SEPTEMBER 2-4 | HARVEST FESTIVAL
SEPTEMBER 23 | OKTOBERFEST
LIFESTYLE LETTER
I am Desiree Gustafson, your Windsor City Lifestyle Magazine's Editorial Coordinator. I am a born and raised Colorado native who grew up on an alpaca farm in the foothills of Northern Colorado. I did ballet from about 2.5 years old through college. For as long as I can remember I wanted to be a dancer. My first job was as a dance teacher, I loved helping younger dancers grow and develop. Dance taught me discipline, patience, and a personal drive. No one hands you what you want, you have to work hard at it, practice and dedicate yourself to your improvement. Teaching it taught me how to connect, to encourage, and help others find their commitment. My family is very tight-knit and growing up my brother and I absorbed a deep love of nature from my father, a kind and nurturing heart from my mother, a “tell it like it is” attitude from our grandparents and a bond of love that helps champion and support one another. Couple that with the hard work of a farm and the background of ballet; I have ingrained into me a work ethic, a discipline for improvement, a deeper connection to nature, an importance of family and the respect and the patience to listen to myself. Looking back, I realize that my upbringing and more specifically, where I grew up instilled a number of virtues in me that I now cherish as strengths in life. I am grateful to be a part of this community and to have the privilege of sharing your adventures and watching the journey unfold.
Summertime has always been one of my favorite seasons (and not just because It hosts my birthday). Almost magical, It seems to be full of nostalgia, warmth, and freedom. From backyard barbeques and days at the lake, to evening concerts and farmer's markets, summer gives us the chance to be out in our communities and nature even more, to work a bit less and play a bit more.
In our first summer publication, we wanted to highlight a summer bucket list for activities within the Windsor area and share the journeys of people who emit their own sunshine and inspire us. We are changed and deepened by the connections and stories that we share with one another and we cannot wait to learn and grow with you.
July 2023
PUBLISHER
Misty Dockins | misty.dockins@citylifestyle.com
EDITORIAL COORDINATOR
Desiree Gustafson | desiree.gustafson@citylifestyle.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Desiree Gustafson
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
David Grossman with Colorado Photography, Diandra Brooks of Photos By Diandra, Chris Goering
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt
CHIEF SALES OFFICER Matthew Perry
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER DeLand Shore DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL MEDIA Mindy Hargesheimer
ART DIRECTOR Sara Minor
OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Janeane Thompson
WEB APPLICATIONS Michael O’Connell
AD DESIGNER Rachel Chrisman
LAYOUT DESIGNER Kathy Nguyen
COORDINATOR
Where neighbors can see and be seen.
Want to be seen in the magazine? Tag your Instagram photos with @windsorcitylifestyle
IOME is proud to announce they now have four employees that are EMDR trained! EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a form of mental health therapy that uses bilateral stimulation to stimulate the brain’s natural healing processes. EMDR has incredible success rates for healing past traumas but it also helps heal anxieties, depression, chronic pain, and more. We are passionate about the success we’ve seen in our clients. Please schedule a free consultation to learn more.
Get in touch by heading over to our landing page to connect: CityLifestyle.com/Windsor
Serving northern Colorado and Wyoming, the BBB Community Center provides a state-of-the-art, professional space to host client, staff, and board meetings, strategic planning sessions, leadership retreats, and training to BBB-accredited businesses and charities free of charge. The Community Center is centrally located off of I-25 between Loveland and Fort Collins. Our space features two meeting rooms with essential amenities and varying seating capacities supporting up to 30 people. We also provide private workspace.
The owner and Founder of Wing Shack, Brian Seifried, is beyond excited about this new chapter. Spread your wings and fly on over to the bigger and better Wing Shack location at 1294 Main Street. This beloved hometown restaurant has expanded to a new spot, previously the Lonesome Buck, offering more space, a larger dining area, and a brand new full bar menu that will be available with their famous wings and homemade sauces.
P h o t o s b y D i a n d r a
N o r t h e r n C o l o r a d o W e d d i n g + P o r t r a i t P h o t o g r a p h e r p h o t o s b y d i a n d r a c o m p h o t o s b y d i a n d r a @ g m a i l c o m : @ p h o t o s b y d i a n d r a L e t ' s c a p t u r e y o u r s p e c i a l m o m e n t
Don’t let the summer season get away from you before school and cooler temperatures return. Grab your crew and tackle Sara’s bucket list recommendations to check off before one of our favorite seasons comes to an end.
POUDRE RIVER TRAILS: Biking along the Poudre River Trails. Spotting a Bald eagle along the way is always a plus.
HIGHLAND MEADOWS GOLF COURSE & THE BIG RED BARN VENUE: Golfing 18 holes at Highland Meadows Golf Course I always have to skip #6 6300 Highland Meadows Parkway, Windsor, CO
PECULIER ALES: Afternoons at Peculier Ales patio are amazing and I love how they are willing to give back to the community. 301 Main St, Windsor, CO
BOARDWALK PARK : Thursday summer evenings listening to live music at Windsor Lake. 100 N. 5th Street , Windsor, CO
FRAE & CO SALON + EXTENSIONS: Getting my hair done at Frae & Co by Amanda Kinsey. 425 Main St, Windsor, CO
Scan for more photos and the full list.
MEET THIS MONTH’S CURATOR
Sara Flatley | @_the_big_red_barn
Born and raised in the area, I moved away to attend school in California. After graduating college I quickly realized how much I loved Colorado and returned home. I enjoy boating and spending summers doing outdoor activities. In the winter months, I enjoy attending concerts, rodeos, and any sporting event. I have been with Highland Meadows for 10 years and have had the pleasure of helping plan, organize and run over 350+ weddings and special events at the Big Red Barn.
3 9 y e a r s l o c a l l y o w n e d a n d o p e r a t e d
3 9 y e a r s l o c a l l y o w n e d a n d o p e r a t e d
I I C R C C e r t i f i e d f i r m a n d t e c h n i c i a n s
I I C C C e r t i f i e d f i r m a n d t e c h n i c i a n s
M o s t a d v a n c e d e q u i p m e n t a n d t e c h n i q u e
M o s t a d v a n c e d e q u i p m e n t a n d t e c h n i q u e
I f y o u ' r e n o t h a p p y , i t ' s f r e e . I f y o u ' r e n o t h p p y , t ' s f r e e .
When it comes to work ethic and drive, the Ekeler men have a deep-rooted motivation coupled with a “Won’t quit” attitude. This is something they witnessed being displayed by their mother and the family and friends they grew up with. Witnessing their mom work hard and strive to give them the best life possible has influenced the course of their own lives and helped them soar to new heights. Their family has always rallied around one another like a team and celebrated each game, accomplishment, and trial together, as one unit.
Growing up outside of Eaton in Briggsdale Colorado, the boys mostly had one another and their family to play with and practice with, creating a connection that is ingrained in the heart of who they are. Their competitive nature as a family serves as a strength that carries over into all aspects of their lives. This helps them inspire one another to push harder while surrounded by an aura of encouragement and support. They talk shop and football, sharing stories and training like teammates that work together every day, despite the distance.
Their mother Suzanne strived to ensure they were surrounded by humble, hardworking, and kind role
models throughout their childhood. This ensured that adventure and teamwork were a part of their everyday life, giving them a spirit of work and play that helps them to appreciate the good along with the difficult. The lake has always been one of the Ekeler family’s happy places. Memories of the family wakeboarding, wake surfing, fishing, and paddle boarding can be seen all over the walls of the Ekeler family home and social media pages. There is rarely a family gathering without some sort of board games or card game, bringing everyone together to enjoy a pastime tradition. Being a college athlete herself, Suzanne encouraged her boys to work hard at the things they loved, to afford them more opportunities to succeed in life. Not only are they exceptional athletes who excelled academically, but both young men have continued to pursue personal and professional growth both in, and outside of an athletic setting, knowing that mindset and discipline are half the equation of success. Her eldest son Austin now plays running back for the LA Chargers and is involved in several business ventures, while Wyett aims to follow in his brother’s footsteps while finishing out his degree at The
Austin Ekeler
University of Wyoming playing safety. Both young men have a strong desire to push themselves every day and discover new limits for what they are capable of, reaching greater heights every day.
With a life centered around football, family, and her two boys, Austin and Wyett; Suzanne Ekeler is most proud of the men they have become and their dedication to grow in all aspects of their life. Their games and sports in general, have always brought the Ekeler family together with their biggest supporter being their mother, Suzanne. Her goal has always been to cheer them on and make them feel like they could achieve anything they wanted through her examples and belief in them, she finds her soul is at its brightest when she is with both of her boys. Happiness and laughter come easily as a way of life for the Ekelers, making everyone around them feel at ease and comfortable. They interact with one another in a way that incorporates a lightness and joyfulness of ease that creates a family you can’t help but want to be a part of, a team with a bond that cannot be broken. There is a kind of magic to that close-knit environment that radiates a sort of permanent sunshine that bleeds into those surrounding it, their own Ekeler Summer.
Wyett, Suzanne, & Austin
For more than three decades the northern Colorado community has supported the mission and work of the American Cancer Society through The Cattle Baron’s Ball. An event hosted annually; the ball has raised over 10 million dollars to help fund lifesaving research right here in Colorado. The vision of the American Cancer Society is simple yet monumentous, to end cancer as we know it for everyone. Since 1946, they have invested more than five billion in cancer research to help advance treatments and improve the quality of life of cancer patients.
A generational tradition for a considerable number of the families involved, the attendees become active in the event by serving on committees and boards that help organize and coordinate all the moving parts. Like most members in the AG community, being involved with or attending the event is something that they have always participated in but for the Drake family, this specific event has evolved and become a part of a much bigger picture with a deeper meaning and purpose.
“One step at a time.” A saying we have all heard applied to multiple situations throughout our lives, but the significance of these words varies greatly depending upon the individual. For some it is about reaching goals, for others it is about pushing yourself physically or mentally; but for the Drake family, it has become a conscious choice they apply to their lives daily, a way of living differently; the decision to choose faith over fear, and to see things through a lens of positivity.
In 2015, Clay Drake was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, an incurable blood cancer, which altered the course of his and his family’s life forever. “Everything changes when you hear the word cancer. Almost like someone pulls the plug on the treadmill of your life and you go flying off. Life becomes a blur of not knowing and uncertainty” shares Clay’s wife Raechel. With having to face undergoing multiple treatments to combat the aggressiveness of his cancer, which would keep him in and out of the hospital for 6-month periods; Clay and Raechel’s outlook and way of thinking were challenged. They both recall specific
moments when they realized that the prayers surrounding them were all that was holding them up and the only thing left to do was to give it to God. At that moment, when the doctors were at a loss, their faith stepped in, and Raechel declared a determination to fight. Through that declaration of strength, doctors got on board and decided to approach Clay’s treatments differently.
Throughout this journey and during his treatment, the Drake family realized cancer may have taken them off the treadmill of life, but it also grounded them and brought them closer to one another, closer to God, and has shown
“THAT’S HOW THE WORLD IS, AND SOMETIMES WE TOUCH OTHER PEOPLE’S PICTURES AND SOMETIMES WE DON’T, BUT WE ARE ALL PART OF THE BIG PICTURE ODDLY ENOUGH. I THINK THAT’S HOW I LOOK AT THE WAY GOD WORKS TOO, IS THAT HE SEES THAT BIG PICTURE AND WE DON’T SEE THAT BIG PICTURE, WE ARE JUST PART OF IT AND THAT DETAIL HE SEES IS TOO MUCH FOR US TO COMPREHEND BUT IN THE END, THE IMAGE IT ALL CREATES IS REALLY WHAT IS BEAUTIFUL.”Two gentleman enjoying The Cattle Baron’s Ball
them a light in the darkness. Seeing the world through another lens, they have witnessed God’s presence in their life on numerous scales. It has brought people into their lives who have been a part of their story in ways they never knew, they are now able to help guide future cancer treatments and research by Clay having the honor to serve on boards for The American Cancer Society as a patient advocate, and they have seen how all the smaller things become moments that are part of a much larger picture. “It more than saved my life, it changed me, and it changed us. I think for the better, as strange as that may seem. I wouldn’t think the way I think if it wasn’t for cancer. I wouldn’t be as grateful to God, I wouldn’t be as grateful to my kids, my wife, my friends, my community, I'd still be on the treadmill of life” states Clay. He shows us that no matter what your fight is, you must embrace it. You must choose to embrace your current struggle despite how big or small and let go of the fear so that you don’t become paralyzed by it. It doesn’t matter what your fight is, choosing a positive attitude and faith is the only way to get through it, by far.
At some point in his treatment, Clay learned that one of the drugs used to treat his cancer, Darzalex was funded by The American Cancer Society in its initial trial and is now a mainstay in the treatment of that type of cancer. This particular drug is a game changer for patients, because it is not chemotherapy, it is immunotherapy; this means it does not kill everything but is targeted to focus on the elimination of just the bad or cancerous cells.
This discovery brought everything full circle for the Drake Family, bringing to light their involvement in this specific event for so many years, being a part of a bigger story weaved into their lives on a deeper level, a level only possible by the grace of God. Understanding all too well what this donation offers, the power of it, and how it changes lives on a far greater scale than most are aware of, the Drake’s have a passion and a motivation for their involvement in this event fueled by the backbone of their testament and the heart of their story.
The American Cancer Society is working to finish the fight against every cancer in every community. Your donations help us to do the most for people with cancer today and work tirelessly to find cures to end the disease tomorrow. Your donation can help us move one step closer to a world free from the pain and suffering of cancer.
Please visit ccbnoco.com to donate or purchase tickets to this special fundraising event!
The theme of this year’s benefit, “Not Our First Rodeo” is centered around the culmination of all the small synchronicities witnessed in their life because of this fight. It is more than just The Cattle Baron’s Ball for them, this is the depth of their story and the meaning of their journey here, 31 years later, as chairs of this event. It is because of all the people in this community that continue to contribute, the drugs he had access to because of the American Cancer Society, the doctors and nurses that cared for him, and the facilities he was at that altered the course of his life. It is all the
“YOU MUST CHOOSE TO EMBRACE YOUR CURRENT STRUGGLE DESPITE HOW BIG OR SMALL AND LET GO OF THE FEAR SO THAT YOU DON’T BECOME PARALYZED BY IT. IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT YOUR FIGHT IS, CHOOSING A POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND FAITH IS THE ONLY WAY TO GET THROUGH IT, BY FAR.”
connections we too often don’t understand until they are brought full circle, that are directly a part of our story and our lives. Nothing is by accident; God has a way of showing us that the path we are on was led by something bigger than ourselves and that everything is connected.
Clay shares “That’s how the world is, and sometimes we touch other people’s pictures and sometimes we don’t, but we are all part of the big picture oddly enough. I think that’s how I look at the way God works too, is that he sees that big picture and we don’t see that big picture, we are just part of it and that detail he sees is too much for us to comprehend but in the end, the image it all creates is really what is beautiful.”
That bigger picture, and this year’s Cattle Baron’s Ball are a nod to a greater purpose and choosing faith over fear, no matter what obstacles you face on your journey.
A curated selection of the most intriguing upcoming events in our area.
JUNE 22ND -
Greeley Stampede
NORTH 14TH AVENUE GREELEY
Rodeo, Concerts, and plenty of family fun are coming to Northern Colorado. Come out and enjoy PRCA ProRodeo series, carnival, food court, and more! Check out their ad on the inside back cover with the QR Code to get tickets and schedule.
Windsor Farmer’s Market
BOARDWALK PARK 100 N 5TH STREET WINDSOR, CO 80550 | 8:00 AM
Stop by the Windsor Farmers Market every Saturday from 8:00 AM - 12:30 PM. Enjoy a wide variety of locally-sourced consumable goods, crafts and live music.
JULY 12TH
Words of Windsor Where Women Go Book Club
631 BIRCH STREET, UNIT B, WINDSOR CO, 80550 | 6:00 PM
Keeper of Stories follows Jane the Cleaner who has always collected other people’s stories. But now she’s met someone who wants to hear her story. Vera Wong is a woman of a certain age doling out unsolicited advice to her son but now a dead body is in her tea shop. And she will find out who needs her advice now. wordsofwindsor.com
JULY 13TH
Windsor Summer Concert Series
BOARDWALK PARK 100 N. 5TH STREET WINDSOR, CO 80550 | 6:30 PM
Thursday nights this summer will be filled with live music sure to get you on your feet and the dance floor. Plus food vendors to curb every craving. So, snag a spot on the grass and join us every Thursday from 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM July 13th, July 20th, July 27th
Different bands will be featured each week!
JULY 15TH
Blues & Brews Crawl Downtown Windsor
408 MAIN STREET WINDSOR CO 80550 | 5:00 PM
Come spend an afternoon exploring a thriving historic downtown. The unique shops, quaint restaurants, and the old school watering holes. Taste local beers, enjoy live blues performances, and get to know over 26 local businesses. Tickets: $40.00 - include a custom printed mug, swag bag, appetizers, map of participating businesses, and 10 tasting tickets.
CANDLELIGHT DINNER THEATER 4747 MARKETPLACE DR JOHNSTOWN | 5:45 PM
7 Weld County stars dancing for the Boys & Girls Club Weld County. All proceeds go to the BGCWC and our very own Owner/Publisher, Misty Dockins, will be one of the stars. EACH TICKET PURCHASE COUNTS AS A VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE STAR! TICKETS WILL SELL OUT!
Get your tickets at bgcweld.org/dancing or call 970-716-1753
*DOM = number of days until property went under contract
Information generated from IRES, the MLS system used by our office. All reported sales were not necessarily listed or sold by the reporting broker. Windsor Residential only. The data is intended to show only trends in the area.
EVENTS CONTINUED
JULY 20TH-23RD
AIMS COMMUNITY COLLEGE
5401 WEST 20TH STREET, GREELEY, CO 80634 | 5:30 PM
The Big Balloon Build is being brought to Greeley to raise funds & awareness for Life Stories, Child & Family Advocacy, giving voice to children who have been abused or neglected in Weld County. A team of 65+ artists from around the world will come to help. Get your tickets at balloonartbymerrymakers.com/ bigballoonbuild.
JULY 23RD
International Self Care Day IOME Style
1180 MAIN ST UNIT 2 WINDSOR | 10:00 AM
Pop-Up Party! For more information check out the link below. iowemenow.com/ internationalselfcareday
JULY 28TH
Yappy Hour
EASTMAN PARK > POUDRE
POOCH PARK 7025 EASTMAN PARK DRIVE WINDSOR, CO 80550 | 4:30 PM
Bring your best friend (dog or human) down to Poudre Pooch Park for Friday Yappy Hours. We’ll have adult beverages for sale from local breweries for our 21+ and older guests, food, music, and a special off-leash area for pooches to socialize. All beverage proceeds will benefit the local Big Bones Canine Rescue.
JULY 28TH
Back to School Party at Country Glitz Boutique
1357 WATER VALLEY PARKWAY #200 WINDSOR | 4:00 PM
Come Shop New Trends and get Snacks, Drinks, Giveaways, Gifts, Permanent Jewelry, Tons of Sales, and much more!
Want to be featured?
Get in touch by heading over to our landing page to connect: CityLifestyle.com/Windsor
