50¢ • Vol. 92 • No. 36
August 29, 2013
What’s Inside w
NEWS
Denver Bar Association distributes hundreds of backpacks
Citizens group steamed over long-awaited Depot sale SEE PAGE 4
LOCAL
Littleton fire chief announces retirement SEE PAGE 8
CHARITY
Reporter’s cancer fundraiser continues SEE PAGE 12
DPS students Khaled Ali, Abdi Salah and Yasir Salah pose with their new backpacks.
T
hree hundred Denver Public Schools students experiencing homelessness had the opportunity to enjoy a spectacular back-to-school carnival at Whittier K-8 with their families on Aug. 10. Each student received a backpack full of school supplies helping him or her to be prepared to go back to school. The event was filled with many fun activities such as face painting, balloon animals, music, carnival games, bouncy castles and great food.
“It was so wonderful to see the kids enjoying themselves and just getting to be kids!” said Anna Theisen, Homeless Liaison, DPS. “This was a great way to help our students kick off the new school year and the volunteers did such an amazing job creating a fun day that made each student and parent feel special and valued.” The 2013 drive, organized by the Denver Bar Association’s Community Action Network Committee, was a great success. Thanks to the generosity of the
INDEX
more than 40 local law firms who donated schools supplies, the CAN Committee was able to fill almost 300 backpacks. Committee members, DPS and employees from the participating firms also volunteered their time and energy to put on the carnival. Students were invited to the event through the Educational Outreach Program of DPS (EOP Homeless Services). This program helps eliminate the educational barriers that these students may face, allowing them to have a successful start to the school year. EOP provided support to
2,036 students experiencing homelessness during 2012-2013 and anticipate that number to rise during the 2013-14 school year. “We are seeing a very large increase in the number of requests for basic need items such as school supplies, clothing and food from families, we know that if these needs are not met it is difficult for students to concentrate on academics. We could not do what we do without the incredible generosity and support from the community and organizations like the Denver Bar Association. Thank you,” Theisen said.
DPS goes back to school
Opinion..................................3 WORSHIP DIRECTORY.............8 CLASSIFIEDS...........................9 HOROSCOPES..........................9 LEGALS...........................10 - 11
Volunteer Trisha Leakey helps Esttel Romero and Joshua Badillo catch a fish.
There were long lines at the snow cone stand. Photos courtesy of DBA
Abigail, 5, along with thousands of other Denver Public Schools’ students, started the 2013-2014 school year, Aug. 26. Photo by Elizabeth Denton Hale