2017 Community Review: 100

Longmont Times-Call | Sunday, June 25, 2017

100

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FROM THE EDITOR

W

hen all the saxophone spots in the middle school band were taken, No. 91 took up cello. Last year, this accomplished string musician played for the Colorado All State Symphony.

While his story is unique among the 100 shared in this edition, Nelson Walker has one thing in common with many of the St. Vrain Valley residents you’ll meet in these pages — perseverance.

No. 63 arrived in Oregon from California only to see the “mushroom cloud” of Mount St. Helens, so she

Welcome to this year’s 100 and her husband took a right turn and headed for Colorado, where she launched a successful business.

No. 34’s family refused suggestions three decades ago that they take her off life support. She went skydiving for the first time this year.

After he got his first ukulele, No. 66 wrote a song that eventually won the first runner-up prize in the Great American Song Contest.

And as a girl, No. 23 fled with her family from Finland to the United States, via the North Sea, during

the Winter War. Once in the states, she met No. 24, who grew up on a ranch in North Dakota.

Maybe you recognize a few of these people already, or maybe you’ll meet them for the first time today. But as we learn every year while putting together this special edition, the St. Vrain Valley is filled with remarkable people who put their talents to use making the world a better place and making this corner of it just a little more colorful.

No. 1 has followers around the country, although he rarely drives

anywhere.

No. 41 studies dirt. No. 32 can mimic blue jays and Canada geese, thanks to his gift of listening.

No. 42, a musician, finds Longmont to be “a groovy scene with an endless stream of very hip people with talent.” No. 14 has performed with Cher and Barry Manilow.

No. 79 is a novelist. You can see No. 25’s photography work all over Longmont. No. 30 wants to be an architect or Broadway actor when she grows up.

No. 43 is a three-time Paralympics athlete. No. 54 works on large-scale

computer simulations of the formations of the planets.

No. 74 began playing chess when his high school English teacher issued a challenge to students: Beat me and earn extra credit.

No. 68 has a tattoo inspired by the tater tots at The Roost.

And No. 28 finds the people around here “pretty darn nice.”

We do, too. Indeed, we think you’ll enjoy this year’s edition of 100.

— John Vahlenkamp, managing editor

WHO’S INSIDE Pete Adeney .....................................................................4 Pam Adler ..........................................................................6 Emmy Alipit ......................................................................6 Don Angstead.................................................................. 7 Matt Arrant....................................................................... 7 Maggie Benton ................................................................8 Olga Bermudez ...............................................................8 Jose Beteta........................................................................ 8 Sierra Bindseil.................................................................. 8 Clint Buckner ....................................................................9 Alexis Carroll .....................................................................9 Karen Charles ...................................................................9 Chris Chou ......................................................................10 Stephen Christopher .....................................................9 Laura Cotter ...................................................................14 Kyra Czerwinski ............................................................14 Carlos Descalzo .............................................................15 JoLynn DiGiallarnado .................................................15 Mike DiGiallarnado...................................................... 15 Elijah Donovan ..............................................................15 Margie Drake .................................................................20 Jeffrey DuMont .............................................................20 Florence and George Dvirnak .................................16 Phyllis Dwyer .................................................................18 Vanessa Escarcega .......................................................21 John Espinosa ...............................................................21 Sue Farwell .....................................................................21 David Feely .....................................................................28 Gabrielle Feneide .........................................................28 Mike Freyta .....................................................................28 Charlie Frye ....................................................................26 Norma Fuentes .............................................................28 Tessie Gardetto .............................................................30

Allie Garduno ................................................................29 Lewis Geyer ....................................................................29 Riley Glynn .....................................................................29 Jessica Goldberg ..........................................................29 Diane Goldenstein .......................................................36 Wayne Granger .............................................................36 Clark Harshbarger ........................................................36 David Hartman .............................................................36 Jacob Heilveil ................................................................37 Amy Heneghan............................................................. 37 Bunk Hess .......................................................................37 Kristi Hornick .................................................................37 Doug Jackson ................................................................38 Analiese Jones ..............................................................38 Sandie Jones ..................................................................38 Riley Juenemann ..........................................................38 Mackenzie Keller ..........................................................39 Linda Kopecky ...............................................................39 Lori LeGault ....................................................................39 Hal Levison .....................................................................40 Sue Linroth .....................................................................39 Teresa Litman ................................................................42 Rita Liu .............................................................................42 Tonni Loutzenhiser...................................................... 42 Nathan Maciejewski ....................................................24 Casey MacKenzie .........................................................43 Keith MacPhail ..............................................................43 Teresa MacPhail ............................................................43 Jane Marcus ...................................................................43 Wendy McMillan ..........................................................44 Joe Mejia .........................................................................44 John Mieras ....................................................................44 Ann Noble...................................................................... 44

Mike O’Neil..................................................................... 45 Chris Olberding............................................................ 45 Audrey Partipilo ............................................................46 Steve Powers................................................................. 46 Vern Raben .....................................................................47 Patty Rollberg ................................................................47 Joshua Romero .............................................................47 Rick Samson................................................................... 47 Mark Schell..................................................................... 48 Dr. Nirav Shah ................................................................48 Susan Shaheen .............................................................48 Dan Simmons................................................................ 48 Deborah Simmons ......................................................49 The Rev. Felicia SmithGraybeal ..............................50 Jesus Soto .......................................................................49 Stacie Speirs ...................................................................49 Tommy Stager ...............................................................49 Diane Stow .....................................................................52 Garrett Streussel ...........................................................52 Shirley Borrego Tackett .............................................52 Byron Thomas ...............................................................52 Paul Tiger ........................................................................53 Ejay Toledo .....................................................................53 Nelson Walker ...............................................................54 Jennifer Walter ..............................................................53 David Edwin Ward .......................................................53 Wendy Weathers ..........................................................53 Michelle Webb ..............................................................56 Shawn Wentz .................................................................56 Michelle Whitmore ......................................................56 Jose Manuel Quiroz Yanez .......................................57 Jude Yedidovich ...........................................................57 Skye Yedidovich ...........................................................57

LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 25, 2017 • 3

How to ’stache your cash Pete Adeney is taking his formula for simple living to the world

T

here are two semisurprising facts about finance blogger Mr. Money Mustache.

He lives in Longmont, and he doesn’t have much of a mustache.

Pete Adeney — his real name — is a Canadian immigrant who settled on Longmont while he was working in the technology sector in Boulder. He, his wife and son are now U.S. citizens.

He started the MrMoneyMustache.com blog in April 2011 to detail how he and his wife retired from formal work when he was 30 years old.

Adeney’s financial philosophy is pretty simple, it turns out: Reject consumerism, pare down your life to live simply, and save as much as you can.

“A majority of people are clueless with money, and that’s why a majority of people are unable to save for retirement and save for fun and are stressed out,” Adeney said while walking around downtown Longmont. “The average person has great earning potential, and they do earn a lot over their lifetime. It can be $1 million or more, but it all goes out on stuff they don’t even realize how expensive it is.”

What about the mustache? Well, it was more

nothing to take care of my son, but that’s my most Age: 42 important work.”

Occupation: Dad, writer, After he retired, Adeney carpenter, former software started a house building engineer company but discovered it Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 12 wasn’t for him and closed the business. Besides carabout the idea of a musing for his son, he spends tache, he said. his days on projects — helping friends with con“Money Mustache struction projects, playing sounded good, and the music and organizing Mr. word ’stache could be like Money Mustache meetups a ... stash of money. Like for his fans, who call themhow you mustache your selves Mustachians. cash,” Adeney said. “And “I love work. I hate being then I had all these teachidle. I can hardly even take ers when I was a kid with an airplane,” Adeney said. these great mustaches ...

“My favorite thing to do is and you think of Magnum P.I. or a sheriff in a western just work 12 hours a day on different projects, circling movie. A mustache is a through them like a lab rat. mark of superiority. I’ve It’s like ‘I’m gonna do this. never had one myself Now I’m gonna do this. (long-term) because Yay, no one is stopping me they’re too much maintefrom working.’” nance. You get soup in there.”

Adeney is associating his real name and location with Adeney still works. He his online persona. He can’t stand being idle. But wants to make Longmont, it isn’t the 9-to-5 office job and specifically traveling in that most people think of Longmont, his next project. when they think of work.

“When I initially started “I kind of had to redefine writing my blog, I wanted retirement. It’s not freeto share a message, but dom from working and didn’t want my own identiactivity. It’s not sitting on ty out there because I the couch or in the golf thought that it would be cart,” Adeney said. “It’s about being free to do your inconvenient, or I thought that people would come to best work and free to do my house and hassle me,” work that’s meaningful to you in the end and not hav- Adeney said.

Adeney primarily uses a ing to think about a particbicycle to get around Longular job. Because it pays

Pete Adeney

mont because he believes it’s good for the Earth and for a healthy community in general.

Adeney tries to ride his bike whenever he can, including when there’s a Colorado blizzard. He is Canadian, after all.

“That’s one of the pleasures, that the worse the weather gets, the more rewarding it is to beat it. I always make a point to get out on the worst day of the year and go out and do a bunch of errands on the bike. I’ll hook up the trailer, put on my full snowboarding gear and go out and get groceries,” Adeney said. “I’m still a tropical creature at heart. I like Hawaii and the summertime. I like Colorado for its warm sunshine, and I would never go back to Canada because they have much worse winters.”

He wants to lobby the city government to crack down on loud vehicles and promote better bicycle services.

“I feel like Longmont has a lot of potential, but it’s still relying too much on conventional U.S. sprawl development, and it’s because most people have never thought of an alternative. So even a very caring city planner will still sometimes just assume that cars are the only way,

Story by Karen Antonacci | Photo by Lewis Geyer | Longmont Times-Call

4 • JUNE 25, 2017 • LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW

and what happens is that you end up spending 10 times more on everything than you need to, whether you’re a citizen depending on cars or a city building for cars.”

As Adeney walked and talked, he pointed out loud accelerating vehicles downtown.

“The lowest hanging fruit is this vehicle culture because right now there is very little enforcement of vehicle noise standards,” Adeney said. “It makes the whole town really unpleasant in these core blocks where the businesses are. I can’t even walk down Main Street without ear plugs during parts of the day.”

Adeney plans to talk with Longmont officials and City Council members to see if police can enforce speeding and loud vehicles more stringently in downtown Longmont.

In 10 years, Adeney said, he would like to see Longmont become more and more bike-centric.

“We’ve been on this walk now for what? An hour?

And we’ve seen 200 cars pass us and four people out and about walking,” Adeney said. “I’d like to flip those numbers. Because out of 200 drivers, I’d bet you that 150 of them are going on trips that are less than two miles.”

Pete Adeney’s financial philosophy is pretty simple: Reject consumerism, pare down your life to live simply, and save as much as you can.

LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 25, 2017 • 5

Pam Adler Age: 47 Occupation: Operations assistant Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 21 What brought you here? What has kept you? My family moved to the area from Colorado Springs in 1983, when I was 13. I have stayed in the area for many reasons. Being a single mother, I raised a daughter who attended and excelled in the St. Vrain Valley School District from first grade through 12th grade, and who is now continuing her education at the University of Colorado Boulder. I also enjoy the small city atmosphere, the location in relation to other cities, close proximity to the mountains, endless outdoor activities and the local lakes.

Why join the Hygiene Fire Department? I chose Hygiene Fire Department for its close proximity to my home and to fulfill a dream of working in the fire and medical profession. I’m an officer-firefighter, EMT-IV, driver operator and fire investigator.

What are you most proud of in your job with the fire department?Putting in the work and time to obtain my firefighter certificates, EMT-IV certification and recently becoming a fire investigator. As an acting officer in the department, I am proud and eager to help new recruits further advance their knowledge and skills and watch them grow.

What’s your best safety tip? As a family, develop a fire escape plan and practice twice a year.

What’s your favorite way to de-stress or relax after work?

Anything that includes the beautiful Colorado outdoors, whether it would be a ride on my Harley-Davidson or a hike in the mountains or at a local trail.

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6 • JUNE 25, 2017 • LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW

Emmy Alipit Age: 10 Occupation: Fourth-grader, daughter, granddaughter Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 10 years living here and four years at Dacono BMX What brought you here? What has kept you? I was born here, and my family has kept me here.

How old were you when you got into BMX, and how did you get into it? I started doing BMX at 6K. A nice lady and her daughter from Longmont saw me at Valmont Bike Park one day and said I should try racing at Dacono BMX. My dad said it was a fun sport when he was my age. He got into racing with me and still races today.

What’s the coolest thing about BMX? The coolest thing would be having fun with my friends and meeting new kids and families. I love racing and winning but also learned I can’t always win. My dad tells me “either win or learn — I never lose!” That’s why they call me the “Honey Badger.” I think it is so cute to see really young kids on Strider bikes racing around the track and then see old people like my dad racing, too!

Don Angstead Age: 52 Occupation: Bowling manager, Longmont’s Centennial Lanes Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 43 What brought you here? What has kept you? I moved here with my family in 1974 due to a job opportunity for my dad, Frank Angstead, in the insurance business. Centennial Lanes is was formed with 38 investors, and there are now 28. My dad has been the president of the managing corporation since we opened in 1979.

How have Longmont residents recreational sports preferences changed? In the early 1980s, the United States Bowling Congress, our national governing body, had a membership of around 11 million bowlers. In 2015, that number is less than 2 million. What this has meant to our business is that we must now appeal to the casual bowlers to keep our doors open. League bowling has declined due to many more recreational options as well as many women joining the workforce, with daytime leagues declining. We now offer short season leagues to try to attract people who shy away from the normal 33-week season. Casual bowling participation is at an all-time high, but people have many more entertainment options than they had 30 years ago.

What changes have you seen among people and organizations that patronize Centennial Lanes? When we opened in 1979, IBM sponsored leagues and paid for employees league fees, we probably had 200 to 250 IBM league bowlers. IBM phased that out many years ago. We have seen a rise in the number of team-building outings and holiday parties over the last 10 to 12 years as companies see the value of staff members coming together and enjoying a day at the lanes. Fundraisers have also gained in popularity over the past several years at Centennial Lanes. Back in the 1980s, there weren’t as many options for groups as league bowlers filled the lanes every night.

Matt Arrants Age: 25 Occupation: Berthoud code enforcement officer Years living in the St. Vrain Valley: 3-plus months What brought you here? What has kept you? I graduated from University of Northern Colorado in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. This opportunity has allowed me to get my foot in the door for my career path. The people I have encountered so far in all aspects of the job have allowed for an easy transition. Citizens, town employees, and the Berthoud deputies were very excited that my position was created so having that support coming into a new setting, along with the proper training that was given, has set me up for success.

You’re Berthoud’s first-ever code enforcement officer. What are your responsibilities, in general, in that job? My responsibilities are to handle municipal code violations, which mainly include animals, parking violations and weeds. I also help enforce the town’s development code, which basically entails making sure that everything on a certain lot is where it is supposed to be. I receive phone calls and emails with complaints. However, most of my work is done proactively. I try to take care of problems before they become neighbor complaints. Another one of my self-imposed responsibilities is to establish a good rapport with the community. I’d rather be looked at as a resource rather than somebody you have to fear.

What are the most common code violations you’ve found, or complaints you’ve investigated? Berthoud does get a fair share of dog complaints, whether it is loose or barking. The most common violations are recreational vehicle campers, and trailers, being on the street longer than the allotted time in the town code. Most violators are unaware that it is a code violation, so more often than not, the solution is just a simple education.

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LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 25, 2017 • 7

Maggie Benton

Olga Bermudez

Age: 60 Occupation: Financial services consultant — I help people figure out Medicare, life insurance and retirement planning.

Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 30 What brought you here? What has kept you? I first came here in December 1986 and was struck by the blueness of the sky. I guess I was smitten by the curse of Chief Niwot: “People seeing the beauty of this valley will want to stay, and their staying will be the undoing of the beauty.” Most people only know the first part of this “curse.” I strive to tread lightly on this beautiful area and not undo the beauty. What has kept me? Tremendous opportunity; amazing friends and gentle, helping people. The influx of people seems to make the area less gentle, however. We must continue to demonstrate we do things here in Longmont. We help; we support; we give.

You volunteer with St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church and with Boulder County. Where did you get your drive to volunteer? My mother was involved in all types of charities and volunteerism. At age 96, it bothers her that her physical condition doesn’t allow her to be a helper like she did all her life. With such a great example, naturally I followed in her footsteps. Mom taught me that if you want something accomplished, you ask the busiest person. I’ve found that to be true! My philosophy of being a helper is found in Matthew 25:35-40: “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” You also research genealogy as a hobby. Why are you passionate about finding your roots? It’s like a treasure hunt! When you find the ancient record that matches exactly your ancestor, it gives you chills. With the advent of the internet, there is a lot more info — some of it completely wrong. Proof is the key! When I had my matrilineal DNA checked, I almost cried.

Age: 45 Occupation: Counselor at Longmont Children Youth and Families Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 9 What brought you here? What has kept you? I moved here 14 years ago to do my master’s degree in psychology, and I fell in love with Colorado. I enjoy the outdoor activities and the easy access to hiking, biking, running, etc. I also found a great community here.

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing Longmontarea children and youth today? I believe that youths are facing a lot of pressure to succeed in every aspect of their lives, and substance abuse and suicide seem to be prevalent among them. Some of them have low tolerance for daily life stressors.

Do your own high school days ever come into play when dealing with children and youths? If so, how? In some way, my school days come into play. I remember wanting to fit in and also wanting to challenge the status quo. At the same time, I did not have all the pressure from social media and the drug presence.

What’s your favorite part of your job and why? Most families come to me requesting counseling services when they are at one of the lowest points in life. My greatest satisfaction is the fact that I can support them while they develop some coping skills and become empowered to make healthier decisions and find solutions on their own.

Sierra Bindseil

Jose D. Beteta Age: 37 Occupation: Executive director, the Latino Chamber Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 5 What brought you here? What has kept you? Helping minorities develop professionally.

What do you hope to accomplish as director of the Latino Chamber:? I hope to develop more Latino businesses and entrepreneurs and hope to bridge business communities together.

What is something you wish the community knew about the Latino Chamber? We are small, but we have a humongous impact. We have over 160 member organizations, over 5,000 individual members, have helped launch hundreds of new entrepreneurs, impacted over 350 high school students and have events as large as 20,000 attendees like the Colorado Latino Festival.

8 • JUNE 25, 2017 • LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW

Age: 13 Occupation: Seventh-grader at Westview Middle School Years in the St. Vrain Valley: All my life.

What brought you here? What has kept you? I was born here, and inherited the love of Colorado from my parents, so I plan to stay for as long as I can.

What was the most interesting thing you did at the STEM camp you attended in Rocky Mountain National Park? I had an awesome time when the film crew and I went up to the tundra. The wind whipped our faces, and we all desperately wished we had brought heavier coats, but the view was so spectacular that it made up for the cold. We got some really cool footage that day, as well as a better understanding of how elevation impacts the weather. Just a few hundred feet below in Horseshoe Park, it was warm and sunny with not a breeze in sight, while up at the tundra the temperature dropped and the land was dotted with patches of snow.

What do you like most about your school? I really like how they focus on teaching us concepts and how to be critical thinkers, rather than just having us memorizing facts. In our changing world with all the new technology, it is important for us to know how to think deeply on our own. I also enjoy my teachers. They make our lives interesting each day and not only get to know you as a student, but also as a person.

What’s your dream job? I would like to be a nature photographer or robotic engineer. I love being outdoors and in nature, especially with wildlife. I get artistic with the pictures I take, playing around with different angles and lighting. I consider photography an art, and the best photographers have amazing skill. I also enjoy robotics; I get to create things with my hands, and then use computers to program them to do tasks.

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Alexis Carroll

Age: 51 Occupation: Rancher Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 6 What brought you here? What has kept you? I moved from Boulder.

When did you begin raising sheep, and what challenges have you found come with this profession? My family began raising sheep here in Longmont in 2011. We were very concerned with the state of the meat industry in this country and wanted to do things differently. As you can imagine, raising livestock of any kind has plenty of challenges: predation, feed cost, land (space), just to name a few. We have been very fortunate to crossbreed a few western varieties to come up with sheep that are very healthy and suited to our particular climate and natural grasses.

What does it take to get the meat you raise Animal Welfare Approved certified? We are proud to support the American Grassfed Association as well as the Animal Welfare Association. Ruminants were not built to eat grains and corn, it actually upsets their digestion and causes health issues. We believe that animals should not be confined, shocked with cattle prods or fed antibiotics or hormones to promote artificial growth. We pride ourselves on raising pasture raised beef, pork and lamb. We are not a large operation and never will be. We will, however, stick to the pride of stewardship that makes for the best quality meat available.

Age: 18 Occupation: Recent graduate, Niwot High School; multiple time state champion in track and field events as well as a state qualifier in gymnastics Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 13 What brought you here? What has kept you? What brought me to Niwot was IB (the International Baccalaureate program) but what has kept me at Niwot is the track team. I could’ve done gymnastics for Niwot while attending any school in the district, but I learned the track and field program at Niwot was an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up.

You are a gymnast, a speedster on the track team and a special jumper. How did you get so well-versed in such an interesting array of sports? How long have you been doing each? I started gymnastics when I was 8 and did club gymnastics until my sophomore year. I did high school gymnastics for 10 years total. My freshman year there were a few upperclassmen on the team that did track, and I had run track for a year in middle school, so I decided to try it again. Really there was a lot of overlap in the two sports. Gymnastics paved the way for my track endeavors, and then later in my gymnastics career, I found that track greatly benefited my gymnastics — particularly vault and floor.

What gives you the most pride about attending Niwot? Niwot track and field, especially on the girls side, have had this long-standing reputation of being a very respected team. Not only for state titles but many of us are also in IB and do club track together the rest of the year. I’ve found that here at Niwot we have the opportunity to go way above and beyond in track and school and we do it collectively as a team.

What is your favorite community event, if you have one? Festival on Main. When I did gymnastics at Airborne we would perform at Art Walk and represent Airborne. We would do several routines and then afterward we would walk around and explore all the other cool things that were always there.

Karen Charles

Stephen Christopher

Age: Heading quickly to my 60s Occupation: Longmont aquatic area supervisor Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 29 What brought you here? What has kept you? My job with the city of Longmont.

What’s your favorite part of your job and why?

Every day is unique and different. I also love the opportunity to work with the wide variety of staff I have as well as dealing with the operation side of pumps and motors. In addition, the people who swim in Longmont’s pools are fun to talk to and a privilege to serve.

Do you swim in your spare time, or is that like “taking your work home with you”?I love to swim! I love to coach, teach swimming and teach others how to teach swimming classes. Plus, I think it is important to check the quality of pool water by swimming.

Age: 71 Occupation: Recently retired as the director of jazz studies and director of bands at Fairview High School in Boulder. Currently a trumpeter and on the faculty of the Center for Musical Arts, directing the CMA Jazz Ensemble and three jazz combos and teaching jazz improvisation.

Years in the St. Vrain Valley: Boulder native, living in Erie for last nine years What brought you here? What has kept you? I was born and raised here. I received all my education in Boulder Valley schools and both degrees from University of Colorado. My wife, Louise, and I have raised our three children here and have deep roots in the community. I have created a foundation for my teaching and performing career, which has sustained me over the years and become deeply rooted in this area.

Why a career in music? When I saw Louis Armstrong perform, I knew that was what I wanted to do. Still performing and educating in music.

What should schools or districts do to create strong music programs?

Commit to music education and stop putting it on “the chopping block.”

Band directors should continue to perform as much as possible in public places to make the public aware of the value these programs provide to the students, their overall education and the community as a whole.

What about jazz appeals to you? Jazz music is different from other forms of music in that it allows for individual creativity through improvisation. Jazz allows students to literally write their own story with their instrument.

Do you have a favorite piece you like to perform? After many years of playing, it would be difficult to single out a favorite. I have also had the opportunities to play with many great performers, including Bob Hope, Sonny and Cher, Carol Channing, Barry Manilow and Nancy Wilson.

LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 25, 2017 • 9

The science of motivation Longmont High teacher is helping students explore bioscience careers

T

he walls of Chris Chou’s biology classroom at Longmont High School are lined with jars of preserved small animals, organs and other curiosities.

On the counters at the back of the room, she proudly points out stacks of scientific posters and 3D-printed protein models created by the school’s SMART — Students Modeling a Research Topic — team.

Along with starting the after-school SMART team, she helped start the school’s Medical and BioScience Academy and this past school year taught two advanced placement biology classes and two forensic science classes.

She also has taught general biology, physical science, anatomy and physi-

years altogether. She was pre-med in college at the Age: 42 University of Illinois and Occupation: Longmont High considered becoming a science teacher and copediatrician, but she decidcoordinator of the school’s ed she wanted a career Medical and BioScience that would be a better fit Academy Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 15 for family life.

“I really love biology and working with young peoology. ple,” said Chou, who has a bachelor’s degree in bio“I love teaching,” she said. “I love experimenting engineering and a master’s degree in curriculum with different teaching and instruction. “Teaching techniques. I enjoy the interactions with students allows me to combine both and seeing them grow and of those things.”

As the Medical and Biochange.”

Science Academy has Her dedication and pasrolled out, the school addsion for science education ed a second coordinator, earned her Colorado’s allowing Chou to focus on Outstanding Biology internships and college Teacher Award in 2016, as preparation for the prowell as St. Vrain Valley’s gram’s juniors and 2014 Spotlight Teaching seniors. She noted she’s Award. always looking to add comShe started teaching at munity partners to give Longmont High 12 years students more internship ago and has taught for 14 options.

Chris Chou

“This program really helps them explore future careers,” she said.

“They’re definitely getting a head start.”

For the SMART team, about 15 students are working with Chou and a University of Colorado professor to study a protein that could have implications for antibiotic resistance.

She said the club gives the students the opportunity to work on a research project and to present their findings at a biology conference in Chicago.

“I’m hoping to grow this program in our district and Colorado,” Chou said.

In a recent forensic science class, she led students through a lab on using bones to help identify a person. Students examined skulls and leg, arm and pelvis bones to try to identify the person’s

gender and general age at death.

“You often have different pathologists who have different opinions,” she told the students when they came to different conclusions. “You have to confer.”

Students described Chou as a committed and enthusiastic teacher.

“She’s all in,” said junior Holly Nicholas. “She does everything she can to get us to enjoy the class.”

Sophomore Ashley Dillow added that she’s always willing to give students extra help.

“She cares a lot about her students,” she said.

Classmate Parker Rosebrock said Chou understands that science can be a difficult subject.

“She gets how to push you,” he said, “but not over the top.”

Story by Amy Bounds | Photo by Matthew Jonas | Longmont Times-Call

10 • JUNE 25, 2017 • LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW

Chris Chou’s dedication and passion for science education earned her Colorado’s Outstanding Biology Teacher Award in 2016.

LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 25, 2017 • 11

12 • JUNE 25, 2017 • LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW

Family Carpet One Floor & Home Ltd. 1401 Ken Pratt Blvd., Suite B Longmont 303.651.2011 familycarpetonelongmont.com

Pictured are brothers John Paul and Jason do and that Family Carpet One Floor & Home is truly a family business.

They don’t keep that sense of family to themselves, though. They treat every customer that steps through their door as one of their own. And just as they would for any family member, they provide only the best in products and services.

Flooring consultants will help you get started on choosing the right type of flooring for your home, family lifestyle and budget. They carry exclusive brands like Lees, Invincible and Innovia that you can trust to be durable and fashionable.

From high quality vinyl tile and laminate, stain-resistant carpets and trendy tiles, to the latest styles in hardwood flooring, the largest inventory in town is their claim to fame.

They’re so sure you’ll love it that they offer The Beautiful Guarantee. If you aren’t happy with your qualifying

It seems to be a little rare that you meet a true Colorado native, but the Martinez family is one of the lucky few. Their family tree can be traced back to the first settlers in the San Luis Valley in the 1700s. Even after a 30 year stay in California, they couldn’t shake their roots, returning to Colorado 1994 and choosing Longmont as the perfect spot to grow their family and business.

They invested themselves in the community and their family grew that investment. Their three sons have gone through the stages of doing chores around the store as kids, to learning installation and leading their own crews as they got older, moving on to selling the product and now they are equal owners with their parents. That means they know every single aspect of the business from the bottom up. So customers can be comfortable in knowing that they understand every detail of what they

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A large national presence may lend them buying power and brand name associations but their local ownership lets them get to know their customers and community personally.

The Martinez family invests in their town both as a business and in personal endeavors. They believe that enriching the lives around them is a privilege and an honor.

“When we say ‘Our family, serving yours,’ we truly mean it,” Martinez says.

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LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 25, 2017 • 13

Laura L. Cotter

Kyra Czerwinski

Age: 56 Occupation: Interior designer and owner, Cotter Interior Design Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 22 What brought you here? What has kept you? My husband and I relocated here from Memphis, Tenn., for the great quality of life and family atmosphere. We love the beautiful weather, outdoor activities and community feel.

What are the challenges you have faced operating a womanowned business? The challenges my company faces are no different from those faced by many small-businesses, whether man- or womanowned. One of the greatest challenges I have faced in recent years is shifting my business model to fit the ever-changing needs of the customer. As mid-range home décor has become increasingly accessible to the customer via the internet, my role as a designer has evolved from supplier to consultant. A key component of my business has always been to partner with home builders to provide design guidance in the early stages of home building. This has allowed me to diversify my business and to weather changes in consumer preferences.

Describe the organization “A Woman’s Work” and how you are involved in it. A Woman’s Work helps meet the immediate financial needs of women in the St. Vrain Valley. For example, AWW can help cover living expenses while a woman gets on her feet following the unexpected loss of a loved one or escape from domestic abuse. All of donations go directly to helping women in need in our community. My involvement began at the inception of the organization in 2003 as a founding board member. While I left the board several years ago to make way for new talented women with fresh perspectives, I continue to support this great organization however I can.

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Age: 22 Occupation: Student pursuing a bachelor of science in landscape architecture with a minor in global environmental sustainability at Colorado State University Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 10 What brought you here? What has kept you? During my childhood, my family frequently vacationed to Colorado from North Carolina to go skiing. In 2007, my father received a job offer from Boulder. We dropped everything and never looked back.

Because I was only 12 years old when we moved, I have always considered Longmont my hometown.

What drew you to study landscape architecture? When I was attending Silver Creek High School, I was involved in many different activities and programs. I was terrified to sacrifice any of my interests by choosing a single major. My favorite classes in high school included mathematics and the performing arts, and I figured architecture would be the best combination of those topics. I began researching architecture programs and stumbled upon the landscape architecture (LA) program at Colorado State. I remember saying, “No way. I don’t want to be a gardener for the rest of my life!”

Reluctantly, I took a tour of the LA building (thank you, Mom, for forcing me to do so). During the tour, I was awestruck by the projects in the studio.

Trace paper and pencils were strewn across the tables. Mockups and models were under construction on the desks. Enormous drawings were pinned up on the walls. It was clearly a challenging and fast-paced program. I thought, This is where I want to be. The tour was guided by Brad Goetz, director of Landscape Architecture at CSU, who is now my thesis adviser and one of my favorite professors.

What do you tell people in Fort Collins about Longmont? Expect the unexpected. People who have never been to Longmont assume that it is a small town with nothing to do. I am always raving about the people and events in Longmont to my friends in Fort Collins. Whether it’s the delicious food venues, community events, the live music scene or the breweries, there is always somewhere to go for a fun time.

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Ron R. Hogsett, Owner 452 Main St., Longmont • 303-651-1125 Hours: Tuesday - Friday 9:30 - 5:30, Saturday 9:30 - 1:00 14 • JUNE 25, 2017 • LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW

Carlos Descalzo Age: 46 Occupation: President and CEO of InJoy Health Education Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 17 What brought you here? What has kept you? I am originally from Madrid, and my wife is from Alaska. The drastic contrast between the two places required a middle ground to begin our lives together after we married. A leap of faith brought us to Longmont, since neither one of us had even been to Colorado before.

We found what we were looking for: great weather, plenty of outdoor activities, a wonderful community to raise a family and still close enough to Denver, Boulder and the Rocky Mountains.

What services does InJoy provide? InJoy Health Education serves more than 15,000 institutions from health systems and hospitals, private and public health care organizations, government and social service agencies, military family advocacy programs, universities and schools, public libraries, and independent educators and health professionals.

InJoy produces primarily teaching materials, starting with pregnancy and all the way to early parenting and child development.

Why did you want to lead InJoy? The opportunity to make a difference in other people’s lives. I was also excited about the challenge to grow a company that was born in 1988 as a video production company, and transform the organization to meet customer’s need and their clients in this new era through new media technologies.

What advice do you have for other company CEOs? I always suggest that you start by answering “why” before even considering what to do, how or when. Don’t cling to mistakes for too long just because you spent a lot of time making them. Remember that the more you fail, the more you learn. We experience low moments in business and life to learn things that otherwise we could not learn any other way.

Admit your weaknesses and mistakes and ask for help when you need it. Surround yourself with good people that inspire you and make you happy rather than miserable. Lastly, get rid of the arrogance and be humble.

Elijah Donovan Age: 17 Occupation: Nutritional services worker at Longmont United Hospital Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 12 What brought you here? What has kept you? My family relocated to Colorado for my father’s new job opportunity. We lived in Lyons for a short time, but once we discovered Longmont, we knew it would be our forever home. I love the schools within the St. Vrain Valley, especially Skyline High School, where I have become the person I am today.

You are part of so many performance arts groups. What do you enjoy about improvisational comedy, drama, playing bluegrass music, choir and cheerleading? What I love about every one of the activities I do is that they allow me to express myself as a human being in so many different ways. I can show emotion, send a message or even make somebody’s day, all through performance. Additionally, they allow me to grow as a person, widen my view of the world and enhance the skill sets I’ve gained through them.

Does each activity have something different that you enjoy about it? Absolutely! Drama lets me delve into a world that is not my own, and lets me perceive the world in another’s shoes entirely. I get to tell a story that has never actually happened, and that’s amazing. Music lets me express myself using more than words. The emotion behind the words, as well as the dynamics in the music make this one of my favorite things to do. Athletics are an activity that is so far removed from any of the other things I do, it’s hard not to love it. To be pushing my physical body to its limits in a constructive manner is something I believe everyone should do. It aids in both mental and physical health, and creates a bond with other people you don’t get just by making art.

JoLynn DiGiallonardo Mike DiGiallonardo Age: 53 Occupation: Facilities manager at EMCOR Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 53 What brought you here? What has kept you? My mom and dad built a house here in the early ’60s, and I was born and raised here in town. I love the community.

I’ve just never felt like leaving.

Your wife says she initially didn’t want to go to prom with you. How do you remember it? I think I finally won her over. I never gave up once I met her, and her personality, I decided I think I’m going try to fight for this one and hang on to this one So, you’ve been a soccer coach in the St. Vrain Valley for 18 years, and for the past four years at Longmont High. How’s the local soccer scene changed in your time here? I think once families and everybody started watching the World Cup, I think they really got engaged with it. It is the world’s sport, it’s growing every year, and it’s getting better and better. I was part of it when it was just starting to kick off the ground, and every year it seemed like the club I was coaching for kept getting bigger and bigger. I think at one point we had 5,000 kids involved in soccer here in Longmont. Fortunately I was able to coach all three of my boys.

What’s it like to coach your sons? Everybody seems to think you play favoritism to your own children, but my standards for my own kids were a lot higher. I expected them to be leaders and stay in line. All three of them came out great soccer players. It was fun. It was really good for bonding.

Age: 51 Occupation: Office manager at Columbine Foot and Ankle Center Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 51 What brought you here? What has kept you? I was born here. We love Longmont, all of our family is here and it never occurred to us to leave.

You and your husband met in high school. What’s your first memory of him? He asked me to go to prom, and I didn’t want to go.

But a friend of mine said that if I went I could drive her Corvette. So I got to drive the Corvette and I went to prom.

When did you change your mind about him? Probably in the first few months after prom. We dated about 3.5 years and then got married.

How have you seen Longmont change in your lifetime? Well, it used to just be Main Street basically to Third Avenue, maybe Ninth to Hover. It was small. And it’s grown a lot. We’re active in the soccer community, and that was not something we had when we were young, and it is now. Longmont’s just grown and grown and grown. I think that the growing is good, but I wish we had a little bit more offerings in the mall department. But I think the growth for the most part has been good.

LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 25, 2017 • 15

A long road to together He started in North Dakota; she, in Finland; but they’re sharing the trip

H

ow George and Florence Dvirnak met really isn’t all that remarkable — George horned in on a study group that Florence was part of.

It’s how far apart they were before they met that which bears note.

“I started off as a rancher in western North Dakota,” 89-year-old George said.

Florence came from quite a stretch further away — Finland, a country that is so cold, Russian soldiers froze to death when the two countries went to war in the late 1930s.

She has never quiet felt Finnish.

“I was born in Finland,” 88-year-old Florence said. “But I’m totally Swedish.”

George joined the U.S. Navy in 1945 to avoid being drafted in the infantry and was trained as an electrical technician. He spent much of his time on a small wooden ship — one foot shorter and it would have been classified as a boat — doing sea/air rescue work off the coast of California.

“We did a lot of experimenting with hydrophones at different depths,” he said. “I was the only electrical technician aboard.”

George was badly burned after an unfortunate encounter with a 3,000-volt capacitor on board the ship.

ing. “Today Finland declared war on Russia.

Age: 88 There has been lots of Occupation: Retired nurse bombing in southern FinYears in the St. Vrain Valley: 12 land. Many cities are in ruins. People have been George Dvirnak killed. We are not having Age: 89 school any more.”

Occupation: Retired pastor Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 12 At the end of the World War II, George couldn’t wait to get out of the Navy “It went through my hand and back to the ranch. He and my shoulder,” he found out that his brothers said. “If it had gone had bought a single engine through my whole body, I Piper Cub airplane (he still wouldn’t be here talking to has the propeller mounted you.” on the wall of his Longmont Florence spent much of home) so he had to learn to her early childhood studyfly before he went home. ing Swedish in school, but He took lessons near Oakthen, as was required by land, Calif. the Finnish school system, “The fellow that gave me she set about learning flight lessons would say ‘I Finnish, and experience don’t want you to do this’ she described as “horrible” and he would do crazy because although the two things like fly a loop,” he countries border each said. “He would fly next to a another, their languages freight train, open the winare linguistically quite difdow and waive at the engiferent. neers and then go back “Swedish, Norwegian, up.”

Danish and German are Flying came in handy similar,” she said. “Finnish back at the ranch. George is a Slavic language (closer and his brothers mounted to languages spoken in the plane with skis for use Lithuania and Estonia).” in the frigid North Dakota When she was about 10 winters, so they could fly years old, war broke out into town, pick up groceries between Finland and Rusand deliver neighbors’ mail. sia, and she received the They also used the plane to chilling news from the hunt coyotes for the bounschool principal. ty.

“I’m sorry, but I’m com“There were no roads, or ing with bad news,’’ she they didn’t plow them,” he recalled the principal saysaid. “The only way to get

Florence Dvirnak

to town was on horse or a sled. Or fly.”

As the situation in Europe continued to deteriorate in the late 1930s and early 1940s, Florence’s father, who had dual American/Finnish citizenship, decided the family was leaving Finland. It took a while for her mother to get the proper paperwork in order to immigrate to the United States, but when it arrived, they took what they could carry and left home forever.

She recalls taking a train north through the Lapland region of Finland and seeing the trees that had been burned by bombs and fighting. But she also remembers the tame reindeer that would nuzzle the children and the northern Finns dressed in brightly colored clothes.

“It was like an adventure for the children,” she said.

Florence and her family eventually boarded a ship that sailed through the Arctic Ocean and on to New York City. The night they sailed, a group of musicians played the national anthems of all the countries represented on the ship.

It was a treacherous journey because by that time, the German navy was patrolling the icy waters of

Story by John Bear | Photos by Jeremy Papasso | Longmont Times-Call

16 • JUNE 25, 2017 • LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW

the Arctic Ocean. The entire trip had to be kept on the hush to avoid alerting not only the Germans but also the Russians.

Florence didn’t speak any English and asked her father to teach her something. He did, although he wouldn’t tell her what it was, and he instructed her to go around the ship and practice telling it to people.

What was the phrase?

“I’m a little pig,” Florence said.

George went home to North Dakota, and a student pastor at the Russian Baptist Church he attended (George is the son of Ukranian immigrants and speaks Ukranian quite well) encouraged him to attend the seminary at Bethel College in St. Paul, Minn.

That’s where he met Florence, who was attending college to earn a nursing degree.

“I was walking into a logic class one day, and Florence and a group of girls were walking out,” he said.

“I heard them talking about meeting to study for a midterm and I said ‘You girls aren’t even going to invite me to go out with you?”

He paused for a beat as he recalled the meeting.

“It paid off.”

Sitting with his wife, Florence, at their home in Longmont, George Dvirnak holds a model of the Piper Cub airplane he flew at his family’s North Dakota ranch as a young man.

LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 25, 2017 • 17

Keeping her eye on Longmont When this photographer left her portrait studio, she found her joy

L

ongmont photographer Phyllis Dwyer has been capturing the most important parts of people’s lives for decades: students’ senior portraits, weddings, and now the natural beauty in her own backyard.

“The scenery here in Longmont just can’t be beat,” Dwyer said. “I wouldn’t leave here for anything.”

The nature photos Dwyer shoots years after having her own portrait studio on Main Street don’t just get stored on her computer. Her business, Lovin’ Longmont, prints the pictures on everything from mugs to postcards to cutting boards, and these household goods are showing off Longmont’s beauty all across the world.

“I recently had someone from Japan take home a cutting board,” Dwyer said.

Since childhood, Dwyer

She’s still never without a camera — she prefers Age: 77 Nikon — but now she Occupation: Photographer takes her equipment where and owner of Lovin’ she wants to go: Golden Longmont Ponds, Collyer Park, walkYears in the St. Vrain Valley: 52 ing trails, downtown and anywhere the scenic views has been fascinated peerof Longmont take her. ing through life behind a “Everybody wants a piclens. The Denver native ture of Longs Peak,” she has lived in Longmont said. “That’s the hot seller.” since 1965, and her portrait When someone business took off during approached Dwyer about the ’80s and ’90s after getputting one of her photos ting serious about photogon a postcard, she thought, raphy with classes and con“Well, I can do that.” ventions during the ’70s.

And so Lovin’ Longmont What started as a makewas born six years ago. shift setup in her basement Dwyer wanted to do turned into a full-service things locally, so she went portrait studio with handthrough Mead art solumade props and different tions company DuraPlaq to backgrounds. get her pictures on prod“It was a photographer’s ucts. She then sells the dream,” she said.

Longmont-themed items at shops around town.

When the business “I want to support the became too time consuming, Dwyer gave it up for a town I love,” she said.

Ace Hardware, Barbed more freeing form of phoWire Books and the Longtography.

Phyllis Dwyer

they were kids, and they’re not kids anymore,” Dwyer said. “I’ve met a lot of wonderful people.”

Of the people she’s met, many come to Dwyer asking for photography advice.

As someone who’s been in the business as it transformed from film to digital, Dwyer has a ton to say about the medium, but she thinks it’s the photographer’s eye that matters most.

“It’s not important what kind of camera you use. It’s how you see things. If you In addition to her art see the light right and the making a mark for itself balance and framing, you around town, Dwyer’s lega- can take a good picture cy lives on in the minds of with any camera.” her former customers. She To make a living off of gets folks approaching her photography, Dwyer said regularly, reminding her it’ll take some hard work, about the photo shoot they although she hardly conhad with her back in the siders what she does to be day when they were getwork. ting senior portraits or “I see this as really more wedding photographs. of a joy than a job,” she said.

“This will be back when mont Museum are a few of the spots that customers can pick up a Dwyer goodie. She also has an online presence at lovinlongmont.com and phyllisdwyer.com. To see some of her prints hanging, go to FirstBank at 17th Avenue and Main Street, which has installed 18 canvas prints in their lobby and conference room. The Sun Rose Cafe, the Great Frame Up and Longmont’s Creative Framing also show off Dwyer’s work throughout the year.

Story by Elizabeth Hernandez | Photos by Lewis Geyer | Longmont Times-Call

18 • JUNE 25, 2017 • LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW

Phyllis Dwyer is never without a camera — she prefers Nikon — but now she takes her equipment where she wants to go: Golden Ponds, Collyer Park, walking trails, downtown and anywhere the scenic views of Longmont take her.

LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 25, 2017 • 19

Margie Drake

Jeffrey DuMont

Age: 53 Occupation: Fused glass artist Years in St. Vrain Valley: 44 What brought you here? What has kept you? I am a Colorado native who moved to Longmont in the fourth grade from Broomfield to shorten my dad’s commute to IBM. I left Longmont for a year and then came back. I can’t imagine living anywhere else.

Tell me more about your Fleece for Our Furry Friends group. We are a group that meets every two weeks to make colorful, bleachable fleece blankets for the animals at the Longmont Humane Society. It started one day when I spotted three sets of little eyes looking at me from a kennel I had walked past multiple times. Three little white kittens on a white bed and no one could see them. I moved them to a pink bed and, in five minutes, they were going on visits. It was then that I realized people don’t adopt what they can’t see. Since then we have made more than 400 blankets. The blankets bring comfort to the animals, and we hope the colors will show off the animal so that they are more visible to visitors.

What’s your favorite thing about volunteering at the Longmont Humane Society? Seeing the animals go to a forever home, especially the animals who have be so patiently waiting.

Are you a dog person or a cat person? I am a dog and cat person. I have two dogs — Otis, 14, and Arlow, 6 — and two cats — Murphy, 12, and Sid, 6. Right now I also have a foster dog, Dude, 10. My spouse, JJ Fenstermaker, and I also have five aquariums.

Age: 57 Occupation: Voice and film actor Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 2 What brought you here? What has kept you? I moved here for the adventure and to become involved in the great filmmaking that is going on in the Front Range. Several film industry publications list Boulder as the third-best place in America to make films. I moved here in part because my talent agency, Big Fish Talent, is located in Denver. There are also several successful filmmaking schools in the area that provide opportunities to engage in the industry.

What’s a day like in the life a voice and film actor? A typical day begins with checking email from my talent agent and reviewing audition opportunities. I then will record auditions or jobs for voice-over in my home studio. I will attend any auditions or callbacks and wait patiently for the call to work. A job may be local or I may have to fly to New York City or Los Angeles to act in a film shoot or record out of a studio such as REP Studio in Ithaca, N.Y. I work out at the Recreation Center in Longmont to keep my energy levels up and myself fit for the tasks.

What are some projects you’ve been involved in where people can see you act or hear your voice? My work can be found at film festivals across the country. You will see me on local television commercials and hear me on radio advertisements. My most recent film, “Crawling To Paradise,” which I have a voice role in, can be purchased on Vimeo.

“Crawling To Paradise” won Best Short Drama in the New York State International Film Festival. My actors’ profile and actors’ reels can be found on the Big Fish Talent website. I am currently working on a lead role in a feature film that will be shot in New York in February.

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Vanessa Escarcega Age: 24 Occupation: Program coordinator, Casa de la Esperanza Learning Center Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 19 What brought you here? What has kept you? My mother brought us to Longmont in 1998 to give us educational opportunities and a better life. This place is the only place I can call home, and I truly love this amazing community I am a part of.

Describe the work you do at Casa de la Esperanza. My day-to- day work includes community outreach, networking and coordinating, managing staff and finding support/resources for our low-income parents in agricultural work and their at-risk children. We offer a variety of services including tutoring, mentoring and STEM education for the children. We also have adult programming, which includes English classes, Zumba, nutrition classes and more.

You are also involved with Longmont Sister Cities. What do you do there? Two years ago, I was a chaperone for the cultural exchange program, so I went with my co-chaperone and eight students to Ciudad Guzman, Jalisco, Mexico. This year, I am a chaperone as well, but I will be going to Chino, Japan.

Longmont Sister Cities is a great organization that gives students (and chaperones) the opportunity to travel and learn about other cultures. I am very fortunate to be a part of such an amazing program, and I am lucky to work with amazing volunteers who make it all happen.

When you are performing all of this community service, what do you do to relax? I enjoy the being outdoors whether it’s snowboarding in the winter, hiking with my dogs in the summer or camping in the fall.

John Espinosa

Sue Farwell

Age: 40 Occupation: Guitar instructor at Guitars Etc. and yoga instructor at Full Circle Yoga.

Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 16 What brought you here? What has kept you? It was actually Guitars Etc. that lured me over to Longmont. And now the people in the community, with me teaching guitar and teaching yoga — I’ve just made a connection with so many different types of people and I just love it. I’m extremely happy here.

Any similarities between teaching guitar and teaching yoga? They end up being very similar. What I’m trying to provide, whether it’s guitar or yoga, is an escape, just a place where you can get away and dive into your mind a little bit deeper. I think both guitar and yoga are very therapeutic and calming, and they teach you a lot about yourself. You end up learning a lot about your own ego, what drives you, what motivates you, what makes you happy.

What drives you, motivates you and makes you happy? I guess that main thing would be helping others. Just getting others to see the potential in themselves. That’s what keeps me going.

How have you seen Longmont change in your time there?

The change I see is the growth. There’s so many people moving in. What I like is that everyone that moves in seems to be really happy. If you moved to another city, I think you might see some grumpy people, but for the most part, it’s really kind of an uplifting community. I see a lot of happy people walking up and down Main Street, and I think that’s really neat.

Age: Over 50 Occupation: Retired administrative assistant and benefits administrator. Have done community volunteer work and held a few part-time positions such as grading children’s tests, marriage and real estate recording for the Boulder County Clerk and Recorder’s Office, coordinating volunteers at TRU Community Care hospice, clerking in Longmont’s probation office, and most recently, serving as a home assistant at Hover Manor’s independent living wing.

Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 18K What brought you here? What has kept you? My husband, Peter, and I bought our house in Longmont in 1998. I came to be closer to work situations in 1998, and my husband’s parents lived in Boulder County. Loved it in Colorado already. We moved here from Lakewood and lived in Colorado Springs and Penrose before coming to Colorado from the Chicago and Hammond, Indiana, suburbs where I grew up. I enjoy the weather and views, wanted to raise our daughter here, enjoy all the activities for kids, adults and seniors — and most of the people are pretty darn nice.

You said you had a ‘fun tidbit’ about working with seniors? You will meet many lovely people and share experiences with just about anyone when you listen and chat. Work is more about having an appointment with a friend, and certainly assisting with whatever, but there is a friendship that evolves as paths cross and chats take place.

You said you also have a fun tidbit about being the parent of a middle schooler, Kayla? It’s a joy and also a learning experience to just listen as your child grows and becomes a young adult. One example of where I had to step back this year is when my daughter said, “But Mom, I have a different theme in mind for redecorating my bedroom.”

And another one, you said, about Longmont? So many great food places!

We just love Longmont, and it has a lot to offer all ages of people — for children, adults and seniors. Great place to live, and I love all the sunshiny days, which bring a smile to my face.

Boulder’s Fun & Affordable Private Golf Club

“Where we take better care of your car.”

303-776-3666 1533 N Main St. Longmont, CO www.lakevalley.com • 303-444-2114 ext. 22 • rob@lakevalley.com

• Auto Repair • Brakes • Alignments

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Anything over $25000 with this ad. Expires 5-31-15 9/1/17

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LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 25, 2017 • 21

1871

A Legacy of Business and

Community

303-776-2244 timescall.com

1879

1904

Singing From Our Hearts to Yours

100 Martin Street Longmont, CO www.westernfoundries.com

303-485-7866

1946

www.goldenvanlines.com

303-651-7664 www.longmontchorale.org

1948

1957

303-776-3882 • 800-525-3290

Entertaining Longmont for over 60 years!

Fitting Longmont at the same location for 71 years!

303.772-5200 www.longmonttheatre.org

373 Main St., Longmont • 303.776.2920 Monday-Friday 9:30-6 • Saturday 10-5 • Sunday closed

1958

1960

Celebrating 59 years 1958-2017

Ahlberg Funeral Chapel & Crematory Full-service mortuary • On site crematory

Funerals • Cremations • Pre-Planning • Celebrations of Life

326 Terry Street • 303-776-2313 www.ahlbergfuneralchapel.com

1937 Longmont L Chorale

14780 N. 107th, Longmont, CO 80502 303-776-6841 • www.msch.org Serving Wounded Children a Balanced Life; Faith Based, Family Model, Education and Counseling.

22 • JUNE 25, 2017 • LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW

1961

A Legacy of Business and Community 1964

1965

1966

1968 A Boulder County Tradition TOP PRICES •••• 49 YEARS!

TEBO COIN BUYS Boulder’s Fun & Affordable Private Golf Club

303-444-2114 4400 Lake Valley Dr, Niwot CO

1971

Rare coins/currency gold & silver jewelry & diamonds

Celebrating 52 Years!

452 Main St. • 303-651-1125

1977 Briggs Carpet Care • Residential and Commercial • Carpet Cleaning • Upholstery Cleaning • Tile and Grout Cleaning

46 Years in Business! elson Rd & Sunset Longmont, CO

303-772-3454

303-772-6548 • Longmont, CO www.briggscarpetcare.org

1983

1982 We

LOOK

Beatrice Hover Assisted Living 1380 Charles Drive, Longmont, CO 80503 303.772.9292 hovercommunity.org

forward to seeing you soon!!

• Cataract Surgery • Glaucoma • Macular Degeneration • All Age Related Eye Disease

303-776-7024

328 Coffman St., Longmont www.gktravel.net

2863 28th St. • Boulder, CO 303-444-2646

1978

1979

Proudly Serving Downtown Longmont for 39 Years!

420 Main St. • 303-772-2510

1984

Leader in Decking, Doors, Windows and Kitchens.

303-678-8800 Boston Ave • Longmont

(303) 929-5068

1984 1984 Commercial • Residential Architectural • Sheet Metal

1610 Skyway Dr. • Longmont, CO 303-678-7828

LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 25, 2017 • 23

A Legacy of Business and Community

1986

1987

Farms - Residential - Commercial 515 Kimbark St., Suite 103 Longmont, CO 80501 303-772-3200

1987

1987 Steve’s Plumbing

1987

1987

Dinner Theatre

2334 N. Main St. 1230 Ken Pratt Blvd.

303-485-9206 303-772-8865 Firestone: 6140 Firestone Blvd. • 303-678-1616

224 Main St. • 303-682-9980 www.JestersTheatre.com

GreaseMonkeyRetail.com

1988

1989 FLEA MARKET

Repair • Remodel Hot Water Heaters • Service Work Maintenance • Gas Log Installation

1989

Your Hometown Flooring Experts!

Steve Moskel, Master Plumber 303-651-1898

Family Owned & Operated for 29 Years!

1991

1993

Where We Take Better Care of Your Car

303-776-5000 LifeCareCenterofLongmont.com

1533 N. Main Longmont 303-776-3666

24 • JUNE 25, 2017 • LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW

1201 S. Sunset St., Longmont 303-776-6605 www.frontrangefleamarket.com

1993

STEVE’S AUTO Celebrating 24 Years!

2451 Pratt Street Longmont, CO 80501

Antiques • Collectibles • Furniture

Wes Parker, Agent 603 Kimbark Street Longmont, CO 80501

510 2nd Ave. • Longmont 303-682-9015

Bus: 303-772-6467

www.stevesautorepairlongmont.com

www.agentwesparker.com

A Legacy of Business and Community 1995

1996

Used Book Emporium

1996

1998

385 Main Street • Longmont, CO ChamberlainCoins.com • 303-774-9661

110 S Bowen Circle, Longmont, CO 720-366-1512 l www.mandmhvac.com

2001

2004

We Buy Gold & Silver!

USED - NEW - SPECIAL ORDERS Paperbacks • Hardbounds • Audio Books Gift Items • Children’s Books Monday-Saturday 10am-6pm, Friday 10am-8pm Parking & rear entrance off Kimbark, across from library

346 Main St. • Longmont • 303-776-6561 www.usedbookemporium.net

1999

2001

Stonum Automotive

THE SHOP YOU WOULD RECOMMEND TO A FRIEND!

Honest Car Care & Repair Old School Kansas-City Style BBQ!

303-772-7720 1456 Skyway Dr, Longmont CO

12 Sunset Place (corner Ken Pratt & Sunse

www.goldenarchives.com

303-485-6988 1920 S Coffman St, Longmont CO

2007

2011

2014

2016

303-776-3882 • 800-525-3290

www.stonumautomotive.com 303-485-9303

303-776-4384

1424 16th Avenue, Longmont, CO 80501 SafeHarborAssistedLivingllc.com

LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 25, 2017 • 25

All ears, all in the family Teen’s ability to mimic sounds reflects his listening habits

BY PAM MELLSKOG FOR THE TIMES-CALL

ner.

As the director at the Age: 14 Biological Science Initiative hen Charlie Frye Occupation: Student at the University of Colorasings “Jingle Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 14 do Boulder, her work now Bells” in his jolly revolves around getting alien voice, who can imag- sing bass in the youth students to inquire scientifine him cooing like a choir at his church — two ically outdoors. mourning dove with his musical pursuits that give “Observation is just so next breath? him better control and relevant to science, and Yet, the Longmont teen breath support practice, he there is a lot of skill buildruns through his repersaid. ing that goes on by learntoire of sound reproducBut it is his mimicry taling to listen well,” she said. tions — Miss Piggy and ents and the way they mod- “There is quieting yourself, Kermit the Frog to light ernize the concept of Victo- opening your senses, and sabers and ray guns to blue rian parlor games would noticing your surroundjays and Canada geese — make his paternal great ings.” effortlessly. grandparents — a band Charlie Frye’s dad — He manages to echo director and harpist — puff now in his 28th year of runcreaky doors opening, too. up with pride. ning The Wild Bird ComHis mother cringes, at Both sides of the family pany in Boulder — jokes least internally, if she hears feature musicians, music that those who join him on anything vaguely sinister. lovers and folks just leanSaturday morning bird “But he has buzzed with ing in to listen closely to walks often comment on all sorts of sounds ever the everyday audio landhis keen hearing. since he was little,” Julie scape.

“But I really don’t have Graf Frye, 57, said. “And so Charlie Frye’s mom the best hearing,” Steve I was like, ‘Charlie, you are grew up on a farm in KanFrye, 56, said. “It’s just that going to have to play a sas and remembers listen- most people build filters to brass instrument some ing for the corn to grow block the sounds around day.’” with her dad as they sat them, like traffic sounds.

Now 14, Charlie Frye together in the summer And I get that. But when uses his embouchure to looking over their fields they come on a bird walk play the french horn and to from the porch after dinand don’t hear the birds I

Charlie Frye

W

hear, it’s not because their ears don’t work.”

While the family nibbled appetizers on their back patio one warm and sunny afternoon in early May, birds hidden in the leafy canopy above chirped and sang — natural surround sound speakers.

Charlie Frye already had goofed off with his gift — wagged his index finger over his lips to gobble like a turkey — to entertain his mom, dad, and paternal grandmother, Djina Frye, visiting a few weeks from Minnesota.

A hush fell.

Then, the Fryes all just relaxed in their lawn chairs and listened to nature playing it by ear.

“That’s a chickadee,” Steve Frye said. “Hear the ‘chickadee dee dee?’ You know, the number of ‘dees’ changes depending on if they sense a threat. And now, in the springtime, they sometimes add a third syllable that can sound

Story by Pam Mellskog | Photos by Lewis Geyer | Longmont Times-Call

26 • JUNE 25, 2017 • LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW

like, ‘Hey, sweetie!’ And that matches what they’re doing.”

Djina Frye, 85, at this point noted that Steve Frye in fourth grade told his teacher that he wanted to be a “nature nut” when he grew up.

“And I swear that whenever Steve comes to visit me in Minnesota, the birds come with him,” she said.

Or, do they?

Maybe his habit of being present and attending to the soundtrack playing outside just makes it seem so.

“I’ve been on a lot of Dad’s bird walks,” Charlie Frye said. “And I listen to them, and I listen to dad, too. Now, I’ve got that sound in my throat, and sometimes the birds call back.”

Listening well gives Steve Frye another edge he may appreciate — even though no one else does, Charlie Frye added.

“My dad can shake a Christmas present, and he’ll know exactly what it is.”

Charlie Frye will be a freshman at Longmont High in August. Frye knows how to make several bird sounds.

LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 25, 2017 • 27

David Feely

Gabrielle Feneide

Age: 63 Occupation: Owner of Key Camera Service Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 24 What brought you here? What has kept you? I assumed a business that was already established here that was going into bankruptcy. I moved up here to take over this business, after I’d been living in Denver. To me, the location was somewhat convenient to some of my kids who live around here, and there was cheap rent. It’s not very cheap anymore.

You’ve been working on Main Street for 24 years. How have you seen it change? There’s been quite a development and growth. There’s been a lot of improvement. The traffic on Main has gotten horrendous but that goes with the growth. For me, business wise, it’s been just fine. But the high rent is pushing out some small businesses. That’s just how it is. You get this progress and the small business guys are the first to be hit the hardest.

What’s the best lunch in Longmont? The Royal Wok. They have the great carry-out Chinese food. That’s why I go, because their lunch menu is better than most.

What you enjoy about being part of the Longmont community? I don’t get out in the community much, because I work six days a week, so there’s no extra time. But I enjoy that they do have a good rec center and they’re versatile in entertaining the youths in the rec centers and YMCA. I think that’s a real plus.

Age: 12 Occupation: Student at Sunset Middle School Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 3 What brought you here? What has kept you?

My dad’s job at Clovis Oncology in Boulder.

You are in the International Baccalaureate program, right? How do you explain what that is, and what do you learn? I think the IB program teaches children to make a connection between their studies and the real world. It challenges us all to become better, more accomplished people, whether it’s through community projects, schoolwork or relating to others.

What do you want to be when you grow up? I would love to be an architect or a Broadway actor when I grow up.

Outside of school, what do you like to do in Longmont? I am very active in plays through Jesters Dinner Theatre, I volunteer at Sunrise Senior Living and I swim at Fox Hill and through the Recreation Center.

Michael Freyta

Norma Fuentes

Age: 63 Occupation: Firefighter engineer, Longmont Fire Department Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 22 years What brought you here? What has kept you? I was hired by the Longmont Fire Department in 1995. Prior to that, I spent seven years as a volunteer firefighter in unincorporated Adams County. The whole reason I became a firefighter was when my son, David, was born, I wanted him to have a positive role model. David is now 30 and he is a firefighter in South Metro Fire Rescue Authority. My other son, Joseph, 23, is a designer. I just wanted them to look at me as a positive role model. It’s tough to get this job, and it’s very competitive, but if you want to do it, you need to put your best foot forward and work hard.

Describe your experience as a Longmont firefighter. In all, this city is probably the best place to work because they are so proactive and appreciate what we do here. I work with some of the best people, and most caring and dedicated and resourceful people around. It’s a great city to work for. Without a doubt, I probably have the best job in the world.

What changes have you seen in Longmont residents’ firesafety awareness in that time? They do seem to be a little more aware. We have a lot fewer fires in the city. They do happen, but they’re less frequent. What we have is more traffic accidents that we respond to. The biggest problem we see is people not wearing their seat belts. I drive the fire engine, and out of every 10 cars I see from my seat, eight of those drivers may not wearing belts. That’s a dangerous situation. Also, too many people are distracted when they’re driving. You need to know where you’re at and what’s going on around you.

Age: 50 Occupation: Program manager at Intercambio Uniting Communities Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 17 What brought you here? What has kept you?

The opportunity to work for Intercambio, where I fell in love with the diversity of races and the opportunities that this community offers to all. We can celebrate Cinco de Mayo, Chinese New Year, Latino Festival, Unity in the Community and much more. You can see government agencies, nonprofit organizations and community members sharing values, costumes and working together benefiting the entire community.

What’s a common misconception people have about your line of work that you’d like to clear up? Some people confuse Intercambio’s mission and do not understand the intentions behind events and activities in order to achieve them. Another misconception is people think that Intercambio is only Latinos and we teach Spanish. The reality is that we teach English as Second Language (ESL) and serve individuals and families from more than 20 nationalities.

How can community members be helpful to their immigrant neighbors? Welcoming them as contributors to our country, helping them to learn the language and understanding that different cultures enrich our community and facilitate communication and interaction. We benefit from the uniqueness of each culture.

28 • JUNE 25, 2017 • LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW

Alejandra ‘Allie’ Garduno Age: 17 Occupation: Student, dancer, swim teacher Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 12 What brought you here? What has kept you?

We came here on vacation and my family loved it. So we decided to stay. The St. Vrain Valley is amazing!

You have been a swimmer since you were 7 years old and teach swimming in addition to doing dance and ballet. What do you enjoy about participating in sports and dance? What I enjoy about dance is the ability to express myself. I love ballet and modern dance, and the teachers at my studio are amazing. It is also a fun thing to do and keeps me in shape. The people I dance with are also very pleasant and witty; they make me happy. I’m glad I have found dance because it is now part of me and my soul. Yoga also cleanses me and I love it. Swimming is also great because sports are an important part of my life.

You are also passionate about volunteering your time and attending church. What is a lesson you have learned while volunteering or attending church? Going to church has been something that I have done most of my life. I have been volunteering for about three years. One thing I have learned through doing this is that everyone needs more love for the community. In our community, I feel useful because I am able to serve people. I love being able to help other people in our community. It helps me feel alive.

Lewis Geyer Age: 52 Occupation: Photojournalist Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 17 What brought you here? What has kept you?

My wife got a job in Colorado. My job at the TimesCall brought us to Longmont. At the time it was “suggested” that if I was going to be a photographer for the TC that I live in Longmont, which has been a blessing.

Of all the photos you have snapped, which is your favorite and why? I’m asked this question quite often. I do not have a favorite photo. It’s difficult to sum up a career in one image. What I remember most are all of the amazing people I meet. Young, old, black, white, rich, poor, sick, healthy and all of those in between.

What keeps you in the profession year after year? Engaging with people in the community and still trying to find that “favorite” photo.

How could you best encourage a young photographer interested in this work? A. Spend time with more experienced photographers and ask them a thousand questions. B. Build a portfolio, get it critiqued, repeat. C. Study photography in college and learn about the history of this amazing medium.

Riley Glynn

Jessica Goldberg

Age: 18 Occupation: Student Year in the St. Vrain Valley: 18 What brought you here? What has kept you?

My mom moved to Colorado when she was 7 months old, in 1970, from New Jersey. She later met my dad, who is from New York. They lived in many different states because of my dad’s job. They finally stayed out here, and my dad started his own business. The reason they decided to stay is that they really loved the environment and thought it would be a great place to raise kids.

Growing up in the St. Vrain Valley area, what were some of the things you most liked to do around here, or places you would like to visit? I really enjoy hunting and fishing. Living in Colorado, there is a ton of hunting and fishing to do here. I started hunting with my dad and my uncles Shawn and Tom when I was about 4 years old. It’s become a big hobby of mine because of my dad and uncles.

You were lucky you be a huge part of building a successful football program at Mead High School, something that has grown to be a great source of pride in the local community. Can you describe the best things, people and experiences that were all a part of accomplishing all that you and the Mavericks have in recent years? The people throughout our community have been a huge part in what this program has become. They are always out there supporting us no matter what. The players that have played before us have also been a huge part in what we have become. They have showed all of us that hard work will always get the job done.

The leadership we had on our team this year has helped us greatly.

We had many leaders show what it takes to be a great football player and person. But the most important key to our success this past year was Coach Klatt. He has always expected us to be great. But being great in his book isn’t about how many yards you throw for or how many touchdowns you have; he is more about what kind of person you become. If you are able to treat others with respect, have your friends’ backs and work hard, then you will become a great person.

Age: 36 Occupation: Volunteer and training coordinator for Longmont Community Justice Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 22 What brought you here? What has kept you?

This is home for my extended family and the reason I moved back as an adult is because of the way the community has grown and changed. If you’d asked me as a high-schooler if I would want to settle down here, I’d have said absolutely not, but coming back here after moving away, I appreciate the community a lot more, and the way it’s changed.

Why do find so much meaning in your job? This is definitely a dream-come-true kind of job for me. It’s a way for people who’ve committed crimes to make repairs directly to the crime victims and to the community directly without going to court. Talking through conflict and maintaining and repairing relationships was difficult for me as a young person. And so I have loved learning to do conflict resolution and restorative justice, and I love bringing in others to do these skills as well.

What changed your mind about Longmont after you finished high school? When I first moved here, I think the city was experiencing a lot of rapid growth and I saw discrimination being amplified against people moving into this area, both toward American citizens coming from other states and also people immigrating here from other countries for job opportunities. I witnessed a lot of discrimination in the community, but having left for a time and come back, I’ve seen how much that’s changed. How many businesses have been able to thrive in Longmont being Latinoowned or with their signs in Spanish. That was something just beginning to happen when I moved here. And now we’ve crossed over. I think the culture of the city has changed for the better.

LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 25, 2017 • 29

‘I just try to stay positive’ In 1982, doctors wanted to take her off life support; this year, she went skydiving

BY JOHN FRYAR STAFF WRITER

A truck driver stopped to assist, and Gardetto was Age: 51 rushed to a Greeley hospiessie Gardetto is still Occupation: Works in north tal, where she spent nearly coping with the Longmont Walmart apparel three months — much of department almost-fatal injuries that time in a coma — Years in the St. Vrain Valley: she suffered in a car accibefore her family, who 15K dent when she was a Brush refused suggestions they High School junior more Gardetto said she was in consider that she be taken than three decades ago. a car with friends returning off life support, was But she deliberately allowed to take her home from a visit to Sterling in remains upbeat. and care for her there.

1982 when “a big blizzard “I just try to stay posiShe remained in a coma came in,” the wet highway tive,” said Gardetto, who at home for about another surface turned to black ice, now makes her home in 3K months, she said.

Longmont and works in the the car skidded into and When she emerged from struck the median and apparel department at the that, “I was like a baby. I Walmart Supercenter store rolled over. had to learn how to walk Authorities told her later on north Main Street. and talk. I didn’t know how that she had been driving “I don’t let myself get to tie my shoes. I had to down, so I keep on trying,” the car, “but I don’t recall learn everything like a she said, but she noted that that,” she said. baby does.”

“I didn’t have a seat belt she’ll have to keep dealing Among those assisting on,” she said. with many of the physical her was a sister, Christine, She said her friends limits that resulted from who’d had speech patholoher accident “for the rest of “walked away. I did not gy training, Gardetto said, walk away. I was thrown my life.” adding that her entire famiout of the car, and the car “Being around positive ly — she’s the youngest of people helps,” said Gardet- landed on me.” nine children, with many of She thinks the fact that to, who cited family memher five sisters and three she survived at all may bers, classmates, friends, brothers still living at home have been because of her teachers, co-workers as with their parents in 1982 having been an athlete. She — was “pretty unique and well as the people she has was on Brush High met during her ongoing wonderful” in their supphysical therapy and reha- School’s volleyball team, port. bilitation in the years since and “I was real active” Gardetto said her father, before the accident. that accident.

Charles Gardetto, died in

Tessie Gardetto

T

1983, when she was still recovering at home. Her mother, Lorene, died in July 2014.

She said that once she eventually regained mobility, “I wanted to live on my own.”

She said she’s been through therapy and rehabilitation at multiple locations in the years since the accident and was living and working in Boulder when she decided to move to Longmont in November 2002.

Gardetto said she was attending classes at the time at Front Range Community College’s Longmont campus, commuting from Boulder to Longmont and back every day, finally concluding that “this is ridiculous.”

She continues to exercise in the Longmont United Hospital gym as well as walking and bicycling by herself or with friends elsewhere in the city.

“I like to walk. I like to exercise,” she said. “I need to keep moving.”

A few months ago, she even went skydiving, and

Story by John Fryar | Photos by Lewis Geyer | Longmont Times-Call

30 • JUNE 25, 2017 • LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW

she plans on doing that again.

Gardetto said transportation services available from the Regional Transportation’s Access-a-Ride and Via Mobility help “make my life possible.”

She also credited Mark, the roommate who shares the Longmont home and its rent with her and who “is going to be a caretaker for me.”

Gardetto works part-time at the north Longmont Walmart. She initially a front-door customer greeter, a job she said she particularly enjoyed because “I could see and meet a lot of people.”

Walmart did away with the greeters’ position, but kept Gardetto on, and she now folds and arranges clothes in the store’s apparel department.

“I’ve met so many good people along the way” in the years since the accident, she said.

And, now that she’s living and working in Longmont, she’s concluded that “I’m pretty much in the home where I want to be.”

Tessie Gardetto was nearly killed in a car accident 35 years ago. She was in a coma for months and had to learn how to walk, talk and tie her shoes. The Walmart employee still undergoes physical rehab.

LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 25, 2017 • 31

Inspiring Women

in

Business

JEAN MCBRIDE, aRejuvenation Med Spa

LISA CHESHER

Owner

Owner, Carpet Wise

Jean McBride is the owner of aRejuvenation Med Spa, a clinical skin care and laser treatment spa. It was formed by the merger of aRejuvenation Skincare and Body & Laser Aesthetics and is nestled amidst the beautiful Northwest community in Longmont. Jean is a licensed Aesthetician and Certified Laser Technician. Being a resident of Longmont since 1995, she is an active member of the Longmont business community, and strives to provide a place in town where the client’s comfort is the top priority, and quality service is provided at an affordable price. Jean’s passion to connect with her clients and make a difference in their lives is displayed in the treatment room. She understands if she changes things on the outside, it will ultimately change things on the inside. As a compassionate person, Jean strives to share her skills and make a positive change to all she comes in contact with. Aside from her strong desire to help people, she’s interested in health, wellness, fitness and loves spending time with her family. aRejuvenation Med Spa welcomes you to come visit our inviting space imbued with a friendly, relaxing atmosphere, and to come learn how we can help you look and feel your best, and put your best face forward!

Lisa Chesher has been one of the family owners of Carpet Wise since 1992. “We raised both our kids in the store. It wasn’t uncommon for customers to meet them as small children. I still have the pleasure of working with my daughter and her husband.” Carpet Wise has been part of Longmont’s community for over 20 years, and they have expanded their showroom products to tile, hardwood, luxury vinyl, laminate, Karastan Carpet, window coverings, and home accessories.“We want to keep that family run atmosphere with our

2350 17th Avenue, Suite 202 Longmont, CO 80503 303-485-9063

www.arejuvenationspa.com

DR. MOLLY ABERNATHY Veterinarian and Owner of Family Pet Hospital

Dr. Molly Abernathy opened Family Pet Hospital in 2015 with the idea of combining high quality care for her patients and exceptional client service. After practicing veterinary medicine for over twelve years, she wanted the flexibility to treat every patient as an individual and tailor care to the unique needs of each patient. Owning her own practice gives her the opportunity to focus on areas of veterinary medicine that she is passionate about including dentistry, pain management, preventive care and running a fear-free practice. Dr. Abernathy believes in the importance of pets and clients feeling calm and safe when visiting Family Pet Hospital.

This allows her and her medical staff to provide the very best care for each patient.

In the end, her goal is to achieve optimal health and quality of life for dogs and cats from pediatric through end-of-life stages.

(303) 485-1285 815 East 17th Avenue, Unit C-2 Longmont, CO 80504 32 • JUNE 25, 2017 • LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW

MORGAN ELIZABETH DALTON and JENNIFER LOVE WALTER Co-owners, Aime’s Love

Morgan Elizabeth Dalton The granddaughter of the talented, creative, dapper monsieur, Georges Aime Marchessault. For years, as owner and cake decorator of La Patessiere St. Hyancithe outside Quebec, Canada, he was known for his delicious gourmet pastries and special occasion cakes. Following in her grandfather’s footsteps, Morgan, herself, has always had a passion deep within to create deliciously beautiful masterpieces. In pursuit of her dream to become a pastry chef and cake decorator, Morgan studied Baking and Culinary Arts at the Art I stitute of Colorado and Chocolate Sculpting at L’ecole Internationale de Patisserie Olivier Bajard in i Paris, France. The idea to be a 100% Gluten Free Bakery was a tweak to Morgan’s original dream. Presented by Jennifer as a need, desire, and vision, Morgan rose to challenge teaching herself how to create her menu, gluten free. Not an easy task.

Jennifer Love Walter Je

The great-great-great granddaughter of Robert Love Sr., whom in 1851, opened LLove’s Bakery in Honolulu, HI. Still today, as it was then, Love’s Bakery is the largest bread supplier to the Hawaiian Islands. The entrepreneurial success of Love’s Bakery truly deserves to go to one woman, Fanny Johnson Love. At the age of 48, Fanny became a widow with 6 children. For 32 years, Fanny ran Love’s Bakery enduring fire, plague, annexation, and the Republic. With the grace, dignity and statesmanship to have been a queen, Fanny has been referred to as ‘one of the first liberated women of our culture to have a view down through the glass ss ceiling.’ As a counselor, entrepreneur and single mother herself, Jennifer tries to live up to Fanny’s reputation as CFO with the grace of God to guide her.

331 Main St, Longmont, CO 80501 • Phone: (720) 340-4636

Inspiring Women

in

Business

KRISTINE SIMPSON

ROSE HLAING FAISSAL

Owner, Little Green Cleaners

family owned & operated since 1972

The Little green Cleaners is a green cleaning company, established by Kristine Simpson. She wanted a business she could do while her kids were at school and could be home when they returned. She started the company on the premise that women or men could drop their children off at school and then go work for a few hours and be off in time to ppick them up. hours are set p Employees’ p to what woork for their families.

We use green cleaning; which is saffe for our customers, theirr children, pets and our m. We pride ourselves team in oour Senior program and how we tailor our services to the needs of every “Our success is due to dedication and customer. hardwork of the people that I am proud to work alongside.”

2330 N. Main St. Upper Ste. C Longmont, Colorado (303) 856-4845

Longmont Jewelers l The Gold Market

Our passion is storytelling, creativity and connecting with our community. We are a small family-owned business and enjoy giving personalized service for your jewelry needs. Our specialty is in creating custom, one of a kind jewelry with attention to detail. Our in-house gemologists are diamond and gemstone experts that can handle practically any jewelry repair, as well as clock and watch servicing. We are located in NE Longmont at 17th & Pace next to Safeway.

Let us help you celebrate the ones you love. www.facebook.com/ TheGoldMarketJewelers

OLIVIA NEILL Co-Owner, Happy Hounds Dog Care Center Dog Tested, Owner Approved

Olivia Neill, co-owns Happy Hounds Dog Care Center with her husband Brian Neill, where a very hands-on approach is taken with staff and clients. Olivia’s passion for animals spans a lifetime, from pet setting in her youth, spending college summers working at a vet hospital, volunteering to help rehab rescue and shelter dogs, and over nine years working as a professional dog trainer. Drawing on these experiences helps Olivia daily as a small business owner and drives her support of local charitable organizations. Happy Hounds provides super fun daycare for dogs of all ages and sizes, luxury boarding, and basic grooming services, and is proud to have won first place for the past 6 years in a row in the Readers’ Choice Pet Daycare & Pet Boarding categories and first place for Grooming in 2016 & 2017! Come on by and check us out!

17th Ave & Pace next to Safeway www.LongmontJewelers.com

303-834-8981

303 774-8158 1822 Sunset Pl. #2 Longmont, CO www.happyhoundscolorado.com

DR. NEKA AMATO

CLARISSA, EDELEN, Owner

Eye Doctor and Owner

Fabulous Finds, Full Figure Boutique & Outlet

I founded Sight Eyecare in 2015. I knew opening a business would not be easy. However, there were two things I did know. I knew I had a genuine passion for helping others.

I also knew I loved practicing optometry and that I was one of those nutcases who actually looked forward to going to work in the morning. I started to wonder if this was enough to sustain a business, and finally decided to take the leap and find out. Since opening our doors two years ago, I have been blown away by the number of people who still support small businesses like mine, that were builtt on nothing more than a girl and her dream.

At Sight Eyecare, our mission is to treat our patients how we would want to be treated. It’s as simple as that. I try to maintain zero wait time for appointments. If you call and ask to speak with me, I I promise to personally call you back. My opticians and I spend a good deal of time asking you questions about your daily activities, to ensure that you are receiving the best contact lenses and/or eyeglass options to meet your daily needs. I am confident that you will be satisfied with the care you receive at Sight Eyecare, and I feel very blessed to be able to serve the community in which I grew up.

Providing the best in Guilt-free Retail Therapy for the past 6 years, Fabulous Finds remains the first stop for the savvy fashionista! Clarissa’s boutique has everything a girl could want to fashion themselves and their home. They truly have it all from Gap to Gucci and Woodley’s to Restoration Hardware. With over 5000 Sq ft., over 10,500 consignors and over 1,200 new items a week, it’s a new store each time you visit!

720-204-6891 1610 Pace St., Unit 600 Longmont, CO 80504 www.sighteyecare.com

Fabulous Finds Celebrates its 6th year in business with a total store remodel and redesign. We have moved our Furniture store across the parking lot and have moved our Full figure Boutique into the former Home décor space bringing all our fashions and accessories under one roof! We have created a shoe department, a jewelry department and a couture designer room that houses the best of the best! If you have not been in a while, you will be pleasantly surprised.

We have also just celebrated our one year anniversary for our Fashion Outlet located in Gunbarrel (next to King Soopers).

This store supports A Woman’s Work (501C3) which is a timely fund for women in need that gives financial support to women right here in our community. This business is about women helping women and we can all be a part of that!

Fabulous Finds, 600 S. Airport Rd., 720 340-4152, Full Figure Boutique: 600 S. Airport Road (west side). 720 340-4152, Outlet: 6565 Gunpark Dr., Gunbarrel (next to King Soopers). 720 350-4219.

LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 25, 2017 • 33

Inspiring Women

in

Business

Marj Sater and Vicky Andrew Co-owners, Front Range Mercantile

Marj and Vicky met when their sons played baseball together in Hygiene. For over 28 years, they have been a family-owned and operated business. What started as a hobby, became Front Range Indoor Flea Market.

They operate on traditional values: customer service, satisfaction and hard work and they attribute their success to their great customers.

Many feel they are a part of the Front Range Flea Market family.

The store and the 90+ vendors repurpose, re-use and recycle. You’ll find an incredible high quality selection of antiques, vintage, retro, mid-century, gift items as well as new products and a great line of chocolates and candy.

As co-owners, Marj and Vicky thank you for voting them winners in the Readers’ Choice Best local business contest for 10 years! Quality, variety, excellent service and value for your dollar are just a few of the reasons for this accolade and why Marj and Vicky will celebrate 28 years in business this year.

www.frontrangefleamarket.com

JOLEEN MCGEE

Director of Admissions and Marketing at Life Care Center of Longmont

Joleen McGee started her career in health care almost 30 years ago. She has been with Life Care Center of Longmont for 12 years, as the Admissions and Marketing Director.

Joleen has found her true calling in working with Longmont’s older adult population.

Her passion and charisma shines in all she does. She has been an active volunteer with the Longmont Meals on Wheels program for the last 15 years. Two years ago she began volunteering at the Senior Center twice a month running the lunch bunch group. Joleen feels blessed to be able to help families and their loved ones, when they are in need of skilled nursing services.

A simple smile can make a big difference in a person’s life, and Joleen believes if you can make one person smile, you have done a good job that day!

2451 Pratt Street Longmont, CO 80501 303.776.5000 Lifecarecenteroflongmont.com

1201 S. Sunset, Longmont 303-776-6605

WHITNEY SWANDER Owner, Hearing HealthCare Centers Whitney Swander has been in the Hearing Profession for over 16 years. She started with Hearing HealthCare Centers as the Director of Audiology, and has progressed to being Doctor of Audiology and owner. Over the past 8 years, Dr. Swander has grown her business from two locations in 2008 to a total of eight offices covering the span between Fort Collins and Colorado Springs.

For more than 30 years, Hearing HealthCare Centers ogy has provided the latest technology to the Front Range of Coloradoo.

Dr. Swander’s practice prides itself on taking care of each patient as if they were a family member, to receive the best possible hearing outcome.

Dr. Swander’s practice is also a proud supporter of the Starkey Hearing Foundation and she has even had the pleasure of traveling to Africa to participate in mission trips providing hearing aids to those less fortunate.

LONGMONT BROOMFIELD BOULDER 1515 MAIN ST. #15 320 E 1ST AVE, #102 4800 BASELINE RD.# E-108 (303) 499-3900 (303) 776-8748 (303) 464-8440 Providers for most insurance companies including Medicare

DEBBIE CONN, SCOOPY DOO’S Owner

Debbie Conn is now working toward 25 yrs of being in the business of customer service. You can literally say she handle’s quite a load of crap! Poop scooping sounds like a horrible job, but how many people are paid to be physically active and greeted by Gods happiest creature, the dog. Everyone is always happy to see her. She has always had a love for the outdoors, physical labor and the mornings. A love for mornings, well that’s a sign of crazy. The early bird gets the turd just one of her mottos! Being such a physical job the years have sadly taken a toll on her arms. The solution was to give up Scoopy Doo’s or grow. Not looking to be a huge franchise but to stay a small home town businesss with a personal touch. touch Debbie lightened Debbie’s load and gained a blessing in Vanessa, who has been with Scoopy Doo’s 4 yrs plus, p making room for growth. Debbie focuses mainly on commercial accouunts and is now looking forward to her next step in growth. Currently seeking a replaceement for her son Lynn’s smaller residential route. She fills in when needed, alwaays happy to see her clients and their loving dogs. Keeping family first has alwayys been a priority. Having a business that allows them to work around kids and school. s It is wonderful having a job the fits your family needs, is stress free, whho could with her ask for more. Her trade mark “because your dog gives a crap” along w custom license plates NOPOO4U, NOCRAP & CRAP2DO make her standd out.

Not only does she pick it up, she thinks up some pretty humorous crapp also.

Out to put a smile on the face of all that see her Scoopy Doo’s trucks on the road. Debbie has found money is not the secret to success, happiness is.

303-678-8860 • www.scoopydoos.net

34 • JUNE 25, 2017 • LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW

Inspiring Women Board Certified Audiologist

Doctor of Chiropractic

Dr. Jamie Gilgren has been practicing audiology and fitting hearing aids since 2002 and is board certified by the American Board of Audiology. She earned her Doctorate in Audiology from Pennsylvania College of Optometry, a Master’s degree with an emphasis in Aural Rehabilitation from the University of Texas at Austin, and two Bachelor’s degrees in Speech Language Pathology and Audiology from the University of Northern Colorado. She has extensive experience fitting and programming today’s latest hearing aid technology, has extensive knowledge in the diagnosis and treatment of hearing disorders. She takes pride in doing the best job for her patients and enjoys helping people of all ages hear better. She spends her free time four-wheeling and camping with her family. Dr. Gilgren was voted Best of Longmont in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 by the Readers’ Choice Awards Times-Call Newspaper.

2318 17th Ave, Unit H Longmont 303.532.4956 www.hearingrehabcenter.com

MOLLY GRIGSBY, MS, OTR/L Molly Grigsby has been practicing Occupational Therapy with the aging population since 2012. She graduated from Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, NC with a Masters degree in Occupational Therapy. She has extensive training with diagnoses affecting the aging population. Her current passion and focus is Parkinson’s disease, receiving her LSVT Certified Clinician Training last May and is active in the Longmont Parkinson’s Support Group. She also teaches various classes through Boulder County Area Agency on Aging and the Longmont Senior Center, both focusing on balance to help older adults remain safe and active in their homes. She is also the Outpatient Therapy Manager at The Summit at Life Care Center of Longmont with an expertly trained staff of physical, speech and occupational therapists. The Summit outpatient therapy team treats various diagnoses affecting the aging population to provide one-on-one therapy services to help patients age in place in their homes. Molly and The Summit take pride in providing patient-centered services to the aging population in and around Longmont.

Business

ROBIN WATERBURY, DC

DR. JAMIE GILGREN

Outpatient Rehab Manager

in

Robin Waterbury, Doctor of Chiropractic is a Colorado native serving Longmont and the surrounding communities.

Dr. Waterbury attended Logan College of Chiropractic, as did her father and 4 other members of her family. She earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in life sciences, is certified in acupuncture and has studied internal and functional medicine. Dr. Waterbury wants a visit to the doctor to be one of empowerment. She wants to be a partner in your health care. She uses chiropractic care to improve the health and wellness in all area’s of her patient’s lives, whether they are having problems with back or neck pain, or just want to start feeling better when they wake up in the morning. In her practice she takes a “whole person” approach in chiropractic care, which means looking for the underlying causes of disease, discomfort, and pain, as opposed to just treating the symptoms. Many seemingly unrelated symptoms often arise from imbalances in the spine, nervous system and musculature, Dr. Waterbury wants to help alleviate pain, she also wants to inspire and educate her patients on the importance of health and wellness.

She will look for the root cause of the pain and create a personalized chiropractic and/or wellness plan to suit each patient’s individual needs.

Under the supervision and care of Dr. Waterbury, patients report higher functioning in all areas of their lives. Her practice includes the use of low force techniques, class IV low level laser, decompression, massage, physical therapy, ultrasound therapy, prescribing and reading of blood work and hormone testing, along with instructing on diet and nutrition.

Waterbury Chiropractic Wellness

MERRY ANN WEBB Co-Owner, The Rib House

Merry Ann Webb studied at the Bailey Automotive School graduating with honors in 1980. She became one of the first female automotive technicians leading the way in a male-dominated profession and used her unique skills working professionally for Datsun and Cadillac.

Merry Ann broke the stigma once again working her way up to service manager of Mc Caddon Cadillac before leaving in 2001. Inspired to become her own boss, she opened The Rib House with her husband Tracy Webb, an award winning BBQ restaurant in Longmont. Merry Ann also produces Prospect Sound Bites which has become Longmont’s Premier Summer Concert Series!

1332 Linden St., Ste. 1 Longmont, CO 80501 303-485-7117 waterburychiropracticwellness.com

Linda Snyder Owner, Snyder Jewelers Snyder Jewelers specializes in custom design, jewelry repair & restoration as well as watch repair & appraisals.

Owner, Linda Snyder believes in helping people make informed decisions. She and her team will take the time to educate and inform all guests. You will be treated like friends and family, and the staff will provide the opportunity to select from a large collection of unique, high quality, beautiful and competitively priced jewelry!

Over the years, grandparents - Hobart & Audrey, parents John and Barbara, Linda and her sisters worked together to build the business while always serving the community.

AstheThirdGenerationownerofSnyderJewelers,Lindahas continued her family’s legacy of service and contribution to many community charities and organizations. She is most proud of her work w as a co-founder of A Womann’s Work, and service on the Booard of Directors of TRU Commuunity Care Hospice. Linda is aalso honored to be an alumni of the Boulder County Business Hall of Fame.

2451 Pratt Street Longmont, CO 303.684.5755 lifecarecenteroflongmont.com

303 776-2992 2201 Ken Pratt Blvd., Longmont, CO www.snyderjewelers.com

LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 25, 2017 • 35

Diane Goldenstein

Wayne D. Granger

Age: 62 Occupation: Lawyer at Diane Goldenstein, P. C., Attorney at Law. Years in the St. Vrain Valley: In Longmont since 1987, in Boulder County since 1974. I am a native of Colorado, born in Greeley.

What brought you here? What has kept you? In 1987, there was an opening in the City Attorney’s Office for a municipal prosecutor. I applied and was hired. I stayed with the city for 10 years. When I quit, I opened my own office. I knew many people in Longmont so it made sense to stay here. My son was in school and Boy Scouts here, my mother had moved here, my husband was on the Longmont City Council and it’s a good place to raise a family. I have traveled overseas and over most of the U.S. and I haven’t seen a better place to live. The weather is great, we have access to the mountains, the city is the right size, the people are friendly and we are in driving range of skiing, Denver, and three universities.

How are you involved with the community? I worked for the city, volunteered as a volleyball coach for St. John’s school, was secretary for the board of my HOA, secretary for the board of the Longs Peak Chapter of the DAR, was president of the board of the Mountain Prairie Girl Scout Council, a den leader and scoutmaster of my son’s Boy Scout Troop 65, president of the Inn Between, worked in the nursery at Longs Peak Methodist church, was a director for seven years on the board of the Longmont Twin Peaks Rotary and I am president of the board of the Tinkermill, the largest makerspace between Chicago and the west coast.

What do you like to do on your spare time? In my spare time, I am a sculptor of stone, wood and glass. I paint, garden, kayak, read voraciously, and learn all the other arts at the Tinkermill, flamework, welding, blacksmithing, pottery, carpentry, foundry work, and I teach woodcarving and sculpting. I am a big fan of trivia, the Broncos and old movies.

Age: 47 Occupation: Executive director of Flagstaff Academy Charter School Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 20 What brought you here? What has kept you? As a CU alum, I couldn’t stray far from the area and all its opportunities. I love being in the St. Vrain Valley, with all of the scenery, outdoor activities, great neighborhoods and great schools. Over half of my life has been in the Boulder and Longmont area.

Why switch from law enforcement to running a school? I have been a public servant for almost 25 years. While I was in law enforcement, I was involved in the schools as I supervised the school resource officers for six years and ran many community policing programs aimed at student safety, especially teen drinking-and-driving prevention. At the same time, I became president of the board of directors of Flagstaff Academy and found a new passion for bringing my talents learned in law enforcement to the school leadership team. Not being a traditional educator, my position manages the safety, business, facilities and strategic operations, allowing my educational team to focus on the children.

What’s the best part of your job? Seeing the kids grow up right before your eyes. As a founding family member of Flagstaff Academy, I’ve been involved with our school since day one. Our first class of kindergartners are now juniors. Seeing the accomplishments of our alumni at area high schools is a huge source of pride for myself, our parents and our staff.

What’s the biggest challenge facing charter schools right now? The funding inequity that still exists for charter public schools. We thank SVVSD and the voters who approved the bond initiative last fall, but we still have a long way to go. We still have to pay for our facility out of per-pupil operating revenue rather than bonds. Having those funds available to go directly into classrooms would be a huge benefit.

Clark Harshbarger

David G. Hartman

Age: 40 Occupation: Resource Soil Scientist, USDA-NRCS Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 3 What brought you here? What has kept you? My family and I moved here from South Texas to be closer to family and to continue my quest to learn more about how the health of our soils relates directly to the quality of food and animals we produce. What’s kept me here is the opportunity to learn and work with a tremendously diverse group of producers. Whether farming vegetables or raising livestock, I am eager to learn more about the challenges and opportunities in the farming systems here in Northern Colorado.

What is a normal day for a soil scientist? What is an unusual day? A normal day is traveling to the “field” to meet with a landowner on their property and taking observations in hand-dug soil pits. We look for evidence in the soils to see if the mineral and water cycles are functioning within the system. If resource concerns are observed, we can then help producers to select conservation practices that help them to meet their goals within a conservation plan for their farm or ranch. An unusual day may be using the digital microscope to show teachers and students the living soil food web on a 42-inch flat-screen TV. I feel fortunate to be able to share these fascinating creatures with people. I will be participating in the Carbon Sequestration Field Day this summer at Ollin Farms in Longmont and will have microbes on display for all to see.

How else are you involved in your community? I try to use my free time to focus on providing service to others, be it a community event to help those in need or by volunteering on a farm to help lighten the load of the daily chores.

Age: 59 Occupation: Artist and musician Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 50 What brought you here? What has kept you? Five years ago, I would have claimed family as my reason for not moving to somewhere where shoes are optional all year long. The developing arts and music in Longmont is now also a powerful motivator.

What’s unique about Longmont’s art scene? It’s a groovy scene with an endless stream of very hip people with talent. And a shocking number of these artists and musicians; I love organizing and promoting community efforts involving them and the curious public. Art and music are amazing therapists, but for many there are infrequent opportunities in which to involve.

What projects are you working on right now? I’m on the Artwalk Board of Directors and am active with Left Hand Artist Group. One of the events I’m involve in is Art At the Bart at Grossen Bart, 3 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays. I encourage art projects and bring a guitar and play songs for people to sing who don’t usually get to. I’ve also played musical artists at East Moon, when artists each get a piece of paper and start drawing while the Prairie Scholars play. I bring colored pencils and sometimes there are water colors. When the music stops, we pass the drawing we’re working on one person to the right.

It’s a blast! I also draw in public places and offer drawing to others, often strangers. I’m very into audience participation and performing at Rosalee’s Pizzeria is perfect for this. I’m also an amateur entomologist and have done a bug show. I involve people with hopes that they walk away with a smile!

36 • JUNE 25, 2017 • LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW

Jacob Heilveil

Amy Heneghan

Age: 47 Occupation: Membership specialist at Lafayette YMCA Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 13 What brought you here? What has kept you? I just liked Colorado a lot when I did some Boulder races. I lived in Washington at the time, and I just fell in love with this area. I have family here and kiddos and a job, so it’s one of those things I’ve just kind of wanted to stay with.

You’ve been in an wheelchair since you got polio as a baby.

How’d you turn that into an athletic career? I’ve competed in three Paralympics games: 1996, 2000 and 2004. Track and field and marathons — I’m a distance guy. When I was 13 or 14 years old, I fell in love with the sport of wheelchair race. It’s a very unique sport. There’s nothing like it out there. It’s very difficult, first of all, and I like challenges.

The Paralympics get much more exposure today than they used to. How have you seen them change since your days as a competitor? Back then, we got a little coverage from sponsors and magazines and newspaper articles. Now, with social media, you can pretty much tune into any particular races, and the opportunities for sponsorship mean people are really doing well with that and with prize money. There’s much more now than in those days. But in the past, I was lucky enough to be successful enough to get some prize money.

Age: 50 Occupation: Pre-school teacher Years in the St. Vrain Valley: Just under a year. Moved here in July 2016 What brought you here? What has kept you? My father passed on, and we moved here to be closer to my mom. We needed a new beginning/chapter. I feel like this is exactly where we were meant to be. We have had a lot of opportunities since we have been here. I already feel like I am part of a community. I have joined a few art groups and a photo club.

What do you like to do in your free time? I love to be outdoors, I like to take pictures of flowers and nature. I love to garden and watch the changes on a daily basis. I also like to go out and hear live music. I have also been spending a lot of time tending to the Positivi-Tree in Loomiller Park. I have my first Art In Public Places installation. It is a tree that is covered with 1000-plus messages of love, hope, peace, community, unity, and acceptance. I am “the keeper of the tree.” It has been a great way to meet people in the neighborhood, and connect with everyone on a level of humanity. The installation keeps growing on a daily basis, as there are tags at the base of the tree for people to write their own messages. This project has been a true collaboration of everyone who has added a tag or their energy to it.

If you could travel anywhere tomorrow, where would you go and why? Bali, because it looks beautiful, peaceful, and totally lovely and also a good combination of fun and relaxation.

Bunk Hess Age: 51 Occupation: House manager for the Longmont Theatre Company and guy who does “whatever needs to be done” at Longmont Collectibles thrift store.

Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 7 What brought you here? What has kept you? I’ve been in Boulder County since the ’90s. I’m from the Philadelphia area, and I came out one summer to Boulder to visit a cousin, and I fell in love with the place very much.

When it came time to buy a house I realized Longmont was a really good place to settle down. I plan on never leaving this house.

Why do people call you Bunk? My sister made up a song about the new baby brother that was brought home. The song went, “Bunky bunky diddly dee, Bunky married a bumblebee.” She was about 4 or 5 when she made that up. And it stuck.

What’s been your favorite role as an actor? Boy, that’s tough. I’m going to have to say “Proof.” I did that in 2005. That was a real learning experience for me in terms of acting. The director, he was a former professional actor and he taught me a lot about the craft, really expanded my talents. A lot of our rehearsals were more like acting classes than rehearsals, which just really opened my eyes to a lot of what this craft is about.

So, what’s this craft about? Steve Carver always said that people come to a play not to hear you speak, but to watch you think. I think that’s what it’s about: Bring them into the character’s mindset and let them know what’s happening inside his head, without necessarily speaking it.

Kristi D. Hornick Age: 46 Occupation: Executive director and co-founder, The Reentry Initiative (TRI) Years in the St. Vrain Valley: Less than a year What brought you here? What has kept you?

Located in the OUR Center, TRI was founded in Boulder County to address the enormous servicing gap that exists in effective re-entry support, including the absence of housing options, for the formerly incarcerated (returning citizens).

What made you get involved with women’s re-entry? First, my faith and worldview encompasses a command to love and serve my neighbors, and my neighbors include those who have been locked up and locked out of society — the incarcerated and returning citizens. Second, as a fierce advocate for social justice and second chances, I passionately believe that when given intentional support — evidence-based programming, basic necessities, housing, employment, accountability, and treatment — returning citizens will transform their minds, hearts, and lives, successfully reintegrating into our communities. I have not met a person yet who ever imagined they would be incarcerated. To live out authentic community, we need to invest in these very people, helping them see their worth and engage them in restorative justice practices.

Third, I am involved with women’s re-entry to bring education and awareness of the broken and expensive criminal justice system. Over the years, I have encountered countless women who are “locked up” and imprisoned long before a judge sentences them there, and then they are “locked out” upon release due to the “second prison,” that place where upon release their criminal record becomes their identity, and they face not only extreme barriers, but also a pervasive social stigma that undermines their dignity, humanity, and efforts to right wrongs. Society would say I have picked up murderers, rapists, mafia and gang members, addicts, sex offenders and thieves, but I say I have picked up our neighbors, returning citizens who have successfully unlocked their second chance, transformed their lives, and have become positive contributing members of society.

What is the most rewarding part of your work with these women?

Witnessing restored lives, reconciled families, and renewed communities.

LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 25, 2017 • 37

Doug Jackson

Analiese Jones

Age: 49 Occupation: Assistant superintendent at Frederick High School Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 15 What brought you here? What has kept you? I moved to Frederick from Boulder 15 years ago for a job opportunity in the St. Vrain Valley School District, and we recently moved to Erie. We came here because it was affordable, a great community and I like living close to where I work. I love Frederick High and St. Vrain. This school is a perfect size. It’s small enough to have a community feel, and big enough to offer everything that a comprehensive high school should. St. Vrain is very forward thinking. We always have an eye to the future.

What’s your main assignment as an assistant principal?

Curriculum, instruction and technology. I like to say it’s the school part of the school. I really enjoy working with teachers on improving their practices. I loved teaching and want to support teachers. I hope there’s enough trust in my relationship with them that they feel empowered to experiment and be risk takers.

What would you change about education? High school culture is still a relic of the past, with a proscribed curriculum and learning limited to a specific place and time. I want to see more flexibility with how we learn and where we learn.

What are your favorite ways to relax outside of school? I love boating and waterskiing. Horsetooth Reservoir is awesome. I also write songs and record them. I just share them with friends and family. I mountain bike and golf.

Age: 28 Occupation: Forewoman and project manager, AAA Roofing & Insulation, Firestone Years in the area: About 10 years What brought you here? What has kept you? I’m from Boise, Idaho. I came here for college at the University of Colorado-Boulder in 2007 and got a bachelor’s degree in environmental design. I just fell in love with the Front Range. I’m really an outdoor enthusiast. I’ve lived in Boulder, Lyons and now, Westminster. I’ve worked at AAA almost three years.

What changes have you seen in the area since you moved here?

I’ve certainly seen a large influx of people, particularly into the Denver metro area. Many of them are also outdoor enthusiasts. It’s really fun to go out on the trails because you meet so many people. I’m a member of the Colorado Mountain Club, which offers courses to newcomers about preparing for back county activities, teaching them the ropes and the skills they’ll need for things like hiking, camping and back packing, and for them to be cautious and prepared. A lot of people coming out here don’t have a ton of experience in the back country. The club has helped me be able to network with people my age who are interested in the things I am, and its members are sharing their passion for and their knowledge of the mountains in this area. I’ve done fly fishing clinics, avalanche clinics, snowboarding clinics.

You’ve noted that you’re a woman working for a roofing and insulation business owned by a woman, Cindy De Leon, in a traditionally male field. What’s that like? It’s been very interesting to be a young woman in a male-dominated industry. When I show up at a job site, I do get some surprised looks. But for the most part, people have been very kind and respectful. I oversee the crews and do quality control checks. I oversee the crews and I do the material orders. I basically run the job all the way through. I really love this job. The crews are all-male, and they jokingly call me “Jefa,” the boss lady.

Sandie Jones Age: Not sayin’ Occupation: Detective, Longmont Police Department Years in the St. Vrain Valley: At the department for 20 years in August.

What brought you here? What has kept you? What brought me here was the city itself. Born and raised in Colorado and just loved the area. What has kept me here is how well the police department and the city have treated me; the citizens; and I love my job.

What do you do at the police department? I’m assigned to the persons unit of the detective division, specializing in sexual assault investigations.

You are a member of Project Pinwheel. What does that organization do? Project Pinwheel seeks to prevent and reduce child sexual assault in our community through a collaboration of professional agencies committed to greater awareness, education, information sharing, outreach and the reduction of any gaps in service.

38 • JUNE 25, 2017 • LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW

Riley Juenemann Age: 17 Occupation: Rising freshman at Tulane University Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 17 What brought you here? What has kept you? Parents You were your class valedictorian. Ever get a “B”?

Never got a “B.” My unweighted GPA is a perfect 4.0, and I have one of the highest weighted GPAs in Frederick High School history.

How’d you accomplish that? It’s definitely primarily hard work, and I’m very intrinsically motivated, which helps. Oftentimes my grades are high not because I want high grades but because I want to learn the material. And I’m definitely not someone to stay in on the weekends.

Did you enjoy growing up in Frederick? I’ve loved it. It’s an amazing Tri-Town area because we have such a supportive community, and that was evident when we had all the flooding and the suicides here recently.

So there’s a sense of support.

Tulane’s next. What are your thoughts on Cajun food? Food in general is kind of hard for me because I have of a lot of medically related food restrictions, and I have a shellfish allergy to top it all off. My food exploration in New Orleans will be a little bit limited, but my music exploration won’t.

Mackenzie Keller

Linda Kopecky

Age: 21 Occupation: Aquatics manager and recreation program specialist, Berthoud Parks and Recreation Department Years in the area: About 16 What brought you to the area? We moved to Colorado from New Jersey when I was two and to Berthoud when I was 5. I graduated from Berthoud High School, attended Chadron State College in Nebraska.

How long have you been involved in sports and recreational activities in Berthoud? I was a seasonal parks and recreation town employee for years, starting when I was 15. I’ve done every odd job you can think of. I’ve coached t-ball and soccer. I’ve umpired. I supervised adult sports as a teenager. At Berthoud High, I played softball my freshman, sophomore and junior years. I was a utility player, playing third base, the outfield, and I caught. Both in my freshman and sophomore years, the varsity team was runners-up in the state tournament. I played tennis my senior year, mostly just to try something new. After taking college courses in Chadron, I decided I didn’t want to be a teacher.. I came back to Berthoud and got this great opportunity to work in the town parks and recreation office. I’ve been fulltime since last August. I’m at the pool in the summer, and during the other seasons I help with little kids’ and adult sports, from 4year-olds to 44-year-olds, and older. We have people over 60 who come in and play just as much as the 30-year-olds do.

What changes have you seen growing up and living in Berthoud, particularly when it comes to recreational sports?

We definitely are a growing town. There have been a lot more people moving to Berthoud. It’s considered a family town, so our youth programs are probably going to continue growing

Age: 51 Occupation: Public health professional Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 9 What brought you here? What has kept you? My husband’s work brought us to Longmont. The great schools and the incredible hiking trails at Rocky Mountain National Park have kept me here.

How did you become a breastfeeding-friendly environment coordinator? I’ve worked in and around public health my entire career. I have worked as a nutrition educator in the Peace Corps in Mali, a health educator in Chicagoland, a private practice lactation consultant in rural Minnesota and then a community coordinator for early learning efforts in Longmont. The breastfeeding-friendly environments project coordinator with Boulder County Public Health magically marries the myriad experience and skills I’ve gained in all of those previous iterations of my working life. So far, it’s the best job I’ve ever had, using my public health chops, my lactation expertise and my community organizing experience to make a real difference in peoples’ lives.

Any creative strategies you’ve used in your job? My favorite thing to do is tap into the wisdom and expertise of the people with whom I work so we can make a bigger impact. While partnering with colleagues who have complementary skills and engaging professionals through the Boulder County Breastfeeding Coalition can sometimes be time-consuming, it helps us to reach more partners in the community, and ultimately we see improved lactation policies and practices in more places.

What’s one change that you think would make a difference in increasing how long women in Boulder County breastfeed? I would love for every pregnant woman to know that they can be supported to reach their breastfeeding goals — through their medical providers, their employers, their child care providers and the people around them. So the change is two-fold: Make sure those who will be breastfeeding can access the support they need, and make sure partners in the community know how to provide the necessary support.

Lori LeGault Age: 41 Occupation: Lyons Recreation Program Coordinator Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 13 years What brought you here? What has kept you?

When I met my husband, he lived in Longmont.

Once we were married, we decided to move to Lyons to raise a family in a small town and because we are big mountain bikers and wanted to be near the Lyons trails.

You lead outdoor hikes and yoga. Do you have favorite places in the area where you hike and practice yoga? I like to hike on all of the trails in Lyons or nearby, such as Hall Ranch, Picture Rock, Rabbit Mountain, Button Rock, etc. For the recreation program, I lead senior hikes and we stay pretty local. I have practiced yoga for the past 20 years. Currently, I teach a little bit of yoga as part of the senior fitness program, and was most recently teaching at Namaste Yoga Studio in Lyons.

What do you enjoy about working in recreation in Lyons? I have raised my children in Lyons for the last (almost) 11 years and it is difficult driving to Longmont or Boulder for recreation with young children. I was excited to have the opportunity to slowly begin increasing recreation opportunities in Lyons as we rebuild our parks since the flood. I also very much enjoy creating recreation opportunities for all age groups so we can all stay in Lyons as much as possible. I feel very fortunate to be able to live and work in my favorite place, especially because Lyons has such amazing people that make up our community.

Sue Linroth Age: 54 Occupation: Boulder Salt Company marketing vice president Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 28 What brought you here? What has kept you? I moved here in 1989 from Indiana after getting engaged to an almostColorado native. I love the healthy Colorado lifestyle, and even after 28 years, I still haven’t found anywhere else I’d rather live.

What’s something you find that most people don’t know about Boulder Salt or working for the company? We manufacture Boulder Salt, a nutritional salt and electrolyte replacement product. When people first begin using it, it’s often for one particular benefit: They’re looking for a natural, healthy way to replenish their electrolytes and improve hydration, or they are looking for ways to lower their sodium intake or stabilize blood pressure (Boulder Salt has 40 percent less sodium than traditional salt ). It’s such a unique product that it can take a while for our customers to remember that they can optimize the benefits by incorporating it in more ways than one. It’s truly a game changer in terms of the health benefits and the No. 1 reason I’m involved with the company.

You’ve also been a member of Blue Sky Velo for eight years. What do you enjoy about being involved in the Longmont and Boulder County cycling scene? Blue Sky is a local not-for-profit cycling and triathlon club. Our club motto is “Community through Cycling” and that’s what ties our members together. We have a shared passion for both riding bikes and giving back to the community.

With the help of our club sponsors we were able to raise funds to purchase, donate and install a bike aid station at Westview Middle School last year. This year we’ll be donating two — one at Altona Middle School and another to a local notfor-profit. We also take on responsibility for a run aid station during Ironman Boulder. This year was our fourth. We not only support our fellow athletes but also earned a grant from Ironman Foundation to further our outreach efforts. I enjoy being active and healthy and sharing those passions with others. I’m fortunate that both my profession and my personal involvements allow me to do so.

LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 25, 2017 • 39

In the stars, down to earth He has studied the galaxy, but now this scientist’s focus is a little closer to home

BY AMELIA ARVESEN STAFF WRITER

wife, Sarah, a former Longmont City Council Age: 58 member, to the area in When Hal Levison was Occupation: Planetary 1995 from San Antonio. He gifted a telescope for his scientist and astronomer has grown to love the Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 21 12th birthday, he knew his Front Range, raising his future was in the stars. two daughters here and, in Now 58, Levison is a career, and we’re going his spare time, driving any planetary scientist and and seeing a population up one of his five 1950s vinastronomer at the Southclose, which is really tage British cars through west Research Institute in going to revolutionize our the mountains.

Boulder — a powerhouse understanding of where “I think I spend more for space study — where we came from,” he said time in the garage trying he has worked since 1995.

“There’s nothing more to get them to run than “It’s not even work,” he rewarding on top of that.” actually driving them,” he said. “I would do this even Standing 6 feet 4 inches said. if they didn’t pay me. It’s tall, Levison has a long, His wife, Sarah, said her all curiosity driven. It’s white beard and blue eyes husband is so intensely this need to know where that glimmer with childdedicated to his work that we come from. I couldn’t like wonder behind wirehe forgets about the mundo anything else.” dane, illustrated by a story Levison devotes his days framed glasses when he talks about the solar systhat’s often retold. as the principal investigatem.

“He’s so focused on scitor of the Lucy mission to His curiosity for what’s ence that he doesn’t know tour six Jupiter Trojans, or what color socks he has asteroids. The project pro- beyond Earth, he said, originates from his high on and he only owns white posal nearly two years in school years growing up in socks,” she said. “... In the making was selected Philadelphia, when he met spite of that, if you would in January as the 13th of a mentor and had access ask him what color socks NASA’s Discovery Proto the school’s planetarihe would have, he would gram, costing just shy of um. It’s when he built his have no idea.” $1 billion.

The couple met at The spacecraft “Lucy” — first telescope and held many star parties, when Franklin & Marshall Colnamed after the hominin friends with telescopes lege in Lancaster, Penn., skeleton — is currently would observe the sky where Hal Levison was finbeing designed at Lockishing his undergraduate heed Martin and is slated together.

“It’s quite a trick trying thesis on lunar oscillations to be completed October 2021, in time for a 12-year to find anything in the sky and would wake up during in suburban Philadelphia,” the night to observe, she mission looking for clues he said. “You look up, you said. into the formation of the see five stars. It’s not like outer planets, and how “His really amazing living around here.”

Earth got its water and strengths, which are a organic matter. unique combination, is The position at SwRI that he’s enormously cre“It’s the rest of my brought Levison and his

Hal Levison

ative and he has a capability in his mind to look at a math combination and envision what it looks like in 3D,” she said.

Hal Levison used to study galaxies, but now works on large-scale computer simulations of the formation and the evolution of the planets.

Other noteworthy projects he is best known for include the Nice model, an idea that the planets formed close to the sun and then scattered during a dynamically violent event.

He said he also is known for authoring codes used for planet formation simulations and for studying another formation theory called pebble accretion.

Such complex concepts often get lost on laypeople, and even professionals, so Levison said he uses humor, analogies and props to keep his audience from drifting to sleep.

“I tend to like being a showman when I give talks,” he said. “... You go to conferences, you sit in a room for three or four days, just one talk after another. And so I try to do things that will wake the audience up, including carrying Pebbles around.”

The Flintstones’ Pebbles doll accompanies him when he explains pebble

accretion. His last slide in a PowerPoint about Lucy is an image from the “I Love Lucy” show. He also wears a diamond-shaped pin to representing the Beatles song, “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.”

Sarah says it’s another example of a scientist’s creativity.

“They play with all the pop culture stuff too because science has to be accessible,” she said. “...

It’s getting people to understand things they normally wouldn’t be thinking about if they’re not a planetary scientist.”

He also compares planets and asteroids to a murder scene — though first offers a disclaimer about it being gruesome — in which leftover blood splatter can be more telling of what happened than the bodies themselves.

Though playful, Levison is also takes communication with laypeople seriously.

“It’s part of my job,” he said. “The federal government doesn’t spend a lot of money on science and may end up spending a lot less money on science. You guys are paying for this, and if what we do just stays locked away in our ivy tower, I don’t think it’s accomplishing its purpose.”

Story by Amelia Arvesen | Photos by Cliff Grassmick | Longmont Times-Call

40 • JUNE 25, 2017 • LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW

Harold F. (Hal) Levison is a planetary scientist specializing in planetary dynamics. He currently works at the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder and studies planetary orbits and their evolution through solar system history.

LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 25, 2017 • 41

Teresa Litman

Rita Liu

Age: 46 Occupation: Preschool teacher and St. Vrain Valley Historical Society board member and cochairwoman Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 46 What brought you here? What has kept you?

I was born here and enjoy living here.

What prompted you to volunteer with the St. Vrain Historical Society? In the mid-1970s, when I was 6 years old, my dad volunteered as a carpenter to help restore the Hauke Milk House (1860) at Old Mill Park in Longmont. He dropped a nail when he was standing on a ladder there one day, and when I picked it up to give it to him, I noticed that it was a square nail. I understood that it was different and special and historical. That memory is near and dear to my heart now that I’ve lost my dad.

And that memory is what brought me back to the park to share it with my daughter in 2012 when she was 6 years old. I noticed during that visit that the place needed more help, so I started volunteering. We do honey-do chores — gardening, mending fences, washing windows, cleaning the cabins, taking down wasp nests.

What is it important to you to preserve the past? Every spring, about a thousand third-graders visit Old Mill Park (237 Pratt St., Longmont) for two weeks called Pioneer Days. It gives them a chance to see the oldest remaining cabin in Boulder County — the Affolter Cabin (1860) — and other historic structures. This place also gives them a deeper understanding of how difficult it was for the pioneers when they settled here. It took them three days to do a load of laundry because they had to remove buttons before putting clothes through the ringer and then sew them on again.

Without them settling the area would we be here? This place means so much to me that I hope more people in the community embrace it.

Age: Stopped counting Occupation: Founder & President of Asian-Pacific Association of Longmont (A-PAL) Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 11 years What brought you here? What has kept you? I came to Longmont in December 2005 from Armonk, N.Y., after retiring from IBM Corporation, where I was a high-level I/T manager and a certified management consultant. Colorado is a very beautiful state and healthy state. In addition to its beauty, Longmont is very community oriented, and the people are sincere and always want to help. I’m very impressed with the many non-profits and charity services, and with the many dedicated volunteers. In Longmont, I have had the opportunity to apply my professional training and experience from IBM to give back to the community.

What prompted you to found the Asian Pacific Association of Longmont? I recognized the cultural barriers that kept many of the Asian residents in Longmont from participating in community programs. I organized the AsianPacific Association of Longmont (A-PAL) in order to support the Longmont Multicultural Action Committee’s goal of culture inclusiveness. I have devoted the past seven years in helping the city accomplish this goal of creating a truly multicultural, participatory community. A-PAL programs are designed to not only address the needs of Asians, but also to welcome and encourage participation by all cultural groups. A-PAL has also worked closely with the school district, bringing the idea of inclusiveness into the educational system.

What do you like to do on your spare time? I’m involved in many programs and projects on a volunteer basis. I’m a member of the Senior Computer Tech Center and the Longmont Rotary Club. I speak at the TESL (Teach the Teacher of ESL) class at Front Range Community College, sharing my life experiences at the beginning of each semester. I am involved in quite a few school district projects.

As a people person. I enjoy meeting new people, sharing experiences, and exploring interesting ideas. I do yoga and take walks with friends. I also enjoy good and healthy food, and I’m constantly looking for good restaurants.

Tonni Loutzenhiser Age: 60 Occupation: Executive director of Longmont Friends of Feral & Abandoned Cats, an all volunteer nonprofit Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 17 years What brought you here? What has kept you? I love the small, tight-knit community atmosphere in Longmont. I’m inspired by the care people in Longmont display when they talk to me about community cats they care for and love.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of your work? The most rewarding aspect of my work is giving cats that don’t generally receive opportunities like neuter/spay surgeries or medical care and housing, some of these same opportunities we give to cats that we share our homes with.

What’s the name and story of the cat who has most touched your heart? Nala was a very cute, gray, young feral cat that we trapped to spay and then release back into the cat colony. During her surgery, we found out that Nala was a male who had a very difficult neuter that required abdominal surgery. We nearly lost him. Within days, he was a very sick guy who required an additional, corrective surgery. To our surprise, he came back to us a tame cat that craved love and attention. It took months for him to recuperate, but he’s now an amazing little guy who lives indoors with his human family. Nala showed me that cats born into cat colonies with little human interaction have great potential to develop a strong human-animal bond that is so precious to all of us who help them.

42 • JUNE 25, 2017 • LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW

Nathan Maciejewski Age: 43 Occupation: I own and operate Front Range Instrument Repair.

My public shop is inside Guitars Etc., 460 Main St., Longmont. I have a custom shop in my private residence as well. I repair and restore musical instruments and have for 20 years. I cater to the brass and woodwind families, but also have many years of experience in luthiery.

Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 16 What brought you here? What has kept you? While apprenticing in my current work, I was a signed musician who made records and toured, and worked myself to the bone when not on the road. My parents had relocated here once they became empty nesters, and I lovingly say that I “made the mistake” of visiting Colorado. As my seduction to the state was instant, I planned a needed quality of life change, in order to be closer to them. I’ve stayed because Colorado climate and economy are excellent. Much more, the community I’ve made here makes getting out of bed every day such a wonderful and easy thing to do.

Is there one type of instrument you prefer working with more than another, and why? Not really. Each instrument has its charm and tells a “listening” technician what it wants to be its best. I work on well over 1,000 instruments each year and have a wonderful and growing clientele, including many professionals, SVVSD, Guitars Etc.’s rental program, and work that is shipped to me from around the state, country and world.

Are you a performing musician as well, and what form does that take? I’ve been performing since age 15 with Moment of Truth, a NY hardcore band. My roots are in rock, technical and death metal, and jazz. Over the years, my rock and progressive sides began to blossom. Until last fall, I wrote, performed and recorded with Sublingual, as my mainstay. Today, I’m reunited with Monkey Fire (rock) and with Moment of Truth; these bands will be performing and recording shortly. Also, I’m producing albums; currently with Rochester, N.Y.’s Sulaco (technical grindmetal). I love writing, recording and performing, but I’m also excited to find myself in a producer role.

Casey MacKenzie Age: 42 Occupation: Mom and Shire horse breeder Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 9 What brought you here? What has kept you?

After spending many years in Boulder, my husband and I were looking for a lifestyle change, with an eye toward more space and outdoor living — especially for our two young daughters. We bought a farm, and built a home on the land. Little did we know that our interest in horses would — almost literally — explode out of the gate.

How did you get into working with Shire horses specifically?

Our first horse, Midnight, wasn’t a Shire; and we didn’t get along.

The chemistry was off. But as we were finding our way with each other, I met a friend’s massive Shire mare, and immediately felt comfort and safety with her. One ride and I was hooked. A night of research, and I learned that these gentle giants (often taller than Clydesdales) also are an endangered breed — with fewer than 2,000 of them worldwide. It wasn’t easy finding a Shire that was trained, but I found a weanling (baby) and together we learned how to ride and “drive.” In 2012, I decided to take the leap and start breeding, which led to our first mare, and MacKenzie Shires was born. Amazingly, we now have four breeding mares, a stallion, and five hitch geldings.

What is your favorite part about working with horses every day? To start, these big guys (they can weigh upwards of 2,000 pounds) don’t get too worked up about anything. They are always happy to see people, and they are very interested in whatever we may be doing. They will happily follow us around to “help” with whatever project we might be doing. They love working, or even being asked to pull a wagon down Second Street for Niwot’s Fourth of July Parade. Our girls have been riding these Shire tonsof- fun since they were 5 years old, and I honestly never worried for a minute. I feel great gratitude that working with them to this day feels like play.

Teresa MacPhail Age: Older than 40, but just barely!

Occupation: My husband and I own Mac’s Place diner at 17th and Pace in the Safeway shopping center. We are open six days of the week and serve breakfast and lunch until 2 p.m.

Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 20 What brought you here? What has kept you? I moved here from Switzerland in 1997 and just love the people and the beautiful outdoors. The weather is perfect.

What’s your favorite menu item and why? My favorite menu item that we serve has to be the biscuits and gravy! I was raised in Tennessee and feel like we have the best of both on our menu. The gravy is made with a lot of breakfast sausage, shallots and cream. If you add eggs to it, it’s called the Hot Mess! It’s a popular item, for sure, and we make both several times per week. None of our menu items are pre-made. We created all the recipes ourselves with help from family and friends.

What makes Mac’s Place unique? I think what makes Mac’s Place unique is our employees and our flexibility. My husband and I are always there and willing to change things up for the customers to get the dish exactly as they like it. Some folks can be pretty particular about their eggs, so Keith has become a real expert in doing them correctly.

Keith MacPhail Age: 57 Occupation: Co-owner of Mac’s Place diner Years in the St. Vrain Valley: Almost 30 What brought you here? What has kept you? I came out here from Poughkeepsie, N.Y., working for IBM as an accountant.

What’s your favorite menu item and why? My favorite meal that we serve here is, of course, our Reuben. We like to think it’s the world’s best Reuben because we corn the brisket ourselves.

What makes Mac’s Place unique? I think we offer folks on the east side of Longmont a truly well-done breakfast and lunch that you can’t find anywhere else. It’s a little bit like that TV sitcom “Cheers,” where everyone knows your name.

Jane Marcus Age: 69 Occupation: Graphic and fine artist; owner of Blue Wing Studio LLC Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 37 What brought you here? What has kept you? My husband of 50 years and I came to Longmont because the Mount St. Helen’s volcano erupted. We left Los Angeles for Oregon and all of a sudden we were staring at a mushroom cloud. So we headed for Colorado and landed in Longmont. Here we could live the small town life we dreamed of, get involved and actually make a change. Our house is over 100 years old now, and we seem to be catching up with it.

Longmont gets better the older you get. The founders thought of that — from the water we drink to Hover Community — it has always felt like some one cared!

What is your primary focus and source of inspiration?: I have been drawing Longmont and the world for some 40 years keeping a continual sketchbook. If you are a writer, you write; if you are an artist, you draw. I have sketched everything from the old-timers, to botanicals in more than 20 journals. I draw everything from nature to heavy equipment and am never afraid of the stroke of my pen. My studio has been doing commercial artwork for 35 years — designing business logos, SVVSD logos, illustrative signage including Golden Ponds and Stephen Day parks, brochures for Hover Community, engineering firms and developers — along with teaching, including FRCC, the Firehouse and privately. Doing fine arts in France and China, basically anywhere my art took me, I am exactly what I say I am: an artist. Life is my inspiration.

Why the St. Vrain Valley? Longmont is community oriented with an emphasis on cultural awareness and natural beauty; parks, shopping, schools, art, great restaurants and always a parade or event. People live here who believe in each other. For years, we have been known as the best-kept secret on the Front Range. We are worth sharing.

LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 25, 2017 • 43

Wendy McMillan

Joe Mejia

Age: 43 Occupation: Recipe writer, vegan food blogger, and health writer for LiveWell Longmont and other organizations Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 15 What brought you here? What has kept you? I enjoy the culture of healthy eating and active living here.

How did your culinary skills improve to the point of writing recipes instead of just reading them? As newlyweds, my husband and I traded off on who would open the box of whatever. But that didn’t last long. I’ve been experimenting with recipes and following my passion for nutrition and healthy eating for a long time. In 2014, going vegan — at least, going mostly plant-based — forced me to experiment and to research more. But to be successful writing recipes and nutritionrelated stories for companies with “plant powered” products, such as Silver Hills Bakery and Little Northern Bakehouse, I needed to remember that somebody always does it better. It’s the same reality athletes here face. Anyway, now I am proud of what I find in that balance of trusting my instincts and experimenting with ingredients. It helps just to keep my mind open to trying new textures and flavors. Then, I test, test, test it. I’ve written recipes for Ancient Harvest, Madhava, and for my blog, Happy Apple Natural Kitchen, http://www.happyapplekitchen.com/.

Where have you gotten your best new recipe ideas? All of us have years of tasting different foods. So, sometimes my ideas begin with recreating old recipes that have sentimental meaning. For instance, a cake recipe that my grandmother once made comes with so much nostalgia.

But it is also loaded with butter and sugar! So, to reconnect with my grandmother and what she baked in a way that makes sense for my family now, I explore healthier alternatives and new combinations of ingredients.

Sometimes, the recipe ends up being a totally different one from the original. But it tastes good, and the process was fun.

Age: 50 Occupation: President/agent Joe Mejia Insurance Agency Inc. State Farm Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 11 years What brought you here? What has kept you? A life-changing opportunity to serve the Longmont community and surrounding area through insurance and financial services. Owning my business allows me to match the products we offer to meet our customers’ needs and allows our agency to anticipate future needs by really getting to know customers on a personal level. The wonderful people in the Longmont community and surrounding areas have given me many opportunities to get involved and be a part of the community. The Longmont area has so much to offer and I’m proud to be part of it.

What led you to become an insurance agent? I’ve always aspired to become a State Farm agent since I interviewed an agent for a business class project while in high school in my hometown of Gering, Neb. It’s important to me to be able to help and impact as many people as I can in the community. I’ve always wanted to own my own business and influence others to do the same. This allows me to be a part of the community and make a difference for our customers today and tomorrow. I want to be the person people think of when they hear about or see State Farm in their community. Someone they trust with their Insurance and Financial Services. We’re here to help life go right.

What’s the busiest time of year for an agent, and why? Every day is the busiest time of the year for our agency as we have so much to offer. From auto, life, home, bank and health, we customize the best plan for you. Whether me or my team are meeting with people or walking them through next steps if they have a claim, these keep us happily busy.

What’s the strangest claim you’ve received, and did your company pay the claim? There are so many different types of claims.

Deer or animal collisions are a lesser-known type of accident we see, but they certainly happen.

Are insurance agents more careful than other people? I’d have to say insurance agents are more careful and prepared for the future than most people since we see what happens on a daily basis.

John Mieras Age: 46 Occupation: Music teacher, singer-songwriter, performer Years in Boulder County: 21.

What brought you here? What has kept you? I drove out here to Colorado pulling a U-Haul with my ’79 Chevy Malibu along with my Siamese cat in 1994 to earn a master’s degree from CU in choral music. Since I had already earned a music education degree in Washington state, I planned to return to my home after finishing, but life turned out differently. I would love to say my choice to stay was all about the beauty of our state, but the real story was more about my love of a girl, starting a family, and ultimately the life we built together here in Colorado.

As a songwriter, do you wait for inspiration, or simply decide it’s time for a new one. What’s your process? Songwriting has been the primary constant in my life and I use it to process emotions, experiences, and then reflect those truths back to the world. I have an annoying ear for melody and rhythm, so I’m the guy who always has a tune in his head or who is working out the cadence of the words I hear. I like to think that songwriting is more about “hearing” than writing. My best songs are those that have spoken to me the loudest and who will not be ignored. For me, writing is about showing up every day to listen.

You play the ukelele, which appears to be enjoying quite a resurgence in recent years.What’s behind its latest wave of popularity? I’d played guitar for years when my parents bought a ukulele on a whim from a little gift shop in Hawaii. Being a songwriter, I immediately wrote a song on it without even knowing what chords I was using. That song won a first runner-up prize in the Great American Song Contest, and I think that says it all: The ukulele is an inexpensive instrument that is super easy to learn, and which enables beginners to accompany themselves on their favorite songs almost immediately. As a songwriting teacher, I love it because I can get to the songwriting sooner!

44 • JUNE 25, 2017 • LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW

Ann Noble Age: 49 Occupation: Art therapist Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 14 What brought you here? What has kept you? My husband and I moved to Longmont because it was in between Fort Collins and Boulder and then realized that we loved it here and stayed! We love the small town feel, but there are also a lot of fun things to do.

Its’ a great place to raise a family.

Does one demographic lend itself to art therapy more than another, and why? Kids are very natural candidates for art therapy because they are uninhibited artists. They may not have the words for how they feel, so they can use art to express themselves. That being said, any age or type of person can benefit from art therapy. I work with all ages, and I am currently working with teenagers with anxiety and depression, adults with developmental disabilities, working professionals and seniors.

Is artistic ability required to engage in art therapy? You do not need to have artistic ability to participate in art therapy. The art created in art therapy is not supposed to be pretty or “good.” The art is used as a reflection and expression of what is going on with you and what you are feeling. It is a direct expression of your self, so in that sense the artistic quality is not important. art therapists are trained to facilitate art therapy sessions to help the client to reach their therapeutic goals. With some clients, using art in this way is new and different, but that is pretty common and art therapists are adept in helping that person access their creative side.

Michael O’Neil

Chris Olberding

Age: 54 Occupation: Owner and tattoo artist at Main Street Tattoo Years in the St. Vrain Valley? 10 What brought you here? What has kept you? I grew up in Fort Collins and I worked my first 10 years and moved to Johnstown because it was closer to the shop. I have traveled the United States a lot and there really is no better place that has as much to offer as you get along the Front Range.

What’s your favorite thing about being a tattoo artist? Just meeting the people and different clients. People come in for a tattoo for all different kinds of intentions and reasons. It may be a memorial to a family member who died or it could just be a thing they think is cool, and every day is something different. When you spend an extended amount of time with someone — like some tattoos I do take between one hour and five hours and I’ve done a lot over the years — people talk and you form kind of an intimate friendship with your customers. It’s unlike other businesses where you might spend a couple of minutes with a customer or in an office where you spend eight hours with the same group of people.

What’s your most recent tattoo and why did you get it? Ha, it’s actually one that’s on me and (fellow tattoo artist) Jamie. It’s a hater tot and it’s just a cartoon tater tot with a mean face. We got it because we like to go to The Roost and they have the best tater tots.

We showed it to the staff and we do actually get free tater tots occasionally now because of it. It’s funny because everyone assumes that we were drinking when we decided to do it, but we were completely sober.

Do you have any other hobbies? I race motorcycles. I’ve got a Harley Davidson. The fastest I’ve gotten up to is about 150 miles per hour on the Salt Flats, Utah.

Age: 45 Occupation: Urban lumber producer and woodworker at The Urban WoodWorks Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 18 What brought you here? What has kept you? I was born and raised in Boulder and attended Colorado State University in Fort Collins. I have always been drawn to the area, so after college I returned to Erie for six years before moving to Old Town Longmont, where the community makes me feel at home.

You work with urban wood, or trees saved from forestry departments, right? How did you get into that and what do you like about it? I acquire trees from urban or city environments across the Front Range and process the trees into viable lumber and fine furniture. I do not cut down any trees just for the lumber. The trees I use are removed due to storm damage, disease or expansion and would have otherwise been burned, chipped or sent to the landfill. I started collecting and sawing trees in 2012 when I was selected to receive a limb from the largest cottonwood tree in North America that had died near Hygiene. I transformed this limb into a bench for a special exhibition at the Longmont Museum titled “Carve.” Cutting into this log changed my perception of how lumber should look, the spectacular grain and character of which I had never seen. To this day, each log I mill is a unique gift from Mother Nature that I use to create one-of-a-kind furniture pieces from a local urban resource in our front and backyards.

What do you consider an ideal weekend in Longmont? My ideal weekend in Longmont would start out at the farmers market after sleeping in, of course. At the market, I would collect what I need to create a dinner for friends and family. From the market, I’d then head to Ceran St. Vrain (in Lefthand Canyon) for a hike and lunch. On the way home, I’d stop at Left Hand Brewing for some libations and take home some as well for the dinner that evening. Sunday would be spent at my shop turning urban wood into furniture. Perfect weekend.

There are several reasons we have led the field in printing. First, is our amazing staff. Our employees have combined printing & graphic design experience exceeding 100 years. That experience enables us to make your printing projects go smoothly from start to finish.

Second is our decade’s old policy of doing quality work for a reasonable price, with customer satisfaction always guaranteed.

You are looking at the third. Ron’s Printing Center led the pack in Digital Printing Technology ten years ago when we were the first company between Chicago and Phoenix to install the Canon ImagePress VP7000. Last year we did it again by installing the newest Canon Digital Press – the ImagePress C10000VP. The quality and speed of this quarter-million dollar digital press is so impressive that we just shake our head in wonder.

Ron’s Printing Center has come a long way in 39 years. We started in a tiny storefront at 319 Main Street in 1978 as a one-man operation. Back in those days, there was no such thing as desktop publishing. No computers, no fax machines, no email. Type was set on a huge machine that shot beams of light

through spinning discs that exposed photographic paper which had to be “developed, fixed, rinsed and dried”, before being cut up by hand and adhered to paperboards with wax and rubber cement. By contrast, with today’s technology, a full-color printing job that might have taken three days to do, now can be done in an hour or less. And the icing on the cake is that the quality is tons better.

Yes, we are proud of the fact that we have been in business for 39 years. But we are even more proud of the fact that during that time we have employed many people and by doing so, helped put food on their tables. We’ve watched many of them get married and raise their children.

Additionally, for nearly four decades we have been able to give back to our community by donating printing projects for worthy causes and local non-profit organizations.

So, let’s have a toast. A toast to the past, for it has shaped us, aided us, and guided us to the present. And a toast to the future – that we may adhere to the objectives and ideals which have brought us so far.

Thank you Longmont.

LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 25, 2017 • 45

Audrey Partipilo

Steve Powers

Age: 31 Occupation: Director of music at Messiah Lutheran Church and School in Longmont Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 8 years in July What brought you here? What kept you? In June 2009, after receiving my teaching degree from Concordia University in Seward, Neb., I accepted a call to teach second/third grade at Messiah Lutheran School in Longmont. After four years of teaching, I was then called to be the director of music at Messiah. I now truly call Colorado home.

Since moving in 2009, some of my family has moved to Colorado. I also met my husband, Andrew, while living in Colorado — and he is a longtime Colorado resident. My life has been enriched by taking part in many Colorado activities, such as hiking, sports events and sightseeing Colorado. I had always hoped I’d live in Colorado at some point, and I’m thankful God led me to Messiah and the community of Longmont.

How important is music as a vehicle for spiritual expression?

Music is a tremendous part of who I am. I daily strive to use my musical talents to express my love for Jesus and reflect my thankfulness for God’s many blessings. Music brings peace and joy to my spirit.

As a director, do you have a chance to perform, too, or is musical direction a performance in itself? I participate in a few different music groups outside of my call to Messiah. I enjoy performing and attending performances when I get the chance. I love and appreciate various kinds of music. Colorado is a great place to get a taste of it all.

Age: 69 Occupation: Owner, Steve’s Automotive, Longmont Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 29 What brought you here? What has kept you? My wife, Milenda, brought me to the area. She worked at Rocky Flats.

We’ve lived in Longmont and now in Berthoud. I just think it’s a great place to live.

What changes have you seen in your automotive repair business and your customers? I opened Steve’s Automotive in 1993. We started out at 11th and Kimbark. Then we moved to 650 Second Ave. and to our current location at 510 Second Ave. in 1999. We specialize in everything, but classics have become a bigger and bigger part of my business.

ColoRODans, of Longmont, has a room in the back of my business, and I’m a member. I have a 1970 Chevelle and a 1970 El Camino. In general, cars have become more and more complex and more and more computerized. Your mechanics have to become more technical and more educated.

How has the community changed in the time you’ve lived and run your business in the area? Would you recommend that others move here? It has seemed to grow fast. It has been interesting to watch. When I came here, you could make a U-turn on Main Street and not see another car. Now, it’s just wallto-wall cars. There’s no doubt I’d recommend living here. My sister and her husband are getting ready to retire, and I keep telling them what a good idea it would be for them to move here from Pennsylvania. Right now, there’s a lot of people coming here from New York. Before that, it was from Texas and California.

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46 • JUNE 25, 2017 • LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW

Vern Raben

Patty Rollberg

Age: 70 Occupation: Retired software engineer — well, sort of. I put in 40-plus hours per week as a volunteer supporting various Astronomical League websites.

Years in Boulder County: 45; I’ve been a Boulder County resident since 1972; most of it has been in Louisville.

What brought you here? What has kept you? I went to college here after getting back from Vietnam. I loved the climate and job opportunities.

As president of the Longmont Astronomical Society, what, for you, is the greatest riddle or mystery that astronomy holds? Whether or not dark matter and dark energy exists or not is probably one of the most fascinating riddles facing astronomers. If it does not exist, then our current understanding of how the universe was formed and evolved is wrong. If it does exist, then less then 10 percent of matter and energy has been detected. The greatest mysteries though are the ones we don’t know about — the unknown unknowns.

Do you think humans can successfully settle Mars and by what year will it happen? I think humans may visit there but I doubt there will be a permanent settlement; there is very little atmosphere and so energetic particle radiation will be a very difficult to deal with. Quite possibly, NASA may achieve the goal of orbiting humans around Mars in about 20 years.

Personally, I think our resources are better spent on robotic missions.

Age: 35 Occupation: Stay-at-home mom Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 8 years before I left in October What did you like about the St. Vrain Valley and why did you leave? I like the people and the community. It’s so nice and tight-knit. There are mountains and there is a ton for kids to do.I fled domestic violence in October and now I live in Iowa. My kid’s safety is paramount, so I took a suitcase and just left.

You started the “Longmont neighbors helping neighbors” Facebook page. Why did you start it? I started the page in July because unfortunately there are kids in need but parents don’t know about resources. But they know about Facebook. So we sent 39 kids back to school with backpacks, school supplies and clothes and we had enough left over to donate to the American Legion. We started with 40 people, and now we’re up to 1,300. It all just snowballed from there.

What do you like about running the page? And how much work is it? Oh, it’s a full-time job. I have a group of administrators, but it takes dedication because we don’t allow sales, drama or negativity on the page. I’ve probably dedicated about 25 or 30 hours per week to it. The page has helped me heal because it’s just a place for people to be nice to each other. Through the page, I found places to stay before we left. I can get people food who need food, and it makes me feel good. There was a man last week who needed a ride to the hospital, and he found it through the Facebook page. It’s all about positivity and spreading positive messages. It’s not about “Give me, give me” or “take, take take.”

It’s for if you need a shoulder to cry on or a ride somewhere.

Joshua Romero Age: 30 Occupation: Property manager, chess teacher, Sturtz and Copeland employee.

Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 23 What brought you here? What has kept you? I’ve been living in Boulder for the past seven years, but I’ve decided to move back to Longmont to pursue a richer diversity of humans at a cheaper price.

How and why did you become interested in chess? I’ve always been interested in games. I remember in day care, my comrades and I were obsessed with the game Mancala. It’s a simple board game involving shiny stones and a wooden playing surface. Inevitably, I advanced to video games. The handheld, pizza slice-shaped Teenage-Mutant-Ninja-Turtles game was one of my favorites. My appetite for video games was obvious to my parents, which is why my parents told me to go play outside until I was a teenager. In adolescence, after many years of intensely training my thumbs on joysticks, buttons and levers, it was clear that video games were too much fun. My high school English teacher, Mr. Underwood, introduced me to chess when I was 18 with the following proposal: “Anyone who can beat me at chess will receive extra credit!” Ever since, I’ve been fascinated by the complexity that arises from a few simple rules.

You’re currently transitioning from a job in property management to doing chess full time. Is it difficult to live off of your chess skills? Why or why not? Yes, it’s definitely difficult to make a living from chess. Playing in tournaments and winning prize money provides enough for a few nice meals — cooked at home and without too much meat. A more reliable source of money is from chess instruction through private lessons, camps, and after-school classes. I’ll be working hard to fill my schedule with these activities. Though the transition is terrifying, I will do my best to promote chess in the community.

Whom did you play your most memorable game against? My most memorable game was the last game I played — of course. It was against the benevolent, yet infamous, Brian Wall. He’s a Colorado chess master who has defeated me at many tournaments, but upon our last encounter I was victorious! My victory earned me enough rating points to be awarded the title of national master. So, now I’m a chess master!

Rick Samson Age: Baby boomer Occupation: Lawyer Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 38 What brought you here? What has kept you?

Longmont is my wife’s hometown, and we returned to Longmont in 1978 to be closer to her family. In addition, we wanted to make sure that our children would have a sense of community and a real hometown. We stayed because of that sense of community. Longmont is such a vibrant, heathy community, we can’t imagine living anywhere else. We love Longmont!

How did you get into law practice? Two things were influential in my wanting to become a lawyer. I enjoyed research and writing in high school and college, and I had a desire to help people and solve problems. The practice of law gave me the opportunity to do both of those, but as my career progressed, helping people and solving problems became more important than research and writing.

Professionally, nothing gives me more satisfaction than solving problems.

What do you like to do on your spare time in Longmont? Giving back to the community is extremely important to me. Over the years, I had the privilege of “going through the chairs” in the Boulder County Republican Party, the Chamber of Commerce, Twin Peaks Rotary and the St. Vrain Valley School Board in addition to volunteering for many worthwhile organizations such as First Lutheran Church, the Longmont Community Foundation and Front Range Community College. My wife and I also enjoy spending time with our children, our two grandchildren, Majkin and Carson, and we particularly enjoy Longmont’s great selection of microbreweries.

LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 25, 2017 • 47

Mark W. Schell Age: 56 Occupation: Certified Public Accountant and real estate owner with experience in farming, water rights, land development and mineral rights Years living in the St. Vrain Valley: 56 What brought you here? What has kept you? I was born in Longmont, to farming parents, William and Edith Schell. I have stayed in the area because my family has deep roots here and we have successful businesses.

How has agriculture changed in the St. Vrain Valley since you’ve been farming? What has not changed! Crop production, especially changes in seed technology and herbicides. Irrigation that was very labor demanding to now with sprinkler systems merely require the flipping of a switch. Equipment advances to include GPS technology, the size and power of the new equipment and the skyrocketing cost to own and operate the equipment. Pressure from the population growth in the area on productive agricultural land and water rights for housing, which there is no end in sight. The biggest change for me is the loss of the pristine farmland to encroaching urban sprawl. Every landowner will benefit tremendously financially from this urban sprawl demand but at the cost of losing a great way of life. What has remained constant for me in all this is that farm families are the most hard working, respectful, family oriented, honest and by far the best people I have ever been around in my life! Thank God for that experience.

How has the Longmont area changed, in general, in your years here? Longmont started to change for me in the late 1960s when IBM showed up. This is when Longmont started to change from an agricultural community where the town supported the farming community to a more urban city feel and has continued non-stop. Longmont once had a vibrant sugar industry complete with factory, grain elevators, awesome hardware stores, equipment dealers feed lots and now all of that is gone. Longmont and the surrounding areas are not agricultural anymore by my standards and that is lost forever.

Susan Shaheen Age: 59 Occupation: I am the owner/operator at Deluxe Barbers and Styling.

Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 9 What brought you here? What has kept you? I moved here to join my daughters in the “Colorado Commune,” a female branch of my large family all looking to seek new adventures. I have stayed because of the grandson who so delightfully interrupted my life.

You have a Japanese pen pal. What has kept that relationship alive for 45 years? My parents ran the Lions Youth Exchange Program in rural Amish country in Indiana. We always had an exchange student staying with us, so it was not unusual when Hiroshi stopped to rest for three days at our home. He was bicycling across the country on his own journey. Our friendship started because of my fascination with Japan but has evolved into something deeper. Despite the differences in culture, age, distance and language; we have created a wonderful friendship with each other. In the past 45 years, we have only spent 29 days together — but the hundreds of handwritten letters are what ties us together.

What experiences do you hope to share with your friend when he is here? We plan on traveling to Indiana to surprise my 88-year-old mother, my seven siblings and delight in the memories.

48 • JUNE 25, 2017 • LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW

Nirav Shah Age: 37 Occupation: Orthopedic surgeon at Front Range Orthopedics and Spine Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 5 What brought you here? What has kept you?

My wife was actually born in Longmont, and so we kind of returned to where friends and family are.

The people around here are nice and friendly, it’s enjoyable to work with the people I work with — both patients and providers — and it’s a great place to spend quality time outside of work.

You specialize in shoulders and knees. Do you have a favorite kind of surgery? Shoulder arthroscopy. It’s minimally invasive shoulder surgery. It’s technically demanding and fun. Every shoulder is a little bit different, which provides some variety and challenges to figure out the best way to repair that particular area.

Do you have a least favorite surgery? No. (Laughs) At least not one I’d want to report.

What are some things people do that you think they should stop if they want to avoid shoulder surgery? Improper lifting techniques tend to be the most common reason why people tend to develop shoulder problems. That, and improperly stretching and keeping the muscles properly trained.

Dan Simmons Age: 69 Occupation: Author Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 43 What brought you here? What has kept you?

My wife Karen and I moved to Longmont on the week following our wedding in western New York. I came out for the mountains and to a job teaching sixth grade at Central School. Over the years, I delighted in those many chances to hike, backpack, climb and camp in the high country as well as the years of teaching at Central. I ended my work in the St. Vrain Valley district by serving three years (1984-’87) in which I helped design and teach the districtwide APEX program that served many of the sharpest and bravest kids in the district. I’ve been a full-time professional writer and novelist ever since. I’ve had 30 novels and short-story collections published since 1985.

I see that you are passionate about teaching writing. What piece of advice do you have for teachers and students? When working with teachers on how to teach writing, I first shock them by saying, “No kid becomes a decent writer just by telling him or her to go off and be creative! You have to help them every step of the way ... and there are a lot of steps.” My students learned how to find good writing in their own work and in published writers’ work, to see exactly why it qualified as “good,” and then worked to incorporate those elements of style into their own writing. Done right — and that includes putting the burden of labor on the student, not the teacher — it works wonderfully well.

Stephen King is notorious for including elements from Maine is his work. Does anything from Longmont or the Front Range bleed through in your novels? Not yet. But I have an upcoming scary novel — it scares me — called “Vastation” that’s set in Boulder, around Longmont, at our Vance Brand Airport and in other spots around the county. If the book’s good enough, we may get visitors coming long distances just to visit these scary places.

Deborah Simmons Age: 64 Occupation: Co-founder and chairman of the board of the Reentry Initiative; trustee on the Community Foundation of Boulder County; trustee on the Engaged Latino Parents Achieving Student Outcomes Years in the St. Vrain Valley: Almost 6 What brought you here? What has kept you? My husband’s job as CEO of Sundrop Fuels brought us here, and our love of the area and community will keep us here.

What do you wish the community knew about incarcerated people?: I wish the community knew the preponderance of mental illness and addiction in offenders in DOC and Boulder County Jail that incarceration doesn’t solve. People uneducated about addiction think that it’s due to lack of willpower or moral fiber, so punishment should create the needed changes. Those who’ve worked 12-step programs know that only by admitting our lack of power against addiction can an addict or alcoholic achieve sobriety.

What compelled you to begin finding housing for women getting out of prison? I have worked with incarcerated women for almost 15 years now and discovered women who have similar life journeys to my own, with one huge exception. I have had the resources necessary to get help when I needed it. Most of the women I have worked with lack financial, family, social support and mental health resources. I have thought countless times, “there but for the grace of God I go.” I am deeply moved by the gratitude I feel from women for just showing up to care for them. I am inspired by their stories, courage and ability to overcome the obstacles to creating transformed lives, and yet, they do find new lives. I want to be there to help them stabilize and get on their feet. Housing is critical for them to achieve their goals.

Jesus Soto Age: 68 Occupation: Owner, Las Americas Tortilleria LLC Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 44 What brought you here? What has kept you? I came here from El Paso, Texas, with my mother-in-law and father-in-law. I was married in 1972, and a few months after that I moved here to Longmont. What has kept me, I think, is definitely the people and our customers.

Why tortillas? Well, I had a lot of jobs — I worked at Coors, I worked at the (Butterball) turkey plant, and this guy he gave me the idea to make my own business and because, in Mexico, my grandparents had something similar, they had a tortilla factory. But there are very few factories now that make the tortillas from scratch, from the raw, and sell them directly to the public. I have patented the process and we have family — cousins and nieces — in Kansas and Nebraska. We have relatives all over who have opened their own tortillerias. That’s why it is an LLC. What’s your favorite part of the business? Like I said, the customers. I enjoy the people who come in. We have customers that started coming in when we first started and they’re still coming in.

There are customers who remember my daughter, Daniela, when she was small and now she works here. It’s why I don’t retire. Everyone knows me, Jesus, in the community.

Tommy Stager Stacie Speirs Age: 38 Occupation: Page supervisor at Carbon Valley Regional Library in Firestone Years in the St. Vrain Valley?:With the exception of four years attending college in Greeley at the University of Northern Colorado, all my life.

What brought you here? What has kept you? I grew up in Longmont and returned there after college. When my husband and I were looking for a new place to move to, we decided on Firestone. This community met our needs to stay close to family and be in a small community while still being within driving distance of larger communities and cities. Colorado provides so much, I can’t imagine living anywhere else.

What are some of the ways libraries add value to the community?

Libraries have become so much more than books and materials. We are the innovators, the entertainers and the educators of our communities.

What accomplishment are you most proud of? I do everything I can to hold the condition, the appearance and the accessibility of our collection to high standards. With all of the changes we continuously make to stay current and relevant in today’s world, my pages (shelvers) and I work with other members of our branch to maintain a collection that has been recognized within our district as both innovative and beautiful. While this is an incredible compliment, there is nothing better than walking through seeing various walks of life on computers, reading by the fireplace, playing video games in the teen room, playing at our early literacy stations — and all leaving with the same comment, that this is a beautiful and inviting building, I will be back. That, to me, is something to be proud of.

What are your three favorite books? Asking this of a library employee is like asking a parent to name their favorite child. The top three that I return to over and over again are, when I need epic fantasy: “The Gunslinger” by Stephen King; a sense of wonder and magic: “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” by J.K. Rowling; and a true sense of love, “Love You Forever” by Robert Munsch.

Age: 18 Occupation: Student at Niwot High School and first individual wrestling champion at the school since 1993; will attend the United State Air Force Academy in the fall.

Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 18 What is you favorite part of the day-to-day at Niwot? It’s a little bit different because we have A days and B days, so it really isn’t a day-to-day thing, but I really enjoy going to the Niwot Tavern with the guys on my cross country team and hanging out with them during lunch. That is definitely something I look forward to every other day.

What are you hobbies outside of wrestling? I really enjoy building and flying radio controlled airplanes as well as building and launching rockets; so those things are very stereotypical of somebody going to the Air Force Academy I suppose. It is something that I do with some of my friends. Unfortunately RC planes and rockets are quite an expensive hobby, so there are only a few people that are really willing to try it.

Favorite moment from high school? I think what I will remember most are the moments right after my state championship match. I was just overcome with emotion, and I was very proud of my achievement and I knew how proud my parents were. And when I looked over at them and I saw their faces, that is something that I will never forget What will you miss about home when you head off to college? I’ll just miss the people. I’d like to keep in touch with all of the friends I have made. Every single place is a good as the people that are living there, and I think that Niwot is one of the best places in the world to live simply because of the people that live here. The friends that I have made are definitely friends that I want to become lifelong friends. As, all of my legendary coaches are all great friends.

Do you think when the time comes, that you could move back to and settle down in Niwot? Absolutely. That is the goal. I’d like to live close to my parents. I hope they continue living in Niwot, because this is definitely my home and where I grew up. It is a place that I am loyal to.

LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 25, 2017 • 49

Called, then prepared The congregation she leads has grown to fit its community When the Rev. Felicia SmithGraybeal talks about starting St. Brigit Episcopal Church in Frederick, she talks about her belief that “God prepares the called rather than calling only those who are prepared.”

“It’s consistent throughout scripture that those that God calls seem to not necessarily be ready for the call, yet God calls who God calls,” she said. “I kind of feel that way, especially with church planting. I felt called to be a part of this new budding community.”

SmithGraybeal’s original move to Colorado from Florida was the result of a call from a different being, though one that would become just as big a part in her life.

our ability to address the needs and concerns of all Age: the people in our congregaOccupation: Pastor tion,” she said. “So we Years in the St. Vrain Valley: decided to start a new congregation.”

Members of the congre“I was chasing my boygation began having home friend,” she said of the man meetings and identified the she would go on to marry.

Carbon Valley area as a “Then we fell in love with place that would make a the state and its beauty. I great home for a new love the change of seasons, church. which is not something we “It was an exciting time,” get in Florida.”

SmithGraybeal said. “It was SmithGraybeal originally a gathering of the people lived in Longmont and that were interested in feelbecame the associate minis- ing called to this kind of ter at Boulder’s St. Mary work.”

Magdalene Episcopal In 2008, the congregation Church. But in 2007, it met for worship once a became clear the congrega- month at the Prairie Green tion had outgrown the Clubhouse before moving church building. into an old farmhouse that “We were growing had a detached 1,000beyond our facilities and square-foot garage.

Felicia SmithGraybeal

“There are a lot of funny stories about worshipping in a garage,” she said. “We were joking about turning the oil pit into a baptismal fount and said the engine hoist would pull me out of there if my sermon got too boring.”

SmithGraybeal also talked about how the heater in the garage was so noisy that they would have to turn it off for the service.

“But then halfway through the service we would have to turn it on again because we were freezing,” she said. “People were called upon to be flexible to be sure, and to have a little sense of humor.”

In 2012, the church got approval to build a new facility on the site, and broke ground on the facility

Story by Mitchell Byars | Photos by Matthew Jonas | Longmont Times-Call

50 • JUNE 25, 2017 • LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW

that summer. By December 2012, it held its first service in a new 2,500-square-foot sanctuary where it has been ever since.

Almost 10 years in, SmithGraybeal said the church has a thriving community in the Tri-Town area and gives back to the community through its senior housing and giving garden programs.

It certainly isn’t bad for what started out as a handful of people with an idea in their minds and a calling to heed.

“The call was there, so I just stepped into it, trusting that God would do what God has been doing in the past and make a way and prepare me and the congregation for what was next,” she said.

“I felt called to be a part of this new budding community,” the Rev. Felicia SmithGraybeal said of starting St. Brigit Episcopal Church in Frederick.

LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 25, 2017 • 51

Diane Stow

Garrett Struessel

Age: 66 Occupation: Real Estate Broker Associate, RE/MAX ALLIANCE Years in the St. Vrain Valley: All of my life What brought you here? What has kept you? What has kept me here is an endless list — beautiful sunsets of the Rocky Mountains, sunrises over the plains, seasons that bring a freshness to life four times a year, walking through town and knowing more people than I didn’t, Pet and Doll Parades, Strawberry Festivals and County Fairs that I participated in and so did my children, driving for less than an hour to hike or bike or fish in our beautiful mountains and lakes or picnic there. Skiing at some of the finest ski resorts in the country and being back home for dinner all in the same day. And then all of the wonderful, kind and friendly generations of folks that my grandparents, parents, children and I knew and know that make up my hometown and all my experiences here.

What do you love most about your job? What I enjoy most about my career is that it still feels like fun every day! I love helping first-time buyers find their first home. I am enjoying helping the children of my past clients find their first homes and their parents downsize to a more simplified lifestyle as well.

There isn’t a type of residential property that I don’t enjoy helping my clients buy or sell. I am very blessed to have a great referral base. I always enjoy meeting new clients and customers and introducing them to Longmont.

Sometimes it is just helping people make good decisions, not necessarily buying or selling at that moment.

What do you like to do on your spare time in Longmont? I love to walk, bike, garden, golf and take photographs. I love to cook and am learning how to do that in much smaller portions now that my family has grown and ventured out on their own. I love it when my sons and their families come home for a home-cooked meal with me. Longmont is a great place to call home!

Age: 46 Occupation: Senior pastor of First Lutheran Church in Longmont Years in the St. Vrain Valley: My family and I moved here March 24 this year. We have also lived in Fort Collins; Berkeley, Calif.; Denver; Englewood; and Lakewood over the past 24 years.

What brought you here? What has kept you?

We moved to Longmont for me to accept the position of senior pastor at First Lutheran Church. We moved from Janesville, Wis., where we lived for three years. I previously served Hope Lutheran Church in Milton, Wis., about four miles north of Janesville.

How is Longmont different than where you moved from? In many ways, Longmont already feels like home. We have lived in Colorado for most of the last 24 years, mostly in the west Denver area. Longmont and the west Denver area are different because the majority of people you meet are from somewhere else. In Wisconsin, very few people are from somewhere else.

What’s on your list of things to do now that you’re here? We are new to First Lutheran and have already been welcomed with open arms. High on our list is learning more about the church and the people who make up this vital community of faith. We love to explore new parks and trails, and living close to the foothills and mountains offer great opportunities. We enjoy trying new local restaurants and there are endless opportunities along the Northern Front Range. We enjoy the Rockies and Broncos and the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, so we look forward enjoying these opportunities too. We look forward to discovering all Longmont offers and finding ways we can contribute to our new community too.

Shirley Borrego Tackett Age: 81 Occupation: Office assistant for Dr. Terry Robinson, Longmont eye surgeon Years in the St. Vrain Valley: All my life What brought you here? What has kept you? I was born and raised here, when Longmont was little and tiny. I stayed because of my late parents, my father, Albert and mother, Elvinia. I just stayed and never moved. There are about 12 of us girls who graduated from Longmont High School in 1953. We all get together once a month and have lunch.

You’ve worked at a number of Longmont businesses in your years here, and your daughter says you were one of the first Latina teenagers to even get a chance to get a job, which she says was rare in the 1950s. I worked as a teenager at Longmont’s first ice cream parlor back in the ’50s.

When I was able to drive, I moved on to deliver clothes for Longmont Cleaners. I then worked at one of Longmont’s only exclusive women’s fashion stores, Moore’s, which later was Carter’s Clothing Store and then Dean’s clothing store, even modeling for the store at the Callahan House. I took off a few years to raise my family, but once they got in school I turned to Longmont’s workforce, working at Walgreen’s for several years before starting my own business. My daughter encouraged me to go back to cosmetology school and become a nail tech. It wasn’t easy, but I did eventually open Shirley’s Traveling Nails in the 1990s. That made it easy for the elderly unable to drive by my going to their homes and doing their nails and pedicures. I now work for my daughter, Ronda Borrego, Dr. Robinson’s office manager, calling patients to make and remind them about their appointments, making coffee and making our patients feel at home and comfortable during their visits.

What has changed about the community — and its treatment of Longmont’s Latino residents — in your more than eight decades here? I loved it when it was smaller. You knew everybody — and you knew everybody’s business. As for Latinos, there’s no prejudice now like there was when I was growing up. But my mother brought us up to believe that we were not better but that we were just as good as the next guy. Now, they are welcomed every place.

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Byron Thomas Age: 46 Occupation: Sports massage therapist Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 7 years in July What brought you here? What has kept you?

My wife and I lived in Boulder about 20 years ago.

We moved out of state but always knew we wanted to move back to Colorado. When the timing was right, we decided to move to Longmont, and that was in 2011. We chose Longmont because we had some friends that lived here and when we would visit them, we knew that Longmont was the place for us. We love the sense of community. We love all the summer activities that bring people out of their houses and getting to know each other. I enjoy the lifestyle here and the accessibility to many activities like biking, hiking, camping and all the other things the mountains have to offer.

As president of Bicycle Longmont, what do you see as the key to cyclists and motorists coexisting better on our roadways? As president of Bicycle Longmont, the board and I hope to promote awareness of bicycle, car and pedestrian safety. It’s important to know that the road, sidewalk and paths are meant to be shared between everyone using them. Communication between riders and drivers is key to everyone’s safety.

What do you think is the characteristic that most distinguishes Longmont from other Boulder County communities? Longmont is unique in that even though there are around 90,000 people living here, it feels more like a small town. Longmont has something for everyone at any time of the year. We are very fortunate that we have such a great town with such variety and culture. The micro-breweries are popping up everywhere. The restaurant scene is growing.

Longmont does a great job of supporting all the ma and pa businesses, particularly on Main Street, which has made it as popular as it is now. That has been a huge contributor to the success of my massage business as well.

Paul Tiger

Ejay Toledo

Age: 61 Occupation: I’ve been an electronics liquidator and recycler since 2005. I have offices at TinkerMill. My background is electronics hardware and integration of grossly dissimilar systems. I teach and occasionally repair a fine tube audio receiver.

Years in the St. Vrain Valley: Bought family home in Longmont in 1996, lived at Sixth and Main in the early 1980s and also in Hygiene in the 1980s.

What brought you here? What has kept you? I moved here for high tech and fishing. Colorado has nothing but opportunities. This area has been known as Silicon Mountain and I’ve had a nice time so far. I’ve turned down many invitations to leave. The view of the snowy peaks in July keeps me here with the people who also can’t leave for the same reason.

As a past candidate for municipal and county government offices and an occasional spokesman about local and state issues, what's your take on the current political climate in the Longmont-St. Vrain Valley area? There’s been a recent influx of people statewide who are working to change the political and social landscape. Much of the attraction is marijuana, but the St. Vrain area has been solidly high tech. Newcomers often view government as an omnipotent dark force filled with corruption, which may have been true in New Jersey, but not here. We’re starting to battle liberal reformers who haven’t experienced this area of much of Colorado before seeking change Are the changes for improvement, or just to see action? It’s difficult to tell if odd-year voters will have been affected by past November’s elections.

What local or state government policies or laws should be changed? Clearly, this total crap with gas and oil wells and processing. The issue was created by the legislature and fixable by them. The O&G lobby is strong, so voters would require equally strong committed legislative candidates to re-regulate this industry. Personally, and evidently a point of compromise, I have no issue with wells or processing somewhere that is not a town. It’s an industrial process. I can’t understand why the courts have decided that we can’t zone it out.

Why isn’t there a fertilizer plant in the center of town? Boulder County is a difficulty, with all funds headed for worthy causes since 1998. Roads and bridges are primarily its formal function. Extending its humanitarian purpose is an interesting social concept, which should not replace the county’s important and costly work. Beautiful minds at risk on rusty bridges.

Age: 42 Occupation: Owner, Spellbound Music and Toledo Tile Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 13 What brought you here? What has kept you? I liked the area, and the people were friendly.

Now that you’ve got a family, someone else deejays most of Spellbound’s gigs.

But you still like to moonlight occasionally. Why? I’ve always been into music. When I started messing around with deejaying one night in 1995 with a friend, I was hooked on matching beats and mixing one song into the next as seamlessly as possible. And I like how it helps people stay right in the moment. We’re always caught up in talking about what we’re going to be doing next. Or, we’re thinking about work or life in general instead of living in the moment. But when people go out and dance to a good mix, they’re not thinking about anything else but having a good time.

Who is the most memorable dancer in all your years of deejaying? It has to be my son, Elijah, who was 2 at the time. Our family was at a gig earlier in the day, and his sister had been playing the non-explicit version of Rihanna’s song, “Work,” a lot. So, when I played it, he was all smiles dancing. Then, when the song stopped, his face just dropped.

Jennifer Love Walter (Yes, Love is a family name and part of my business name, due to family history in baking.)

Age: 39 Occupation: CFO and co-owner of Aime’s Love Gluten Free Bakery and Cafe Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 17 What brought you here? What has kept you? I moved to Colorado 17 years ago after graduating from Mary Washington College in Virginia.

My transition to Colorado truly began when I fell in love with the mountains at the age of 14 during a family vacation to Estes Park. After moving from coast to coast and living abroad in Ecuador, I knew in my heart, if I lived in the U.S., it would be in Colorado.

How did you decide that gluten free was the direction for the bakery? Aime’s Love is a dedicated gluten-free kitchen because 10 years ago I was diagnosed with a gluten intolerance. Due to the extensive knowledge I gleaned from research, experimentation and experience, I knew that when we opened Aime’s Love it had to be a dedicated gluten-free kitchen. So many people cannot eat out for fear of cross contamination. Honestly, gluten free has never tasted so good, and I’ve never felt so good.

What do you want for your own birthday cake or dessert? For my birthday dessert, I would want the Mother Of All Ice Cream Sandwiches. Imagine layers of coffee ice cream, dulce de leche, milk dunker crumbs (think Aime’s Love version of an Oreo cookie) and another layer of coffee ice cream all sandwiched between two of our chocolate chip cookies.

When you’re not at the bakery, what do you like to do in Longmont? I am a single mother of two intelligent, funny, loving, supportive and overall awesome middle-schoolaged children. Therefore, when I’m not at the bakery, we are usually at soccer games, track meets, wrestling matches, orchestra concerts and volleyball games. If not there, we are at the Recreation Center, Sunset Pool in the summer, on a bike trail or at the dog park with our lab and beagle. For the past year and a half, I have been on the Board of Directors of the Pearl Group, a faith based non-profit that supports single parents and their children. We also attend LifeBridge Christian Church.

David Edwin Ward Age: 60 Occupation: Philanthropist working for the common good including housing the homeless, feeding the hungry, healing the sick and care for creation.

Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 5 What brought you here? What has kept you? Several reasons: OUR Center’s generosity in feeding the hungry breakfast and lunch. H.O.P.E. serving dinner in front of the justice center. Joan Marsh in zoning department interested in sustainability in housing. Habitat for Humanity of the St. Vrain Valley.

Willingness to receive workers from the not so dirty dozen. Community gardening at the fairgrounds with the CSU extension services. Grace and love in and from the community have kept me in Longmont.

Tell us about Nice World and what it does. Nice World believes that we are all a network of interfaith compassionate entrepreneurs as people of trust, compassion and business that network for the common good doing works of mercy, of the 15 corporal and spiritual works of mercy, including the most recent added by Pope Francis just this year: “care for creation.”

Tell us about the “Not so Dirty Dozen.” The not so dirty dozen are the 12 people in between full-time employment that have the skills of building their own homes. There is an adage that says “give a man a fish feed him for a day, teach a man to fish feed him for a lifetime.” There is a third adage: Give a fisherman a fishing pole, give a carpenter a hammer. So our need is fostering a community that gives and receives the gift each person has to offer.

LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 25, 2017 • 53

Always making music Adventure with strings began when ‘all the sax ... spots were filled’ in middle school Nelson Walker is making a name for himself as a cellist up and down the Front Range Colorado, but it is an accomplishment that almost never was.

“Going into middle school, I had my heart set on the saxophone,” Walker said. “We got to the day where you could choose your instrument. We were waiting to go up to the band director. We heard all the sax players spots were filled.”

On a whim, Walker opted to take a shot at the cello. Whether he would have been the world’s greatest saxophone player will likely never be known.

But it doesn’t really matter, because the cello gig is working out nicely.

Walker, 17, played in the 2016 Western States Chamber Orchestra and the 2016 Colorado All State Symphony.

He said that because he beat out more than 30 other cellists at the Colorado

He said that he plays mostly classical music — Age: 17 composers such as Occupation: Student, cellist Beethoven and Franz Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 9 Schubert — when he is playing in symphonies and All State Symphony, and it string quartets. He likes was a sweet feeling to Schubert’s String Quartet have his hard work pay 14, known as “Death and off. the Maiden,” and “intense “I was first chair at all piece” as he describes it. state,” he said. “I was the Walker is also a fan of lead cellist. The first chair 20th century composer had the best audition.”

Samuel Barber, and as he He has performed and begins to move into writrecorded with the Snowy ing his own compositions, Owl String Quartet and he said he is influenced by plays on the Pearl Street minimalist composers Mall in Boulder during the such as Philip Glass, summer and with the whom he describes as Greater Boulder Youth “almost meditative.”

Orchestras.

“I love modern music, Walker has also played but I don’t get to play it guitar, mandolin, piano much,” he said. “When I and a modified banjo. do get the chance, it’s a “I have a banjo that my parents bought me for my really cool feeling.”

He also dabbles in folk birthday,” he said. “I wantand bluegrass music as ed a larger range, so I well as singer/songwriter went online and ordered Iron & Wine, the stage some custom strings to name of Samuel Beam, play lower and higher. In the process, I made it clos- and he has played cello on stage with Longmont er to a mandolin.”

Nelson Walker

musician Sean Flynn.

Walker is a native Coloradan, but he spent much of his younger years traveling around with his parents before permanently moving to Longmont in 2008. The world traveling included a stint in Rome, and he said the first word he read was “Roma” on a map of Italy.

“We lived in Rome for about a year and then we came back to Boulder Valley,” he said. “Then we moved to Houston. There was a lot of moving around.”

Currently a junior at Silver Creek High School, Walker hopes to major in cello performance and possibly a teaching degree once he gets to college — a move he hopes to parlay into a job as a college professor.

He said he doesn’t know which school yet, but he is excited about the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y. “My private cello teacher went there and enjoyed

Story by John Bear | Photos by Cliff Grassmick | Longmont Times-Call

54 • JUNE 25, 2017 • LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW

it,” he said. “I’m looking around at different schools that would have a level of prestige but still feel like college.”

He is already offering lessons in beginning to intermediate guitar, mandolin and, of course, cello and beginning music theory. He’s also hiring himself out for gigs on his website, nelsonwalkermusic.com.

“So far, I’ve only got one student,” he said. “Baby steps.”

Pursuing music professionally wasn’t always the goal. Walker at one point wanted to study engineering.

“To tell you the truth, I love going on hikes and being outdoors,” he said.

“But I rarely do that because I spend so much time making music. I wanted to go into robotics and become an electrical engineer. The one constant through this was music and I realized, ‘No, this is what I want to do.’”

Nelson Walker, 17, played cello in the 2016 Western States Chamber Orchestra and the 2016 Colorado All State Symphony.

LONGMONT TIMES-CALL COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 25, 2017 • 55

Wendy Weathers

Michelle Webb

Age: 53 Occupation: Business Development Specialist for Realities for Children Boulder County.

Years living in the St. Vrain Valley: 16 What brought you here? What has kept you? I moved here from Boulder to raise my kids in the relative peace and quiet of unincorporated Weld County. I’ve stayed here because we’re just far enough outside of Longmont to feel like it’s kind of rural but easily close enough to enjoy all that the city has to offer.

You have been protesting on Main Street in Longmont. What has motivated you to do that? I protest for many reasons but most especially because I want to be a great example for my children. I want them to feel empowered to speak their minds and express themselves freely and respectfully. I want them to honor and respect all people from all cultures and traditions. The best way I can empower them is by my own example and my support of their own opinions, hopes and ambitions.

Tell us about the work you do at RFCBC. It’s a non-profit organization that serves abused, neglected and at-risk youth who are part of the foster/kinship care system in Boulder County. Through higher education scholarships, transitional housing and emergency funding, we are able to fill in some of the gaps that are left when these young people age out of the system on their 18th birthdays. Through business memberships from local companies who care about the kids in our community, we are able to funnel 100 percent of all donations directly to programs and services that benefit these youth. As a benefit to being a business member with us, we market and promote our members to consumers and other companies throughout Boulder County. We include print media, social media and member networking events as just some of the ways we promote these caring and ethical businesses who want to give back to deserving young people. We recently awarded scholarships to 12 awesome and deserving students, 11 of whom are from Longmont and include graduates of Longmont High School, Olde Columbine High School as well as several other local schools.

Age: 48 Occupation: Research and Community Engagement Manager at Longmont Public Safety Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 12 What brought you here? What has kept you? My husband and I moved to Boulder from Washington, D.C., for the lifestyle change. We ended up in Longmont because of its affordability, the convenient location and the trails, parks and lakes. We’ve stayed because of the people. It’s such a phenomenal community.

You’re leading the community engagement effort within the Public Safety Department. In what ways do you hope to help impact the city? One of the reasons that I came to work for Longmont Public Safety is because it’s a highly innovative and forward thinking department that has figured out ways to solve significant problems by building bridges between law enforcement and the community. That is a mission that I’m incredibly passionate about. As part of building those bridges, one of my goals is to help community members who want to become more involved find ways to use their gifts, talents and passions toward strengthening our community. Helping others to match what they have a heart for with the needs of our community, in meaningful ways that enable them to be more effective, is something that I believe will create powerful changes and is one of the impacts I’m thrilled about working toward.

What’s on your itinerary for your ideal weekend in Longmont? My ideal weekend in Longmont includes a visit to Main Street for one of the events. The Festival on Main is one of my favorites. Paddle boarding on Union Reservoir and a dog walk at Pella Crossing would also be on the list.

I like to be active and spend time with friends and in our community but I also need down time to recharge, so I’d find a little time to read outside, play in the garden or practice guitar before the weekend wrapped up.

Shawn Wentz Age: 41 Occupation: Owner of CrossFit Longmont Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 10 What brought you here? What has kept you? My best friend that I grew up with in Ohio is a lawyer in downtown Longmont, and that brought me to Colorado after I won an internship as a strength coach before the 2004 Olympics. There’s more than just locals here. It’s good place to do commerce. It’s a good city.

How’d you get the nickname “Sarge”? I got that nickname from the Montrose, Colo., wrestling team. The first day, the coach invited me to help and the kids told the coach and their parents to get rid of (me) because I was like a sergeant. So the coach started calling me Sarge and invited me back. Now, it’s good stage name for CrossFit. You had heart surgery two years ago and now can’t exercise the same way. How has that impacted your career? It’s been incomprehensible. It’s been like I’ve been living a little confused the last two years. I lost a little bit of my identity. I just returned to coaching wrestling last year at the high school level and was able to coach effectively and be on the mat with the kids. I’d thought I was going lose everything; I wasn’t allowed to lift weight, and I tried to object. I’m still defining it, honestly. But I’m highly motivated every day to wake up and run my business. We’re 6.5 years in the community and I really enjoy being a part of it.

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Michelle Whitmore Age: 56 Occupation: Nursing director/group director — Centura; and licensed acupuncturist Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 56; born at Longmont United Hospital (LUH) in 1960 What brought you here? What has kept you? My family homesteaded in Niwot in the 1800s. My mom was a farm girl in Niwot. My dad was from Erie, a coal miner family. They married while still teenagers, and I popped out two years later as one of the first babies born at Longmont United Hospital. I have always loved my Colorado roots. I have only worked in the hospital I was born in, and I have raised my three children here. I love Longmont and Longmont United Hospital. I stay here because of my strong loyalty and bond to the people I work with and the people we serve.

Describe what “integrative therapies” are. Integrative Medicine (IM) is healing-oriented medicine that takes account of the whole person, including all aspects of lifestyle. It emphasizes the therapeutic relationship between practitioner and patient, is informed by evidence, and makes use of acupuncture, many forms of massage therapy, healing touch/Reiki, nutrition therapy/functional medicine, meditation, pilates, yoga, tai chi.

Integrative also means the integration of these evidence-based therapies utilized along with traditional western medicine.

What led you to this specialty? In 1994, the older adults of Longmont did a fundraiser, spearheaded by Dwight Sullivan, and sent me to China to study how another culture cares for the health and wellness needs of their elderly population. Following this trip I came back to LUH and hired our first massage therapist, tai chi instructor and soon after our first acupuncturist. I started my acupuncture training in 1998.

Among conditions that acupuncture helps, which might surprise most people? I have personally seen acupuncture have a positive impact on every condition we diagnose in our western, allopathic medicine.

Acupuncture and other Integrative Medicine can help with healing time, decrease side effects from treatments such as chemotherapy, and keep our community members well and functioning optimally.

Jose Quiroz Yanez Age: 15 Occupation: 2017 graduate, Timberline PK-8 School Years in the St. Vrain Valley: About 6 What brought you here? What has kept you? I came here from Guanajuato, Mexico, with my mother because my grandparents lived here. I got here when I was in third grade. We’re mainly here for the opportunities and the schools.

Did you receive any honors at Timberline as you completed eighth grade? I got three medals. One for social studies excellence. One for language arts. The third was for academic excellence. I also got a plaque because I was named “Top Boy” in the class.

Do you and your family intend to stay in this area? I do want to stay, especially because I’ll be in the P-TECH program (Pathways in Technology Early College High School)at Skyline High School. My brother, Matheo, 6, and my sister, Guadalupe, 7, are students at Timberline. This summer, we have some preparation courses for the P-TECH program in June and July.

In between those, my family is going to go to Mexico to visit family there and take videos to bring back. We have a lot of family there, We call them every weekend and call my father, Manuel, every day. But here, I feel I’ll have more of an opportunity than in Mexico to graduate from college.

What do you think you’d like to study in college? Right now, I kind of want to be a movie editor. I got interested in that at Timberline, where we made the daily video announcements.

Jude Yedidovich Age: 4 Occupation: Student Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 4 What has kept you here? The Collyer train park.

How long have you been playing chess? 6 months.

Favorite chess piece and why? King. It’s the most important piece in the world.

Skye Yedidovich Age: 8 Occupation: Student Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 4 What has kept you here? The Apex Homeschool program What chess-related accomplishment are you most proud of? Being able to win sometimes.

Favorite chess piece and why: Queen, because it can move so much.

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