NORTH BY COLORADO MEDIA GROUP - FEB/MAR 2022 EDITION

Lifestyle Outdoor Ethics: Local Leave No Trace Selecting the Right Drapery for Your Home

Business Megan Leatham, CEO-Colorado Springs Sports Corporation Johnna Reeder Kleymeyer, President & CEO-COS Chamber & EDC Real Estate- A Forecast for 2022 Why You Need A Business Exit Plan

Lola Woloch

CEO, Southern Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce

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ell, here we are – three editions in and we are picking up a head of steam. January 10th, we officially launched our new Web site done by the outstanding creative team of Sterling McMannis and Angelina Pecoraro. Over the next few weeks, an avalanche of content will be pouring in, including useful tools such as area concert and event schedules, special shows at the museums and other community venues, restaurant profiles, important news and info from the City of COS, weather-related school closures for Districts 20 and 38, and from our partners at KKTV, their streaming weather reports and news updates. www.ColoradoMediaGroup. com.

ColoradoMediaGroup.com is ALL exclusive content created for NORTH users. We’re adding a new venue for local streaming content that you want to see, but can’t necessarily go – like a show at Boot Barn Hall or other. Don’t forget – our People profiles: First Responders, Service Members, Students, and community leaders! These are our neighbors-get to know them better here.

Dirk R. Hobbs FOUNDER

In this edition of NORTH, we had a nice, long conversation with one of the region’s most prolific and interesting leaders: Lola Woloch, CEO of Southern Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce, which attracts small business owners, executives, and other business leaders from around the region. Lola is one of several recently appointed women Chief Executives who are leading some of Colorado Springs' most well-known organizations.

Hopefully, you took a look at Linda Weise’s project about the renovation of the City Auditorium in our last edition. You might be asking – “Why is that important to us up here?” Well, this a project that will undoubtedly have a positive impact throughout Colorado Springs in general. When you have a place for artists in every genre to go, to learn, to train, to cross-train, and edify the Arts community … this adds tremendous value and raises the bar for attracting sophisticated events and programming in this community – everywhere. There is a very REAL economic development piece attached to a strong arts initiative. By the way, she’s already raised half the money: $34M. Only $34M to go. We have to pitch in to keep our arts community thriving. Keep up with Linda and her efforts throughout 2022 here, and here on their Web site: communityculturalcollective.org We’re going to introduce you to Sues Hess next. And the topic is visceral for us all – sex trafficking. Folks, if you’re anything like me, I hate this despicable part of human behavior. We cannot turn away from this topic, because its everywhere. Awareness is step one for us all. We’ll start with the folks who are catching those who have managed to escape the clutches of these monsters and their perverse world. Sues and her organization, Reclaiming Hope is one of those incredible organizations here in COS, that you may not otherwise know about.

Please, take a look and get to know her first, and we’ll follow up with the reason they exist, next edition and online.

So, not to end on too serious a note, our friends at VisitCOS have provided a spotlight on several of our area’s cool eateries. Foodies delight – as the northern Colorado Springs restaurant scene is on the move!

Enjoy this edition and God Bless, Dirk R. Hobbs, MS, IABC Founder, Executive Publisher | Colorado Media Group & NORTH

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Table of Contents 8

Local leave No Trace How to make an Impact

12

Offering a Helping Hand to Silver Key Seniors

18

COVER FEATURE

Lola Woloch: The Love of Business

22

Profile in Leadership

24

Profile in Leadership

Johnna Reeder Kleymeyer: Building Colorado Springs

Megan Leatham: Colorado Springs Sports Corp. President & CEO

26

Hearing Loss & Dementia

36

Pikes Peak Real Estate Year-in Review & Forecast 2022-Marquesa Hobbs, Realtor

46

Navigating Northern Colorado Springs Real Estate (Part 2)

54

Tax Reduction Strategies

63

The Making of A Diamond

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NORTH: OUR NATURAL RESOURCES

LOCAL LEAVE NO TRACE – HOW TO MAKE AN IMPACT PRINCIPLE 5 – MINIMIZE CAMPFIRE IMPACTS BY NOT LEAVING ONE

By Gillian Rossi Leave No Trace State Advocate for Colorado

G

reetings from your local Leave No Trace state advocate! Leave No Trace is a familiar phrase to people utilizing the phenomenal natural areas we have here in Olympic City, but did you know that Leave No Trace is also a non-profit organization based out of Boulder? Their mission is to “provide proven, research-based solutions for the protection of the natural world.” They do this by training volunteers, like me, to encourage anyone using the outdoors to practice the Leave No Trace Seven Principles.

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1. PLAN AHEAD & PREPARE 2. TRAVEL & CAMP ON DURABLE SURFACES 3. DISPOSE OF WASTE PROPERLY 4. LEAVE WHAT YOU FIND 5. MINIMIZE CAMPFIRE IMPACTS 6. RESPECT WILDLIFE 7. BE CONSIDERATE OF OTHER VISITORS

thought from Officer Huie, “Always check for fire restrictions on the USFS website before making a campfire in the forest. Think about whether or Although most of the principles could seem not you need a campfire.” Leave No Trace offers like common sense, I encourage you to learn several suggestions for campfire alternatives, I more about each and assess where you fall encourage you to visit lnt.org and check them on the Leave No Trace spectrum. Let’s take campfires, for instance. Officer Earl Huie with out. That’s all for now. Remember, you have the power to make an impact by not leaving one the U.S. Forest Service frequently runs into behind! abandoned campfires while on patrol in the Pike National Forest. When he contacts the RESOURCES: campers, locals or out-of-towners alike, they claim that the fire was completely out when https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/psicc/about-forest/ they left the campsite. They had poured water districts/?cid=fsm9_032731 on the fire, all flames went out, and the smoke PIKES PEAK RANGER subsided. Looks can be deceiving. Live embers DISTRICT WEBSITE may still exist underneath the ashes and can https://lnt.org/why/7-principles reignite the fire as soon as a gust of wind /minimize-campfire-impacts/ rolls in. As citizens in our area of high and dry Leave No Trace website Colorado know, these abandoned campfires with additional can turn into wildfires and cause immense information about damage. Officer Huie recommends not leaving Principle 5. your campfire until you are willing to place your hand in the ashes. If no heat is felt, the fire is out. You could also make “campfire stew” by adding extra water and stirring Gillian Rossi the ashes around in the fire pit. One last PRINCIPLE 7 – BE CONSIDERATE OF OTHER VISITORS

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THE AMAZING PEOPLE OF NORTH

OFFERING A HELPING HAND TO SILVER KEY SENIORS

By Meegan McCorkle

A

bout twice a month, Julie Lindsey knocks on seniors’ doors with a couple of meals and a smile. She started delivering Meals on Wheels after joining National Charity League (NCL), Colorado Springs Chapter, a nonprofit service and leadership group for mothers and their daughters in 7th to 12th grade. Lindsey oversees NCL’s work with Silver Key, the organization that runs Meals on Wheels, and one of NCL’s most important philanthropy partners.

NCL volunteers trade off delivering meals on Fridays to homebound seniors. “It feels like you might be the only face the client is seeing that day. They’re always happy and appreciative to see us,” Lindsey said. In December, NCL’s mothers and daughters spent an afternoon making holiday cards to send along with the meals for a little extra cheer.

800-1000 meals a day through Meals on Wheels and on-site community cafes, the organization offers seniors transportation help, companionship services, and a food pantry. Silver Key also helps navigate personalized care management needs, including guardianship and power of attorney, and healthcare referrals.

The organization is in the process of creating an affordable senior housing development, and it provides rental assistance, as well as help with home modifications. While several of its programs target low-income seniors, Silver Key aims to provide care to all seniors in all neighborhoods. “We’re committed

Silver Key serves more than 11,000 seniors in the Pikes Peak region; the non-profit has been helping in the community for more than 50 years. In addition to providing

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to making the Pikes Peak region the best place to age,” said Chief Strategy Officer Derek Wilson, explaining that Silver Key helps seniors with “aging safely and staying healthy, with independence and dignity.”

It’s a mission that requires massive volunteer support.

Silver Key’s more than 600 community volunteers are “the heartbeat of what we do,” according to Wilson. Currently, the greatest need is companionship services, helping clients combat loneliness and isolation. Volunteers go into the home and offer conversation, maybe a game of cards. “It’s about nourishing the soul, about human connection,” said Wilson, adding Silver Key could use an additional 40 volunteers daily. The schedule is flexible, including weekends. Another way to help Silver Key is through donations, or by purchasing home-delivered meals for yourself ($9.75/meal), with all profits benefiting seniors in need.

NCL Colorado Springs supports 17-plus non-profit organizations and since 2019 has contributed 6,322 volunteer hours in our community.

To start supporting or volunteering for Silver Key, call (719) 884-2300 or go to www.silverkey.org Learn more about NCL Colorado Springs membership Visit: https://www.nationalcharityleague. org/chapter/coloradosprings/ Email: membership.nclcoloradosprings@ gmail.com

Nationally, NCL, Inc.’s 200,000 members made a $68 million dollar impact.

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A C O M M U N I T Y O F E X C E L L E N C E W I T H T H E H E A R T O F A C H A M P I O N

Colorado Springs is the heart of the nation’s Olympic movement, where a timeless culture of achievement, patriotism and dedication sits comfortably alongside awe-inspiring beauty and refreshingly down-to-earth views.

We are home to the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee headquarters, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center, 24 National Governing Bodies of sport and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum. Here, sport and recreation are a way of life.

Our diverse and ambitious community has always reached for the sky, while remaining firmly grounded in the tremendous opportunities that the Pikes Peak Region affords us every day.

Colorado Springs is Olympic City USA – where a majestic landscape and community of excellence pave the way for a great, yet resoundingly humble American city.

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BUSINESS: WHY YOU NEED AN EXIT PLAN

By Catherine Hammond - Hammond Law Group You’ve worked hard. You’ve poured your time, energy, and heart into growing a career and maybe a business that is making a difference in the community and supporting your family. The one area that you likely haven’t planned for is what happens when it comes to an end, and this is one of the most dangerous mistakes you can make. Failing to have an exit plan can devastate your family and your business.

WHAT IS THIS "EXIT" YOU NEED TO PLAN FOR? Well, at some point each of us will exit our business and our life through retirement, disability or death.

And no matter which way you exit you’ll need a plan to do so well. Every homeowner, business owner, or parent needs to have a plan for disability and death, a comprehensive estate plan to minimize the headaches and heartaches for your loved ones when you can’t take care of yourself or pass away. There are basics that every professional adult needs to address, but this article will focus on how to plan for exiting the business you own. As a business owner, failing to create a succession plan means that the unexpected death or disability of an owner, key leader, or employee can literally cripple your business. There are several key areas you need to address, ideally with an attorney, and some of them are best done years ahead of an actual transition to maximize the value of your business: WHEN WILL YOU WANT TO EXIT? If you remain healthy for the rest of your days, when would you ideally like to exit your business? You’ll also want to make provisions for the possibility of sudden incapacity (brain injury, stroke, or dementia), or the possibility of sudden death.

WHO WILL STEP INTO YOUR SHOES? As an owner, the most likely options are key employees, family, or some combination of the two.

But there may also be options for selling your business to an outside party. The type of buyer you’re planning for will determine much about what the transition will look like. Don’t forget to plan for the transition of management and other skills or responsibilities that wouldn’t be covered if you suddenly exited your business.

HOW WILL THE BUSINESS VALUE BE CALCULATED? Typically a formula is used to determine the value

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of your business at the time of sale, and often in succession planning—especially if the transition will be to a key employee or family member—the formula is identified in the original succession plan. It should be flexible enough to address future increases or decreases in the value of your business. The last thing you want is to set a price or formula that makes the purchase of your business undesirable.

HOW WILL THE TRANSITION BE FUNDED? You need to ensure that whoever will be buying your business will have the funds available to do so.

The easiest way to make this happen is through life insurance that provides cash in the event of your death. Insurance on any key leaders will also help carry the business through an unexpected loss as you hire and train a worthy replacement, which can take years.

HOW WILL YOU MINIMIZE TAXES? Nobody wants to pay unnecessary taxes and there are a number of decisions that affect how much you, your family, and/or your employees will receive including whether you should remain an owner until your death.

HOW AND WHEN WILL YOU COMMUNICATE THE PLAN TO YOUR FAMILY AND KEY EMPLOYEES? Having a plan is a great start, but once it’s established the next vital step is discussing it with those who will be directly affected when you’re gone. It not only gives peace of mind to all parties to know about and understand high level details of your plan, but also helps lay the groundwork for a smooth transition when the time comes. Surprises for your family or your team when you’re gone are the likeliest cause of the collapse of your plan and your business.

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NORTH COVER FEATURE

The Love of

Business Lola Woloch

Southern Colorado Women’s Chamber CEO Reflects on the Key Attributes to her Success: Servant Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Inspiring Others to Reach Potential When you meet Lola Woloch, you know you’ve meeting with a person who is fully committed to the audience immediately in front of her. A careful listener and observer, an incisive business mind, and a strong critical thinker, Lola’s ability to connect the dots and see win-win scenarios with otherwise disparate parties, whether for her organization, for her members, or for her entire community, is uncanny. It’s what entrepreneurs do. She is kind, but direct. She’s on-point and delivers on her vision. She is one of many strong, executive women leading some of Colorado Springs’ most recognizable organizations.

For her, it’s the Southern Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce (SCWCC). She has taken SCWCC to new heights and is not finished yet.

Lola sat with NORTH to share some of her background, experience, and wisdom as one of the region’s most prolific leaders, and how she and her board have worked successfully to position SCWCC as a must for area business owners, leaders and executives.

You are the epitome of a successful businessperson, especially as the President of the SCWCC, but what first attracted you to the business world?

I started my first business in my early 20’s and have always had an entrepreneur mindset. I look at challenges as opportunities and a chance to solve issues and make a positive impact to the bottom line.

Who do you credit for your strong work ethic?

My family. I am a first-generation American. My grandparents immigrated from Ukraine seeking a better and free life in the United States. We were raised with strong family values and a strong workethic. It’s heartbreaking to see what’s happening today 18 North Colorado Media Group in Ukraine whereby freedom versus captivity is on the line.

Starting a business so young, what did that experience teach you about success and leadership?

It was the best education because it was real world experience right out of the gate. I have always been driven to succeed. And, while I’ve learned from successes, I’ve learned even more from mistakes and failures. Patience has been one of my biggest lessons, and it is crucial to success. I make time to listen to what others have to say, seek to understand and lead with humility.

In my role, it is not about me. It is about the people we serve. Business leaders often worry about a positive impact to their bottom line but, if they only focus on that, they miss the greater impact on their business which are the people. To me, being an effective leader is motivating and inspiring individuals and organizations to achieve their greatest potential.

Do you have any ‘pearls of wisdom’ to share from your experiences and leadership roles in corporate America?

Large corporations are often challenged to effectively communicate and operate during challenging times such as layoffs, mergers, key leadership changes or a pandemic. As leaders, it is imperative, especially during uncertain times, to create an environment of certainty, trust and transparency with staff and customers even when the conversations can be difficult.

What are your ‘must read’ books for small business owners?

Everyone should read 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey, and Good to Great, by Jim Collins.

Explain who SCWCC welcomes to its membership roster.

We are a Women’s Chamber that welcomes all

professionals to join. We are an inclusive and diverse organization. We have male members, and some are also part of our leadership team. We say, if you are a women-owned business or an organization who employs women, sells products or sells services to women, our chamber is for you.

How did you get to your position as the head of SCWCC? It was after the Waldo Canyon Wildfire. We were repairing our damaged home and I decided it was time for me to take on a local project to give back to my community. As an enthusiastic supporter of entrepreneurs and business in general, it was the perfect alignment and timing for a move. With my experience in different industry sectors for various size corporations, I saw this incredible opportunity and exciting potential for SCWCC. Throughout her career, and as a natural leader, Lola has been appointed to and held leadership positions.

This has been in large part to her expertise in strategic planning, business development, and marketing and sales. In business, she is driven by an entrepreneurial thought process and approach that is often disruptive to existing thought processes, and subsequently earned the reputation as an agent of change for organizations whose processes where antiquated or stagnant. These disruptions were effective at driving results to help organizations get unstuck and become more effective as a business.

She’s doing it now at SCWCC: Since being contracted in 2015, here are just a few of stats; 300% increase in membership revenue, 149% increase in programs revenue, 218% increase in gross profit, , and 82% increase in attendance.

As such, she has achieved national and regional recognition in business development by setting clear goals, turning around sales channels, and driving corporate divisions to profitability.

What do you see as the biggest challenges for small business owners and leaders in our current business climate?

I see three things consistently – isolation, exhaustion and the ability to change quickly. The last two years have been extremely challenging for small business owners and the feeling of isolation can be real for them as well as business and community leaders. We are living in a constantly changing environment and

Bringing Southwest Airlines to Colorado Springs On the local scene, she has already made a lasting impression with our community. In April 2016, SCWCC arranged a meeting with Southwest Airlines (SWA) Executives, Mayor Suthers and the Director of Colorado Springs Airport. At the time, our community had a lot of economic development projects underway in Olympic City USA with great leadership at the city level. She also worked smart city initiatives with US Ignite to secure local support and which resulted in a $4M initiative funded by the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), and managed through a collaboration of US Ignite, Fort Carson, the city of Colorado Springs, and the University of Colorado. Now that SWA is here, can you even imagine a Colorado Springs without a Southwest Airlines? Not anymore. This was a quantum step forward for the airport and the region, in its ability to attract more primary employers to the Pikes Peak Region.

everyone is looking for new ways to do business.

At SCWCC, we are tackling these challenges head on. Our chamber is unique as it operates with entrepreneurs (not employees) who can quickly innovate and find solutions. We are constantly finding added resources to help business owners network, build strategic relationships and help their businesses thrive. We even provided thirty customized 30-second radio commercials to promote their businesses – for free.

What is your assessment and outlook for the Colorado Springs business community?

Exciting, optimistic, and strong. New businesses are opening, and new commercial developments are happening at a strong pace. We are still experiencing challenging growing pains: workforce issues, affordable housing and ensuring infrastructure in place to handle growth. We don’t want to lose what we love about Colorado Springs - it’s beautiful views of Pikes Peak, our open spaces, and parks. We will continue to work closely with our leadership teams from the city, county, state, and other chamber partners to address the challenges we face and assist in sustainable economic growth for our region.

2017 - Colorado Springs Business Journal - Women of Influence

2020 - Small Business Champion Small Business Week Awards

2019 - CEO of the Year 2018 in the Colorado Chamber of Commerce Executives

2020 and 2021 – SCWCC named Best in Business 2nd place award, Chamber of Commerce - Colorado Spring Business Journal North by Colorado Media Group 19

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PROFILES IN LEADERSHIP

Johnna Reeder Kleymeyer Building COS: A conversation with Johnna Reeder Kleymeyer, president and CEO Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC At the beginning of this year, Johnna Reeder Kleymeyer officially took over as CEO of the region’s largest chamber of commerce and economic development organization, following the retirement of Dirk Draper. While she may be new to the Pikes Peak region, she is anything but a novice when it comes to leading organizations and helping communities navigate and address growth. We sat down with Johnna to learn more about her background, vision for her this role, and what she finds most appealing about the organization and community.

You grew up in the South and spent a majority of your career in the Midwest. Tell us how both regions shaped your approach to work?

Growing up in the South installed a real sense of hospitality, and both my upbringing and roles in the Midwest installed a strong work ethic. My father was a military veteran and highway patrolman, which certainly shaped a sense of duty to others and work.

Those attributes have served me well in every role and in every region.

Tell us a little bit about your professional background.

Every role has really prepared you to take on your current position of CEO at the Chamber & EDC. I started my career in Tennessee at the Obion County Chamber of Commerce and Jackson Downtown Development Corporation. Those roles really gave me an opportunity to learn about what’s important to businesses and allowed me to cut my teeth in chambers of commerce and economic development.

After my time there, I took a position in Cincinnati with the United Way, where I learned the importance of running nonprofits like a business and the art of lobbying for change. From there, I went on to work for Citi and Duke Energy, providing invaluable opportunities to hone my leadership skills and, especially at Duke Energy, take a direct role in business attraction, retention, and expansion as it relates to utilities.

From there, I took on the inaugural president and CEO position at Regional Economic Development Initiative (REDI) Cincinnati, a 15-county, three-state regional economic development organization. During that time, we celebrated over 175 project wins and created over 25,000 jobs with $1.4B in new capital investment in the region, leading to yearly accolades as a top performing region in the country.

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Following my time with REDI, I launched my own consulting business and helped other leaders grow their skills and move their work and organizations forward.

In my past roles, I’ve worked with small, mid-size, and large businesses across a diverse set of industries.

I’ve helped communities navigate the challenges and opportunities that regional growth presents. And I’ve been able to see that every community has its challenges, and growth is a good one to have. There are so many cities and regions across the country that would love to trade their challenges for ours. These are good problems to have, and I want to be a part of the solution.

What appealed to you about this role and community?

The short answer is that the mountains and healthy lifestyle appealed to me, but the community sold me on the role. The opportunity to lead a thriving organization and be a part of a growing mid-size metro appealed to me. There are big opportunities – and big challenges – in our region, and I wanted to be a part of shaping our present and future business community.

You touch on something that is a hot topic for many community members. The region’s growth is often cited as a challenge, fueling rising home prices and more traffic. How do you see our region moving forward?

It’s a complex challenge, and to be sure, growth is one factor of many contributing to housing costs and traffic. Several issues, including housing affordability, inflation, tight labor markets, and strained supply chains, for example, are global issues. It’s important that we, as a region, are taking a holistic and collective approach to addressing each factor and finding innovative solutions that work for us a local level. These are challenges that are big and no one

organization can solve them single handedly. The good news is that our region is very collaborative and has long been aware of and working towards solutions.

That was one of the things that struck me during my interview process. Business organizations are working together and complementing one another’s scopes of work. The City of Colorado Springs and El Paso County work in tandem with one another. We are encouraging housing development to better balance demand and supply. We have a local system that works well together and is vested in helping our region grow successfully and intentionally.

What are some specific ways that you and your team will be a part of the solutions?

One of our primary roles will be advocating for business-friendly legislation, especially at the state level. We want to minimize the cost and regulation requirements to doing business, and work with lobbyists from both parties, statewide interest groups, and elected leaders to share the impacts and unintended consequences that regulations may have on business. Another part of that is advocating for legislation that promotes infrastructure and housing development to keep up with regional and state growth and demand.

In addition, we’re putting together programs in collaboration with community partners to help address talent needs and tighten the skills gap locally.

These are just a few of several ways we’re working to directly be a part of the solution.

What are some the exciting opportunities surrounding our growth?

There are very real economic impacts, from job options to lifestyle amenities, that directly benefit community members. What is particularly exciting is that our growth isn’t concentrated in one specific geographic area of the city. Peak Innovation Park at the Colorado Springs Airport has attracted several new businesses to the region and helped existing ones expand operations. Catalyst Campus is transforming downtown’s east side and driving defense innovation at the national level. Downtown continues to add trendy restaurants and shops which maintain a sense of place. And, as North readers know, Interquest and Northgate are booming. It’s a hotspot for employers and employees alike for good reason.

What are you most excited for in first year as CEO? I have a top-notch team and an incredibly engaged, dedicated Board of Directors and membership, combined with a collaborative business community.

The ingredients are all there to further our work and make significant impacts as an organization. I am rolling up my sleeves and digging into the hard work – and I am excited every day to come to work.

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PROFILES IN LEADERSHIP

Megan Leatham Named as new Colorado Springs Sports Corporation President & CEO Colorado Springs Sports Corporation Board of Directors has named Megan Leatham, the Executive Director of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, as the new President and CEO of The Sports Corp.

Through an extensive and competitive national hiring process, Leatham was ultimately selected for the role because of her proven track record of excellence in leadership, business management and financial acumen, team building skills and creating and achieving a vision of success for the organizations she has served.

Megan joined The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in 2011. In her tenure with the organization, Megan earned the respect of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb Board of Directors, competitors, sponsors, staff and volunteers at all levels of the community. She, along with great community support and a strong, hardworking team, grew the race to the international prominence it is today.

Dave Palenchar, Chairman of the Colorado Springs Sports Corporation Board of Directors, said, “The Sports Corporation set a high bar for Tom Osborne's successor and Megan's experience checked all the boxes. Her successes in event management, leadership, fund development and community collaboration fit perfectly with the Sports Corp's mission. Her demonstrated success as general manager of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, sports background, commitment to Colorado Springs, and appreciation for the unique role the Sports Corp plays in this community made her the right choice. And in the few months she has been on the job the Board could not be more pleased with her performance.” ” Armed with an undergraduate degree from Whitman College, and a master’s degree from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, Megan brings her passion for sports, relationships, and systems implementation to complement the future initiatives of The Sports Corp.

“I share a deep respect for our community and the contribution of sports to the quality of life for citizens in Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak region,” Leatham said. “As the new President and CEO, I commit to cultivate and enhance the legacy of The Sports Corp by strengthening our unique relationships and promoting our community as Olympic City USA. It is the presence and passion of each individual and partnership that ensures our continued success.”

Colorado Springs Sports Corporation The Colorado Springs Sports Corporation (The Sports Corp) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit committed to establishing a strong regional presence through positive economic development and contribution to the quality of life for citizens in the Pikes Peak region. The Sports Corp was established in 1978 to assist in the relocation of the United States Olympic Committee from New York City to Colorado Springs and has grown and prospered to become a driving force in the agenda for amateur and Olympic sport. Through event promotion and community development activities, The Sports Corp plays a critical role in bringing city and civic leaders together with some of the nation’s premier sporting organizations, including the United States Olympic Committee and national and international sports organizations.

As a professional event management company, The Sports Corp spearheads the organization and management of the following annual major events driving economic vitality in the Pikes Peak region: Rocky Mountain State Games, The Broadmoor Pikes Peak Cycling Hill Climb, Pikes Peak Airstrip Attack, Colorado Springs Labor Day Lift Off, and the Colorado Springs Sports Hall of Fame.

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COMMUNITY LEADER

Sues Hess Sues Hess has a broad understanding of cultures, and how culture impacts individuals. That framework has well prepared her to lead an anti-trafficking nonprofit located in Colorado Springs today which has a national impact.

Raised in a Midwest farm community, in a home that hosted international visitors through a U.S. State Department program, Sues has lived in both European and American villages and cities, but she’s called Colorado Springs home longer than any other place. All along her pilgrim path, she’s trained helpers who bring comfort to those in crisis.

Sues is the youngest of 3 sisters, one who was a teenage mother of a son with cerebral palsy. Her family struggled to find resources to help her nephew, which launched Sues on the journey to find, and sometimes develop, appropriate resources to help others.

church committees, including missions.

After graduating from Wheaton College (IL) in sociology, she served in areas which helped her become confident enough to later travel in and out of the “Iron Curtain” before it’s downfall in 1989.

She learned about writing and publishing on the job, with the Christian Medical Society and World Championship Tennis, and later the International Bible Society/Biblica. Hosting a live radio program for the Dallas area pro-life movement in the 80s was almost as big of a challenge as her next assignment: helping refugees fleeing the brutal tyranny of the Soviet Union, where civilians were prevented from reaching the safe haven and religious freedom of European democracies. Living in Austria and Germany, Sues coordinated women’s and children’s ministries while starting her own family.

Her first personal exposure to human trafficking was in 1977, when she worked at a Christian youth hostel in the Red Light district of Amsterdam.

She has served Reclaiming Hope, a Colorado Springs ministry which journeys with human trafficking victims, first as a board member and now as Executive Director. She’s been active in the Human Trafficking Task Force of Southern Colorado meetings off and on since 2009. She has also opened her home to trafficking survivors.

When she returned to the United States, Sues coordinated emotional/spiritual care for victims of disasters globally. She led a residential program for single moms and their families in Colorado Springs.

As an active member of First Presbyterian Church in Colorado Springs, she has served as a deacon and on

She married Tom in 2010. Sues enjoys a thriving marriage, 5 grandchildren, and good health.

Sues found comfort in her faith in Christ through the abuse of an alcoholic husband, and then as a single mother of three boys. Her faith also sustained her through breast cancer, a double mastectomy and chemotherapy.

We will be delving into the topic of human trafficking with Sues and other experts, in subsequent editions of NORTH.

North by Colorado Media Group 25

Health &

Wellness

Physical & Mental Health | Nutrition | Fitness | Wellness | Specialty Care

Hearing Loss & Dementia

By Jim Stobaugh, HAD, HAS, NBC-HIS, BA

Memory Loss: People with dementia may forget recent events and often miss appointments. They may start to struggle to remember some personal information, such as a phone number or an address that they have remembered for a long time.

Language Problems: People with dementia will find it difficult to express themselves with their desired words. They may discover it difficult to comprehend other people's words, which makes communication difficult.

Personality and mood changes go hand in hand with dementia, and families often feel that their loved ones have completely changed their personality as the disease progresses.

Trouble Preforming Routine Tasks:

26 North by Colorado Media Group

When dementia develops, people might find it difficult to perform daily routines, including driving a vehicle, showering and getting dressed. Because brain cells cannot interact, these simple tasks are challenging, and often people with Alzheimer's must move into a nursing home or a help center to receive help with their basic needs.

Please Note:

dementia. The research also found that those who used hearing aids eliminated this increased risk.

Symptoms of hearing loss and dementia are often comparable–not responding to questions or reacting incorrectly, or struggling to comprehend sounds, including conversation. Doctors often misdiagnose hearing loss as dementia: individuals may be treated for a disorder which they do not have, but their hearing loss continues untreated. Untreated hearing loss can make it harder for someone to deal with dementia –and can aggravate dementia-related behaviors, such as aggression and anxiety.

Although research in this area is ongoing, the signs are indeed encouraging that treating hearing loss through the use of hearing aids could be a surprisingly important way to reduce the risk of dementia in our society.

Hearing loss is therefore a major risk factor for developing dementia but, fortunately, the impacts of hearing loss can be mitigated. We may be able to reduce our risk of developing dementia by taking steps to address our hearing loss. Research indicates that the use of hearing aids may decrease our probability of developing dementia.

Seniors with hearing loss are considerably more susceptible to developing dementia over time than those who manage to preserve their hearing, according to research by academics from Johns Hopkins and the National Institute on Aging.

A French study also supports this conclusion. This study followed almost 3,800 individuals over a 25-year period and discovered that seniors and elderly individuals who say they have hearing loss and do not use hearing aids have a much greater chance of developing

If you think that you could benefit from the use of hearing aids, our professional team can assist you choose the correct one for you. But before we can do that, we need to understand what your hearing requirements are.

Please contact us today for a hearing test.

719.900.5599

Jim Stobaugh HAD, HAS, NBC-HIS, BA Hearing Aid Specialist for over 23 years, and along with his wife Tammy, they have a combined 50-plus years in the hearing industry.

Jim has been Nationally Board Certified since 2005.

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Cordera 719.282.6666

Orthodontics | Pediatric Dentistry

mysmilehq.com New Monument Location Coming Soon

Dr. Nielsen

Dr. Carubia

Dr. Erickson North by Colorado Media Group 29

Nothing is more important than staying connected to the people you love. Here at A Better Hearing Center, we’re proud to do this everyday for our patients, and we’re ready to do the same for you.

• • • •

Hearing Tests Hearing Aid Repair Tinnitus Management Custom Hearing Protection • Assistive Listening Devices • Ear Wax Management

Jim Stobaugh, HAD, HAS, NBC-HIS, BA

Monument, CO | Phone: 719-900-5599 | ABetterHearingCenter.com

A message from Centura, your partner in health care.

Know Your Calcium Score, Love Your Heart A calcium score heart scan helps identify calcified plaque levels in your heart arteries.

Did you know? According to the American Heart Association, men over 40 and women over 45 years of age may have one or more risk factors for heart disease, even in good health. Family history, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, and diabetes are all factors leading to a good reason to get a calcium score heart scan.

Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death worldwide, leading to more fatalities each year from heart attacks and strokes than any other cause.

Cardiac and vascular diseases can strike anyone; men and women of all ages, races, and economic classes. A calcium score heart scan helps identify calcified plaque levels in your heart arteries so that, if your score is elevated, you can make appropriate lifestyle and medication changes. These changes may reduce your chance of suffering a heart attack or stroke, possibly averting a life-threatening event.

A calcium score heart scan detects calcified plaque in the heart (coronary) arteries by measuring the density of the calcium particles in the plaque along the coronary artery walls. A high level of plaque can potentially block the coronary arteries which carry oxygen-rich blood to the heart. Knowing your score can help your doctor determine the most appropriate treatment for slowing the progression of coronary artery plaque, also known as Coronary Artery Disease (CAD).

The calcium score heart scan can easily and painlessly provide a clear view of a person’s cardiac risk because the measurement of calcified plaque allows physicians to identify possible coronary artery disease before any signs or symptoms show up.

The high speed, low dose CT scanner looks inside a person’s heart on the walls of the arteries to check for buildup of calcium. Results of the test are provided to you and your physician to discuss future actions and care plans.

Centura Health is currently offering calcium score heart screening—there is no preparation required, and no referral is needed.

To learn more or to schedule a calcium score heart scan at a location nearest you, visit centura.org

Centura Health does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex, religion, creed, ancestry, sexual orientation, and marital status in admission, treatment, or participation in its programs, services and activities, or in employment. For further information about this policy contact Centura Health’s Office of the General Counsel at 1-303-673-8166 (TTY: 711). Copyright © Centura Health, 2022. ATENCIÓN: Si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-719-776-5370 (TTY: 711). CHÚ Ý: Nếu bạn nói Tiếng Việt, có các dịch vụ hỗ trợ ngôn ngữ miễn phí dành cho bạn. Gọi số 1-719-776-5370 (TTY: 711).

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KEEP YOUR HOME OFFICE SECURE Tips from Force BroadBand We can all say that working from home is great, but it poses a whole new set of cyber security challenges and without the convenience of inhouse technical support, it can be a problem it’s not like a corporate tech will just go to your house. Here are a few cyber security housekeeping steps to consider to ensure your new office is safe and secure.

Many vendors provide you with a router or if you purchase them in the store make sure to follow these 5 steps.

1.

Log in to your router to access its settings, if you’re unsure how to log in, look at your routers make and model and then you can use that to search the internet for articles or YouTube for videos.

2.

Change your router’s username and password. Most routers ship with default login credentials that are public knowledge and must be changed immediately.

3.

Change the SSID (Service Set Identifier).

The SSID is the name of your wireless network. Use WPA instead of WEP Wifi password security and make sure to use a unique and strong password.

4.

If available, enable automatic updates so your router is always on the most recent firmware or software version.

5.

Use a virtual private network (VPN).

A VPN is software that encrypts your internet connection and prevents others from viewing your internet traffic. Many organizations require the use of a VPN for remote workers.

Help a homeless neighbor this holiday season.

Make a difference today.

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COLORADO HOMEFRONT

The Colorado Lifestyle at its Finest

Inside • Real Estate Update 2022 • Always Elegant: Choosing the Right Drapes for Your Home • What to Know About Radon?

• Flying Horse Realty: Navigating Northern Colorado Springs Real Estate (Pt. 2)

PIKES PEAK REAL ESTATE YEAR-IN REVIEW & FORECAST FOR 2022

By Marquesa Hobbs, Realtor CNE & MRP As our community and the world navigated through another challenging year, both the local and national real estate markets actually experienced one of the most impressive years ever.

National Across the nation, homeowners enjoyed an average gain of $56,700 thru Q3 last year, while Colorado had one of the highest average gains at $78,000. We know that the amazing quality of life attracts people from around the world!

Update on Forbearance Program: Fortunately 4 out of 5 homeowners created a plan, or paid off what they owed; therefore we aren’t seeing many properties enter foreclosure status. Only 1.6% of total mortgages are still in Forbearance!

Rental market Now more than ever, owning is more affordable than renting in 58% of counties in the country. With rental rates skyrocketing over the last few years, it is more expensive for renters to pay the lease on a 3 bed/3 bath home than to make a mortgage payment on a similar home.

The average homeowner gained $56K in equity last year.

If you rented, essentially you helped to put this into your Landlords account instead of yours. Additionally, rental rates are skyrocketing with the price of renting a 3 bed 3 bath MORE expensive than what the average monthly mortgage payment for the same home would be! In addition to wealth building and financial security, there are so many non-financial benefits to home ownership as well.

As expected, interest rates have started to rise. This will affect affordability for Buyers, but rates are still incredible!

Here is what experts predict through 2022.

Pikes Peak & El Paso County As the year begins, we start again with low inventory, low mortgage rates and a booming local economy. January 2022 presented the fewest number of active listings recorded at 266 Single Family homes. To put this in perspective, 5 years ago there were 1563 active listings and 10 years ago there were 3662. As the year progressed, a local record was set with SF home closings at the highest ever at 14,929.

Since 2016, the number of listings has been very low. In 2020 there was an average of 484 active listings on the market during the 4th Quarter. This past quarter this number bumped up just a bit to 556 single-family homes on the market; if you subtract new construction, that number drops another 200 homes! The strong demand, largely driven by historically low interest rates, meant that homes quickly went under contract once they were listed.

As with the law of Supply/Demand, the low inventory drove competition and the price. This demand pushed home values in El Paso County up more than 18%. The average price for a home sold in 2021 was $487,876 and the median was $431,250.

We expect 2022 to be another record year but we aren’t expecting homes to appreciate at 18% again.

• • • • • • • • • •

The year ended much like 2020 did with only 458 homes on the market, consistent multiple offer situations, and record high prices. In fact, the average sales price for El Paso County in December hit a record high of $511,439 while the median at was at $450,750 and the average was $487,876 The Inventory Levels remain low with less than 1 month in virtually all price points up to $800K, then moves to 2 month. Remember that a balanced housing market is considered to be a 6 month supply.

This graphic created by FHFA depicts the home price index and annual appreciation from 1992.

El Paso County 2021 Facts

Number of units sold was an all-time high at 14,929 (up 1%).

Average sales prices for the year were $487,876 (up 18%).

The median sales price for 2021 was at $431,250 (up 18%).

Inventory levels for the year averaged just 2 weeks.

New home permits hit 2862 for Colorado Springs (down 3%).

New home permits for all El Paso & Teller Counties were 5073 (flat).

391 homes sold for $1,000,000 or more (just 38 in 2015).

73 homes sold for under $200,000 (3,736 in 2015).

Mortgage rates hit an all-time low of 2.65% in January, and peaked in April at 3.18%.

Most expensive home and largest: 8M Broadmoor Beauty at 16,594 SF

When you combine slightly fewer buyers with slightly more listings, inventory will relax some—BUT it will continue to be a “Seller’s Market” locally. However, those homes under $500,000 that saw 20+ offers early last summer will more likely see 5-10 offers; rather than an 18% appreciation, we expect the local real estate market to gain approximately 8-10% 2022.

We are fortunate to live, work, and play in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Downtown COS has made massive growth with new venues like the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum, Weidner Field, Robson Arena, thousands of new apartments, a new grocery store, new hotels opened and nearly 50 new restaurants & shops. The impressive growth in the Northgate area with Top Golf, AirCity, FlyHi, restaurants, new homes and apartments, and lots of entertainment continues to attract visitors and new residents alike.

The local tourism industry received a boost this past year as well, with the re-opening of two iconic attractions— the Pikes Peak Cog Railway and the Flying W Ranch Chuckwagon. The return of the Space Symposium, the largest convention in town, opened back and drew attendees from around the world.

In Summary, the Pikes Peak area continues on an upward trajectory for 2022 and will remain one of the most sought after cities to visit and live in!

As more are able to choose where they live, work, and play, we will continue to see demand here as locals chose to stay and many choose to move here. Migration to the area will slow some, listings are expected to increase, and mortgage rates are predicted to increase. These factors will help stabilize demand modestly. Some investors, such as Zillow, were a little over-zealous the last few years and will sell many of the hundreds of properties they purchased locally this year.

Marquesa Hobbs • Top producing agent at ERA Shields for 2021 • MRP, CNE, Peak Producers, ERA Leader's Circle Please reach out with questions about the market, your home value, or for a tour of the new communities.

Celebrating friends, family and neighbors at your perfect new home ...

Brought to you by:

MARQUESA HOBBS, REALTOR® - CNE & MRP 719.238.0330 | MHobbs@ERAShields.com You Can Find Me Here:

AREAS of EXPERTISE Luxury & North Springs Communities Home Buying Home Selling Investment Properties/1031

Q Ua l i t Y. i n t eG R i t Y. e X P e R i e n C e .

New Builds Centennial Radon Solutions provides Radon mitigation, Radon inspections, testing, and removal for all of Colorado Springs. Our company has over 16 years of experience in the radon removal industry. We are fully licensed and certified Radon experts that offer our Radon services to both residential and commercial properties in the area. Centennial Radon Solutions is a member of the NRSB, NEHA, AARST, and Better Business Bureau, and adhere to all EPA guidelines.

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a VeteRan owned BUsiness

Leading Radon Mitigation Team For Residential & CommeRCial 2020 LEADERS’ CIRCLE

719.494.5461 | CentennialRadon.Com

North by Colorado Media Group 39

Q Ua l i t Y. i n t eG R i t Y. e X P e R i e n C e .

Centennial Radon Solutions provides Radon mitigation, Radon inspections, testing, and removal for all of Colorado Springs. Our company has over 16 years of experience in the radon removal industry. We are fully licensed and certified Radon experts that offer our Radon services to both residential and commercial properties in the area. Centennial Radon Solutions is a member of the NRSB, NEHA, AARST, and Better Business Bureau, and adhere to all EPA guidelines. a VeteRan owned BUsiness

Leading Radon Mitigation Team For Residential & CommeRCial

719.494.5461 | CentennialRadon.Com

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YOUR HOUSE TESTED HIGH FOR RADON. WHAT’S NEXT?

BY ROBERT WEBSTER | NEHA, NRPP CERTIFIED

The first step in the process: Contact a local, NEHA Certified, professional radon mitigation company that carries liability insurance to consult with about the mitigation options best suited for your home. The company you select should provide you with a clear description as to how they intend to install the system either prior to or on the day of the installation.

Red flags might be the following?

If the Radon Mitigation company intends to install a system in a highly visible area of your home (example may be on the front of the home).

If they install PVC pipes in finished spaces of your home or up the side of the home to route the radon exhaust.

Consider there will be a fan unit installed and look for a company that will try to keep the unit in a quiet space.

Important things to consider when choosing a Radon Mitigation company: Look for a company that will use materials that match the integrity of your home. High quality radon companies will use gutter downspout material which matches your existing home and will even offer to paint the downspout rather than PVC pipe.

There are options on where and how a system is installed. If installation description doesn't sound right, there is a good chance your concern is warranted and another professional opinion may be in order.

Talk to the Radon Mitigation professional and make sure they are not recommending an approach to mitigation that might be the easiest, least expensive way to install your system which may not always protect the safety of your family and/or protect the integrity of your home.

How a Radon Mitigation system works: Basically, the system sucks on the soil beneath the house to remove the radon gasses from the soil before they can enter the home. Every house has an inherent negative pressure within it due to combustible appliances, fireplaces and vents. A mitigation system produces more negative pressure beneath the slab than what exists inside the house. The radon migrates to the greater sensed negative pressure and is then vented above the roofline and discharged safely into the air above the home.

There are 3 basic types of systems: 1. Perimeter Drain Depressurization System.

Most houses built in El Paso County that dating to the mid 1980’s and have a basement also have what is commonly referred to as a foundation drain system installed during construction. Other common names for this foundation drain system may be a Perimeter drain or a French drain. These drain systems are installed to divert water away from the basement to keep the basement dry from ground water. A foundation drain is a pathway around the footer of the house that consists of gravel and a perforated pipe to collect and take water away from the foundation. By attaching the mitigation system to the perimeter drain system the fan creates a negative pressure in the drain trench on all 4 sides of the house which is greater than the negative pressure within the house. The radon then migrates through the soil to the greater negative pressure in the drain and is then exhausted to above

the roofline to a safe discharge location. The perimeter drain approach is the preferred approach on any existing home as applying negative pressure on all 4 sides of the house tends to get superior results and this type of system is non-obtrusive to interior space as we can dig on the outside of the home to connect to the drain.

2. Sub Slab Depressurization System System.

This type of system would be installed on an older home with a basement or when it is determined there is no foundation drain present. This approach would also apply to a slab on grade constructed home. The approach here is to core a hole in the slab of the house and excavate soil from beneath the slab to create a suction pit. Plumbing is attached to the suction pit and routed to the outside or garage attic where a fan is installed and discharged above the roof. The fan then pulls a vacuum on the suction pit extracting the gasses from the soil directly beneath the slab. The success of this approach is very dependent on the soil condition beneath the slab, the size of the slab and intermediate footings that may exist acting as barriers to the suction on the soil. Having a contractor familiar with soil types and construction types in your area is key to success with this type of installation 3. Sub Membrane Depressurization system (aka crawl space mitigation).

This type of system can be effective by way of installing perforated pipe on the surface of the crawlspace and encapsulating the crawlspace with a high strength membrane. The membrane is sealed up onto the foundation walls and around posts and pads sealing the soil off from the home. A fan system connects to the perforated pipe beneath the membrane applying vacuum to the soil - basically, vacuum sealing the crawlspace. This approach is very effective as it contacts all soil evenly beneath the house. This approach also tends to be a more costly approach than the others because of the increased labor and material costs for this approach. Beware of certain Radon Mitigation companies as not all materials and workmanship are the same. There are times where the least expensive mitigator may not be able to achieve the best results and/or use cheap materials that could shorten the life expectancy of the system. Shopping price is important but shopping quality may be even more important when choosing a radon mitigation company.

Quality mitigation companies report a substantial portion of their business is correcting systems that were installed by lesser reputable companies that were either an eye sore for the homeowner, incorrectly installed or ineffective at reducing the radon levels. If you are a purchasing a home and it tests high for radon, it may be in your best interest to ensure that the system that will be installed is the quality and caliber of a system you would choose yourself. Many home buyers choose to pursue a credit for the radon system so they are able to ensure a high quality, effective system will be installed rather than be stuck with something the seller selected for them. Another thing to consider when choosing a system is where they are located. A local company may be able to address any issues that arise quicker than other companies that come in from outside of the county.

Protect the safety of your family and the integrity of your home by selecting a local, reputable, quality company for your radon mitigation needs. Make sure they are NEHA certified, carry insurance and answer their phone. There are good ways to install these systems and bad ways. If you would like more information visit www.centennialradon.com or contact Bob Webster, owner of Centennial Radon directly at 719 494-5461. Centennial Radon is a Veteran, locally owned company that has been in operation for almost 20 years.

Robert Webster (NEHA/NRPP Certification #105986) is the founder and owner of Centennial Radon Solutions LLC – Certified by the National Radon Proficiency Program (NRPP) and the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) and AARST - American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists, Inc. - 719 494-5461 - Rwebster44@msn.com

Selecting the Right Drapes for

Your Home

Article Provided by Always Elegant Interiors

Practically every house-proud homeowner wants to make the most of their home in terms of décor, and an integral part of achieving the perfect look for your property is getting the right drapes for each room. Because the theme and décor in a home can vary from one room to the next, it is important to consider several factors before selecting your window coverings. Some of the factors you need to consider when selecting drapes are the type of room you are buying for, the size of the windows, the type of ambiance you wish to create for the room, and the design and décor of the room. For instance, if you are buying drapes for your kids’ bedrooms, the heavy elaborate covering would look a little odd and could work out quite costly, whereas lighter coverings with simple designs could prove ideal.

On the other hand, if you have a room that is reserved for entertaining, where the décor is rich and elaborate, the heavier window treatments could fit in nicely. A family room used for relaxing might benefit from simply designed and easy-to-

42 North by Colorado Media Group

maintain coverings, whereas a kitchen might fare better with café style drapes or even blinds. Each room requires careful thought and consideration before you make any firm decision with regards to the right coverings for the windows.

Enjoy a great choice of fabrics, colors, and designs Whatever the design and decoration of each of your rooms, you should have no problem finding the ideal coverings for the windows amongst the vast choice available. From simple, easy to maintain coverings designed for rooms with heavy traffic or children and pets to rich, luxurious coverings with elaborate patterns and sumptuous fabrics, you can the right covers for every room in the home. Having the perfect drapes to complement the décor in a room can really inject life into the room, helping you to achieve both the look and the ambiance

you are looking for. If you are carrying out a home improvement program, finding window coverings to suit each individual room can really make a difference to the overall finish of your improvements, and can give each room a whole new look.

Choose ready-made coverings or create your own For those confident when it comes to sewing and design, you can get some incredible drapery materials at affordable prices, and these can be used to make your own coverings depending on your needs. If you are not confident enough to make your own, you will find a vast choice of ready-made coverings designed for all sorts of rooms in the home, from bedrooms and living rooms to dining rooms and kitchens, so you can ensure that every room in the home boasts the perfect drapes to complement the décor. You can often get excellent deals on both ready-made coverings and a wide choice of materials online, giving you an even better chance of finding the ideal window treatments for use throughout your home.

For window treatments including custom draperies or overall interior design services, call or email us today.

719.309.6367 hello@alwayselegantco.com alwayselegantco.com North by Colorado Media Group 43

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Navigating Northern Colorado

springs Real Estate

(pt. 2)

Part 2 of an interview with Roger Hukle, Wayne Pinegar and Greg Balman of Flying Horse Realty.

In our last article, we touched on concerns by some that we're heading for another "housing bubble" similar to what was experienced in 2008 and 2009. We're not in a bubble, and we don't believe we're heading to one based on several considerations: • Underwriting criteria for new loans is more rigid, with higher requirements for credit scores, proof of income, and down payments.

• Homeowners are more conservative nowadays... with less borrowing against home equity and also less speculation on high risk investments.

• Housing demand is up and supply is down... and supply is expected to remain low for an extended period of time yet (we ended 2021 with less that 800 single-family homes listed for sale).

Locally, home builders are trying to catch up, but combine challenges related to supply chain disruptions, labor costs, shortages, and the cost of materials varying by significant amounts over short periods of time (lumber costs are way up again, for example), and you have a formula for extended price increases and slower delivery dates.

Wayne Pinegar, partner at Flying Horse Realty states, “There’s a lot of conversation about

46 North by Colorado Media Group

the interest rates going up and how it is going to impact Colorado Springs market. There's a whole generation of buyer’s that have never seen interest above 4.00%. Right now, at 3 ½%, from a historical perspective, that’s incredibly low. The market is so tight I think a raise in interest rates this year is going to have a negligible impact on our local market.”

"I agree," Greg Balman, confirms. "These interest rates are really good. I don't know who that scares off other than potentially a younger generation who's never seen interest rates above 4.00%. When we've seen rates in the teens back in the 80s and early 90s, we realize, that's where our experience can help shape some realistic perspective for folks when they express concerns over interest rates ticking up to 3.5% on a 30year fixed mortgage."

"I don't think small interest rate hikes will scare too many people off at this point, especially with the fact there's just not a lot of inventory and people are needing and wanting homes," Pinegar underscores.

"If you're a renter if you've likely experienced 7.1% increase in rates from year to year. For the Millennials coming up to season in life where they're ready to buy a home, that group has to be

concerned of not only the increase on the rental rates, but that fact that if you rented last year you basically gave up $56,700 that the average home in this region gained in value. Renters have lost that appreciation and paid somebody else's mortgage," Hukle states.

"Homeownership beats renting all day long," Greg inserts. "Typically whatever the rent is for a given home, that value is going to be much more than what it would cost to own the home outright as far as monthly payment. So, people who are renting are already starting off paying more than they would pay to own a home without any benefit of capturing home equity improvement along the way. I fully understand, a lot of people who rent may have some other factors that keep them from being able to own, but the fact is, renters have no way to capitalize on the equity growth potential that home ownership has offered to homeowners the past several years."

"Last year with the appreciation of 20% or more - Let's say they had a $400,000 house. Take that 20% increase and that's the money they've lost.

On top of that what they paid, say, $24,000 in rent. It's possible $56,000 in missed opportunity may even be conservative, Pinegar stresses.

Balman suggests, "For the investor, it's a very good time to own investment properties. If you look at the whole country we are still very attractive from a price point perspective, and that's why we're getting of folks from the east and west coasts moving here. Furthermore, there are a lot of jobs coming into El Paso County that are higher paying. That said, there's not a lot of availability, but there's good opportunity if people can get in.

Wayne adds, "There are currently two strategies for property investors: 1) Buy and Hold, and 2) Buy and Flip.

The “flip” strategy for a regular investor is almost off the table. Why? Because the big investors have plenty of money and can grab them up. If you're talking about buy-and-hold, you have to realize you're going to pay top dollar. But buying in a seller’s market is a good thing for buyers which might sound count-intuitive. Because

prices are appreciating and that translates to equity in the first year.

Even if you’ve sat on the sidelines this past year or so, locally-speaking, you’ve still got time to get in now and capitalize on our current market. If you have an interest in this kind of investing, find a place and rent it out – get the gains this market is offering now.”

Even if you've sat on the sidelines this past year or so, locally-speaking, you've still got time to get in now and capitalize on our current market.

If you have an interest in this kind of investing, maybe work to find a place in one of these appreciating neighborhoods and rent it out - get the gains this market is offering now."

"You've gotta know when to hold them..."

"Let's say you live in Briargate, and want to upgrade your primary residence, maybe move

“Everybody who owns a home is an investor, and it is probably their biggest asset. As such, it is probably wise to have a professional assessment once a year of that asset.

Most people don't see themselves as investors but in reality, homeowners are.

We can provide a professional assessment and determine what, if any opportunities exist.

North by Colorado Media Group 47

farther north or whatever. Consider the idea that you might not want to sell your current home I’d keep it as a rental. You can still borrow on equity to buy the new home, with interest rates like they are, this is a great option to become an investor in this market. It's a strategy a lot of people are trying to employ while these conditions continue to present as favorable," says Balman.

Roger adds, "For many, the impact of COVID has folks looking for different features in their home. There's more emphasis on the home office and technologies that facilitate virtual meetings and working remotely. Outdoor living spaces are becoming more than just a place to throw a burger on the grill and then take it inside. They are becoming personal retreats and extensions of the main living areas of a home. Rather than try to retrofit these new "norms" to an older floor plan. Many buyers are looking to update and upgrade with new construction.

Wayne adds, "Presently, it's almost guaranteed appreciation when buying new. They are not going to lower the prices. Builders are always raising the bar on price in markets like this.

You're always trending just behind what they're doing next, because that next project for them is going to cost more. In that sense, you have builtin value, or built in increases when you buy new.

From an investment property context, that makes a lot of sense."

"Some Denver projects are being developed right now that have all the amenities and they're attracting these high income millennials that maybe not quite be ready to buy a home, but they also don't want to maintenance. They're choosing a lifestyle choices and they're more into working

Wayne Pinegar

48 North by Colorado Media Group

from home than having amenities and working from home. This whole idea of buying new for rental works for them now. Good investors understand this and make strong gains as a result of having those properties.

Wayne continues, “That said, any investor knows you don't buy the most expensive home, you don't buy the biggest in a given neighborhood.

You buy the average, or slightly below average and then let appreciation work for you. When you then sell it sometime in the future and average house will sell much faster that the biggest and most expensive homes.”

Since January of ’21 the national medium rent has increased by 17.8% from 1988 to 2021.

Apartment rental expert, Doug Carter states, "Rentals and apartments in El Paso have seen consistent rental increases. For many, it was $100 dollars per quarter - $400 a year."

Pinegar states, “Everybody who owns a home is an investor, and it is probably their biggest asset. As such, it is probably wise to have a professional assessment once a year of that asset. Most people don't see themselves as investors but in reality, homeowners are investors. We can provide a professional assessment and determine what, if any opportunities exist.

Most people would probably say, 'I'm not selling'.

We understand that. All we're suggesting is, given it is a big investment, it's a good strategy to gauge how your investment is performing while our market continues to behave like it is."

Roger Hukle

Greg Balman

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ARE ADVERTISING AGENCIES A COLOSSAL WASTE OF MONEY? If you’re like most business owners, then you’ve probably thought about hiring an advertising agency at least once in your career — which is great! After all, advertising agencies can be fantastic investments.

Professional advertising can mean the difference between profit and just barely breaking even. But there’s just one thing that’s been holding you back: THE PRICE. Advertising agencies are known for being pretty expensive, and most business owners end up feeling like they’re jumping into some kind of socially acceptable gambling addiction. First, you’ll have to jump through hoops to find an agency that’s willing to work with you. Then, they’ll start bombarding you with a long list of recommendations.

They’ll pressure you into various advertising services, all while throwing weird acronyms at you like “PPC” and “SEO”. When you finally crack and sign the contract, you’ll find yourself shoveling hundreds (sometimes even thousands) of dollars into advertising services that you barely understand. Then, you pull the lever, cross your fingers, and hope for an ROI. Of course, this never seems to be a problem for larger companies because they typically have a lot more money to throw around. As the age-old saying goes: “you’ve gotta spend money to make money!” But when you’re a small or mid-sized business, you’re naturally not going to have a ton of extra cash in the bank. The less money you have, the less money you’ll make. Because of this, small and mid-sized business owners who invest in advertising services rarely ever produce an ROI. 50 North by Colorado Media Group

TRANSLATION: I SHOULD AVOID ADVERTISING AGENCIES ALTOGETHER. RIGHT? Not necessarily. Having a budget doesn’t mean having zero options available to you.

It just means you’ll need to be smart about your advertising investments.

So, how do you do that?

Simple: you’ll need to weed out the advertisers who will only waste your time and your money. You can find these advertisers sitting comfortably on two sides of the marketing spectrum: the agencies that are too big, and the agencies that are too small.

DON’T BE A LITTLE FISH IN A BIG POND. If you’re a small or mid-sized business, then don’t go after large, big-name advertising agencies. Large advertising agencies have a bad habit of overcharging. See, when you work with a larger advertising agency, you’re not just paying for the advertising services. You’re also paying for their name and their reputation. Big firms charge big bucks because they’re big. The brand-name alone is enough to turn heads. While this may be great for popularity, it’s definitely not cost-effective, especially when you’re a small or mid-sized business.

Not to mention: most large advertising agencies will actually turn small and mid-sized businesses away! If your budget isn’t big enough, they may decide that your business just isn’t worth the effort. Frustrating? Yes. But a blessing in disguise? Also yes.

BUT DON’T GO FOR THE SMALL FISH, EITHER. On the flip-side, you don’t want to go for the cheapest advertising services that you can find. Small advertising agencies may be more affordable, but they’ll also produce worse results. Small advertising agencies are typically cheap because they’re investing in cheap solutions.

Most of their marketing materials are

out-sourced, which means that none of their “workers” will ever be on the same page with one another.

This results in sloppy work and even sloppier results.

The same is true with free-lancers. If you pay one guy to do the graphics, another guy to write the content, and another guy to create your website, then none of your creatives will be on the same page, and the final product will be all over the place.

Why spend money on sloppy results, right?

SO, IS THERE A MIDDLE-GROUND FOR MARKETING? Yes! Mid-sized marketing firms do exist, and they’re typically the happy medium between the two. Mid-sized marketing firms do everything in-house, which means you’re paying for a team of creatives who are all working with each other to create the best solutions for your brand and your budget. - How do I know that? BECAUSE I RUN ONE!

Candy Harman, Founder - THM2G We offer professional digital, print, and media advertising services for small and mid-sized businesses. From brochures to websites to TV commercials, we’ll do it all at an affordable price!

It’s time to stop stressing about advertising strategies. Let our multi-talented marketing professionals handle the advertising so you can get back to doing what you do best: Running your business and absolutely loving what you do.

Get in touch with us today, and we’ll happily give you a free advertising quote! Visit thm2g.com today, or give me a call at (719) 306-6494. We’re excited to meet you!

North by Colorado Media Group 51

Understanding the Value of Gap Coverages Amy Newland Agency LLC 3522 Hartsel Dr, Colorado Springs (719) 686-4216

By Amy Newland Ward - Anytime I sit down with a client and discuss possible scenarios and potential coverage gaps is a time that ultimately could save them financially in a future loss.

As a trusted advisor I work with my clients to help them find the right coverage customized to their specific needs, then after an emergency, whether it’s as large as a wildfire, loss of a loved one, or as simple as a flat tire I can then come in with my team and help with the rebuilding.

With the recent Marshall and Middle Fork Fires, at a time when a family learned that their home was lost in the destructive fire, our clients received an advance payment of 30% or more of their personal property coverage limits. A fire is both heartbreaking and devastating. The cash advance can help alleviate stress by allowing the homeowner to begin replacing lost personal items. American Family Insurance placed our CAT claims motor home in Lafayette for a convenient location for clients to stop, and ask questions and gain assistance with filing any claims associated to the fires. Our adjusters were able to find temporary housing, and in some instances permanent housing, for many of our clients with the Additional Living Expense coverage that’s available up to 24-months after the date of loss.

For the business owner that also faced a loss due to the fire we not only cover the physical damage of the business and property, we also cover business interruption. Business Interruption coverage replaces lost income and additional business expenses from an alternative location until the business loss is restored.

As a trusted advisor we also customize a business owner general liability policy. General liability insurance covers common lawsuits that may arise from their everyday business activities and helps cover the cost of lawsuits, including legal defense and any damages.

52 North by Colorado Media Group

With Accelerated Death Benefit, if a client is diagnosed with a terminal illness, we can help them receive a portion of their life insurance to help pay off debt and medical bills, set up accounts to fund a special wedding for a child, education, or a memory making vacation. When I became an insurance agent, a colleague told me when a close friend or family passes away, friends and neighbors bring over a casserole, while it’s very much appreciated, a financial advisor has the honor to also bring financial security to that family in the form of a life insurance check. I certainly can’t make the loss feel any

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It’s important that you are taking the necessary time to review your coverage and policy details with your agent.

This ensures a better understanding of coverage available, the claims process, and will help prepare you for a positive outcome in the case of a devastating loss. Communication is key and should feel like a team approach to protect your family, business income, and all that you’ve worked hard to achieve. Schedule your review today, we’d love to meet you!

With more than 16-years of experience working in insurance, for Amy Newland Ward, the most satisfying part of her work is sitting down with families and business owners to help them understand the various options. Once she understands their end goal, she helps them choose the insurance coverage that best fits their needs.

Amy Newland Ward

She opened her first American Family Insurance agency in 2014 in Brownsburg, IN. There she earned American Family honors for Gold Key and Peak Harvest working with business and farm/ranch owners, Life Diamond Club, and All American Club. After growing a successful business, she was presented with the opportunity to do the same here. She and husband Brad and daughters, Rhyann and Shaye, welcomed the move to Colorado Springs where she opened an agency located in the Woodmen Shopping Center.

North by Colorado Media Group 53

BUSINESS EXPERTISE: TAX 2022

TAX REDUCTION STRATEGIES

By Jason Watson, CPA

One of our primary focuses at WCG, a Colorado Springs tax and accounting firm located in Flying Horse, is ensuring you are paying the least amount of taxes allowed by law. Shocker, I know. Some of our other primary focuses are helping you build wealth and leverage the most of your financial worlds for you and your family. However, these objectives are not isolated; they are very much related to each other and intertwined. Before we run through several tax reduction and tax avoidance ideas, let’s talk about some basic concepts-

Secret Club There is not a secret tax deduction club that only a few people know about. If there were, it would be like fight club, right? #1 rule of flight club?

Don’t talk about fight club. But trust us when we say no one not is talking about a tax deduction club intentionally.

Saving Cash Most people are interested in saving cash when they say they want to reduce or avoid taxes, but saving cash and reducing taxes are not necessarily the same. You save $20,000 today by writing a check to your church for $60,000. Doesn’t really have the pow you were looking for, right?

Neighbors Two households, making the

exact same income, might have wildly different tax liabilities based on the myriad of variables such as children, mortgage interest, charitable donations, available tax credits, and, Yes, the proficiency of the tax professionals involved. Let’s not forget good looks and charm too!

As household incomes travel through the ranges, a lot of things happen. The first $100,000 in income for most households is well-sheltered with itemized deductions and low tax brackets. The next $100,000 in income sees certain tax credits go away, higher tax brackets and fewer available tax deductions such as IRAs and other things (what we call income phase-outs). In other words, if you go from $100,000 to $200,000 in household income, you will pay way more than double in taxes (you could easily see 2.5 to 3.0 times more).

54 North by Colorado Media Group

Yuck!

The next $100,000 and beyond is completely naked, and is generally purely taxable (unless some tax reduction tactics are deployed). Super yuck!

Tax Deferrals Tax deductions and tax deferrals are not the same. Tax deferrals are tax bombs later in life; little IOU’s to the IRS and they will eventually call in the chit. But if you use the immediate tax savings to build wealth, then a tax deferral is worth it. Deferring taxes to pay for a cruise vacation might not always be the best approach (then again, live a little!).

Patience You want to match the highest tax deduction to the high

income. Let’s say it’s December and you are considering buying a piece of equipment. If next year’s income is going to be significantly higher, wouldn’t it make sense to wait until January to complete the purchase? Probably.

Ok, here we go on those tax reduction and tax avoidance tactics –

Sell Stock Losers to Offset Gains This is a bit of snoozer, but it might make sense.

You sell securities whose price is stable yet is lower than what you paid. Next, you use these losses to reduce the capital gains on securities you sold previously (profit harvesting).

Finally, you wait the necessary 30 days to prevent wash sale triggers and re-purchase the securities that were sold at a loss (only if you believe it will eventually rebound in a time frame that makes sense given inflation and other economic conditions).

Borrow Against Your Unrealized Stock Gains Do you remember the chatter about taxing unrealized gains on stocks and other securities? It was part of the zillion dollar how the heck are we going to pay for all this legislation discussion. Why was this something certain legislators wanted to go after?

with a Morgan Stanley financial advisor recently, they would lend up to 60% on Tesla stock and charge interest only payments at LIBOR (right around 2.5% for the past few years).

Therefore, you grab $600,000 in this example, pay 2.5% interest rate, and buy a rental or buy another investment (there are some rules here).

You still own the Tesla stock, so that’s cool, and without trying too hard you can probably find a rate of return on the borrowed funds which exceeds LIBOR. Win win!

There is some risk should the stock decline since you will need to reduce your loan with cash. Ah, but worry about next time, next time, right?

Summary This is just the beginning of tax reduction strategies. In the next issue, if the editors allow me, I will discuss discounted Roth IRA conversions, defined benefits pensions for our business owners, cost segregation for that real estate investment, among some other tax bullets.

First, what are unrealized gains? These are “paper” gains where you buy a stock for $10 and it is now worth $100, but you haven’t sold it yet. What is the big deal you say? Well, buckle on this one.

Let’s say you bought a bunch of Tesla stock in 2017 for $47 and now it is worth $1,000 a share. You have about $950 in unrealized gains per share.

Let’s also say you invested $50,000 into Tesla stock back in 2017 and you now have around $1 million.

If you sold this stock to grab the cash, you would pay capital gains taxes on $950,000 or about $170,000ish in taxes. There’s probably a Sammy Hagar song in there.

But can you grab some cash without paying taxes?

Yes! You could easily borrow up to 50% (or higher depending on your situation) of the stock’s value or about $500,000 in this example. In speaking

Jason Watson CPA a Senior Partner for WCG, Inc. a progressive boutique tax and accounting firm located in Colorado Springs.

You may contact him at 719-428-3261 or jason@wcginc.com.

North by Colorado Media Group 55

BEST PLACES TO DINE In North Colorado Springs

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NEXT GENERATION LEADERS

Caitlin McIntosh Astute, Intuitive Observations from One Student Determined to Use Her Academic and Social Strengths to Succeed

By Dirk R. Hobbs, ACHE, MS, IABC

How does your story begin?

Mom and dad both grew up in California. Both worked in Silicon Valley, and my dad is a pilot for Jet Blue. At one time, they had their own marketing communications company. My parents serve as inspirations to me because they have given me so much by working hard. Their accomplishments are a testament to how focus and hard work can get you to the places you want to go.

Siblings?

I have a little sister that I'm really close to. She's three years younger than and her name is Maddie. She's like my best friend - she's like a mini-me.

What brings you guys together?

She's my only sibling. I think quarantine and shared experiences at home have brought us really close together. She makes me laugh so hard – she is a breath of fresh air in my life.

How have you personally fared having spent so much time at home due to COVID? I spent my sophomore year and half a freshman year

at home. It was really hard. Personally, I learn so much better in person where I can talk and ask questions.

Online learning was challenging. Also, it created a disconnect from the real world because there was a time when we didn't go out a lot.

Were you strictly quarantined or just didn't go to school?

Initially, I was quarantined, so we didn't go into a lot of places. As mandates were loosened, I finally started being able to see my friends again on the weekends. It was frustrating and difficult in many ways because we didn’t know a lot about the virus and how it worked.

So, we were cautious.

I believe in masks and vaccines. But I think that being locked up for so long was bad for everyone: for people losing their jobs, businesses losing revenue, and for us kids. It was depressing to not have people around you and I think as we progress through the pandemic, hopefully we will have learned something valuable.

The isolation had to be hard for a social girl: 58 North by Colorado Media Group

Yes – I mean, you saw each other on the screen so there was little social interaction, but we were unable to be in the same room together, play sports—my Pine Creek tennis season was cut short, or go to the movies.

What is your synopsis of that period of time?

It was lonely, upsetting, and frustrating for sure. It created this sense of missing everything that you had before the pandemic. It was a steep change and I think in some ways, it matured everybody, because we ended up realizing that the community is more important than our individual wants. Getting back in school creates a lot of gratitude for the things that we had, and now have again. There was a little fear factor from a personal health standpoint – maybe not so much for me, but definitely for our parents and older loved ones. Another part of that maturing came from having the time to get to know yourself more which is neat because you are at an age where you are trying to figure out where you want to go in life and what you want to do.

After online school, what did you do?

I spent a lot of time playing tennis and with family.

My dad played in high school too, so that's something that we would do outside. We also hiked. I love to be outdoors.

And you remained an honor student: Yeah, this year I'm taking 5 AP classes and advanced math. At present, I’m at a 3.9 unweighted. Advanced math is probably my hardest subject.

The subjects I'm best at are government, writing, and social studies.

trying to figure out who I am and what I want. People will say stuff like, “If you like skiing you should go to a school where they have Fridays off for skiing.”

Or, “Pick something about yourself and choose a certain school to pursue that interest.” I have several interests: business law, international relations, and maybe medicine.

I want to study where I see myself having a good career, and maybe being able to someday raise a family. I would go to NYU in New York, because I love that city: you know, Wall Street, big corporations, and NYU’s business school is strong.

I don't think that I'll play tennis in college because I want to focus on academics. I want to pick somewhere where strong internships and interesting programs that get me out there trying new things are available.

I also want to go into the international relations part of business. Traveling, learning different cultures, and then incorporating that experience back into a company is exciting.

I grew up with a grandmother from France, so I speak fluent French. Having her close was a big part of my life. I loved learning about her experiences and her language. My love of travel and my ability to adapt my social skills internationally could be a good combination for international relations.

The colleges you list are very different?

Yes, I am still deciding. I do want to have Greek life and a classic American college experience where

Do you want to go to College?

Yes. NYU, Duke, and Yale have some of the best business and law schools. Georgetown has a focus on international business as well as diplomacy. And the Universities of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and Texas at Austin are also on my list.

What criteria are you using to pick a school?

I’m at an age where I’m still

North by Colorado Media Group 59

technology, so much social media, so much information.

How do you view social media?

For me, it has had a large impact in my day-to-day life. I use Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat. I don't use them because I want to. I think that my life would be better off without them, honestly. But they are a major source of communication for kids my age. I've deleted all of them at one point or another and then I found that it's hard to kind of keep up with the times without it. Before this came along, I was always a paper and pen kind of person.

I also use social media in my DECA projects. DECA is a high school class and student marketing and leadership organization where we develop business and marketing skills. We also compete with other students in our region and throughout the state.

Since social media is key to promoting products and services, for our competition, I developed a product that relies on social media in its marketing campaign.

It won at the regional competition and now qualifies me to compete at the DECA State Competitions at the end of February.

What about addiction to social media and the psychological and sociological issues? there's a lot of people, football, etc. Most importantly, though, I want to focus on my academic skills.

What do you think are today's big issues?

One is the environment. I think in some ways, we’re trying to get on the right track. We have to work smarter to reduce our carbon-footprint as much as we can. As I get older, I see how things have progressed from years ago in nature. Now, we have a lot of electric vehicles, for example. This is a great step to reduce emissions and slow damage to our climate.

How do you look on previous generations and their choices?

I think in many ways, they didn’t know to consider what we consider today, like emissions. I perceive them to be wiser and a little bit more black and white.

I’m that way. Maybe a little bit more stubborn too, but that’s not a bad thing. Lots of what earlier generations passed down are good and important.

And how about your generation?

In general, there are lots of good things. We’re more in tune with the environment, but we have so much

It doesn't seem to be as big a disruption for guys, as for girls. There are always stereotypes that girls have to be pretty and have her act together. Social media really pushes this. Influencers are photoshopping their pictures and look completely different from their photos and in real life. It creates a completely unrealistic standard for girls. Girls can experience more insecurities because you see these people who portray themselves as perfect on social media even though that's not how things are in real life.

Has social media robbed you of aspects of childhood?

Yes. All the pressure to keep current, look a certain way, always be responding or posting? Caring about appearances is a big part of my generation’s experience. I feel I’d be happier if I didn't have to deal with it. I’d rather focus my energy into better things like time with my friends.

What would you and your friends do if you didn't have to manage that?

I think we’d have more fun. We would do things my parents did. Some of what they did sounds fun and we'd have more bonding experiences. My friends and I will sometimes put our phones away while at a sleepover. Those were the best nights - the ones

where you feel closer to people.

We're reading an essay about the same thing in my class now. They say teenagers grow towards a world of conformity - and that conformity is social media, seeing what peers around us are doing, and constantly seeking attention. This is causing depression when one feels like you don’t get the attention you seek.

Sometimes, we can be too sensitive about things that wouldn't have been as big a deal in the past. There are advantages to being sensitive toward things that are hurtful and offensive, but not as much as we focus on.

How do you recharge your batteries?

For me it's free time that I can spend with my friends or with my family. I like hiking – that’s my favorite way to decompress. I jump on the courts at Black Forests to hit some balls with my sister, my friends. I'll probably continue doing some modeling, too.

I mentioned DECA, and I’m currently the president of my chapter at National Charity League (NCL). I like to do community service. Some friends and I have gone to Cheyenne Canyon on a weekend morning.

We fill buckets of water from the waterfall and bring it up to the newly planted trees. NCL has taught me leadership, because as president you come up with ideas, run meetings, and organize things that you want your group to do. It provides a great way to get that experience.

As my Senior year comes up, I’m a little nervous. I love where I live, I love my friends, and I think that going to college is going to be a hard transition. But, I look forward to my future. I've always thought about the neat experiences I will have.

What are some takeaways from your high school life?

Treasure your young life at home! Work hard, be yourself, serve people, be authentic, and treat everyone with respect.

Call Outs ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT National Honor Society French National Honor Society DECA regional awards

SCHOOL ACTIVITIES TAG student DECA Officer Varsity Tennis

UPCOMING ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES Universal Youth Education Series Leadership Program at Disney and Universal Colorado Association of Talented and Gifted Legislative Day, National Student Leadership Summer Conference

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT National Charity League of Colorado Springs, President for the Class of 2023 Volunteer at Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, Care and Share Food Banks, and Friends of Cheyenne Canyon

PERSONAL GOAL Walked the runway at all three nights: Denver Fashion Week, Fall 2021

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Finding Solutions to Protect Your Investments & Your Family’s Future.

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NORTH'S COMMUNITY LEADER

The Making of a

Diamond A Woman's Journey from Profound Grief To Leading Other Women to Fulfillment

By Dirk R. Hobbs, MS, IABC

R

ecall eighth grade geology class, learning how diamonds are created in the extreme forces deep inside the earth. The sheer heat and pressure these rare minerals are formed within are nothing short of mind-boggling. And to think, something so unique and beautiful emerges from these seemingly unbearable circumstances.

As I sat with Leith McHugh, it occurred to me, I was sitting with a human version of a diamond, which, or rather, who, had been shaped by a number of external and internal forces that are anything but common. What is also apparent upon meeting her, is her willingness to just tell it like it is. There is no pretense, or superficiality about her. In fact, she credits the people, the moments, and events that have shaped who she is today – a mother, happily married woman, and highly sought-after transformational life coach for women. It is very obvious, there is something exceptional about how she’s wired and how she has navigated what for many, would have been enough adversity for three lifetimes.

Make no mistake, she’s fully cognizant that, like everyone else, she’s a work in progress. She is disarmingly honest and filled with life. But, she’s the first to say that she has been refined by life

in such a way that has made her an authentic communicator of her own story – the good, the hard, and all things in between - which she uses to inspire and direct others who are experiencing life’s valleys and deserts.

Leith’s journey began in 1971 as a Kansas girl.

Mom was the most consistent adult figure in her childhood. Her birth father, was largely out of the picture, though she maintained some relationship with him. Paul - Leith’s step-father was a constant fatherly figure for her and it is he who would ultimately be the one to walk her down the aisle in her wedding to husband, Aaron.

But by far, the person who has had the most profound impact in her life overall, is her mother.

A nurse anesthetist by trade, her mom was managing the realities of single-motherhood in the 1970s. In fact, her growing up was what Leith describes as “beautifully complicated”. Her mom, half-sister, and Leith, did their best to be a modern family coming out of the age of postVietnam War, free love and peace days, into the turbulent 70s. As with any family, love and pain were both present.

“With the benefit of some years behind me, I can see as an adult looking back on my childhood, she [mom] was doing the best she could with the tools that she had - trying to hold jobs, keep her family moving forward, and have some life of her own.”

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For the time being, Leith was in a season of enjoying her self-directed life and the freedoms associated with collegiate life at Kansas State and then Baylor University in the early 90s. She developed many good friends from Young Life, one of whom is a young man she claims she had “no romantic interest in” for a good part of their time in Waco. “He [Aaron] was way too intense and serious, and “I was in a wild phase,” she recalls. “But later on, I remember riding with him in the car and was made aware he’d recently broken up with his girlfriend. I wanted to know where he was with it all, but why? Then, I became acutely aware, I was actually nervous all of the sudden. I had never been nervous around Aaron, because he was just a friend. But now, I’m struggling to even get the question out. Okay – next stop sign I’ll ask him. Then, the next, and the next. Come on, what’s going on here?” She laughs at herself as she recalls the ride from a little over 28-years ago.

During the weeks that followed the fateful car ride, their friendship shifted from friendship ultimately to a profound interest and attraction toward one another. Leith and Aaron became an item, and subsequently married nine months later in December 1993.

With two years as a married couple under their belts, they had their first child, Holden, a boy, in 1995. Next came their first girl, Hadley in 1998, and finally their second girl, Averi in 2001.

Aaron was gainfully employed and life was as

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it appeared it should be. From what could be described as a unsettled childhood, to a solid, allAmerican family dream, right? Well, yes, but life still had a lot in store for the McHugh’s.

In ’98, when Hadley arrived, the parents were presented a child who had a number of significant disabilities; specifically, microcephaly, (a rare neurological condition which an infant's head is significantly smaller than the heads of other children of the same age), and cerebellar hypoplasia, (a neurological condition in which the cerebellum is smaller than usual or not completely developed). Life in the McHugh household was now exponentially more complex due to Hadley’s profound disabilities. She was confined to a wheelchair, was legally deaf and blind, fed through a g-tube, was on oxygen, and endured 28 hospital stays. “Then, when Averi came on the scene just three years later, it was as if we had twins – neither could walk or talk, both had to be fed and wore diapers.” Leith says.

Hadley’s all-consuming condition, and the arrival and young age of Averi happened to coincide, and they each had the McHugh’s full attention.

This, in the thick of career building and climbing, a new home, and the demands of otherwise unencumbered children, social lives, and so forth.

as just extremely observant – and she still is.

She was diligent, and compliant as a child, and overall, just a steady presence. But, she was also very willing to make herself known in the family dynamic. Holden, on the other hand, was far more reserved day-to-day.”

Uncharacteristically for that period in their relationship though, Leith’s mother, now a grandmother – a.k.a., Mimi, became involved and clinically, very supportive of Hadley along the way. In fact, while she formed a special bond with all the children, she was hyper-involved with Hadley and her care regimen and had a natural closeness to her as a result. As a skilled nurse, so much of the support she could offer was well within her purview, and probably a very welcomed gift of support as far as Leith and Aaron were concerned.

But like most American families, the McHugh’s were still well-into their “gogo” phase of life. Aaron's mother, a.k.a., Nana, was also a constant figure in the kids’ lives.

We recently were watching home-videos of our family from years ago. You can see Holden forcing himself in front of the camera, as if to say, “Yoo-hoo, remember me?”, she recalls. “We just took for granted that he would always be fine. But in reality, Holden was in trouble. And not only was he in trouble from addiction, he was coming out gay, we were in denial and just could not hear it. We thought it might be a phase, or confusion.

But it wasn’t. Our son was telling us in no uncertain terms, “I’m gay”. In our (Then) denial, we had missed the queues having been so pre-occupied with Hadley, and now have another child in crisis in the form of addiction.”

In 2010, Hadley passed away at age 12. “At this point, our family life feels like it’s just coming off the rails,” Leith claims. “I remember feeling like, “No God! You’re a “bad dad”. Why? How much more adversity will you put this family through?

With Hadley now gone home for several years, and the utter grief and upheaval the McHugh family had endured with her passing, Holden’s addiction struggles and working to navigate gay-life in conservative Colorado Springs, a contemporary society, and the norms of a now, teen-aged girl coming of age.

“It’s during this period, Holden, who was now getting into his mid-teens, began flirting with alcohol and substance abuse and I was unknowingly self-medicating myself. On top of that, Aaron and I were both shrinking away from each other and just in general,” Leith shares. “But Averi – Averi was different. She was inherently strong and steady somehow. I mean, look at what this child has seen in her young life? I recall her

“THE FIVE YEAR PERIOD – ACTUALLY, SEVEN”

“I knew I had to get my life back on a rail. With the stressors associated with Hadley’s near constant care now gone, Aaron and I were out of what I refer to as our “triage” mindset. We had to engage our marriage, and our two beautiful children – intentionally. Our life together was a steady stream of chaos and when you’re in it

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like that for so many years, that becomes your normal. These experiences changed us, a lot.

We just didn’t recognize how exactly,” Leith continues. “We were both in survival mode for so long, the now comparative quiet revealed how much we had changed. We needed a “reboot”, and so that’s exactly what we did. Of course, now it is much easier said than was the reality, we sold the house, all the material trappings, the corporate life, and set out to reconstruct our lives. We took these immense steps in order to create space to get our lives back on track,” she said.

And these measures proved to be a very healthy step for the McHugh family in general. It probably was not easy all the time, but this complete separation from all the internal and external stressors was a winning formula for this beautiful family that needed to heal in so many ways.

Outside the family’s reboot, there was a time when there were numerous back-to-back teen suicides happening in northern Colorado Springs and Monument. For a time, the news of another high schooler taking their own life was almost weekly.

“You can imagine my concern with Averi now,” she states. “Not so much because of Averi or any predisposition she showed us, but because of the unknown - the closeness and frequency of these events.”

While Averi would go on to be just fine, against any reasonable odds, one of Averi s closest

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friends took her life. “I remember taking this young lady home the night before. She and Averi were carrying on like normal, well-adjusted teen-aged girls. I dropped her off at home and she said, “Love you”, and I remember feeling – ah, nice. Different, but nice. I reciprocated. Then, the next day, we learned she was gone.”

“On one hand, these instances brought the community so close. But on the other hand …

I mean, how to get to a place of understanding about why,” Leith contemplates.

During this time, Leith formed B2Teen – standing for: Brave Beauty-Teen: A high-touch community of mothers and their daughters. The women and girls met and spoke candidly about life, and what was happening around them. It was a place where the moms and girls could “get real”. There was a period of time when the girls even spoke of the fact that they had “funeral shoes”, it was happening so frequently.

Of course, when you’re shell-shocked with life as the McHugh’s had been, a natural tendency is to hover over those you love most. This had some natural, adverse effects on Averi and Leith’s relationship, but not for long. To help get them through those latter teen years and the natural, healthy emancipation process, Aaron and Leith agreed to a communication dynamic with Averi that helped all of them, including Averi, gain a strong confidence she was not in private crisis, and that she was okay to be alone, or alone with friends. Further, Aaron’s relationship with Averi was and remains in delightfully close proximity.

Evidence this was a good strategy for the McHugh’s, Averi and Leith were able to move through the over-protective phase, and dad, Aaron and Averi took on a project they call the Joy Bus – a fully restored, 1974 VW Bus – orange – you can’t miss it.

MCHUGH’S IN 2022 Averi has since graduated high school and is attending classes in California studying film – learning to be a Cinematographer. She has created a couple short films (one with Holden as the director) and a couple documentaries, and you know what – she’s really good at it. Remember, she’s the one who is expertly observant and detailed. And, Holden – now 6+ years sober and a very healthy vibrant young man. He went to rehab in California, then moved to Denver for a bit, returned home for Christmas in 2021, where they awaited Averi’s arrival from Cali to spend the holidays in one house for the first time since the loosening of covid restrictions.

Leith concludes, “For that year of [Covid] lockdown, despite having Covid - it was actually a gift for our family – and as a married couple. I can say without hesitation, we’re more in love than perhaps we ever were – or at least differently now. Aaron often says, “We’re on “version three” of our marriage now, and he’s right.”

“So, we’re in a really good season for now,” she says deeply respectful of their experiences. “Our two amazing children are a source of joy. Aaron and I are in a great space. We relate – probably better than ever. I have such a profound sense of gratitude for our experiences and the uniqueness that everyone in our story has brought. Our consulting and life-coaching businesses are both strong. Mine is called, Rediscovering You. It’s a 6 month personal development program – diving into topics like Identity, Self-Care, Story, Self Confidence, Forgiveness, Intentions, Letting Go - for women who desire something different in lives and need support getting there.

It’s not fluff, feel-good pablum either. Leith

“

Leith is intentional and present.

She will challenge you and push you

but with encouragement and hope - a coach who leads with kindness, not

contempt. She is a safe place in which you can bring your thoughts, raw and ragged, and she will point out all the goodness in them.” shapes it as, “One of my favorite take-aways from a place called Onsite (An emotional wellness recovery center near Nashville TN , where our family received incredible healing) – taught me about a 2-degree shift. The phenomenon of small adjustments making monumental impact over time. Making a slight shift and eventually you find yourself on firmer footing and establishing a plan forward that is realistic, genuine, sustainable, and supportive of what each person wants to accomplish in their personal and/or professional lives. The results are inspiring and it never gets old seeing people take charge of their lives and finding peace and true joy from where they were when they arrived. It’s real, and in our experience, lasting for those who are willing to engage authentically.”

Not surprisingly, there is much in the curriculum that is drawn from Leith and Aaron’s personal experiences, not just their studies in the art of life-coaching, mentoring, and guidance.

They’re quick to point out, they are not licensed therapists or counselors though. They have numerous highly vetted, certified counselors and other professional resources they refer clients to when certain needs arise. But, hundreds of women have enjoyed her programs.

It’s also noteworthy to mention, that Leith has a deep & colorful spiritual life – she recalls the great and peaceful strength present to her during those times of sheer pain and uncertainty. Faith life is an essential component for the McHugh’s. And while this is not the emphasis of her life-coaching curriculum, it is a driving force in her overall philosophical doctrine.

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CITY AUDITORIUM UPDATE FEB/MARCH 2022

By Chris Wineman, Principal, Semple Brown On behalf of my colleagues at Semple Brown, I’m pleased to provide North readers with a sense of what’s going on with the renovation of the City Auditorium.

As our design team gets started on the renovation plans for the City Auditorium, one of our first priorities is to clearly understand what’s there right now – and to actually get inside the heads of the original architects and engineers.

For instance, our structural engineers from KL&A are currently evaluating the building structure – looking at questions like “where will we need to reinforce it?”, “What kinds of metals were used?”

And “are there signs of fatigue or damage?”.

The historic photo shown here (Image 1) offers a tantalizing glimpse of the building during construction – particularly of the remarkable trusses that support the roof of the Auditorium.

Thanks to the work of the staff of the Pikes Peak Library District, we are fortunate to have access to scanned copies of the original building drawings. One excerpt from those drawings

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(Image 2) shows the structural drawing of one of those roof trusses.

These provide our engineers with valuable information about the structure that they would otherwise have to painstakingly measure and calculate.

Aside from that kind of technical information, the original hand drawings are beautiful to look at – demonstrating the remarkable draftsmanship of the architects and engineers of the 1920s. They also act as a time machine, giving us glimpses of the designers’ original intentions that might influence our renovation plans.

For instance, Image 3 shows 3 interesting details from left to right: • A “chair chute” below the arena floor to enable chairs to be quickly stowed when not in use.

• The Rifle Range on the alley side of the basement • And the windows originally located in the

Image 1

Image 2

Rifle Range – perhaps these could be re-opened to provide daylight at the basement level In the coming weeks, more of our consultants will be delving into these drawings, visiting the building and working with us to identify the most creative ways of giving this wonderful building a more active and vital role in the life of the Pikes Peak region. We look forward to sharing that journey with you!

Image 3

COMMUNITY CULTURAL COLLECTIVE COLORADO SPRINGS CITY AUDITORIUM

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TREE OF LIFE

This painting is based on imagery seen by the artist. For a few weeks each summer, when the rising sun shines on a tree, the trunk and branches reflect a distinct image that appears to show Jesus crucified.

Although several Bible verses state that Jesus was hanged on a tree, the Bible affirms that Jesus died on a cross. The wood of The Cross came from a tree.

Perhaps this image is simply God’s way of reminding us that Jesus, The Tree of Life, suffered and died so that we may live. He gives eternal life to those who believe in Him. He gives hope for a better life right now for those in need.

Jesus promised, “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (MT 11:28).

Artist, John DeFrancesco, 2022 www.johndefrancesco.com Monument, CO

What a comfort it is to know that with Jesus you will never be alone.

JESUS LOVES YOU

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NORTH Advertiser Index FEBRUARY 2022 – IN ALPHABETICAL

Thank you to each and every advertiser listed herein. You are greatly appreciated and are why Colorado Springs is an amazing Community. Thank you!

Air Force Sports Always Elegant Amy Ward Agency Better Hearing Center Boot Barn Hall Centennial Radon Centura Calcium Screen Centura Health City Auditorium/Stemple Brown City for Champions Colorado Hearthstone Colorado Springs Airport COVID 19 Research Institute Force Broadband KKTV NEWS Menya Ramen

NORTH by Colorado Media Group, LLC. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Founder & Executive Publisher Dirk R. Hobbs: dhobbs@coloradomediagroup.com VP Partnerships & Business Development John Lerohl: jlerohl@coloradomediagroup.com Advertising Sales & Business Development Cheryl Morford: cmorford@coloradomediagroup.com Aaron Lieber: alieber@coloradomediagroup.com Design & Production Editor Dirk R. Hobbs, Sheyenne Livingston Layout & Design Sheyenne Livingston Web Site Managers Sterling McMannis & Angelina Pecoraro Senior Writer Pam Bales December Writers & Contributors Marquesa Hobbs, Bob Webster, Roger Hukle, Wayne Pinegar, Greg Balman, Jason Watson, Amy Newland Ward, Jim Stobaugh, John DeFrancesco Videography Keith Singer

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Centura Health does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex, religion, creed, ancestry, sexual orientation, and marital status in admission, treatment, or participation in its programs, services and activities, or in employment. For further information about this policy contact Centura Health’s Office of the General Counsel at 1-303-673-8166 (TTY: 711). Copyright © Centura Health, 2021. ATENCIÓN: Si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-303-643-1000 (TTY: 711). CHÚ Ý: Nếu bạn nói Tiếng Việt, có các dịch vụ hỗ trợ ngôn ngữ miễn phí dành cho bạn. Gọi số 1-303-643-1000 (TTY: 711).