 feet on an eroded trail on Mount Quandary outside Breckenridge with a team of volunteers, improving the path leading up one of Colorado’s most popular fourteeners. But my shoulders and lower back resent every swing of my Pulaski. Beside us is a Jenga pile of logs that we need to pick up and carry using a vice-like metal claw device and wrestle into position as stair treads. Then we must pulverize rocks with pickaxes to backfill the gaps and secure them in place. Breaking rocks and carrying logs at 12,000 feet ... it’s not a walk in the park.
I’m here as part of a volunteer weekend organized by the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative, bettering the trails for the 300,000 hikers who climb Colorado’s peaks every year and bring $76 million into the state’s economy. Beside me is filmmaker and high-alpine mountaineer Renald Ozturk, as well as crew members from Rocky Mountain Youth Corps, one of eight accredited organizations making up the Colo rado Youth Corps Association. Clamping the device’s metal jaws around a log, we tandem-waddle it into place, tap it down, and begin shoveling.
I can’t say, “This wasn’t in the brochure,” because it is. This is the daily routine for the more than 2,000 conservation service corps crew members in the state who last year improved or maintained 752 miles of trails and mitigated 5,000 acres of wildland fire zones. Celebrating 25 years of engaging youth in the outdoors, the CYCA represents eight corps throughout the state — including Boulder County Youth Corp, Larimer County Conservation Corps, Mile High Youth Corps, Rocky Mountain Youth Corps, Southwest Conservation Corps Four Corners, Southwest Conservation Corps Los Valles, Western Colorado Conservation Corps, and Weld County Youth Conservation Corps. Among other things, these crews work on wildfire fuel mitigation and suppression, trail maintenance, fence construction and removal, invasive species treatment and eradication, energy and water conservation, and historic preservation.
“The awareness of our mission and impact is definitely increasing,” said CYCA Executive Director Scott Segerstrom. “We’re now seen as a critical tool for conser vation and are even being invited to the table for input on policies. Corps are now institutionalized into our partners’ operations and are seen as irreplaceable. Our momentum is growing.”
CYCA also provides its participants with valuable work and life skills, while imparting the importance of public lands. “It’s critical that today’s youth have forma tive experiences that reinforce how valuable our natural resources are,” Segerstrom added. “Experiences in the outdoors lead these young people to be informed voters, engaged conservationists, and confident, resilient people. They learn conflict resolu tion, empathy, communication skills, and more, which prepares them to be positive members of their communities. They not only find their purpose in the corps world — they get to share that purpose with others.”
But as I’m discovering on Mount Quandary, it can also be an uphill battle. Espe cially in the wake of hiring freezes and cuts to public land partners. In fall 2024, the U.S. Forest Service announced it would suspend all seasonal hiring for the 2025 season, cutting about 2,400 jobs — the largest single-year staff cut in recent memory. Add the recent cuts to the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Forest Service — all of which are youth corps program partners — and the situa tion spirals.
Nearly all the Forest Service’s earlier cuts were field-based jobs, including biolo gists, timber workers, trail technicians, and recreation staff. And the cuts also affect CYCA’s accredited corps affiliates, which put young adults out in the field.
All photos courtesy Rocky Mountain Youth Corps continued on page 22
At left: Rocky Mountain Youth Corps volunteers work hard to maintain trails across Colorado’s public lands.
CASE STUDY: ROCKY MOUNTAIN YOUTH CORPS
Putting one foot ahead of the other through all these hurdles is CYCA affiliate Rocky Mountain Youth Corps, based in Steamboat Springs. The Forest Service cuts will likely affect them, as their crews do a lot for the Medicine Bow-Routt and White River national forests.
That said, it’s still shaping up to be a robust year for RMYC. Housed in a 4,300-square-foot building on a 3.4-acre campus in Steamboat Springs, RMYC has served nearly 14,000 youth in its three decades of service, including more than 5,000 through its Yampa Valley Science School program. Its crews work on everything from community cleanups, wildfire mitigation, tree planting projects, trail building, geographic information system programming, historic structure preservation, hydrology and archaeology projects, beetle kill removal, and more. Its burgeoning internship program helps participants pursue land management careers.
Like the clouds RMYC crews deal with in the mountains, all this is a silver lining to the cuts its public lands partners are facing. “We’re strengthening our partnerships with land managers throughout our region and providing meaningful service opportunities to young people," said RMYC Chief Executive Officer Ryan Banks,
who oversees a $7 million operating budget for his crews. “We’re looking forward to another summer helping public land managers complete their conservation projects — especially since now they may be a little shorthanded.”
Banks walks the walk. He spent several years working with AmeriCorps programs before joining RMYC’s full-time staff in 2017 and taking its reins in January 2024 from retiring CEO and founder Gretchen Van de Carr. As with RMYC’s crews, he hit the ground running. Last year, RMYC put more crew members into the field than ever; the corps served more than 850 youth through its various programs, improving 1,621 acres of public lands.
Like the ones joining me on Quandary, RMYC’s crews maintained more than 700 miles of trails and removed or mitigated more than 16,000 trees. Crews are also beefing up their wildfire mitigation efforts, including fielding an all-women’s chain saw and fire mitigation crew. “It’s a pretty male-dominated profession, so whenever we can help increase diversity it’s pretty special,” said Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest Fire Management Officer Chris Green.
A Rocky Mountain Youth Corps crew heads back to base camp after a day of S-212 chainsaw training.
FOURTEENERS A BIG BENEFICIARY
Fourteeners are a staple recipient of the corps’ efforts. The Colorado Fourteeners Initiative was formed in 1994 as a partnership of nonprofits, private donors, and public agencies to preserve and protect Colorado’s 58 fourteeners. And they regularly tap corps crews like those from RMYC for their projects. Another fourteener on the receiving end of their tenderloving shovels is Mount Elbert, Colorado’s highest peak at 14,439 feet. Crews from RMYC have spent the last few years giving its stairway to the sky a little love. “The workdays are pretty intense,” said Banks, who’s worked on several fourteeners himself. “You’re up before dawn and need to be off the mountain by 2 p.m. when the storms roll in. But it has a cult-like vibe; people want to work there. Elbert is an iconic peak, and you’re building something that will be there for 100 years.”
Putting in 10-hour days and hiking 3,000 vertical feet each morning from base camp up to 13,500 feet, RMYC crews worked on the peak’s North Elbert and Black Cloud trails, using timber features as treads. Higher on the peak, they used rocks to construct walls and staircases using a grip hoist to haul the stones up to the project site. Over the course of an eightday hitch, or typical work session, a crew would work two days on the lower site to acclimate and then six days higher up.
“RMYC is a longtime partner of ours and an integral part of making our projects happen — especially with our work on Elbert,” said former CFI Field Programs Director Ben Hanus. “It’s a strenuous place to work, but we’re grateful for the help. [RMYC crews] come with training, crew leaders, and great attitudes. Next to CFI staff, they’re the next best qualified to do this type of work.” He’s also glad for the experience it gives the kids. “It lets us introduce trail work to youth who otherwise might not get the experience, while also creating more future stewards of fourteeners.”
Leadville’s Loretta McEllhiney, former Colorado Fourteeners Program Manager for the USFS, has seen firsthand the positive impact corps crews have on Colorado’s natural resources and youth. For her, there is nothing better than helping youth find their calling outdoors. “RMYC provides much of the labor necessary to complete these backbreaking projects,” she said. “These crews help build respect for the natural environment, develop job skills, teach the meaning of service, and provide an opportunity to work in a team environment. The perfect life means living in a place that inspires you, having a fulfilling job, and surrounding yourself with likeminded people. Youth corps provide all these opportunities.”
What is a Fourteener?
fȯr-ˈtē-nər\ noun
A mountain with an elevation of at least 14,000 feet.
continued on page 24
Conservation service corps crew members learn the importance of teamwork in their daily grind.
A backcountry RMYC crew takes a break while working on a turnpike along the Continental Divide Trail.
Maintaining trails includes extracting huge boulders. Last year, more than 2,000 conservation service corps crew members improved or maintained 752 miles of trails and mitigated 5,000 acres of wildland fire zones across Colorado.
CYCA BOOMING
Combine RMYC’s work with that of the state’s other youth corps and, like the trails they maintain, things are going nowhere but up. CYCA is coming off its biggest year ever. “Investment in the corps has tripled in the past three years, from $3 million annually to more than $10 million,” said Segerstrom, who is working with project partners to keep investing in the state’s eight associations and is maintaining corps relations with such entities as the Great Outdoors Colorado lottery trust, the Bureau of Land Management, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and more.
The 2018 recipient of the Governor’s Service Award for Outstanding Community Leadership, Segerstrom is a former wilderness ranger and wildland firefighter with the U.S. Forest Service who got his start with RMYC. He spent several years leading RMYC’s chain saw and Continental Divide Trail crews, worked on a fourteener high-altitude trail and archaeology crew, and
eventually became the director of RMYC’s conservation corps program. Now at CYCA he manages and disperses the two largest AmeriCorps grants in Colorado and supports a corps sector that has grown to a collective operating budget of $28 million in the state.
All this is good news for CYCA’s eight accredited conservation corps like RMYC, who are eager to pitch in and help. “The cutbacks our partner organizations are facing are definitely unfortunate, but we look forward to picking up whatever slack we can with our land management agencies by continuing to offer meaningful outdoor service opportunities to our crew members,” Banks said. “It’s a win-win for everyone.”
Eugene Buchanan is a former reporter for the Denver Business Journal and 14-year publisher and editor in chief of Paddler magazine. His freelance articles have been published in The New York Times, Men’s Journal, Outside, National Geographic Adventure, Forbes Life, and more. He lives in Steamboat Springs.
Efficiency Tips for Older Homes
By Miranda Boutelle
Q: How do I improve the efficiency of my older home while keeping its charm?
A: The features of older homes can make them less efficient than modern construction, but it doesn’t have to be that way. There are ways to keep charm while increasing efficiency.
Start by prioritizing the invisible upgrades that make your home more comfortable and efficient. When we were kids, I don’t think any of us thought, “When I grow up, I want to spend my hard-earned money on insulation.” It’s not as exciting as new countertops or a remodeled bathroom, but air sealing and insulation can save you money every month.
Many older homes are not properly insulated. Insulation has several benefits beyond sealing your home and keeping outdoor air from seeping in. It reduces outdoor noise, makes your home quieter, and improves your overall comfort.
Always properly air seal before you insulate. Older homes with pocket doors, coved ceilings, dumbwaiters, doors to attic spaces, and laundry chutes allow indoor air to escape through the cavities, gaps, and cracks around these classic features. Sealing off open cavities around those features often requires plywood, rigid foam, or drywall fastened into place and then caulked around the edges.
Dense-packed cellulose or closed-cell foam insulation can be sprayed into exterior walls. Skilled contractors can remove pieces of siding and drill holes to fill the wall cavities from the outside of the home. For brick or stone homes, holes can be drilled from the inside and then patched and painted. Insulating walls from the inside of the home requires more time and effort in preparation and cleanup, but having well-insulated walls is worth it.
For safety purposes, knob and tube wiring — commonly used from the early 1880s to the 1930s with no grounding wire — should be replaced before insulating walls and attics. Contact between insulation and knob and tube wiring can create a fire hazard.
Older homes don’t have to be inefficient. Show your home some love and invest in energy efficient upgrades.
Miranda Boutelle is the chief operating officer at Efficiency Services Group in Oregon, a cooperatively owned energy efficiency company. She has more than 20 years of experience helping people save energy at home.
Photo by Mark Gilliland, Pioneer Utility Resources
Pass the Plate
Electric co-op employees’ favorite side dishes
A summer potluck is a fun and easy way to gather with friends in your backyard without having to do all the food prep yourself. This month we collaborated with electric co-op employees from across Colorado for a virtual side dish recipe swap. These tried-and-true recipes will get you started at your own backyard party or help you decide what to bring to your next cookout.
Roasted Potato Salad
By Alliy Sahagun Gunnison County Electric Association
Ingredients
3 lb round red potatoes, cut into 1" pieces
1 small red onion, cut into wedges, 1/2 cup
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
Dressing
3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 oz envelope dry ranch salad dressing mix
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, optional
• 1/2 cup celery, sliced on the bias
• 3 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and chopped
• 1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled, and chopped, optional
Salt, to taste
• Ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 bunch Italian flat leaf parsley, coarsely snipped, optional
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Serves 12
Place potatoes, onion, and garlic on a 15" x 10" baking pan. Drizzle vegetables with the olive oil and toss to coat. Roast uncovered for 20 minutes. Stir vegetables and add corn. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes longer, or until vegetables are tender and brown.
For dressing, in large bowl whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar, salad dressing mix, and, if desired, cayenne pepper.
Add roasted vegetables and toss to coat. Stir in celery, eggs, and avocado. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
Transfer to a serving dish. If desired, sprinkle with parsley.
Serve warm or chilled.
Poudre Canyon Northern Colorado’s outdoor playground
By Becky Jensen
Prepare to slow down and watch for wildlife — including bighorn sheep on rocky cliffs and bold kayakers in the whitewater — as you drive State Highway 14 through Poudre Canyon northwest of Fort Collins. Summer is a great time to experience everything this 40-mile canyon and the Cache la Poudre River have to offer.
Consider a getaway to this special landscape in the heart of Poudre Valley REA’s gorgeous service territory.
TAKE A HIKE
Hiking opportunities abound in Poudre Canyon. Popular trails in the lower canyon near Fort Collins include sprawling Hewlett Gulch and the more challenging Greyrock Mountain
To avoid crowds and summer heat, head west to the upper canyon, where you can quickly gain access to the cool alpine and stunning wildflowers on Montgomery Pass Trail
STOP AT THE MISH
Whether you’re a music lover or simply out for a Sunday drive, be sure to stop at Mishawaka Amphitheatre, the legendary music venue, restaurant, and bar built in 1916. You can’t beat the eats served up at the Mish — a local favorite — especially when paired with a cold beverage on the riverfront deck. Better yet, join the Mish for what it does best: a live concert under the stars. View their summer lineup at themishawaka.com
RIDE THE RAPIDS
Experienced rafters and kayakers flock to Poudre Canyon for its world-class whitewater. Regardless of your skill level, you can enjoy unforgettable Class II, III, and IV whitewater rafting, or take kayaking lessons with the licensed guides at Rocky Mountain Adventures out of Fort Collins. Book your trip at shopRMA.com
SLEEP RIVERSIDE
Poudre Canyon boasts multiple campgrounds in Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and offers dispersed camping along select roads. If you want a more comfortable base camp, book a tiny home, cozy cabin, or luxury glamping tent at Riverside Colorado, an inviting new canyon resort, located three miles downstream from the Mishawaka. Find more at riversidecolorado.com.
by Becky Jensen
At left: A hiker on the Montgomery Pass Trail. Photo by Becky Jensen
Photo
Photo courtesy of Mishawaka Amphitheatre
Photo courtesy of Rocky Mountain Adventures
Country Life
Stay Sun Smart
Ten minutes. That’s not a lot of time, but at Colorado’s elevation, that’s all it takes for some people to get a severe sunburn. July is UV Safety Awareness Month and a great time to remember the risks of unprotected sun exposure. Playing it safe in the sun is important for everyone this month and year-round. Regardless of the duration, unprotected sun exposure can have short-term and lasting effects.
Sunburns can make your skin feel hot, tender to the touch, and tight. Immediate symptoms of a sunburn are usually temporary, but over the long term, repeated sunburns can increase your skin cancer risk and lead to leathery skin, dark spots, and wrinkles. Just one blistering sunburn in childhood can double your chances of developing deadly melanoma later in life.
Ten minutes is all it takes to get a sunburn. Take five minutes before your fun in the sun to apply sunscreen and avoid the burn altogether.
Sun Safety Tips
Vacations, summer sports, pool time, and backyard barbecues are all signs of a fun summer. Don’t let a sunburn ruin it. Always practice sunsafe strategies no matter the length of exposure.
Seek shade as often as you can, especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when the UV index is at its highest.
Wear protective clothing: wide-brim hats, UV blocking sunglasses, and SPF rated long-sleeved shirts and pants.
Apply broad-spectrum sunscreen. Use SPF 30 or higher and reapply every two hours. Reapply more frequently if you are in the water or sweating a lot.
Use extra caution near water, sand, and concrete. Reflective surfaces can increase UV intensity and exposure.
The sun’s rays can go through windows, clouds, and light clothing. Daily sunscreen can reduce your risk of UV exposure accumulation.
CROSSWORD PUZZLE
ACROSS
1. Fad or frenzy
5. Opportunity, so to speak
9. Infiltrator, perhaps
14. Traveling, say
15. Spoonbills do it
16. Pillow filler
17. Juniors, e.g.
19. Fractious
20. Lumberjack’s cry
21. Big beef piece
23. Border duty
25. What tellers do
30. Advent
32. Like a span of oxen
33. “The Water Diviner” actor
36. Redressing
38. Communal pronoun
39. Farmhand, at times
40. Call, in Vegas
41. Broadway handouts
44. Updates a blog
46. Get another magazine
47. Weapon for a trooper
49. Frees from doubt
51. Extreme cruelty
54. Checklist bit
56. High beam? 58. Sousaphones
62. Strip of leaves 64. Word with secret or press
65. “So be it!”
66. Trap starter
67. Frat letter
68. Indicates yes
69. Grown grigs
DOWN
1. Go on a tirade
2. Expect anon
3. Type of radiation
4. Something to tweeze
5. Overshadows
6. High-quality table wood
7. Coleridge works
8. Pine secretion
9. Became exhausted, with “out”
10. Be a bad witness
11. Campaign creations
12. Trawler attachment
13. Venture
18. Paris flower
22. Library gizmo
24. Savage
26. ___ of hope
27. Out of whack
28. Church dogma
29. A sphere lacks them
31. Breaks the news
33. Coconut product
34. Recreation center posting
35. Grad school grillings
37. Western Colorado sights
39. Bathroom cleaner?
42. “___ don’t say!”
43. Latte preparer
44. Bicycle
45. Hole in the head
48. Empire builders
50. Chair or car style
52. In need of freshening
53. Mercury, for example
55. Office comm.
57. Pilates count
58. Body image, briefly?
59. “Yuck” cousin
60. Quilting social
61. Carpenter at the picnic?
63. Served dinner
© Lovatts Puzzles
Answers on page 34.
CONGRATULATIONS
• January Nonalcoholic whiskey: Barbara Humbracht, EEA
• February Sushi supplies: Patrice Diem, PVREA
• March Bird book: Karen Dobos, GVP
• April Kid crafts: Barbara Humbracht, EEA
• May Ice cream bowls: Whitni Moebius, GVP
Light Up Navajo UPDATE
Reader donations help change lives
This spring, Colorado Country Life readers responded with generosity to a call for support, and that support is making a real difference. Your donations are bringing a fresh start to families and homes across Navajo Nation.
Ten volunteer linecrews from eight Colorado electric co-ops are participating in Light Up Navajo VI this summer. Each crew spends one week connecting homes that have never had power. Light Up Navajo is a mutual aid initiative of the American Public Power Association and the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority.
Readers helped raise $3,800, which is going directly toward buying a refrigerator for each home Colorado crews help electrify. Your generous donations are offering families safe food storage and a life-changing upgrade in daily living.
Four Colorado electric co-op linecrews have traveled to Navajo Nation to electrify homes, with five more scheduled to go this month. We will share more updates once the trucks roll home.
Thank you for your generous support.
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Picture YOUR BRAND here!
Photo by DMEA Lineman Scott Breithaupt
Get it Fresh
at a Farmers Market
By Gaylene Garcia Granger
One of the best things about summer in Colorado is the abundance of tasty goods found at local farmers markets in cities and towns across the state. Unlike the outdoor markets of old, which mainly featured homegrown produce and meat, today you can meander throughout almost any local farmers market and find arts and crafts by local artisans, specialty food products, home brews, and live entertainment. Here are a few Colorado markets that are sure to fill your basket and your day with joy.
CORTEZ FARMERS MARKET
Cortez Farmers Market in beautiful Montezuma County claims to be the oldest market in the state of Colorado, founded in 1973 by Cortez native Bessie White. Her daughter, Cheryl Floyd, still works a produce stand selling her mom’s famous jams and jellies. Word is that the chokecherry is the best.
The market is held at a new location at 601 N. Mildred St. There are 48 vendors who sell fresh produce, coffee, honey, and beef, bison, and yak meat. It’s a market rich in history with plenty of room for the new and trendy. One vendor, Jewelry by Haley, is only 13 years old, but she is a town favorite with her colorful beaded jewelry and art. In September, the Cortez Farmers Market will host a community outreach bike rodeo with local police officers, who will give out 50 bike helmets to local kids.
Visit the market on Saturdays through October 25. Find more information online at cortezfarmersmarket.com.
Photo courtesy of Cortez Farmers Market
GRAND JUNCTION FARMERS MARKET
The Market on Main in Grand Junction is a must visit on your summertime travels. The event typically attracts 5,000 visitors per week with over 100 vendors, 17 of which are local farmers from the Grand Valley. These numbers typically peak in late July when Palisade peaches are widely available on the Western Slope. At the market, you’ll find food vendors, local butchers, bakers, and artists. They are all on Main Street between Third and Seventh streets. According to David Goe, community engagement manager, “We host themed nights and have entertainment past sundown. We also team up with local downtown businesses for special activities like the 600 Block Party.” Market on Main is on Thursday evenings from July 10 through September 25. Find more information online at downtowngj.org/events/market-on-main.
FORT COLLINS FARMERS MARKET
Fort Collins Farmers Market is all about Colorado grown. All vendors grow their own produce, raise their own animals, or craft and package their own food. According to Marketing Director Katie Krull, “The market is great, they always have friendly vendors who work hard to produce different things that go with the seasons. For example, Sweet European Treats will use fresh produce from the market and make unique desserts with them.”
The Fort Collins Farmers Market can be found at 1001 E. Harmony Rd. and runs rain or shine on Sundays through November 9 and Wednesdays through September 24. For more information, visit fortcollinsfarmersmarket.org.
WOODLAND PARK FARMERS MARKET
The Woodland Park Farmers Market started in 1990 when the original founders recognized that there were not a lot of options for fresh produce due to the average 8,500-foot elevation of Woodland Park and the surrounding small towns. Today, they’re keeping their cool and selling their goods at Memorial Park, with a stunning backdrop of snow-capped Pike’s Peak in the distance.
Here, customers will find a wide variety of cottage kitchen bakers and producers, fresh eggs, domestic and imported cheeses, in-season produce, local coffee roasters, food trucks, and Colorado beef, yak, and pork, plus local musicians providing entertainment. It retains one of its original six vendors, La Baguette, and has also developed a young entrepreneur program to host young people ages 8-18, to sell their handmade foods and crafts.
The market has received many awards over the years, from being voted one of the top farmers markets in the nation, to a multiyear/multicategory winner for being the best place to meet locals, the best place to hear live music, best outdoor event, and best place to cool off during the summer. The market begins the first Friday in June and runs through the last Friday of September. For directions, visit wpfarmersmarket.com
Photo courtesy of Woodland Park Farmers Market
Photo courtesy of Fort Collins Farmers Market
Photo courtesy of Grand Junction Farmers Market
San Isabel Electric Association member Herman Arellano (right) and brother-inlaw Bernie Ortiz travel to Washington, D.C., on Honor Flight #20 recognizing them for their service in the Korean and Vietnam wars. We at CCL thank you for your service and for bringing the magazine on this important trip.
Jan Hopp, a Sangre de Cristo Electric Association member, visits the remains of the Urquhart Castle in Scotland with her copy of CCL.
Ron and Joy Harper enjoy the Tuscan countryside and historical Italian sites, including the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The Harpers are members of Poudre Valley REA.
Mountain View Electric members Curtis and Kim Crews bring their copy of the magazine on their trip to Kauai, Hawaii, to celebrate their 27th anniversary with the turtles on Poipu Beach.
On their way to the Galápagos Islands with their latest issue of CCL, Mountain View Electric members Joe and Winnie Vasquez stop for a photo at Ecuador’s Pululahua Geobotanical Reserve, north of Quito.
DON’T FORGET TO PACK CCL FOR YOUR NEXT TRIP!
Show us where you enjoy CCL for a chance to win! Take a photo of someone (or a selfie!) with the magazine and share it with us on our website at coloradocountrylife.coop. Each month we’ll draw one photo to win $25. See all the submitted photos on our Facebook page, @COCountryLife
Southeast Colorado Power Association member Judy Davis holds her copy of CCL with The Wolf Hotel owner Chris McCord in Ellinwood, Kansas.
Art and Linda Wilson celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary in Greece, and visit Olympic Stadium in Olympia. The Wilsons are members of Sangre de Cristo Electric Association.
Mountain View Electric Association member Lisa Hatfield brings CCL on a visit to Rhinelander, Wisconsin. Her husband, Mark, is behind the camera taking her photo.
Country Life
WE WORK YEAR-ROUND TO REDUCE WILDFIRE RISK
Wildfire risk is an undeniable part of living in the rural West, but it’s a fight we’re facing head-on.
At Tri-State G&T, we deploy data-driven monitoring and wildfire mitigation strategies to identify and mitigate risk to protect our communities and the critical infrastructure they rely on. We’ll do anything within our power to protect the people and places our members call home.
WHATEVER THE FUTURE HOLDS, WE’LL POWER IT.®
Learn more about our year-round wildfire mitigation program here:
