FOR THE LOVE OF KIDS
GALLUP TO VICTORY
LUCKY 7
Centennial is a great place to work, researcher finds
Entrepreneur Brian Watson counts the way to a balanced life
LOCAL | PG 2
CORRIDOR | PG 7
FLAIR | PG 14
Local children’s author donates August sales to charity
S O U T H
M E T R O
VOLUME 35 • NUMBER 38 • AUGUST 10, 2017
Since 1982
www.villagerpublishing.com
TheVillagerNewspaper
@VillagerDenver
Sprinting the twilight away
Coming ‘round the bend. See more on pages 8-9.
Littleton’s Twilight Criterium is fast becoming a racing favorite for bicyclists and spectators alike, with an L-forLittleton-shaped course on which riders achieved blistering speeds of 40-plus mph and the Cruiser Ride, where the only requirements for entry are a bike, a helmet and a penchant for fun. As in years past, the Criterium brought out the best competition of all abilities and age levels, with past and current national champions and international racers from the likes of Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands. Photos by Stefan Krusze
The superheroes of bike racing come in all sizes, pre-twilight. Batman [aka Caleb] speeds down Littleton’s Main Street on the Bat bike during the Twilight Criterium’s Cruiser Ride for everyone.
A teen with a gift for giving It has been a decade since 16-year-old Cailey Karshmer has accepted a birthday gift from one of her friends—though it has not been for a lack of friends or presents. Remember Soccer Barbie? Karshmer still does. “I love to play soccer and I was so sad because those are so cool,” she said of a sport-themed doll she reluctantly re-gifted at age 6. “I was like, ‘I have to donate this to the homeless shelter.’ It made me really happy that I knew I was giving
Cherry Creek student runs nonprofit, earns Young Heroes Award
kids something that I would really want.” Since then, the Cherry Hills Village teen has not only donated nearly every birthday gift with her name on it to a homeless child, she has gotten increasingly organized about it—in fact, she founded a nonprofit organization to take her penchant for giving to the next level. “We told all our friends and they told some of their friends, and that’s how we got the word out,” she said of her growing Colorado Kids for Kids organization. As the name implies, the group is a kid-driven conduit for more fortunate young people to directly help those who are less so, not just through toy donations, but clothing drives, blanket giveaways and fully equipped back-to-school backpacks. “I thought that was the coolest idea ever,” the Cherry Creek High School junior said of her parents’ suggestion six years ago to incorporate her passion with an all-kid board of directors. “We got a 501(c)3 when I was 11.” Karshmer’s efforts have not gone unrecognized. The founder and president of the aptly nicknamed CK4K is one of National Liberty Museum’s 2017 Young Heroes Award recipients, as selected from among nearly 75 nominees. This week, she is in Philadelphia to join the other 11 recipients in claiming a certificate of recognition and medallion. A plaque telling her story will be displayed at the
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