FromtoDreamsReality
THE JOURNEY OF BROOKS KIRCHHEIMER AND PARK CITY’S GATHERING PLACE, HEARTH AND HILL
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EXPERT CONTRIBUTORS
DAY SPA EXPERT CONTRIBUTOR
Allie Vacanti
Spa Manager • Align Spa 1792 Bonanza Dr., Building C, Ste 130 Park City, UT 84060 435.647.9300 • relax@alignspa.com
WELLNESS & ESTHETICS EXPERT
Dr. Giselle M. Batcheller
Wellness And Esthetics wellnessandesthetics.com 1816 Prospector Ave., Suite #203 435-631-2113
CLEAN LIVING EXPERT
Dana Grinnell Free Living Co. dana@freelivingco.com 208-869-6866
DENTAL WELLNESS EXPERT
Dr. Ryan Osorio Rise Wellness 1800 Prospector Ave., Park City, 84060 435-214-0544 risedentalwellness.com
PSYCHOTHERAPY AND COACHING EXPERTS
Ashley Montague, MA, AMFT, ACMHC Tracey Dwyer, LMFT (805) 319-1870 StillPointUtah.com
EDUCATION EXPERT
Jennifer Billow Vice President of Advancement Park City Education Foundation (435) 615-0235 pcef4kids.org
COLOR AND STYLE EXPERT CONTRIBUTOR
Julie Hickam House of Colour Julie.Hickam@houseofcolour.com 435.315.2258
REROOFING EXPERT
S and S Roofing Emergency Repairs & Free Estimates Utah’s #1 Roofing Company 435-658-4344
LIGHTING DESIGN EXPERT
Rebekah Gonet
Elume
3156 Quarry Rd., Unit A, Park City, 84098 elumepc.com 435-640-5427 | 435-647-2997
EARLY PREVENTION MEDICAL EXPERT
Dr. Spenser Reed Park City DEXA pcdexa.com info@pcdexa.com
INSURANCE EXPERT
Bryan R. Daybell
Bryan R. Daybell Insurance Agency, Inc. 1960 Sidewinder Dr, Park City, 84060 bryan@bryandaybell.com 435-649-9161
RENOVATION & CONSTRUCTION EXPERT
Jenn Lewis, Owner Ghigau Construction | (801) 941-4508 www.ghigauconstruction.com jenn@ghigauconstruction.com
REAL ESTATE EXPERT
Annett Blankenship
Keller Williams Real Estate 693 Main St., Park City, UT 84060 annett@parkcityinvestor.com 435-602-9976
EVENT EXPERT
Tom Brazill Elevate Event Bartending 801-477-4452
tom@elevateeventbartending.com elevateeventbartending.com
WINE EXPERT
Pamela Wood Park City Wine Club info@ParkCityWineClub.com ParkCityWineClub.com
WELLNESS OPTIMIZATION EXPERTS WOW Clinics 435-800-6969 info@wowclinic.com wowclinic.com
INTERIOR DESIGN EXPERTS
Franky & Tam
Studio Interiors & Co.
franky@studiointeriorsutah.com tam@studiointeriorsutah.com 435-214-6951
To learn more about becoming an expert contributor, contact Betsy DeMann at bdemann@bestversionmedia.com or 801-671-6315
FINANCE AND TAX EXPERTS
Danielle M. Meister, CFF®, CDFA® Madrona Financial & CPAs 833-673-7373
daniellem@madronafinancial.com
ANIMAL HEALTH EXPERT
Dr. Carl Prior
Park City Animal Clinic 1725 Sidewinder Dr., Park City 84060 435-649-0710
PET NUTRITION EXPERT
Heide Fowler, Owner Healthy Pets Summit County 435-214-7963 healthypetssummit@gmail.com
ANIMAL WELLBEING EXPERTS
Stephen Jones, MVB, MS, DECVS 5373 UT-224, Park City, UT 84098 barkcityvet.com | 435.200.2160 info@barkcityvet.com
Molly Uhlig
Pete’s Adventure Pack petesadventurepack.com petesadventurepack@gmail.com 404-550-5633
PLUMBING EXPERT
Jonathan Cheever
Team Cheever Plumbing & Heating www.teamcheever.net 435-252-7697
Stoke Coach stokecoach.com rachel@stokecoach.com
BETSY DEMANN
Publisher bdemann@bestversionmedia.com
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Content Coordinator
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MITCHELL OLSEN
Account Executive molsen@bestversionmedia.com
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Account Executive
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Meet theTeam!
Roño Refuerzo
Maritza Roño’s ancestors hail from Madrid, Bilbao, Xiamen, and the western coast of the island of Luzon in the Philippines. She’s a Cal Berkeley grad (go Bears!), with an MFA in English and creative writing. Maritza’s debut novel, Groovy Girl, was the recipient of the 2022 National Indie Excellence Award for AAPI fiction, and she recently had the opportunity to address 300 English Language Arts educators at their annual convention in California, whose theme was “Uncovering Hidden Gems: Exploring Perspectives and Voice,” which Maritza is proud to say is her “pièce de résistance” when it comes to writing, as well as editing, which she did for almost 10 years for various tech-media companies in San Francisco.
Maritza’s two boys, Marco and Emilio, are 15 1/2 and 12, respectively. Known as the kids who “do so much sh**,” they swim, ski-race, speed-skate, figure-skate, soccer-play, drum, and guitar, and both of these dudes happen to have a 1st Dan Black Belt in Taekwondo. They’re also “screenagers,” much to Maritza’s disgruntlement, but doing so much sh** has atoned for their addiction big-time.
Maritza runs Lectura Lounge, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Park City with her cofounder, a.k.a. Marco and Emilio’s dad. Her favorite family member is Oski her big mini-goldendoodle, whose teddy-bear face brings a smile to her face every day.
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
KIRSTEN KOHLWEY
MICHELLE DEININGER
PHOEBE ZANIELLO
TIFFANY WICKES
RICHARD ELLIS
SANDY GELDHOF
NATALIE TAYLOR
ISABELLA VENEGAS IZZY CRANDALL
MARITZA ROÑO REFUERZO
ERIC RAMIREZ
AIMEE L. COOK
OWEN CRANDALL
DEB DEKOFF
DANA KLEIN
KRISTEN PIERCE
LEXIE LARSON
SARAH SEVERSON
Martiza
The Black Manhattan was created in San Francisco in the early 2000s as a twist on the Classic Manhattan. In this incredible cocktail, we replace the Sweet Vermouth with an Amaro.
Amaro is an Italian aperitif that adds a variety of depth and a plethora of other flavors. Using Amaro results in a cocktail that is not as sweet, much more complex, with sensational herbal notes and a slightly bitter aftertaste.
The original recipe calls for Averna, but feel free to experiment with other Amaros like Nonino, or Montenegro. Each comes with a different flavor profile, and each will offer unique herbal flavors to tickle your taste buds.
Amaro has really taken off in recent years here in the US, with many distilleries offering their versions. They are tasty on their own, but using them in this spectacular cocktail is the best use, in my opinion.
Prep time 5 minutes
INGREDIENTS*:
• 2 oz of Rye Whiskey
• 1 oz of Amaro
• 2 Dashes of Angostura Bitters
• Brandied Cherry as garnish
DIRECTIONS:
Add Rye Whiskey, Amaro, and Bitters to a mixing glass with ice and stir until well chilled. Strain into a martini or coupe glass. Garnish with a Brandied Cherry.
*Fun fact: The recipe for the Manhattan correlates directly to New York City’s famous area code (212). 2 parts Rye, 1 part Vermouth, 2 dashes of Bitters
How did you like it? Tag me on Instagram and let me know @elevateeventbartending
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Jackie Adragna Brings Passion for Hospitality to Stein Eriksen
BY AIMEE L. COOK
PHOTOS BY DEB DEKOFF
When it comes to hospitality, Jackie Adragna embodies everything that makes the industry thrive. With an impressive three-decade career in hospitality and 20 years dedicated to human resources, Jackie brings a wealth of experience, energy, and heart to her vice president of human resources role at Stein Eriksen Lodge in Deer Valley.
Jackie’s approach to work is grounded in connection—a natural extension of her love for people. “I originally got involved in hospitality because I really enjoy connecting to people,” Jackie explains. “But more importantly, helping them reach their potential. It is defined differently for everyone.”
At Stein Eriksen Lodge, where luxury meets the charm of Deer Valley, doing things the “Stein Way” is ingrained in their DNA. One Stein Way principle is exhibiting positive energy and image. Jackie has played a critical role in fostering this ethos among the staff, ensuring every team member feels valued, motivated, and inspired. From fun incentives like Stein Bucks and raffles, to tickets and local sports teams, and to discounts on spa and brunch services, Jackie finds creative ways to ensure that her team is as pampered as the guests they serve. Jackie states, “Hospitality can’t be taught; you either have it, or you don’t.”
LEADING THE WAY
In an industry where trends rapidly evolve, Jackie sets herself apart by staying ahead of the curve. Her innovative leadership style mixes traditional hospitality values with modern employee engagement techniques. By putting her team first, with the financial support of Stein Eriksen’s owner and board members, and focusing on empowerment, she’s carved out an environment where staff thrives, and ninety-five percent of the staff return each year.
Stein Eriksen Lodge extends its commitment to employee well-being by providing housing accommodations for 220 people annually across various locations in Park City. This generous initiative ensures that employees have access to affordable and convenient living arrangements,
“Hospitality can’t be taught; you either have it, or you don’t.”
allowing them to focus on delivering exceptional service.
“We ask our employees what they need; some people are single, and some have families,” Jackie says. “That spans everything from medical insurance to retirement planning. We take all that into account, focusing on where everyone is in their career and in their life.”
Jackie believes the future of hospitality lies in community—not just among guests but within the workplace itself. Whether it’s through teambuilding activities or thoughtful incentives, Jackie’s dedication to her team is evident in every detail.
“There is not a day I wake up and don’t want to go to work,” Jackie says. “I really enjoy what I do. You can’t be in hospitality if you really don’t like people.”
Jackie is intent on creating a work environment for people that the staff wants to be part of, which translates to a superior experience for every guest at Stein Eriksen Lodge. The beautiful surroundings of Deer Valley may draw visitors in, but the warmth of the people, under leaders like Jackie, keeps them coming back.
“Everyone up here [in Park City] is working on the same team; whether you are in hospitality or not, people say hello to each other at the grocery store; it is a fabulous feeling,” Jackie says. “We rely on tourism up here, but I am not competing with anyone. We are all just on the same team.”
Although she’s a powerhouse in the workplace, Jackie knows how to slow down and enjoy the beauty of Deer Valley. Outside her HR responsibilities, you can find her skiing the stunning slopes during the winter or hitting Deer Valley’s pristine hiking trails in the warmer months. She also enjoys reading and unwinding with yoga.
For Jackie, the balance she finds in her hobbies reflects the values she brings into her professional life—an ongoing appreciation for growth, wellness, and the joy of connecting with others in meaningful ways.
Green Drink
In a mixing tin with no ice
1.5 oz Ange Vert Herbal Liqueuer
0.5 oz Preserve Liqueur
0.5 oz Lemon juice
0.5 oz Cane
0.5 oz Egg White
Dry shake for 30 seconds then ice shake Strain into Coupe
Alpine Martini
In a shaker full of ice
1.5 oz Persistent Vodka
0.75 oz Preserve Liqueur
Shake hard to bruise contents
Strain into Coupe
Garnish with orange peel
Bramble
In a mixing tin with 1 scoop of ice
1.5 oz Alpine Elevated Gin
0.5 oz Preserve Liqueur
0.75 oz Jam
0.5 Lemon juaice
0.25 Cane
Shake 6-8 times, pour into Rocks glass
Garnish with 3 blueberries
Lafayette Lemonade
1.5 Alpine Blended Bourbon
0.5 Lafayette spiced Bourbon Whiskey
1.0 Lemon Juice
0.75 Demerara
Serve over crushed ice
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Social Aid & Pleasure Club
Welcome to the extension of our living room, where we invite you to experience Alpine Distilling’s awardwinning spirits and inventive cocktails and gather in the name of community. Join us for cocktails & tastings, live music, special events, and spirit bottle sales.
364 Main Street, Park City UT 84060
Main Entrance on the corner of 4th & Swede Alley Tuesday through Saturday 4-10pm and Sunday 2-7pm PARK CITY
For more information or to inquire about private events, weddings, tastings, or other custom experiences, please contact events@alpinedistilling.com www.alpineparkcity.com www.alpinedistilling.com
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“Le Depot is all about bringing people together over timeless French classics in a space that feels like home,” Galen says.
In February, Park City welcomed a stunning
Chef Galen Zamarra unveiled
Le Depot Brasserie and Union Patisserie.
Le Depot Brasserie, located in the historic Depot Building on Main Street, combines classic French cuisine with a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere. Chef Zamarra, known for his culinary precision and passion, and Executive Chef Thomas Bernard have crafted a menu featuring iconic French dishes, such as steak frites, seafood towers, and steak tartare.
Inspired by the building’s original 1890s architecture, Le Depot’s decor displays Art Deco elegance, blending vintage bubble-light fixtures and ornate detailing for a nostalgic yet sophisticated dining experience. During the winter, the upstairs transforms with a cozy chalet
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menu, offering alpine family-style dishes like fondue, perfect for après-ski gatherings.
“Galen and I saw the spaces and immediately wanted to bring something new and different to Park City,” says Katie Zamarra, co-operator.
“Their prime locations, history, and unique architecture gave us a vision to design concepts paying homage to our experience in New York City’s restaurant industry and Park City’s vibrant community.”
Chef Thomas’ culinary roots run deep, shaped by his upbringing and refined through years of dedication and experience. Born and raised in France, he studied the craft at the Institute of Avignon, where he developed a profound respect for traditional French cooking techniques. After completing his education, he worked under legendary chef Alain Ducasse at Monaco’s three–Michelin Star restaurant, Louis XV, mastering the art of French cuisine and elevated dining. His passion eventually brought him to the United States, starting in the bustling food scene of Los Angeles before finding his way to Park City. Here, he combines his culinary heritage with the community atmosphere, creating dishes that are as welcoming as they are delicious.
“I really like the soupe soufflée on the menu; it is a classic French recipe,” Chef Thomas explains. “I love French cuisine, but I like
anything that is cooked nicely and properly. Everything can be good if it’s made correctly.”
Union Patisserie offers a touch of Parisian charm and is just a short walk away for a more relaxed indulgence. This coffee and pastry shop specializes in light French bites, grab-andgo options, and freshly baked desserts, making it an ideal spot for breakfast or an afternoon treat.
Union Patisserie complements the brasserie’s menu while standing out as a destination for exquisite pastries and coffee.
“We strive for guests to create fond memories, whether it’s a regular morning croissant routine or a special occasion celebrating the joy of a meal with good company,” says Katie.
These additions mark the first step in the Zamarras’ collaboration with Reef Capital to elevate Park City’s dining landscape. Together, they plan to introduce six food-and-beverage outlets on Main Street to create a nationally recognized culinary destination.
Website: www.ledepotpc.com
Instagram: @ledepotpc
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This month, I feel like this topic is like the elephant in the room, so let’s get it out there and move on to enjoy more wine,
Tariffs disrupt more than just the wine imports— they affect the entire wine ecosystem. If importers shrink their portfolios, it reduces consumer options and hurts wineries, which rely heavily on distributors to represent their brand and bring in consumer products. The wine industry has a faithful following around the world. This impact is far-reaching, affecting wine (spirits and beer) from Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South America and South Africa.
The wine industry has already been hit hard this past decade. These new tariffs come when the global economy is already facing significant challenges. The president already put tariffs in place on the wine industry in his first term; this was followed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted supply chains and led to a slowdown worldwide, affecting the overall wine economy. And we are seeing younger generations drink less wine as alternative beverages, such as hard seltzers and ciders, become increasingly popular. Now, adding additional tariffs could exacerbate existing problems. It will certainly create new ones, including supply chain disruptions and global trade relations, and it will change
consumer behavior and buying habits.
Ultimately, the effects will be felt by the consumer and the restaurant industry as many fine dining establishments have a well-rounded wine list showcasing wines from around the world.
The business of wine has been around for thousands of years and has always shown its ability to adapt, be resilient and find a way to persevere in challenging times.
So, how is the wine industry looking ahead, and what can you expect as a consumer?
The wine industry is already preparing for potential disruptions. Many importers and retailers are considering stockpiling European wines to hedge against future price increases. But this is only a start; a new era for the wine industry is being ushered in, and global relationships and partnerships are becoming more important than ever.
Yes, you may see a decrease in our selection of wine. However, it is only expected to be temporary as the wine markets now look at diversification through imports and creating a quality portfolio at every price point while still
supplying a quality product.
The impact will be felt initially; ultimately, it won’t be as bad as some have been speculating, and it may not last very long as there are many adverse effects on the United States that I believe the current administration hasn’t fully considered.
The US, for example, did export roughly 30% of wine, spirits and beer to Canada, which, as you know, has come to an abrupt end as Canada has pulled all US products from their shelves. This alone will have a significant impact on production, jobs and profits for the United States.
What can you do to help? Easy, keep enjoying wine. All wine from every country. You might see a slight disruption in the supply chain and in availability at first, but this will soon levelout and you’ll find that wines we enjoy and even some new wines that we haven’t experienced before in the United States will be popping up. The wine industry has an optimistic outlook once we get through these uncertain times, just as we have all throughout history.
Stay the course, continue to buy and enjoy wine. Support local wine events and come learn where the wine world is headed.
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Thank you to our amazing community for your support, energy, and dedication. Your presence and participation make all the difference and we are truly grateful to be surrounded by such an incredible group of individuals.
We’re already looking forward to our next gathering. Until then, thank you for being a part of this journey with us!
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Park City’s Concierge Grocery Service Delivers
‘FOODIE’ KNOWLEDGE, INTERNATIONAL OFFERINGS, AND CURATED CARE ARE THE HALLMARKS OF STORE2DOOR
For Beata and Jakub Silski, a chance Park City romance in 2002 blossomed into not only a family and permanent United States residency but a thriving business cherished by the community.
With a solid foothold inside The Market at Park City, over the past 18 years Store2Door has become known for its curated items and unique grocery selections signature to its brand. Formerly branded A Special Request, the concierge shopping and delivery service became a business opportunity in 2018 for the couple who jumped at the chance to run what they saw as an upscale business model, continuing its popularity with locals and visitors alike. For Beata Silkski, it was also an opportunity to take on a new challenge and service the community she and her husband had grown to love.
The couple, who were both born in Poland, met in Park City in 2002, spending several years together enjoying the mountain lifestyle before returning in 2008 to be closer to friends and family, where they had their two children, got jobs, and built a home. However, in 2014 they realized they missed the mountain community where they met and returned to start a new life with their family. “We realized Park City was where we truly felt at home and recognized it would be an excellent place to raise our children,” Beata said. “The beauty of the town, its tight-knit community and its active lifestyle made it the ideal environment for our family.”
For Beata, the transition was just a continuation of her childhood which spoke to her adventurous spirit. She traveled extensively with her parents and, “...always had a passion for exploring new countries.” Her dream of coming to the United States came to fruition during an exchange program, landing her in New York and finally, in Park City. Together, the couple have two children who both speak Polish, and who are involved in multiple local sports organizations, including the Park City Swim Team, the Figure Skating Club of Park City, tennis, and mountain sports, including her son’s place with Big Mountain Skiing on the Wasatch Freestyle team.
Jakub Silski has worked in Deer Valley since
2014 and in 2018 they saw the opportunity to purchase Store2Door after becoming friends with the earlier owner, Bob Sandt. Beata saw it as an opportunity to serve the community that held her heart. “I thought, I’m a good planner, I’m organized, and customer service is something I’ve always been good at.”
Formerly operating out of Albertson’s on Park Avenue, in 2005 the grocery service moved to Dan’s, which has since been rebranded The Market, and is especially renowned for its hardto-find items which cater to an international crowd. “We are focused on specialty items that are often hard to find including items to serve our kosher clientele,” she said. “Plus, we’re family owned, and we love supporting local businesses by shopping in The Market.”
With five full-time employees and several more part-time and on-call staffers, Store2Door provides custom grocery shopping and delivery services to both locals and visitors to Park City. Destiny Grose, a part-time employee who also works at the Summit County Library and whose family is steeped in Park City history, has worked for the service since it was A Special Request. A self-described “foodie” she traveled extensively throughout Europe in the 1980s and became exposed to the unique culinary offerings of an international crowd. “Before there was Google my wealth of food knowledge was what made me so valuable…and yes, I have been a personal shopper that long!” she laughed. Because of her extensive familiarity with product branding, Grose is also able to help clients with specific requests. “One of the things that got me into the job was knowing brands that are different across regions like knowing what something is called back east and the western equivalent. It’s helpful to know that,” she said.
Grose believes what sets Store2Door apart is its collaboration with The Market, which has long been renowned for curated items that speak to foreign visitors to Park City. She gives kudos to owner Mike Holm, who she said understood the key to setting The Market apart. “The Market and grocery manager are so smart about stuff. After Mike Holms bought Dan’s, he slowly changed that store into what
it should have been,” she said. In addition to opening early for personal shoppers, Grose said Mike understands what sophisticated travelers want. “Specialty items like extra virgin olive oil in small quantities, the best selection of cheeses, keeping popular items back stocked, he understands our needs which makes our jobs easier,” she said.
She went on to add that it was very important to her to shop for Store2Door’s clients at The Market because she believed in what he was doing. “Like us, Mike believes in customer service, he gives back to the community like crazy, and they’re willing to give the little-guy a break.” Grose said she has seen many local small businesses launch their business through The Market including Red Bicycle Bread, Salsa Queen, and Auntie Em’s. “The Market embraces Store2Door’s philosophy of supporting local,” she said.
What sets Store2Door apart from other grocery shopping services is the level of personal service they provide, according to Grose. “Especially for repeat clients, people want a person they can trust, that’s going to hand pick out their stuff, that’s going to make intelligent decisions,” she said. Unlike more generic shopping options like Instacart, she said most clients want a higher level of service. “Our clients want it delivered; they want it to be put away. They don’t want bagged orders sitting outside for hours and people rummaging through it. We deliver and put away, even in hotels. People want their ice cream in the freezer and their meat in the refrigerator,” she said.
Grose says what also makes Store2Door unique is their level of food brand knowledge, their staff’s gourmet ‘foodie experience,’ and deeper understanding of international and kosher requests. Store2Door won “Best in 2020” for grocery services, a local award issued by the Park City Area Lodging Association.
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Another unique element to Store2Door is refraining from using plastic bags, a program that is near and dear to Grose’s heart, and which she shares with Beata. “Even before PC abandoned use of plastic bags, which was the most wonderful thing ever, Store2Door had not used any bags, ever. Beata and I have this European sensibility…there’s no bags when you go into the grocery store. If you don’t borrow a bag or bring a bag, you’re not getting a bag. I couldn’t stand all that plastic here locally, it was killing me,” she said. Instead, they utilize plastic tote containers for shopping and delivery. “It was very, very important to me that we don’t use plastic bags and I’m so glad Beata was behind that. It’s very important to us for the environment.”
Shoppers can place their grocery orders through the service’s website, www. store2doorpc.com, submit a typewritten order, or even present a list written by hand. “That’s where experience comes in because we know the layout of the store, which saves time, and I was really good at deciphering bad handwriting in written orders,” Grose laughed. “People have even texted us photos of items they are looking for, which is kind of cool.” Grose says occasionally they will order a specialty item The Market doesn’t carry from Amazon, and they always try to accommodate every request. “If someone wants a really niche item, we are careful to order ahead.”
Repeat visitors to Park City as well as corporate clients are also among their clientele. “Every year we have the privilege of working with Morgan Stanley during their winter retreat. On the day of the event, we deliver orders to around fifty properties on top of our regular orders, in one day! The logistics and planning involved are quite demanding but it’s always rewarding to see everything come together and to provide such a high level of service.”
Store2Door can also accommodate special requests like custom charcuterie boards, madeto-order dips, and will consider nearly anything a client needs,” Grose said.
After working with Beata for years, Grose is a
Bryan R Daybell Ins Agcy Inc
Bryan Daybell, Agent
1960 Sidewinder Drive, Suite 105 Park City, UT 84060-7361
Bus: 435-649-9161
bryan@bryandaybell.com www.bryandaybell.com
Se Habla Espanol
Bryan R Daybell Ins Agcy Inc
Bryan Daybell, Agent
Bryan R Daybell Ins Agcy Inc
fan. “She and her husband are living the Park City dream, I really appreciate that. I love that she and her husband were both from Poland, but they met in Park City, and returned here to raise their family. They are true locals.” Website: www.store2doorpc.com
Bus: 435-649-9161
1960 Sidewinder Drive, Suite 105 Park City, UT 84060-7361
Bryan R Daybell Ins Agcy Inc
IL
Bryan Daybell, Agent 1960 Sidewinder Drive, Suite 105 Park City, UT 84060-7361
Bus: 435-649-9161 bryan@bryandaybell.com www.bryandaybell.com
bryan@bryandaybell.com www.bryandaybell.com Bryan R Daybell Ins Agcy Inc
1960 Sidewinder Drive, Suite 105 Park City, UT 84060-7361
FROM DREAMS TO REALITY
The Journey of Brooks Kirchheimer and Park City’s Gathering Place, Hearth and Hill
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“We wanted to be an accessible restaurant for everybody–high quality without high prices. It started with the locals. We said, ‘If we can get the locals to buy in, the visitors will follow; they will find us.’”
EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
From an early age, Brooks was captivated by restaurants. “It all started when I was seven years old. I asked for a cash register for Christmas so I could play pretend restaurant with my two sisters, one older and one younger,” said Brooks. “I just had a thirst for restaurants when I was younger, and I think a lot comes from wanting to interact with others. From a young age, I knew that restaurants would be part of my future.”
Growing up in La Cañada, California, a suburb of Los Angeles, Brooks developed a love for hospitality while working at a local café, sparking a desire to pursue this passion further. “The minute I turned 15, I worked at a small café in my hometown called Penelope’s Café & Gallery, and I worked there on and off for five years. That's where it all took off. From the moment I started working there, I knew hospitality was my path,” Brooks reflected. “I loved the interactions with others and the opportunity you had to make someone's day, or to listen to them and be part of their special moments. From there, I just kept it going.”
Brooks later attended the University of Denver, where he focused on hotel, restaurant, and tourism management, with a minor in communication. “The two loves I had from a young age were restaurants and sports broadcasting. I knew I wanted to pursue both of those growing up,” he said. “I went to school at the University of Denver for hotel and restaurant tourism management, did a minor in communications, and interned at Fox in Denver for sports broadcasting. During the summers, I returned to work at other restaurants in Los Angeles.”
CAREER JOURNEY: CHALLENGES AND TRIUMPHS
The challenges of the 2008 global financial crisis came next when Brooks took a position at the Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills, gaining invaluable experience and skills. “In 2008, while the recession was taking place, the Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills opened during a difficult time when many managers were getting let go. Here I was, getting paid peanuts as the cheapest manager on the property, so I had the safest job there,” Brooks chuckled. “I was thrown into the fire that year. I got moved down to in-room dining, which was quite the experience because it's 24/7. I got to go into the rooms of Judge Judy, David Robinson, Meryl Streep, and Harvey Weinstein. I saw many things behind the scenes that would later end up in the news. That was pretty wild.”
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In 2010, seeking new opportunities, Brooks relocated to Park City to help open the Montage Deer Valley, further cementing his love for the industry. “I grew up visiting Park City yearly for a ski trip with my family. When Montage announced they were opening their next property in Deer Valley, I knew I was ready for a change,” Brooks said. “Having grown up in California and gone to school in Denver, I was ready to get back to the mountains, so I moved to Park City in the fall of 2010 to open the Montage Deer Valley in December of that year, where I stayed for two and a half years.”
Transitioning to leadership of a standalone restaurant, Brooks became the general manager of Zoom Restaurant, owned by Robert Redford, which was open in Old Town Park City from 1995 to 2017. “One of my former colleagues at Montage had returned to the Sundance Resort, and they were looking for a general manager for their one off-resort property, Zoom, on Main Street. My goal in restaurants was always to be in a standalone restaurant. Hotels were an amazing opportunity in the first four and a half years of my career to learn a lot about hospitality because hotels are 24/7. Still, I wanted to be at a standalone restaurant,” Brooks explained. “I was able to take the general manager position at Zoom, be part of the Sundance Resort company, work for the Redford family, and be there for the film festivals. It was truly quite an experience.”
In the early 2010s, Zoom had fallen on some tough times. “We were able to build it back up. Right as I took over, Zoom was a $2.3 million restaurant. By the time I left, we were over $4 million. That was from February of 2013 to Halloween of 2015, so about two and a half years,” Brooks said. “Sadly, just a couple of years after I left, the restaurant closed due to the landlord pushing them out, which is a bummer.”
After their time in Hawaii, Brooks’s then-girlfriend, now-wife, Catherine, decided to embrace a new challenge by accepting the position of Director of Sales and Marketing at the Montage of Maui. Following her lead, he secured a job with Merrimans, a prestigious fine dining restaurant group with locations on each of the four major Hawaiian islands. Their two-year experience on Maui proved transformative for Brooks; it was a humbling journey. He noted, “Taking a step back allowed me to truly appreciate the culinary arts and the culture surrounding it.” He was hired sight unseen for a restaurant manager position, and after just six months, he was promoted to assistant general manager.
Although he was slated to help open a new property in Oahu, delays in construction ultimately led them to return to Park City, a place they always considered home. Their time in Hawaii allowed Brooks to immerse himself in the vibrant Filipino, Japanese, and Hawaiian cultures. He reflected, “Living there opened my eyes to the beauty of community and tradition.”
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Living on one of the most remote islands in the world instilled a deep sense of gratitude in Brooks and his wife, particularly following the August 2023 tragic fires that devastated Lahaina, the town they once called home. The news hit him hard, knowing their former townhome had burned down during that devastation. He expressed, “Seeing the resilience of the people in Hawaii during such tough times made me realize how connected we all are, no matter where we are.”
This connection to both locations—the tight-knit communities in Maui and Park City—fostered a unique camaraderie among those in the hospitality industry, as many shared experiences in both places. After they left Hawaii in December 2017, Brooks's journey continued with the opening of Hearth and Hill one year later, on December 16, 2018. His father had retired from the financial sector and begun exploring restaurant opportunities in Park City. His wife’s eagerness to return to their roots resonated with him as they transitioned back to their beloved mountain town.
NAVIGATING THE PANDEMIC: COMMUNITY AND COMPASSION
Like many in the restaurant industry, Brooks faced unprecedented challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, which in March 2020 abruptly shut down all customer-facing businesses. Rather than retreating, he proactively focused on community support, providing free meals for families, groceries for local farmers, and mental health resources for his staff. “The pandemic reinforced for us the importance of empathy and supporting each other,” Brooks reflects. “COVID impacted every aspect of our daily operations—from staff and guests, to vendors. Mental health is a significant issue in our industry,
© Best Version Media
so we cover our associates' first mental health appointments, among many benefits. I’m very open with our team about seeing a therapist regularly; it’s
The pandemic was undoubtedly challenging for Brooks and his dad, who realized it would last far longer than the initially anticipated two weeks. They accepted that they would lose money but viewed it as a time to deliver on their commitment to the community.
During the first year, they donated over $20,000 through various initiatives, kept all salaried managers on full pay, and allowed a pregnant manager extra time at home during the uncertainty. Their mission became serving the community by providing free family meals, distributing grocery bags for local farmers, and even delivering Mexican family meals with a mariachi band on Cinco de Mayo to lift spirits. Brooks emphasized the importance of hospitality and creating a sense of normalcy during the crisis, wishing for greater unity within the restaurant industry. Brooks' commitment to the community sustains his business and reinforces bonds with his team.
“One of the biggest things that will keep us up at night is our associates' well-being and financial success. We will do everything we can to help provide for that, but also just listen to them and make them feel heard.” Brooks’ focus on mental health and financial stability fosters a supportive work environment and strengthens the overall resilience of his establishment
FAMILY LIFE AND PERSONAL STRUGGLES
Brooks balances his professional endeavors with a fulfilling family life. He and Catherine have been married for nearly nine years, and he describes their experience together as wonderful. They have two children: a five-year-old son named Callen, who is in kindergarten, and a one-year-old daughter named Quinn. Both children were conceived through IVF, a process they began while living in Hawaii, where they flew to facilities in Honolulu for treatments before returning to work at the Montage Deer Valley.
Callen was conceived after moving back to Utah, and Quinn was their last embryo after several unsuccessful attempts. Despite the challenges, she was their final hope for a second child, and they are grateful that it all came to fruition. “When you grow up, you don't talk about IVF. You just think, oh yeah, you're gonna have a kid. It's just gonna happen,” Brooks said. “When you go through this process, it's so eye-opening, and you become empathetic for those that aren't as lucky as us. We’re lucky that we're able to conceive, but there are many out there who aren’t. Understanding and compassion are vital, not just in business, but in life.”
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A VISION FOR GROWTH AND SUSTAINABILITY
In 2022, Brooks and his dad added their café & catering storefront, Hill’s Kitchen, in Park City, and their fine-dining restaurant, Urban Hill, in Salt Lake City. Early 2025 brings a second pair of Hearth and Hill and Hill’s Kitchen, this time in Salt Lake’s Sugar House neighborhood. Looking ahead, Brooks has ambitious plans for the Hill Top Hospitality group that encompasses all of the restaurants. He envisions expanding the brand by adding more restaurants while remaining deeply committed to sustainability and community engagement. “We want to grow, but we want to do it the right way, ensuring that we don't put too much pressure on our team. Sustainability is a core value for us; we compost, recycle, and most importantly, prioritize the well-being of our team members. Work-life balance has always been essential, even before the pandemic highlighted its importance in the restaurant industry, particularly concerning mental health. We strive to make long-term decisions that reflect these values.”
Brooks aims to ensure that each location remains a gathering spot for both residents and visitors, built on transparency and partnerships with local vendors like Gracie Farm and Park City Creamery. “With every new venture, we strive to provide exceptional experiences while supporting those around us,” Brooks explains.
ADVICE FOR ASPIRING RESTAURATEURS
Brooks offers sage advice for those looking to enter the restaurant industry: “Network and learn from others. Don’t be afraid to try new things and seek feedback. Asking questions is crucial; there’s so much to learn. I don’t have all the answers, and I likely never will, but I strive to learn more every single day. Before we opened Hearth and Hill, my dad
and I traveled the country, meeting with heads of successful restaurant groups to learn things from them that we’ve applied in our journey.”
He underscores the rewarding nature of the business, emphasizing the profound impact a restaurant can have on people's lives and the personal growth it fosters among team members.
A BRIGHT FUTURE IN THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY
As Brooks reflects on the future, he expresses excitement and optimism for his properties and the restaurant industry in Utah. He believes in the potential for national recognition while remaining committed to supporting his team and the community. “I envision a bright future for the next generation of restaurateurs and for Utah to continue growing in prominence within the food and beverage industry. I look forward to the day a Utah restaurant wins a James Beard award or a Michelin Star, showcasing who we are and what we can achieve. There’s much to be proud of.”
“We're grateful for the opportunity to grow,” he continues. “It's something we don’t take for granted. Every day, as I walk into our restaurants, I'm humbled by the fact that people want to work for us. It’s breathtaking to realize that others believe in us and our mission.”
Brooks also expresses deep appreciation for the patrons who support their restaurants. “Having a full restaurant is a privilege we cherish, especially in these challenging times. Embracing challenges with empathy and respect drives us forward,” he concludes, “Embodying the heart and soul of Hearth and Hill.”
In a world that continues to evolve, Brooks' journey serves as an inspiring beacon for others in the hospitality industry, proving that with passion and resilience, dreams can indeed become reality.
© Best Version Media
CREATE PC, a program facilitated by the Arts Council of Park City & Summit County, provides local artists with studio and gallery exhibition space and sales opportunities.
A local artist collective geared towards creating community among local artists, CREATE PC showcases Summit County creatives, giving them a platform to grow and thrive.
CREATE PC places a strong focus on the artistic process, enabling local artists opportunities to make and sell work in an inclusive community space.
ONGOING & UPCOMING EVENTS:
LAST FRIDAY ART GALLERY STROLL
SAVE THE DATES: APRIL 25 • MAY 30 • JUNE 27 • JULY 25
The Art Gallery Strolls promise and unforgettable evening enjoying the vibrant art scene of our community while savoring the magic of Park City and beyond.
APRIL 1 APRIL FOOLS DAY
APRIL 15 TAX DAY
APRIL 18 GOOD FRIDAY
APRIL 20 EASTER SUNDAY
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DATES TO REMEMBER:
APRIL 22 EARTH DAY / ARBOR DAY
MAY 1 MAY DAY
MAY 4 STAR WARS DAY
2025 Gondola Art Stroll
@Canyons Village at Park City Mountain 4000 Canyons Resort Drive, Park City
Join us for the Gondola Art Stroll! We invite you to escape to another world by exploring six different art installations, each enclosed within a retired Red Pine Gondola cabin. These cabins are placed around Canyons Village; see map on website for locations. As an added bonus, within each gondola cabin, there are hidden items for you to find.
Time: Daily 8am-10pm
Cost: Free Website: https://cvma.com/gondola-art-stroll/
Amazing Butterflies Exhibit FREE DAY
@Swaner Preserve and EcoCenter 1258 Center Dr., Park City
Shrink down into the undergrowth to become one of the most extraordinary creatures on earth in this interactive maze. Become a caterpillar and find your way through a secret wild world as grass and leaves tower above your head. With challenges at every twist and turn - take on puzzles, games, and exciting activities to help you discover a fascinating life cycle. Choose the right route to emerge as a beautiful butterfly!
Time: 10am-4pm
Cost: FREE Website: https://extension.usu.edu/swaner/visit/exhibits/amazingbutterflies/
What is House of Colour?
For over 35 years, House of Colour has been helping people look their best and feel their most confident by finding color and style options that are completely unique to YOU!
Utah, the wait is over.! Do yourself a favor and book a color analysis with Julie! It is a ONE-TIME investment into yourself that lasts for many, many years.
BY AIMEE L. COOK • PHOTO COURTESY OF DELTA AIR LINES
DID YOU KNOW?
Delta Air Lines is once again offering a daily, nonstop flight from Salt Lake City (SLC) to Santa Barbara (SBA) airport. There are two daily flights to choose from on a 130-passenger A220-300 plane, with a short flight time of just over two hours. What a great way to escape the doldrums of mud season!
“By reopening service to Santa Barbara and delivering more ways to access sought-after destinations throughout the US West, we’re more ready than ever to take our customers on their next great adventures—with the service, reliability, and convenience they’ve come to know and expect when flying Delta,” said Joe Esposito, senior vice president of network planning at Delta, in a press release.
This flight option was offered briefly from August 2019 to July 2020, but complications from the Covid-19 pandemic halted this service. This service was the most requested by the Santa Barbara community, above any of the others.
DEPARTURES
Twice Daily from Salt Lake City (SLC)
6:00 a.m. SBA > SLC 8:55 a.m. 1:20 p.m. SBA > SLC 4:15 p.m.
Last Friday Gallery Stroll
@Historic Main Street, Park City
ARRIVALS
Twice Daily to Salt Lake City (SLC)
11:15 a.m. SLC > SBA 12:18 p.m. 10:45 p.m. SLC > SBA 11:51 p.m.
Hosted by the Park City Gallery Association, the Last Friday Gallery Stroll, is a fun (and free) monthly community event dedicated to highlighting artists and special exhibits at art galleries throughout town. Park City’s art scene continues to thrive, offering a robust variety of unique art collections from local, national, and international artists. On the last Friday of each month, nineteen of our art galleries open their doors for visitors and locals alike to enjoy light refreshments and to admire their latest art installations. It’s the perfect way to explore the Park City art scene while enjoying scenic Historic Main Street and our beautiful alpine evenings. Time: 6-9pm • Cost: Free Website: https://parkcitygalleryassociation.com/
Book your consultation @ hocjuliehickam.as.me/schedule.php 435.315.2258 • Julie.Hickam@HouseOfColour.com • Follow me on Instagram @houseofcolour.juliehickam
© Best Version Media
UPCOMING EVENTS AT THE PARK CITY
Art Exhibit: Mary Perry’s “Monochrome and Beyond” - March 4-May 20
Mary’s exhibit is free and can be seen whenever the Library is open. The majority of the exhibit is on the Library’s second floor. Mary’s Artist Statement: Through my lens I see exciting discoveries of the world around me, allowing me a unique opportunity to capture a time and place. Witnessing a reflection so perfect that it takes your breath away, or the light as it passes through the clouds to give the impression of the heavens opening up, or the power of the Bald Eagle as it begins its flight, or the shadows working through a scene, culminating in a feeling so profound touching my heart and soul. My goal is to capture what I feel when in nature and the world through my photography. For some of these moments/experiences, monochrome is my visual response to what I am feeling at that time. Other times it is pure color that speaks so loudly like the start of a new day or the colors of something unique in my view. These unspoken visual sensations resonate deep within my soul, which I interpret through monochrome, color, and composition as a visual artist in digital photography.
Mindfulness Meditation for AdultsWednesdays at 6pm - 4/2, 4/23, 4/30 Join us as we create a strong community connection through mindfulness education and practice. No experience is necessary. This one-hour class is facilitated by Randi Jo Greenberg and Rebecca Brenner with Mindful. Summit County. More information at MindfulSummitCounty.org.
Intro to Guitar - Tuesday April 8 and 22 at 4:30pm
A class to help aspiring guitarists of all ages with basic knowledge and techniques to get started with the instrument. 30 minutes of instruction, followed by 30 minutes of ‘open’ time for questions and individual assistance.
Local Speaker Series: Barbara Jones Brown and Richard Turley - April 8, 6pm
Come hear from the authors of Massacre at Mountain Meadows. The book Massacre at Mountain Meadows (2008) shocked readers with its detailed account of the 1857 massacre in which Utah settlers killed over 100 members of a California-bound wagon train. In the sequel, Vengeance Is Mine, Richard E. Turley Jr. and Barbara Jones Brown explore the aftermath, including cover-ups by local leaders, legal battles, and the eventual execution of John D. Lee. The book examines Brigham Young’s contested role in the events, the fates of the perpetrators, and the survivors’ tragic stories. Winner of multiple awards, including the Juanita Brooks Best Book in Utah History Award, this gripping account concludes one of the darkest chapters in Utah and Mormon history.
Charlas en la cocina - April 9, 10am
A support group focused on the Latinx community, where we learn how to cook traditional dishes and talk about mental health.
Un grupo de apoyo enfocado en la comunidad Latinx, donde aprendemos a cocinar platos tradicionales y hablamos sobre la salud mental.
Movies During BreakApril 14 to April 18, 4pm
The School Break Film Series provides free film screenings at 4 pm each weekday during the Park City School District breaks so that students have a safe and entertaining place to spend the afternoons while school is out of session.
April 14 - Moana 2 • April 15 - Vivo
April 16 - Wicked
April 17 - James and the Giant Peach
April 18 - The Muppet Movie
Wicked Wonderful Witches - April 16, 3pm
Join us for an enchanting afternoon at the library! We’ll be unleashing our creativity by decorating adorable wooden witch figurines. Get ready to paint, glitter, and glue your way to a magical masterpiece.
Super Smash Bros Game TournamentApril 17, 5pm
Test your might against friends to see who is the best player of the day. Join the tournament of video game fighters and have fun. We will be playing Super Smash Bros Ultimate 1v1, no items, no DLC characters, on final destination, 5-minute round timer, double elimination.
Puzzle Races - April 19, 1pm
Race to complete a 35, 100, or 300-piece puzzle first with your team of three. Adults and children are encouraged to sign up for the 300-piece puzzle competition. In the 35-piece and 100-piece competitions, adults are welcome to join the team, offering encouragement and suggestions while children assemble the puzzle. Registration for your team is required. We welcome individuals who don’t have a full team to participate by emailing Rylee Broach (rylee. broach@parkcity.org) to be placed in a team.
Sound Bath by Norkova - April 21, 6pm
Step into a serene and transformative space at Park City Library for a sound bath experience held by Norkova, a wellnessbased community rooted in mental health and holistic well-being. Using the healing power of sound, this immersive session invites you to relax, rejuvenate, and connect deeply with your body and mind. Whether you’re seeking stress relief, emotional balance, or simply a moment of stillness, the sound bath offers a unique opportunity for healing and self-discovery. In this safe and supportive environment,
you can unwind and reconnect with yourself while being part of a mindful, community-centered experience.
Women’s Giving Fund Annual Event with Author Lane Moore - April 24, 7pm
Join the Park City Library, in partnership with the Park City Community Foundation’s Women’s Giving Fund, for an inspiring evening with Lane Moore, author of “You Will Find Your People”, on April 24th at 7 PM. Winner of the 2023 American Book Fest Award, Moore’s groundbreaking guide explores how to make—and keep— meaningful friendships as an adult. Through hilarious personal anecdotes and insightful advice, she provides practical tools for navigating friendships, setting healthy boundaries, and building the connections we all deserve. Bring a friend and enjoy an engaging conversation with Lane Moore, followed by a book signing in the community room. While you’re there, stop by our friendship bracelet-making station and create a fun keepsake to take home. This event is open to everyone—you do not need to be a Women’s Giving Fund member to attend. Don’t miss this chance to learn from an incredible author and create deeper connections in your life!
Earth Day Celebration, April 26th 12-2pm
Join us for an enlightening Earth Day celebration as we welcome a series of passionate speakers from local sustainable community organizations. In our auditorium, these experts will share their knowledge and insights on environmental conservation and innovative sustainability practices. This Earth Day, celebrate sustainability and creativity with us! We invite all ages to participate in our Tea Cup Garden Craft event, where we’ll give teacups a second life by planting beautiful succulents inside them. In this hands-on program, yoy can explore their inner artist and design their own magical fairy garden while learning how to care for their new succulent friends. It’s a wonderful chance to connect with nature, spark creativity, and celebrate the beauty of spring.
Toy Swap, April 25-27th during open hours
Give your gently used toys a second chance at our Toy Swap. A community favorite event! Bring clean, complete toys and swap them for others. Swaps like these are a way for Park City to become more sustainable. A new child’s imagination will help these toys come back to life and stay out of landfills.
Local Market Update for January 2025
BY LACY HARRISON
2025 MARKET UPDATE
Summit County
It's been an exciting start to 2025! While many are concerned about the economy, the Wasatch Back market remains strong. New listings and closings are up slightly, 11% and 9.6%, respectively. But what we're really looking at is the huge increase in both average and median sales price. This is largely attributed to a lot of new product entering the market. For Sellers, it becomes even more important to get your home ready and make it feel fresh as there is more neverbeen-lived-in inventory for Buyers to choose from.
Whether working with a Buyer or helping a Seller get the most out of their home, we are honored to work with our amazing clients throughout the Wasatch Back.
Gretchen and Lacy
Ways to Win with the Hudgens and Harrison Team...
We are passionate about the people of Park City and want to help you find “Ways to Win” with your real estate goals in 2024. If you would like to know what your house is worth or what your buying power actually is - we would love to meet with you!
Gretchen: Over fifteen years in the global luxury hospitality industry, Gretchen takes a concierge-style approach to work with discerning clients worldwide. Her extensive and diverse experience in hospitality and marketing, coupled with 10 years in Park City real estate gives her a unique perspective and knowledge. Gretchen sits on the Board of Directors for the Board of Realtors, the Legislative Committee, the RPAC Committee, and the Affordable Housing Committee. You can find her enjoying the mountains when she’s not working with clients.
Lacy: With personable and attentive service at the forefront, Lacy is known for her expertise, professionalism, industry knowledge and ability to deliver big results for her clients. Lacy has a unique ability to connect with the most discerning clients, having worked for the NFL for 15 years in marketing, specializing in negotiations internationally. Lacy also owns the small business, PEAK|45, a luxury boutique Lagree fitness studio here in Park City. You can find Lacy, her husband and two little girls skiing the slopes in the winter or biking in the summer and are proud to call Park City their forever home.
Jessie: After establishing a successful business in Park City, Jessie transitioned to real estate, fueled by her passion for interior design. She leverages her design skills to create beautiful, functional spaces, assisting clients in all facets of real estate, including home preparation for the market. When not working, Jessie enjoys skiing, hiking, and spending time with her two children.
Gretchen Hudgens 435-901-1015
Insta: @gretchenhudgens
Email: Gretchen@winutah.com
Jessie Lannings 858-952-4742
Insta: @jessielanningrealestate Jessie@winutah.com
Lacy Harrison 858-525-3434
Insta: @lacykharrison
Email: Lacy@winutah.com
Best Version Media does not guarantee the accuracy of the statistical data on this page. The data does not represent the listings of
agent or agency but represents
activity of
estate community in the area. Any real estate agent’s ad appearing in the magazine is separate from the statistical data provided which is in
Lacy
Gretchen
Jessie
EMPOWERING UTAH WOMEN:
A LOOK INSIDE THE WOMEN’S BUSINESS CENTER, PART TWO
The Women’s Business Center of Utah (WBCUtah) is a vital resource dedicated to empowering women entrepreneurs across Utah. By offering personalized business advising, training programs, and a supportive community, the WBCUtah helps women achieve their professional aspirations and create lasting economic impact.
All responses below are provided by Ann Marie Wallace, State Director of the Women’s Business Center of Utah (WBCUtah).
Neighbors: How does the Women’s Business Center collaborate with other organizations and community partners to support women entrepreneurs?
A: WBCUtah collaborates with many organizations to maximize its impact on women business owners. For example, the center works with 24 rural chambers of commerce, each hosting an Online WBC powered by WBCUtah, to serve women in rural areas with focused training and advising. Additionally, WBCUtah partners with statewide and regional organizations like the SBA Utah District Office, Utah Small Business Development Center Network, and SCORE mentors to provide resources and opportunities for business owners.
The center plays a trusted role as a representative for Utah women entrepreneurs in decision-making spaces. It also collaborates with the Utah Women’s Leadership Project on public policy and research and leads initiatives such as “A Bolder Way Forward” to create change and improve opportunities for Utah women in business ownership.
Neighbors: How does the Women’s Business Center promote diversity and inclusion within the entrepreneurial landscape in Utah?
A: WBCUtah promotes diversity and inclusion through intentional outreach, inclusive services, and advocacy:
• Outreach & Engagement:
• Targeted Outreach: Actively engaging with women of color, immigrant
women, LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs, and women with disabilities through culturally sensitive programs and partnerships with community organizations.
• Rural Outreach: Expanding services to women in rural Utah to address unique challenges.
• Inclusive Services:
• Culturally Competent Advising: Offering personalized advising for women from diverse backgrounds.
• Language Accessibility: Expanding services in various languages for accessibility.
• Inclusive Training: Designing trainings that are accessible to all, including captioned online courses for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing.
• Advocacy:
• Advocating for policies that support women entrepreneurs of all backgrounds.
• Raising awareness about the value of diversity in Utah’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
By prioritizing inclusivity, WBCUtah creates an equitable environment for all women entrepreneurs to thrive.
Neighbors: What are the future goals and priorities of the Women’s Business Center, and how do you plan to expand your reach and impact in the coming years?
A: WBCUtah’s future goals focus on growing its reach and supporting more women entrepreneurs across Utah. Their priorities include:
• Elevating the Brand: Enhancing their brand identity to connect with more women entrepreneurs and effectively communicate their mission.
• Strengthening Statewide Presence: Actively engaging with women across all 29 counties through outreach, partnerships, and strategic marketing.
• Enhancing Services: Continuously improving programs to meet the evolving needs of women entrepreneurs, exploring innovative
By Aimee L. Cook
service delivery models, and expanding resources to underserved communities.
• Cultivating Inclusion: Building a more diverse team and service offerings, including adding new language options to improve accessibility.
Neighbors: What advice would you give to women in Utah who are considering starting their own businesses?
A: For women considering starting a business, here’s WBCUtah’s advice:
1. Believe in Yourself: Confidence is key— trust your abilities.
2. Validate Your Idea: Research your market, identify your target audience, and ensure there’s demand for your product or service.
3. Create a Solid Business Plan: Outline your goals, financial projections, and marketing strategy.
4. Leverage Resources: Use resources like WBCUtah for workshops, advising, and connections with other entrepreneurs.
5. Build a Network: Foster relationships with other business owners, mentors, and industry professionals by attending local events and joining business organizations.
6. Commit to Learning: Stay informed about trends, best practices, and new technologies through workshops and mentoring.
7. Find Support: Surround yourself with supportive people and remember to celebrate your milestones.
ARGENTINA’S CAFE SERVES UP AUTHENTIC ARGENTINIAN FLAVORS IN PARK CITY
By Aimee L. Cook • Photos by Deb DeKoff
ArgenTina’s Cafe has quickly become a local favorite for its homemade empanadas and indulgent Argentinian sweets. Owned and operated by Valentina Udabe, a native of Argentina, this charming café shines with authenticity and passion in every bite.
Valentina came to Utah in 2011-2013 on a J-1 Visa to do seasonal work. In 2013, she made Park City her permanent residence.
“I always wanted to open an empanada store,” Valentina said. “It took me a little time; I opened in 2020. I worked in restaurants before that, working on the empanada recipe and selling it to friends and people that I knew who knew about empanadas. I wanted to get feedback and perfect it.”
AUTHENTICITY MEETS FLAVOR
At ArgenTina’s; it’s all about keeping it real—and delicious. Valentina brings her Argentinian heritage to the forefront, preparing every item from scratch. From the golden, flaky crust of her empanadas to the delicate sweetness of traditional alfajores, every offering feels like a warm invitation to savor the tastes of her homeland.
Patrons can choose from various empanadas stuffed with fillings such as Malbec beef, gooey ham and cheese, or sweet corn with a Béchamel sauce— each packed with the authentic flavors Argentina is known for. As for dessert, the cafe’s sugary delights, like the Coco Square and brownie bars, are also an experience to remember.
ArgenTina’s Cafe is a heartwarming addition to the community of Park City. Its cozy, welcoming vibe makes it a perfect spot for everything from lingering lunches to a casual coffee break. Locals and visitors are drawn to the cafe’s charming interiors and the soothing aroma of freshly baked pastries.
“I went to architecture school [in Argentina], but I realized there was not any Argentinean food in Park City,” Valentina says. “ArgenTina’s is my way of sharing a little piece of my culture to Park City. I missed the food and I come from a family who owned restaurants. Many of the empanadas are my grandmother’s recipes.”
TAKE AND BAKE
For those looking to enjoy the authentic flavors of ArgenTina’s Cafe from the comfort of their own home, the takeand-bake options are a perfect choice. Customers can purchase a variety of frozen empanadas, ready to be baked fresh in their own ovens. This convenient option allows families and busy individuals to savor the rich, hearty fillings and perfectly crisp crusts of these Argentine classics whenever they please. It’s a simple and delicious way to bring a taste of Argentina to your dining table, making every meal feel special.
SUPPORTING THE WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES OF PARK CITY
ERIC RAMIREZ
S & S ROOFING
S & S Roofing has been a trusted name in the roofing industry for decades. With projects spanning the Wasatch Back, Heber Valley, Park City, and many other areas along the Wasatch Front. Their reputation for quality craftsmanship, honesty, and exceptional service has made them a go-to choice for homeowners and businesses alike.
A LEGACY OF HARD WORK & DEDICATION
The story of S & S Roofing began when Jim Swensen took his years of roofing expertise and built his own company—operating it right out of his home. In those early days, he wore every hat— estimator, marketer, installer, and office manager— pouring his time and energy into creating a business rooted in quality and integrity.
As Jim’s children grew, they naturally became part of the company’s evolution. Josh Swensen, his oldest son, started roofing in 1993 at a young age and now co-owns the company alongside his
father. Over time, Jim’s daughter, Amy Swensen, took on a leadership role in managing projects and ensuring smooth operations.
A REPUTATION BUILT ON TRUST & REFERRALS
While S & S Roofing invests in traditional marketing efforts such as a company website, TV commercials and mailers, the heart of their business comes from referrals and repeat customers. Their commitment to exceptional service and attention to detail keeps customers coming back and recommending them to others.
One customer’s Google review highlights their dedication:
“I couldn’t be more thrilled with the results. From the initial consultation to the final touches, their team demonstrated exceptional professionalism and expertise… The crew was respectful of my
property, keeping the work area clean and safe throughout the process.”
MORE THAN JUST A ROOFING COMPANY— THEY GO THE EXTRA MILE
In August 2024, a sudden hailstorm pounded Utah with golf-ball-sized hail, leaving countless roofs damaged. Homeowners scrambled for repairs, but many found themselves dealing with a mess left behind by out-of-town contractors— loose nails and debris scattered across their yards.
S & S Roofing, however, takes extra steps to protect their customers. Amy explains:
“Running a powerful magnet sweep around the property helps remove loose nails, preventing potential damage to people and property."
It’s small but meaningful efforts like these that set them apart.
© Best Version Media
For homeowners who didn’t get their roof checked after the storm, it’s not too late. Amy encourages them to reach out:
“It might still be worth giving us a call to inspect their roof—insurance may still cover it.”
OFFERING MORE THAN JUST REPAIRS AND REPLACEMENTS
S & S Roofing provides a full range of roofing services, including asphalt shingle, metal, TPO membrane, and shake shingle installations and repairs. They also offer a variety of additional roofing solutions including inspections, skylight installation, gutters, facia, soffit, siding, heat cable and snow retention systems. One of their most valuable services for mountain homeowners is ice-dam removal.
“Rooftop ice-dams often get shoveled, which can wreck the roof. Some installers will use hammers improperly to break up the ice, which can destroy the heat cable in the process. Our team uses shovels to remove snow only and then our specialized steam machinery to safely melt the ice without damaging the roof.” - Amy explains
During the recordbreaking winter two years ago, S & S Roofing stepped up to help homeowners facing roof collapses due to extreme snow loads. In Park City, some roofs had up to 15 feet of snow, creating urgent and dangerous situations. In response, the team used their industrial steam machines to provide safe, effective snow and ice removal for their customers new and existing.
& S Roofing won the job—and more importantly, helped prevent major structural damage that would have affected the integrity of the roof.
MORE THAN A BUSINESS— A FAMILY THAT CARES
Amy describes their team as hardworking, dedicated, and fun-loving bringing a mix of expertise, warmth, and reliability to every project. Their genuine care for their customers is a defining factor of their success.
One standout example was when Blake, an S & S Roofing estimator, was inspecting a customer’s roof. He discovered a soft spot near the chimney—a serious issue that had been overlooked by other companies. Upon further inspection, he found years of unnoticed water damage had rotted part of the roof decking beneath the shingles.
Because Blake took the time to thoroughly assess the roof and educate the homeowner, S
A Roofing Company That Puts Customers First S & S Roofing’s success is built on decades of trust, hard work, and a commitment to excellence. As one customer put it:
“These straightforward, old-fashioned gentlemen made the entire process from start to finish incredibly simple. Their professionalism and genuine care made me feel heard and safe throughout the project.”
For homeowners looking for a reliable, familyowned roofing company, S & S Roofing is the name to trust.
Kallie Harrison Gem Studio SMALL TOWN STORIES
Encountering Kallie Harrison is like meeting a dozen lifetimes at once, her varied experiences culminating in a unique acupuncture healing practice deeply rooted in Chinese medicinal arts.
Raised in Pocatello, Idaho (“my father was a fourth-generation jeweler,” she says proudly), Kallie’s interest in acupuncture, massage, and holistic medicine took her to San Diego and was born out of a struggle with back pain. Her smile, as she recalls the relief acupuncture afforded, is a testament to its efficacy.
Complementing her RN credentials with hundreds of hours of acupuncture and massage training, in 2010, Callie volunteered to assist a favorite teacher doing acupuncture in Nepal, encountering “the happiest people I ever met, though they had almost nothing,” she recalls from her clinic offices on Prospector. Kallie pursued a doctorate in acupuncture, opened a clinic in Big Sky, and discovered psychedelic-assisted therapy, receiving formal training in California. “Psychedelics have a unique ability to unlock insights, process trauma and promote emotional healing,” she affirms.
But Utah’s mountains lingered in the background of her far-flung life. “My mom grew up in Heber, and my parents met in Park City painting the chairlift,” she laughs. “Park City was always special.”
“I was fortunate to catch my breast cancer early,” she says of her most recent health journey. Choosing to “go flat” after a double mastectomy last year was “an expression of authenticity,” she says firmly. “I want people to know embracing their scars is OK.” True to her healing instincts, she offers free ‘compassion calls’ to cancer patients and plans a breast cancer retreat in Mexico this fall.
“People in Park City share an appreciation for wellness and the outdoors,” Kallie observes of our local culture. “They are curious, proactive about their health, and respect alternative therapies. It makes my work rewarding.”
“It’s a privilege to be here and be part of the journey to health and wholeness.”
“A retreat, an inspiration, and essential to my journey,” is how Matt James of Gem Studio describes Main Street. From his high school years “admiring the silver and turquoise in the shops” to bootstrapping Gem Studio, where skilled silversmiths teach classes and guide customers in designing and smithing their own jewelry, Matt’s heart has never strayed far from Main. But the Gem Studio dream was born far from PC, in the tropical backcountry of Uganda, where Matt was volunteering.
“It was transformative,” he recalls. Soon, Matt was building a school and eventually opened an orphanage. “I became confident in my ability to make a difference, and saw how much is achievable in the world.” Back in Utah seeking ways to support the facilities, he learned silversmithing and opened the first Gem Studio.
Today, Matt has eleven locations from Tennessee to Waikiki, crediting Gem Studio’s phenomenal growth with “being on the right side of retail history,” he says. “People now look for meaning in what they buy and how they spend their time.” Gem Studio’s hands-on jewelry creation resonates with that new ethos, offering “an experience that goes beyond the transaction,” Matt says.
However, success and family life (Matt and his wife Lauren met when she took Matt’s silversmithing class) mean it’s not always easy to stay on top of events in far-off Africa. “But I’m so proud of the leadership team -all local Ugandans - who manage the place almost entirely independently,” he smiles. “It’s theirs now, and we’re here to empower them.”
Empowerment also describes Gem Studio, where you define how jewelry adds meaning to your life, then craft the perfect piece to reflect the moment.
“It allows a sense of purpose and fulfillment,” Matt says, reflecting his own achievement of a purposeful life.
“I’ve learned if you want to create change, you have to make it happen, and often it’s more achievable than you think.”
The Madrona Difference
Advisors + CPAs
It takes a team of professionals to manage both wealth and taxes properly. Consider a highly specialized team that works in harmony as they plan and manage your wealth, so that you can enjoy the quality of life you’ve always wanted.
© Best Version Media
LOVED ONES AND FUNDING LONG TERM CARE (LTC)
As a Financial Advisor, I understand that planning for long-term care (LTC) for your loved ones is both a financial and emotional priority. Navigating the complexities of funding these essential services can seem overwhelming, yet there are often overlooked tax strategies that can significantly ease the burden. One such strategy is the “medical expenses deduction” available at 7.5% of your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI). This deduction allows you to write off unreimbursed medical and dental expenses that exceed 7.5% of your income. By leveraging this deduction, you may be able to offset some, or all, of the substantial costs associated with long-term care—costs that are increasingly important to our loved ones as they age and require specialized care.
In this article, I will explain how to effectively incorporate the medical expenses deduction into your overall financial planning strategy. I aim to demystify the process and provide you with actionable insights that can lead to smarter, more informed decisions regarding LTC funding. To illustrate these concepts in a practical context, I’d like to review a detailed case study that outlines real-world application of these tax strategies.
John and Penny, married for 62 years, were admitted to a long-term care (LTC) facility only a few months apart, incurring a combined monthly cost of $23,000—and their care was deemed by the facility as fully-covered under the medical expense deduction. Their funding options included $1,500,000 in Apple Stock (with a near-zero cost basis), $600,000 in IRA accounts, and a primary residence valued at $2,300,000, purchased 50 years ago for $50,000. With a modest combined Social Security income of $35,000, their financial landscape might seem like a tax minefield at first glance.
In their scenario, our CPAs utilize the medical expenses deduction in their 2025 tax analysis, revealing that John and Penny can strategically draw up to $348,000 of adjusted gross income at 0% tax from a combination of sources: Social Security income, IRA distributions, the sale of Apple Stock. While some advisors might suggest liquidating the primary residence or taking out a HELOC at 8-10% interest to meet immediate funding needs, our recommendation to withdraw from IRAs and realize long term capital gains at 0% is more targeted to take advantage of tax law efficiencies. This strategy exemplifies how thoughtful, tax-sensitive planning can provide both liquidity and asset preservation, ensuring that John and Penny’s long-term care expenses are managed effectively while safeguarding their financial legacy.
Most insurance agents, stockbrokers and robo-advisors are not equipped to make such complex recommendations. Madrona Financial and CPAs, on the other hand, is uniquely qualified to discuss sophisticated tax and wealth strategies, and to navigate decisions as they arise to protect your long-term wealth.
Growing Your Wealth with Danielle Meister. For over 30 years, Madrona Financial & CPAs has been helping individuals and families improve their financial well-being by giving them experienced advice on public market (stocks and bonds) investments, alternative investments, real estate, insurance, taxes, executive compensation, business structure and business succession strategies, advanced gifting strategies, estate planning, and more. Madrona is headquartered in Washington State, while Danielle and her staff have offices in Park City and Cottonwood Heights, Utah. Call us 833-673-7373.
NAVIGATING HOMEOWNERSHIP WITH HEART:
A MORTGAGE JOURNEY BUILT ON TRUST
For more than two decades, since 2001, I’ve had the privilege of helping individuals and families turn their dreams of homeownership into reality. There’s nothing more rewarding than guiding people, especially first-time homebuyers, through the process and making it as smooth, exciting, and stress-free as possible.
I keep a close eye on the ever-changing mortgage landscape, staying up to date on market trends so my clients (and referral partners) have the latest information to inform their decisions. But beyond just knowing the numbers, I have a deep passion for learning and growing in this industry. That commitment allows me to offer thoughtful advice, creative solutions, and personalized guidance tailored to each person’s unique needs. At the heart of everything I do is family. I’m happily married with an amazing daughter and stepson who are both thriving in college. My clients are like family, too. I treat them with the same care, honesty, and dedication with the goal of building lifelong relationships founded on trust and support.
Outside of work, you’ll find me on the golf course, out on the water, or planning my next travel adventure. At home, life wouldn’t be complete without our beloved dogs, who bring endless joy to our days. I also love being involved in the community—whether it’s volunteering, supporting local events, or connecting with my neighbors, I believe strong communities create happy homeowners.
To me, buying a home isn’t just a financial decision, it’s a milestone. Bringing home a newborn, taking pictures of your child on their first day of school, hosting family meals and gatherings, a dream realized. My goal is to make that journey as easy, exciting, and rewarding as possible.
Let’s make homeownership happen together!
Your Personal Prison Guard: Meet Funk
Let’s talk about funk. And yes, I’m talking mostly to you, high schoolers. April is the final stretch, the last real month of school. The month things start to warm up, which means you want to be outside, you want to forget about homework, and you want summer to come more than anything else in the world. This is the month I would like to introduce a friend you all probably know too well. April is the month of “The Funk.”
Ever dreaded doing something easy, like picking out an outfit? Ever fallen asleep at 7 p.m. because you are exhausted and can’t keep your eyes open? Or even felt anxious throughout the day, not really knowing why you feel like that?
This is what I like to call The Funk. It’s the voice in our head and the sheet over our eyes that make the days seem repetitive, tiring, and anxietyinducing. The Funk talks to you like a prison guard, trapping you in a cell and taking your personal power away, making everything you want to do seem like a task you can’t manage, can’t handle, and shouldn’t do. Funk locks you in your room, in your bed, in the dark, on your phone. Doom-scrolling, comparing, and in a cycle of anxiety. It makes trying to find an activity for the day feel pointless—you know, the feeling when you wake up and have nothing to look forward to? So, maybe all you feel is a little sad and a little tired, and you don’t know why? That is The Funk in its natural form. Funk is a master of making life seem way harder and scarier than it is. Funk and anxiety are sort of like two peas in a pod.
For high schoolers who have been going to school for eight months at this point, this couldn’t be more true. When I was in high school, I would get into a constant washing-machine cycle of sweatpants and hoodies. I would feel so overwhelmed with the routine of assignments and social outings that I fell into my own funk. The sameness drained me a bit, to a point where nothing felt important. The same people, same clothes, same anxiety, same tired eyes and gray sweatpants. Not to mention coming out of the cold and harsh winters that Utah loves to give us. The Funk thrives in this environment. So, I’m here to give you a game plan for how you can go about overcoming funk.
Have questions? Need assistance?
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Funk wants you to think that little tasks don’t matter, but they do. They give you a sense of purpose and productivity. One thing that The Funk hates is when you pick out an outfit. Yes, as easy as picking out an outfit. A pair of jeans with a T-shirt you just thrifted might make you feel ready to conquer a day, instead of living in the same sweatpants for the past three days. It is a simple step away from funk. You get your free will and your personal power back when you do something like making your bed, even brushing your hair, or taking a shower. All simple tasks that will propel you towards calm.
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Thursday, May 15 • 4:00pm - 7:30pm
The second thing that funk hates is movement. Not the “working out and going to the gym” type of movement, but the “walking out of your room” kind. Walking away from the couch. Opening the front door. Funk hates that. Funk wants you to think you don’t have energy, time, or drive to go anywhere but your bed. When you get up and go grab a coffee, go for a long scenic drive, and walk around the neighborhood, you are changing your scenery and actively changing your mindset. Even though it feels like something tremendously small, it isn’t.
When I’m in my funk, I get dressed and go somewhere. Anywhere. I find
it works almost every time because you are changing what The Funk makes you think is unchangeable. And the best part is that anyone can get dressed, anyone can go for a walk. Anyone can move from their bed to the basement couch with a book or a new movie.
Now, this is the final secret: If there is one thing The Funk can’t stand, it’s someone who tries. I can already see my own funk backing away. You don’t need a gold medal or a star on your shoulder—all you need to do is get out of bed, change your boring environment, do your homework, and put your makeup on. Placing one step in front of the other breaks the mental loop you are stuck in, freeing your mind and enabling you to remove your eye mask. You don’t need to succeed or win, just simply try.
For all the high schoolers who are trapped in their own personal funk: All you need to do is stand up. Take back your power, even if you feel like nothing will work or break the trance. It will.
Because you can. You can, you can, you can. You have power, you have purpose, you have greatness, and beauty, and fun. Take that first step.
PARK CITY SOCCER CLUB
GIRLS & BOYS AGES 6-18 Competitive Soccer Season 2025/2026
TRAILSIDE PARK, PARK CITY
May 19 - 21 for players born 2017 - 2014
May 27 & 28 for players born 2013 - 2007 May 29 for players born 2019 - 2018
Visit www.parkcitysoccer.org for registration, details, and schedule by age.
• Pre-registration opens April 1
• Pre-registration recommended
Questions? Contact Technical Director Eli Ulvi at eulvi@parkcitysoccer.org or 907-748-5075
Scholarships are available/Becas disponsibles. For more information, contact sgillwald@parkcitysoccer.org
Spanish language assistance available. Asistencia en español disponible.
Para español contacto Juan Perez al 435-731-4114 ó jperez@parkcitysoccer.org
PCSC Office: 6443 N Business Park Loop, Suite K, Park City, UT 84098
www.parkcitysoccer.org
READING WITH NEIGHBORS
HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS IN PC DISCUSS THE ANXIOUS GENERATION, BY JONATHAN HAIDT
Without having read the book, have you ever attended a book club meeting, and not just for the wine? While two of us raise our hands—one of whom happens to facilitate Reading Buddies at Lectura Lounge (hi, Judy!) and is a former educator—and not at all sheepishly, because Judy and I both are in our devil-may-care mid-fifties, we’re wowed by longtime PC resident Monica Schaffer, retired pediatrician, leader of this fantastic book club, whose members include healthcare professionals at Wasatch Pediatrics.
I don’t get out much in this not-as-tiny-as-I-thought mountain town, but I recognize some faces, most of whom I’ve met through Monica. Growing up, I was always intimidated by doctors, and not just because of their intelligence, or their “control” over vaccinations (cue: one PTSD moment, where my mom threatened to call Dr. Sachs to pry me from her car because I was screeching about getting a shot), but also because they—physicians—truly are beautiful humans, those who make differences in a world that sometimes can seem gloomy. Monica spends her retirement days volunteering at the Hope Clinic; Dr. Ali penned an inspiring memoir about her traumatic brain injury; and Dr. Sarah is one of the first cool moms I was acquainted with in Park City, who, soon after we met, invited my younger son and his dad to go biking with her husband and their same-aged son.
Okay, let’s talk about the BOOK! These beautiful humans chose The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness, by Jonathan Haidt, to read last month—which, by coincidence, I’d picked up during my trip to SoCal during winter break, recommended by a college friend (and educator). Now, please don’t be…intimidated…by the mention of doctors and educators. Why not? Whether you’re parents or members of the “anxious generation,” or somewhere in between, you need this book in your life. And why should you listen to someone who has barely gotten through the intro and is here only for Monica’s delectable spread? Keep reading…
Haidt explores this anxious generation—also known as Gen Z and Gen Alpha (born between 1997 and 2024)—and how the breakneck integration of digital technology into these children’s lives has contributed to the rise of mental health issues, drawing upon extensive research on its impact on social and psychological development. Smartphones, social media, video gaming—Haidt argues that the omnipresence of digital devices has disrupted traditional forms of social interaction, which has led to increased feelings of isolation and anxiety among the adolescent contingent.
Monica, whose daughters are 26 and 21, had texted me and Judy about her book club meeting, and when Judy and I spotted each other, we laughed
about not having read the book but were both dying to hear more about it. Judy is mom to 26- and 25-year-olds, and I have two sons, 15 and 12, all— including Monica’s young adults—of whom are members of the anxious generation.
Monica asks, “How did the book speak to you?” Judy and I look up while we chow down on biscuits and crab dip, trying to figure out who in Monica’s comfy living room will speak first. Dr. Ali jumps right in: “I really liked how he opened the book, saying we’re raising our kids in a way they aren’t supposed to be raised. These are things we already know; he just put numbers and facts to it.”
I’m already intrigued, thinking of my two sons at home, most likely playing Brawl Stars. I feel my eyes widening while I stuff another biscuit into my mouth.
Monica summarizes one “construct” of the book, which begins with Haidt asking what we’d do if our kids had the opportunity to populate Mars, not knowing how Mars might affect them. “We don’t really know anything, but everyone’s all jazzed about it,” Monica says. Then she poses the question of the evening: “Would you let your kid go?”
Dr. Ali adds, “Oh, and your kids have already signed up to go without your permission.” The room erupts into laughter. Hmm, but what exactly is so funny?
Monica continues, “We’ve opened up this technology to our children without any knowledge of how it’s affecting them. This information is meant to horrify you, and yet, here we are.”
Monica senses a reaction from Dana, a social worker, seated at the fireplace. Dana sighs. “I had a hard time going home from work and reading it because I see this all day, every day,” she says. “Brains are so susceptible to the idea that if it’s reinforced, you’re gonna go back to the screens, and it’s affecting their [children’s] ability to focus, to be in a room with other people. I’m seeing a lot of irritability when screens are taken away, families not being sure of how to manage that.”
Judy and I nod solemnly. I want to scream, “OMG, this is the source of most of our fights at home!”
Monica nods with us. “The author talks about how these algorithms are made to be addictive, with infinite scrolling, instead of having to turn a page. And the ‘likes’—you get addicted to them, to the comparisons. He also talks about role models in the past being community leaders, people doing meaningful
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things, and now the kids are looking up to ‘influencers,’ who are beautiful or just have neat things.”
Stacey, an adult neurologist, bursts out, “Monica, your cat!” Cleo the cat is on top of the dining table, helping herself to the Mardi Gras feast while we all laugh together again. Now, this is funny!
Monica isn’t too fazed by Cleo (while I worryingly wonder if she got into the shrimp gumbo!). She continues, after lamenting about kids signing up for things online without a parent’s consent, lying about their age, with no security checks, “There’s this reduction of freedom in the real world, where in the ’80s, we used to just go play with our friends. We’d interact with people, do dangerous things, to learn to…”
“Solve real problems,” Dr. Ali finishes her sentence.
Monica proceeds to explain “safeism,” which Haidt writes is a movement to keep kids still, lending to “helicopter” parenting, when, all the while, there is so much freedom for them in the virtual world.
Stacey interjects with an interesting anecdote, about a couple who left their child in a stroller outside a café in New York as they dined inside. Naturally, someone called Child Protective Services and ratted on them, but “this wouldn’t happen in Europe,” Stacey says, laughing. (This is funny too. Americans can be so uptight!)
Dr. Kristine, a few spots from Stacey, says, “I remember walking to school by myself when I was five. I got lost, but I figured it out. What strikes me is the fact that we aren’t giving our kids responsibilities at a young age. Even with the families here, they say, ‘Oh, we let them do dangerous things,’ but it’s structured, like with a coach there. There’s no downtime to have that experimental unstructured time to practice doing what they want.”
Judy decides to speak up. “What are parents scared of? There’s so much fear out there, so the safest thing is for their kids to be inside their rooms.”
“Inside their rooms” translates to “playing videogames” in my household, so I nod my head once again, soberly, because what the heck am I doing, allowing technology to be unleashed on to my boys, whether it’s Mr. Beast on YouTube or Fortnite? We should all be scared. Now, this is not funny.
Dr. Kristi, seated next to Dr. Ali, chimes in, “The author does a good job presenting data to demonstrate we aren’t in a more dangerous world. It stemmed from the ’90s, when we could turn on the cable network 24/7 and go ‘huh?!’—all these things are happening, versus before, it was just evening news. This was the beginning of that fear in parenting.” As we all nod our heads in agreement, she continues, “This book resonated with me, which is why I wanted Lucy to read it.” (Lucy, a recent college grad, representing the anxious generation, is seated to the right of her mother.)
“People in real life, they’re taught to be so scared of strangers,” says Dr. Kristine, recounting a recent experience at the movie theater, where she approached a lost girl, telling her she’d stand with her until her parents came. “You could tell she was scared of me!” she says, shaking her head. “This, while kids are online witnessing things they shouldn’t be seeing. It’s interesting, what people have done with stranger danger, in a way that doesn’t allow their kid to trust their community.”
Stacey sums it all up candidly: “At the end of the day, it’s work for the parents, to set up this community. There’s no work involved in letting your kids be quietly away from you in their room, on the internet.”
Sometimes, however, we resort to helicopter parenting. Don’t ask me how many times I’ve tiptoed down the hallway to my sons’ rooms, then opening their door to find them not doing their homework, but on their phone or computer.
“We just watch TV if we’re sad,” Lucy had mentioned earlier. “A toddler can understand basic emotions—this is the time to start building that, to talk to them, instead of just giving them a device…none of this is going to help you.”
Monica asks, “What can we do to advocate for our children?”
I wish I had an extra 1,500 words to write more. And, for the record, I probably would’ve let my kids go to Mars. Now, that isn’t funny in the least bit. Parents, let’s get to WORK!
JENN LEWIS Owner, CEO, General Contractor
3rd Party Construction Management
Architectural Design
3D Visualization Models
BECOME A COMMUNITY SCIENTIST THIS APRIL WITH THE CITY NATURE CHALLENGE © Best Version Media
As the weather warms up in April, it's the perfect time to get outside and observe changes happening in the world around us. Toward the end of the month, you have a unique opportunity to become a part of something big – the City Nature Challenge! In Park City, this event is a collaboration between Swaner Preserve & EcoCenter and Basin Recreation, and it's all about observing and documenting nature in your own backyard.
What is Community Science?
Community science is when ordinary people like you and me help scientists by collecting data and making observations about the natural world. It's a way for anyone to be a scientist, no matter how old you are or what you know about science. The idea is simple: by working together, we can learn more about our environment and help protect it.
The City Nature Challenge
The City Nature Challenge is a global event where cities compete to see who can document the most species of plants and animals. It's not about winning, though – it's about learning, exploring, and having fun while helping scientists understand our planet better. This year, from April 25 to April 28, you can join tens of thousands of people around the world to take part in this quest.
Get Involved Locally
Swaner Preserve & EcoCenter and Basin Recreation are hosting special events and activities to help you participate in the City Nature Challenge. Both are great resources for learning about local wildlife, plants, and open space in Park City.
Friday, April 25th: Join a guided walk (9:00-10:00 am) on the north side of the Preserve. We will teach you how to use iNaturalist, talk about City Nature Challenge, and explore our local biodiversity.
Saturday, April 26th: Sign up for Swaner’s Saturday Morning Nature Walk (8:30-9:30 am) for another chance to use iNaturalist and identify things on the Preserve alongside a Swaner naturalist.
Sunday, April 27th: Attend Swaner’s Sunday Craft (11am-1pm). You can create a nature journal where you can draw or write observations while exploring the outdoors.
To join the City Nature Challenge, you'll need to use an app called iNaturalist. Here's how you can get started:
Download the iNaturalist App: Go to the App Store or Google Play and download the iNaturalist app. It's free and easy to use!
Create an Account: Sign up with your email address
and choose a username and password.
Find Wildlife: Explore your backyard, neighborhood, or local parks to find wild plants, animals, or fungi. Take a photo of what you find.
Share Your Observations: Open the iNaturalist app and click on the camera icon to upload your photos. Add the location and date, and if you know what it is, you can suggest an identification. Don't worry if you're not sure – the iNaturalist community will help you figure it out!
Join the Challenge: Make sure your observations are part of the City Nature Challenge by selecting the project for your area.
You Can Be a Scientist Too!
The best part about community science is that anyone can do it. You don't need to be a scientist or have special equipment – just a curious mind and a willingness to explore. You can use iNaturalist year-round to learn and record your own observations. So, grab your phone, head outside, and start observing! You never know what cool things you might discover.
Celebrating a Decade of PC Tots’ Dedication to Early Education
BY AIMEE L. COOK
This year marks a milestone for PC Tots, Park City’s treasured nonprofit early childhood education provider, as it celebrates ten years of shaping young minds and strengthening families across the community. Since its founding in 2015, PC Tots has provided children with high-quality early childhood education and care regardless of financial circumstances.
From its humble beginnings with just one center in 2015, PC Tots has grown exponentially to now operate three bustling locations. The most recent addition, located in the Park City Library, is a testament to the organization’s commitment to accessibility and fostering a love of learning.
“I was drawn to PC Tots because of the support they provide to working families in Park City and Summit County,” says Sue Banerjee, executive director. “Being a working mom, I knew the pressures of having young children, and you’re trying to have a career, or you need a job to sustain your family. I love the organization’s ethos of meeting families where they are, being able to provide full-day, year-round care that parents can rely on.”
PC Tots serves 120 children with a passionate team of 25 educators, most of whom hold degrees in early childhood education. A standout feature is the program’s dedication to inclusivity—more than half of its educators are fluent in Spanish, reflecting Park City’s diverse cultural fabric. This dual-language support enriches the classroom experience and strengthens connections with families.
Each day at PC Tots is thoughtfully designed to inspire curiosity and exploration, preparing little learners with the skills and confidence they need to thrive. From creative playtime to foundational learning activities, every moment they are there is filled with intention. Parents praise PC Tots for its detailed approach, with many expressing gratitude for how the learning environment builds both academic readiness and socialemotional growth.
Looking back on the past decade, there’s much to celebrate. Milestones include the expansion into the opening of the second center in 2016, made possible through several community partnerships, and then the third center opening in the Park City Library in 2024 through a partnership with Park City Municipal.
“It is nice to be part of this history of education in the Park City Library building,” Sue says. “We have been able to get community support and partnerships to be able to get this growth as the needs have grown in the community.”
The team at PC Tots aims to keep pushing forward, helping more families, growing their programs, and expanding their impact. When asked what’s next for PC Tots, the answer was looking at how the needs in the community are shifting.
“We are looking at another center potentially out in Summit County to support more working families,” Sue says. “That will also help with traffic congestion.”
Park City, let’s raise a toast (or a juice box) to PC Tots and the incredible team behind it for their first monumental decade. Here’s to many more years of empowering young minds and fostering connections across our community!
PC Tots
1850 Sidewinder Drive Ste. 410, Park City 84060 (435) 731-8860
PC Tots Too
1881 Prospector Ave, Park City 84060 (435) 731-8203
Model UN:
Grace Stevenson and Addie Leombruno
Imagine embodying a world leader and completing their duties, including forming alliances, drafting position papers, and writing resolutions. Now, imagine doing this as a high schooler. That’s what Park City High school students Addie Leombruno and Grace Stevenson do as a part of Model United Nations (UN). Addie, a senior and resident of the club, and Grace, a junior and the vice president, travel around the state and nation to participate in conferences that mock that of the United Nations.
IMITATION
In Model UN, students from competing high schools meet in conferences where they discuss different issues, ranging from the environment to economics to human rights. Before a conference, every student is assigned a country to be their delegate, and this country will form all perspectives, alliances, and positions taken at the conference. To prepare, students write position papers that portray the history and possible future solutions about a chosen topic for their country. These position papers are used in negotiations within designated committees. These committees imitate those of the United Nations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN), and the UN Women committee.
ABOUT
Within each committee, students discuss specific issues in groups, forming alliances with other students representing other countries. In these groups, the delegates propose ideas and form plans with other students based on their embodied country’s ideals. These plans are formed by asking
The Egyptian YouTheatre program is based on the premise that participating in an arts program is an important aspect in the growth of every child, and that this education should be offered to all children for free. Through the creativity, discipline, and teamwork of being part of a production, our students are instilled with confidence, an appreciation for the performing arts, and life skills for navigating obstacles to achieve their ambitions.
We think theatre is a ton of fun, but we also know how important it is to your kids’ development as people! Drama education, more than other art forms, allows kids to learn to engage with the world by learning to communicate and relate to others through storytelling. We’ll play pretend, put on costumes, and learn how to tell stories, but we will also learn how to be whole, healthy, and creative human beings.
CAMPS
We offer an array of camps, workshops, and productions for kids to enter and learn about the wonderful world of theatre. With options like Puppetry, Silly Shakespeare, Improv, Radio Drama, Musical Theatre and Play Productions, and everything in between, there is something for everyone entering grades Kindergarten and up!
CLASSES
Students will learn the fundamentals of theatre and performance through active and engaging theatre games and activities. From learning how to work as an ensemble to effectively using voice and movement to create characters, participants will have fun, gain self-confidence and social skills, and act their little hearts out!
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questions. First, by determining if a solution is needed or a solution needs to be fixed, says Addie, followed by “how are we going to fund this?” or “do we need new UN organizations to dictate this plan?” Using their position papers to propose solutions, delegates come together to write resolutions that are products of their negotiations and alliances. These resolutions are proposed through two forms of debate: moderate caucasus, formal speeches, and unmoderated caucus, an informal discussion. Overseen by the dais, who acts like a judge, the committee votes on the resolutions. In many ways, Model UN is a direct imitation of the real UN, but there are important differences, Addie and Grace say. Addie states “In the real United Nations, resolutions are not passed in a day.”
PERSPECTIVE
Given the nature of Model UN, it is unsurprising that students find themselves representing countries that may conflict with their personal opinions. Though this may deter some, Addie and Grace welcome the difficulty, perceiving it as an opportunity to gain insight and learn perspective. When acting as a delegate of Afghanistan in discussions of immigration, Addie struggled to defend her position when Afghanistan is the source of many immigrants in the Middle East. Despite this, she identifies the country as one her favorites to represent given its unique challenge and interesting angle.
Beyond personal experience, representing a country accurately is part of the conference. Model UN is based on realism, and delegates must encompass their country’s ideals within it. At one conference, Grace and Addie describe the delegates from Ukraine and Russia working together on a resolution to save citizens in the current bombing zone, an alliance unlikely to occur in the real world. Grace states “You don’t want to differ from their own views, even if they contrast with your own.”
APPLICATION
Clearly, Model UN can be applied to the real UN, but its skills also apply to
a wide variety of other arenas. In order to tailor resolutions to a wide set of different countries’ ideals, compromise and persuasion is needed. When speaking in front of large audiences, public speaking skills are crucial. Within position and resolution papers, writing skills emerge from formal wording, key words, and an organized structure. In discussions and propositions within groups, effective communication and strong leadership play lead roles. Through Model UN, Addie and Grace have acquired these skills and more. Grace states that she has “learned how to take lead and learned when I shouldn't be taking lead, like learning social cues.”
More so, Addie and Grace correlate their engagement in Model UN to their civic engagement. At the start of club meetings, the students read and discuss at least two articles about current news around the world. Through researching their assigned country, Addie and Grace describe themselves as “going down rabbit holes” into the current political, economic and social states of it. In doing so, they open their eyes to the damage of big and small decisions around the globe. Grace states “It’s just made me so much more aware of what’s happening in the world.”
Looking forward, Addie and Grace view their Model UN experience as a toolbox for the future. Within the club, both students have been introduced to new topics and applied their understanding of known ones. Now, they plan to take these interests into the future. At a conference in Boston, Grace developed an interest in economics and the global debt crisis through debate in the Ecofin committee. Addie, who plans on studying environmental engineering in college, fostered her love for the environment in part through committee meetings in Model UN. Through Model UN, Addie and Grace have cultivated skills that won’t leave them even when they leave high school.
UTAH AMBASSADOR FOR YOUNG PEOPLE’S LITERATURE VISITS EHMS ON APRIL 11! © Best Version Media
Hurray, huzzah, it’s April! In less than a week, Jennifer Nielsen—best-selling YA and middle-grade fantasy–and historical-fiction author of The False Prince, Mark of the Thief, Resistance, Lines of Courage, Rescue, Words on Fire, A Night Divided, and Iceberg, one of which every Ecker Hill Middle School (EHMS) student has been reading since January to kick off Battle of the Books—is due to visit EHMS!
Although spring break starts on April 12 in Park City School District, which could mean that the people in our little mountain municipality will be heading out of town early, Lara Rude, Ecker’s librarian/media specialist and master planner of Battle of the Books, is hopeful that many families will consider sticking around for this momentous event, scheduled for April 11. Why “momentous”? “We haven’t had an in-person author visit since before Covid,” Lara explains. “So we’re really excited!”
Jennifer Nielsen will be leading two assemblies on this fun-filled Friday at EHMS, both in the morning: one for sixth graders, and one for the seventh-grade contingent, inside the school’s auditorium. At past assemblies, Jennifer has engaged with nearly 1,300 students at other schools, captivating even those who typically don’t connect with literacy-focused events. Additionally, everyone is gifted a book from Jennifer, creating an atmosphere of shared enthusiasm and literary joy.
In part one of Battle of the Books, our Education Corner story in last month’s issue, I failed to mention that Jennifer is the first Utah Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, an award given to her by the Utah Educational Library Media Association, in recognition of her work and service to the state’s young people. During her 2023–2025 tenure, she has visited Parkview and Riley Elementary in Salt Lake City, and Delta High School in Delta, among other schools and libraries throughout Utah.
The actual Battle of the Books competition, at the time of this writing, starts tomorrow and will continue through the month of March. Advisory classes have been on the homestretch of their assigned Jennifer Nielsen book—my younger son, Emilio, a sixth grader at EHMS, boasted to me recently that his class was already halfway through Resistance, so I’m going to encourage him to participate in the series of challenges created by Lara, related to Jennifer Nielsen’s
work, which will demonstrate each student’s comprehension, creativity, and analysis of the novel that they’ve read. According to Lara’s PowerPoint Battle of the Books presentation, which she graciously shared with me, “Each project will allow you to dive deeper into the stories, characters, and themes while competing for the title of Ultimate Book Champion and be one of the top 50 students to earn a special visit in the library with the author after the author-visit assembly!”
In order to crown the Ultimate Book Champion, Lara presented one challenge per week, which was tallied up by points, and the 50 students with the highest number of points won the private library visit. The first commenced on March 3rd, where students were given the opportunity to create a hand-drawn “Wanted” Poster for the main characters in one of Jennifer’s books, highlighting their personality and accomplishments, as well as citing evidence to support their descriptions. Small-group projects wrapped up the second challenge, which had these middle schoolers writing and performing live (or recording a video of) rap music or any song that summarized the book they read. Challenge three required everyone, independently, to rewrite a pivotal scene from their assigned book, imagining it from a different perspective or with a twist, and calling the shots on how the plot of the story would be altered.
After the challenges, Family Feud–style competitions wrapped up the month, which, personally, I can’t wait to see videos and pictures of! If you read Battle of the Books part one, you’ll recall that Lara is all about fun. “Andrea Solum, one of our six ELA teachers, has helped me a ton,” says Lara. She also acknowledges Missy Tschabrun, Ecker’s assistant principal, for gleaning an idea from a conference that she, Lara, and other educators recently attended, held by the Association for Middle Level Education, which spawned EHMS’s Wellness Day. Wellness Day is being scheduled in conjunction with Jennifer Nielsen’s visit and the Battle of the Books event, on—don’t forget—April 11th. Volunteers from various local community businesses and nonprofit organizations, such as Basin Recreation, Nico Wellness, Wasatch State Park, Lectura Lounge, and Park City Pickleball Club, will facilitate workshops and classes for students in health and wellness areas, including but
not limited to exercise, healthy food choices, sustainable living, and art and reading therapy, which will be added to activity slots for the students to choose from. EHMS administrators welcome additional help on April 11: You can contact Alane Gaspari at agaspari@pcschools.us, or Danielle Gillette at dgillette@pschools.us to sign up.
Lara mentioned that she would be attending a conference hosted by the Utah School Library Association, whose grant made Jennifer Nielsen’s visit possible. The organization also offers grants for library programs, like library technology enhancement, as well as providing funding for schools to purchase high-quality children’s books and materials. “Jennifer will be at the conference, so I’m hoping I get to talk to her,” says Lara. Her enthusiasm is infectious as she carries on about Jennifer passing the torch on to Utah’s next Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. Now, how cool is that? In addition to just plain fun, literary joy continues to be scattered throughout our state, which I hope evolves into a pandemic we’ll all gladly roll out the red carpet for. Say it with me: Hurray, huzzah! Visit tinyurl.com/ytyxxbhs to sign up and come volunteer on April 11!
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SPANISH CONVERSATION FOR PARENTS
Every Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to noon, rain or shine (but sometimes not snow), Elsa and our parent-friends, or those just wanting to brush up on their Spanish, convene for conversation and panes dulces (a veces tamales también!). It’s been super-über-helpful for Spanish DLI families whose native language is English, so ping Elsa at 959-229-7206 if you’d like to be added to our ever-growing group chat.
FAMILY YOGA FUNDRAISER FOR SUMMIT PRIDE
In collaboration with Summit Pride, Lectura Lounge is happy to help host Family Yoga & Mindfulness, which will be offered this spring. The beginnings of this 501(c)3) stem from the Park City LGBTQ+ Taskforce, formed by Park City Municipal in 2021 to address the needs of local residents. From its website: “With their [Park City Municipal’s] continued support and involvement, we’ve since grown into an independent coalition of queer folks, from all over the Wasatch Back, who support each other’s ideas across a range of projects. Whether through social events, local advocacy, or our charitable programs, we collaborate with our allies to sustain and amplify LGBTQ+ inclusivity in the Wasatch Back so that all people feel a sense of belonging.”
Join us on April 6th and May 11th at 11:00 a.m.! Bring a mat or a small throw blanket, and contribute what you’d like to Summit Pride. Scan the QR code on the flyer to RSVP:
READING BUDDIES/COMPADRES DE LECTURA
CALL FOR READERS: Ms. Judy is looking for more parent volunteers! Also, with the growth at Lectura Lounge, it’s time for us to establish extra ground rules, one of which will be an age minimum for drop-off, not only at Reading Buddies/ Compadres de Lectura but also for Divertimos and Divertimos Viajando. At the time of this writing, we’re drawing up a liability waiver, which will include a photo release for minors (I’ve been very mindful of families wanting to keep their children’s images off social media, with only photos of the back of their heads). We appreciate everyone’s cooperation in this matter—because it matters!
¡DIVERTIMOS! AND DIVERTIMOS VIAJANDO!!
Marcela, Mayra, and Elsa, our lovely Latina activity leaders, continue to make both Wednesdays and Fridays jam-packed with Spanish fun! On Wednesdays from 5-7 p.m., Marcela and Mayra dance, sing, read, and fellowship with our young Spanish-learning community, and on Fridays from 4:30-6:30 p.m., Elsa and Mayra embark on journeys with the kiddos around the Spanish-speaking world. January started with Spain, and February is wrapping up with Argentina—get your passports stamped and habla español con nosotros!
WITTY WRITERS WORKSHOP
Pardon my French, but these scribes impress the holy heck out of me! They continue to meet every Tuesday from 6:30-8:00 p.m., and every time I see attendance grow back to its original number, my heart is all the more fuzzily warmed.
Keep your noses to the ground for a spoken-word performance by this devoted batch of 16-to-86-year-olds. If you or your child joined any of our Witty Writers Workshops, please send your submissions for editing to maritza@caseyandcharleys.org.
LECTURA LOUNGE
WINTER SCHEDULE
ALL PROGRAMS FREE TO THE COMMUNITY!
READING BUDDIES
Monday and Thursday, 5:00 – 6:15 p.m.
READING INSTRUCTION WITH SERENA
Monday at 3:45 p.m. $5 a class; RSVP @ 435–565–1509 ¡DIVERTIMOS! Wednesday, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
YOGA IN SPANISH Wednesday, 4:00-4:50 p.m.
DIVERTIMOS VIAJANDO!! Friday, 4:30 – 6:30 p.m
WITTY WRITERS WORKSHOP Tuesday, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
DROP-IN HOURS MON & TUES: 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., by appt. only WED & THURS: 12:30 – 3:30 p.m., by appt. only. FRI: 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. CONTACT US Address: 1960 Sidewinder Dr., Suite 106 Park City, UT 84060 Email: info@caseyandcharleys.org Website: caseyandcharleys.org
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Double the Support:
HOW PCEF’S AFTERSCHOOL
PROGRAM HELPS
WORKING PARENTS (AND THEIR TWIN BOYS!)
For many Park City families, the cost of living and work demands make Afterschool care a necessity rather than a luxury. This rings true for two parents who both work full-time and co-parent their nine-year-old twin boys, Emerson and Beauden. For them, the Falcons Afterschool Program at Parley’s Park Elementary has been a game changer. “We knew about the Afterschool Program well before the boys even started Kindergarten,” Erin Price-Proctor, the twins’ mom shared. “Word of mouth in the community made it clear this was an invaluable resource for working parents. And, it really is. The structure and enrichment offered at Afterschool has allowed both of us to have careers knowing the twins are cared for, and supported through after school hours.”
Erin talked about the challenges of raising kids in a place like Park City with such a high cost of living. “The affordability piece of the puzzle, the fact that it’s subsidized, is what allows us to be enrolled. Without support like this, what kind of community do we have? Working families like ours wouldn’t be able to sustain a life here,” she told us. “Every little bit helps, and every expense counts.
For Erin, this program isn’t just about affordability – it’s about sustaining a community she’s always called home. “I was raised in Park City and attended the Park City School District from first through twelfth grade,” she shared. “I went to Parley’s, so having my kids there now feels very nostalgic. As a longtime local, I also appreciate the importance of subsidized care in keeping families like ours within the district.”
MORE THAN JUST CHILDCARE
The Afterschool Program is more than childcare – it offers enrichment and fun activities by seamlessly coordinating with other local organizations. “We don’t have a garden at home, so digging in the dirt and composting in the school’s greenhouse supported by Youth Education director, Erica Snyder, with Summit Community Gardens/ EATS has been amazing,” Erin said. “The boys have also been exposed to activities we wouldn’t necessarily think to introduce –yoga, theater, and Tae Kwon Do. Things that couldn’t be replicated at home. They’ve especially loved Tae Kwon Do with Instructor Cheryl Vance and crafting ‘melty beads’.”
Without the high-quality program, afternoons would look a lot different. “They’d take the bus home and might spend over two hours in front of a screen. We simply can’t stop working at 3pm to provide the same level of enrichment and structured activities they get at Camp Falcon.”
Afterschool also works with Youth Sports Alliance, Recycle Utah, Kimball Arts Center, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and more.
BUILDING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL SKILLS
The program fosters social growth and an opportunity for mentorship. “Because Afterschool includes kids from kindergarten through fifth grade, it’s almost like a Montessori model. The older students help the younger ones, and they all learn from each other in a really inclusive way,” she noted. The twins, who are in the Dual Language Immersion Program, have built friendships with both peers from both their
DLI class and their Afterschool community - which Erin noted is like a family.
WHAT
MAKES PCSD AFTERSCHOOL SPECIAL?
When we asked Erin what she feels really sets the program apart, she quickly answered, “The counselors in the program are exceptional – supportive, flexible, and communicative. Recently, more funds and resources have been put toward Afterschool and it’s allowed for better pay and which is critical when hiring well and working in a growing program. Last year, there were very few spaces, and now the program is set up better to meet demand.” Afterschool will expand for the 2025/26 school year to accommodate 3-year-olds.
As for Emerson and Beauden, we asked Erin if she could pose the same question to the boys, and…Emerson said Afterschool is, “surprising” while Beauden said it’s, “so fun”.
2025/26
AFTERSCHOOL REGISTRATION
Afterschool registration for the 2025/26 school year opens April 21st at 8am for current families and Preschool 3- and 4-year-olds. April 22nd 8am for new families. PCSD Afterschool is supported by PCEF donors, after initially providing seed funding for the original program at McPolin Elementary School in 2008. The success of the McPolin program led to its expansion across all four elementary schools, plus Ecker Hill, and Treasure Mountain. Thanks to the PCSD School Board, the Afterschool Program expanded this year to include 4-year-olds, and for the 2025/26 school year will offer programming for 3-year-olds.
WSD STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: Mesa Rabke’s Eight Years at Weilenmenn
Where was Latin, LARPing, and adventure PE when we were in eighth grade?
When Mesa Rabke arrived at Weilenmann School of Discovery in 2016, he recalled feeling nervous. But “it was just so lovely,” said Mesa, now in eighth grade at Weilenmann. “I couldn't wait for school to start after the tour and meeting my first-grade teacher. I felt sheer excitement when I found out what the school was about.”
And what is Weilenmann about?
In education lingo, Weilenmann is a tuition-free, K-8 public charter school. According to Mesa and his parents, Erin and Carl, it’s also a close-knit community that reminds students daily that they are valued and seen. It’s a school aware that the relationships in which we learn are as important as the content.
“A big part of why I love the school so much,” Mesa said, “is that I have such a foundation. Even my lower-school teachers still remember me. I pass them in the halls. I just feel very comfortable, and I have a lot of wonderful friends, which makes the learning experience really enjoyable.”
Hearing about Mesa’s curriculum made this writer want to go back to eighth grade. Start with Mesa’s favorite: adventure PE (physical
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF WSD
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education). Every week, the eighth graders spend two periods outside of the school building doing “some fun, awesome, adventurous activity,” like paddle boarding, rock climbing, skiing, American ninja warrior, and avalanche education.
Mesa also praised core classes like math, science, English, and social studies. He loves English class with Scott Stewart, Executive Director of WSD, who “makes all of it really interesting.” A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and Lord of the Flies are among Mesa’s favorite books this year. He has also enjoyed reading Shakespeare.
Correct—you couldn’t pay most 14-year-olds to read a Shakespeare play, let alone say they enjoyed it. That’s where the Weilenmann community (and skilled teachers) come into play. Early in the school year, the eighth grade class attended the Utah Shakespeare Festival in Cedar City. The highlight for Mesa was connecting with his classmates and teachers, but the shared experience probably made The Bard more appealing for everyone.
Mesa is also a fan of David Gilman-Frederick’s Latin class, which has given him a deeper understanding of English and literature. In addition, he likes Weilenmann electives such as LARPing (Live Action Role Playing) and Harry Potter, which involves wand duels (using dice), crafts, and wizarding snacks.
Outside of academics, Mesa is a member of Weilenmann’s Hope Squad, a group chosen by
DETAIL
their peers to support and listen to fellow students who may be struggling. It has taught Mesa the value of “being an open, genuine person—not only for yourself, but also for other people. Even walking down the hall, if someone says ‘hi’ to you, it has such a positive impact.”
Teachers at Weilenmann embody that openness and empathy according to Mesa. “They’re always checking in with you, making sure you’re ok.”
Erin and Carl Rabke appreciate how Weilenmann approaches education. Erin noted that the school is “less wedded” to standardized testing than public schools and more attentive to students. “They're so focused on the individual kid and helping this child progress from wherever they are to their best self.”
“I don't know many people who really enjoyed middle school,” Carl added, “and I see Mesa really just enjoying it, and I see the teachers and community mirroring back where he’s excelling or the impact that he has on other students. I feel like he's really seen by the school.”
Next year, Mesa will attend West High School in Salt Lake City. He’s training to become a member of the basketball team and at six feet tall, he sure seems made for the sport.
“I’ve been at the school for eight years, and I’ve loved all of it,” Mesa reflected. “The school is so closely knit and a great community.” That’s what Weilenmann is about.
“Outstanding service. Ed’s team comes to meet you at a location of your choice (at your home, office, etc.) The team arrived on time, and in only 2hrs, my BMW looked fresh off the lot. Thanks so much, DetailParkCity! You’ve got my business!” - Jamie R.
“Ed was great. He quickly returned my initial contact (rare in Park City) and quickly had us on his schedule. He spent all day detailing our two cars, which are in like new condition. Couldn’t be happier.” - Andrew N.
RAD IN THE WASATCH
BIG AIR
5-time X Games Gold
Medalist and Olympic medalist freestyle skier, Colby Stevenson, never stops reaching higher.
He’s 20 feet in the air working his way through a massive 1440 (a combination of head-over-heels flips and sideways twists), in a gravitydefying stunt that will earn him a silver medal at the FIS World Cup at Mammoth Mountain in February 2024. It will be Colby Stevenson’s 11th FIS World Cup podium win.
“As soon as I could walk, my parents had me in ski boots,” says Colby. “I’d click in and shuffle around the carpet.” At 14 months, he was skiing down the driveway and by the time he was 6, he was on a ski team doing back flips. “I built a ski jump a short hike away from the race run at The Canyons,” he says. “Someone had taught me how to do a backflip on a trampoline that summer, so I wanted to see if I could do it on skis.” He landed it, and it catapulted him into a career.
His parents, Bobby and Carol, are avid skiers and moved to Park City in 2001 when Colby was 4. “My dad is a pilot and my mom is a flight attendant,” he says. “They wanted to be in a mountain town that was close to an airport.” He grew up flying—in an airplane or by his own locomotion.
“I’ve always loved jumping off stuff—I started vaulting off the balcony onto the couch. It’s a switch in me; I like to jump,” he says. “Skiing is my outlet. The better I get, the more comfortable I get. As long as there is something steep to land on, there’s no fear.”
But that wasn’t always the case. After winning an impressive array of freestyle skiing awards and touring the globe with the U.S. FK Pro
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Slopestyle team for two years, his career almost ended. He guzzled three shots of espresso and started the 12-hour drive home from Mount Hood after a freestyle competition. He and his friend Michael Fabrizi (who had broken his leg at the ski event) made it to Idaho before Colby fell asleep and rolled the Ford Ranger. His skull was fractured into 48 pieces. Although he was lucky to be alive, he suffered a traumatic brain injury, and doctors didn’t know how that would affect his cognitive or motor functions.
“For so long after, I thought it was all over,” he said. “I couldn’t live with myself. I was so depressed; I thought I had ruined my life over one big mistake.” He slowly regained strength. One day, he rode his bike—and found his balance. “I thought, OK, it’s not over,” he said. “I felt I had two options. I could either stay in a state of full depression or have hope and faith and determination and keep pursuing my dreams. I decided to heal. Now, I can help spread the message of light.”
Just eight months later, in 2017, he won his first World Cup in Italy. “I wasn’t 100%, I was still weak and recovering,” he says. “I felt the power of my mind propelling past the physical state. The frequencies were running again, I felt like I tapped into a spiritual power I didn’t know I had before.” And that power just keeps getting stronger.
Since then, he’s won 5 X Games Gold Medals: the first two as a rookie in 2020: the Aspen Ski Slopestyle and the Knuckle Huck, followed by another Slopestyle in 2023, a second Knuckle Huck in 2024, and an Aspen Ski Street Style in 2025. He won the silver medal in the slopestyle event at the FIS Freestyle Ski and Snowboarding World Championships in 2021 and the silver medal in Men's Freestyle Skiing at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. And, he was crowned winner of the Kings & Queens of Corbet’s Couloir in Jackson Hole, Wyoming in 2023. Last November, he won the first World Cup of the winter in Austria.
He’s also been featured in several film segments. In 2024, he starred in his first solo film project, Proof, directed and filmed by childhood friends Justin Mayers and Jack Francis. “I had just been voted 2023 Skier of The Year for my video part in Good Company’s Crescendo,” he says. “So, my sponsors gave me some money for the project. We had a tight schedule—I was juggling competing and filming at the same time. But it was so much fun.”
The film started in Utah. “Two weeks into filming along the Wasatch Front, I crashed,” he said. “It was Valentine’s Day and I missed the landing of a big gap. I thought I broke my neck. So, we called it the Valentine’s Gap.” The whole project came to a standstill as he took time off to heal. After a couple of weeks, the crew traveled to Wyoming, then Alaska. But six weeks later in March, they returned to the Valentine Gap where he rebuilt the jump and took another shot at it. He landed it. “It’s the final scene in Proof,” he says. “The triumphant moment is lit to David Bowie’s, Space Oddity.”
Over FaceTime, he shows me the sauna and ice bath in his Airbnb in Switzerland where he’s competing in qualifiers for the World Cup. He’s just landed after a stint in Japan. “I indulged in the culture, the amazing food, onsen bath houses and hot pools,” he says. “Competing is fun and hectic and demanding on your body and mind,” he says. “So, I’m staying focused and eating well—taking turns cooking meals with my teammates. We just made an omelet with 26 eggs,” he smiles.
His AirPods are filled with reggae and hip hop with a smattering of classic rock to keep him motivated. As for his next trick? You’ll just have to wait and see. But to catch a glimpse of him, remember to look up.
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BY KIRSTEN KOHLWEY
BY DANA KLEIN
Daniel & Isaac Olsen Bladesmiths MAKERS SERIES:
Daniel Olsen forged his first knife at the age of 14 after his family took a trip from Battle Mountain to Salt Lake City. At the time, he was inspired by stories of early America and the pioneers, so when they visited This Is The Place Heritage Park, Daniel talked to the blacksmith for several hours. At one point, Daniel said, “I wish I could do this.” The blacksmith replied, “Why not,” and proceeded to tell him how. When Daniel got back to Nevada, he dug a hole, filled it with charcoal, used his mom’s hair dryer as bellows, along with a small section of railroad track as anvil, to make a knife out of an old carriage bolt using a borrowed hammer and a pair of pliers. That was more than 30 years ago.
Both of Daniel’s parents were teachers. Through their encouragement and the assistance of the town’s librarian, he was able to gather enough information to continue his journey in knifemaking. Daniel kept making knives until his early twenties, which is when people started noticing his work. He has been making and selling high-quality custom knives ever since.
When the TV series Forged in Fire on the History Channel started in 2015, people realized that handmade knives were not a thing of the past. Daniel’s knives grew in popularity; then, in 2024, Daniel’s son, Isaac, joined him in his custom-knife business. Currently, they have a one-year waiting period, from creating blueprints through customer approval to creating the finished knife. They are working on a line of production knives involving repeatable processes and technology to increase efficiency while maintaining handmade quality. The father-son team likes making memorial knives, so they make videos along the way to document the creation process. Daniel likes saying, “A well-made knife can be a vehicle and anchor point for memories.”
Daniel and Isaac use mostly high-carbon steel, including 52100 ball-bearing steel or a combination of 15N20 and a 10-series steel for their Damascus blades. They also use unusual materials, such as pioneer-era wagon wheels, ski-lift cables, and old farrier rasps. With their proprietary heat-treating processes, the knives are guaranteed to perform at the peak of the material’s function. They create chef’s knives, hunting knives, filet knives, swords, and specialty knives when requested.
With Daniel’s pre-1900s knowledge on making knives, and Isaac’s specialty in modern skills—such as building computers, CNC, 3D printing, and machining—they complement each other well. They have created some intricate custom knives; an example of one would be a blade that features a river running through a canyon on a topographic map. Their chef’s knives have been ordered by chefs all over the country. When designing a new knife, 3D printing allows them to get a feel for the knife but is not used in the actual making of the knife. For the handles, they choose the material as much for its functionality as for its beauty. Natural stabilized woods, like mountain mahogany, are a favorite. However, they have created custom handles incorporating items ranging from duffelbag handles to silver quarters, and to rare materials including iron meteorite, mammoth tusk ivory, and even dinosaur gem bone.
Daniel also teaches knife- and swordmaking, and traditional skill classes such as basket weaving, as well as those on edible and medicinal plants. In partnership with Wilderness Wild Survival School, he teaches a four-day course. On the first day, the students learn to forge a knife, and during the next three days, they learn how to survive with that knife in a wilderness setting. “I do my best to remove as many opportunities for failure as possible,” says Daniel. “A well-made knife should last for generations.”
PHOTOS
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Mark Granger MUSIC SERIES:
Mark Granger has been weaving his journey as a singer-songwriter for more than 25 years. Ever since he picked up a guitar and strummed his first chords, his career has evolved naturally through serendipitous moments and opportunities.
Mark’s first public performance took place at an open-mic night at Club Suede in Park City, where he received enormous support from the more seasoned musicians at the club. The second night he showed up to play, the audio technician wasn’t there. The owner showed Mark how to operate the sound board and encouraged him to run the show. This experience ignited his passion for sharing music and connecting with others through it.
At a later performance, a local elementary school teacher asked Mark if he could teach two fourth graders to play guitar. This experience sparked a lifelong commitment to teaching. Over the past 25 years, Mark has developed his own way of teaching music theory using a visual and emotion-based approach to make learning accessible and enjoyable. He encourages people to embrace music as a path to emotional wellness, self-expression, and a deeper connection to the rhythms of life.
Mark moved to Portland, Oregon, in 2014, where he continued writing songs and joined Swoon, a seven-member band of close friends. The group, including five songwriters and instrumentalists, explored a wide variety of musical styles until they disbanded in February 2020, due to the pandemic.
In December 2021, Mark received a gift certificate to learn how to make a flute, with which he crafted his first bamboo flute. Mark’s neighbor saw the flute and gave him black walnut and cedarwood to build more flutes. Around that time, he was also given access to a woodworking workshop, with wood and the tools to make more flutes. His interest in traditional instruments deepened further as he apprenticed in drum making. Today, he blends technical skill with spiritual insight, creating instruments that honor the ancient art of music as medicine.
In September 2024, Mark moved back to Utah, settling in Marion. He has since performed at Après Pendry and Snow Park Lodge through Mountain Town Music and has led a drum-making workshop in Kamas. He continues teaching students to play the flute and the guitar and has expanded his offerings, with workshops focusing on the sacred art of drum making, two different flute series, and an alternative and approachable method to understanding music theory.
Mark’s background as an arborist, taking care of and pruning trees up to 200 feet tall in Portland, reflects his deep connection to trees and woodworking. Now, he has stepped away from tree care and concentrates on helping his students find their voice, saying, “My goal is to open the door to musical fluency, so you can take your instrument and just sing.”
You can contact Mark Granger at (503) 962-0921 or markgranger@ gmail.com to sign up for workshops and lessons, as well as request performances.
PHOTOS
MEET YOUNG ARTIST
Johanna"Joey"Lawyer
Inspiration is an ever-present force in the world, drawn from the people, animals, and experiences that surround us. For Johanna, “Joey” Lawyer, her first encounter with art stems from a familial connection. "My grandmother, Carol Swan, is an amazing artist! I look forward to spending time (creating) with her every summer,” she recalls, noting how her grandmother's talent and presence left a profound mark on her artistic journey. Joey's earliest memories of sharing acrylic paints and brushes are shaped by the encouragement of Grandma Carol, a former middle school art teacher.
From a young age, Joey's natural aptitude for drawing quickly sets her apart from her peers. "I have been drawing since I was very young, and I was always more advanced than the other kids when it came to drawing," she reflects. "I guess this is something that I’ve always seen being my future. This didn’t come from nothing, though; I was given constant support from my family and friends growing up, which truly pushed me to follow my dreams."
As Joey's artistic skills grow, she finds inspiration in an unexpected source: her beloved feline companion, Suki. "I have drawn her more times than I can count, and she made me fall in love with drawing cats." Suki, her four-legged muse, becomes a central figure in Joey’s creative life, appearing “over 100 times” in sketches and drawings.
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However, like all artists, Joey faces challenges along her creative path, particularly the presence of creative blocks. These blocks can stifle the flow of creativity and hinder growth. "Creative blocks are easily one of my biggest enemies, and I used to just accept them, which affected my skill. I’ve found that drawing a little every day will improve my skill over time and help prevent creative blocks," Joey shares. This practical approach of consistently creating helps her navigate these tough periods. She learns that overcoming creative stagnation isn’t about forcing large, monumental works but about engaging in smaller, manageable tasks that keep her skills sharp and her motivation intact. "I try to stay motivated by doing something little every day."
As Joey continues to evolve as an artist, the guidance she receives from her mentors plays a pivotal role in shaping her artistic philosophy. One such piece of wisdom comes from her 10th grade art teacher. "The best piece of advice I received was from my current art teacher, Mark Elliot, who told me that creativity is our biggest strength. With the advancement of AI, we need to stay true to ourselves and our goals as young artists because, in the end, our creativity is all we have." This reminder to hold fast to her unique voice in a rapidly changing world resonates deeply with Joey.
Looking ahead, Joey’s goals shift toward experimenting with new mediums and expanding the scale of her work. "My goal is to work more on using acrylic paint on canvas. In the past, I mostly just drew small things in sketchbooks. I want to expand my creativity and work on a bigger surface so I can create bigger, better pieces that I can start selling."
When reflecting on her earlier works, Joey observes an undeniable evolution in both her technique and style. "I feel like a lot of people look back at their old art and feel distaste; I believe that old art shows how far someone has come and just how much farther they will go," she reflects with a sense of pride. For Joey, the contrast between her older pieces and newer creations is a testament to the progress she has made. Rather than feeling embarrassed by her past works, she embraces them as markers of growth. "I enjoy comparing my old art to my new art because I can see visible improvement in my style in such a short time. I also like to think about what I could have done better."
Grandma Carol is very proud of the progress Joey has made and their shared love of art. “Johanna has always shown an interest in creating what she sees and feels. It’s a need for her, and she does a great job in feeding her desire. (I see) only great things ahead for Johanna.”
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PARK CITY MINERS SPORTS APR. 2025
BASEBALL
Apr 01 @ Tooele Var & JV 3:30 - 7:30 pm
Apr 02 Vs Tooele Var & JV 3:30- 5:30 pm
Apr 04 @ Tooele Var & JV 3:30- 7:30 pm
Apr 08 Vs Cottonwood Var & JV 3:30- 7:30 pm
Apr 09 @ Cottonwood Var & JV 3:30-7:30 pm
Apr 11 Vs Cottonwood Var & JV 3:30-7:30 pm
Apr 15 Vs Hillcrest Var & JV 3:30-7:30 pm
Apr 16 @ Hillcrest Var & JV 3:30-5:30 pm
Apr 18 Vs Hillcrest Var & JV 3:30- 7:30 pm
Apr 22 @ Stansbury Var & JV 3:30- 7:30 pm
Apr 23 Vs Stansbury Var & JV 3:30-7:30 pm
Apr 25 @ Stansbury Var & JV 3:30 - 7:30 pm
Apr 28 @ Ridgeline Var & JV 3:30- 7:30 pm
Apr 30 Vs Ridgeline JV / SO 3:30-7:30 pm
May 02,03 @ UHSAA State Tournament TBD
BOYS LACROSSE
Apr 02 Vs Brighton TBD
Apr 04 Vs Corner Canyon JV 5:00 pm Var 7:00 pm
Apr 09 @ East TBD
Apr 11 Vs Bingham (Senior Night) TBD
Apr 25 @ Highland TBD
Apr 26 @ West Var 7:30-9:30 pm
Apr 30 Vs West Jordan TBD
May 02 Vs Olympus
May 03 @ Olympus Fresh 11:00 am Soph 1:00 pm
BOYS SOCCER
Apr 01 @
Apr 03 @
Apr 08 @ Murray
Apr 11 @ Hillcrest TBD
Apr 24 Vs Wasatch
Apr 29 Vs Stansbury
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TRACK & FIELD
Apr 02 @ Cottonwood
Apr 05 @ Taylorsville TBD
Apr 09 @ Murray TBD
Apr 11,12 @ Arcadia (CA) TBD
Apr 19 @ Davis (CA) TBD
Apr 23 @ Park City TBD
Apr 26 @ Orem TBD
Apr 30 @ JV Region Hillcrest HS TBD
May 02,03 @ BYU TBD
SOFTBALL
Apr 01 @ Tooele
Apr 03 @ Summit Academy
Apr 08 Vs Hillcrest
Apr 10 Vs Stansbury
Apr 11 Vs Murray
Apr 21 Vs Jordan
Apr 23 Vs Cottonwood TBD
Apr 25 Vs Tooele
Apr 28 Vs American Leadership Academy
Apr 29 Vs Timpview 3:30- 7:30 pm
May 02 @ UHSAA
GIRLS LACROSSE
GIRLS GOLF
BOYS TENNIS
DATE VS./@
Apr 03 Vs Jordan
Apr 08 @ East 3:30 pm- 6:30 pm
Apr 10 Vs Tooele
Apr 21 Vs Cottonwood
Apr 24 @ Hillcrest
Apr 30 @ Region
May 01 @ Region
YOUTH ACHIEVER CORNER
SPONSORED BY BLACK DIAMOND GYMNASTICS
ATHLETE OF THE MONTH
BY JESSICA DAVIS
ATHLETE LEADER OF THE MONTH
HarlowVerbaas
Discipline: Trampoline & Tumbling Team • Age: 15
Favorite Quote: “Just be yourself, there is no one better.” - Taylor swift
At Black Diamond Gymnastics, we are proud to highlight Harlow as our Athlete Leader of the Month! A dedicated and hardworking athlete, Harlow embodies the power of multi-sport training, using her skills in trampoline & tumbling (T&T) to elevate her figure skating performance.
Harlow has been on the ice since she was just three years. A dedicated skater, she trains five days a week before school. In 2020, she started tumbling at Black Diamond, and after encouragement from her figure skating friends, she joined the T&T competition team. Her goal was to improve her tumbling while learning trampoline and double mini, and she quickly found that T&T was not only fun but also a valuable tool for crosstraining.
Through her dedication to both sports, Harlow has gained strength, flexibility, and balance, all of which have enhanced her performance on the ice. Beyond the physical benefits, T&T has also made her a more confident competitor, preparing her for high-pressure moments in both gymnastics and figure skating.
One of Harlow’s tumbling goals was to make the Park City High School cheer team—and she did just that as a freshman! She had an incredible year cheering for her school, all while maintaining her rigorous athletic schedule.
Outside of the gym and off the ice, Harlow is just as impressive. She excels even with a challenging academic course load, maintaining straight A’s, and actively volunteering at local schools and nonprofits.
With cheer tryouts, T&T competitions, and figure skating events all on the horizon, Harlow has an exciting and busy season ahead. Congratulations, Harlow, on being an outstanding athlete and leader.
INTRODUCING PARK CITY JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL CLUB
Calling for Park City youth athletes interested in recreational volleyball!
Meet Bethany Johansen Byers and Anna CmayloActon, the founders and coaches of Park City Juniors Volleyball Club. The two friends are both former DI professional volleyball players and reconnected in a very Park City “small-world” moment. After recognizing each other around town, Anna approached Bethany in Macey’s Market and they quickly hit it off, sharing a love of volleyball, raising small children, and living in a new mountain town. They also connected on the topic of youth sports opportunities in Park City. Both Bethany and Anna had chances to learn and play multiple sports throughout their childhoods, primarily through sports teams offered at school where there were no cuts and the coaches were often parents, which helped foster early friendships. Practices were also generally held right after school on campus, which made for easier pickups for parents. In this environment, Anna recalls building friendships, healthy habits, and skills for high school sports later on. Together, Bethany and Anna want to help create a similar environment that allows for youth volleyball skills here in Park City. This is why,
about a year ago, they founded Park City Juniors Volleyball Club.
PCJVC’s mission is to provide high-level volleyball training for Park City’s young athletes. Without sports teams offered at middle school, some of Park City’s athletes don’t have a chance to learn the foundational skills of some of the more traditional sports before it’s time to try out for the high school team. PCJVC’s programming focuses on filling the gap between the amazing youth programs offered through Basin Recreation and the competitive teams at Park City High School. Currently, a PCJVC Mini Club season for girls' volleyball is running from March to May. Here, players aged 11-16 can develop both skills and experience in a fun and competitive environment. In addition to the Mini Club season, Bethany and Anna offer skill clinics and private and semi-private lessons. Next year, Bethany and Anna have plans to extend their girls' club offering from a “Mini” season to a full club season.
Another goal in the works at PCJVC is to create a boy’s team. As of 2023, young boys living in an area without a dedicated boy’s team are unable to compete since new rules do not allow males on girl teams. Although boy's volleyball became a sanctioned high
school sport in Utah in 2024, without any developmental teams for younger athletes beforehand, the high school teams will likely be made up of players who are learning the basics on the first day of practice. Bethany and Anna want to help bridge this gap by offering developmental programs for boys in Park City. PCJVC is offering a Mini Club program for the boys' season in the fall of 2025. Bethany and Anna are hoping to generate enough interest in the community to have 12 boys aged 11-16. With a full team, they would happily open a Boys Mini Club program from September to November. If you or your young athlete are interested in joining the Boys Mini Club, please email coach@ parkcityjuniorvolleyball.com.
From an impromptu get-together at Macey’s Market to starting their own volleyball club, Bethany and Anna’s mission is clear: to empower our community’s youth in a positive atmosphere through sport.
More information on Park City Junior Volleyball Club can be found at www.parkcityjuniorvolleyball.com
AND COACHES OF PARK CITY JUNIORS VOLLEYBALL CLUB, BETHANY (LEFT) AND ANNA (RIGHT).
ATHLETE OF THE MONTH: RISING STAR
LizEden © Best Version Media
Every month I have the honor of finding and spotlighting a youth athlete in our community. This column gives me an opportunity to meet some of the most insightful and hardworking youths that, very simply, inspire me. They are dedicated to not only their sport but the message of their life. I can see how much they have put in, sometimes with little to come out, and yet they still continue. This immense love of sport is something that, every month, I have a hard time summing up in a few hundred words. These young humans are all around us trying their best, having fun, and blowing through expectations with their accomplishments.
One of these young humans happens to be an old family friend and neighbor of mine who is excelling in alpine ski racing. I have always known her, outside of sports, as a person with an overflowing bubbly personality that makes you smile within a moment of connection. I remember her in the neighborhood as an adventurous, playful, and full-of-love little girl who had everyone's best interest at heart. But when I was looking for athletes, her name wasn’t on the radar because her humbleness hid her list of accomplishments. Yet, her achievements were too striking to be fully unrecognized. When my friend overheard some classmates talking about a young star she relayed her name to me. That’s when I realized that this neighbor, filled with positivity, was perfect for this month's issue.
Meet Liz Eden, a 14-year-old alpine ski prodigy living in Park City. Her career started like many, learning to ski before she can remember, with her parents. It began as a family-orientated sport, as a way for the family to connect outside a busy life by taking a moment to enjoy the outdoors. As she progressed as a little one she began participating in a few non-competitive teams to improve her overall skiing. But it wasn’t until the age of 6 that Liz began competitively alpine racing. She first fell in love with the social aspect of the sport, as it gave her a group of friends with similar interests and a competitive drive to excel. When Liz was 7 or 8 years old she began working with Alan Schoenberger at Ski Studio. There, she practiced her technique on a revolving carpet to simulate ski racing. As she improved her technique, she explains that she started finding a “flow state” where the turns blend together into a systematic flow without thought. This feeling, which drew her in––in combination with a supportive community and the inspiration of older athletes––propelled Liz to continue her dedication to ski racing through elementary school. This year, to be able to continue her busy winter schedule, Liz transferred to the Winter School. She completed the first part of her 8th-grade year at Treasure Mountain Jr High and will skip directly to 9th grade this spring. She hopes that by having school during the summer, instead of during the winter, she will be able to have a more dedicated training regime and attend additional races without having to manage missing school.
A large part of ski racing, Liz explains, is being able to control “the controllables.” These can be simple parts of race day, from breakfast to getting to the race on time, but can also include the larger mental challenges, like how to manage nerves or recover from mistakes on course. During our interview, Liz talked me through her general race day prep and how it can help mitigate the simple and complex issues that might arise on race day. Two hours before
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“I’ve worked with Liz since age six and immediately recognized she is a gifted athlete. But it doesn’t stop there. She listens carefully, works hard to make a change, and is ok repeating the new movement pattern ad nauseam. She is truly a dream athlete to work with.”
Alan Schoenberger, Coach, Ski Studio.
a race, Liz is trying not to dwell on the upcoming competition, she hangs out with friends and makes sure her body is properly fueled. About an hour before, she begins her inspection of the course, working hard to memorize the entire thing. Once she gets back into the pit, she tries to keep her body and mind loose. Ten minutes before the race starts, she begins a quick dynamic warmup and starts thinking about what is coming. When she is one person away from starting, she goes over the memorized course and visualizes it all going perfectly. Once Liz’s legs hit the gate, every thought leaves. The cue goes off, and she starts. Now, it is just her, the rhythm of the turns, and a blur of speed. In a perfect race, this moment would continue almost endlessly, before returning to reality at the end of the run, but almost always, this perfect run does not happen. There is a slip-up, a lost edge, and sometimes a race-ending crash. Liz hopes to minimize these and be ready to bounce back when they inevitably happen. If a minor mistake happens on the course, her first step is to
assess and respond accurately. Her automatic movements must pause while she actively shifts to fix the problem, and once she is back in tempo, the flow takes over once again. If something major were to happen, such as a crash, her first step is to ensure the safety of incoming racers by moving quickly off of the course. On her way back down to the pit, it is hard to not let emotions of anger or disappointment creep in. But once jackets are on, she tries not to let negative thoughts take over by reminding herself that this one race is not the end of the world, and simply one of many stepping stones. For the rest of the day, she prioritizes being there for her friends, celebrating their wins, and being a good sport.
But part of racing is being able to turn a run with a minor mistake, into a podium finish. This first comes with reacting quickly and effectively to minimize the chance of a crash. Then, one must be able to shift the focus back to the drive to finish the run. From my understanding, what makes Liz so
successful, is in part her ability to recover from these mistakes. Just this season, her worst result is a second-place finish, with the rest putting her on top of the podium. Last year, she qualified for the Whistler Cup which brings international athletes where only 6 girls of U14 in the Western Region qualify. Liz qualified 3rd as a first-year U14. There, her first slalom run placed her in 3rd with a 1.5-second leading time, and her first GS run put her in 5th. Last season, Liz had also placed 3rd at the Open Slalom against U16 at Seannurse and was in the top 15 for the Super G in both races. At Jackson Hole Proper, she placed 6th in Super G at West Barren, only 0.01 seconds away from 5th. Liz’s dedication to sport can be seen in her accomplishments, but what isn’t seen is what I mentioned earlier. Her immense love, kindness, and constant positive attitude to where she is now. And personally, that’s what I think makes her successful, in and out of sport. From a neighbor to a rising star, Liz Eden is a young human to look up to.
BY ERIC RAMIREZ
DEREK THOMSON, TRAIL BUILDER
Under the scorching July sun, Derek Thomson steps out of his excavator and looks back down the length of trail he has roughly cut, root balls to one side and rocks hewn to more desirable places. Derek is a professional mountain-bike trail builder, the kind of guy you want for the job. He steps back into the excavator after a drink of water and fires it up. One may wonder, “What truly goes into building a trail?”
“I like to be creative with the way I ride my bike, always looking at whatever isn’t the main line and incorporating that into how I build trails,” Derek says.
IT IS NO QUICK PROCESS.
He owns and operates Apex Trail Construction, LLC, and for years he has been carting his mini-excavator and other tools across the US. Some of you might have ridden trails he’s built, whether working under his own company or employed by another.
Road to Arcylon, Dead Reckoning, High Star
Ranch trail system, and Change Reaction are just a few local trails he built, along with many others across Utah.
Have you gone on a ride at Galena Lodge, north of Ketchum, Idaho? Or Deadline in Snow Mass, Colorado? Or Bentonville, Arkansas? He’s been there, in some places for months at a time, painting fun ribbons in the forest, at an average pace of a mile per month.
BACKYARD JUMPS
It feels like a lifetime ago when my friends and I were bored one night in Park City. It was winter, and we gathered a few more people and jumped our bikes over snow piles along Park Avenue and near Park City Mountain’s ice-skating rink.
Before any of us knew it, riding took a new turn in Park City. Mountain Trails Foundation was building trails all over the old hills, which were once filled with mining ruins. While Deer Valley had adopted the bike-park concept long ago, Park City Mountain Resort had not fully
embraced true chairlift access, and there were no dirt jumps anywhere in town to raise the skill. Derek’s backyard became that spot. For a moment in time, that’s where the jumps were. “My parents were psyched that we’d all be at the house, totally digging holes and stacking dirt. It was so cool, such a fun time. What inspired it was us wanting to do stuff outside, wanting to ride bikes with my friends,” Derek says, some 25 years later.
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HIS OWN BRAND
His quest to ride bikes a certain way, with some air, some style, playing on two wheels down the trail, led him to build jumps elsewhere. I have watched him carefully pack dirt on Park City’s jumps near the fire station. One day, he answered his phone while operating his excavator. He continued his career path, then, in 2018, he formed his own operation.
“My first project [as Apex] was with Harriman Trails Committee. That was about eight miles of trail. Dan Black with Surface Trail Design helped me with that quite a bit,” Derek says. There’s much more to cutting trail than operating a mini-excavator. Derek has friendly competition within a niche group of professionals, and many of them ride bikes together. They tend to build each other up and respect one another’s perspectives on trail maintenance and development.
When they bid on trail projects, whether on private land, for a trails organization, or on those that are government-funded, each trail builder has plenty of consulting involved. Derek explains, “It starts with whoever the land manager is, or whoever has the idea of building the trail. Then they identify the intended purpose, figure out how to fund it, whose land it’s on, get permissions, and then actually get money for it. Finally, they work on hiring someone to build it.”
For government-funded work, there’s often a 65-page Response for Proposals (RFP), but it includes all the details. Derek says, “It’s upfront
and a very fair bidding process. Then three to ten trail contractors will throw their hat in the ring, for example.”
While there are nuances to securing a trail contract, construction still asks much in the way of tools, blood, sweat, and frustration. While building a trail in southern Utah, Derek recounts, “I had a very hard-to-get-to hydraulic line break in the field, miles away from the truck. It was another 15 to 20 miles away from Kanab, where we could get a hydraulic line made. We were on that hillside until 11:00 one night, wearing headlamps, fishing this line through the middle of the excavator.”
STEWARDSHIP AND MAINTENANCE
Since there are limited pros servicing and building trails, it falls on volunteers to do some maintenance. Wasatch Mountain State Park has adopted a “trail pod” program. A couple of tools hang from the metal tripod, which Derek is fully behind. “I think it's great, and I think that those should exist everywhere.”
“Grab the loppers or handsaw and cut anything or trim anything that will hit you in the face or hands, like branches. And trim anything that obstructs your line of sight,” Derek advises. “We have built a lot of trail but now need to refocus on keeping them up.”
The trails that a builder cuts and creatively sculpts finally must leave for the next project. We, the mountain bikers, the hikers, the runners—we all become trail stewards. With guidance from trails organizations, we can learn to keep the trails. If we love to ride, we need to learn to love the work.
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ABOUT US
The Ripple Effect of Your Shopping Spree
When you shop at Park City’s ReStore, you’re doing so much more than scoring great deals, you’re participating in a community-wide effort: supporting local sustainability and strengthening the community and improving lives through home ownership. The proceeds from your purchases go directly to fund Habitat for Humanity’s local home building initiatives, so you’re personally contributing to the construction of affordable homes in Summit and Wasatch Counties.
You’ll delight in the joy of discovery and the surge of satisfaction from finding that perfect piece of furniture, décor item, or appliance—at an incredible discount. Every ReStore patron has a story about their favorite find. From the antique armchair that now sits by the fireplace, to the retro lamp that’s become a conversation starter, these items transform a house into a home, and a space into your personal sanctuary. Each visit to ReStore is a unique experience, and what you find can often surprise you with its functionality, beauty, and value.The ReStore stocks hundreds of both new and used items in our boutique and home goods store, including furniture, artwork, lighting, electronics, home décor, building materials, housewares, appliances, and so much more.
Our inventory is refreshed daily so you never know when you might find the occasional antique or simply the perfect piece to complete a room’s look. Everything is 50% to 90% off retail prices and always a shopping adventure!
WAYS TO DONATE
• SPRING CLEANING
• MAKEOVERS
• DECONSTRUCTIONS
• CORPORATE
PARTNERSHIPS
PICK UPS
The Park City ReStore now offers two convenient options to have your new and gently used furniture, artwork, home décor, and building supplies picked up: Standard Pickups & Priority Pickups
DROP OFFS
We may accept new and gently used furniture, artwork, home décor and building supplies. Store team members have final say on what donations we will accept. Drop Offs available – Mon-Sat 10-4:30
6280 SILVER CREEK DR., PARK CITY, UTAH 84098 (Just beyond Home Depot by Silver Creek Village)
We are a short drive from Heber, Midway, Kamas, Coalville, Salt Lake City, and Evanston.
OPEN HOURS: MON – SAT 10AM-7PM
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AUTUMN BEAR WELLNESS COLLECTIVE BRINGS INTEGRATIVE HEALTH TO PARK CITY
By Rebecca Brenner
PARK CITY, Utah — A new wellness clinic offering integrative health services is set to open on March 1 in Kimball Junction. Autumn Bear Wellness Collective, founded by licensed acupuncturists Nichole Dreyer and Autumn Bear, will provide acupuncture, herbal therapy, integrative nutrition, and complementary healing modalities.
The clinic, located at 5532 Lillehammer Lane, Suite 102, was created to meet the growing demand for comprehensive wellness services. Bear, who has been practicing acupuncture for nearly 20 years, specializes in treating long COVID, autoimmune disorders, and post-traumatic head trauma. Dreyer, who has more than 14 years of experience, focuses on pain management, anxiety relief, and neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), a technique designed to address subconscious emotional blockages.
“This community looks for healthy ways to fix problems and promote longevity,” Bear said. “We wanted to create a space where people could access integrative medicine without searching all over the state for expert practitioners.”
The expansion follows the success of Bear’s existing clinic, Autumn Bear Acupuncture, which has outgrown its space. The new collective will bring together specialists from multiple fields. In addition to Bear and Dreyer, the clinic will welcome integrative nutritionist Shelley Swapp, who focuses on using food as medicine and analyzing lab work to improve digestive health.
“We want people to feel at ease when they come in for treatment, not intimidated by a clinical setting,” Dreyer said. “Healing happens best in a warm, inviting environment where people feel safe and supported.”
The clinic will offer cupping therapy, acupuncture, and frequencybased healing with tuning forks, which Dreyer uses to promote relaxation and balance. “It’s just a little vibration,” she said. “It doesn’t hurt at all. It feels really good and soothing.”
Bear, who studied with an 88th-generation Taoist priest in New York City for six years, said integrative care is essential. “People don’t have to settle for just one form of treatment,” she said. “We want to bring together great practitioners to provide comprehensive care.”
Autumn Bear Wellness Collective aims to foster a sense of community. The founders envision the clinic as a hub where practitioners collaborate and refer patients to trusted specialists. “We want to be a resource,” Bear said. “If someone needs a service we don’t provide, we want to help them find the right practitioner within our community.”
Dreyer emphasized accessibility and comfort. “We don’t want people to fear seeking healthcare,” she said. “We want them to feel welcome, calm, and at peace—because that’s where healing takes place.”
The collective is also seeking a physician or nurse practitioner to enhance its integrative care model.
Appointments can be booked online at autumnbear.com.
BY KIRSTEN KOHLWEY
Bundled up in warm clothes, we arrive at the Jeremy Ranch Park & Ride in time to catch the very punctual 6:38 a.m. bus to Salt Lake City. The smooth ride takes us down the canyon, up 2100 East, with a few stops in the University of Utah area, and over to Salt Lake Central Station. We had downloaded the Transit App in advance; we probably should have set up our accounts too, but we still have just enough time to do this at the train station and buy our tickets before the Frontrunner to Provo arrives.
For my first ride on the Frontrunner, I choose a seat on the upper level. My highlight is seeing the landscape west of I-15 as we head through the gullies by Point of the Mountain. A stream runs next to the train track, making you feel like you are in the middle of nowhere.
Once at Provo Central Station, we wander past commercial buildings about to be torn down, a few bakeries, and then east towards S University Ave and historic downtown Provo. At 8:30 a.m., the streets are quite empty, and most eateries are still closed, but after sightseeing, we find—across from the historic courthouse— Guru’s Cafe, whose breakfast menu covers the full spectrum. Colorful art lines the walls, and unique metal sculptures that pre-date the business decorate the interior. The peacefulness is interrupted by sirens blaring from hook-andladder fire engines and emergency vehicles. Firefighters in full gear walk past the entrance, inspiring everyone to step outside to check for fire. With none in
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sight, we board the UVX bus in the middle of S University Avenue to explore the Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum. It’s an easy walk from the North Campus bus stop to the entrance of the museum.
As you enter, reindeer stare at you, and tall giraffes tower over you behind them. This taxidermy dream displays animals from all over the world, including a large collection of local birds. Farther into the museum, little kids can explore the playground-like animal exhibits, while older kids can check out the effects of climate change and the Covid epidemic upstairs. This museum is free and open from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, as well as Saturdays until 5:00 p.m. A room in the center of the museum features the wood carvings of Boyd K. Packer. Here, you see not only finished pieces but also drawings explaining how he carved the birds, and at what age they were. Having been to many museums, I find it rare to be invited to study the process.
The crisp mountain air and views create a delightful, slightly uphill walk back to the bus stop. We return to the same one so that we can ride it to the end of the line, which is Orem Central Station. The ride from here to Ogden Central Station costs $9.10 on Frontrunner. With a two-hour ride, we choose to sit at a table with two outlets—that way, we’re able to write and charge our phones while catching up on the daily barrage of messages. Don’t forget to look out the window at Utah Lake: Traveling by train provides much different views than trying to peek between buildings from I-15. Another benefit of the Frontrunner is that it has a very clean restroom on the bottom floor.
Fully rested, we arrive in Ogden to explore historic 25th Street. Ogden is developing a promenade with housing south of 25th, which will take another year or two to finish. When complete, it will open on to 25th, right across from La Ferrovia’s Italian eatery, which serves
delicious food and tall Italian sodas in different flavors, like tiramisu. The current owners took over this 30-year-old Ogden staple three years ago.
25th Street also features one of the most beautiful yarn stores I have ever seen. Custom-made wood shelves and cabinets display hundreds of bundles of yarn. The Needlepoint Joint is 50 years old, with 30 years at its current location. The friendly employees don’t just sell yarn—you can take classes there on everything from knitting and crocheting to tatting.
We find three different stores selling high-end chocolates. The most recent one to open is Lené Marie’s Chocolates. Lené and her daughter are making delicious chocolate-covered caramels when we enter. While the store itself is only a few months old, Lené’s uncle had a chocolate store for a long time. Lené herself ran a restaurant in earlier years but wanted to open a different business. I highly recommend checking out this one’s old-time feel, with a chocolate variety geared to current flavors. The Queen Bee up the street offers chocolates and gifts from different local chocolatiers and foreign suppliers.
A modern vibe can be found at the top of this historic street, where people hang out sipping coffee and eating pastries in the midst of local art. Continuing our public transportation adventure, we hop on the free trolley to take us back to Ogden Central Station for our return trip. In total, this trip costs us $20.20 per adult for the public transportation tickets, but there are fare cap rates that would have limited it to $8 per day—not bad for avoiding driving fatigue. Of course, if you live in the Wasatch Front, consider taking the Salt Lake–Park City Connector to Kimball Junction from Salt Lake Central Station and exploring the Wasatch Back by bus. Buses around Park City and into Heber and Kamas are free!
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BY MELISSA FIELDS
HOW WMI IS SHARING THE WONDER OF THE OUTDOORS WITH THOSE WHO NEED IT THE MOST
As a Park City resident, it’s likely that you feel a strong affinity for the Wasatch Mountains. Whether that bond developed while carving a turn through feather-light snow or while pedaling your mountain bike along local singletrack, the result is pretty universal: positive outdoor experiences foster the ties that bind us to nature. This is especially true when learning happens outdoors, a phenomenon known as place-based education that cultivates curiosity, social-emotional growth and a sense of responsibility to the earth.
In 2019, based on their vision to “connect children and families to the wonder, recreational and educational opportunities of the Wasatch Mountains,” Wayne Turner and Jack Shea—two former leaders with the Jackson, Wyoming’s Teton Science School—founded Wasatch Mountain Institute (WMI, wasatchmountaininstitute.org). “Wayne and Jack were puzzled by how often schools in Utah were bringing their students over to Wyoming to take advantage of the Teton Science School’s programming when the same experiences could be had right here in Utah,” says Hilary Lambert, former WMI executive director and current board member.
And so, through a partnership with Utah State Parks, WMI renovated and reopened the Jordanelle State Park’s Rock Cliff Nature Center, a beautiful interpretive facility with board walks tucked into a Cottonwood tree grove along the Provo River that had previously been dormant for years due to flood damage. Rock Cliff now serves as homebase for WMI’s school-day field trips and overnight camping programs for elementary and middle school students—just over two-thirds of whom attend Title I (low-income) schools. Activities that WMI’s 2,000 annual student participants get to take part in at Rock Cliff include: watching Kokanee salmon travel up the river during the fall spawning season, snowshoeing, digging snow pits to observe snowpack layers and sitting around a campfire while gazing up at a light-pollution-free night sky.
“Eighty-five percent of Utah’s population lives within 15 miles of the Wasatch Mountain Range—most of those along the Wasatch Front and Back—creating this amazing opportunity to not only provide people with
hands-on learning experiences about how these mountains support all life in Utah but also allow them to reap all the other well-established benefits of learning and recreating outdoors,” says WMI Executive Director Hamish Williams.
The Park City-based WMI works directly with school districts to provide these invaluable learning experiences, all of which are designed to correlate with the curriculum students learn in the classroom. The organization also provides all the gear students need to participate in both its school-day field trips and overnight camping experiences, from boots, snowpants and snowshoes to tents, sleeping bags and camp stoves. “Our gear library not only allows everyone to participate in our programming safely and comfortably but eliminates a barrier to entry that keeps many kids from experiencing things like snow sports and camping,” Williams says.
The 2024-25 school year was a particularly busy one for WMI. The organization debuted Hit the Open Water, a learn-to-kayak program that will become a part of its popular overnight camping experiences. Significant progress was made in WMI’s goal to open a second programming location in Salt Lake City along the Jordan River, offering many students close-to-home access to programming as well as offer a real-time glimpse of where water that begins at the top of the watershed (the Jordanelle Reservoir) ultimately ends up. And WMI is exploring opening a second location for its Snow School programming in Big Cottonwood Canyon.
WMI’s efforts are not limited to students, however. On Saturday, May 10, 2025, WMI is partnering with Mountain Trails Foundation (mountaintrails.org) to host a day of fun and stewardship at the Rock Cliff Nature Center from 10 am to 5 pm. Activities will include a community cleanup (10 am to 1 pm), campfire, short hike, social hour, refreshments and conservation education. Admission is free and open to the public.
LexieLarson:
TAKE A HIKE PHOTOGRAPHY
“Only when the light is just right, when the sound coming from the photo is loud. I love taking loud photos. All ears and nose,” Lexie Larson, owner of Take a Hike Photography, writes in her latest blog post, Nature Is a Showoff. Photos of droopy, floppy, pointy ears and cute little noses nuzzle their way directly into your heartstrings on her website and social media account. Lexie has been taking photos of nature and, more specifically, of animals, for more than a decade. In 2017, she decided to photograph someone else’s dog, which planted the seeds for her creative career today. Now, with customers along the Wasatch Back and in Salt Lake Valley, she’s getting ready for her next move: a studio.
Lexie presents as an observant, patient person, and her photography demonstrates the time commitment to get the right shot. Growing up in Charleston, the township close to where the Middle Provo River meets Deer Creek Reservoir, Lexie recalls, “I had lots of free time. I was always a creative kid, and getting to roam allowed me the space to lean into that more artistic, magical animal side of life.” She adds that observing animals can often be a waiting game.
Her visual storytelling transcends many different types of prints, “loud photos” arriving on materials from paper to canvas—the great big smile of a bulldog or even a donkey so meaningfully captured, pulling in some customers and their referrals for round two or three.
However, being a photographer is no simple business. Lexie must still spend time marketing, posting on social media and on her website while beholden to the same laws and policies that other Utah small businesses abide to. There is a delicate balance between maintaining artistic passion and not losing it in spreadsheets.
Even though Lexie’s apparent skills for photographing wildlife and domestic pets captivate like a mountain sunset, she yearns for more. There are aspects of her photographic style she aspires to capture. During our interview, she holds up a photo of a canine subject jumping to catch a ball over Utah’s Salt Flats. Lexie describes it as a bucket-list item, the kind one might compare to climbing a distant peak or skydiving. “I checked it in-camera and finally did a happy dance. The sun was setting, my knees hurt, and I was cold, but it just felt good,” she says.
Once, on an assignment for Neighbors of Heber Valley, she packed her backpack full of cameras and lenses, hopped on a snowmobile, and rode up to a small cabin in Brighton Estates. It was snowing, and the clouds were hanging low, the inviting cabin warm and cozy.
Lexie’s eye trained to the most interesting aspects of that journey as she visually captured that hardy mountain couple, their dog, and the unique artwork inside their home, crafted outside in a snow-covered shed. Fine-art photography today is much different than it was during the days of film. Digital cameras capture details and information that can be rendered and altered in specialized editing software. Lexie likes to use Photoshop to help bring out her artistic style. The end results are amazing, alluring, and downright clean.
Despite the intense work and internal pressure of being a creative professional, she has found new relationships with every photo shoot. These pets and their owners have evolving stories that she follows, a timeline she is grateful to occasionally share.
As Lexie’s business grows, she adapts. The next step is opening her studio. She describes it as a bit intimidating, but she keeps showing up to
see it through. “I already have wall art for the space, but I need to get some new ones, like really huge, ginormous prints, and just decorate the space,” she explains. “I honestly feel like I’m in the flow state right now. Lots of things are lining up for me to control. I could take this studio, for instance, whatever direction I like.”
The studio will be in Sandy, but Lexie will continue to do her work in Park City and Heber, while having a showroom that dog lovers can feel and breathe. Although so much of our photographic experience is through a computer monitor or a phone screen, with digital photos having drastically improved in recent years, nothing compares to a 36-inch framed print of your pet.
SKIN + BODY + SOUL
Spring Awakening:
Nurture Your Skin & Nervous System
Spring is a season of renewal, a time when nature awakens—and so should our approach to skincare and self-care. At Everly Grace Beauty, we believe that beauty is more than skin deep. In fact, the skin and nervous system are intrinsically connected; the nervous system is the skin turned inside out. How we nourish our bodies, calm our minds, and care for our skin has a profound effect on our overall well-being.
A Holistic Approach to Radiant Skin & a Balanced Nervous System
When we think about skincare, we often focus on products, but true beauty starts from within. The nervous system regulates stress, sleep, and overall vitality—each of which plays a critical role in our skin’s health. When we care for our nervous system, we allow our skin to thrive.
Ways to Support Both
Your Skin & Nervous System This Spring: Dry
Face Brushing – This gentle ritual stimulates lymphatic flow, detoxifies the skin, and promotes a sense of relaxation.
• Gua Sha & Facial Massage – Relieve tension, enhance circulation, and activate your parasympathetic nervous system, inviting deeper relaxation.
• Mindful Breathwork – Slow, deep breathing helps calm the nervous system, reducing inflammation and encouraging a healthy glow.
• Nature Therapy – Spend time outdoors, soak up the fresh air, and connect with the energy of the season to elevate your vibration.
• Skincare as Ritual – Approach your daily skincare routine as a moment of self-care, not just a task. Intentionality changes everything.
Expand
Your Mind, Elevate Your Frequency
As we embrace spring’s energy, let’s open our minds to new ways of caring for ourselves. The more we focus on what is wrong, the more we will see wrong. Instead, let’s shift our awareness, raise our vibration, and see the beauty that exists within and all around us.
“Raise our vibration so the world around us can. The more we find what is wrong, the more we will see wrong. Expand your mind and remember to look outside the box.” – Christa Jutras
Wishing you a season of renewal, beauty, and inner harmony.
With love,
Christa Jutras
years.
Christa Jutras is a Wellness Esthetician and has been committed to helping people feel their best in their skin for over 20
CHRISTA JUTRAS
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RECLAIM YOUR POWER
UNLOCK YOUR DEEPEST DESIRES IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP
There are moments in life that can shatter everything you thought you knew. For me, that moment came when my husband told me, after 17 years of marriage, that he no longer loved me. He said his bond of love for me had broken. In an instant, I felt lost and completely crushed. Have you ever felt so unlovable that your entire world seemed to shatter within seconds?
Five years leading up to that moment, I had gone through a profound transformation. From being a stay-at-home mom, I stepped into the role of CEO in our 10-year-old dental tech business and later became a Transformation Coach, building my own successful business. It looked like I had it all—business success, a beautiful family, and everything anyone could ever dream of. But behind closed doors, no one would have guessed I was struggling in my marriage, let alone had problems in the bedroom.
I had lost nearly all desire for intimacy, and my husband grew sexually frustrated. I became stuck in my own mind and the emotional and physical distance between us grew, but I didn’t know how to bridge it.
One morning, my husband reached out for intimacy, but instead of feeling desire, I lay there, detached, wondering if something was wrong with me. Frustrated, he went to the bathroom and slammed the door. The rejection we both felt, along with the shame and guilt became unbearable. That moment was a wake-up call—by now, I knew I had to do something to unlock my sensual desires.
At the time, I was already a Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and Time Line Therapy®. These tools had helped me uplevel my business, and I wondered: What would happen if I used them to unlock myself? What if they could help me break through my blocks and reconnect with my sensuality?
So, I did. I applied the same techniques I had used to build my career to my sensual side. The results were incredible! I rediscovered sensual pleasure in ways I never had before. It was a powerful and transformative experience.
Despite my efforts though, it was too late. My husband didn’t love me anymore. I realized that I had a deep belief—one that I hadn’t fully acknowledged—that if I succeeded financially, my personal relationships would suffer. This belief had manifested in my marriage, and I found myself at rock bottom. My confidence was shattered, and I knew I had a choice: Do I keep pretending to keep up appearances, or do I face the painful truth and choose to divorce?
I chose divorce. It was the hardest decision I’ve ever made, one I never imagined I’d face. Divorce was the most painful, excruciating thing I experienced, yet it led me on a healing journey to rediscover myself. Confronting my fears, insecurities, and deep wounds wasn’t easy, but NLP and Time Line Therapy® empowered me to break free from the limits of my mind and tap into new levels of pleasure and confidence in every area of my life!
For the first time in years, I fully believe in myself, I feel deeply confident in who I am. I know I deserve to live the greatest life for myself; and I believe you can do the same!
If this resonates with you, I invite you to explore the tools that helped me transform my life. You deserve to feel pleasure, joy, and connection—both in and out of the bedroom!
To begin your journey, I’d love to invite you to watch my FREE Masterclass: Unlock Your Deepest Desires in Your Relationship. Just scan the QR code to get started. My hope is that you will be inspired to Reclaim Your Power and Unlock Your Deepest Desires Feel free to reach out; I’m here for you.
I’m Camilla Peterson.
As a Master Practitioner and Trainer in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and Time Line Therapy®, I’ve helped hundreds of individuals break through the limits of their mind and get unstuck in their business and careers. Through my work, I’ve discovered a powerful connection between professional success and sexual fulfillment, as well as the relationship one has with themselves and their partner.
I’ve had the privilege of working with founders, CEOs, and professionals— helping them overcome trauma, depression, anxiety, sexual trauma, and more. My clients have reclaimed their power, finding greater freedom, joy, and intimacy in both their personal and professional lives. My mission is to guide you on a transformative journey of selfdiscovery, unlocking deeper pleasure, purpose, and fulfillment in every area of your life. I’d be honored to support you as you take a quantum leap toward your fullest potential!
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Bringing Vitality Back… to the Back: A Personal Journey Through Regenerative Healing
By Dr. Giselle M. Batcheller, DDS, IBDM
Have you ever wondered what the doctor’s doctor recommends? Let me take you behind the scenes of my own humbling and enlightening healing journey.
Earlier this year, I was hit with three major orthopedic injuries: a multiple-centimeter labrum tear in my hip, a large sciatic nerve impingement, and additional severe disc herniations. These weren’t minor setbacks; they were disabling conditions that made my natural childbirths and previously herniated discs feel like a walk in the park. My life came to a halt as I was forced to focus entirely on my own healing.
Surgery or Regeneration?
If you asked most orthopedic surgeons, more than nine out of ten would recommend surgery for injuries like mine. But as a practitioner in regenerative medicine, I knew there were other options. I’m fortunate to have the personal cell numbers of some of the best regenerative doctors in the country—colleagues across specialties whom I can call for advice on my own case and for my clients. This network is a gift I don’t take for granted, and it’s one I’m eager to share.
While surgery is often the default solution, my regenerative colleagues and I believe in harnessing the body’s innate ability to heal. For me, this meant exploring advanced regenerative modalities, including some I haven’t spoken about as often: exosomes.
What Are Exosomes, and Why Are They a Game-Changer?
Exosomes are tiny particles released by cells that play a crucial role in cell communication and regeneration. They carry the power of signaling that can repair damaged tissues, reduce inflammation, and promote healing. Think of them as microscopic messengers that direct your body to heal itself more effectively.
In Utah, we’re fortunate to have some unique laws since spring of 2024, allowing more open discussion about and access to cutting-edge regenerative therapies, including exosome treatments. Combined with my longtime regenerative favorites like lasers and plateletrich fibrin (PRF), exosomes are powerful in regenerative medicine and esthetics.
Why I Chose a Non-Surgical Path
My decision to take a non-surgical approach wasn’t made lightly. Both of my parents have undergone extensive orthopedic surgeries— backs, shoulders, you name it. While surgery provided temporary relief and hope of resolution, it didn’t always resolve the issues and often led to additional procedures.
Regenerative medicine addresses the root cause of injuries, not just the symptoms. It’s about supporting the body’s natural healing processes rather than replacing or applying the scalpel to damaged tissues. For me, this approach aligns with my belief in the body’s incredible capacity to heal when given the right tools.
The Future of Medicine: A Paradigm Shift
While regenerative medicine is gaining traction, it’s still far from mainstream. It will likely take decades for the medical community to fully embrace this shift. But for those of us who have seen its potential, the future is incredibly exciting.
This is a wonderful time to be alive, with access to therapies that can help us heal naturally and avoid the risks of surgery. For me, regenerative medicine has been a beacon of hope and a testament to the power of our bodies to heal.
Sharing What I’ve Learned
If you’re curious about regenerative therapies and how they might benefit you, I invite you to explore further. Start by completing a complimentary consultation at wellnessandesthetics.com.
This article isn’t medical advice—it’s a glimpse into my personal journey.
Here’s to bringing vitality back—to the back, the hips, and every part of our amazing bodies.
I’m Dr. Giselle Batcheller, Utah’s PRF pioneer, proud Parkite, and member of the international faculty of PRF experts at PRFEDU. Since 2018, I’ve trained doctors in advanced laser, PRF, and regenerative medicine applications. For more on lasers, light, PRF, and regenerative medicine, follow my social media and website updates via DrBatcheller.com
HOW MAINTAINING A HEALTHY WEIGHT IMPACTS FERTILITY
Weight and nutrition are making headlines everywhere—from social media trends to wellness blogs. But how much do they really impact fertility? The truth is, maintaining a healthy weight is one of the most important factors in reproductive health—for both men and women.
WHY DOES WEIGHT MATTER FOR FERTILITY?
Weight influences hormone balance, ovulation, and even embryo development. Both underweight and overweight individuals may face challenges when trying to conceive.
If you’re underweight: Your body may produce lower levels of estrogen, which can disrupt ovulation and make it harder to conceive.
If you’re overweight: Excess fat tissue can lead to insulin resistance and increased estrogen
levels, which may interfere with regular ovulation and implantation.
COMMON MYTHS ABOUT DIET AND FERTILITY
X Myth: Eating pineapple or yams will make you more fertile.
✓ Fact: While some foods contain beneficial nutrients, there’s no magic ingredient that guarantees conception.
X Myth: Cutting out all carbs will improve fertility.
✓ Fact: Highly processed carbs can negatively affect hormones, but whole grains and fiber-rich carbs support reproductive health.
X Myth: You need to take every fertility supplement on the market.
✓ Fact: While some vitamins like folic acid and vitamin D are important, excessive supplementation isn’t always helpful. It’s best to focus on a balanced diet first.
Complete Fertility Care For Aspiring Families in Utah
Wellnest is the only fertility clinic in Ogden that brings together renowned fertility specialists, a suite of wellness and support services, and accessible pricing.
FINDING A HEALTHY BALANCE
If you're trying to conceive, focusing on a well-rounded diet, maintaining a healthy weight, and managing stress can all contribute to reproductive health. If you have specific concerns, a fertility specialist or registered dietitian can help personalize recommendations.
YOUR FERTILITY QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Have more questions? Send them to me, and I’ll cover them in upcoming columns! Email us at hello@wellnestfertility.com.
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Experience Wellness Like Never Before
In the picturesque surroundings of the Wasatch Back, Wasatch Optimal Wellness (WOW Clinic) is redefining healthcare by blending the wisdom of conventional medicine with the insight of holistic healing approaches.
• Cold Plunge
• Dry and Infrared Saunas
• Full-body DEXA Scan
• Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
• IV Therapy
• RMR
• VO2 Max Testing
• Weight Loss Management
• Joint Injections
• Nutritional Counseling
Give Us a Call (435) 800-6WOW or Scan Below
1716 N Highway 40, Ste 200 Heber City, UT 84032
info@wowclinic.com
HEALTH & WELLNESS CORNER
Discover the Transformative Effects of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)
Emerging research suggests that hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) plays a role in supporting recovery and improving outcomes for individuals with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) or a concussion. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) has been used for more than 360 years, but only recently has it gained widespread recognition for its powerful healing benefits, including recovery from concussions and TBIs. Furthermore, HBOT enhances oxygen delivery, reduces inflammation, and supports brain healing, making it a promising therapy for head trauma.
For the Salmon family, co-owners and providers at Wasatch Optimal Wellness (WOW), the potential of HBOT became personal when their oldest son, Caden, suffered two consecutive concussions. He was already managing ADHD when his post-concussive symptoms compounded his challenges, leading the Salmons to seek answers at the world-renowned Amen Clinic in California. There, they were introduced to HBOT as a recommended treatment—but soon discovered it wasn’t available in their area. Realizing other families were likely facing the same struggle, they saw an opportunity to use their medical backgrounds to bring this powerful healing modality to the Wasatch Back.
Now, alongside Dr. Ben Fogg, Bryant and Meredith Salmon have established the WOW Clinic as a premier destination for integrative healing. With two state-of-the-art HBOT chambers, they offer this and other cutting-edge therapies, all of which bring the perfect synergy of Western medicine and holistic healing to help individuals recover, optimize their health, and thrive. I invite you to experience the unique advantage of hospitalgrade “hard chamber” hyperbaric therapy, the only one of its kind in Heber City. The staff has received extensive training and certification through the International Board of Undersea Medicine and will be overseeing every aspect of your HBOT journey.
How Does It Work?
Our body’s tissues require oxygen to function. HBOT enhances the body’s natural healing processes by increasing oxygen availability at the cellular level. The air we breathe is approximately 21% oxygen—under normal conditions, oxygen is transported primarily by red blood cells. However, when breathing 100% oxygen under
increased atmospheric pressure, oxygen dissolves directly into the plasma, independent of red blood cells. This elevated oxygen saturation leads to several key physiological, biochemical, and cellular benefits that aid in healing, reducing inflammation and promoting recovery.
This helps with TBIs and concussions; plasticsurgery recovery; autoimmune and rheumatologic disorders; anti-aging; Alzheimer’s and dementia; post-operative orthopedic-surgery healing; long Covid; strokes; inflammation; sports injuries; neurological disorders and neuropathy; poor healing wounds; Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis; sciatica; osteonecrosis; PTSD; migraines; post-filler necrosis; and more. Our body’s tissues need oxygen to function, and increasing oxygen availability can accelerate healing and recovery. HBOT enhances this process by delivering 100% pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber, allowing oxygen to reach areas with poor circulation and inflammation.
As mentioned, we breathe air containing 21% oxygen, which is primarily carried by red blood cells. However, under increased atmospheric pressure in an HBOT chamber, oxygen molecules condense, becoming small enough to dissolve directly into plasma, the fluid component of blood. This boosts bioavailable oxygen by up to 1200%, allowing it to penetrate deeper into tissues, promote cellular repair, reduce inflammation, and accelerate recovery.
This oxygen saturation stimulates new blood-vessel growth (angiogenesis), enhances mitochondrial function and ATP (energy) production, reduces oxidative stress, and modulates the immune system. These benefits make HBOT a powerful, noninvasive therapy for numerous conditions.
HBOT supports neurological healing in TBIs, strokes, concussion recovery, PTSD, and cognitive decline by reducing neuroinflammation and promoting brain repair. It accelerates post-surgical healing, including plastic- and orthopedic-surgery recovery, by minimizing swelling, improving tissue repair, and reducing scarring. It is also effective for autoimmune and inflammatory disorders—such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s, and ulcerative colitis—by regulating immune function. Additionally, HBOT enhances diabetic-wound healing, sports-injury recovery, and immune resilience, while also
EXPERT CONTRIBUTOR • BY TIFFANY WICKES, ON BEHALF OF WOW CLINIC
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benefiting long Covid, chronic fatigue, migraines, and osteonecrosis. By flooding the body with oxygen at a cellular level, HBOT optimizes healing, recovery, and overall health.
Is It Safe?
With a rich historical background dating back centuries, HBOT has evolved into a widely recognized medical intervention, now commonly employed in hospitals and specialized clinics. Beyond its established applications traditionally administered in a hospital setting, emerging data highlights the benefits of off-label use across various medical domains. This expanding scope underscores HBOT’s versatility and the ongoing research of its therapeutic potential in diverse healthcare and clinical settings.
It is incredible that this therapy is offered in Heber Valley—and, as an added safety reassurance, the providers at the WOW Clinic prioritize the quality and safety of their chambers. Every chamber available through WOW has not only obtained FDA approval but also holds clearances from esteemed organizations such as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the Committee on Pressurized Vessels for Human Occupancy (PVHO-1). These stringent evaluations ensure that WOW’s chambers meet the highest standards of safety and performance, akin to those used in submarines. While numerous hyperbaric chambers exist in the market, only a select few undergo thorough evaluations and receive FDA clearance.
You can trust in the reliability and excellence of WOW for your hyperbaric therapy needs.
Dr. Ben Fogg and Bryant, a physician assistant, both are certified hyperbaric clinicians recognized by the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) and the International Board of Undersea Medicine (IBUM), ensuring that you receive expert care tailored precisely to your needs. Every practitioner that operates the chambers has undergone safety and competency certifications. Safety and well-being are the utmost priority, and they will provide personalized treatments for your condition in the safest manner possible.
What Can HBOT Help With?
In addition to the conditions listed above, here are some key potential benefits of HBOT:
▶ Accelerated wound healing: By enhancing oxygen delivery to damaged areas, HBOT speeds up the recovery process for chronic wounds and injuries.
▶ Improved athletic performance: Athletes can experience faster recovery times and improved endurance.
▶ Holistic approach to chronic pain: Find relief from pain due to inflammation and various chronic conditions through increased oxygen flow throughout the body and the downregulation of certain inflammatory enzymes.
▶ Strengthened immune system: Oxygen is essential for killing bacteria. By
exponentially raising oxygen levels throughout the body, the efficiency of bactericidal action of white blood cells can be enhanced dramatically.
▶ Optimizes healing after injury or surgery: Reperfusion injury occurs when tissues are deprived of oxygen; HBOT can prevent tissue damage by sending oxygen to damaged cells and revitalizing them.
▶ Stem cells: HBOT has been shown to significantly increase the concentration of circulating stem/progenitor cells within the peripheral circulation system. Stem cells have the ability to accelerate growth and repair of damaged tissue; improve tissue generation and organ functionality; and promote neurogenesis and osteogenesis among other functions.
Are you ready to unlock your body’s full potential? Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is more than just a treatment; it’s a step toward a healthier, more vibrant you. Wasatch Optimal Wellness is here to guide you through each breath of the way. Take advantage of this opportunity to revolutionize your health and performance and join the scores of athletes, chronic-pain sufferers, and wellness enthusiasts who have made HBOT an integral part of their health regimen. WOW is where holistic healing meets peak performance and should be your first stop to optimize your health.
NAVIGATING DIGESTIVE DISCOMFORT: THE LOW-FODMAP DIET EXPLAINED
If you’ve ever felt like your stomach has a mind of its own—leaving you bloated, uncomfortable, or running to the bathroom after meals— you’re not alone. For many, digestive struggles are more than a passing inconvenience; they’re a daily battle impacting everything from energy levels to social life. But what if relief was possible? Enter the low-FODMAP diet, a scientifically backed approach designed to reduce digestive distress and uncover food triggers.
What Is the Low-FODMAP Diet?
Originally developed by researchers at Monash University, the low-FODMAP diet targets fermentable short-chain carbohydrates that can be difficult to digest. These FODMAPs are found in foods like onions, garlic, apples, dairy, and certain grains. When poorly absorbed, they draw water into the gut and ferment, leading to bloating, gas, and other uncomfortable symptoms.
The diet is not a long-term solution but rather a short-term tool to identify food triggers and reset digestion. It’s particularly beneficial for those with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO), chronic bloating, or unexplained food sensitivities
The Three Phases of the Low-FODMAP Diet
To be effective, the diet follows three distinct phases:
▶ Elimination Phase (2-6 weeks): This phase removes all highFODMAP foods to calm the gut and reduce inflammation. Many people experience rapid symptom relief, but staying in this phase too long can deplete beneficial gut bacteria.
▶ Reintroduction Phase: One FODMAP group is reintroduced at a time, helping to identify which foods trigger symptoms. This personalized approach prevents unnecessary food restrictions.
▶ Personalization Phase: The final phase creates a sustainable, balanced diet that supports gut health while avoiding specific triggers. The goal is to expand food choices without discomfort and maintain long-term digestive wellness.
Why Staying on a Low-FODMAP
Diet Too Long Can Backfire
While eliminating FODMAPs provides relief, it’s not a cure. Long-term restriction can negatively impact gut microbiome diversity, leading to increased sensitivity and more digestive problems down the road. Gut health thrives on fiber-rich, fermentable foods, many of which are high in FODMAPs. The key is finding a balance.
Functional Testing: Going Beyond Diet
The low-FODMAP diet can help manage symptoms, but it doesn’t address the root cause of gut issues. Functional stool testing, such as the GI MAP test, offers a deeper look into gut imbalances, bacterial overgrowth, inflammation, and digestive function.
By identifying underlying issues, a personalized gut-healing plan can be developed, incorporating:
▶ Restoring Digestive Function – Eating nutrient-dense foods that support digestion.
▶ Rebalancing the Microbiome – Introducing beneficial bacteria through diet and lifestyle.
▶ Reducing Stress – Stress is a major gut disruptor; managing it is key to healing.
▶ Repairing the Gut Lining – Using nutrients like glutamine and collagen to strengthen digestion.
Is the Low-FODMAP Diet Right for You?
If you struggle with persistent digestive symptoms, the low-FODMAP diet can be a powerful tool—but only when used correctly. A qualified nutritionist can help guide you through the process, ensuring you’re meeting your nutritional needs and transitioning off the diet safely.
As a functional nutritionist specializing in gut health, I help clients uncover the root cause of digestive distress and create personalized strategies for lasting relief. If you’re ready to get to the bottom of your gut issues and heal for good, let’s talk!
The Power of Menopause: A Season of Transformation and Wisdom
For too long, menopause has been framed as a loss—of youth, vitality, and relevance. But what if we saw it for what it truly is? A powerful transition, a rebirth into a deeper phase of wisdom, intuition, and self-nourishment. Just as the seasons change, so do we. In Chinese medicine, menopause is recognized not as a deficiency but as a shift in energy—one that invites us to turn inward and embrace our own needs after a lifetime of caring for others.
The Seasons of Womanhood
A woman’s life mirrors the natural cycles of the earth. Each phase brings its own beauty and purpose:
• Spring (Maiden Phase - Follicular Phase): A time of growth, exploration and new beginnings; aligned with the Wood element.
• Summer (Mother Phase - Ovulation): A period of full energy, fertility and outward expression; connected to Fire.
• Autumn (Wise Woman Phase - Luteal Phase): A shift toward introspection, discernment and preparation for transformation; governed by Earth & Metal.
• Winter (Crone Phase - Menopause/Post-Menopause): A return to deep wisdom, stillness and self-nourishment; rooted in Water.
Menopause as a Time to Turn Inward
Throughout life, women are often conditioned to nurture, support, and give endlessly to others— children, partners, careers, communities. Menopause marks the moment where this energy shifts. In Chinese medicine, this phase represents a move from an outward, reproductive-focused energy to a deeper, internal strength. It’s a time to redirect care toward oneself, replenishing what has been given and embracing personal sovereignty.
This transition is not about losing vitality but about reclaiming it in a new way—by honoring intuition, setting boundaries, and choosing to nourish oneself first. When women embrace this shift, they not only strengthen themselves but also offer their wisdom and presence to the world in a more sustainable, authentic way.
Supporting the Body Through This Transition
To move through menopause with balance and ease, Chinese medicine offers time-tested wisdom:
• Acupuncture & Herbal Support for Menopause: Acupuncture can be a powerful tool to help bring balance during menopause. Key points like Kidney 3, Spleen 6, and Liver 8 help with symptoms such as hot flashes, fatigue, and mood swings by supporting the body’s natural energy flow. In addition to acupuncture, Chinese herbal formulas can provide extra support.
• Nourishing Foods & Lifestyle: Eating warming, nutrient-dense foods like bone broth, black sesame, and cooked greens supports vitality. Gentle movement such as Qi Gong or Yin Yoga maintains circulation and energy flow.
• Mindfulness & Self-Reflection: Meditation, journaling, and quiet time allow for a deeper connection with the self and the wisdom that arises during this phase.
Reframing Menopause as a Gift
This stage of life is not about fading away—it’s about stepping into a new kind of power. Free from the expectations of youth and reproductive demands, menopause is an initiation into a phase of life where a woman’s voice, presence, and wisdom carry even greater depth and purpose.
By embracing this transition as a season of self-renewal, women can shift the narrative around menopause from one of decline to one of expansion. It’s a time to celebrate the strength, resilience, and wisdom that have been cultivated over a lifetime—a gift not only to oneself but to the world.
If you’re experiencing symptoms like hot flashes, fatigue, mood swings, sleep disturbances or simply want to feel more balanced and empowered during this phase, I’d love to support you. Let’s create a personalized plan to help you feel your best.
Book a consultation and treatment with me today to explore how acupuncture and herbal medicine can bring harmony to your body and mind. I look forward to walking this path with you.
Best, Dr. Kallie
Dr. Kallie Harrison
• Doctor of Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine (DACM)
• Licensed Acupuncturist (LAc)
• Registered Nurse (RN)
• Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT)
• Certified Psychedelic Therapist
With over two decades of experience in the healing world, I hold a doctorate in Chinese Medicine specializing in acupuncture and I am also a registered nurse, licensed massage therapist and certified psychedelic therapist. My commitment to healing extends beyond conventional methods, aiding individuals in preparing for and integrating transformative psychedelic experiences.
What sets my approach apart is the culmination of my diverse training and experiences. I blend acupuncture, cupping, gua sha, bodywork, energy work, tuning forks, sound healing, breathwork, and guided meditation into personalized sessions. I also offer guidance in supplement selection, herbal remedies, and nutrition planning to support holistic well-being. My philosophy centers on meeting each individual where they are on their healing journey and providing tailored support for their unique path to wellness.
www.kallieharrison.com
2078 Prospect Ave., Suite 2 Park City, UT 84060
(Inside The Prospect Executive Suites)
Cell: (801) 703-5280
You’re invited to discover a new era of health at our Grand Opening
Thursday, March 20 | 5-8 p.m.
Sports Medicine and Performance at Park City Hospital
Stronger Park City. Stronger you.
Join us for the grand opening of our new integrated health and wellness center at Park City Hospital. This state-of-the-art facility offers a wide range of services designed to meet the diverse needs of our community and take your health to the next level.
Short program and ribbon cutting at 5:30
900 Round Valley Drive, Park City | first floor (Grundhofer Clinic Entrance)
Explore our comprehensive services, including:
● Lifestyle Medicine and Wellness
● Integrative Medicine
● Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation
● Occupational Therapy
● Sports Performance
● Sports Medicine
● Concierge Health
● Acupuncture
● Massage Therapy
● Neuro Rehab
● Nutrition Services
We’re excited to welcome you to our new facility and look forward to celebrating this milestone with you. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn more about the unique services available to our community and how we are committed to supporting your journey to better health and wellness.
© Best Version Media
YOU'RE NOT ALONEWELCOME TO STILL POINT THERAPY
"Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate."
– Carl Jung
The unconscious often communicates through subtle signals or gestures. Perhaps you always pick the same type of partner or keep encountering the same challenges with friendships. Perhaps you tell yourself you’re fine, but when your boss calls on you at work, your stomach twists like you just swallowed a handful of bees. Or maybe a scene in a movie or a song on the radio brings you to tears without knowing why. Sometimes it’s a gnawing feeling that you would like to understand yourself more deeply, your truest desires, your greatest strengths. Maybe you sense your dreams at night might carry clues for your life direction and decision-making.
Exploring the life-giving clues available can feel exciting and overwhelming simultaneously. It’s often helpful to have a guide to support your process—not someone to tell you what to do, but to point out blind spots, avoid pitfalls, and help you develop your own tools.
Depth psychotherapists Ashley Montague, AMFT, ACMHC, and Tracey Dwyer, LMFT, of Still Point Therapy, are specifically trained in Jungian psychodynamic theory and have years of experience helping people uncover the deeper wisdom and passion they’re seeking. By its very nature, the unconscious is elusive. We simply don’t know what we don’t know. However, inviting ourselves forward through committed curiosity, working with images and symbols, listening to the body, and paying attention to our dreams can reveal a new way of
life more aligned with what we know deep down is possible.
One way to invite greater insight and selfdiscovery is through therapeutic writing, offered by Still Point Therapy (Still Point Therapy, n.d.). Journaling is just the beginning of what becomes possible when we pick up a pen and paper. An experienced guide can offer gentle yet challenging prompts, needed encouragement, and supportive tools to soften the critic that limits self-expression, allowing what’s hidden to emerge. As Flannery O’Connor put it: "I write because I don't know what I think until I read what I say" (O’Connor, n.d.).
Engaging in this process within a safe space held by a trained therapist and group committed to the same supportive environment adds new layers of healing. We often think we are the only ones with stories or feelings like those inside us, and when we share them, we find others in the group who relate. The therapeutic writing process allows our sense of shame, anxiety, and isolation, as well as our unexpressed joys and genius, to open into healing connection.
If you long to know yourself more deeply or are curious about what a writing practice might offer you, consider joining the upcoming writing therapy group at Still Point Therapy.
Writing Therapy Group: 10 weeks • 7:30-9 pm on Zoom • $350 Tuesday evenings, beginning May 13
The group is protected by therapeutic standards of confidentiality and non-judgment. To determine if you and the group are a good fit, Ashley, the group therapist and facilitator,
will meet with you to learn more about you and discuss your needs and intentions in joining the group. Email ashley@amontague.com to learn more and reserve your place.
About the Writing Group Facilitator: Ashley Montague, MA, AMFT, ACMHC, is a depth psychotherapist with an MA in Counseling Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute, with additional training in advanced adult development, yoga and embodiment, nature therapy, and mindfulness. She holds an MA in Nonfiction Writing from Johns Hopkins University and has trained in writing as a spiritual practice with such experts as Natalie Goldberg, Mirabai Starr, Brooke McNamara, and others.
Still Point Therapy offers group therapy, individual therapy, and coaching for those looking to focus on specific goals. Depth coaching is great for those looking to explore personal growth and transitions outside of a clinical setting, while psychotherapy focuses more on emotional and mental well-being. Find out more at https://stillpointutah.com.
References
• O’Connor, F. (n.d.). [Quote]. Retrieved from https://www.goodreads.com
• Still Point Therapy. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://stillpointutah.com
Psychotherapy & Coaching
Integrative Psychotherapist and Coach for Adults and Teens at The Still Point Collective.
To explore working together, or to learn more about writing therapy groups, yoga retreats, nature therapy, and other upcoming offerings, reach out to ashley@amontague.com.
I’d love to hear from you!
stillpointutah.com
SpringIntoAlignment: RESETTING YOUR DAILY ROUTINES
Spring is a season of renewal, and fresh growth begins to emerge. Just as gardeners prepare their soil, plan their gardens, and plant new seeds, we, too, can embrace this season as an opportunity to refresh our routines. By reassessing our daily habits and cultivating new ones, we create fertile ground for personal growth, productivity, and well-being. The shift in seasons serves as a natural reminder that change is not only possible but necessary for flourishing.
WHAT IS A ROUTINE?
A routine is a sequence of actions regularly followed. It provides structure and stability, helping us manage time efficiently while fostering habits that align with our values and goals. Routines serve as the foundation for a balanced and intentional life, allowing us to thrive rather than simply move through our days on autopilot. When we approach routines with mindfulness, they become powerful tools for self-care and transformation rather than rigid obligations.
THE BENEFITS OF ROUTINE
A well-structured routine offers numerous benefits, including:
▶ Increased productivity: Streamlining activities optimizes time and efficiency, helping you focus on what truly matters.
▶ Reduced stress: Predictability creates a sense of control and minimizes anxiety, leading to greater emotional balance.
▶ Healthy habits: Incorporating exercise, mindfulness, and nourishing meals promotes physical and mental well-being.
▶ Better time management: Prioritizing tasks ensures important activities are not neglected, reducing procrastination and overwhelm.
▶ Enhanced focus and clarity: Establishing a rhythm allows your mind to function with greater ease, improving decision-making and creativity.
▶ Improved sleep quality: Consistent bedtime and wake-up routines regulate circadian rhythms, fostering deeper rest and rejuvenation.
• birth and postpartum doula support
• birth education + prep classes*
• prenatal yoga series*
Connect with joy and ignite your inner badass through mindful movement in nature:
Training for Life’s Everyday Adventures
Custom Outdoor Fitness Experiences
Functional Fitness Training
Corporate and Group Events
Mind/Body Connection
Hybrid/ Remote Coaching
In Home Nature Inspired Movement Sessions … in Park City, Utah and Beyond
© Best Version Media
CULTIVATING A NEW ROUTINE
Spring invites us to assess what is working in our lives and what no longer serves us. Use the following steps to intentionally reset your routine:
▶ Assess Your Needs: Identify areas that feel stagnant and where improvement is needed. What habits nourish you? Which ones feel draining? Self-awareness is the first step to meaningful change.
▶ Set Intentional Goals: Determine what you hope to achieve by shifting your routine. Clarity provides motivation and direction, ensuring your habits align with your long-term vision.
▶ Plant New Seeds: Choose essential activities that align with your well-being and values. Consider habits that promote movement, creativity, rest, and connection.
▶ Create a Flexible Structure: Schedule habits into your day, but allow room for adaptability. A rigid routine can lead to burnout, while a flexible one supports long-term sustainability and enjoyment.
▶ Take Small, Consistent Steps: Motivation follows action. Start small, and momentum will build. Even a five-minute meditation, a short walk, or a mindful meal can make a significant impact over time.
▶ Monitor & Adjust: Progress, not perfection, is the goal. Regularly evaluate your routine to ensure it continues to
support your needs. Adjust as necessary without guilt, knowing that growth is an evolving process.
▶ Celebrate Your Growth: Recognize and honor the positive changes you implement. Acknowledging progress reinforces commitment and self-trust. Each small step forward is a victory worth celebrating.
REFLECTION: TENDING TO YOUR INNER GARDEN
Journaling can help you gain clarity as you reset your routine. Consider these prompts:
▶ How does your current morning routine make you feel? What small change could enhance it?
▶ What habits support your energy and well-being? Which drain you? How can you cultivate more of what nourishes you?
▶ How can you incorporate more movement, mindfulness, or joy into your daily life? What practices bring you the most fulfillment?
▶ What routines feel aligned with who you are becoming? Are there new rhythms calling to you?
▶ What is one habit that no longer serves you? How can you gently release it and replace it with something more supportive?
▶ How does nature’s rhythm inspire your own daily flow? What lessons can you take from the cycles of the seasons?
Spring reminds us that transformation begins beneath the surface. By tending to our personal soil—our routines, habits, and daily choices— we nurture the conditions for growth, vitality, and renewal. Just as a garden requires care, patience, and attention, so too does our inner world. Embrace this season as an invitation to reset, realign, and flourish. The seeds you plant today will shape the harvest of your future self.
NAD is finally getting the attention it deserves. You may have heard of this wellness trend from your health obsessed friend, or even from some well known celebrities sharing their regimens. NAD is such a beneficial tool, and we are here to educate you on how this amazing product can help to better your life. NAD is a coenzyme that is naturally occurring within your body, and depletes over time. Whether due to aging, stress, chronic fatigue, NAD levels slowly drop in your body. When administered via injection (either intramuscular, subcutaneous, or intravenous), there are so many benefits to health, wellness, and recovery. NAD restores your cells from within, allowing your body to be more efficient at daily vital processes. Our patients notice significant improvements in overall sense of wellbeing, energy increase, improved mental cognition, metabolic benefits, and shortened recovery times. NAD truly is the latest and greatest when it comes to health and wellness, and at VB we are here to offer you the most concentrated and powerful NAD available to us. We never sacrifice on results or quality, neither should you. Come experience all that this infusion or injection has to offer for 15% off when you mention this Neighbors Ad.
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Not only do we offer mobile service, but we offer a variety of treatments in the comfort of our spa facility. 2080 Gold Dust Lane, Unit B Mobile Services are available in Park City and Heber Valley.
JUST
© Best Version Media
CLEAR BLOCKAGES, BOOST WELLNESS LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE AT ALIGN SPA
How often do you think about your lymphatic system? There are an estimated 600 lymph nodes in your body. Each one works hard to keep your body balanced and clear of cellular waste and bacteria trying to make you sick. These lymph nodes are connected to one another through little highways, or lymphatic vessels, that dumps it all into your lymphatic organs. Similar to Park City during ski season, traffic through these highways can become backed up, causing congestion and slowing the passage of cars through the area. When the lymphatic system isn't flowing properly, waste and toxins can build up and increase our chances of getting sick. Lymphatic drainage is the traffic guard that steps in to facilitate a faster clearing of the roadways, ensuring that fluid flows smoothly again. Most commonly, lymphatic drainage is known for treating lymphedema, symptoms of fibromyalgia and chronic sinus issues. However, lymphatic drainage has recently caught on as a preventative measure and added boost to regular immune system maintenance - supporting detoxification and reducing bloating and inflammation through a restoration of fluid balance. Its benefits are noticeable particularly for those who receive regular, consistent treatments. Regular sessions can lead to better skin tone, reduced swelling, and improved overall vitality. For those struggling with water retention, this therapy can provide noticeable relief. Over
time, consistent lymphatic drainage can help maintain a balanced, healthier body - and you’ll get more out of your facials too!
The idea of a healthier, more vibrant you is exciting - but it’s good to have an idea of what to expect when you go into it. Frequent massage goers should not expect to feel the same following a lymphatic massage as they do a deep tissue, for example. Cara, an Align Spa Member who began monthly lymphatic drainage treatments in June of last year, described her experience this way:
“The process does not loosen knots in your muscles, or relieve localized pain like a therapeutic massage, the effects feel much more holistic and long term. For example, I haven't been sick since I got my first lymphatic massage. The treatment is very light touch and methodical. It feels like I could answer emails while having it done, but it is still a great time to relax and disconnect. I like the idea of having a healthy lymphatic system and helping keep everything flowing properly. The reassurance for me that it's being done right, and I get to relax for an hour… makes me much more motivated to seek out professional help.”
By supporting your lymphatic system's natural detoxification processes and encouraging the smooth flow of fluid, you can help reduce inflammation, bloating, and water retention. Whether you're looking to boost your immune system, improve skin tone, or simply feel more balanced overall - it starts with supporting the 600 lymph nodes currently supporting you.
Luckily, Align Spa is just a call away and staffed with licensed massage therapists trained in lymphatic drainage. With over 20 years of experience, we’re confident we can support you on your path to a balanced, healthier body. That’s where we excel - and why we are known as The Original Park City Spa.
References:
• American Massage Therapy Association. (2023). Research update: Lymphatic drainage. Massage Therapy Journal. https://www.amtamassage. org/publications/massage-therapy-journal/research-update-lymphdrainage/
• Marxen, T., Shauly, O., Goel, P., Tsan, T., Faria, R., & Gould, D. J. (2023). The Utility of Lymphatic Massage in Cosmetic Procedures. Aesthetic surgery journal. Open forum, 5, ojad023. https://doi.org/10.1093/asjof/ojad023
BY RACHEL FRIEDMAN, STOKE COACH
Foundations of aMovement Practice:
PLANTING THE SEEDS OF CONSISTENCY
As spring unfolds in Park City, we are surrounded by nature’s quiet reminder that growth takes time. The snow recedes, the first green shoots break through, and the days start to stretch a little longer. It is a season of renewal—a perfect time to plant the seeds of a sustainable movement practice.
MOVEMENT IS DEEPLY PERSONAL
Movement is not just about exercise; it is about finding ways to engage with your body that feel good, bring joy, and create momentum. Whether you are returning to an old routine, starting fresh, or refining what already works, the key is simple: show up, be consistent, and choose something you love.
SHOW UP: THE POWER OF SMALL BEGINNINGS
Every garden starts with a single seed, and every movement practice begins with showing up. You do not need to overhaul your life overnight. Instead, think of small, intentional steps. Maybe it is a morning stretch, a walk around your neighborhood, or a few minutes of breathwork. The important thing is to start—without overthinking or waiting for the “perfect” moment. Just like in nature, where a plant does not rush to bloom but instead grows steadily with sun and water, your movement practice thrives on gentle persistence. Some days will feel easy, and others will be a struggle, but showing up—no matter the conditions—is what keeps things growing.
BE CONSISTENT: WATER YOUR PRACTICE
Consistency is what turns effort into habit. Think of it as watering the seeds you have planted. If you want something to grow, it needs regular attention—not just when the mood strikes.
The trick is to set yourself up for success. Instead of aiming for perfection, focus on frequency. Maybe that means committing to three movement sessions a week or simply making movement a part of your daily routine in small doses—taking the stairs, stretching while your coffee brews, or setting aside 10 minutes for mindful breathing. The more you nurture your practice, the deeper its roots will grow.
DO WHAT YOU LOVE: MOVEMENT SHOULD FEEL GOOD
Spring invites us to reconnect with joy; your movement practice should do the same. There is no one-size-fits-all approach, so let go of the idea that movement has to look a certain way. Some people find their rhythm in yoga, while others thrive on trail runs, dance, or strength training. The best practice is the one that keeps you coming back.
If you love being outdoors, take advantage of Park City’s trails as they thaw. If music moves you, try a dance class. If you crave quiet, explore a mindful movement practice like Tai Chi or Pilates. The goal is to find something that does not feel like a chore—something that makes you want to move.
SPRING IS YOUR INVITATION
There is something invigorating about the transition from winter to spring— the shift in seasons brings new energy, fresh opportunities, and the chance to reset. Living in a ski town, many of us stay active all winter long—carving turns, chasing powder, and keeping our bodies strong for the mountain. But as the snow recedes and the trails start to reappear, spring offers a different kind of renewal—an opportunity to shift gears, explore new ways to move, and build a foundation that carries us through the seasons. As the days grow warmer, let this time of year remind you that it is never too late to begin. Start small, stay consistent, and choose movement that brings you joy.
Over time, those tiny efforts—just like seeds—will take root, grow strong, and become something lasting. And just as spring reminds us, growth is not about rushing; it is about showing up, day after day, and trusting the process.
So step outside, stretch, breathe, move—and let this be the season you plant something beautiful for yourself.
If you are looking for guidance in building a movement practice that feels good and fits your lifestyle, I would love to help. As a wellness and fitness guide, I work with clients to create customized, mindful, and joyful movement experiences that build strength, confidence, and consistency—whether it is personal training, outdoor sessions, or a holistic fitness approach. Let us plant the seeds of a routine that energizes and excites you. Reach out, and let us move together!
© Best Version Media
Get your hands dirty
Park City Gardens, formally known as Park City Nursery, has been a staple of the community for more than 40 years. Housed on a charming historic homestead from the 1800s owned by the Snyder family—a local ranching legacy—this friendly garden center has grown into much more than just a greenhouse. With its blend of history, greenery, and passion for all things plants, Park City Gardens is ready to help you prepare your beds for the sunny months ahead.
Sophy Kohler, a transplant to Utah, took ownership of Park City Gardens in 2016 and carries on the legacy of the business and historic homestead with notable care and enthusiasm. “I was obsessed with this place, just like a lot of customers,” Sophy shares. “I love all nursery and plant shops. It is therapeutic for me. Being part of the community is also a great aspect of getting to be here.”
Adding to its charm, the space now features a year-round café in the building that housed the first general store in Park City, PaceArchibald General Store, where patrons can relax with a coffee or a cup of tea surrounded by lush plants and blooms. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or someone looking to bring life to your living space, Park City Gardens is a hub of creativity and community.
© Best Version Media
PREPARING YOUR GARDEN FOR SPRING AND SUMMER
With winter all but behind us and warm weather in sight, now is the perfect time to give your garden beds some TLC. Proper preparation can make all the difference in ensuring your plants thrive during the growing season. Sophy has shared her top tips to get your garden ready.
AMEND YOUR SOIL
After a winter’s rest, your soil may be starving for nutrients. Sophy recommends adding some gypsum and composite to your beds in the spring to replenish what your soil may have lost. “If you live by anywhere that has had to be salted for winter ice, it gets in the soil and makes it lifeless, super hard, etcetera,” Sophy adds. Park City Gardens offers various soil amendments tailored to the needs of local gardeners.
CHOOSE THE RIGHT PLANTS
“We have our ‘bread and butter’ recommendations for where we live. We have many contributors like elevation, high wind areas, and animals,” says Sophy. “Being water-wise is also important to some; we have many options for this as well.” Opt for easygoing perennials, vibrant annuals, and perhaps even a plot of edible herbs. “People are always so surprised by certain plants that grow well and that are also water-wise,” she adds.
SELECT A VISUAL RANGE
For a truly showstopping garden, consider the eyeline. Creating a gradual line with your eye, start with a ground cover, then move into a medium-sized perennial and a tall iris. “That way, it is nice and soft, and there is usually some blooming activity going on,” Sophy recommends. “Thinking about the seasons and going with nature is also important.”
DON’T FORGET MAINTENANCE
Spring planting is just the start. To keep your garden lush and thriving through summer, commit to regular watering and fertilizing. And don’t underestimate the need for a sharp pair of shears to trim, deadhead, and keep everything tidy and healthy. “Flag Days [Labor Day, etc.] are great reminders to go out and do some fertilizing. We like a slow-release fertilizer,” Sophy says. “We recommend Milorganite, early spring.”
VISIT THE CAFÉ—STAY FOR THE COMMUNITY
After handling the tasks of gardening, why not reward yourself with a visit to Park City Gardens’ quaint café? Open year-round, it’s the perfect spot to grab your favorite drink and unwind among the flowers and greenery. “We want to invite people into both the history and the property,” adds Sophy. It’s an indoor oasis with great coffee—a place where people can connect over their shared love of nature.
Park City Gardens also offers workshops throughout the year to help you sharpen your green thumb. Whether learning the basics of planting, mastering the art of floral arrangements, or exploring houseplant care, these events are designed to foster skills and community alike.
Some of our favorite “water wise” plants, ones you wouldn’t expect to thrive at a PC altitude/climate... [An asterisk (*) means the species can eventually go native once established (3-5 years)]
TREES AND SHRUBS:
▶ *Canada red cherry
▶ Amur maple
▶ Apple
▶ Crabapple
▶ Spruce
▶ Assorted pine (Bristlecone, Scotch, Austrian, Pinyon, Mugo, Ponderosa)
▶ *Sagebrush
▶ *Serviceberry
▶ *Chokecherry
▶ *Peking cotoneaster
▶ *Siberian pea shrub
▶ *Golden currant
▶ *Snowberry
▶ *Buffaloberry
▶ *Apache plume
FLOWERS AND GROUNDCOVER:
▶ Creeping Oregon grape
▶ *Snow-in-summer
▶ Sedum, assorted varieties
▶ Thyme
▶ *Artemisia
▶ Lamb’s ear
▶ Dianthus
▶ Phlox
▶ Oriental poppy
▶ Salvia
▶ *Yarrow
▶ *Kinnikinnick
▶ Campanula
▶ Hollyhock
▶ *Echinacea
▶ Daisy, assorted variet-
ies
▶ *Centaurea
▶ Aster
▶ Iris, bearded
▶ *Daylily
▶ Goldenrod
▶ Columbine
▶ Wild geranium
▶ Ice plant
▶ Penstemon, assorted varieties
▶ Lavender
▶ Coreopsis
▶ *Sandwort
▶ *Peony
▶ Bishop’s weed
▶ Sweet woodruff
And to spread the blooming season in your garden, here are some favorite early spring bloomers:
▶ Creeping phlox
▶ Candy tuft
▶ Pasque flower
▶ Spring bulbs: daffodil, allium, and hyacinth are deer-resistant
Late spring:
▶ Lupine
▶ Columbine
Summer:
▶ Campanula
▶ Delphinium
▶ Daisies
▶ Flowering crabapple trees–a fave that’s soonest to bloom is spring snow: white flowers, sterile variety with no fruit
▶ Poppies
▶ Penstemon
▶ Flowering shrubs: honeysuckle, potentilla, roses
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PARK CITY GIFT & GOURMET: Local Finds and Gourmet Goods
Park City Gift & Gourmet is a celebration of local flavor, community connections, and thoughtful curation. Owned by Suni Woolstenhulme, a passionate local entrepreneur, this eclectic store is where town traditions and modern tastes blend seamlessly into one delightful shopping experience.
Suni’s entrepreneurial journey began in 2016 when she opened Oil & Vinegar Junction, a store dedicated to premium oils and vinegar. Recognizing a growing demand for a more diverse shopping experience, Suni decided to expand her vision, and in 2019, she rebranded the shop to Park City Gift & Gourmet. This transformation allowed her to create a full-fledged gift shop that combines the original store’s gourmet essence with a broader selection of locally inspired gifts, home goods, and specialty items rooted in her love for the community. Shelves are stocked with an assortment of handpicked products that Suni proudly
supports, including fan favorites like the rich, locally made Ritual Chocolate, Dipped by Deb’s decadent Oreos, and the warm, comforting scents of Cabin Candles. And, of course, who can resist a bag of Park City Granola?
“I have always loved cooking, but as people would come in [Oil & Vinegar Junction], they would ask for more, a better selection of things, and make comments that they wished there was a great gift store in town,” Suni says. “Word of mouth is always generous; the Park City community is so kind and encouraging.”
THOUGHTFUL TOUCHES AND UNIQUE OFFERINGS
Suni curates customized gift boxes for every occasion. Whether you’re looking for a heartfelt thank-you gesture, a hostess
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gift, or a birthday surprise, Park City Gift & Gourmet will help you craft something special. And for those with a creative flair, you’ll be thrilled to discover Flowers By You is back, an onsite florist creating stunning bouquets with seasonal blooms. It’s the perfect way to add an extra personal (and colorful!) touch to any occasion.
“I choose things for the store that I love and would be willing to use myself,” Suni explains. “I cannot sell something that I
don’t believe in. I like knowing people go home loving what they purchased.”
COMMUNITY IS AT THE CENTER
Suni’s love for Park City isn’t just behind the scenes—it’s right there on the shelves. By working closely with local makers and artisans, Park City Gift & Gourmet supports small businesses and helps them thrive. It’s a win-win that shoppers can feel good about as they pick up uniquely Park City creations.
“I am part of the Park City Chamber and try to utilize those relationships,” Suni says. “I spend a lot of time in my store, listening to what people are wanting. I want customers to leave happier than when they walked in the door.”
Park City Gift & Gourmet is the place to buy a thoughtful present or a delicious treat— or to catch up with another local shopper whom you are sure to know. Suni has crafted a store where the stories behind the items are as meaningful as the gifts themselves.
The Story of Keetley, Part 1
According to Viola Koldewyn’s handwritten, two-page biographical letter, on August 11, 1868, David Fisher, age 16, was building a railroad when a landslide killed his father near Devil’s Gate, Weber Canyon, on the same job (Familysearch. org, Fisher). David took on the mantle of providing for his siblings and widowed mother. By late 1875, he moved to Park City to work in the burgeoning Ontario Mine, and by 1883, he had become its foreman. His wife, Mary McDonald, had grown up in Heber. David eventually relocated his family there, and their house still stands today. However, he and his family became intertwined in the economic and cultural fabric of the two cities. If you’ve ever wondered about the town Keetley, the Fishers are responsible for much of what it became.
The remnants of the Mayflower were bulldozed just a few years ago as the massive Hyatt Hotel was built to accommodate Deer Valley East’s guests. The Mayflower mine was part of a larger conglomerate of mining operations that included David Fisher’s own Columbus Mine (White, p. 247). Many others would prospect the hills above
adjacent McCune Hollow, leaving traces that can be seen today. Most architectural history, buildings, homes, and roads, tell the Keetley story of being leveled or submerged.
In 1872, Henry and Kezia Cluff moved to their property in today’s northern and central basin of Jordanelle Reservoir, now a submerged town once called Elkhorn, then later Hailstone (Familysearch. org, Cluff). It was that same year Rector Steen discovered the Ontario claim—although it could have been Herman Budden—and quickly sold it to J.B. Haggin and George Hearst of Virginia City, Nevada, for $27,000 (Ringholz, p. 16). Their motivation? The mineral assay reported 100–400 ounces of silver per ore ton, which is anywhere from 6.25 to 25 pounds of silver per ore ton and would probably have been around the volume of one ore cart. That’s a lot of silver.
Henry Cluff sold dairy and meat goods to settlers in Park City. Miners dug deep into the subterranean fissures, tracing treasure, eventually creating 23 millionaires. However, it was known as a “wet district because of the region’s heavy precipitation…sponged up by red shale and
massive quartzite forming underground streams” (Ringholz, p.16). Miners encountered incredible water volumes, flooding tunnels and preventing deeper extraction.
Ontario Drain No. 1 tunnel was cut in 1881, releasing a constant flow of water near the top of Main Street, Park City (Utahrails.org). The newly installed famous Cornish pump’s 70-ton flywheel pushed and pulled a 1,060-foot pump rod, elevating more than 3.5 million gallons of water per day from the 1,000-foot (depth) level into the No. 1 drain tunnel.
Good ore lodes continually pushed the miners further, encountering more and more water. In early 1887, the Ontario Mining Company made plans to build Ontario Drain No. 2, having noted the effectiveness of their first drain tunnel, today known as Keetley Tunnel (Thompson & Buck, p. 41). R.C. Chambers tasked John “Jack” Keetley, a well-known and formidable man, with the job. By August that year, Camp Florence saw expansion of buildings and dorms for miners as work began— buildings that were razed in 1983.
Market demands improved in mid-1888, when
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Congress provided “for the purchase of 4,500,000 ounces of silver a month, which resulted in a great improvement of the silver market” (Utahrails.org). If there was ever a motivation to find more silver, this was it. They had to clear the water. Work in the tunnel began that year, starting from Camp Florence. Hard-rock mining is challenging: drilling, blasting, and mucking waste-rock, only so much rock per day being moved. By 1890, the surface tunnel was 4,000-feet deep, but that same year, Camp Florence burned (Thompson & Buck, p. 41). Fires were the scourge of mining camps across the west, and Park City was no different. It was only eight years later when Park City proper went up in flames.
Ontario Drain No. 2 tunnel was completed on October 7, 1894, the three-mile section to the Ontario mining works: “It was so straight that light could be seen at the portal” (Thompson & Buck, p. 41). The timbered tunnel was “9.5 feet tall and tapered from 4.5-feet-wide ceiling to 5.5-feet-wide floor. A flume 21 inches deep ran beneath [floor] planking at a rate of 13,000 gallons per minute” (Ringholz, p. 21). The planking allowed for regular mine work, including ore carts and rails. If you’ve ever wondered what happened to all that water, then it would be important to know that water rights and shares are not a new thing. Those 13,000 gallons per minute spilled into the Middle Provo River, but, as a result, Midway City had claim to most of it, (DUP, p. 1114). “It was a boon to farmers in the lowlands. Orson Hicken, David Hicken, Fred Hicken, and others dug a canal to carry the waters down to the meadows.” Although it appears to have been Orson and his two sons, documentation is not clear on which of the Hickenses these men were. However, this was early enough in Heber and Midway history that they were among Heber Valley’s first settling families.
Over the next several decades, water continued to flow from the portal at Camp Florence. The notable events happened underground, only adding to the water entering McCune Hollow: 1898, Drain No. 2 was lengthened to the DalyJudge mine (White, p. 247). Park City’s miners
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References:
kept digging, Heber Valley’s residents kept farming, and the Cluffs, geographically and culturally in the middle, continued taking their ranch goods into Park City.
Henry and Kezia were growing old, many of their children having moved to Utah Valley for a longer growing season and shorter winters, and decided they needed to do the same (White, p. 247). Kezia passed away in 1915. In 1917, George and Donald Gail (known as “Gail”) Fisher purchased the 4,000-acre Cluff ranch. The brothers’ father, David, surely had consulted them on the decision, resulting in them mortgaging their livestock to make the purchase. Though David was retired, it
could be assumed that he was still well-informed. This inference comes because also, in 1917, Park City United Mining Company, who owned the Ontario Mining Company, decided to use the Ontario Drain No. 2 tunnel to haul ore from the mountain (Thompson & Buck, p. 99). It would be a little like building a station before the railroad arrived.
DUP - Daughters of Utah Pioneers. (1963). How Beautiful Upon the Mountains: A Centennial History of Wasatch County. Wasatch County Chapter of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers. • Fisher - Family search: https://www.familysearch.org/memories/ memory/105990321?cid=mem_copy • Cluff - Family search: https://www.familysearch. org/memories/memory/209550653?cid=mem_copy • Ringholz, Raye C. (1983). Diggings & Doings in Park City, 5th Edition. Park City, Utah. Raye Carleson Ringholz. • Strack, D. (2014, March 22). Park City Drain Tunnels. https://utahrails.net/mining/ park-city-drain-tunnels.php • Thompson, George A. & Buck, Fraser. (1993). Treasure Mountain Home: Park City Revisited. Salt Lake City, Utah. Dream Garden Press. • White, Marilyn Curtis. (1994). Keetley, Utah: The Birth and Death of a Small Town. Utah Historical Quarterly, Winter 1994. Volume 62 (No. 1), 246-260. [https://collections.lib. utah.edu/ark:/87278/s64m93vt/422236] TELL US WHY YOU LOVE THIS MAGAZINE!
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HereComes theSun
Shoulder season may no longer mean two-for-one restaurant deals now that Park City’s popularity fills establishments year-round, but it still means it’s time to prepare for summer expeditions and adventures.
If you moved to Park City from outside the region, you may have come for the skiing, the boarding, and other winter adventures afforded by our glorious snow. Cheers to that! But, as it melts, maybe you’re wondering, “What should I do between now and next winter?”
Full disclosure: Our family moved here from Massachusetts with pretty much no thought given to summer activities. Our East Coast friends laughed and insisted we’d miss having the ocean a mile from our home, with its cheap oysters and lobsters, festive beach scene, and endless boating pursuits. We left with “You’ll be back!” ringing in our ears.
Seven years on, we can now say we were right (sorry, gang!). Give us Utah’s (and Wyoming’s; it straddles the border) Flaming Gorge Reservoir, with its Zion Park–like canyon walls and technicolor Milky Way
CHRISTIAN CENTER OF PARK CITY STORES: SHOPPING WITH A PURPOSE © Best Version Media
The Christian Center of Park City (CCPC) is well-known for its impactful services, and part of that impact comes from four incredible thrift stores—Summit Exchange, CCPC Boutique, CCPC Thrift, and the Heber Valley Thrift Store. These stores not only offer affordable treasures for shoppers but also help fund the critical programs and services CCPC provides to the community.
Summit Exchange is a hub for high-quality, gently used outdoor gear, clothing, furniture, and household items. From skis to vintage furniture, it’s a favorite spot for locals and visitors alike, offering affordable finds that support a meaningful cause.
CCPC Thrift is perfect for those seeking everyday essentials. With a range of clothing, home goods, toys, and electronics, it provides
nights, over the mosquito- and biting-flyinfested Atlantic shore any day. Or give us the Mighty Five national parks, or the walkingon-the-moon vibe of Bears Ears National Monument and BLM’s forestland. Or Dinosaur National Monument. Snow Canyon State Park. Red Fleet State Park. The list of gems is lengthy, and mere words don’t do it justice—you’ll need to see for yourself.
It does take a while to get the lay of the land. As new friends’ social media posts continued to display places that looked irresistible, we started badgering everyone we met for tips, advice, and places to drop our pins.
Now that we’ve done all that work, you don’t have to! Here are a few favorite ways to approach the bounty of the coming season. You may still have snow in your yard, but popular pursuits book up and sell out, so
make plans and reservations, buy concert tickets, and look into guides now. April is already too late for some popular camping sites, which take reservations six months before travel dates and are quickly snapped up. Don’t sweat that—there are plenty of places to go.
April is the perfect time to book some trips, tours, and guided outings, as well as do a thorough gear check. Those with kids may want to see if anyone outgrew their bikes or climbing gear since last year and, if so, replace things now before stores like Salt Lake City’s REI or popular used gear sites like KSL.com get cleaned out.
CAMPING
“Camping” can mean anything from primitive accommodations and bustling campgrounds to glamping in RVs, vans, or even yurts managed
affordable, gently used items for families and individuals while contributing to CCPC’s charitable efforts.
For a more curated experience, CCPC Boutique offers designer clothing, accessories, and unique fashion pieces. It feels like an upscale shopping destination, but with the added benefit that every purchase directly supports CCPC’s community programs. Expanding CCPC’s mission beyond Park City, the Heber Thrift Store brings the same value-driven, community-focused shopping experience to Heber Valley. With a wide variety of affordable clothing, furniture, and household goods, it serves as a beloved local resource while supporting CCPC’s outreach efforts in the region.
Proceeds from all four stores directly fund CCPC’s essential services, including food
programs, counseling, and emergency assistance. Shopping or donating at these stores not only provides great deals but also contributes to a larger mission of helping those in need.
Shop, donate, and make an impact with Christian Center of Park City stores. Your support goes further than you think! Learn more at ccofpc.org. https://ccofpc.org/stores/.
There is a lot more going on at CCPC. To keep up on the latest happenings, you can follow our social media here: facebook.com/ChristianCenterofParkCity or our website here: ccofpc.org
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by pros. First and foremost: Know thyself, thy travel companions, and the seasons.
“Primitive camping,” for example, means no toilets, no running water, no nothing but the earth and the sky. Do you want that? Answer carefully. If so, understand you must keep primitive places primitive—don’t install a toilet at your primitive site. Do not ever leave traces of where you went to the bathroom, either. In fact, don’t enter primitive areas without studying “leave no trace” principles.
“First come, first served” sites vary by services provided, and they can be great—as long as you get there first. We’ve noticed that hitting the road midday Friday is not early enough to snag prime unreserved spots; leaving on Thursday or early Friday yields more desirable options. Always carry a road atlas and have a backup plan in case your destination is full when you arrive.
Harsh conditions require considering not only temperatures but also shade. Visiting Utah’s national parks in April or May delivers peak wildflowers and could possibly be comfortable the whole time. Visiting in high summer requires shade tents, and heatsensitive people may want to sleep in hotels or RVs with air conditioning.
That said, in high desert or at elevation, any weather can happen at any time. One spring break, we found ourselves in a tent in the mid-20s overnight near Kodachrome Basin State Park. The kids call that one of their “life’s great challenges” (sorry, darlings, but it sure was pretty!). No matter what the forecast, rain gear and extra insulation are just plain smart to carry.
If you prefer the sounds of the night to the whir of motors when re-creating the outdoors, choose campsites with evergreen trees located near more-exposed destinations. You’ll need an atlas to flesh this
out, but when we camp near Flaming Gorge in August (for peak meteor-shower viewing), we sleep about 20 minutes from the water at Sheep Creek, under giant spruce and pine. We spend days on water, then return to our wooded site. It makes a big difference when the temperature is still 85 at dinnertime.
FISHING
Fishing is wildly popular thanks to abundant, diverse offerings and a price tag much lower than that of many other outdoor pursuits.
Where to start? The fastest and most interesting way to learn about Utah fishing is to visit local outfitters like Park City’s Trout Bum 2 fly shop and ask questions. They can sell you whatever you need, but they’ll also just share their knowledge and passion in conversation and point you toward favorite bodies of fishy water.
Reservoirs like Flaming Gorge (located on the Green River), Deer Creek, and Strawberry are nearby, and rich with angling and boating opportunities. Besides fishing, they’re filled with swimmers, kayakers, and paddle boarders. Flaming Gorge is among those serving day-trippers with pet-friendly rental pontoons or motorboats.
The Provo River, which runs through the Uintas and feeds the Jordanelle Reservoir,
is closest to home and is an easy day-trip or overnight stay.
Keep in mind, depending on the body of water and who owns it, fishing in Utah requires licenses and permits. Everything you need to know is easy to find online.
MULTISPORT FUN
Professional guides offer clients a leg up— literally and figuratively.
Local outfitter Inspired Summit Adventures leads custom day-trips and multiday outings that can include biking, rock climbing, and hiking. Founder and lead guide Shaun Raskin-Deutschlander loves to meet people where they are and help them achieve their wilderness goals. A former professional telemark skier, Shaun—along with her team of more than 20 guides—takes individuals, families, and corporate groups into the mountains year-round. Summer trips might include overnight stays in tents, or yurts that the company owns in the nearby Uintas.
Wherever you go, bring hats, sunscreen, and more water than you think you’ll need. In some circles, Utah sun is as legendary as its snow!
BY SANDY GELDHOF
DAVID KITCHEN, ROCKY MOUNTAIN K9
LOCAL RESCUES PAVE THE WAY FOR LOS ANGELES FIRE DOGS IN NEED
For weeks in January the world was riveted by news organizations airing unbelievable scenes of the raging wildfires ripping through neighborhoods surrounding the Los Angeles landscape, devastating several communities including Altadena and Pasadena and leveling over 10,000 structures, leaving residents, businesses, parks, and entire towns adrift in devastation and homelessness. Part of that collateral damage were the thousands of pets including dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, horses, and other farm animals facing an unknown and vulnerable future.
Within hours of the reporting, local and regional animal rescue groups and shelters sprang into action, using their integrated networks and resources of shelter partners, nonprofits, volunteers, and fosters to create solutions to get animals in safe shelter and out of harm’s way. Pasadena Humane Society alone reported over 1,000 domestic pets pouring through its doors and temporary shelters sprung up seemingly overnight to help house the vast numbers of displaced animals.
Within a few days, one of Utah’s most renowned rescues, Best Friends Animal Society, with facilities in Salt Lake City, Kanab, and Los Angeles, mobilized
its resources and started organizing transport, fosters, and volunteers, reaching out to many of its 5000 national partner organizations (eight in Utah) to help in the effort. To date, hundreds of dogs have been transported and relocated to Best Friends’ facilities throughout the state with over 100 dogs transferred to several area rescues, according to information on their website (www.bestfriends.org).
Several local Summit and Wasatch rescue groups have been a part of the rescue effort, including Midway-based Mountain Mama Pyrs and Pups (MMPP), Nuzzles and Company in Summit County, and Rocky Mountain K9, a dog boarding facility with operations in Park City, Grantsville, and Ogden.
For Rocky Mountain K-9 Owner David Kitchen, not helping wasn’t an option, as he watched the crisis unfolding. “I saw the fires happening and at this point in my work life I have a little more free time,” he said. “So, I reached out to Best Friends who offered us a stipend to help and put us in touch with some shelters in California that needed to clear kennels to make room for some of the displaced dogs. Within 24 hours we had organized a trailer, four volunteers, and we loaded up and hit the road,” he said.
Kitchen and his crew drove through the night and made contact with two Los Angeles-based animal shelters, Downey Animal Care Center and Baldwin Park Animal Care Centers where they pulled 25 dogs in total with the help of the shelters’ staff. Of the work involved, he said it took nearly a full day. “At our first stop it took about four and a half hours to load
WASATCH BACK’S DOGS’ FAVORITE PLACE TO PLAY
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up fifteen dogs and we got to the Baldwin facility with about an hour to spare to get ten more,” he said. Of the process, Kitchen said it went smoothly. “Downey and Baldwin were amazing to work with. The staff were so professional and seemed really grateful for our help. At the time it seemed like they were about thirty percent capacity, so it felt good to clear the kennels for dogs who were going to be needing temporary shelter for the families who lost their homes.”
Rocky Mountain K-9, a for-profit business that is working toward obtaining a nonprofit 501(c) (3) designation for a branch of the company, was quick to express gratitude for the assistance of the Midway-based nonprofit Mountain Mama Pyrs and Pups, which provided the necessary nonprofit paperwork to facilitate a shelter-torescue animal transfer. However, he noted that they did not waste any time. “We loaded up and left on a Wednesday night, without even having final approvals, but we knew we would figure it out,” he said.
At the time of publication, Kitchen said three of the twenty-five dogs he rescued have been adopted, and they are working on getting the remaining dogs vaccinated, spayed, and neutered with the help of the Nuzzles and Company clinic in Peoa. All of the dogs are larger breeds including huskies, shepherds, and mixed breeds. The youngest is about six months old. Adoptable dogs are posted on his website www.rockymtnk9.com. In addition, Kitchen noted his facility welcomes volunteers to help exercise and socialize the dogs and contributions to assist with their ongoing care.
Mountain Mama Pyrs and Pups, a nonprofit dog rescue located in Midway, was also involved in the rescue effort. Executive Director Ashlie Kinkaid Blackham was originally notified through a private group, The Utah Shelter and Rescue Network, where shelters post dogs in need to official rescue groups, but even before that, she
knew rescues were already gearing up to help. “As with all natural disasters we expect there are dogs that are going to be displaced and that shelters in other states will need help. Recent disasters like the hurricanes down south, flooding in Texas, earthquakes, now the fires, the rescue world has become really efficient in creating networks where rescues can get connected and take action.”
She further explained that the rescue’s job is to help clear the kennels of dogs already up for adoption. “We don’t ever take the displaced dogs, we clear the shelters so the shelters can take the displaced dogs. This ensures they have an opportunity to be reunited with their families when the crisis has ended,” she said.
While she initially signed up to take in several dogs from the posted list, Blackham said the response was so overwhelming she didn’t actually procure the ones she had tagged. However, in the process, she had already reached out to Kitchen to see if his boarding facility could accommodate. “Because of David’s boarding facility, my emergency placement for big dogs is always David,” she said. “He always says, ‘Absolutely, yes, bring them! How can I help? I’ll go get twenty of them, I’ll get fifty! I’ll do everything!” she laughed.
Best Friends connected Kitchen and Kinkaid Blackham directly with L.A Shelters in need and Ashlie got to work organizing the rescue contracts which includes a requirement to vaccinate, spay and
neuter all dogs in the procurement, and the transfer process, a promise to which Kitchen is committed.
A few days after Kitchen’s rescue trip Kinkaid Blackham was contacted by one of the LA Shelters who needed assistance with additional dogs, and transported seven dogs to Salt Lake City for inclusion in her rescue. Kinkaid said she took in a Great Pyrenees, a Belgian Malinois (both of whom have been adopted), and five chihuahuamix dogs who will be available through her website www.moutainmampyrsandpups.org.
Nuzzles and Company in Summit County assisted the effort on multiple levels, according to Executive Director, Leslie Barcus, providing spaying and neutering services for 11 of the dogs brought in from Rocky Mountain K9, and taking in five of the puppies transported by Best Friends. “We felt that our most appropriate response was to offer vet services and take in puppies where we had a local dog population gap,” she said.
Looking ahead, while Kitchen said he didn’t see evidence of dogs who needed a longer-term foster situation, Ashlie believes there will be a need for foster solutions for dogs whose families want them back but need more time to get into permanent housing. “We all need to save space or make space if we’re needed in the future. We have a wonderful rescue community here in Utah and we’re all here to help dogs, no matter where they come from or how much care they need,” she said.
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PET TRAIL ETIQUETTE GREETING AND INTERACTION: MAKING
As times change and growth occurs, the ways we have traditionally approached things may no longer be the most effective or safe. Not too long ago, trails had significantly less "traffic."
Inherently, we resist change; we want to continue doing things as we always have. However, for the safety and happiness of both ourselves and our pets, it may be necessary for us to adapt our old, comfortable habits. It is quite literally time for us to take the high road, to do better, and to make better choices in the moment. Rarely does a week pass without hearing about a negative trail experience.
We should not allow our egos to overshadow well-being and safety in public spaces. Remember, these are our neighbors. No one knows your pet better than you do, yet any animal can behave unpredictably. No amount of training can guarantee how an interaction will unfold. Safety should always remain our primary concern.
Responsibility and kindness should guide every step on our trails, where we are likely to encounter others who are also seeking enjoyment and exercise in our beautiful public spaces.
You may have grown up or lived here for a long time, allowing your pets to run free. If that is important to you, consider carefully when and where you take them. As more people seek to enjoy that type of freedom, it falls on each of us to be sufficiently knowledgeable about our own pets and the environments we bring them to, ensuring a safe and enjoyable adventure. This might mean discovering a new place better suited to your pet's personality.
Be aware of the law, as not all trails and open spaces permit off-leash activity. Not all dogs should be off-leash, even in locations where it is allowed. Remain vigilant and stay alert, avoiding distractions such as music or phones.
Understand your dog's "typical" trail behavior and act accordingly. When people, other dogs, or wildlife are present, it is your responsibility to have your pet fully under control. This may look different for everyone.
Even if you believe your dog is not "aggressive," it is never acceptable to allow them to approach any unfamiliar animal or person. Ultimately, no one wishes for any pet to be injured or frightened. Be aware of dogs wearing red or orange as a warning to give space. These dogs may not be friendly, and the owner responsibly is saying, "Please give us some space."
Be responsible. Be a good neighbor. That is how we can lovingly continue to call this "Bark City."
Basin Recreation Dog Friendly Areas: basinrecreation.org/explore/dog-friendly-areas/ Off-Leash Trails: mountaintrails.org/activity/off-leash-trails/
It’s my pleasure to introduce you to Riggs. This scruffy-faced love bug is up for adoption through the Sugar Face Foundation. Riggs is a 1-2-year-old mix who is ready for his forever home. This boy gets along well with other dogs and loves people, I know this because I made quite good friends with him during the brief time I spent with him. He would do well in a family that has all the love and affection to give. Please reach out to Laura with the Sugar Face Foundation to meet this silly fella! Contact: (716) 969-7591
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URGENT CARE
Veterinary Urgent Care Available On Weekends!
Bark City Veterinary Specialists and Urgent Care offers Urgent Care services on Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 8pm and a Veterinary Specialty practice Monday through Thursday. We are an easily accessible, walk in Urgent Care, for when your regular Veterinarian is unavailable. Our Urgent Care treats urinary tract infections, wounds, lacerations, vomiting, diarrhea, ear issues, broken bones, broken toenails, and many more common non-life threatening, but urgent medical concerns. We have x-ray, CT, in house lab, and Quick Scan ultrasound capabilities offering state of the art care for your pet when they need it most.
Dental Wellness + Studio
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In our studio, we provide workshops for the development of your “Inner Smile” which encompasses overall physical, mental, emotional and energetic wellbeing.
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