Equity In Our Park Hill Classrooms: Looking Back And Looking Ahead
By Andrew Lefkowits | For the GPHN
This is a story about community organizing as it actually happens: imperfect, volunteer-led, and shaped as much by relationships as by plans. It includes real momentum and real frustration, things that worked and things that didn’t, and a lot of people giving their time because they cared deeply about the Greater Park Hill neighborhood and its schools.
In August of 2017, a diverse group of 30 parents and community members gathered in the offices of Greater Park Hill Community to ask two deceptively simple questions:
Why were the public elementary schools in Greater Park Hill (Park Hill, Stedman, Smith and Hallett) providing such different opportunities for kids? And, was there the will in the community to do something about it?
At the time, differences in enrollment patterns, access to resources,
and school ratings told very different stories from school to school. And yet, it was also clear that meaningful, inspiring work was happening in all four schools. (A fifth elementary school in Park Hill, Odyssey, operates as a charter; the majority of its students don’t live in the neighborhood.) Dedicated
Remembering Dick Young
educators, engaged families, and resilient students were doing their best within systems that were far from equitable.
The stakes felt high. Denver Public Schools was signaling that at least one of the schools could be at risk of closure. Greater Park Hill had lived
Park Hill Action Committee Co-Founder Fought For Integration, Equal Opportunity And Fair Housing: The Best Of What A Neighborhood Should Be Special to the GPHN
Richard Edward Young, a fierce advocate for civil rights and one of the founders of the Park Hill Action Committee that fought redlining and blockbusting, and promoted integration in the neighborhood, died on Jan. 7. He was 94.
Young, a beloved husband, father, father-in-law, grand-
father, attorney, naval officer and staunch Democrat, was born on Nov. 30, 1931. A graduate of the University of Michigan, the U.S. Navy’s Officer Candidate School and University of Michigan Law School, Young and his wife Lorie moved to Park Hill in November, 1960.
Shortly after they moved into their house on Elm Street, Young became active in helping to form the Park Hill Action Committee, and he became chair in its second year. He was integral in bringing civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. to Denver in January, 1964; the Youngs hosted a reception for Rev. King at their home.
Throughout the 1960s, Young was a driving force in advocating for fair housing and equal opportunity. In 1962, Denver Mayor Tom Currigan appointed him chair of the Denver Commission on Human Relations. In 1966, he formed and chaired the Metro Denver Fair Housing Center.
In 1967, he volunteered to represent the Park Hill Action Committee in negotiations with Conoco regarding a small piece of land at 23rd Avenue and Dexter Street. Young convinced the oil conglomerate to donate the land rather than potentially build a gas station on it — that land is now the much-utilized and beloved Turtle Park. (Young also helped build the pocket park’s first gazebo.)
He continued to be a blockworker, delivering the Greater Park Hill News to his neighbors every month, until finally retiring from that post two years ago.
Young was elected chair of the Denver Democratic Party in 1971, during the era of Sen. Floyd Haskell, Congresswoman Pat Schroeder and Denver District Attorney Dale Tooley. He stepped down as chair in 1976 but continued to head up the party’s voter registration and the get-out-thevote campaigns. He also chaired numerous state commissions and committees under Gov. Richard Lamm.
through such closures before, often with limited community input and real harm as a result. In the room that August day, there was a shared sense that if change was coming, it needed to be shaped with the community — not done to it.
Continued on page 4
Third graders from Park Hill, Stedman, Smith and Hallett elementary schools, at the Smiley Campus. Every year, participating students gathered together for One Park Hill Day. Sponsored by Park Hill Neighbors for Equity in Education, OPHD was designed to provide students with in-group experiences with kids from other schools. Photo courtesy of PHNEE
Dick and Lorie Young, in 2023. Photo by Cara DeGette
P A R K H I L L S M I L
DR. TOM GENT, DDS
[ HAPPENINGS ]
February Grab-Bag
Ways To Care For Your Well-Being, And Your Community
Cara DeGette | GPHN Editor
The national news, including horrific killings of protesters by ICE agents in Minneapolis, has made for a grueling past few weeks.
Closer to home, there are a few things you can do to be prepared — and to help restore your equilibrium. Plan a tree to plant in your yard this spring. Help plan what happens in the north parts of Park Hill over the next 20 years. Finally, when it comes to ICE and other agencies that are engaging in horrific abuses, know that there are groups in Colorado who have got your back if you need.
Know The ICE Hotline
Add 1-844-864-8341 to your contact list. That’s the hotline for the Colorado Rapid Response Team (CRRT), which assists people who are experiencing or witnessing illegal activities being conducted by federal ICE agents.
The number is a 24/7 hotline to a live person. That person can dispatch legal observers to the scene of an immigration raid or other confrontation implicating civil liberties. They can record events, provide advice and help formulate a plan of action.
Several groups are participating with CRRT, including the ACLU of Colorado, American Friends Service Committee, Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition and Colorado People’s Alliance. Check out the website coloradorapidresponsenetwork.com for more.
Got A Complaint?
Do you have a complaint about misconduct or potentially unlawful actions by federal agents in Colorado, including ICE?
In January, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser added a new section to his office’s public complaint filing system for Coloradans to report misconduct of federal agents. Examples of potentially unlawful activity to report include excessive force, unlawful searches or arrests, wrongful detentions, interference with voting or other civil-rights violations.
The website is coag.gov/file-complaint. Your information will assist the Attorney General in documenting concerns and identifying potential patterns of misconduct by federal agents.
WHO WE ARE
Editor: Cara De G ette
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Deadline for submissions is the 15th of every month
Help Plan For Park Hill
What do you want to happen in the north area of Park Hill over the next 20 years? Just as important is what do you want not to happen?
Denver’s Planning Department is kicking off a formal process for a plan to encompass North Park Hill, Northeast Park Hill, Clayton, Cole and Skyland — all of the neighborhoods that are close to the new Park Hill Park at 35th Avenue and Colorado Boulevard. The plan will be used to guide decisions for the area that Denver will make in the next two decades or more.
The city has set up a website, at tinyurl.com/NearNortheastPlan, where residents can learn more and take a survey to help kick-start the plan. People can also apply to serve on an advisory committee — a group of 15 to 20 community members who will meet at regular intervals throughout the process and oversee the planning efforts.
Among the survey questions: What is one idea that you have that will help improve your neighborhood in the next 10-20 years? What do you like most about Near Northeast Denver and your neighborhood? What are you concerned about in your neighborhood now and in the future? (The survey also asks for age, gender, race/ethnicity, household income — which might be off-putting to many people. The survey specifies, however, that people can opt out of answering those questions.)
Build The Canopy
There is still time to sign up for a lowcost tree this year from the organization Denver Digs Trees.
A number of varieties are available, including Kentucky Coffeetree, Turkish Filbert and Crimson Spire Oak. Because Northeast Park Hill is targeted for a canopy boost, trees are available for $15. Elsewhere in the neighborhood, the trees are $50 this year. Applicants facing financial hardship may request a “treeship” for a free tree.
Applications are at theparkpeople. org and are accepted until Feb. 15. You will need to plan to pick up and plant your tree April 17-18.
The Greater Park Hill News is published by Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. (GPHC) on the 1st of each month. Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. makes no warranties and assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of the information contained herein. The opinions expressed in articles are not necessarily the opinions of GPHC. GPHC does not necessarily endorse the companies, products or services advertised in The Greater Park Hill News unless specifically stated. GPHC reserves the right to run any advertisement.
Circulation is 13,000 and is distributed in the Park Hill Area by neighborhood volunteers.
The Greater Park Hill Community, Inc., is a volunteerbased registered neighborhood organization that: promotes the character and vibrancy of Park Hill; provides resources, information and advocacy; and preserves quality of life and the history of the neighborhood through community participation.
This newspaper is made possible through the support of our advertisers and members. If you are not already a member, please consider joining the Greater Park Hill Community, Inc.
Elegant And Showy
With its glossy bright green head, white collar and chestnut-colored body, the Mallard is one of the most recognizable ducks in the world. In flight, you can see its blue-violet wing patches within thin white bars. Mallards are large ducks with hefty bodies, rounded heads and wide, flat bills. They are “dabbling ducks” — meaning as they float along in the water, they feed by tipping forward and grazing on underwater plants. They almost never dive down into the depths. This Mallard Duck was photographed at City Park by Mark Silverstein.
1/22/26, 1:06 PM AW AD - Park Hill Album (Park Hill Stats) latest (11)
Four schools, One Park Hill
From that first gathering, a racially and socioeconomically diverse group of about 15 people volunteered to take on the work. We gave ourselves a name — Park Hill Neighbors for Equity in Education — and, unintentionally, an acronym that stuck: PHNEE (pronounced “Fnee”).
In those early months, we spent a lot of time learning together and getting clear about what we were actually trying to do. We knew from the start that this wasn’t about “fixing” a single school or chasing a quick win. It was about shared responsibility across the neighborhood.
We articulated a set of guiding principles that kept bringing us back to the same core ideas:
• Raise awareness about current segregation in our four neighborhood elementary schools
• Raise awareness of the benefits of socioeconomically integrated schools
• Raise awareness of Greater Park Hill’s long history of fighting for diversity, inclusion, and equity
• Lift up the positive aspects of all four schools
• Foster a sense of community ownership of all four schools together
• Increase community will to make choices that improve socioeconomic integration
Hard questions, shared hopes
Greater Park Hill has a long legacy of social justice activism — including its central role in Keyes v. School District No. 1, the 1973 Supreme Court case that established that segregation existed in Denver’s public schools and that segregation was a constitutional violation.
Families from this neighborhood were instrumental in bringing that truth to light and we understood ourselves as standing on their shoulders.
From the beginning, awareness mattered. History mattered. Relationships mattered. And we believed that any durable change would require a shared understanding of how we got here, and why equity and integration are not just abstract ideals but lived experiences.
That grounding eventually led to a community-wide gathering in January 2018. More than 160 people came together for a shared meal and a morning of learning, listening, and conversation. Neighbors, educators, and community leaders gathered to grapple with hard questions and shared hopes.
Education writer Lynn Kalinauskas captured the energy of that afternoon in a column for the Greater Park Hill News, titled A Force to Be Reckoned With Reflecting on the gathering, she wrote that it felt like a moment when the community was “ready to take responsibility for the inequities it sees — and willing to sit with the discomfort that comes with that work.”
Three big buckets
Following that gathering, we organized our work into three broad buckets that reflected our original commitments: communications, shared experiences, and policy.
Communications focused on awareness-building. We wrote regularly in the Greater Park Hill News. We hosted “We PHNEEd to Talk” conversations at our neighborhood libraries. We used social media to share stories and resources. We launched the PHNEE website — phnee.org — and yes, we celebrated that milestone. The goal wasn’t to tell people what to think,
but to create shared language, shared history, and shared understanding. Shared experiences were about building relationships. We hosted One Park Hill Day, an annual event that brought third-grade students from across the neighborhood together. We believe that true integration moves beyond desegregation and works to create real belonging and meaningful relationships.
The policy work was where things became most complex. Our orientation from the start was not to wait for the district to solve things for us, but to ask what we could do, here in Greater Park Hill, to improve equity. Through conversations with families, educators, and school leaders across all four elementary schools, one challenge surfaced repeatedly: Hallett Academy’s lack of a defined attendance boundary. Without a boundary, Hallett, at 29th and Jasmine, struggled with stable enrollment, which in turn affected funding, staffing, and program offerings. It was a downward cycle that had little to do with the commitment or quality of the people inside the building.
‘So now what?’
As we explored possible paths forward, it became clear that meaningful community input was essential, and that the systems involved were deeply confusing. School choice, enrollment policies, funding formulas, and the School Performance Framework are not intuitive, even for highly engaged parents. We wanted to ask the community, “So now what?” But first, we needed a shared baseline of understanding. That realization led to the creation of an animated explainer video called Imagine One Park Hill (tinyurl.com/OneParkHill).
Designed as a clear, accessible introduc-
tion to the issues facing our neighborhood schools, the video explains enrollment patterns, boundaries, choice, and equity in a way that neighbors could see and talk about together. It wasn’t meant to prescribe a solution, but to create a common starting point for conversations. We screened the video in many settings — at coffee with principals, PTA meetings, and on local media, including Jeff Fard’s brother jeff show We gathered feedback as we went, adjusting our thinking along the way.
When the world changed
Recognizing that any shifts in enrollment patterns would primarily affect families not yet enrolled in schools, we developed an outreach plan focused on neighborhood preschools. We were ready to launch that plan in March of 2020.
Then the world changed.
As COVID-19 reshaped daily life, questions about where kids were assigned to school understandably became less pressing. Policy work stepped back. Our communications and outreach continued, including a monthly Zoom conversation called EdEquity Corner. But shared experiences like One Park Hill Day had to be canceled.
Holding on to community was hard; growing new community felt nearly impossible. People got tired of Zoom. Attendance slowed. And for those of us most deeply involved, our kids kept growing older.
Over the past several years, we have done what we could to keep the thread intact. We brought back One Park Hill Day twice more. We continue to draw inspiration from Greater Park Hill’s history, reminding ourselves that change here has never been quick, or linear.
This photo — a blend of students representing all four of Park Hill’s public elementary schools — was used in several of PHNEE’s program materials. The students are all now in high school. Photos courtesy of PHNEE
Park Hill Neighbors for Equity In Education co-founder Andrew Lefkowits, at right, with community partner James Roy II.
PHNEE, continued from page 1
Anniversary of Keyes and more In 2023, as the 50th anniversary of the Keyes decision approached, we convened a gathering of about 100 — including people directly involved in the original case, like Buddy Noel and Christy KeyesRomero. High school students from across Denver reflected on the unfulfilled promise of the ruling, and what it still asks of us today. We created and shared a timeline of the Keyes case. We also continued lending PHNEE’s voice to issues that felt important. Our work has highlighed school funding, school choice and declining enrollment, the limitations of the School Performance Framework and DPS efforts to redraw boundaries.
Early last year, our most-focused policy work — redrawing school boundaries to enhance equity and socioeconomic integration — came to fruition. The DPS Board of Education passed EL19, which required the superintendent to implement a comprehensive review and modification of school boundaries. These changes must address declining enrollment, equity, and socioeconomic integration. New boundaries should be in effect for the 27-28 school year. The relationships we build Now, PHNEE finds itself at a crossroads. The core group of volunteers who have driven this work has kids who have aged out of elementary school. We have infrastructure — a bank account, a website, an email list, a solid body of work. What we don’t have right now is the people power to carry this work forward.
At the same time, the goals that brought us together in 2017 — awareness, equity, integration, shared responsibility — are still relevant. The belief that Greater Park Hill is strongest when we see all four neigh-
borhood elementary schools as our schools still feels deeply true.
So we are turning back to the community, once again, to ask:
Is there still the will to do something about working toward a more equitable Park Hill in our schools? And if so, could the foundation PHNEE has established be helpful in that work?
We would love to see PHNEE continue in whatever form the community shapes. And if it can’t, we will always be grateful for the experience — for what we learned, the relationships we built, and the opportunity to do this work together.
The work of a village
Finally, we want to express our deep gratitude to the many volunteers who devoted their time, talent and treasure to advancing this work. This includes everyone who showed up to events, had tough conversations and pushed us. It includes those who donated money, sponsored our events and generously provided food and beverage for our events. It includes committed community partners like Sexy Pizza, James Roy II and Denver Metro Community Impact, and the Hope Center, which has hosting our meetings.
We didn’t get everything right. But our love for Greater Park Hill, and our belief in the ideals that helped shape this neighborhood — guided us along the way.
We will always believe that bringing the community together is worthwhile.
Andrew Lefkowits is a Stedman graduate, a longtime Stedman dad and a co-founder of Park Hill Neighbors for Equity In Education. If you are interested in a conversation about continuing the work under the PHNEE banner, reach out at info@phnee.org.
Dr. Kate Hakala and her staff are pleased to welcome Dr. Firas Habas to the
Habas
Keeping The Dream Alive
Denver Marks Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
It was a day to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr.’s 97th birthday, and a day to march to honor of the legacy of the slain civil rights leader. It was a day to recommit to keep the fight for justice and equality alive, and to recognize the fierce urgency of right now.
The Jan. 19 day of Denver’s annual MLK, Jr. Marade (march plus parade) was brisk — though nothing close to the frigid temperatures marchers encountered the past couple of years. Several thousand people assembled at the MLK, Jr. statue in City Park, west of Park Hill.
After the regular political speeches, the crowd, unde terred by the Bus Rapid Transit construction on Col fax, marched two miles to the Colorado Capitol. A few notables in the crowd included former Mayor Welling ton Webb, at top right, Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. board member Jacqui Shumway, bottom left, and Park Hill-based photographer Bernard Grant, inset.
Photos by Cara DeGette
‘We Dream. We Dare. We Do.’
Excerpts From Colorado Gov. Jared Polis’s State Of The State Speech
Editor’s. note: On Jan. 15 Colorado Gov. Jared Polis delivered his final State of the State address at the Colorado Capitol. The speech, a victory lap of sorts that highlighted policy achievements of his seven-year tenure, clocked in at nearly 90 minutes. It was also filled with the usual pop-culture, sometimes nerdy references that Polis is known for. Among them: Colorado is not a true rectangle, but a polygon with 697 sides. His final line about the fish is a nod to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. The following are a few excerpts from the speech, which can be read in full at tinyurl.com/PolisSOTS.
At a time when Washington is peddling the illusion that America somehow isn’t for everyone, that somehow there’s only room for some – some people, some beliefs, some love, some prayer – I want to make it clear: In our Colorado for All, there is room – and opportunity – for all of us.
In our Colorado for All, we welcome immigrants and refugees who seek to build a better life here, who strengthen our economy and enrich our communities under the shelter of our democracy.
In our Colorado for All, an attack on one of us is an attack on all of us.
In our Colorado for All, we safeguard our fundamental freedoms, protecting the right to be who you are, marry who you love, and choose when or if to start a family.
There is space in our great big hexahectaenneacontakaiheptagonal state for all of us. We are a state of adventure seekers chasing mountain peaks and fresh powder, of wide-eyed entrepreneurs, artists, devout Colo -
[ LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ]
Why The Storm Clouds?
Thanks for Penfield Tate’s column last month, Perfect Storm, with its description of the state budget trauma ahead. I wonder, did he intentionally leave out the elephant in the room? Why we have this budget crisis?
Only in Colorado do we have a law like the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR), which doesn’t recognize that, collectively, taxes help us afford services that we could never afford alone. And then there’s Colorado’s flat tax, where the poor are taxed at the same rate as the wealthy. It’s not a fair tax system.
Together we could fix those problems and fund the things people need. We’d be a better, healthier society.
I’d love to see you flesh this out in a future column. With gratitude for keeping us informed,
—Judy Danielson, South City Park
Need More Than A Sign
Re the ongoing coverage of the dangerous intersection of 17th Avenue and Monaco Parkway:
I don’t want to diminish the impact that five crashes have had
radans of faith, poets, vegans, soccer moms and ultimate frisbee dads, hunters and union workers, farmers and ranchers, and yes, immigrants and refugees.
We respect our differences, and we are stronger and better off because of our rich diversity.
In our Colorado for All, hope and kindness are part of our DNA.
In the Lord of the Rings, Sam speaks to Frodo, saying “there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo, and it’s worth fighting for.”
Colorado, there’s so much good, and we keep fighting for more.
There’s good we’ve achieved – more homes for every budget, more ways to get around easier without sitting in traffic, and more opportunities for students at every stage – and the good that we know is still possible, what we continue to fight for.
When I ran to serve as your Governor I promised to be bold — heck, I made a lot of promises, that together, we’ve turned into a reality for Colorado. Free preschool. Free full day kindergarten. More housing. Less pollution. We dream. We dare. We do.
I’ve been called many things – Colorado’s education governor, marijuana governor, tech bro governor, gay governor, socialist, fascist, communist, capitalist, libertarian. I’ll keep putting in the work and let others decide the labels, but at the end of the day, it’s always been about delivering real results that leave our state better
on one family’s property, as that is unacceptable. However, I find the narrow focus astounding. For drivers who deserve a license, there should be nothing confusing about going offroad when the road clearly turns. Signage won’t fix that, but eliminating distracted driving will. The fact that in the several months of updates there is not a single mention of distracted driving is irresponsible. Distracted driving makes driving, walking and cycling immeasurably more dangerous to everyone, yet somehow your reporting assumed that a simple sign will resolve the issue.
Take the opportunity to look for the [much] larger issue and remind readers to put their phones down before the outcome is more than displaced bricks.
—Bryan
Sharp, Park Hill
We love your letters, and we give preference to those that address an issue that has been covered in the newspaper, or a topic that is Park Hill or Denver-specific. Send letters to editor@greaterparkhill.org, and include your full name and the neighborhood in which you live. Deadlines are the 15th of each month, for the following month’s issue.
than we found it. And it’s also about showing loving kindness for everyone and everything. I leave you with the advice to be kind and love your fellow human.
Seven years ago, I joined you all in delivering my first State of the State address, and shared what an honor it is to be your Governor.
In the time since, forces beyond us have shaped our reality — a oncein-a-century pandemic, widespread inflation, the biggest and most destructive fires in our state’s history, an unpredictable federal landscape, a massive wormhole connecting to the Abyss with an upside down version of Colorado and our only hope is a group of Dungeons & Dragons -playing
2 26
teens.... Well, maybe not that. But despite it all, we faced our challenges head on, never losing sight of our values and what makes us who we are. We stared down the abyss, destroyed our metaphorical Vecnas, and delivered big, bold progress for Colorado while rolling a natural 20 on landing Sundance, the All-Star Game, and the quantum accelerator. In this time of great division, now more than ever we must come together as Coloradans, leading with kindness and respect to move our ONE team, our great state, forward. The state of our state is strong. Resilient. Loving. Kind. Innovative. Free. And ever bright with the promise of a Colorado for All. So long, and thanks for all the fish. ✦
Rock The Caucus On March 3
The Midterms Are Coming. It’s Time To Get To Work
By Sharon Kermiet
| House District 8 Volunteer
Coordinator
The President of the U.S. has expressed interest in “cancelling” the 2026 midterms. His deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, has called the Democratic Party a “domestic extremist organization.” This is dangerous rhetoric and threatens our democracy.
Voters can combat this threat by showing up at every point in the electoral process. The first step in 2026 is your precinct’s caucus.
Colorado counties will hold their Democratic Party caucuses in early March. Denver precinct caucuses are Tuesday, March 3, beginning at 6:30 p.m. We encourage you to attend your caucus this year, even if you’ve rarely — or never — attended in the past. To participate, you must be a resident of your Denver precinct, and registered to vote, for at least 22 days (Feb. 9) before the caucus. Get more information about the 2026 process at this website: denverdemocrats.org/caucus. The site helps you identify your precinct, gives the location of your precinct’s caucus and provides more details. You can register for caucus online, although you can also just show up on March 3 to meet your Democratic Party neighbors and learn about the next steps in the 2026 midterm elections.
What we do at caucus:
• Elect delegates to the Denver County Democratic Assembly — which is the next meeting in the electoral process. Some candidates — including Phil Weiser and Michael Bennet (who are both running for governor) — will use the caucus process to get on the 2026 ballot. Caucus attendees will vote on which of the candidates’ delegates will go to the Denver County Assembly, which is March 14.
• Learn how to make suggestions to the Democratic Party of Denver’s platform committee on top issues like income inequality, climate change, protecting our democracy, gun violence, or the cost of health care.
• Elect Democratic Party precinct organizers. Many precincts in Denver need precinct organizers. A precinct organizer recruits volunteers and coaches them to get out the vote.
• Recruit block captains, building captains, and other volunteers to help get out the 2026 vote.
• Recruit election judges.
Please attend and let your voice be heard!
Editor’s note: The Denver County Republicans also hold their caucus on March 3. The website with information on the GOP’s process is at denvergop.org.
Key Dates
MARCH 3: Party Caucuses
MARCH 14: Denver County Assembly
JUNE 30: Primary Election NOV. 3: General Election
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, on Jan. 15. COLab/pool photo
Cash-Strapped In Colorado
Colorado’s Democrats And Republicans Agree On One Thing: Life Is Unaffordable
By Penfield W. Tate III | For the GPHN
Just as the killing of George Floyd woke up a country trying to recover from COVID-19, so too has the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis by ICE similarly shocked the nation. Last month’s shootings in Portland by Border Patrol added further justified outrage.
These extreme enforcement measures are beginning to stir up the country again. It’s good to see so many people angry and horrified; it shows we are paying attention.
Playing the wild card
With that context, the Colorado legislature is now underway in this year’s 120-day session. The governor’s January State of the State address — the last by term-limited Jared Polis — along with speeches from the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and leaders from the Ute Mountain Ute and Southern Ute tribes, have been made. (If you have never witnessed the pomp and circumstance of the kick-off of a legislative session, I recommend every Coloradan do so. It’s something special, it’s grounding, and it puts you closer to the process.)
The real work is now underway. But remember, the wild card I mentioned in these pages last month: the state budget. Colorado’s finances are upside down, and we will know next month by how much. Any bills with a fiscal impact that are introduced before then will likely be held in committee for a period of time, or simply killed outright. That means all the creative drafting in the world is taking place now. No legislator wants to have a bill that will cost money. That is the kiss of death this session.
What Polis wants
insurance costs. Making it easier for nonprofits to build affordable housing on land they own. Bringing higher ed, apprenticeships and workforce training under one roof. Protecting Colorado air, land and water. Continuing to promote renewable energy. Protecting public lands. Continuing to protect civil rights, immigrants, LGBTQ rights, and the rights of the disabled. Securing voting rights and a woman’s right to choose.
No legislator wants to have a bill that will cost money.
A second wild card could be Polis, in his final year as governor. His January State of the State address highlighted his priorities: Housing affordability (especially near transit). Lower costs for homeowners insurance. Cost-efficient passenger rail and transportation projects. Consolidating skills development, training programs apprenticeships and education. Economic development.
That is the kiss of death this session.
As most people know, Democrats have a firm majority in both the Colorado Senate and state House of Representatives. Here are the priorities that those leaders — as well as their Republican minority counterparts — have offered up as their goals this session. Note: these goals are primarily aspirational, and they don’t necessarily reflect specific bills to be introduced.
What House Democrats want
Priorities: Lowering the cost of living for Coloradans. Reducing health care premiums and health care costs. Reducing the cost of childcare. Reducing the cost of housing by finding innovative financing mechanisms to build more affordable housing. Reducing property
What House Republicans want
They say they will be working toward bipartisan solutions, and their priorities will include: Making life more affordable for Coloradans. Protecting rights of parents to make the best decisions for their kids and families. Pragmatic and affordable solutions for cleaner air and water that respect the jobs supporting the current energy infrastructure. Stronger public safety in our neighborhoods and on our jobs. School choice for parents and students. Protecting the life of the unborn. Protection of the Second Amendment right to bear arms.
What Senate Democrats want
Senate Democrats are also hoping to work on a bi-partisan basis. They say they will prioritize: Increasing the state’s affordable housing stock by lowering prices and incentivizing home ownership. Stabilizing health care premium rates. Cracking down on deceptive pricing practices to protect the earnings of working families. Streamlining workforce programs to help more Coloradans enter into highly-skilled careers. Continuing to strive to reach the State’s climate goals. Continuing to invest in diverse energy sources to lower costs and bolster the economy.
What Senate Republicans want
Senate Republicans say they plan to advocate for a more cooperative spirit, with less division and fractures … and working in a bi-partisan fashion. Lower costs in housing, energy, insurance premiums and everyday necessities. Scrutinize state spending. Reduce unnecessary bureaucracy. Restore the balance between regulation and innovation, ambition and accountability so that individual creativity thrives. Open opportunity by ensuring access to good-paying jobs, quality education, reliable infrastructure and workforce training.
One common theme: Unaffordability
The one consistent theme from both sides of the aisle is the realization that life in this country and state has become more unaffordable, and that prices and costs are rising too much and far too quickly.
If this is a universal guiding principal in the General Assembly this year, that is a real sign of progress. Yes, I know, not all the priorities are the same and many do not align. And that is okay and can bode well for building the spirit of cooperation.
That is what makes the process so unpredictable and interesting. Hold on, it’s coming.
Penfield W. Tate III is an attorney and serves on a number of nonprofit boards. He is a frequent panelist on PBS 12 ‘s Colorado Inside Out and was a leader of SOS Denver fighting to make the former Park Hill Golf Course open space for the community. He represented Park Hill in the Colorado House of Representatives from 1997 to 2000, and in the State Senate from 2001 to February 2003, when he stepped down to run for Mayor of Denver. He is also a former candidate for the Denver City Council. Penfield and his wife Paulette live in the neighborhood.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis makes his way toward the exit after delivering his final State of the State address on Jan. 15, in the House chamber of the state Capitol building. COLab/pool photo
A Guide to Park Hill and Nearby Camps
Compiled by Cara DeGette | Editor, GPHN
It’s February — time to break through the ice of the winter that will happen eventually. Indeed, it’s time to start thinking about the long, lazy, days ahead, and of course the camps that go with them.
The following is a guide of summer camps in, nearby, and extending well beyond the borders of Park Hill. Many camps fill up fast, so make sure to check websites for the latest info.
Special note: Camps with longer descriptions of their programs and what they offer denote those organizations that are paid advertisers to the Greater Park Hill News Camp Directory.
Art Garage | 6100 E. 23rd Ave. artgaragedenver.com
Art Students League of Denver | 200 Grant St. asld.org
Athena Project I 3300 W. Nevada Pl. athenaprojectarts.org/summer-camps
Bluff Lake Nature Center |11255 E. MLK Jr Blvd. blufflake.org/camp|education@blufflake.org
Bluff Lake Summer Camp is an outdoor nature-themed day camp in Central Park with one week sessions for ages 5-12, and two week Junior Counselor sessions for ages 13-17 from June 1 - August 14. Extended care and need-based scholarships are available. We have brand new learning spaces!
Code Ninjas is offering our most popular camps this summer with an exciting mix of Roblox, Minecraft, LEGO Robotics, Scratch, and Python coding. Camps are hands-on, instructor-led, and built to help kids learn real coding skills while having a blast.
Colorado Rapids Youth Soccer Club | Various rapidsyouthsoccer.org
Commerce City Parks, Recreation & Golf I Commerce City recreation.c3gov.com/classes-programs/youthprograms/summer-camps
Dance Institute I 10515 E 40th Ave #114 danceInstitute.Denver.com 323-525-0011
Denver Botanic Gardens | Spring Break Camps | 1007 York St. and Chatfield Farms 720-865-3500
Sign up for 2026 Spring Break Camps (happening next month) at Denver Botanic Gardens! Join us for “Plant Detectives” March 23-27 at Chatfield Farms in Littleton or “Trowels Around the World” March 30 – April 3 at York Street in Denver. Camps are for ages 6-12 and are full of exploration, games, activities and more. Register at botanicgardens.org.
SEE YOURSELF ON STAGE
Theatre-based camp at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. File photo
Denver Center for the Performing Arts 1101 13th St. denvercenter.org/education 303-446-4892
Ignite summer fun with theatre-based camps for K–12 students! Kids explore acting, art, and improv through high-energy activities that spark creativity and confidence. Each day builds bold expression, friendships, and unforgettable memories. Flexible options and payment plans available make it easy for every young performer to shine.
Denver Museum of Nature and Science | 2001 Colorado Blvd. dmns.org/visit/events-and-activities/summer-camps/ Denver Parks and Rec Day Camps | Various Locations denvergov.org (Search words: Summer Camps) Denver Zoo I 2300 Steele St. denverzoo.org/?s=summer+camp
Four Mile Historic Park I 715 S. Forest St. fourmilepark.org 720-865-0800
Hands On History Day Camps I 1200 Broadway h-co.org/HOH-HCC
Heritage Camps for Adoptive Families | Various Locations HeritageCamps.org 303-320-4324
Photo
Headquartered in Park Hill, Heritage Camps for Adoptive Families has provided meaningful adoption- and culture-centered experiences since 1992. Each summer, our camps bring together families from across the U.S. with children ages 3–17 and adult adoptees, supported by a diverse, dedicated community of volunteers who help make camp possible.
Highlands Camp & Retreat Center highlandscamp.org
303-747-2888 x104
i9 Sports I Various Locations i9sports.com
International School | 7701 E 1st Pl. C isdenver.org
303-340-3647
Explore a different world every week! ISDenver camps include multilingual options, international themes, off campus adventures, arts, sports and more for kids ages 3-14. Whatever type of summer program you are looking for, ISDenver speaks your language!
Jewish Community Center - Various Camps I 350 S. Dahlia St. jccdenver.org/camps
Kathy’s Kamp Summer Enrichment Camp I Northeast Denver familiesforwardco.com
Lynx National Arts & Media Camps I Downtown Denver artsandmedia.ucdenver.edu/prospective-students/ lynx-camps
Mighty Movement I 2245 Kearney St. mightymovementacademy.com
Mile High Animation |1633 Fillmore St, Suite 408/410 milehighanimation.com/denverartsummercamp 720-764-5280
Learn hand-drawn animation, stop motion, game design, and 3D modeling and animation in Blender. Our Denver-based summer camps are led by industry professionals and college professors. During the school year, we run after-school programs, weekend workshops, and enrichment programs for creative learners across Denver and beyond. MileHighAnimation.com. MindCraft | Stanley Marketplace 2501 Dallas St #228, Aurora mindcraftmakerspace.com 303-341-4065
Explore MindCraft Makerspace Summer Camps, where creativity meets cutting-edge technology and tools! Our award-winning STEAM summer camps, feature 3D printing, glass art, sewing and more. Guided by knowledgeable staff, our carefully-curated camps foster creativity and innovation. Join our loyal community and embark on unforgettable and fun learning adventures for your children!
Montessori Children’s House of Denver | Various Locations mchdenver.org 303-316-3321
Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church I 1980 Dahlia St. Summer Sacred Art Camp montview.org/children/
Neighborhood Music & Theatre at Stanley Marketplace | Aurora neighborhoodmusicstanley.com
Park Hill Art Club I 216 S. Grant St. parkhillartclub.org
Sewall Child Development | 940 Fillmore St. sewall.org/?s=summer+camp
SOCCER ELECTRIC “CAMPLIFY” | City Park / East High School / Sie FilmCenter soccerelectric.com
We’re teaming up with Denver Film, Denver East High School (2022 Boys Soccer 5A Champs) and other local partners to organize the 12th annual CAMPLIFY. Campers play games and develop soccer skills with experienced coaches, dynamic STEAM teachers and closely supervised walks to the Sie for age-appropriate movies.
SPREE Summer Camp | Various Locations Denver thegreenwayfoundation.org
Stanley British Primary I 350 Quebec St. stanleybps.org/summer
Swimming Simply I Denver/Aurora swimmingsimply.com
Urban Farm | 10200 Smith Rd. theurbanfarm.org/summercamp 720-414-6141
New, immersive interactions and connections with the outdoors and animals await at The Urban Farm’s 2026 Summer Camp! 2026 Campers engage in a dynamic variety of educational games and activities, receiving hands-on learning about food production, animal care, and environmental stewardship.
TOCA Denver at Bladium | 2400 Central Park Blvd. bit.ly/3spyBfF
Übergrippen Indoor Climbing Crag I 8610 E. 21st Ave. ugclimbing.com/denver/camps/ 720-592-0712
Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum | Lowry wingsmuseum.org/education/camp/
Dick never abandoned his love for the U.S. Navy. He left active duty in 1956, but remained a member of the Naval Reserve. In 1982, he was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral and three years later was chairman of the U.S. Fifth International Naval Review in New York Harbor on the July 4th weekend of 1986 celebrating the 100th birthday of the Statute of Liberty.
He was a recipient of the Navy League’s highest award, the Meritorious Citation. In 2013 Young received the national Lincoln Standard Bearers Award for outstanding lifetime achievement and excellence, presented at the John F. Kennedy
HOW TIME FLIES ]
Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.
Young is survived by Lorie, his wife of 70 years; his daughter and sonin-law, Diane Young and Jerry De La Cruz; daughter Patti Janicki; daughter and son-in-law, Nan Young and Brian Kelly; daughter Karen Young; and six grandchildren: Samuel, Benjamin, Joshua, Lorraine, Vanessa and Kai.
See the essay below, When Words Mean Action, written by Dick Young in 2020 highlighting the early work of the Park Hill Action Committee (now Greater Park Hill Community, Inc.). A longer version of this obituary can be read at denverpost.com/obituaries/richard-eyoung-denver-co. ✦
When Words Mean Action
A Look Back At 60 Years Building A Neighborhood
By Dick Young | Special to the GPHN
W.H.
Even before Lorie and I moved into our Park Hill home — built in 1910, still with a 1920 icebox and an underground lighted pistol range running from our basement to the alley — we were already involved.
I was tasked with getting the Park Hill Action Committee incorporated, then was appointed chair of its real estate committee, then chair of the committee itself.
The challenge: how do we create — perhaps one of the first in the country — an integrated community? So we, and that is a big “we,” went at it pretty hard. After all, we were an action committee.
And thanks to the hard work of so many, like Art and Bea Branscombe, Helen Wolcott, Fred Thomas, Ed Lupberger, Hooks Jones, Marge Gilbert, Roy Romer, and many, many others, it worked. Can’t leave out John Hasselblad, the vice president of Van Schaack & Co realtors, who helped immensely. Thanks to our next door neighbor, Ed Rollman, we got a newspaper going (yes, the one you are still reading, the Greater Park Hill News). We beat back attempts to have liquor outlets every place available. We got a two-way pledge passed in both the white churches and the Black churches. We, thanks to Jerry Kopel, Jules Mondschein and other dedicated volunteers, got Park Hill rezoned from R-1 to R-0 (meaning no home businesses).
We created the small park at 23rd and Dexter (Turtle Park — the most used park per square foot anywhere). And don’t forget our evening wine tours through the neighborhoods, a unique way to meet new neighbors. On Jan. 25, 1964, we had the honor of welcoming Martin Luther King, Jr. to Denver and Park Hill for a mass meeting at Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church. We hosted a reception for him at our home, at 2345 Elm St. The following year, President Lyndon Johnson stoped in Park Hill and thanked us for being the best example of what an integrated neighborhood should be.
We continued to fight hard for our schools, insisting that Blacks and whites can work and learn together.
by Cara DeGette
Harold Scott, a principal at Smiley Junior High, worked tirelessly to make this happen. Rachel Noel, on the Denver school board and with help from Ed Benton, carried on this fight. And Judge Doyle’s ruling in the Keyes v School District No. 1 case led to the United State Supreme Court battle that we won.
And luckily, we had Denver Mayor Tom Currigan and
Mini-Marade Set For Feb. 24
For the 11th consecutive year, kindergarten and first grade students from Park Hill’s elementary schools will celebrate and share the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.
The tradition began in 2015 with a single kindergarten classroom singing We Shall Overcome on the footsteps of Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church, where the civil rights leader spoke in 1964. Since then, the marade has grown to include all four public elementary schools in Park Hill.
Hundreds of students from Hallett, Stedman, Smith and Park Hill Elementary schools gather at Turtle Park, at 23rd Avenue and Dexter Street, and march to Montview Presbyterian a block away. They carry signs promoting equity, peace and love, which are also displayed at the church, in the park and at the schools. Organizer Erika Neale said Hallett isn’t expected to join this year due to an unexpected death in the school’s faculty. “We are keeping them in our hearts and hope they will join us in the future,” she said.
“This event serves as a reminder that we must continue to work on Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream,” Neale said in 2021. “As a community, we must come together to ensure that we work towards dismantling racism. There is still a lot of work to be done, but by educating children, there is hope and light that ‘we shall live in peace someday.’ ”
— Cara DeGette
Memorial Set For Feb. 27
A public memorial service for Dick Young will be held on Friday, Feb. 27 at 2 p.m. at Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church, 1980 Dahlia St.
The service will include remarks from former Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter, and other speakers.
Donations on Young’s behalf may be made to the ACLU of Colorado, the Rocky Mountain Navy at American Legion Post 1 in Denver, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
city council members Irving Hook and Elvin Caldwell insisting that there could and should be more integrated neighborhoods like Park Hill. Leaders throughout the city, like Sheldon Steinhouser, Min Yasui, Regis Groff and Roger Cisneros, joined in this effort.
With our newly-formed Metro Denver Fair Housing Center, we got a $300,000 grant from the Ford Foundation. We were selected by the National Committee Against Discrimination in Housing as the best example of what fair housing meant. Our four daughters lived through all of this and remember it well. Then-ages 8, 6, 3, and 1, each of them still claims sitting on Rev. King’s lap when he was in our home.
I’m fondly remembering these last 60 years, and so many of the people that played a part in the endeavor. Still, the battle goes on. Time for action, folks.
Dick Young, who died last month at 94, was one of the founders of the Park Hill Action Committee in 1960 — now Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. This essay was originally published in December, 2020, following a retrospective marking the 60th anniversary of the Greater Park Hill News and efforts over the years to integrate and protect the neighborhood. That retrospective package can be read at greaterparkhill.org/news-and-opinion/ diamonds-and-rust/.
Dick Young,
Ferguson Park — better known as Turtle Park — is a heavily-used pocket park at 23rd and Dexter Street. In this photo, demonstrators gathered at the park last year in solidarity with thousands of other “No Kings” rallies held around the world to protest the policies of President Donald Trump. File photo
Civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., on the steps of Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church during his visit to Park Hill on Jan 26, 1964. King spoke to the overflow crowd outside, before addressing the congregation inside. Photo by Mel Schlieltz, Rocky Mountain News collection/Denver Public Library
In this 2020 photo, students from Park Hill’s four public elementary schools stand on the steps of the church, where Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke 56 years earlier. Photo by Ali Monroe Larson
Rear Admiral Richard E. Young.
One Small Step For Earth Strength
In Numbers Adds Up: Fixing The Climate One Action At A Time
By Tracey MacDermott | For the GPHN
With every passing year, our planet sets several more climate records.
Two months ago, on Dec. 22, Denver experienced a balmy 76-degree day. When all was said and done, 2025 was among Colorado’s top 10 warmest years. The first measurable snow did not arrive until Nov. 29. At this writing, Colorado’s snowpack is at record lows. While some have been enjoying the warmer weather, it’s really nothing to celebrate. So what can we do?
Last month in these pages we highlighted many pro-environmental actions you can take this year. Did you make any New Year’s resolutions to make a change, or to do a small act to help the planet each month in 2026? If so, we would love to hear what you have done. If you are struggling with where to start, signing the many petitions seeking changes in laws and policies can be a great place to kick off your climate commitment.
Safe and Healthy Colorado
Safe and Healthy Colorado has been educating Coloradans on the dangers of fracking. Organizers are currently asking people to sign an open letter of support to stop the expansion of fracking and call for a just transition to clean renewable energy.
As the group points out, emissions from oil and gas production and combustion are the No. 1 source of both our state’s contribution to the climate crisis and our severely poor air quality along the Front Range. Impacts from fracking operations are also an environmental injustice to vulnerable communities that are continually exposed to toxic emissions. Learn more and sign the letter of support at this link: tinyurl.com/SafeCOLOLetter.
Sierra Club Clean Energy
Have you been hit with high energy costs even though you have been implementing all the energy-saving tips you can think of to keep energy expenses down?
The Colorado chapter of the Sierra Club has been working hard to promote renewable energy by 2030 and to move us away from fuels that pollute. The organization recently mailed a flier highlighting that Xcel
made $1.2 billion in profits last year. Its CEO took home $21 million in 2023. Xcel’s latest plan is to request more gas plants and pipelines, despite demand from Coloradans for cleaner and cheaper energy. Clean energy is now the cheapest power source. You can learn more, volunteer, and sign up for regular updates at this link: sierraclub.org/colorado.
Plastic Pollution Coalition
None of us can get through the day without encountering plastic pollution. But that doesn’t mean we can’t commit to working to reduce its toxic impacts.
The Plastic Pollution Coalition has several action alerts related to plastic. One call to action demands that major corporations be held accountable for their plastic waste. Another asks the U.S. government and world leaders to develop ambitious solutions to reduce plastic pollution. Read more and take action at this link: plasticpollutioncoalition.org.
If you want to further your understanding of the plastic problem, Judith Enck, who served as an EPA Regional Administrator, has published a new book, The Problem with Plastic. The author reminds us that we can’t buy our way out of this self-made crisis, and she highlights that citizens need to put public pressure on our politicians to make meaningful changes.
The power is within us. Let’s use it. Small actions from many can add up and drive the change needed to solve the environmental crises we are grappling with.
All the areas and actions that we collectively need to make seem overwhelming. However once you start, you will find that you can always do just a bit more. Begin now by taking a few actions that only require a few moments out of your day.
Tracey MacDermott is an at-large board member of Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. She was trained as a Climate Reality Leader in 2017. She chairs the Sustainability Committee for the Business and Professional Women of Colorado and the National Federation for Business and Professional Women. Email her at traceymacdermott@gmail.com
Purring Toward 2030
By Mark Kuhl | For the GPHN
Is your next car going to be an Electric Vehicle?
There are plenty to choose from now and EV drivers love the many benefits of their new ride, especially the fact there’s no exhaust pipe. They’re fun to drive, quiet, low maintenance, and never need an oil change or be filled up with gas. Battery technology breakthroughs made this EV revolution possible, and new electric car sales are estimated to be 30 percent to 50 percent of all purchases in the U.S. by 2030 — that’s just four years from now.
EV batteries last up to 150,000 miles and after time powering your ride they can be repurposed for stationary power storage. Eventually they lose so much capacity they are deemed useless and ready for recycling. Cobalt and lithium are the materials worth recovering and the relatively young EV battery recycling industry is improving the highly manual, dangerous, and expensive process of doing so.
Mark Kuhl is an environmental advocate who lives in Park Hill with his family. His handy tips and news about recycling household items appear every month in these pages. A directory of his past columns for recycling everything from paint to Styrofoam to
Relief For Creaky Bones
Park Hill Branch To Close Briefly For Modern Upgrades
By Tara Bannon Williamson | Park Hill Branch Librarian
Being 105 ain’t easy.
The Park Hill Branch Library was built in 1920 with money donated by ScottishAmerican businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. The last space modifications were completed in 2008. Eighteen years later, the world has changed and technology has advanced. Some longtime residents may remember the 1994 renovation that added a patio, elevator and air conditioning. Each renovation allows us to continue to serve the emerging needs of our amazing community.
The Park Hill Branch will be closed for a quick space refresh beginning on Wednesday, Feb. 11. We will reopen again in early March. Thanks in part to the generosity of Denver voters, this project is partially funded by Strong Library, Strong Denver. The work that will be completed is:
• An ergonomically improved desk that will be modernized to improve staff safety
• A new water bottle filler/water fountain for the basement
• Upgraded fire alarms and detectors that will keep us safe
Stories, songs, rhymes, and fun for babies ages 0-18 months and their parents or caregivers.
Resumes Thursday, March 12
Toddler Storytime | Friday, Feb. 6, 10:15-10:45 a.m, Stories, songs, rhymes, and fun for toddlers ages 18-36 months and their parents or caregivers.
Resumes Friday, March 13
Personal Values and Critical Medical Decisions | Saturday, Feb. 7, 2:30-4:30 p.m Improve your medical literacy and learn to communicate decisions confidently to your care team and medical professionals. Maurice “Scotty” Scott, a palliative medicine physician at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, will be on hand to answer questions.
Death Café | Monday, Feb. 9 and Monday, March 9, 2-3:30 p.m., Ages 18+
Death Café is an international movement that invites people to gather, normalize conversations around death — to make the most of LIFE. This is not a grief support group or counseling session. Respect for all views is a priority.
While we’re closed, reserved materials will automatically be set to be picked up at the Sam Gary Branch, at 2961 Roslyn St. in Central Park. If Sam Gary isn’t convenient for you, we are happy to offer several options: We offer home delivery service to anyone in Denver who is unable to access a library, whether it is due to transportation difficulties, physical disabilities or even a short closure of a library branch. For questions on eligibility, email homedelivery@denverlibrary.org, or call 720-865-1351.
You can suspend your holds while we’re closed. Log in to your account at denverlibrary.org to view your holds and select Suspend/Reactivate.
Explore additional local library locations such as the newly renovated Pauline Robinson branch at 5575 E 33rd Ave or the Ford-Warren branch at 2825 High St. Following your curiosity here also earns you a completed square in the Winter of Reading challenge, see denlib.org/wor, and it gets you closer to earning a pint glass or mug!
If you are concerned about returning materials on time, don’t worry. Not only can you engage the home deliv-
Winter of Reading Book Buzz at Fiction Beer Company | Tuesday, Feb. 17, 6-7 p.m., Ages 21+
Nothing beats curling up with a good book on a wintry day. Let our experts help you with your next pick (or two) from our Winter of Reading Book Buzz. Learn about new and forthcoming titles and walk away with a free book too. Fiction Beer Company is at 7101 E. Colfax Ave.
Aligned Decision Making: Life, Illness, Death | Saturday, March 7, 2:30-4:30 p.m., Ages 18+
Practice critical thinking skills through varied scenarios in a supportive environment centering quality of life.
*NEW in 2026!* Laughter Yoga | Wednesday, March 11, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Enjoy playful laughter exercises interspersed with gentle breathing and stretching. During this joyful practice, you’ll strengthen the immune system, increase tolerance to pain and combat the negative effects of stress. Simple, fun and accessible to people of all fitness levels.
Writing Your Life Stories Through Guided Autobiographies | Thursday, March
ery options for returns, you can also hold on to them knowing that our system will automatically attempt to renew eligible checked-out items one day before they are due. If the materials don’t qualify for renewal, remember that we abolished fines at the library back in 2019.
Online services like databases, downloading eMedia through Libby, and watching films on Kanopy will all still be available. If you have any
20 & March 27, 2-3:30 p.m.
Writing your life stories can be transformative, profound, and even fun. This six-week series is for participants 50-plus. Learn how to capture the stories of your life through themes, questions and exercises designed to tap into memories. No writing experience is required. By registering for this program, you are committing to attend all six sessions. All dates are Friday afternoons: March 20, March 27, April 3, April 10, April 17 and April 24.
PAULINE ROBINSON BRANCH
Toddler Storytime | Tuesdays, 10:30-11 a.m. Stories, songs, rhymes and fun for toddlers ages 18-36 months and their grown-ups.
Drop In Tech Help | Wednesdays, 2-3 p.m. Need help navigating the internet, email, or social networks like Facebook? Have questions about your phone or tablet? Want to know how to access eBooks on any device? Drop by to get your questions answered and learn how to use tech more effectively.
Introduction To Artificial Intelligence | Thursday, Feb. 13, 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Join us for an engaging, beginner-
questions about accessing any of these resources, stop in or call 720865-1111 for more information. Staff will be working at nearby locations during the short closure but will all return once the construction is complete. We are excited to give this old building a little bit of love and attention, and we look forward to showing you the improvements when we reopen in early-mid March. ✦
friendly session exploring the basics of Artificial Intelligence. Learn what AI is and the key concepts behind technologies like chatbots.
Kids Create/Art Works | Tuesdays, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Explore open-ended art, craft and building materials. Grown-ups are encouraged to join their younger participants or kids needing extra support for a fun, inclusive experience. Ideal for early learners.
Tween Hangout: Game On | Wednesdays, Feb. 4, 11, 18, 25, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Play games your way. Tweens pick the fun in this relaxed, no-pressure hangout. Make new friends in a fun, welcoming space.
Black Excellence Art Workshop | Thursday, Feb. 5, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Join artist Marcus Murray and explore Black History Month. Create art around past, present, and even personal stories of black history, joy and resilience. Ideal for ages 7-12. Grown-ups are encouraged to join younger participants or kids needing extra support
Mardi Gras Party | Thursday, February 12, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Let’s celebrate Mardi Gras in New Orleans style. We’ll make Mardi Gras masks, have a bead toss
game, listen to carnival music, and find the baby in a paper King Cake. Ideal for ages 7-12. Grown-ups are encouraged to join for support.
Alma Thomas Abstract Art | Thursday, Feb. 19, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Together we’ll create a colorful, abstract painting inspired by the African American artist Alma Woodsey Thomas. Ideal for ages 7-12. Grown-ups are encouraged to join for support.
National Engineer’s Week | Thursday, Feb. 26, 4:30-5:30 p.m
Build catapults to launch pom poms across the room and electrical circuits that light up. Take your creations home with you. Ideal for ages 7-12. Grown-ups are encouraged to join for support.
Pauline Robinson Book Club | Saturday, Feb. 28, noon to 1:30 p.m.
We meet on the fourth Saturday of every month. All are welcome. Call the branch at 720-8650290 for this month’s book title. Greater Park Hill has two public libraries: The Park Hill branch library is at 4705 Montview Blvd. and the Pauline Robinson branch library at 5575 E. 33rd Ave.
Painting The West
This year’s 2026 National Western Stock Show showcased the grand opening of the new permanent home of the Western Stock Show Association — which also houses National Western’s permanent art collection.
The four-story, 115,000-square foot structure, called “The Legacy,” includes spaces for education, hospitality and community events year ’round. In an architectural style described as contemporary Western architecture, the first floor is home to the Wold Family Heritage Center, an exhibition space filled with exhibits, historic photographs and mementos celebrating the history of ranching, agriculture and the Stock Show.
The first floor also houses the Wilson Art Gallery, containing National Western’s permanent collection of western paintings, sculptures, photographs and other art. A large Andy Warhol print of John Wayne brandishing a pistol hangs prominently in the gallery entryway.
During the Stock Show this year, the third floor featured the Coors Western Art Exhibit & Sale, showcasing an impressive display of contemporary Western art in a diverse array of styles and mediums. Both known masters and rising stars were represented, including colorful paintings of cattle by Central Park resident Elsa Sroka.
The Legacy also contains its own pseudo-historic bar — the Legacy Saloon. The bar is designed as an authentic turn-of-the-century watering hole, with a tin ceiling, small stage and historic décor.
The Legacy is estimated to have cost $100 million and is part of the ongoing $1-billion-plus redevelopment project of the entire National Western Campus, four miles north of Park Hill. Construction was largely financed by private donors. ✦
Ready To Ride
African American cowboys and cowgirls played an enormous role in shaping the early American West. Many historians estimate that one in four cowboys in the late 19th century were Black. However, beginning in the 1870s, many Black cowboys were excluded from the white-sponsored rodeos that emerged from the cattle industry. As a result, they organized their own rodeos and shows, including the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo. This year’s National Western Stock Show included the MLK Jr. African American Heritage Rodeo of Champions, bringing together African American cowboys and cowgirls, including the cowgirl featured here, to honor the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. PhotobyReidNeureiter
Cowboy admires the permanent art collection at the Wilson National Western Art Gallery.
Story and photo by Reid Neureiter
Feeling Sassy Wet Or Dry? Helping Your Feline Find The Sweet Spot
By Margot K. Vahrenwald, DVM, CVJ | For the GPHN
The feline members of our families are unique. In veterinary school, our instructors repeatedly emphasized to us that cats are not small dogs. Their nutritional needs are very different, as is their relationship with food. There are many food products out there that provide good guidance in helping to make choices. There is a continuous debate over wet versus dry food. The primary differences between wet and dry foods are texture, moisture and processing. Wet food is cooked and has a high water content (75-85 percent) while dry foods are extruded into pelleted shapes and then cooked with less than five percent moisture.
means that the food contains all appropriate nutrients, as distinguished from add-ons or toppers that are not formulated to be a complete diet by themselves.
• Quality: Brands that have been in the market a long time are proven by the consumer; if there were adverse outcomes to a diet, it doesn’t stay in the market. That doesn’t mean newer brands are bad; however, many newer brands feature slick and attractive marketing but provide no insight into the food’s actual quality.
Cats are not small dogs.
Dry foods tend to have high volume of fiber and carbohydrates, while wet food is dense with protein. There is no right or wrong to feeding only one type of food, and the majority of cat owners provide their pets a mixture of canned and dry.
The average adult cat only needs about 200 calories per day, including all food and treats.
“A good rule of thumb is that if you are feeding a volume of food that is larger than the cat’s head, you are overfeeding,” notes Dr. Deb Zoran, professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. This is especially important with our indoor-only cats because they get less stimulation and exercise along with more calories than if they were outdoors hunting. And, no, letting your indoor cats outside is not the correct solution.
Zoran emphasizes that portion control is the key, and that means reading the label. Things to look for:
• Life stage: Pet foods have to list in their nutritional statement whether the recipe is complete and balanced for all life stages. The complete and balanced statement
The other part of the food equation is the cat’s preferences. These are learned and very distinct such as the shape of kibble or particular wet food texture, like pate. Unlike dogs, cats are not easily transitioned to different types of food unless they are exposed to many choices as a kitten.
With limited exposure, they are conditioned to a particular taste and texture. That can pose challenges when aging or medical problems (such as chronic kidney disease or urinary tract issues) require changing to a particular diet.
If you have kittens now, expose them to a variety of wet and dry foods to expand their preferences, and you can tempt an older cat with options to determine their preferences. Lastly, you can use your veterinarian as a resource to help learn more about your cat’s nutrition needs.
Dr. Margot Vahrenwald is the owner of Park Hill Veterinary Medical Center at 2255 Oneida St. This column was adapted from an article on the Pet Talk at vetmed. tamu.edu/news/pet-talk; Nutritional Needs: A Guide to Selecting Cat Food. For more information, visit parkhillvet.com
Let’s Get Engaged
Make Time This Year To Give Park Hill The
By Colette Carey | Executive Director, GPHC, Inc.
Happy February!
As I step into my first full year as your executive director of Greater Park Hill Community, Inc., one of my main goals for 2026 will be to invigorate efforts in building an even more engaged neighborhood.
Last October, during the threat to SNAP benefits, we saw an amazing response to our increased need for support in our emergency food pantry. That response was completely unsolicited — it was simply the result of good, caring people giving from their hearts to help others. I would love to see that type of giving expand into the giving of time and effort to support the events and programs that make GPHC one of the most – if not the most – venerable registered neighborhood organization in Denver. We have seen that if we come together, we can move mountains and get the attention of key government agencies as they plan the future of Park Hill and the city. That said, consider coming to a monthly community meeting to educate yourself on what is going on in your neighborhood. Consider volunteering your time by becoming a newspaper blockworker
Love It Deserves
(sign up here: gphndelivery.greaterparkhill.org). Or assist with one of our event committees (more about what we do is here: greaterparkhill.org)
In other words, contribute your expertise — whatever that may be. This may call for a little more of your time — but the rewards are worth it!
Updates From January’s Community Meeting
• The police department in District 2, which includes Park Hill, will receive 14 new recruits. That’s good news for our neighborhood. Moving forward, District 2 community officers will attend GPHC community meetings only quarterly instead of every month.
• We have officially kicked off planning for the Park Hill Garden Walk — it’s set for Sunday, June 7 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Eight gardens will be included this year, and tickets go on sale the first week of May. Check upcoming issues for details, including this year’s featured gardens and participating artists. If you are interested in being a sponsor, please visit parkhillgardenwalk.org/sponsor.
• A Park Hill neighbor, George Rossie, presented his donation of a carriage lot to Greater Park Hill Community, Inc, under the condition that it remain green space and under the conservatorship of the registered neighborhood organization. More information will follow once the closing has finalized.
• The nonprofit Bikes Together presented an update on its current lease of space at the GPHC building at 2823 Fairfax St. Bikes Together may move to a new location in the near future.
• GPHC at-large board member Tracey MacDermott presented information on the Anschutz CAlcium and VAsopressin (or simply CAVALIER) study. This is a CU Health research study that will look at whether giving calcium, vasopressin — or both — early in the course of treatment would help severely injured patients who lose a lot of blood to survive their injuries.
February Agenda
(subject to additions and change)
• A representative from Archway Communities will discuss the future of the Mosaic Campus (formerly
The following organizations and individuals donated to and volunteered with Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. last month:
INDIVIDUALS
Sylvia Aldena
Barbara Allen
Harmon Alpert
Alice and Marc Applebaum
Penny AshleyLawrence
Catherine Battaglia
Cristina Bejarano
Howard Belon
Holly Bennett
Carolyn Benoit
Yvonne Bokelman
Sharon Ann Burke
Jennifer Calderone
Inga Calvin
Phil amd Teresa
Campbell
Marty Caplan
Anthony Caravella
Sara Carlson
Keith Combs
Elizabeth Congdon
Todd Cooper
Kristy Corcoran
Lana Cordes
Aimee Corrigan
Peggy Cuciti
Jessica Dapper
Christine Davidson
Alecia Davis
Joel Dice
Carolyn Dooling
Kerry Dougherty
Martha Douglas
Saundra Dowling
Sheila Duffy
Robert and Beth
Duncan
Johnson and Wales), including the St. Elizabeth’s School building and the South Dorms formerly owned by Denver Housing Authority.
• An update on the Safe Streets program around McAuliffe International School from Sylvia Aldena, along with an explanation of the DPS Crossing Guard program and the need for applicants.
• District 2 police updates.
• Overall updates from the executive director
• Open floor for community questions and concerns
The February meeting is Thursday, Feb. 5 at GPHC world headquarters, 2823 Fairfax St. It begins at 6:30 p.m., and everyone is welcome. A full agenda, including information on how to attend the meeting via Zoom, is posted at our website, at greaterparkhill.org.
Please join us and again, happy February. ✦
Who We Are, What We Do
Jennifer Dyer
Anna Engein
Luann Erickson
Steve Farley
Michelle Ferguson
Ben Fiedler
Connie and Rob Friesen
Lee Fisher-Rosenberg
Peg Fleming Oldham
Anne and Joe Frank
Joshua Freedman
Mike Freehling
Richard Galaty
Duane Gall
Bobbi Gillis
Dan Goe
Andea Gordon
Andrea and Phil Gordon
Shriram Gurumoorthy
Erica Gutierrez
Lisa and Charles Haddox
Heather Haller
Lisa Halstead
Simon Hambidge
Kathryn Hamer
Linda & Charles Hamlin
Amy Harris
Shanta HarrisonSullivan
Duke and Pam Hartman
Pamela Healy
Richard F Hennessey
Team Hetterich
Rachel Hinkley
Ellen Hokanson
Barbara Homs
Carolyn Hoste
Romi Howell
Jody Igo
Amy and Megan Ivy
Elle Jackson
Daniel Jacobson
Diane Jankowski
Julie Ann Jenson
Quintin Johnson
Matt Jordan
Sharon and Chris Kermiet
Aaron Kessler
Liz Kiefer
Jon Kinning
Wendy and MIchael
Klein
Jane W Klever
Robb Kolstad
Michael Lieberman
Lucy Loomis
Mary Jo Lorenz
Natalie and Pat Love
Deborah A MacNair
Jennifer Mahne
Linda Maich
Amy Makurumidze
Paula Marinelli
Richard McCanna
Robin McCarthy
Richard McClintock
Margaret McCormick
Janice McGuire
Judith Metcalfe
Kerry Mierau
Laurel Mohr
Mashawn Moore
Becky Morris
Harriet Mullaney
Gayle Mylander
Chris Nielsen
Danielle Okay
Patty Paul
Gordon Phair
Amelia and Cory
Portnuff
Samantha Lehni
Reeves
Susan Rein
Mark Rhine
Jeffrey Roberts
Krista Roberts
Cathy Rock
Sarah Romer
Joan Root
Audrey Rupnow
Bridget Russell
Louann Sakala
Mary Salsich
Christina Sanford
Stu and Shelly
Scales
Kathleen Schettler
Lynn M. Shults
Elaine Selsberg
Barbara Sharp
Peter Skram
Don Smith
Jean Smith
Cheryl K Solko
Mary Soto
Babette and Randy McQueen
Paul Spaeth
Elizabeth Spohn
Mary Jo Stark
Mary Jo Starmer
Christopher Stewart
Amber and Russ Strickler
Adele Sykes
Tenzin Tashi
Penfield Tate
Blair Taylor
Sloane Thomas
Suzanne Thomsen
Pamela Tyrrell
Amy Van Vranken
Hannah Vogel
Warren Volz
Martin Voskuil
Jane Wainwright
Gavin Way
Alfred and Nancy Wellnitz
Kate Baldwin Wenzel
Nicole Wiederaenders
Jennifer Quinn Williams
Anastasia Williamson
Stefanie L Winfield
Judy Wolfe
Kaitlin Wolff
Christopher & Momo Wong
Guy and Susan Wroble
John Wyszynski
Ellen Yu
Vanessa Zimmerman
Karen Zollars GROUPS, ORGANIZATIONS AND BUSINESSES
1600 Block Leyden Street
Abbey Tavern
Cake Crumbs Bakery and Cafe City and County of Denver
Colorado Gives 365 - Community First Foundation
Cure D’Ars Catholic Church
Dahlia Campus Farms and Gardens
Denver Presbyterian Church
Food Bank of the Rockies
Mayfair Liquors
Messiah Community Church
Oneida Street Neighbors
Overture 9th & CO
Park Hill Branch
Library
Park Hill United Church of Christ
Park Hill United
Methodist Church
Spinelli’s Market
St. Thomas Episcopal Church
Unity on the Avenue
Spiritual Center
Yeshe Nyingpo
Denver
The Board of Directors of GPHC, Inc. Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. is a volunteer-based registered neighborhood organization that promotes the character and vibrancy of Park Hill, provides resources, information and advocacy, and preserves quality of life and the history of the neighborhood through community participation. GPHC world headquarters is 2823 Fairfax St. If you have an issue you’d like to discuss about the neighborhood, reach out to your board representative. Representatives can be contacted via the main office, at 303388-0918 or info@greaterparkhill.org.
If you are interested in volunteering for a board position or serving on a committee, contact GPHC Board Chair Shane Sutherland at chair@greaterparkhill.org.
• Board Chair Shane Sutherland
• Treasurer Heather Shockey
• Secretary Bernadette Kelly
• District 1 Kevin Doyle
• District 2 Brenda Morrison
• District 3 Heather Shockey
• District 4 Currently Vacant
• District 5 Bernadette Kelly
• District 6 Currently Vacant
• District 7 Jon Bowman
• District 8 Nam Henderson
• District 9 Terry Brewick
• District 10 James Korn
• At Large Bruce Campbell
• At Large Mona Estrada
• At Large Maria Flora
• At Large Tracey MacDermott
• At Large Louis Plachowski lplachowski@gmail.com
• At Large Shane Sutherland
• Blessed Sacrament Betsy Boudreau
• Park Hill UMC Jacqui Shumway
[ GPHN CLASSIFIEDS ]
APARTMENT RENTAL
Beautiful 2 large bedrooms and 1 bath apartment in South Park Hill. See Zillow for pictures and information.
1523 Ivy Street #6 Call Patty 970-275-1575
GENERAL CONTRACTOR
26 YR Licensed General Contractor in South Park Hill and Lead-Based Paint Abatement Firm
All Phases of Remodeling. Small jobs OK! Mold and Mildew Remediation Power Spray Denver Dust, Off Exteriors Call Mark-303-921-3161 pikerprojects@gmail.com – All Remodeling usabatement@yahoo.com –Lead-Based Paint
GUTTERS
Gutter Cleaning, repairs, and replacement. Gutter Cleaning prices start at $150 – House, Garage, Porches, and walks. 303-907-9223/skmehaffey@ gmail.com
MASONRY SERVICES
Mason – Brick, stone, chimney repair, historic renovation. Your Park Hill Expert. Fully Insured, free estimates. Call Ben @720670-0874
PREMIER PAINT WORKS since 1993. Denver’s Residential Paint Specialists. Int/Ext. Neat, conscientious craftsmanship by polite, respectful, honest & fully insured crew. Impeccable references. Call or text John at 720-849-3921.
Interior and Exterior Painting. Prep, power washing, professional. Owned and operated by Park Hill resident with over 20 years of experience. Free estimate. JR Painting 720-4857207 or jpabz04@gmail.com
Painting: Interior, exterior, small jobs welcome; sheetrock repairs and texture. 303-9079223/ skmehaffey@gmail.com
PLASTER
We repair plaster and drywall, specializing in older homes. Now in our 27th year. The Wall Rebuilders 303-698-1057 www.wallrebuilders.com
ROOFING
Roofing: Repairs, Inspections, Flashings, Hail Damage, and reroofing licensed, bonded, and insured. Gutter replacement and cleaning. 303-907-9223/
skmehaffey@gmail.com
TUCKPOINTING
Over 25 years of experience. Fully insured. Mortar color and brick matching, broken brick replacement, cement chimney crown replacement. 12 years Chicago union experience. Mr. Chimney and Home Masonry Repair. Call Chuck Bahnsen 303-948-7999
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY
Be a Local Hero — Volunteer with Greater Park Hill News! We rely on volunteers to distribute the newspaper each month. Distributing the paper means “adopting” a block and delivering the newspaper to each home. It’s a great activity for families \ to do together, and takes just about 15 minutes. Interested in supporting your community newspaper and helping to get the news out? Contact us at newspaper@greaterparkhill. org or visit greaterparkhill.org/ newspaper for more information and to sign up.
WINDOWS
Complete wood window restoration. Custom wood storm windows and screens. General painting, restoration and handyman services for your charming old home. Contact Matt 479-871-8140
[ GREATER PARK HILL RESOURCES ]
Active Minds
The organization’s mission is to expand lives and minds by providing outstanding educational programs. Check out free lectures on topics ranging from music to history, current events to foreign affairs, including in and near Park Hill. A schedule of upcoming events is at activeminds.com Art Garage
6100 E. 23rd Ave., artgaragedenver.com, 303-377-2353. The Art Garage is a nonprofit visual art community center whose mission is to offer arts-based programs that inspire, empower and promote creative self-expression by people of all ages, backgrounds, and ability levels. Check out ArtGarageDenver.com for details. Blunders and Beers
Blunders and Beers is a Park Hill Chess Club that meets the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month at Longtable Brewhouse, 2895 Fairfax St., beginning at 6 p.m. All skill levels are welcome. Bring a board if you have one.
Denver Police District 2
3921 Holly St., 2.Dist@denvergov.org, non-emergency number is 720-913-1000. For emergencies, dial 9-1-1. Denver Public Schools
dpsk12.org
Check the website for resources and updates. Call the helpline at 720-423-3054 for support in many languages. Donations Resources
Thousands of our neighbors have been living unsheltered and are struggling for basic services. Thousands more are newcomers to Colorado, arriving with little to nothing. So many can use your help. Check out our online directory at greaterparkhill.org/spreading-the-love/ for organizations who accept donations — from clothes and furniture to bikes and baby essentials.
Faith Community
greaterparkhill.org/faith
Greater Park Hill’s faith community, home to over 30 places of worship in just four square miles, is as diverse and robust as the neighborhood itself. The GPHN maintains a list of Park Hill’s places of worship at the website above. Contact individual places of worship for information about their current state of operations.
GPHC community meetings are conducted on the first Thursday of the month, except for December and July. The next meeting is Thursday, February. 5 at 6:30 p.m. at 2823 Fairfax St. The March meeting is March 5.
Check greaterparkhill.org/join-us/community-meetings/ for info on how to participate.
Libraries
denverlibrary.org
See the “At the Library” feature on page 14 for updates and resources offered by the Park Hill and Pauline Robinson branch libraries.
Northeast Park Hill Coalition
The Northeast Park Hill Coalition hosts its monthly meeting the second Thursdays of the month. Location varies. Check the group’s Facebook page @ Northeast Park Hill Coalition for updates.
Park Hill Community Bookstore
Established in 1971. Denver’s oldest nonprofit bookstore. Used and new books. 4620 E. 23rd Avenue. 303-355-8508. Members and volunteers get discounts and book credits. Open Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Park Hill Peloton
A recreational group of road cyclists that roll from Park Hill once or twice a week. Check the current status of their rides on the Park Hill Peloton Facebook page. Sie Filmcenter 2510 E. Colfax, denverfilm.org, 303-595-3456.
Free Zoom Tai Chi
Free Beginner Tai Chi Zoom
Classes every Friday at 9 a.m. Longtime Park Hillers Jacqui and Joe lead the class. Call their clinic at 303-744-766 or register online at TaiChiDenver.com. Walk2Connect www.walk2connect.com
Park Hill Sunrise Walking Trips happen every Tuesday from 7:15 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. Meet in front of Honey Hill Cafe at 23rd & Dexter Street for a casual, conversational-paced community walk. Everyone is welcome.
Submit your neighborhood events and resources to editor@greaterparkhill.org Deadlines are the 15th of the month, for the following month’s issue.
HEATING TECHNICIANS and boiler specialists of systems old and new Rob Ball • 303-795-6604 • 720-333-0217 •
The Mighty Milkweed Bug
Most everyone knows that monarch butterflies depend on the milkweed plant to survive and thrive. But the winged beauties aren’t the only creatures that rely on the plant — which is really a complex ecosystem. Large Milkweed Bugs, like the one pictured here, are part of that ecosystem. They protect the plant by gobbling up aphids and other harmful insects. Like the monarch, these beetles use the toxins from the plant to protect themselves from predators. They advertise that protection with their conspicuous red markings, which warn “eat me and you’ll be sorry.”
[ GARDENS & VERSES ]
“Watching the snow fall outside your window is akin to having a powder day in the mountains of your soul.”
–Robbie George
Save the Date! The 2026 Garden Walk is Sunday, June 7.
In mid-January Colorado marked its lowest snowpack season on record. The state has received just 62 percent of its expected snow levels for the season so far. Combine that with unseasonably hot stretches through December and January, and one thing is certain: your trees and shrubs are thirsty. In any month without at least an inch of precipitation, water trees 10 gallons for every two inches of diameter — or 20 minutes with a slow soak. Water only when temperatures are above freezing. If you are the praying type, consider sending a few requests to the snow gods and asking for loads of the white stuff to be delivered this month and into the Colorado spring. Here are some other seasonal tips for you and your garden:
• If you haven’t already, plan your 2026 garden and order seeds and plants.
• Decorate indoors with houseplants.
• Reorganize your garden shed or garage.
• Keep trees mulched with wood chips, or if you can’t find them, small bark mulch. (Try getchipdrop. com for free arborist wood chips.)
• Replace mulch around any plant crowns that have been exposed.
• Late in the month, start indoor rosemary, celery, and oregano.
Garden Tips comes thanks to members of the Park Hill Garden Walk committee. The annual Garden Walk is a major fundraiser for Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. Contact Paula Marinelli at paulagardenwalk@gmail.com to volunteer or suggest local gardens or artists for upcoming events.
