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LOCAL
Denver Zoo, Children’s Hospital introduce mascot ‘Elbert’
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Denver Zoo, in partnership with Children’s Colorado, unveiled its new mascot, Elbert, a 6-foot-tall, 300-pound, brown-colored bear, July 27.
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ACHIEVEMENT
Debbie Boucher receives Sertoman of the Year honor
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Dry Creek Sertoma names Debbie Boucher as Sertoman of the Year for 2013-14. New to the club in 2012, Boucher wasted no time becoming active and involved in every aspect.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
A ‘quirky’ good time at Denver County Fair
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Denver County Fair draws thousands, Aug. 1-3, to the National Western Complex. The fourth annual fair mixes a big batch of tradition with a side of NOW.
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D I S P A T C H
Broncos team shaken by Bowlen announcement August 7, 2014
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By Tom Barry
www.HDnewspaper.com
Vol. 93 No. 34
‘It’s not about me …’ team’s owner tells wife
ast week, Denver Broncos fans were anticipating learning about this year’s training camp and the media were looking forward to a barbecue lunch and interviewing Coach John Fox and some of his players. Instead, on July 23, all woke up to news that Annabel Bowlen had publicly shared that her husband Pat, the Broncos’ team owner and Cherry Hills Village resident, had been suffering with Alzheimer’s and was relinquishing his management of the team. “As many in the Denver community and around the National Football League have speculated, my husband, Pat, has very bravely and quietly battled Alzheimer’s disease for the last few years,” Annabel said in a public statement. “He has elected to keep his condition private because he has strongly believed, and often said, ‘It’s not about me.’ Pat has always wanted the focus to be solely on the Denver Broncos and the great fans who have supported this team with such passion during his 30 years as owner.”
Annabel said her family was deeply saddened that Pat’s health see the team. “Alzheimer’s has taken so much from Pat, but it will never take away his love for the Denver Broncos and his sincere appreciation for the fans,” she said. “Although we wish Pat were in better health, he developed a plan many years ago for the continuation of his values with the hope of keeping the Broncos in the Bowlen family. … My family will stand strong with Pat as he continues his courageous fight against a disease that is unfortunately all too common.” Bowlen, 70, had planned for the team’s future more than a decade ago, having put the ownership in a family trust with the hopes that one day his eventual successor would be one of his children. The trust will be governed by nonfamily members. Team president Joe Ellis, who has been a team executive for nearly 25 years, will remain at helm “with full authority on all matters,” said a prepared statement issued by the Broncos. Continued on page 2
An emotional Joe Ellis fields reporters’ questions after it was announced that he would be the handpicked successor to Pat Bowlen, owner of the Denver Broncos. Photo by Tom Barry
Elway reflects on Pat Bowlen Longtime friends both live in Cherry Hills Village
By Tom Barry A visibly shaken and emotional John Elway faced one of the most publicly challenging times of his life last week – not on the football field, but at a press conference talking about his exceptionally close friend, Denver Broncos team owner Pat Bowlen. On the morning of July 23, Bowlen’s wife announced that her husband had been battling Alzheimer’s and would be stepping down as CEO. Most of the beat reporters who cover the Broncos had never seen the emotional side of Elway, who is usually cool, calm and collected, whether as quarterback or serving as a top Broncos executive.
a gentle, greathearted man, An emotional really a very John Elway giving person shares his that is somethoughts on times misunderhis mentor and stood because close friend of his nature and Pat Bowlen. his shyness. But Photo by he truly is a treTom Barry mendous guy to be around, and not only is he a tremendous boss, but I look at him too as a tremendous “This place will never be the friend. So I hope he can be around same. I can say that at least from here as much as possible.” the inside out, it’ll never be the Holding back tears throughout same,” Elway said. “He always the long press conference, Elway wanted to know what happened said, “Pat has been a mentor. He’s and what we thought about the been someone that I’ve looked up game. He was a guy that I was able to and I wouldn’t be anywhere to spend a lot of time with. … He’s close to where I am today if it
wasn’t for Pat Bowlen. Other than his family, [the Broncos] was the most important thing to him in his life and we’re going to continue to take care of it as if he was still here, and we’ll always be here. When he’s not here, he’ll still be here in soul.” Elway said he hoped the bronze bust of Bowlen would eventually be next to his in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. “He’s been an integral part of the growth of the NFL in the last 30 years, so that would be the best thing that could ever happen,” the two-time Super Bowl quarterback said. When asked about his interest in owning the Broncos, Elway said, “That family owns the Broncos. Pat Bowlen still owns the Broncos. We have total respect for that. They’ve hired me to run the football operations and I’m thrilled to do that. I work for Pat still — as well as the Bowlen family, and I’m going to continue to do that.”