MyWindsor - Feb 2022

mywindsor FEBRUARY 2022

GUIDING YOU THROUGH THE BEST OF WINDSOR

CUTEST BABIES OF 2021 Meet the cutest and most adorable babies of our 2021 Cutest Baby Contest sponsored by the Women’s Clinic of Northern Colorado.

INVESTING IN YOUR CHILD'S FUTURE

Why starting a youth savings account for your child is a great investment for their future.

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contents

| FEBRUARY 2022

07 | EDUCATION Weld RE-4 Education Foundation hires its first executive director.

08 | FINANCES Start investing in your child's future with a Youth Savings Account at Weld Community Credit Union.

10 | HEALTH Do you have a picky eater in your home?

Dr. Bruce Roberts addresses your concerns about your child's nutrition.

12 | HOME

18

MEET THE CUTEST BABIES OF 2021

16 | HEALTH If you’re looking for pregnancy care from prenatal to postnatal, the Women’s Clinic of Northern Colorado provides care for expectant mothers and beyond.

18 | CUTEST BABIES Go ga-ga over the latest (and cutest!) additions to Northern Colorado!

25 | COMMUNITY The city will transform recycled Christmas trees at Windsor’s Magical Forest event.

26 | EDUCATION With blankets and baskets, Windsor High School students launch NICU heroes.

32 | COMMUNITY EVENTS A list of upcoming events in the month of February for the Windsor Community.

34 | FINAL THOUGHT So cute, so adorable...

4 | mywindsor | FEBRUARY 2022

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14 | HEALTH Baby Sleep Day, marked on March 1 by the Pediatric Sleep Council, might be every parent’s favorite holiday – if they can get their baby to participate.

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ON THE COVER

windsor FEBRUARY 2022

GUIDING G YOU TH HROUGH THE BEST OF WINDSOR

CUTEST BABIES OF 2021

HOME & REAL ESTATE

Meet the cutest and most adorable babies of our 2021 Cutest Baby Con ntestt sponsored by the Women’ss Clinic of Northern Colorado.

INVESTING IN YOUR CHILD'S FUTURE

Why starting a you uth h savings acccount fo or your child is a greatt in nvestmen nt for their future.

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LOCAL WINDSOR NEWS

Breathtaking Sunsets Take Center Stage at Loveland Lakefront Property

February is here and love is in the air! And what symbolizes love better than our families and beautiful, adorable babies?

This month we reveal the results of the Northern Colorado Cutest Babies of 2021 Contest along with features focused on the family and local Windsor news.

windsor Managing Editor | Page Designer Brian Sathe Contributing Writers Darian Armer, Barbra Cohn, Anne Delaney, Kathleen Duff, Sarah Huber, Luanne Kadlub, Emily Kemme, Tamara Markard,

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education | EDUCATION FOUNDATION

WELD RE-4 EDUCATION FOUNDATION HIRES FIRST EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Nonprofit supports Windsor and Severance schools

BY ANNE DELANEY Kelly Moll, new executive director of the nonprofit Weld RE4 Education Foundation in Windsor.

A

longtime Longs Peak Council, Boy Scouts of America leader was recently hired as the inaugural executive director of the Weld RE4 Education Foundation.

Kelly Moll, who worked for the council for more than 23 years, will take on the top leadership job at the nonprofit education foundation in Windsor, according to a news release.

The foundation’s mission is to support additional resources for Weld RE-4 School District schools, and to fund opportunities beyond what is available through budgets. The foundation says it works to inspire innovation and empower success in the school district through: providing more of the tools needed to develop future-ready skills, recognizing excellence and fostering opportunities for continued success

in the district; and strengthening community engagement with schools.

Moll’s most recent role was the development and marketing director at the Longs Peak Council. She has a degree in Human Service Management and a minor in business administration from Missouri Valley College.

Heather Kintz is the foundation board of directors president. Travis Guerette is the foundation’s board vice president, Gari Lee Ludwick is the secretary and Michael Payne is the treasurer. Other board members are: Katie Kingsley, Tom Prenger and Russell Smart.

For more information on the foundation, go to its website at weldre4educationfoundation.com, or contact Moll at kelly. moll@weldre4.org or (970) 686-8090.

FEBRUARY 2022 | mywindsor | 7

finances | YOUTH SAVINGS ACCOUNTS

Families are welcomed at Weld County Credit Union.

(Photo courtesy Weld County Credit Union)

SMART IDEAS:

Investing i iin your children’s hild ffuture with i h Youth Savings Accounts at Weld Community Credit Union

BY EMILY KEMME MARKETING FEATURE

W

eld Community Credit Union has a goal: to create a positive experience for customers of all ages when they walk through the doors of their financial institution.

As a member-owned cooperative with a mission to provide financial services based on the philosophy,“People helping people,” an essential pillar of that mission centers on educating youth to be financially responsible, independent adults.

“We make it fun for our youth to come in and deposit money; it gets them into the habit of coming into the credit union,” CCU marketing director Jolene Yates said.

Encompassing a belief that it’s never too early to start saving money, WCCU has an account to fit every family’s needs. Two levels of youth accounts offer opportunities to learn why it’s a good practice to save for the future,and understand how to maage money.

Because the accounts are family oriented, the youth clubs offer 8 | mywindsor | FEBRUARY 2022

age appropriate activities that foster engagement, and kids gain a solid understanding of where their money is going. All accounts require joint ownership with an adult over age 18.

For kids 12 and under,after opening a new account they receive a piggy bank and kid’s cash (called Monkey Bucks) to collect and save. Young adults ages 13-17 can open a Student Club account, which includes eChecking.This level provides access to WCCU’s online banking system and mobile banking app.

It’s all about creating excitement for banking while educating kids on how finances work, Yates said. Age based Youth Club activities are accessible through WCCU’s newsletter.The youngest group, Coin Collectors (ages 0 to 5) can play easy counting or coin identification games. Currency Captains (ages 6-12) are assigned math problems,and the Credit Champions (ages 13-17) can download Zogo, a free smartphone app which breaks down

Starting a savings account early is they’re earning a good practice to teach money mangement. (Photo courtesy Weld County Credit Union)

complicated financial topics into modules to educate young adults about financial literacy.

“Students go through the tutorial, then they’re quizzed in five questions on what they just learned. The idea is while they’re learning, they’re earning,” marketing specialist Kristen Campbell said.

Students completing the modules earn pineapples to trade for gift cards. Youths involved in the early childhood programs can earn kid’s cash after completing activities and making deposits.

Cash may be exchanged for treasure chest prizes. Yates believes banks can be intimidating places for young people. That’s why WCCU has a playhouse in the lobby, and kids are encouraged to get to know the tellers when they make deposits. In turn, tellers make it fun, interpersonal transaction, rewarding kids with stickers and playing counting games with fake money.

The newsletters educate on why savings are good practices and get the entire family involved.

“Young kids get topics to discuss with their parents, which might include ideas for age-appropriate chores so kids can earn when working around the house,” Yates said.

Campbell harnesses the power of social media with educational articles about savings and teaching by example. The program encourages children to help other people by donating back to a cause. Many families participate in the Salvation Army Angel Tree, where a child buys a gift for another child and brings it to the credit union for distribution.

WCCU also offers savings accounts and certificates of deposit with a lower minimum deposit rate to get started. Typically the minimum is $500; for children under 18 the minimum deposit is $100. College IRA savings accounts are available, too.

Yates sees the Youth Club program as being in the bank’s best interest. “The more we teach the youth today, we have members that are financially responsible. It’sawin-win.”

To learn more about Weld Community Credit Union, stop in at 2555 47th Avenue, Greeley, or call (970) 330-9728.

Start a Youth Savings Account today!

2555 47th Ave Greeley, CO 80634 970-330-9728 weldccu.com FEBRUARY 2022 | mywindsor | 9

health | CHILD NUTRITION

Is your toddler a

PICKY E AT E R ?

BY BARBRA COHN FOR MYWINDSOR

“Get that yucky stuff off my plate!” That’s a typical response

from Jessica Stoeckeler’s two-year-old son, Arlo. He and his fiveyear-old sister love meatballs, but they won’t try new things, and getting them to eat vegetables is very difficult.

“Emme loves mac and cheese. Arlo would live on granola bars if we let him, and the only vegetable he’ll eat is cucumber. I’m worried they’re not getting enough nutrition,” said Stoeckeler.

Dr. Robert Bruce, a pediatrician at Banner Health in Loveland, Colorado says not to worry. “Most children become less consistent eaters after age one because their growth rate slows down. Research shows that lulls in growth tend to correlate with lower appetite.”

Infants tend to triple their birth weight by age one. After that, toddlers and preschoolers usually gain only a few pounds per year.

And smaller kids are not going to eat as much as larger kids. In general, their appetite will be driven by their growth needs, Bruce said.

“One of the biggest nutritional problems during toddlerhood is excess milk intake,” Bruce explained. “It’s important, but after age one milk is only there for calcium and vitamin D, and intake should be limited to 16 to 24 ounces. The vast amount of nutrition should be coming from solid food, not milk. Milk is filling, which can reduce appetite. Excess milk intake causes constipation and is associated with severe iron deficiency in young children, since milk protein inhibits iron absorption.

mentioned there’s no evidence showing that high dose vitamin C intake is better than the RDA (required daily amount).

However, he says “We can do our best to encourage fruits and vegetables. But children who eat meat are consuming one of the most important food sources for a growing body. If a child doesn’t eat meat, we worry about iron deficiency. Even if a toddler is just picking noodles from bits of a dish that’s cooked with meat, they’re still getting iron.”

According to Bruce, the bottom line for parents is to have their pediatrician go over the growth chart with them so they can see that their child is growing well. “You don’t know until you look at the growth curve,” he said. “In my day-to-day practice, the common concern I hear is ‘my child is a picky eater, what do I do?’

Parents will swear that their child has been 20 pounds for a few years. But the growth chart can demonstrate the true fact that their child is growing well, even though they are only gaining a few or so pounds a year.”

“And if your child won’t eat vegetables, don’t make eating a battle because conflict at mealtimes won’t get resolved. The more we force the less they will want to eat it. Don’t make three different main courses at a meal. Balance things they don’t like with stuff they like. It’s better to put two to three peas in front of them and praise them if they eat them. Then maybe they’ll want more,” he said.

SHOULD TODDLERS TAKE NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS?

Dr. Bruce does not routinely prescribe nutritional supplements because he says healthy kids generally don’t need them. He also 10 | mywindsor | FEBRUARY 2022

Set a good example by offering, and eating, a variety of foods. (Shutterstock)

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FEBRUARY 2022 | mywindsor | 11

home | AIR QUALITY

It's time to

CLEAR THE AIR

BY KATHLEEN DUFF MARKETING FEATURE

H

eating and air conditioning units are basic elements in most houses, but homeowners are now demanding more from their systems to ensure the air they breathe inside their homes is clean and free of particles, allergens and even viruses.

Northern Colorado Air, Inc. has provided HVAC services along the Front Range for nearly 30 years.Today,the locally owned company now offers humidifiers, purifiers, filters and systems that help improve their customers' health as well as comfort.

"You're going to spend more time at home now more than a few years ago.We spend about 60 percent of our day indoors ... definitely in the winter and with more people working from home," said Jeff Richard, general manager of Northern Colorado Air Inc."And it's important to have the right amount of humidity and air quality."

"When I first got into this trade, indoor air quality wasn't even mentioned. In the last 1520 years, though, we've had a lot of changes," Richard explained. Airborne particles such as dust,mold,pollen,formaldehyde and pet hair can impact a person's lungs and nasal passages.Cold and flu viruses, including Covid-19, also can be transmitted in the air. But new technology is addressing some of those concerns.

Health conditions such as asthma, allergies and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease demand cleaner air. Richard said calls about mitigating Covid-19 fell off after the first six months of the pandemic, but plenty of customers still seek tools to reduce irritants and viruses in general.

Northern Colorado Air carries the iWave system that uses positive and negative ions in a forced-air furnace to kill viruses and other biological contaminants. The manufacturer says the system can reduce the COVID-19 virus by 99.4% in about 30 minutes.

Another approach is the REME-HALO whole-home air purification system that uses ultraviolet rays to eliminate viruses and contaminants.The maker says it is 99.9% effective against the COVID-19 virus.

Richard said, “the Cadillac” of home systems is the Lennox PureAir system, which uses a filter, UV light and a catalyst. The system provides HEPA or High-Efficiency Particulate Air 12 | mywindsor | FEBRUARY 2022

filtration that can match standards set by hospitals. Richard said he installed a system in a home he and his family formerly lived in, but then they moved to a new home without the system. Within three months, he noticed his children’s allergies returning with a need for medication,so he added the Lennox PureAir to his newer residence, as well.

The system requires modification to ductwork and annual maintenance to replace the filter, UV bulbs and catalyst.

“It can be expensive to maintain, but what is also expensive is having to go to doctors and buy medications because of allergies.”

Not all homeowners want to install new air systems in their homes, but Richard says even small steps can have big benefits.

“There are a lot of choices to improve air quality.In the old days, 20-plus years ago, the filter was there to protect the furnace,” he said.But advances to dense,poly-fiber filters now focus on cleaning the air. Older systems had 1-inch filters, which were adequate, he said. Next came pleated filters that work well to trap allergens and particles from the air. Richard suggests checking these filters monthly for those who have pets or quarterly, otherwise.

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Another step up is media filters, which range from 1 to 4- or 5 inches deep and can be changed every six months to a year.Media filters come in MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) ratings,which measure the quality of filtration from 1-20,with the higher rating considered most effective. Richard said these filters can contain up to 95 feet of filter and are carbon-coated to remove odors plus particles.

Most importantly,Richard said homeowners should keep their system blowers on all day to ensure that the air-filtration system is most efficient in keeping indoor air clean and healthy.

He added, "You don't have to change the world. We are happy to help with ductwork and filtration changes, of course," he said.

"Honestly, get a nice, pleated filter and wait until you can afford (another system).We are not high pressure people."

Northern Colorado Air, Inc. Northern Colorado Air Inc., 812 Stockton Ave., Fort Collins, is a locally owned business that has been in operation for nearly 30 years. The company employs about 40 people serving Windsor, Longmont, Loveland and Fort Collins along with other Front Range communities. Call (970) 223-8873 or (970) 669-2055 or visit ncagriff.com.

ANOTHER HOME-HEALTH CONCERN Radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas that comes from the breakdown of uranium in the soil, also remains a concern for Colorado homeowners because of its potential health hazard.

The odorless, colorless and tasteless gas doesn't cause shortterm symptoms, but it is a carcinogen estimated to cause about 21,000 lung cancer deaths in the United States each year, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

High radon levels - more than 4 picocuries per liter - have been found in all parts of Colorado. The gas seeps into homes from the soil via cracks in foundations or walls, spaces between the basement walls and the slab, crawl spaces, openings around sump pumps and drains, among other routes. The age or type of home isn't a factor when it comes to whether high radon levels are present.

For information on how to test for and mitigate radon, visit CDPHE.Colorado.gov/understanding-radon.

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BY SARAH HUBER FOR MYWINDSOR

MARCH 1

IS NATIONAL BABY SLEEP DAY

B

aby Sleep Day, marked on March 1 by the Pediatric Sleep Council, might be every parent’s favorite holiday – if they can get their baby to participate.

After all, sleeping through the night isn’t only a new parent’s REM-dream come true, it’s vital to infant health. During sleep, infant brains form neural connections – millions per second, so each moment of sleep really counts – and recharge for a new day of learning. Physical growth and immune system development are closely connected with sleep,and babies who receive adequate sleep are calmer and more responsive when awake, according to the Pediatric Sleep Council.

Yet, what’s a caregiver with a wide-eyed baby to do? Two local experts, a specialist with Pediatric Sleep Specialists’ northern Colorado clinics and an award-winning Loveland pediatrician, offered the following tips to exhausted parents.

Tried-And-True Routines

Routine is the bedrock of healthy baby sleep, according to Dr. Mike Quintana, pediatrician at Loveland Youth Clinic. For newborns, guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend 20 hours of daily sleep, divided into night sleep and two to three naps. Sleep requirements drop as children age, with babies four to six months sleeping 16 to 20 hours over 24 hours. “Around six to eight months, kids wake up,” said Quintana. “They eat, play, interact, drop off to nap.” By age one, pediatric guidelines recommend 12 to 16 hours of sleep a day, including naps.

Jessica Ballou of Pediatric Sleep Specialists noted, “Healthy babies do not require nighttime feeds after three months of age.

They are able to learn to self-soothe as early as three months and definitely by six months of age. This is also when their circadian rhythm starts to develop. The effect of these changes is that they transition to sleeping more at night than during the day.”

Quintana acknowledged sleep transitions, from dropping a nighttime feeding to sleeping for longer spans, may be difficult 14 | mywindsor | FEBRUARY 2022

for caregivers, who learn “on the job” about when and how to respond to a baby’s cry. Referencing the French model, in which parents expect babies to sleep in five-hour nighttime segments by three months, he said parents “should check on a baby crying in the night and if there is no medical condition, like a fever or a foot stuck in the side of the crib, they should touch and look at the baby, then say ‘good night, baby’ and head back out of the room.”

When To Seek Help For Baby Sleep Of course, not only does this type of sleep training take mammoth will-power for many caregivers, it may not be a good fit for some parents, Ballou said. At that point, it can be useful to reach out to a baby’s pediatrician or a sleep specialist for an assessment and to rule out any physical health concerns.

Likewise, caregivers should seek support if a child experiences difficulty falling or staying asleep, snoring, gasping, restless sleep, sleep terrors, sleep talking or sleepwalking, difficulty waking in the morning or daytime sleepiness, Ballou said. Both Quintana and Ballou said dabbling in the myriad of “baby sleep cures” offered online is rarely helpful.

As with adults, the most commonly diagnosed sleep problem with babies is insomnia, or difficulty falling and staying asleep.

Ballou often employs cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia and modified extinctions therapies to treat infant insomnia and sleep onset associations. These associations, such as a parent’s presence, a beloved object or a rocking motion, can make it difficult for babies to fall asleep independently and can cause prolonged night awakenings.

For babies who are sleeping well but then experience sleep regression, returning to a schedule is essential. Stick to consistent bedtimes and wake times, Ballou said, and put baby down to sleep while awake. “This allows for babies to learn to self-soothe and to be able to fall asleep and stay asleep on their own,”she said.

Safe sleep

Healthy sleep demands safe sleep.To prevent SIDS,or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, babies should always be placed on their back during sleep on a firm surface without loose sheets, bumpers or stuffed animals, said Quintana and Ballou. While it may be convenient for parents to keep the baby in a bassinette in their room for the first six months, AAP guidelines recommend never co-sleeping, whether in bed or on a couch. Ballou continued, “Swaddling a baby is appropriate,but once they are able to roll,do not swaddle your baby and make sure their arms are out if using a sleep sack.”

Finally, helping baby sleep well affects the health of everyone in the home. Ballou said, “When babies are sleeping better, the whole family can benefit by allowing more sleep opportunities for everyone.”She added,“Parents should not have to tackle treating sleep problems alone.”

For some, an infant check by a pediatric certified chiropractor can stave off sleep issues or resolve the source of sleep struggles after a few adjustments. Dr. Patricia Sorbo, who owns Weld Family Clinic of Chiropractic with her husband, Dr. Erik Sorbo, explained, “The birth process can be traumatic, not only for the mother, but for the infant as well. Checking the newborn’s spine for vertebral subluxations as soon as possible can resolve these issues before they become problems.”

Crucially, babies are not simply small-sized adults, as Sorbo stated, so she urged parents to consider only chiropractors who are certified in pediatric chiropractic care and who use very light pressure.

One of Sorbo’s clients, a mom with a sleep-averse baby, said chiropractic care was a lifeline for her family. She wrote, “Before meeting Dr. Patricia, I was exhausted, terrified and overwhelmed with a colicky baby. Sleep deprivation was making me insane. She cried non-stop and never seemed to getcomfortable.”Whilethemom admittedshewas“nervous to let someone adjust my baby,” she said, “Dr. Patricia put my mind at ease and showed that she has extensive training and experience working on kids and babies.”

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(970) 970) 481-2133 www.AtHomeRealEstateCo.com FEBRUARY 2022 | mywindsor | 15

health | PREGNANCY CARE

Receiving the Best Pregnancy Care Pre- and Postnatal

BY DARIAN ARMER MARKETING FEATURE

I

f you’re looki k ng for pregnancy care from prenatal to postnatal, the Women’s Clinic of Northern Colorado provides care for expectant mothers and beyond. From education to delivery, the WCNC can care for an expecting mother through every stage of pregnancy and after.Their experienced physicians and certified mid-wives delivered 1700 babies in 2021.

Kristin Glenn, Education Coordinator at WCNC, says they generally see women for an early OB intake as an initial appointment to lay out what women can expect.

“Everyone that is pregnant and comes to the clinic goes through a process to receive information from the OB intake counselor.

This is their opportu t nity t to ask the first questions pregnant women usuallly have.‘What are my first steps? What are the best vitamins to take? Do I need to supplement my iron? How doIdeal with nausea?

What about childbirth classes?’Part of that first appointmentis also to meet withafinancial counselor and look at payment plans,”says Glenn. “After that first hour-long appointment they should feel really empowered and kn k ow what to expect.”

During that initial appointment, women will also determine what ty t pe of care they want. WCNC has both physicians and certfied midwives. Glenn cautions women to be slow to dismiss a certified midwife from their birth plan, simply because they think it means an unmedicated or at home birth.

“Most people have this image that if you go with a midwife you’ve signed up for an unmedicated birth and that there won’t be any medical interventions available during the birth. It’s not that at all. The word midwife has gotten a different connotation.

Whenamidwife is underamedical practice it becomes quite medically based. They have a more holistic approach to the pregnancy and have more time during the pregnancy and throughout the birth process,”says Glenn.

Midwives work in teams, with a team at both the Fort Collins and Loveland WCNC locations. They are in the same location as physicians and can quickl k y collaborate if need be. Glenn says physicians might be the preferred choice for higher risk pregnancies with complications such as diabetes or preeclampsia.

16 | mywindsor | FEBRUARY 2022

Once a woman has decided what type of care she would like to receive, the WCNC establishes routine monthly care, and more frequent appointments as they get closer to the due date.

“Our patients can see their provider, have all their labs done, get ultrasounds and attend classes, it’s one stop shopping for pregnancy,” says Glenn. “We have a whole education department that runs classes almost every night and weekend.”

Classes cover topics such as breastfeeding, a boot camp for firsttime dads in conjunction with CSU, a grandparenting class, even a Dogs and Babes class to prepare dogs in the family for having a new baby in the house.

“The education department has really grown to meet the needs of Northern Colorado. No one has to be a patient to attend the classes. They are open to the community. We have scholarships and financial aid available if needed.”

Providing the Ultimate Care in Dermatology Providing the Ultimate Care in Dermatology

Other services WCNC has to support their patients include a 4D ultrasound machine, the top of the line in ultrasounds, a lactation consultant who meets with women before and after birth to prepare for successful nursing, and a special group for women who has had a prior loss of pregnancy.

“Our early pregnancy program is for women who have had a prior loss early on in pregnancy. In this program we monitor hormone levels more closely and try to rewrite that story of pregnancy loss. Often, we can’t know what happened after, but if they’re in this group we can watch closely and try to prevent it,” says Glenn.

For the actual births, providers go to UCHealth facilities to deliver. Care doesn’t end at delivery, though. Providers continue to see women in the weeks after birth.

“Our providers are really in tune for assessing postpartum depression. If they need additional resources for counseling we can make referrals out to the mental health world,” Glenn says.

“We also have a breastfeeding support group that is virtual right now. We continue to assess where women are with their health, hormone levels and birth control options.”

For more information, visit www.womensclinicnoco.com.

General Dermatology

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After delivery, it is important for mom’s postnatal care to continue.

(Shutterstock)

FEBRUARY 2022 | mywindsor | 17

MEET THE

Cutest

N

BA B I E S

orthern Colorado certainly welcomed some beautiful babies into the world in 2021. Our readers from each city rose to the challenge of sending the cutest photos of their little ones and you all voted for your favorites among them.

Congratulations to all of our winners!

of 2021

WINDSOR

Jillian Paige O'Brien

Emoree Jay Gregg

Marshall Smith

BORN: August 30, 2021 at UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland

BORN: November 6, 2021 at UCHealth Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins

BORN: December 7, 2021 at UCHealth Longs Peak Hospital in Longmont

PARENTS: Fallon Glasser and Cameron O'Brien

PARENTS: Bradee and Cody Gregg

PARENTS: Fallon Glasser and Cameron O'Brien

Luella Jayne Lessman

Wyatt Anthony Hollinshead

Kennedy Schoenhofer

BORN: October 27, 2021 at Banner Fort Collins Medical Center in Fort Collins

BORN: July 10, 2021 at UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland

BORN: August 24, 2021 at UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland

PARENTS: Kaylee and Alexander Lessman

PARENTS: Gabriella and Mark Hollinshead

PARENTS: Erica Nagel and Jake Schoenhofer

18 | mywindsor | FEBRUARY 2022

LOVELAND

Myles Deeney

Jackson Gagnon

BORN: January 12, 2021 at McKee Medical Center in Loveland

BORN: June 18, 2021 at UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland

BORN: March 24, 2021 at Sky Ridge Medical Center in Lone Tree

PARENTS: Kyle and Cherish Magill

PARENTS: Kenzie and Colton Deeney

PARENTS: Rebekah and Chad Gagnon

Jaxon Magill

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EV LUTI N Share · Ages 0 to 26 · Earn elevated interest on your first $500 (currently 3.04% APY) · Minors must have a parent or guardian that is a member of NCCU

All memberships are subject to approval. All rates are expressed as an Annual Percentage Yield, APY is the prospective yield that the credit union anticipates to pay for the applicable dividend period. Rates subject to change. See rates sheet for current rates. Open to anyone that works or lives in Larimer or Weld County. Evolution Share: Balances over $500 will earn our standard share rate. Evolution Checking: When primary owner reaches age 26, it is the member’s responsibility to review current checking account offerings and select product. Failure to do so will result in an automatic transfer to NCCU’s current basic checking account. E-Statements and Virtual Strongbox required. Evolution CD: Maximum allowed balance of $2000. 90 Day penalty for early withdrawal. CD will be closed when primary owner reaches age 26.

FEBRUARY 2022 | mywindsor | 19

LOVELAND

Quinton Pease

Harleigh Kreiling

Vera Lynn Roberts

BORN: July 29, 2021

BORN: October 30, 2021 at Banner Fort Collins Medical Center in Fort Collins

BORN: May 26, 2021 in Fort Collins

PARENTS: Nicole and Michael Kreiling

PARENTS: Erin and Eric Roberts

PARENTS: Kathy Giansiracusa and David Pease

KIDS NEED CHIROPRACTIC TOO!

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20 | mywindsor | FEBRUARY 2022

Baby Name: McCrae Beyer Parents: Chris & Carissa Beyer

Baby Name: Laney Iv y Parents: Cameron & Cambrilynn Iv y

Baby Name: Dax Specht Parents: Matt & Jada Specht

We are so excited to share the three newest McCreery and Sun family members that joined us in 2021. We pray blessings upon all children born in 2021 and those expected in 2022.

“Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from Him” Psalm 127:3

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FEBRUARY 2022 | mywindsor | 21

GREELEY

Gabriella Lyn Rippeth

Leopold Otoniel Rivera Jr.

Kapri Kay Chacon

BORN: March 7, 2021 in Greeley

BORN: June 3, 2021 at North Colorado Medical Center in Greeley

BORN: May 15, 2021 in Greeley

PARENTS: Jonathon and Jacklyn Rippeth

PARENTS: Leopold Rivera and Amanda Salazar

PARENTS: Geoffrey and Amy Chacon

Oliver Lee Erickson

Mariella Elena Ramos

Novalee Mae Vargas

BORN: August 29, 2021 at Greeley Medical Centerin Greeley

BORN: July 10, 2021 at UCHealth Greeley Hospital in Greeley

BORN: September 20, 2021 in Greeley

PARENTS: Joshuah and Tessa Erickson

PARENTS: Domonique and Bryan Ramos

PARENTS: Vargas and Maria Peña

22 | mywindsor | FEBRUARY 2022

windsor MyWinndsoor is a monnthly lifestyle magazzine seervinng onne of Colorrado'ss faasttesst-growinng com mmunitiees. Itts contentt refllects the com mmunitty with storiess aboout local schoools, leadeers and businessses, enteertainnmentt venuess annd events. It is mailed to newcomers and is disttribuuted at Winndsor area retaillers, eateeries and hotells..

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FORT COLLINS

Holden Van Nostrand

Leonida Victoria Dimas

Aimee Johnson

BORN: October 14, 2021 at UCHealth Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins

BORN: March 17, 2021 in Fort Collins

BORN: June 10, 2021 at McKee Medical Center in Loveland

PARENTS: Briana and Justin Van Nostrand

PARENTS: Brittanie Stewart and Mihail Dimas

PARENTS: Shelby and Mitch Johnson

Osiris Martinez

Olivia Luz Aguirre

BORN: March 27, 2021

BORN: November 18, 2021

PARENTS: Vicky Martinez and Edwin Dominguez

PARENTS: Elyse and Gus Aguirre

24 | mywindsor | FEBRUARY 2022

community | MAGICAL FOREST TRANSFORM RECYCLED CHRISTMAS TREES AT WINDSOR’S MAGICAL FOREST EVENT

BY TAMARA MARKARD

T

he town of Windsor will host its Magical Forest event from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 19 at the south side of Eastman Park, 7025 Eastman Park Drive.

Registration is not required, and participants from any community are welcome.The Human Bean will provide free hot chocolate at the event.

The event is a family-friendly affair that allows participants of all ages to transform live recycled Christmas trees into forts, kingdoms, castles and anything else they can imagine.

The trees used in the Magic Forest are collected through the town’s Christmas Tree Recycling Program, which offers residents a safe and easy way to get rid of their used live Christmas trees.

In 2021, attendees were able to use the nearly 1,000 donated trees for the free event, which is organized by the Windsor Parks, Recreation and Culture Department.

“We bring the tools, resources and provide a safe, fun place for families to get as magical and creative as possible,” said Lexie Spykstra, events coordinator for the Windsor Parks, Recreation and Culture Department. “It is a one-of-a-kind event, not just in our region, but in Colorado. Before the Christmas trees are mulched and repurposed around town, we provide space for families to get outdoors and create with nature.”

After the event, the trees will be used for mulch and repurposed for outdoor spaces around the community.

Christmas trees are still being accepted for the recycling program. Residents have until Sunday, Jan. 30 to drop off their tree at the Eastman Park South location.

For more information on the recycling program, go to https://bit.ly/3noC1fh.

To keep up on the latest events and activities offered in Windsor, go to www.recreationliveshere.com.

THE CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE, AND THE PRESERVATION OF THEIR HEALTH IS OUR DUTY

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FEBRUARY 2022 | mywindsor | 25

education | COMMUNITY SERVICE

Windsor High School students Shirley Winters, left, Lexi Johnson, Samantha Darnell and Mackensey Gould work together to make baby blankets for a service project called NICU Heroes. The students are members of Windsor High’s Family Career and Community Leaders of America, a career and technical student organization. The students are making blankets and assembling supply baskets for 30 infants and families at Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins.

WITH BLANKETS AND BASKETS, WINDSOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS LAUNCH NICU HEROES The service project is work of school’s chapter of Family Career and Community Leaders of America

BY ANNE DELANEY

S

everal members of a Windsor High School student group have experience with what life is like when a young family member is admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit with serious health issues. One student’s experience was first-hand — she was that family member.

Inspired by those experiences, and familiar with the feelings of loneliness and detachment that often come with, that group recently started a project aimed at lending a helping hand to NICU patients and their families while also reminding them they are not alone.

NICU Heroes is the ongoing, long-term vision of the Windsor chapter of the Family Career and Community Leaders of America, a career and technical education student group with about 17 members.

26 | mywindsor | FEBRUARY 2022

FCCLA members are enrolled in classes including child development, interior design, fashion design and Family and Consumer Sciences Leadership.

The Windsor FCCLA officers leading NICU Heroes are enrolled in an FCS Leadership class taught by Jessica Teal.

They are overseeing a school and communitywide effort to support NICU families in at least one northern Colorado hospital, Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins.

Through NICU Heroes, the Windsor students are making 18- by 24-inch flannel blankets and assembling gift baskets of supplies for 30 babies and their families.

“There is feeling behind it,” said 17-year-old Windsor senior Shirley Winters, chapter vice president who dealt with serious medical issues as a result of being a premature

i infant.

“You go through life, and you meet different people and you don’t m know what’s going on behind the k sscenes. It’s good that other people have gone through this, to understand the struggles. It’s not just giving baskets with supplies to help.”

NICU Heroes is primarily a servicebased effort with the students taking an academic and practical approach to distributing their assistance. Teal, Windsor’s FCCLA advisor, said she wanted the students to understand how to familiarize themselves with an issue in their communities and share the problem and information surrounding it.

“They’re really trying to impact the community,”Teal said.“We’re striving to help them be design thinkers and how learning transcends beyond the classroom.”

The Windsor students started their work in September planning the project, though they had the idea prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.Their first step was to figure

We have a lot of families who have nothing and people who are coming from poverty, and it’s nice to give them a special blanket or supplies for moms.

out why the project is important and what they wanted to achieve. In late October, the students interviewed Kim Geurin, a nurse manager at Poudre Valley Hospital.

Geurin gave the Windsor students advice and guidance on how they could support NICU families and babies.

“I think there is a large need,” for the Windsor project, Geurin said late last week. “We have a lot of families who have nothing and people who are coming from poverty, and it’s nice to give them a special blanket or supplies for moms.”

“I think the supplies make the family feel the support,” she added.

Geurin said the Poudre Valley NICU is now seeing a daily patient count in the mid-20s. The daily totals were under 20 a year to 18 months ago.

Colorado and Weld County both had a preterm birth rate of 9.1% in 2021, according to the March of Dimes report card. A preterm birth is defined as a live birth before 37 weeks

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FEBRUARY 2022 | mywindsor | 27

Teal said seven students who returned the surveys said they’d be willing to speak with the FCCLA leaders about their experience or knowledge of a NICU, giving the NICU Heroes another avenue to gather data and perspective.

When it comes to acquiring the contents of the gift baskets, the FCCLA students hope to turn NICU Heroes into a schoolwide effort.

The project will be the source of a marketing campaign early next month to kick off a two-week drive to collect supplies such as onesies, stuffed animals, diapers, bottles, pacifiers and socks. Mike Vasa’s video production students are working on a video message with the FCCLA officers to drum up support for NICU Heroes.

Members of the Windsor High School chapter of the Family Career and Community Leaders of America from left: Samantha Darnell, Shirley Winters, Mackensey Gould and Lexi Johnson hold one of the 30 baby blankets they’re making as part of a FCCLA service project called NICU Heroes. The students are making the blankets and assembling supply baskets for NICU infants and families at Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins. (Jim Rydbom/for the Greeley Tribune).

gestation. The rate earned Colorado a B- grade. Among the 50 states, only Vermont — with a preterm birth rate of 7.6% — scored an A. Founded in the late 1930s to fight polio, the organization evolved into the March of Dimes to advocate for the health of mothers and infants.

Geurin said it’s unusual for the hospital to hear from student groups that want to donate to NICU parents. The Poudre Valley NICU is a 32-bed Level IIIB facility, meaning it cares for infants born at 28 weeks and older.

“We get other agencies or foundations that want to donate,” Geurin said. “This is the first students approached me on what they can do.”

Teal said the NICU Heroes video will be shown during students’advisory classes, a required course for every Windsor student where they learn skills such as writing resumes and completing college applications.

“We want to involve the whole school,”Teal said.

Teal said the FCCLA students wrote a grant to find financial assistance for NICU Heroes, and OtterCares Foundation in Fort Collins responded with a $500 award.

The money was divided between buying flannel for the blankets and supplies for the baskets.

The $250 for supplies won’t cover all 30 baskets,Teal said, leaving the students responsible for figuring out how to raise funds for the rest.Teal said the United Way of Weld County expressed an interest in donating diapers, and the students plan to participate in a March of Dimes walk-run in the spring with the OtterCares Foundation providing matching funds.

Teal, in her sixth year at Windsor High, said when she started with the FCCLA chapter, the students didn’t have or identify a passion-driven project to the degree Winters and

The students’ work on NICU Heroes will continue at least through the spring. They plan to enter their work in the FCCLA state conference April 14-16 in Denver with hopes of earning an opportunity to compete at the national conference later this year in San Diego.

The project is broadly based and requires the students to draw on real-world skills, including collaborating, writing, researching, interviewing, gathering data and keeping track of money. The FCCLA students distributed a survey to the 119 Windsor students in FCS classes to also understand and gauge the need for the blankets and baskets based on the impact of the NICU experience.

Teal said all 119 surveys were returned to the FCCLA leaders and a few themes emerged from the information.

Those surveyed identified needs for emotional support, building connections to the NICU for families and dealing with the financial impact of costs starting at thousands of dollars and increasing.

The survey showed families’ stays lasted anywhere from a few days to months. Words often used to describe the experience were: scared, sad and stress.

28 | mywindsor | FEBRUARY 2022

Samantha Scallon, daughter-in-law of Windsor High School principal Michelle Scallon, holds her 6-week-old daughter, Norah Scallon, while being filmed for student video as part of a campaign to promote a student-organization service project called NICU Heroes. NICU Heroes is the work of students in Windsor’s chapter of Family Career and Community Leaders of America. The FCCLA is a career and technical student organization.

The NICU Heroes project is geared to making blankets and assembling baskets for 30 infants and families in the neonatal intensive care unit at Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins. Norah Scallon was born early term at 37 weeks old with respiratory issues. (Jim Rydbom/for the Greeley Tribune).

the other officers have led NICU Heroes.

This is the first time the chapter has undertaken a big FCCLA project, she said.

“It’s a big shift for us in students taking the leadership of the FCCLA and taking it upon themselves,” Teal said. “I think it’s a new precedent the group is setting beyond the walls of the school and connecting to what we teach.”

The project was the collective idea and decision of four or five students in the Windsor chapter. Winters and the other young women, four of them officers, were motivated to take on NICU Heroes because of a familiarity with the circumstances facing families of premature infants.

Darnell, a 16-year-old junior, is the Windsor FCCLA treasurer. Shawver, an 18-year-old senior, at one time considered a career as a NICU nurse.Though Shawver doesn’t see herself pursuing that career now, she’s still interested in working with infants.

“I love the cause of helping babies, and I can carry on what they’re starting,” she said.

Shawver learned to crochet during COVID, and she’s making baby blankets to donate to battered women in shelters.

“I’m finding another way to help,” she said.

Winters was born with a hole in her heart, and her lungs weren’t fully developed.

Junior Mackensey Gould, 17 and the Windsor FCCLA co-president, presented the NICU project idea to her fellow students. Gould’s younger brother was born at 25 weeks.

The average length of human gestation is about 40 weeks.

A premature birth occurs before the start of the 37th week of pregnancy, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Gould’s brother, now 11, has “pretty normal”development, according to Mackensey, who is familiar with the financial toll on a family worrying about caring for a premature infant or a newborn needing extensive medical care.

Gould said her family incurred expenses in the millions.

“When you’re learning about it (what NICU families go through), you see it as a lesson,” Gould said. “But for people affected, it’s an all-life thing.”

Junior Lexi Johnson, the Windsor FCCLA secretary, has a cousin who was born premature with cystic fibrosis. Johnson said she’s aware of the challenges her aunt and uncle faced following their daughter’s birth.

“It made things more difficult, and the medical diagnosis was very complicated,” said Johnson, who is 16. “I think it’s a common issue that is overlooked.”

Neither Samantha Darnell nor Amber Shawver had the same personal connection to NICU infants as Johnson, Winters and Gould. But Darnell and Shawver were quickly intrigued by the project.

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health | INFANT NUTRITION

Breastfeed or Formula?

No choice is wrong, but breastfeeding provides many benefits to both mom and baby

or

BY LUANNE KADLUB MARKETING FEATURE

A

new mother is faced with many decisions on how to raise her newborn and at the top of the list is how to feed her baby.

While some moms choose to feed their newborn formula — and there’s nothing wrong in doing so — breastfeeding offers many benefits for both mom and baby.

Jennifer Hoover,a lactation consultant at the Women’s Clinic,said the greatest benefit for breastfed babies is that they’ll have lower rates of allergies, asthma, childhood illnesses, upper respiratory infections, and ear infections.

“This doesn’t mean they won’t get ear infections, but you could see fewer infections,”she said.

Another benefit is if the mom had COVID, Omicron, or the vaccine,she’ll produce antibodies in breastmilk that will help her baby’s immune system.

As for mom, the benefits are many, including an improvement in vascular health, a decrease in Type 2 diabetes, and a decrease in reproductive and ovarian cancers.

While pediatricians recommend feeding newborns exclusively breast milk for the first six months,there is no“right”or“wrong”length 30 | mywindsor | FEBRUARY 2022

of time,with many moms breastfeeding until they return to work and others for a year or longer.

“Any days of breastfeeding is beneficial,”Hoover said.

Regardless of whether you feed formula or breastmilk, solid food should not be introduced until six months,experts say.

Breastfeeding, however, is not always as simple as putting baby to breast.Sometimes baby — and mom — need a little help getting the ball,err milk,flowing.

One of the first steps,regardless of how the mom plans to feed her baby,is to begin the bonding process with skin-to-skin contact.

“Within the first 24 hours, the baby is very sleepy,” said Sarah Johnson,NOCO Women and Infant Services Director, which makes it the perfect time to initiate skin-to-skin contact for moms,dads,or significant others.

Skin-to-skin contact also stimulates a hormone that helps the mother produce milk,Johnson said.

Not everything always goes as planned when it comes to breastfeeding,however.Some babies latch on immediately and others

need help. n “The most common problems are difficulties for babies to latch on aand resulting pain.Both problems are very fixable,and best to fix early iin the game,” Johnson said. She also noted that breastfeeding classes aren’t just for moms. “Partners come to breastfeeding classes to learn what’s normal and what is not,and to be a better support.

This all sounds good,but when should you contact a lactation expert?

Before birth or after birth?

Professional consultants offer a broad range of services, according to Parents Magazine,which includes everything from teaching a new mom how to position her baby on the breast to giving her tips on how to increase her milk supply or handle a breast infection.

The Women’s Clinic notes on its website (womensclinicnoco.com/ services/breastfeeding-support) that the following circumstances all warrant a call to a lactation consultant: • Baby does not wake to feed or the mother is unsure of infant feeding cue.

• Baby continues to lose weight beyond day 3 of life.

• Mother is experiencing nipple pain, bruising, damage, or breast pain.

• Mother is concerned that she is not making enough milk.

• Mother feels frustrated or wants to discontinue breastfeeding.

• Mother is experiencing uncomfortable breast fullness or engorgement.

• Mother with previous breast surgery.

$

• Mother and baby have been discharged with a supplementation, three-step, or other supplemental or pumping plan.

One reason some new moms forgo breastfeeding after six weeks (for maternity leave) or six months is the issue of public breastfeeding or the workplace is not conducive or welcoming for pumping.

When out and about in Colorado,it is legal to breastfeed in public,be it at a restaurant or park bench.No need to hide in the ladies' restroom.

What moms should not do is cover up the baby when they are in public,Hoover said because the baby loses the all-important eye contact with mom and there is the very real possibility the baby could suffocate.

“Some people are offended that moms breastfeed in public,”Johnson said.This is why she shows new moms ways to arrange their clothing to be as discreet as possible without losing eye contact with her baby.

“If I had a message,”Hoover said,it’s don’t worry what other people are doing to feed their babies.”

RESOURCES FOR NEW MOMS: • • • •

womensclinicnoco.com/services/breastfeedingsupport bannerhealth.com/locations/greeley/northcolorado-medical-center/maternity uchealth.org/services/womens-care/pregnancychildbirth-newborn-care/breastfeeding-support nocobreastfeeding.org

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FEBRUAR

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32 | mywindsor | FEBRUARY 2022

EVENTS

form different hypotheses as we study the science of snow. Super Science Saturday takes place on February 12 from 9 am-10:30 am. This class is $10 per child. For more information or to register, call 970-674-3500 or https:// bit.ly/3qvL1Be

FIRST FRIDAY: FREE FRIDAY FITNESS

5 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Community Recreation Center 250 N 11th Street On the first Friday of every month, the Community Recreation Center opens its doors for non-members to join a fitness class, enjoy the pools, hot tub, basketball court, weight room and or any fitness activity offered with a regular membership. Free Friday Fitness on First Friday is an opportunity to help people meet their health goals, maintain their progress and stay on track for the next twelve months while offering free fitness options and access to a state-ofthe-art facility. Participants are asked to stop by the front desk and check-in. To attend a fitness class, visit https://www. recreationliveshere.com/176/FitnessSchedule

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10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Art & Heritage Center 116 5th Street Cost: Free

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Coffee with the Mayor is a regularly occurring event that allows Windsor residents to attend and discuss their questions, concerns, and ideas with Mayor Paul Rennemeyer starting in July from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Community Recreation Center, 250 11th St. The event is free and coffee is provided.

Come with questions. Come with comments. Come for coffee and conversation!

4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Mash Lab Brewery 4487 Highland Meadows Pkwy

SUPER SCIENCE SATURDAY 9 to 10:30 a.m.

Art & Heritage Center 116 5th Street Cost: $10

Have you ever wondered what makes a perfect snowflake or how something freezes? At February's Super Science Saturday, we'll do experiments and

COFFEE WITH THE MAYOR

10 to 11 a.m.

Community Recreation Center 250 N 11th Street

PINTS WITH PAUL

Join us to discuss community and regional issues with Mayor Paul Rennemeyer. Pints with Paul is a regularly occurring event that allows Windsor residents to attend and discuss their questions, concerns, and ideas with Mayor Paul Rennemeyer. This will occur every second Wednesday of the month from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. with the exception of the August and October Pints with Paul events which will be on Aug. 18 and Oct 6. This event happens at various local bars and breweries around town. Beverages will be available for purchase at each location.

HOMESCHOOL DAY WITH THE WINDSOR SEVERANCE FIRE MUSEUM

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MAGICAL FOREST

Noon to 3 p.m.

Eastman Park River Experience 7025 Eastman Park Drive Come play in nature! The Town of Windsor will provide the tools, trees and hot chocolate sponsored by Human Bean. The trees recycled through the town's Christmas Tree Recycling program will be available for families to build a forest, forts, kingdoms, castles, large nests and much more.

FOR MORE DETAILS AND INFORMATION ABOUT THE ABOVE LISTED EVENTS OR ANY OTHER UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS PLEASE VISIT: www.windsorgov.com/calendar

VIRTUAL EVENTS // ART // MUSIC // FOOD + DRINK

To ticket with ColoradoBoxOffice.com contact Matt at 720.310.0641 mflood@prairiemountainmedia.com

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final thought

So cute, so adorable...

THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE PARENTS THAT SHARED THEIR PHOTOS OF THEIR BEAUTIFUL BABIES FOR THE CUTEST BABIES OF 2021 CONTEST. IT HAS CERTAINLY BRIGHTENED OUR DAYS! 34 | mywindsor | FEBRUARY 2022

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MARCH 4-6 // Island Grove Regional Park Event Center & Exhibition Hall in Greeley

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