2021 Longmont 100

100

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS SINCE 2007

A supplement of the

June 20, 2021

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Welcome to the 2021 ‘100’ W

hen one of this year’s “100” nominees went from willing participant to last-minute no-show, I needed to find a replacement fast.

Content already was being placed on pages, and in alphabetical order, so I desperately needed someone whose last name begins with W. I turned to another editor, who turned to a friend, who turned to a friend. The Force must have been with us, because we found someone who not only was eager to be in this special edition but whose last name fell perfectly into our alphabetical gap.

Thus, Natalie Wehrwein became our 100th find for this year’s “100.” Something that Natalie (page 50) might not have known is that this also made her the 1,000th subject in this series of editions that launched in 2007.

So, congratulations Natalie. I won’t present you with a plaque, but I’ll hold on to an extra copy or two for you.

To be honest, we unintentionally have had four repeats over the years, so the count of individuals

is 996 (page 52). And we came that close to having a couple of repeats this year. My apologies, Ron and John. Your answers this year will appear online only.

Over the past 10 editions of this series, I have discovered that taking a sample slice of our community — Longmont and the St. Vrain Valley — reveals fascinating personalities, exceptional talent, brilliant vision, and more stories to tell than we can fit in these pages.

Today, you’ll get a glimpse of this community. And in this 150th anniversary of Longmont’s founding, we’ve been sure to include a few names and faces of people who carry multigenerational traditions in our beautiful home, the St. Vrain Valley. You’ll also get to know relative newcomers who have brought with them the same characteristics of perseverance, innovation, and love for community that are the hallmarks of those who arrived here 150 years ago.

Enjoy the 2021 “100.”

John Vahlenkamp, editor

On the cover

The names of “100” subjects are presented in a photo mosaic placed over this photo of Mount Meeker and Longs Peak.

WHO’S INSIDE

Ethan Ahlstrom ............... 6 Morgan Alynn .................. 6 Leslie Armstrong ............. 4 Abby Bason ...................... 6 Jon Bassoff ....................... 6 Joshua Berman ................ 8 Daniella Bohill ................. 6 Nicole Brecht ................... 6 Lindsey Bricker ............. 10 Ricardo Cabrera ............. 10 Rebecca Carnarius ........ 10 Damon Carson ............... 10 Jessica Carson ................ 11 Catherine Carter ............ 11 Carlo Cavalier ................ 11 Basia Christ .................... 15 Dido Clark ...................... 15 John Costello .................. 16 Nick Cuccaro ................. 15 Janet Davidson ............... 15 Neal Dunfee ................... 18

Todd Eichorn ................. 18 Josh Elioseff ................... 18 BJ Elvendahl .................. 18 Jana Fanning .................. 20 Mimi Farrelly ................. 20 John Fischer ................... 20 John Fryar ...................... 20 Julian Fuentes ................ 21 Berenice Garcia Tellez .. 21 Michael George ............. 22 Tim Gulsrud .................. 22 Glenn Gutierrez ............. 22 Muriel Hailey ................. 22 Dan Hansen ................... 23 Bryan Harris .................. 23 Ivy Hartfield ................... 23 Aimee Heckel ................. 23 Nancy Hurianek ............. 24 Gillian Ivers-Read .......... 24 Amanda James-Roxby ... 24 Joseph Jedrzejewski ...... 24

Kate Johnson .................. 25 Lori Jones ....................... 25 Darcy Juday ................... 25 Ken Kanemoto ............... 26 Tae Kim .......................... 25 Byron Kominek ............. 30 Jade Krueger ................. 28 Don Macy ....................... 30 Amanda Lineberry Maldonado ..................... 30 Dan Massey ................... 30 Carol Matheis-Kraft ....... 31 Deanna Maxwell ............ 31 Heather McChesney ..... 31 Mary McFerren ............. 31 Kathleen McGoey .......... 32 Joseph Mehsling ............ 32 Laura Merritt ................. 32 Elliot Moore ................... 32 Rhea Moriarity ............... 33 Jenn Ordway .................. 33

Colleen Pacheco ............ 33 Colleen Peppler ............. 34 Tomas Perez .................. 33 Tracy Perry .................... 36 Bill Prewitt ...................... 38 Bill Prout ........................ 38 Sybil Quaye .................... 38 Devin Quince ................. 39 Heidi Quince .................. 39 Alexander Rodriguez ..... 39 Amy Scanes-Wolfe ......... 39 Logan Schlutz ................ 42 Ken Schuetz ................... 42 Ashwini Shrestha ........... 40 Beth Smith ..................... 42 Linda Snyder .................. 42 Sarah Jane Snyder ......... 43 Katherine Spencer Innskeep ......................... 43 Marc Staats .................... 43 Karen Stallard ................ 43

John Stathis MD ............ 44 Franziska Stein .............. 44 Bella Steiner ................... 44 Bob Stephens ................. 44 Madelyn Strong Woodley .......................................... 45 Wade Tagg ..................... 45 Griffin Taylor ................. 45 Kimberly Taylor ............. 45 James Ory Theall .......... 50 Hugh Thornley .............. 50 Joe Toth .......................... 46 Mark Trippensee ........... 50 Victor Vela ...................... 48 Natalie Wehrwein .......... 50 Loree Mulay Weisman .. 51 Bill Wilkinson ................ 51 Rex Wilson ..................... 51 Jeananne Wright ............ 51

COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 20, 2021 • 3

After completing medical school at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and a residency program at Denver Health, Leslie Armstrong was able to secure a position at Longmont United Hospital and return home to the area she loves.

4 • JUNE 20, 2021 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

Leslie Armstrong feels connected to every one of her patients

D

uring her junior and senior years at Berthoud High School, Leslie Armstrong was able to participate in a job shadow program at a local hospital where she spent time holding newborn babies and assisting nurses when needed.

Through her experience working in a hospital, an interest in health care sparked inside her, and after graduating she went on to study nursing at a small college in Oklahoma.

“I started as a nursing major and then realized I wanted a little more science and ended up switching my first year of college to a pre-med major,” Armstrong said.

After completing medical school at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and a residency program at Denver Health, Armstrong was able to secure a position at Longmont United Hospital and return home to the area she loves.

“It was my first job out of residency in 2011. It will be

Age: 40 Occupation: Board certified emergency medicine physician at Longmont United Hospital Years in the St. Vrain Valley: Longmont area native

10 years this July. My parents are still here. My mom is a sixth generation Longmont area native. Her family settled in the Longmont and St. Vrain Valley in 1859. They initially came out in the late 1850s looking for gold and mining and came upon the St. Vain Valley and settled and started farming.”

Armstrong said she was born in Boulder and adopted when she was 2 weeks old. After a short stint in Tucson, Arizona, when she was in sixth-grade, she spend the remainder of her adolescence in the Hygiene area.

“I love the small-town atmosphere,” she said. “It’s just a community that cares about each other. I think there’s just a sense of pride.”

Armstrong’s dad grew up

on a farm in the FrederickFirestone area and both of her parents still have relatives in the area, she said.

“The farm house is still there, but everything else is neighborhoods where he grew up,” she said. “He was born and raised out there and graduated from Erie High (School).”

Armstrong said she decided to become an emergency medicine doctor because it allows her to work with patients from all walks of life.

“I love it because I get to see a little bit of everything,” she said. “I can have one room where I have a 3-month-old baby with a rash, and in the next room there is a 95-year-old lady that fell down, and in the next room there is a 45-year-old male with pneumonia. I get to see all ages, all different types of patients with all different things. I like that we don’t care what your insurance is —you come into the ER because there is something seriously wrong with you and you get to fix it where

you need it.”

When the hospital had staff turnover years ago, LUH Medical Director Herbert Ogden worked with Denver Medical to recruit new employees. That’s how he first met Armstrong.

“Leslie was a graduate that year, and it was very appealing because she had grown up in Hygiene,” Ogden said. “She was a local girl, she was very well trained and had excellent letters of recommendation, so it was sort of a slam dunk. She is just totally committed to the community, taking care of friends, family (and) neighbors in the emergency room department.”

Odgen said that every day Armstrong comes to work she has a smile on her face and a great attitude.

“She helped put a pediatric program together in the emergency department,” he said. “We are getting certified as a pediatric center. She jumps on those projects and wants to enhance the projects the hospital provides. We are

happy to have her and her family.”

Armstrong said she went to kindergarten with one of her colleague’s brothers and she has treated her kindergarten teacher’s mother. Not only does she care for others, in a way, she feels connected to every one of her patients.

That’s what she loves about it.

“I get to interact with people all along the way,” she said.

Armstrong said she believes living in the Longmont area has created more opportunities for her five children: Leighton, 11; Caedmon, 9; Edric, 8; Paxton, 5 and Coppelia, 5.

“I enjoy getting to raise my kids still in a small town and teaching them to give back to the community,” she said. “One of my sons dances for Centennial State Ballet, and he sees me volunteering and getting to interact with other families and do that. I think he gets opportunities because it’s a small town and everyone knows everybody.”

Story by Annie Mehl • Photo by Matthew Jonas • Longmont Times-Call

COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 20, 2021 • 5

Ethan Ahlstrom

Abby Bason

Age: 17 Occupation: Student Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 14 What brought you here? What has kept you? I was born in Iowa. When I was 4 years old, my family moved here for my dad’s job. I love the mountains and people here in Colorado.

What is it about plants that first inspired you to begin growing them and cultivating a greenhouse? I took a class at the Career Development Center when I was a sophomore because I love watching plants grow and change. I have ADHD, and plants help me to focus. I started growing veggie starts in my garage three years ago. This past summer, my parents gave me a greenhouse for my birthday. The greenhouse gives me a dedicated space to work.

What advice would you have for someone who wants to work with plants but feels intimidated? If you feel like you kill every plant that you touch, start with one plant and Google how to best care for that plant. Focus on lighting, water and soil. Don’t assume that all plants have the same needs.

What are your plans for next year after graduation? After graduation from Frederick High School, I will attend Brigham Young University and study mechanical engineering. After my first year in college, I plan to serve a mission for my church.

Age: 16 Occupation: Incoming junior at Skyline High School Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 16 What brought you here? What has kept you? I was born and raised in Longmont. My parents are both from the east coast originally, but moved to Boulder in 1992 and to Longmont in 2000.

Why did you apply to be an Out Boulder County youth intern? I wanted to be a Out Boulder County intern for this year’s Night of Noise (NON) because it seemed like a fun opportunity. After I started the interview process, I realized it was so much more. The mission of Out Boulder is so important to the community, and I felt this opportunity would provide me with hands-on experience in activism and event planning.

What was the internship experience like? It was fun, but it was also a lot of work coordinating all the intricacies of the event. Planning a virtual event was probably harder than planning an in-person event. Finding sponsors and entertainers took a while. Advertising was a challenge and time consuming. We were worried that we wouldn’t have many attendees, or people would be bored, so we had to get creative in our planning. We ended finding some great entertainers and had an amazing turnout for our slam poetry critique. That was probably my favorite part of the event. NON is such an important event for LGBTQ youth and allies, so I am grateful to be a part of the team who created a safe space to not just speaking out against harassment and discrimination, but to just be themselves. I’m proud that I took a chance, put myself out there and tried something new.

Morgan Alynn

Jon Bassoff

Age: 29 Occupation: Tattoo artist and owner of The Cactus Coven gift shop Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 3 What brought you here? What has kept you? I always admired downtown Longmont and had fantasized about opening my business here. We were very lucky to get our tattoo shop upstairs in 2017 and our gift shop downstairs in

2020.

Do you recall a time in your youth when you knew tattooing would be your career path? I always wanted to be an artist and I started learning to tattoo at 17, while I was still in high school. While I didn’t always think I would end up tattooing, I always hoped I’d be able to make art my living.

What do you love most about operating The Cactus Coven? My favorite thing about The Coven is hosting our community events and teaching classes. I enjoy the opportunity to get to know the people in our town and to share what I have created with my community.

6 • JUNE 20, 2021 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

Age: 47 Occupation: Longmont High School English Teacher and gothic-noir author Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 20 What brought you here? What has kept you? I currently teach high school over at Longmont High. The students and staff have been trying to get rid of me for as long as I can remember, but I hope to outlast them all. I really do love living in Longmont — the community, the views, the food and, most importantly, the beer.

How many horror novels have you written, and what keeps you inspired to turn out the frightful reads? I’ve written eight novels, and my ninth will be coming out next year. I wish I could blame my parents for my demented world view but, unfortunately, I think I’ve gotten there all on my own. For years, they’ve been pleading with me to write something a bit, I don’t know, happier, but redemption just isn’t my thing. A couple of my novels, “The Disassembled Man” and “The Drive-Thru Crematorium,” have been adapted as films, and I’m told they might start filming this year. If I ever become famous, I look forward to forgetting everybody who helped me along the way. I also look forward to getting a lot of work done on my face.

What do your students think of your career as an author? I think they just hope that I’m a better writer than I am a teacher. Actually, most of them think it’s pretty cool. A few of the more adventurous ones ask to read one of the novels, which is always sort of awkward because they’re definitely not teen friendly. I try warning them but, of course, that just makes them want to read them even more. I had one student read “The Disassembled Man,” and after she finished, she told me, “I’ll never be able to look at you the same way again.” I took that as a great compliment.

Daniella Bohill

Nicole Brecht

Age: 42 Occupation: Owner of Bramble, BrambleCo on Etsy Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 16 What brought you here? What has kept you? I moved here in 2005 from Boulder because my husband and I wanted to buy a home. We stayed because we love it here. It’s a great place to raise kids and we love that it is so close to Rocky Mountain National Park and other spaces to hike and bike and explore.

What was it like jumping into mask making mode last year and are sales still steady? Jumping into mask making last year was truly like jumping into the deep end of a pool. I had no idea what I was doing and had to iterate as I went — testing patterns, sourcing fabric and other materials. I had so many orders — both directly from Etsy as well as wholesale for Colorado Crafted — that I was sewing for about 15 hours a day. It was worth it, and I was so glad to be able to help people stay safe. Sales of masks definitely dropped off as soon as big companies started using their resources to mass produce masks. It’s wild how you can buy a mask at the gas station along with your gas and road trip snacks. I still make masks, but I have also expanded to knitted hats, quilted lap blankets and small stuffed toys.

Are there any new items you plan to fill your Etsy shop with? Yes. My tagline is “homemade and reusable items that promote exploring nature” and I am currently working on a new spring/summer release. First up: stylish and classic picnic blankets and upcycled silverware/napkin sets. Living in Colorado has made me so appreciative of the beautiful nature we get to explore, and I want my products to help other folks get outside too.

Age: 48 Occupation: Founder and executive director of the Good Life Refuge Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 3 What brought you here? What has kept you? All roads led to Longmont when we began our search for the perfect property for the refuge. We found that perfect property on the outskirts of Longmont to create a safe haven for our animals.

We love the welcoming community and the amazing support our farm animal refuge receives from residents and businesses of St. Vrain Valley.

What sparked your interest in animal rescue? Animals have always played a huge part in my life. As a child, I told my parents, “I will open an animal sanctuary when I am all grown up.” I have volunteered at several shelters and local rescues. Five years ago, I recognized the tremendous suffering farm animals endure and the need for places to help them. With the support of my family and friends, I founded the Good Life Refuge.

Can you recall a favorite day or moment at Good Life? One of my favorite memories is bringing the baby lambs to the refuge. We gave them their first bottle knowing their lives were safe and no harm would ever come to them. It was joyous.

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When he’s not writing guide books or exploring the Rocky Mountains, Joshua Berman works at Shining Mountain Waldorf School in Boulder as a Spanish teacher and teacher in cyber civics, a class on being a good digital citizen.

8 • JUNE 20, 2021 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

J

Joshua Berman has learned to be a ‘tranquilo traveler’

oshua Berman’s career as a writer has been anything but a 9-to-5 desk job.

He’s tasted boa constrictor, climbed narrow mountain highways, sat in the back of a truck as he sped by volcanoes in Nicaragua, and blistered his feet on the Colorado Trail. Before he zoned in on writing about Colorado, he used his career to explore the globe and feed his passion for writing and exploring.

His excursions today include passing that sense of adventure down to his three daughters, while teaching them how to respect and revel in the nature around them.

Berman is an author of six travel books, Denver Post columnist, all-around expert adventurer, Longmont resident, and a “tranquilo traveler.” He uses this term to call on explorers like himself to remain open-minded and inquisitive, as they take in their new surroundings, even when travel plans don’t go as expected.

Traveling to another country is expensive and time consuming. Berman said his trick to seeing the world was to find employers that would allow him to travel and explore as part of his job. Blending that with a lifelong love for writ-

Age: 48 Occupation: Teacher, writer, social media director Years in the St Vrain Valley: 15 (2 years in Longmont proper)

ing just made sense, he said.

One of his greatest adventures was working in Nicaragua for 2K years with the Peace Corps, when he was an environmental education volunteer and the editor of the Peace Corps’ publication for volunteers and staff. The experience led to Berman co-authoring the first guide book to Nicaragua in 2001.

“There were no other comprehensive guidebooks there so that was our excuse to stay down there and write a 450pagebook about the country and everything we had learned about it,” Berman said. “From then on, I was in the travel-writing world.”

It was in Nicaragua where he was a tour guide for “Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern,” a Travel Channel show. Berman took the TV host to restaurants where he could brave a sip of some bull testicle soup and try bull testicle ceviche. Just up the road, Berman took Zimmern to a place where he could sink his teeth into a plate of boa constrictor. They rounded

out the experience by enjoying some tamer dishes, such as a seafood stew and selection of coffees.

“He’s a tranquilo traveler, too,” Berman said. “That’s why we got along so well.

His style was to find the real stories and he connects with people and appreciated their cooking.

It was fascinating to see and be part of.”

Honing in on the many mountains, valleys and plains to explore in Colorado, Berman has most recently been writing about local camping and hiking explorations. When he’s not writing guide books or exploring the Rocky Mountains, Berman works at Shining Mountain Waldorf School in Boulder as a Spanish teacher and teacher in cyber civics, a class on being a good digital citizen.

When Berman thinks of a story from his adventures that truly embraces the art of the tranquilo traveler, he thinks back to a time he had to hitchhike across Nicaragua to get some supplies for his Peace Corp job. While that may have seemed a daunting task, Berman stayed calm.

It started by catching a ride with a farmer, who during the course of their interaction recited the poetry of Nicaraguan poet

Rubén Darío. When the farmer dropped him off, Berman caught a baseball team at a gas station filling up their school bus. Noticing the guitar he carried, they agreed: “The gringo can get on but he has to play music for us.”

“I knew a couple of songs they knew and it got rowdy,” Berman said.

Finally, he rode in the back of a pickup, where he surveyed the Nicaraguan landscape as it flew by.

“Tranquilo is a popular word in Nicaragua that means everything from relaxed and peaceful to slow and unworried,” Berman said. “At one point it was the perfect word to describe the kind of travel that I like to promote.”

His wife, Sutay Berman, has also embraced the art.

The couple honeymooned in the early 2000s in Pakistan. The purpose of the trip was tracing the roots of his wife’s greatgrandfather who taught botany in the country.

Through the trip, the newlyweds met many people connected to the man.

They also took time to explore the Himalayas and braved the twists and turns of the Karakoram Highway.

“It was a 27-hour bus ride at really high elevation coming down these moun-

tain roads,” Berman said.

“Way hairier than I-70.”

It was work that eventually brought the couple to Boulder County. Berman’s wife is a nurse with Boulder Community Health and Berman started his Boulder teaching job.

Berman today is continuing to share his love for adventure with his wife and three daughters, Shanti, 13, Zenlana, 10, Sky, 8.

“Every time my family and I go camping, we’re actually doing research and I get to write articles, too, about the best campgrounds for all different activities in Colorado,” he said. “This was another way that writing enveloped an original passion, kind of like the travel thing.”

Taking his daughters on many of the excursions has been more than just a chance to share in his adventurous spirit.

“I feel a responsibility to make sure they have a connection with these mountains in as responsible a way as possible,” Berman said, “being able to teach them leave-no-trace principals and leaving the campsites cleaner than we found it — that’s the only way we as a state are going to be able to deal with the good thing of more people wanting to camp and be outdoors.”

Story by Kelsey Hammon • Photo by Matthew Jonas • Longmont Times-Call

COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 20, 2021 • 9

Lindsey Bricker

Rebecca Carnarius

Age: 38 Occupation: Owner of Fettle & Fire and Midtown Handmade Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 10 What brought you here? What has kept you? We came to Boulder, from Kansas, for my husband’s job, then fell in love with Longmont. It wasn’t meant to be a forever move, but now I doubt we’ll leave.

Since opening Fettle & Fire, you’ve also added Midtown Handmade, a vending machine featuring items by local makers. What inspired this addition? Creating opportunities for others has always been part of my business strategy. Prior to opening Fettle & Fire, I cofounded Longmont Artisan Market — which runs an annual Handcrafted Holiday Market and occasional events throughout the year. Our 2020 markets were canceled, but I still wanted to help local makers sell their work in a way that felt safe. Since opening last October, Midtown Handmade has sold everything from pottery to yarn to bath fizzies to caramels. The vending machine is accessible 24/7/365 and even has gift wrap for sale, which makes it popular among shoppers who need a last-minute gift. We are looking forward to a future that includes inperson events, but Midtown Handmade is here to stay.

What do you love most about working with clay? With clay, the possibilities are limitless. I could create something new every single day, then take a notebook full of ideas to my grave. I also love that folks of any skill level can create with clay. At our last studio tour, Lisa Baird led a free ornamentmaking workshop for our visitors and kids, adults, clay pros and first-timers alike were able to create something unique and beautiful.

Age: 54 Occupation: Student, bookstore clerk Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 2 What brought you here? What has kept you? I lived in Pennsylvania most of my life, while one sister then another moved to Boulder. They invited me for a 10-week visit here in 2018, and I toured Front Range Community College, feeling warmly welcomed. After 30 years living mostly on my own, I decided to move here and transfer to FRCC. They accepted my prior credits and hired me in the campus bookstore. And I love the “sister community’ with my family.”

You decided at the age of 48 to go to college. What inspired you to do that? One of my social services helpers encouraged me to earn my GED when I was 45. I discovered that I loved learning! I realized there is more “out there” than working in sheltered environments, and I wanted to broaden my thinking and my life. After six years of effort at two community colleges, I just earned my Associate of Arts degree in English!

What advice do you have for someone who is considering college but who thinks they can’t succeed? Set your mind on your goal, stick to it, and don’t let anything deter you. Try one or two courses at a time, stretch yourself into new topics, and it’s OK to withdraw from a course if it’s too soon, then try again later. It took me three tries to meet the math requirement! And use the school’s great resources, such as terrific tutors.

What’s next for you? I want to keep learning. My new goal is a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Arts, which I plan to begin this fall. I’ll build new knowledge and skills, and hope to use those to pursue meaningful employment.

Ricardo Cabrera

Damon Carson

Age: 54 Occupation: The Latino Chamber of Commerce of Boulder County operations manager; residential real estate broker Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 2 What brought you here? What has kept you? Before the Latino Chamber closed its Main Street office in Longmont to go virtual in May 2019, we only had 12 members. I volunteered on the board as treasurer there, and that’s when we began to rebrand and reinvest in this nonprofit.

How did The Latino Chamber respond to pandemic-related pressures?

The Latino Chamber was incorporated in Longmont in 2005 to serve Boulder County. But after low membership forced us to vacate our office space in May 2019, the board decided a month into the pandemic — in April 2020 — to hire me part time as the operations manager and first ever employee. Now, we have 168 members and counting.

What explains that growth? Well, the pandemic just put us in front and center of everybody as we partnered with the community to extend our reach and share our expertise. For instance, for a year we collaborated with Boulder County Public Health to share weekly COVID-19 updates. We later organized vaccination clinics in Longmont and Lafayette. And we launched “Latino Chat” — interviews we conducted and recorded with city, county, and business leaders to direct our membership and community to the resources they needed to stay strong. Now, there are 150 of these interviews recorded in both Spanish and English available for business owners to use. Finally, apart from my official work for the Latino Chamber I also help the community to close the wealth gap as a certified trainer with the Hispanic Wealth Project. For more information, visit https://mywealthbeing.relacx.com/.

Age: 49 Occupation: Owner of repurposedMATERIALS Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 19 What brought you here? What has kept you? We sold our garbage company up in the Vail Valley, and we knew we didn’t want to raise our kids in a ski resort. All my wife and I knew was we wanted to live north of Denver. I had no job, so we just decided we’d pick a place to live and I’d find a business to buy after we relocated. We looked from Brighton to Loveland. We chose Longmont simply because we found a house we liked. A few months later, we bought Drop n Wash Laundromat from Bill and Sandra Chella. All three of our kids have now graduated from Longmont High. One of the big things that keeps us in Longmont is our involvement in Calvary Church. On a side note, it is fun to be asked to contribute to the Times-Call, again. I wrote a business column for the paper from about 2005-2015.

Describe “repurposing.” In 2010, I started repurposedMATERIALS. First off, what is “repurposing”? It is taking a byproduct or waste stream such as a retired street sweeper brush and giving it a second life as a backscratcher for horses or cattle. It is taking an obsolete ski lift cable and giving it a second life as hand railing in a luxury condo building. We call ourselves an “industrial thrift store.”

We now have warehouses in Colorado, Iowa, Texas, and South Carolina.

You’re into bucking bulls now. How’d that happen? My newest hobby is rodeo bucking bulls. I got my start by partnering with world champion bull rider and Longmont High graduate Kody Lostroh on 33 bulls a few years ago. It is awe-inspiring watching these amazing, powerful animal athletes develop from little calves into raging 1,800-pound bucking beasts!

10 • JUNE 20, 2021 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

Jessica Carson

Carlo Cavalier

Age: 34 Occupation: Director of Octave Records at PS Audio and singer/musician in Clandestine Amigo Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 11 What brought you here? What has kept you? When I was playing music full time, I toured up here and decided Colorado was the place to be. Longmont, specifically, was so welcoming to art and original music that I felt like I had found my people.

It turns out, I really did. I found my bandmates, best friends, professional mentors and future husband in Longmont. It’s hard to imagine living anywhere else.

What would you say is the most rewarding aspect about being a part of Longmont’s music scene? Two things stand out to me when I think about the Longmont music scene. One is getting to watch artists blossom into themselves. Some artists I’ve been keeping track of since they were 14 and their parents were driving them around to shows or open mics, now they’re 20 and older and out playing their own shows. Some artists that were playing music just as a hobby have ended up getting into the live music circuit, taking their songwriting seriously and making great albums. Watching artists grow and develop is such a cool experience. The other great reward of our music scene is the community that it builds. One of the hardest parts about not having live music during the pandemic is not seeing all the usual suspects out at shows. It’s a special feeling to walk into a festival, or even just a local brewery, and see 30 of your closest friends all at once.

Any bucket-list goals you plan to fulfill this summer? I want to meet my finance’s family and have him meet mine. We got engaged during COVID and there are so many friends and family members that we want to share with each other. I’d also like to make my third album.

Age: 17 Occupation: High school junior and Longmont Humane Society volunteer canine coach with 2,682-plus hours logged and counting Years in the St. Vrain Valley: Almost 10 What brought you here? What has kept you? I’m originally from Nevada. But my dad grew up in Longmont, and his family has lived here for generations. We moved to Longmont to be closer to his side of our family and to experience all the great opportunities Colorado has to offer.

What inspired you to learn more about canine coaching and how to train others to do this better? I was inspired to become a canine coach in LHS’s Training and Behavior Modification Department because I was fascinated by dog behavior and by the work I got to see our training specialists and canine coaches do every day. As a canine coach I have learned a ton about training techniques, behavior modification strategies, and play groups. All of this greatly improved my dog-handling skills. My experiences at the shelter have been so fulfilling and meaningful, and those experiences are really what inspired me to pass on all the skills and expertise I’ve learned to train our new volunteers and members of our community.

What insight or practice do you share with trainees that helps them coach their dog more successfully and why? The two things that I impart on all of my trainees are that dogs are individuals, and that patience and repetition pay off. A training protocol or style that works for one dog may be completely ineffective for another. So, you really need to put in some effort and focus to figure out what is going to work best for that particular dog. Additionally, dogs — just like us — learn at different speeds and need to constantly and consistently work at something in order to learn and get better at it. It’s extremely important that you pay attention to your dog, and gauge their needs during training. The more time, patience, and repetition you put into your training sessions, the more successful they will be. I have worked with dogs for months and even years at LHS, and there is nothing more rewarding than finally getting to see them grasp the skill or make the progress you’ve been diligently working toward.

Catherine Carter

Age: 50 Occupation: Math teacher at Niwot High School Years in the St. Vrain Valley: Almost 9 What brought you here? What has kept you? I grew up in Michigan, and for many of my childhood summers, my parents brought us here to the Y of the Rockies in Estes Park. I fell in love with the mountains and knew I’d live here someday.

How do you approach math to make it more accessible to students, especially those who say they don’t like math or they’re not good at it? I approach math from the perspective that we all think about mathematics slightly differently. To me, this means everyone needs to establish meaning in their own way; it’s challenging to step into someone else’s solution strategy. We all get the same answer, but the way we get there can be very different. Knowing this helps me choose an accessible task for all students, allowing them to create their own connections within mathematics via “individual think time.” When students then collaborate with others to share solution strategies, their conceptual understanding deepens, helping with procedural competency and better recall. For students who claim they aren’t good at math, the reason is usually because they haven’t felt invited into the mathematics conversation. Once they feel like their ideas matter, have time to process their thoughts, and then collaborate about them, they feel much more connected to the subject and dislike it less.

What work have you done around curriculum and professional development? Why has it been important to you to help other math teachers? I have written and co-written curriculum for my own classroom and for professional development courses in SVVSD. Greg George, K-12 Mathematics Coordinator for SVVSD, has been incredibly supportive and encouraging throughout my endeavors of co/writing and facilitating PD in the district. I now facilitate PDs for teachers K-12, and absolutely love it. Teachers, like students, need to feel empowered by their own math ideas. When teachers understand better, so do students, so it’s important to connect with teachers in a way that honors their intellect while simultaneously deepening their understanding.

Acknowledging we are experts in our field, while also learning more deeply about math, is my passion, and I am honored to teach PD and work with teachers in St. Vrain.

Old Town Marketplace

Come…

Share some Time with Us! A Collection of quaint and unique shops & services.

Come, enjoy Boba Tea, Coffee and cold drinks, handmade sweet & savory Empanadas, home-made Rolled Ice Cream and fruity popsicles, while shopping for original & vintage pieces of art; Discover everything from Zen & mystic to natural-edge wood furniture. Find our variety store, beauty supplies, health supplements, printing services and even income tax preparation.

www.oldtownmarketplace.com

(303) 827-3685

Longmont’s Trusted Downtown Jeweler for 56 Years.

Home of the “Original” Longs Peak Pendant Ron R. Hogsett, Owner 452 Main St., Longmont 303-651-1125

Hours: Tuesday - Friday 9:30 - 5:30, Saturday 9:30 - 1:00

COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 20, 2021 • 11

YEARS

A Legacy of Business and Community 1904

1937 Longmont L Chorale Singing From Our Hearts to Yours

1904-1968 IN BUSINESS

1946

Fitting Longmont at the same location for 75 73 years!

www.goldenvanlines.com

303-651-7664 www.longmontchorale.org

Monday through Friday 10-6 • Saturday 10-5 • Sunday closed

1948

1957

1960

303-776-3882 • 800-525-3290

Entertaining Longmont for over 62 64 years!

CUSTOM DESIGN OUR SPECIALTY, FINE QUALITY AND SERVICE OUR TRADITION. 303-776-2992 2201 KEN PRATT BLVD.

303.772-5200 www.longmonttheatre.org

1961

1965

1637 N. Main St. • Longmont, CO 80501

Celebrating 54 56 Years!

ww www.bassettcarpets.com w

452 Main St. • 303-651-1125

Bassett Carpets 303-776-5711

12 • JUNE 20, 2021 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

373 Main St., Longmont • 303.776.2920

14780 N. 107th, Longmont, CO 80504 303-776-6841 • www.msch.org Serving Wounded Children With a Balanced Life; Faith Based, Family Model, Education and Counseling.

1968

A Boulder County Tradition TOP PRICES **** 53 YEARS!

We Buy Rare Coins & Currency Gold & Silver, Jewelry & Diamonds 2863 28th St. • Boulder, CO 303-444-2646

YEARS

A Legacy of Business and Community 1971

1982

IN BUSINESS

1979

STALLINGS CONSTRUCTION.LLC

50 Years in Business!

Nelson Rd & Sunset Longmont, CO 303-772-3454

1971-1987

www.briggscarpet.com

1983

(303) 929-5068

1984

of o LONGMONT

POO BOX 1511 Longmont, CO 80502 A Life Plan Retirement Community offering Independent Living, Assisted Living & Skilled Nursing Care in Longmont.

303-772-2827

Leader in Decking, Doors, Windows and Kitchens.

(303) 772-9292 hovercommunity.org

Love Your Lawn…We Make It Easy.

303-678-8800 Boston Ave • Longmont

1986

1987

1987

19th Ave & Terry St

303-651-0719

2919 W W. 17th Avenue Longmont, CO 80503 303-772-0300

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

COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 20, 2021 • 13

YEARS

A Legacy of Business and Community 1987

Steve’s Plumbing

1989

1987-2004 IN BUSINESS

1989

Repair • Remodel

FLEA MARKET

Hot Water Heaters • Service Work Maintenance • Gas Log Installation

2451 Pratt Street Longmont, CO 80501

1201 S. Sunset St., Longmont 303-776-6605

Steve Moskel, Master Plumber 303-651-1898

LifeCareCenterofLongmont.com

www.frontrangefleamarket.com

1993

1994

1995

303-776-5000

STEVE’S AUTO Celebrating 28 Years!

510 2nd Ave. • Longmont 303-682-9015

1151 Delaware & Ken Pratt Blvd

www.stevesautorepairlongmont.com

303-678-5576 • www.welzig.com

1831 Boston Ave, Longmont, CO

303-651-0650

1998

1999

2004

Go

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

14 • JUNE 20, 2021 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

Stonum Automotive

THE SHOP YOU WOULD RECOMMEND TO A FRIEND!

Honest Car Care & Repair ld e

m

Go

s

n Archive lde

n A rc h ives.c

o

303-776-3882 • 800-525-3290 www.goldenarchives.com

1812 Sunset Place (corner Ken Pratt & Sunset)

www.stonumautomotive.com 303-485-9303

Basia Christ

Nick Cuccaro

Age: 74 Occupation: Human rights activist, author, artist, comedian, and MINDS Holistic Alternative Psychology Master and owner Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 3 What brought you here? What has kept you? My daughters Elke, who lives in Longmont, and Kirsten, who lives in Boulder, and being closer to them. It was a traumatic move from California in 2018, but it was a journey well worth it.

What’s your passion and drive in life? I went through a spiritual journey myself, which included interviewing all sorts of people — namely other women who had been on the same journey and path in life I had been on, and what I found on the other side, was who I wanted to be. That person happened to be someone who wanted to just help people going through, what I call the dark night of their souls and guide them toward the light side. It’s truly rewarding to see how wonderful these people I help transform, that’s my passion and what gets me out of bed everyday.

Why stirred you to create such a stunning portrait of the COVID-19 praying nurse for UCHealth Longs Peak Hospital? I thought this painting would be a nice way to show my appreciation for the wonderful care and compassion I have received at Longs Peak. The painting really symbolizes my prayers for everyone affected by COVID-19 in our community but also demonstrates how incredibly resilient we’ve all been. Can I add I want our community to know that we are stronger than we give ourselves credit for and years from now, when we reflect on this time, this pandemic, this virus — not only will we remember the darkness, but we should also remember what came from these ashes, and for me I’m starting to see that it is a deeper meaning to community, to light, to love. I want us to remember that together when we reflect on this time later on in life.

Age: 20 Occupation: Aquatics head lifeguard, Erie Community Center Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 8 What brought you here? What has kept you? My family moved to Erie from Boulder in 2013 to find a new, yet growing, community. Seeing all the changes in the community and the town’s fast-paced growth has kept us.

What is your strongest technical water skill to help new lifeguards learn and why? Most of the skills I demonstrate in trainings involve deep water rescues, such as the “passive victim in deep water.” I get called on for this because I am one of the “sinkers” — I sink easily — and I have been training and demonstrating these rescues for many years, which gives me the confidence to use these skills under any amount of pressure.

Are there any odd jobs in lifeguarding? Besides enforcing the pool rules, lifeguards clean the pool, maintain the safety equipment, and advise the community on how to be safe at the pool. However, one of the weirdest responsibilities I’ve had is to clean the algae that builds up at the bottom of the deep end. Only a few staff members are permitted to do this job. Because I am both a “sinker” and a head lifeguard, it ends up being one of my responsibilities.

I hold a heavy brick to help me stay down while submerged and use a small pumice stone to scrub off the algae. This can be both a tedious task and a strange one from a patron’s point of view, but it’s just another one of our responsibilities that I bet some people didn’t even know about.

Dido Clark

Janet Davidson

Age: 56 Occupation: Online content creator and freelance writer Years in the St. Vrain Valley: About 20 What brought you here? What has kept you? I’ve lived in the Historic Eastside for about 10 years now. I fell in love with it the moment I saw it. It’s a unique and magical neighborhood.

We can walk to our wonderful historic downtown, packed with restaurants, bookstores, and other delights. We have Collyer Park nearby. The neighborhood feels like home, the sort of place I wish I’d been able to grow up in.

In what ways did growing up in London impact your love of history and historic preservation? One of my earliest memories is of a Victorian mansion across the road from us being demolished. It seemed so wrong — all that irreplaceable beauty being destroyed. It was the ’60s, when a lot of councils were hell-bent on building new structures in concrete and steel. Many of those have not stood the test of time and are being demolished now, only 50 years later. As a teenager, I would go up to central London to be part of digs. It was exciting to dig down into Medieval and Roman layers. I was touching glimpses of lives long forgotten. Then I got a degree and eventually a doctorate in archaeology and worked for the British Museum for many years.

What inspired you to preserve the historic integrity of Longmont’s oldest neighborhood? I just love it! It has such a richly diverse history, full of tales of families of immigrants and other hard-working families. As an immigrant myself with a lot of Irish blood, I enjoy knowing that one guy who lived in my house was born in Ireland in 1857. If you live in the Historic Eastside, you can look up your house on the city website here. One day, we had someone stop by who had grown up in the house 70 years earlier. We showed her around and she shared some great tales with us and about her grandmother’s house across the road.

How did it feel when you became an American citizen? I feel very blessed.

For one thing, it means I can vote. I think everyone should vote, and I’ve written a lot of postcards encouraging people to do that.

Age: 80 Occupation: Retired educator with St. Vrain Valley School District Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 75 What brought you here? What has kept you? I was sent from St. Augustine, Fla., to live on the Longmont Erfert family farm when I was 5 years old. It was a small dairy farm with all the animals and gardens you need to be self-sufficient. They used a team of draft horses to tend the crops and butchered their chickens and hogs when needed. Hard work ethic and community commitment was demonstrated each day. It was taught in each aspect for school and church in Longmont. Longmont was a typical post-war farming community when we were growing up. The small size, warm-hearted, work-hard attitude instilled community spirit we see today. We have encouraged robust interest in lifelong learning through education, arts, music, science, wildlife and Nature. As adults, we were able to establish local charities and important local organizations in the 1960s and 1970s — Meals on Wheels, area seasonal migrant education, Longmont Chorale, Longmont Symphony, repeal “Sunset Law” of racial constraints, El Comité, Longmont OUR Center, special ed curriculum in Longmont Public Schools, adult ed classes.

What was your favorite part about working for Saint Vrain Valley School District? I began working for the St. Vrain Valley School District at Longmont Lincoln Elementary School as a classroom aide. This was the same little red brick school I had attended when I was in first grade through third grade. It was gratifying to work with teachers and staff who loved their students and shared their interest in lifelong learning. I am grateful for many sweet memories of people and experiences in the Longmont Public Schools. I trust we can always maintain the importance of each individual person being a student and continue to learn and develop strong leaders and citizens in our community.

COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 20, 2021 • 15

John Costello has been described by district peers and management as “the heart and soul of SVVSD transportation.”

16 • JUNE 20, 2021 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

S

John Costello took a job as a bus driver and found a family

t. Vrain Valley School District bus driver and field trip coordinator John Costello never expected to be a driving force in the lives of middleschoolers or that the kids would enrich his own life, when he initially took the part-time position over 15 years ago.

any fun, interesting or heartwarming stories to share about being a bus driver, Costello said, “Wow, that goes straight to the heart, I mean, there are countless, but honestly it’s sometimes just need love and sometimes need disci- just the fact that I got to be there for these kids — pline but also needed to even on their grumpy or know where the line was hard days or the most and how far they could exciting days for them, I push that line.”

“I walked out that day simply got to share their with a job and thought, The hardest part about ups and downs and some‘Great, I have a job’ but his service with the district times just listen.” what I didn’t expect was as a bus driver before Costello said that the the way these kids became becoming a dispatcher and middle school students on a second family for me over field trip coordinator was his routes gave him a purthe years,” Costello said. notifying the parents he pose which was simply to was taking a position at the be a mentor during their Costello was described district office. by district peers and mantrials or be a listening ear, agement as “the heart and “I wrote them all a letter because he and his wife did soul of SVVSD transporta- and I cried that day, eight not have children. tion” and as he reflected on years later almost and it “I had this kid on one of that he said, “I just showed still touches me to the my routes, he was nonverup to do a job, these kids point of tears” Costello bal — never said anything, changed me, my heart and said. “In that letter I but he would come right they made me want to explained that would miss up to me and crawl into my become something that I the kids and parents on my lap and hug me and what didn’t think I had in me — route and substitute routes, you realize is the vastness a mentor.” but that what their kids and capacity of a child’s have taught me during my love, that purest form of “The most rewarding time as a bus driver about appreciation and love that part of this journey is genuine love and compasonly children really can growing with the families sion couldn’t be learned offer,” Costello explained. and getting to know all any other way — it was sorts of kids,” Costello What he misses most such an incredible journey about driving a daily bus said. “Some kids, like this to watch them grow up and route is, “the chatter, the one in particular that was leave for high school.” on the Autism spectrum, excited conversations and taught me that these kids When asked if he had yes, even the fears and Age: 66 Occupation: St. Vrain Valley School District bus driver, field trip coordinator Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 40

tears and the other range of emotions a typical middle schooler goes through.” He said that sometimes included soothing test anxieties or rallying athletes for a big game or event.

“In a sense, I got the best job ever, I got to be grandpa to a lot of kids and see them right before and after school,” Costello said. He also described how many parents thanked him for talking their children through their highs and lows and even had parents thank him for giving the kids good advice and direction about being better, kinder and well-rounded young adults.

“There was this parent who thanked me for redirecting her kid and told me she would work on correcting the behaviors more at home,” Costello explained.

“That kid just had an awful day and what happened at school came with him onto the bus and there was an incident, but I spoke to this kid and told him that the behaviors he was exhibiting were not ok.”

The recently turned 66year-old said as he nears

retirement it is increasingly “harder to pull that trigger to retire, because the district — these kids, they are my family now too and how do you say goodbye to people you’ve come to love so deeply?”

As for what advice he wanted to give future bus drivers, Costello said, “expect the unexpected and have a compassionate as well as understanding nature — because you don’t know the environment some of these kids leave behind on their way to school, or return to on their way home from school.” He also said, “expect to have your heart changed in a way that only being a mentor to children can do, the things you thought didn’t matter, suddenly matter and the things you thought mattered a great deal, well — through a kids eyes, love and affection, they just don’t.”

“Longmont has truly grown wildly in the 40 years that my wife and I have been here and the thing that makes the city so special is the people and the heart we have for one another,” Costello said.

Story by April Morganroth • Photo by Matthew Jonas • Longmont Times-Call

COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 20, 2021 • 17

Neal Dunfee

Josh Elioseff

Age: 60 Occupation: Music director for the Boulder Dinner Theatre Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 35 What brought you here? What has kept you? The mountains and the artist community. My parents loved Colorado. I fell in love with Colorado when I was young. I grew up in Northwest Missouri and my family vacationed in Colorado every summer. I spent a lot of time in Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park, but we explored the entire state. When I was very young, I remember seeing a beautiful log cabin in a mountain valley, somewhere in Rocky Mountain National Park and realized that someone actually lived there. I knew then I wanted to live in Colorado. I would say it’s the mountains that brought me here, and the mountains that have kept me here.

I’m blessed to live on the St. Vrain River in Lyons. There’s so much natural beauty right outside my door. The other very important factor has been the artist and theatre community. I have been able to stitch together a living in music and theatre. There’s a vibrant community of actors and musicians, and it has been a joy to perform with that same core for all of these years.

What would you say makes this area unique? A rich and diverse culture.

For me, it’s the perfect combination of urban culture and the great outdoors.

What is one of your favorite memories of working or living in this area? I had a Thoreauvian adventure that lasted about 10 years. I lived in a log cabin above Gold Hill with limited electricity, wood heat and and an underground cistern for water. I spent a great deal of time reading and splitting wood. I’ve never been so in touch with the natural world as I was in that time. I eventually re-joined the modern world.

Age: 43 Occupation: Boulder County employee by day, musician by night, photographer on the weekends, sleeping rarely Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 8K in Longmont; in Gunbarrel for about 6 years before that What brought you here? What has kept you? I moved to Colorado for three reasons: music, beauty, and mountain air. My move to Longmont was a continuation of my musical journey. I wanted a place that was central to Boulder, Lyons, Lafayette, and Longmont, all places I was playing music in at the time, with fairly easy access to Denver. Many of my friends in music and photography were moving here right about the same time. I stay here because the music never stops. We have a wonderful scene here, although post pandemic it is in flux.

How did you get into the music scene? I got into the music scene after singing regularly at an open mic 16 years ago. My friend suggested I do more than signing, so I started playing harmonica. Pretty sure he expected me to play guitar. I joined the Zimmermans in 2006 and started sitting in with anyone I could. At one point I had six projects at the same time. A bit harder to juggle that many with a day job, but I still play with a few projects around town.

What was the pandemic like for the local music scene, and what are you looking forward to as things begin to reopen? The pandemic decimated the local scene. Most of us were stuck inside while venues canceled music, and some were forced to close altogether. We all hunkered down and rode it out, most playing online in some way, shape or form. I did a show or two a week live on Facebook, a cappella, for a year starting in March of 2020. I can’t wait to play more gigs, to take more photos, to just be embraced and to embrace others. I need to take in a few more live shows, the sights, sounds and feels. I can’t wait to play for others live. Being on stage is in my blood. Being behind the lens is a close second. Breathe free, play music, capture beauty. That’s all I need.

Todd Eichorn

B.J. Elvendahl

Age: 50 Occupation: Owner/operator La Vita Bella Restaurant and Bar Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 6 What brought you here? What has kept you? What brought us originally to Longmont is it’s such a great family community. It’s near the mountains, close to the big city with so many fun things to do outdoors. We found a town of wonderful people and an engaging community that we absolutely have fallen in love with.

Why do you want to focus on healthier food and drink in your restaurant and what makes it healthier? What makes our food so healthy is we use locally sourced, fresh ingredients from ranches that practice progressive farming. This means the vegetables and the meats are of superior quality from what you get in a supermarket. True farm-to-table dishes are the tastiest and healthiest sources that you kind find anywhere. Utilizing these farms also lowers our carbon footprint. It’s a win-win-win. The customer wins, the business wins, the environment wins and so does the overall Longmont community. So that actually makes it four wins, no losses. That’s seems to me to be a great gamewinning strategy for any community.

What kind of art, music and community gatherings do you have at your place? The most important is to provide space for local artists and musicians to display or express their work and talent. In regards to our community events, there has been a wide range, anywhere from talks on sustainability, fairs, book signings, paint-n-sip classes, seminars, meetings and greetings with local vendors and farmers.

In what ways do you help the homeless and community in need? La Vita Bella has worked with the community in need since 2014. In our old location it was much easier to do the free breakfast every Sunday but found it challenging to do that in our new space so we decided to adapt and collaborate with other nonprofits in town to continue our support of local people in need. We do not believe that any segment of society should be disconnected from the overall community. They are people that live here just like you and me.

Age: 32 Occupation: Owner of Landslide Printing and amateur bike refurbisher dude Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 2 What brought you here? What has kept you? We moved to the area because we decided to prioritize community as we looked at where we wanted to settle down. My wife graduated from CU Boulder so the proximity to close friends and family has been a major driving factor in our decision to establish our life in the St. Vrain Valley.

What inspired you to refurbish a bike to give to seven buddies over the past year or so? So, this year I decided to refurbish seven bikes for seven of my close friends. They don’t know I’m working on this project, and I’m hoping to be done with all seven by the end of the summer. I guess weaving together the themes of working with my hands, doing something for friends, and taking something old and making it new felt like a good way to spend my free time.

Can you share your process and explain why this has been a great garage activity during the pandemic? The majority of the bikes I’ve obtained are late ’70s and early ’80s steel frame road bikes that were pretty burned out.

Generally, I’ve been stripping them down to the bare frame, greasing the brackets and headsets, replacing bearings and cleaning them up functionally.

Then, I go to work designing the plan for paint and new components. My wife and I own a screen printing shop. So, we have the equipment to print new custom decals. Once the frame is repainted it’s just a ton of fun ordering new components and building it up from scratch. The project so far has pretty much just been positive vibes during the pandemic. Obviously, I’m stoked to deliver the bikes and grab a brew with my friends sometime later this summer.

18 • JUNE 20, 2021 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

Inspiring p g Women

in

REBECCA GLOVER

Linda Snyder

Owner, Snyder Jewelers

Edward Jones, Financial Advisor

As the 3rd generation owner of Snyder Jewelers for 33 years, Linda Snyder Crockett is proud to be continuing her family’s legacy, created by her parents and grandparents in 1948. For 40 years they were located on Main Street and 14 years on Francis Street.

Snyder’s built a reputation for providing the finest craftsmanship, incredible custom designs, highest quality jewelry and watch repair, and the best service and pricing in the area. They were trusted, loved, and respected throughout Boulder County and beyond.

Today, Linda carries on the legacy at 2201 Ken Pratt Blvd, where she has been since September 2001.

Linda says, “it’s our honor to work with guests to fulfill their dreams by creating custom pieces for Engagement, Anniversary, Birthday, or any of life’s celebrations. It’s also been my privilege to rework precious mementoes of loved ones, turning them into beautiful memories.

Our passion is fine jewelry, outstanding service and a level of care which makes Snyders your “go to” jeweler. We know you have choices, choose the best!

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

As a financial advisor with Edward Jones, I help create financial freedom and opportunities for my clients and their families. I have a passion for gaining the trust of my clients and helping them reach their goals.

Above all else, my branch office administrator, Jesse Climer, and I believe in creating an environment of trust and care. We take pride in going above and beyond for our clients, ensuring that they are offered customized service, personalized portfolio design and a welcoming office to visit. I even offer evening, Saturday and home meetings for the convenience of my busy, hardworking clients to help ensure that they have the opportunity to have their concerns and questions addressed.

(303) 485-2104

1640 Pace Street, Suite 200 • Longmont, CO 80504 www.edwardjones.com/us-en/financial-advisor/ rebecca-glover

Crossroads Dermatology

Dr. Sarah Bair is the founder and owner of Crossroads Dermatology in Longmont. She graduated with honors from the University of Nebraska School of Medicine in Omaha, Nebraska, and holds an undergraduate degree in finance (B.S.B.A.), summa cum laude from Creighton University. A Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology (FAAD), Dr. Bair specializes in medical and cosmetic dermatology including the treatment of the skin, hair, and nails.

Founded in 2018, Crossroads Dermatology serves patients’ medical, surgical, and cosmetic dermatological needs in Longmont and surrounding communities. The team of skincare experts at Crossroads Dermatology takes pride in offering exceptional, patient-focused care with a personalized touch.

(303) 848-8334

2350 17th Ave. • Longmont, CO 80504 www.CrossroadsDermatology.com

Health & Wellness Director Beatrice Hover Assisted Living

Co-owners, Front Range Mercantile

In 2005, Sandy started caring for her aging parents. After several health battles, in 2014 she decided to quit her job as an investment banker and go back to nursing school to be able to better care for them.

She continues her education in nursing and is currently working to complete her BSN and Master’s in Healthcare Management.

Sandy recently relocated to Colorado with her husband from Mobile, Alabama, where she was born and raised, in January 2020. They have a dog, Stewart.

He is a miniature pinscher. In their spare time, they enjoy hiking, snowshoeing, and kickboxing.

Marj and Vicky met when their sons played baseball together in Hygiene. For over 32 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.

Lindsay Saldana

In Memory of Marj Sater 1951-2020

As co-owners, Marj and Vicky thank you for voting them winners in the Readers’ Choice Best local business contest for 14 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 32 years in business this year.

www.frontrangefleamarket.com

DR. SARAH BAIR

Sandy Kunath

Vicky Andrew and Marj Sater

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.

Business

1201 S. Sunset, Longmont 303-776-6605

Director of Nursing Katherine & Charles Hover Skilled Nursing Green Houses Lindsay Saldana is the Director of Nursing at the Katherine and Charles Hover Green Houses, where she guides and mentors the nursing team. She has been a nurse for 15 years and has a master’s degree in nursing education. She has a background as an infection preventionist and nursing instructor. Originally from California she now lives in Thornton with her three daughters and husband. “I am proud to be a nurse at the Green Houses. The elder is at the center of all we do.”

(303) 772-9292

1401 Elmhurst Drive, Longmont, CO 80503

www.hovercommunity.org

COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 20, 2021 • 19

Jana Fanning

John Fischer

Age: 73 Occupation: Retired Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 45 What brought you to the area? What has kept you? My husband got a transfer within the banking industry, and I just followed him. I was a service representative at the time and it was easy for me to transfer to Longmont. I love the city. I love the community. I love the easy access to all the different places in Longmont. My son was born here, and my daughter went to all the schools here. I love Longmont. I think the particular thing I like is Third Avenue — Old Town from Coffman (Street) up. I just love to walk those old houses. It just reminds me of my grandparent’s home in Texas. I love Old Town. My husband and I raised our daughter here. I think it was a fun experience living in a smaller town. My son is very successful in his business. I am very proud of both of my kids and I am very close with them.

How have you kept busy this past year? Right now I am packing. I am going to move to my son’s townhouse. This time of the year, I would (usually) be out in my garden.

Do you still like to stay active and exercise a lot? Before COVID, I hit the gym every day for about two hours. (I did) both the cardio machines and weights. When I worked in Boulder, I went to the gym every lunch hour. It was very routine, and it was so rigid. When the gyms were closed, I walked about eight miles every day. Mentally it was fabulous because I got to see Longmont.

It was amazing. I tried to see all of Longmont that I could. Eight miles is a long ways.

Age: 54 Occupation: Founder of StickerGiant.com Inc. Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 22 What brought you here? What has kept you? I was moved to Colorado by Whole Foods Market to be part of their early ecommerce efforts. That job lasted as long as the first dot-com technology boom, and I was soon out of work and planning to move back to the Midwest. I had three small children, two of whom were old enough to be enrolled at Hygiene Elementary School in Hygiene. Xan, my wife, and I decided to stay after very positive experiences with the community at Hygiene Elementary School and made the decision to raise our children in Colorado.

Why did you want to enter the sticker business in the early 2000s? What kind of market was there for that back then compared to now? StickerGiant started as an online sticker store that carried a large variety of pre-printed stickers and novelties on the internet. I started the business as a lark, and it grew from there to pay the bills. We were really the first “Amazon of stickers” back then and grew rapidly. Eventually the company morphed into the current company, which manufactures product labels for the packaging industry and promotional stickers. Today, StickerGiant employs 115 people in Longmont and is one of the fastest-growing companies in Colorado and was named Colorado manufacturer of the year in 2020.

How did Saul the Sticker Ball get his start? What exactly is that? Saul is our overweight ball of stickers and labels. He was thought up as a marketing gimmick by Jesse Frietas, our marketing director. Saul has won and recently lost the world’s record in the Guinness World Records (for being the) largest stickerball. He has since become a local beloved folk hero, a ball of very few words.

Mimi Farrelly

John Fryar

Age: 74 Occupation: Artist, retired art therapist, retired university educator Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 41 What brought you here? What has kept you? After teaching in New York City and later, Denver, I came to Longmont from Denver initially to teach art in the SVVS district at Longmont Estates and Mead elementary schools. I met my husband to be, Paul Hansen, and created a base for my life here in Longmont. I co-founded The Arts Studio to provide an art center for children and adults in the community, and the Old Firehouse Art Center in downtown Longmont. I guided the painting of the mural of early Longmont at the Longmont Senior Center. These activities inspired me to help create the Longmont Council for the Arts.

You founded the art therapy program at Naropa University. How did you become interested in art therapy? I began to see the immense value of art in healing which led me back to graduate school for a degree and a career in Art Therapy. I had to go out of state for that degree, which led me to found the graduate program in Art Therapy at Naropa University in Boulder, the first and as yet, the only such program in Colorado. After eventually retiring from the faculty at Naropa, I devoted myself to making art, primarily abstract art: oil painting, mono prints, and collage.

Which artist has had the greatest influence on you, and why? My art has been inspired by artists such as Georgia O’Keefe, Marc Chagall, and Henri Matisse. I was happy that one of my oil paintings was selected in 2015 by the head of the Denver Art Museum for a special exhibition in Denver.

Age: 75 Occupation: Staff writer, Longmont Times-Call Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 38 What brought you here? What has kept you? I was job hunting after the then-owners of the evening newspaper where I’d worked for nearly 12 years, the Des Moines (Iowa) Tribune, ceased its publication in 1982. My parents had moved to Longmont and I was hired by the Times-Call. Having family in Colorado in most years since, as well as being able to continue working in locally focused journalism, are largely why I have stayed.

If you were teaching a Journalism 101 class, what’s the first, foundational lesson you would teach your students? A combination of things: Start reporting each story with attempts to find out “the Five W’s and the H” — the who, what, when, where, why and how of the situation or event or action you’re writing about. Be skeptical, but not cynical. Try to recognize any of your own prejudices and judgments about the circumstances and people you’re covering, and do not let any of your personal biases influence how you report the story. But also be willing to fact check what you’re told, and to challenge sources if you think you’ve found mistakes — before you complete the story, if that’s possible, but in follow-ups, if needed.

Of all of the stories you’ve covered over the years, which one stands out in your memory? And why? I had only a peripheral role in the coverage of the April 20, 1999, Columbine High School massacre. I and a number of other reporters went to a nearby school in the area — one where terrified parents were showing up to embrace and pick up sons and daughters who had survived. I haven’t covered a mass shooting in the years since but think of that experience whenever one occurs anywhere.

20 • JUNE 20, 2021 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

Julian Fuentes

Age: 25 Occupation: Training director, Chick-fil-A Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 3 What brought you here? What has kept you? I moved to Longmont three years ago seeking opportunities for growth and a new environment. After four months of job searching, I was offered a position at Chick-fil-A Longmont. The opportunities available to me at Chick-fil-A and the fast-paced growth and development of Longmont have kept me here.

How long have you been in management training at Chick-fil-A, and how do you train a great staff? After being a leader at Chick-fil-A Longmont for six months, I was selected to be the interim training director and was then given the permanent position. I have been the training director for two months now. The key to training a great staff is to rely on others for the talents you do not have. The restaurant would not be where it is now without the combined efforts of our team.

What is the secret to moving customers through a drive-thru so quickly? The secret to moving customers through a drive-thru is to divide and conquer. Our kitchen works hard to ensure they have food fresh and ready for guests, while our cockpit and outside team work hard to make sure we make the experience as pleasant and expedited as possible.

What is your favorite item on the menu, and why? There are so many items I love! I would have to go with my ultimate comfort food, which is our spicy deluxe sandwich with a medium mac and cheese. The spiciness of our chicken pairs perfectly with the creaminess of the mac and cheese.

Berenice Garcia Tellez

Age: 34 Occupation: Economic sustainability specialist, city of Longmont; vice-chairwoman, Latino Chamber of Commerce Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 4 What brought you here? What has kept you? A great career opportunity presented itself, so my husband and I moved to Colorado in 2016 after spending some years living in Norway.

Since then, we have been enjoying Colorado landscapes and have grown our family with two beautiful daughters. Family, work, the area, that my kids are happy has kept us. I love the passion community members have toward building a more sustainable, equitable, and community-driven county. Also, being multilingual and multicultural in the U.S. has allowed me to produce real equitable changes and work one-on-one with the diverse communities in the county.

How did living in the Middle East and in Europe influence your role as a Longmont city employee and your work on the Latino Chamber? Indeed, it has shaped my personality and professional experience. Working and living in different international settings makes you more understanding, flexible and empathic with people from diverse backgrounds. This has allowed me to navigate different systems and audiences in my roles. Both positions have allowed me to use my skills to support the business community in their path to becoming more sustainable and the economic development of Latino businesses.

What do you do to promote sustainability, and why do you believe that is important? I believe achieving a sustainable world is crucial for the survival of humanity. As many people are often busy with the immediate concerns, sustainability isn’t always top of mind, but implementing more sustainable practices is becoming increasingly important after COVID-19, and it’s easier to get started than many people realize. Additionally, sustainable practices help people save money while contributing to the advancement of sustainability goals in resource conservation and community well-being.

How does your being a mother and your travels help your understanding of the business world? Having two girls with totally different personalities and having lived in six different countries have made me more aware of the cultural differences and traits people have. These have helped me to better approach business audiences. Every day I wear many hats, but I am happy to do so because we all coexist in the same environment. I believe working together can accelerate our work toward achieving a more equitable and sustainable world.

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COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 20, 2021 • 21

Michael George

Age: 69 Occupation: Retired environmental, architecture and construction related fields contractor Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 15 years, 20 years in Boulder prior to moving to Longmont What brought you here? What has kept you? We found we found a house we liked with no homeowners association. I just live barely north of town and by the old Pumpkin Ranch. Also my wonderful neighbors — they’ll take me out of here feet first before I ever leave Longmont.

What is was your favorite place to travel and why? I’ve had a lot of favorites but my last international trip was a tour I took with a music tour through southeastern and southwestern Ireland. It was a small musical tour and organized primarily by folk group called Small Potatoes, and the people there are big fans and friends. I think it was 22 of us went on a little bitty smallish bus for nine days in Ireland where we sang and played music and ate good food. We talked to a lot of interesting people — it was almost like a fellowship vacation.

What was a low point in life? Cancer and numerous major medical issues later in life from which I have recovered with the fantastic help of my wife, family, neighbors, friends, and many strangers. I feel better today than I have for the last decade.

What are some of your plans now? My next lofty goal is to climb Mount Elbert on my 70th birthday this summer. I would love to get back to more volunteering as my health permits me to do so.

What is your life philosophy? Attempt, sometimes very unsuccessfully, to live by the “Golden Rule.” To learn something new every day and don’t give up but rather look to improve. There is always a bright side to whatever you are experiencing in life.

Glenn Gutierrez Age: 17 Occupation: Senior class of 2022 at Longmont High School Medical and BioScience Academy, YouTube entrepreneur, and volunteer Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 11 years, since kindergarten What brought you here? What has kept you? My parents were born and raised here, but also the community keeps me here because it’s really just an amazing area to live in and grow-

up in.

What drives your passion for community service? I just always like helping out people, it just makes you feel really nice. It’s something that gives your life purpose. So it’s always good, among them (his friends) would be like, ‘Oh hey, I need help with this.’ And then if you’re good at that, you can help with it, like in church, I do some tech stuff, and I’m pretty good with technology — especially the older folks who have a difficult time with technology.

If you had one message to tell Longmont residents about yourself or your various adventures and entrepreneurship, what would that be?

Pursue your interests — make sure you want to do something that ignites you, and also satisfies the social aspect. Like freshman year, I wanted to do drama, and I really didn’t know too much about drama but now I love it and I met so many great people because of it. So whenever you have an interest, you’ve got to pursue that because you’ll meet a lot of awesome people that will really help you in life.

What do you want to do after high school and why? I’m just really interested in a lot of the fields — but particularly the bioscience field because there’s the medical engineering and business side to it. I’m also really into filmmaking and have a YouTube channel with over 8,000 subscribers — so there’s a lot of stuff that I can consider when it comes to job careers in the future.

Tim Gulsrud

Muriel Hailey

Age: 46 Occupation: Acoustics consultant Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 24 What brought you here? What has kept you? I moved to Boulder originally for graduate school at CU Boulder. After finishing my M.S. degree I got a job working for an acoustics consulting firm in downtown Boulder and my wife and I moved to Longmont since housing was more affordable here. Since then, we have raised a family here, invested in real estate, and made lifelong friends in Longmont. We love the relaxed feel of the city and its supportive community of businesses and creatives and have enjoyed watching the city grow and develop over the last 20 years, particularly the downtown area. Of course, we also love having the mountains nearby and all the Front Range has to offer.

What was the moment you realized that acoustics were an important part of sound quality, and what does it mean to have good acoustics? I think I first realized this working as a live sound engineer when I was in college.

Setting up and running sound systems in different types of spaces for different types of musicians taught me that “good” acoustics can mean different things to different people. Choral singers, for example, often enjoy a space with lots of sound reflections and reverberation which help to enrich and blend their sound. Put a rock band in the same space, however, and I will probably hear that it has “terrible” acoustics because for them it will be too loud and boomy.

What’s a project you’re most proud of designing the acoustical space for? I was very fortunate to be involved in a major redevelopment project at Carnegie Hall in New York City. That project created new music education and rehearsal space in the building above the famous Stern Auditorium, including a new large rehearsal/performance room with adjustable acoustics and amazing views of the surrounding city.

Age: 104 Occupation: Wife and mother to three children Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 4 What brought you here? What has kept you? I came here to be near my son, who is in Boulder.

You’ve lived through a lot of world events, including the pandemic of 1918. What’s it been like to experience the past year? The last year I‘ve been right here at Alta Vita and they’ve taken good care of me, between them and my son. The pandemic wasn’t much fun, but it wasn’t fun for anyone. I still don’t like the masks. It’s just something you have to live through. Thank goodness it’s letting up now. Maybe I’ll see the end of it, even at my age.

What advice do you have for how to live a good life? I don’t know why I’ve lived this long. I’ve lived longer than my parents or two sisters did, and I don’t know why. I grew up as a tomboy and was very outdoors and maybe that had something to do with it. I grew up in Florida but since then as an Army wife I’ve lived everywhere, the Philippines, Paris, San Francisco, Washington, D.C. I think being happy and having a nice husband and having enough money not to have to worry. Not a lot, but enough to be happy and live well. Keep happy and keep busy.

22 • JUNE 20, 2021 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

Pastor Dan Hansen

Ivy Hartfield

Age: 66 Occupation: Lead pastor, Faith Community Lutheran Church Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 32 plus years What brought you here? What has kept you? I was called to serve as pastor at Faith Community in 1988 and began my ministry here on Jan. 1, 1989. I’ve stayed because my sense of call here has stayed strong, we’ve been blessed with great people through the years, the church keeps growing in various ways, and particularly with the recent pandemic I’ve felt more needed than ever.

You’re among the staff behind creating the church’s outdoor signs. Can you share a sign message that you’re most proud of? What’s your inspiration behind creating the messages? Originally we were just advertising a specific event, and occasionally we’ll still do that, but mostly we’ve just tried to give people something to smile or think about as they pass our church. A favorite funny one was when the Broncos were in the Super Bowl: “God has no favorites … but the sign painter is for the BRONCOS!” A serious one we used for Holy Week and Good Friday was a picture of a cross which said, “O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree …”

Coming out of the coronavirus pandemic, what are you most looking forward to about getting to see your congregants in person again? We were blessed to have outdoor services last summer and into October, and we’ve been open with limited seating through much of the winter and spring. It’s been a joy to see people coming back to worship and we’re looking forward to being able to safely hug each other and share community meals. Many are returning with a deeper sense of appreciation for the value and support of having a “faith community” and the joy of face-to-face, real-life interaction.

Age: 59 Occupation: IT director, Gotcha Covered; performer, Longmont All Star Jazz Band; director, Gospel Expressions Choir Years in the St. Vrain Valley: I don’t live in the St. Vrain Valley but have been performing at various places there for 10plus years What brought you here? What has kept you? What brought me here is I was asked to sing in a blues band back in 2005. What has kept me here is still being asked to sing or play piano/keys for various groups and organizations in the area.

What kind of performing do you do and where? I sing, play piano/keys, and I have a gospel choir (Gospel Expressions). I have sung with Longmont AllStar in the Longmont Jazz Fest and have performed for Agape House fundraisers. I loved performing at the Dickens when I was a singer with a WAR tribute band, Cicso’s Kids.

Who’s your idol, and who do you pattern your singing after? How would you describe your style of music? My style of music is mostly gospel and blues. I don’t really have an idol per se, but I pattern myself closely with Dianne Reeves and Natalie Cole. Blues is my favorite singing style mainly because it’s so versatile. There is so much you can do with just simple 1-5-4 chords to where each blues song has a unique sound all its own.

How does your love of music carry over into other parts of your life?

Music is intertwined in every aspect of my life. It has actually become my ministry. For my gospel choir, I try to choose songs with a message that people can relate to in current times but also songs that will bring them comfort and joy. It’s how I communicate and relate to people on every level. It calms my soul as well as stirs it up when needed. Regardless of the situation, I usually can find a song to match it or match a sentence or phrase. I’d like to think that at the end of the day I’ve left an individual or an audience with a smile on their face, contentment in their heart and a rhythm in their soul.

Bryan Harris

Aimee Heckel

Age: 49 Occupation: Configuration Assurance Manager, American Cornhole League Pro Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 10 What brought you here? What has kept you? Work moved us to Longmont, Colorado in 2011 and we’ve loved being here ever since.

How did you start playing cornhole? Why did you decide to go pro? I was introduced to the game in 2007 where we played recreationally. In 2017 we found the competitive side of the game after playing in a tournament at New Belgium Brewery. My son, Tae, and I were fortunate enough to qualify for the American Cornhole League (ACL) pro division in 2019.

This opportunity has allowed us to play at the highest level the game has to offer, meet some fantastic people, and see some wonderful parts of the country.

What’s the secret to the perfect cornhole toss? Practice, practice, practice throwing a flat bag. Cornhole bags have two sides, sticky and slick, where one side plays faster than the other. Being able to throw a flat bag allows you to use the sticky side for blocking the hole, and the slick side for push shots.

What’s your advice for people who want to take their passions to the next level? Find an avenue to grow what you’re passionate about. If an avenue doesn’t exist; create one. When we first started playing competitive cornhole in 2017 only one league existed, Mile High Cornhole in Denver, so we started Bags at the Bart, a cornhole league at Grossen Bart Brewery in Longmont. Now four years later you can play in a weekly league nearly every day of the week somewhere in the Front Range. I recommend everyone find a league to throw in. With the friendships made it’s one of the most rewarding things we’ve ever done.

Age: 42 Occupation: Travel writer and book editor Years in the St. Vrain Valley: I’m a Larimer County native (married to a Longmont native). I’ve lived in Longmont and the Longmont area off and on in various locations since around 2000, with a few years in between where I lived in Denver.

What brought you here? What has kept you here?

Proximity to Boulder with the best mountain views in the state.

I’m a sucker for Longs Peak and Mount Meeker.

How did you get into weightlifting? After 10 years of doing different workouts every week for a column, I craved consistency. I loved the way it felt to be a small woman moving big weight. I felt powerful and grounded.

What was the pandemic like for you and your family, and what are you looking forward to most as things begin to reopen? I’m a weird hermit freak anyway, so I always spend a lot of time alone. But I missed traveling and exploring. While I found peace in the focused solitude, I missed novelty. I am eager to try new things again, whether that’s food, a new city, new goals or meeting new people.

COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 20, 2021 • 23

Nancy Hurianek

Amanda James-Roxby

Age: 74 Occupation: Retired St. Vrain Valley School District educator in 2008; co-founder of The Round Pantry at Westview Presbyterian Church Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 50 What brought you here? What has kept you? My husband and I sought out teaching positions on the Front Range after teaching on the eastern plains of Colorado my “power verse” is “I look to the hills from whence cometh my strength.” We built a home, literally built — not had a house built, and raised our three children in Niwot. This is home and the view of the mountains is still my strength.

You’ve been described as a highly passionate person and valuable asset to the district. Can you describe what drove your passion for education and why you choose education? I knew from an early age that I wanted to teach just like so many in my family. And, when I was old enough to name it, I knew that teaching/education was what I was called to do. I passionately believe that each and every child/person has ability to learn and do significant things — each in their own way, in their own timeframe. I frequently comment to those with whom I interact why, what’s your purpose? And/or you just don’t know how yet. I’ve always loved working to structure conditions for learning for children, parents and community members.

What is the best part about being an educator? Seeing the light come on and hearing “I did it!”

What do you love most about education in general? There’s so much that I love about education, but what I cherish is watching individuals and groups become what they can be, do what they hope to do and seeing the spark of “what have we yet to do?”

Age: 52 Occupation: Business owner (trained as an accountant) Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 21 What brought you here? What has kept you? My husband’s job with Xilinx. We moved from England for a year.

I’d never been to the states before. We loved Colorado: the space, the people and the way of life, so we didn’t go back.

You’re the co-founder behind The British Bash, a local business that sends home baking boxes of British desserts to people in the U.S. How did you come up with the idea for your business? My friend, now business partner, Steph, returned from Seattle, and we were talking about what we could do next. Our families were almost grown, I had just finished an accounting job and after a few false starts, we decided to do what we know and are good at: baking! Initially, we were making British treats and selling locally.

Then another British friend, Deborah Read Fowler, mentioned these baking boxes that were sold in the UK on a subscription basis and we got to thinking how a similar concept might be a better fit for us. So we decided to pivot our business and have spent much of our first year testing recipes, working out logistics, and learning how to run a business. We are really excited to see where the journey takes us.

What do you think is the biggest difference between American and British desserts? Well, we don’t have dessert, we have pudding unless you’re the queen; she might have dessert. I think the big difference is though where American’s love their pies — apple, cherry, pecan — and eat them served with ice cream, the Brits are more likely to go for a hot sponge (vanilla, chocolate, jam) or fruit crumble (similar to apple crisp, I guess), and always with hot custard (made from a powder), never ice cream! I’d never heard of “a la mode” until I moved here.

Gillian Ivers-Read

Joseph Jedrzejewski

Age: 68 Occupation: Chief Regulatory Officer and Executive VP Technical Operations at Clovis Oncology Years in the St Vrain Valley: 19 What brought you here? What has kept you? I moved here for work.

What do you enjoy about living in Longmont? The mix of people and friendliness of the town. As it has grown, I appreciate the greater number of facilities and restaurants.

Can you tell me about the pharmaceutical companies you founded and how you landed in that line of work? I was always interested in science, particularly biology, from (childhood). I found how drugs work in the body to be fascinating so ended up in pharmaceutical research and development. The company I was with moved me from the UK to U.S. to bring over expertise, then I moved around the U.S. for work ending here in 2002. I have no wish to move anywhere else as love Colorado.

Why is cancer research and finding medicine that can help people battling cancer important to you? Almost everyone you meet has had someone they know affected by cancer. It is devastating for patients and families, and the fulfillment of helping people to live longer, better quality, lives is what motivates me. The importance of continuing to develop better, more effective, treatments, and the number of improvements over the past years has been great to see, science has moved a long way forward.

What direction do you see the future of cancer research heading? I see more options for patients, and the ability to make a cancer diagnosis more like managing a chronic disease.

Age: 30 Occupation: Kindergarten teacher at Centennial Elementary School Years in the St. Vrain Valley: My whole life, other than five years in Kansas for college What brought you here? What has kept you? I grew up in Longmont and I consider it to be my forever home. My wife and I both grew up down the street from each other and want to start a family in the place that we know and love.

Why did you decide to become a teacher? Why kindergarten? I have always felt like I was called to work with children and youth of all ages. I started out as a youth minister at a church and after a while I transitioned into a career in education. I originally wanted to be a third-grade teacher. But after a year as a paraprofessional in kindergarten, I absolutely fell in love with the age group. It is such a crazy and exciting time in their lives, and I am enormously honored every day to be a part of the beginning of their educational journeys. Mr. J’s class is the best. And my classroom is the most fun place on earth.

What do you most want your students to get out of their first formal year of school? I want my kids to be instilled with the values of love, service and compassion. I want to make sure my students know how to love and help their neighbors. The world would be a much better place if people loved and helped one another. I try to challenge my students academically, and I have high expectations for them. But if I succeed in helping my students know how to be a good friend and citizen of this world, then I know I have done my job as a teacher.

24 • JUNE 20, 2021 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

Kate Johnson

Darcy Juday

Age: 57 Occupation: Owner and lead instructor at The Art of Cheese Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 16 What brought you here? What has kept you? We were living in a nice but tightly packed Boulder County subdivision and had always dreamed of raising our kids on a farm with lots of animals. After two years of looking in three different Front Range counties, we settled on our current 5-acre farm just west of Longmont. We chose this location for the beautiful views, good schools and the convenience of being just 10 minutes from town. Plus, it’s also easy to get to Boulder, Fort Collins and Denver from here. At the time we moved here, Longmont was just starting to come into its own with an increasing array of shops, restaurants and breweries. We have loved living in an agricultural area while also being close to this fun town with plenty to do, but with less traffic and hubbub than some of the surrounding areas. I honestly can’t imagine living anywhere else.

What would you say was one of the most exciting days you had on the farm? The day our first baby goats were born 13 years ago has to be right up there at the top of the list. We were new to goats and had been eagerly waiting for our first doe, Skittles, to have her first set of kids. Two perfect babies arrived in late May who we named Snickers and Milky Way. I had no idea that baby goats were so cute and so much fun, and we now have daughters, granddaughters and even a few great granddaughters of Skittles living on our farm. And a lot of milk for making delicious cheese.

Do you have any plans to resume in-person cheese-making classes this summer? We will resume some classes in June and July that will mainly be taught outdoors and will include visiting with the goats. Then we hope to resume more classes in our farm classroom after that if all goes well.

Age: 69 Occupation: Retired geologist Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 20 What brought you here? What has kept you? Escaping the flatlands of Texas to live near the mountains — a lifelong dream since the age of 3, when my three-person family vacationed here in a two-seater Jaguar. My husband, Richard, claims I convinced him that Longmont was halfway between his home in Houston and my first Colorado home in Fort Collins. The warm, welcoming, adventurous friends I’ve made. Seeing the mountains every morning, hiking any time I want. And (a surprise to me) civic involvement with the Water Board, and with American Association of University Women’s Longmont branch, and the Longmont Early Childhood Community Coalition.

Where can people see the most interesting geological features in Colorado? Have you been there yourself? Been here: The jumble of hoodoos in the Wheeler Geologic Area, near Creede. Volcanic ash was water-carved to create them. And the drive from La Veta to Cuchara and the Spanish Peaks.

These granite intrusions have tall skinny dikes radiating out like wagon spokes.

Still to do: Devil’s Causeway in the Flattops, created by both fire and ice.

Volcanic flows were eroded by glaciers — I hear the 4-foot wide path across an 800-foot drop is heart-stopping. For weird beauty on the Eastern Plains, the trail through multicolored clay hoodoos at Paint Mines Interpretive Park is on my list.

What did you do with your COVID vacation? I built a luxury catio for our two cats, a 7-foot by 8-foot by 8-foot high playground with three levels of benches to jump to, comfy carpets to curl up on, and a catnip patch surrounding the flagstone floor. A 25-foot covered walkway through the garden connects it to the bedroom cat-door. I’d love to encourage more Longmont catios, to protect our backyard birds.

Lori Jones

Tae Kim

Age: 54 Occupation: President and CEO of Avocet Communications Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 50 What brought you to the area? What has kept you? When I was growing up, our family vacationed here regularly.

Colorado was like a second home to us. Our connection was so strong that when the time came to move from the Midwest, this was our first and only choice. It was a brilliant decision. My parents, siblings and I loved Longmont immediately. The chance to camp, fish, ski and hike at a moment’s notice along with the close proximity of a big city was the perfect combination. I went to Longmont High School and then on to Colorado State University but always returned to my hometown. My father started Avocet Communications over 40 years in Longmont, never once thinking to relocate despite the fact that his clients took him all over the country. When I joined the agency and then later took over the reins when my father retired, I, too never thought to leave.

What brought you back to Longmont after several years away? As many young people do, I moved away for a short time to see what else might beckon me away. But the move was neither far — only as far as Denver — nor lengthy. I was only away from Longmont for seven years. I quickly realized that Longmont was important to me in ways I hadn’t quite understood before — it had become part of my heart.

What drove you to become so involved in the Longmont community?

When a community gives so much to its residents and businesses, you cannot help but want to be a part of it. Longmont is part of my heart and soul, and it is deeply ingrained in Avocet’s DNA.

Age: 39 Occupation: Working on several service projects to discover my passion in life; administrator of The Voice of Longmont Facebook group page Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 12 What brought you here? What has kept you? do? The thing that really keeps me here is the small laid back community, plus it’s affordable. The community of people are diverse and interesting, the city itself is gorgeous and inspiring but in a unique almost small townish but still pretty big cityish kind of way. It’s like we have the best of both worlds in Longmont and you can’t beat the natural beauty that surrounds us.

You’ve been described by the person who nominated you as the “heart and soul of Longmont happenings.” What made you choose to start The Voice of Longmont? I started my group three years ago to offer something different on Facebook groups aside what was currently offered in Longmont and really wanted a group that covered all the small happenings. Those things include the neighborhood events, the city events and sometimes county, but mostly something that connects neighbor to neighbor. We are a great community with many things going on and it’s just nice to connect people to places and things — and maybe even other people, but also provide important information.

What is the best part about being a Longmont social media administrator? Any fun stories to share? The best part is sharing things about Longmont and getting people together to help out in the community. Well, my Facebook group is never dull, residents keep me pretty busy and entertained but also informed, so I can keep up with the community happenings also. I think the people of Longmont really make up a very diverse and unique fabric of a community and that is always something that is inspiring and interesting about being the social media administrator for the page.

COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 20, 2021 • 25

When Ken Kanemoto returned to Longmont after working for Pratt & Whitney in Hartford, Conn., the area didn’t offer any positions in his field, so he went into real estate.

26 • JUNE 20, 2021 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

Ken Kanemoto carries a family tradition of hard work, giving back

L

ongmont native Ken Kanemoto left St. Vrain Valley for college and his first job, but he couldn’t stay away.

“I wanted to get back to Colorado and to the family,” Ken said.

Ken, a local realtor, is the grandson of well-known Longmont philanthropist Goroku Kanemoto, who emigrated from Hiroshima in 1908 and settled in Longmont 11 years later.

Goroku and his wife, Setsuno, rented a farm to grow sugar beets and vegetables, later buying their own farm, with their family donating some of the land back to Longmont.

Ken grew up on that farm, while his father, Jim, and uncle, George, operated it through a partnership following Goroku’s death in 1935. The partnership also included Ken’s mother, Chiyo, and aunt, Jane.

“Both sets of parents had to trust and have faith in each other,” Ken said.

“They got along very well with very little meetings between them. … It was like being in one big family.”

The two families bought 140 acres south of Longmont, later expanding to 350 acres. They farmed for nearly 30 years, growing vegetables, sugar beets, alfalfa and grains. In the spring, they used transplanters for planting, and as a boy, Ken rode along.

“I remember thinking

In the mid-1960s, the Kanemotos left farming and annexed some of their land into the city of Longmont. They engaged in several residential, commercial and office enterprises, these rows are way too including building a 700long and the fields were home subdivision known way too big,” Ken said. “I as Southmoor Park with a remember starting at the shopping center and apartage of 5, driving a tractor. ments. … I had to step on the George and Jim donated clutch whenever they wantland back to the City of ed me to stop.”

Longmont near the subdiviThe Kanemotos sold sion in 1966 for Kanemoto their produce at Freshway Park and in 1972 commisMarket, a roadside market sioned the Tower of Comon South Main Street they passion, a Japanese-style operated from July to Octo- temple. They also donated ber. Ken put in long hours land for a fire station, a seven days a week until church, a Buddhist temple, school started, when his a school administration hours shortened. building and Burlington “My relief from working Elementary School. there was going back to Ken considers his parschool and doing homeents to have the biggest work,” said Ken, who influence on his life, but if attended Burlington he had to pick one, it would School, a three-room K-8 be his father. schoolhouse, and Long“He made everyone feel mont High School. “It was important no matter who hard work. But it got me to they were. They respected start dealing with the pub- and admired him in turn,” lic.”

Ken said.

In the mid-1960s, the Ken left Longmont after Kanemotos started Kane graduating from high Manufacturing and Supply school in 1963 to attend the Company to build farming University of Coloradoequipment and repair gas Boulder, where he earned engines. bachelor’s degrees in aero“When other farmers had space engineering and time to relax, my dad business administration in opened a machine shop to January 1969. He moved to build some farming irriga- Hartford, Conn., to analyze tion parts,” Ken said. “Dad jet wind performance for had invented and patented Pratt & Whitney, an aerothese parts, and in the win- space engineering compatertime we built them.” ny.

Age: 76 Occupation: Commercial real estate broker, RE/MAX Traditions Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 66

In 1972, Ken returned to Longmont after marrying his wife, Karen — they have one child and one grandchild. The area didn’t offer any positions in his field, so he went into real estate after earning his license a year later. Ken took over his father’s partnership at Kinkane Co., a real estate brokerage company combining the Kanemoto name with that of the other partner, Kinsey.

“Then I wanted to start my own company by myself and hire my own agents and be the managing broker,” Ken said.

Ken started Title Realty in 1976, a real estate brokerage company that also provided home loans.

Ken’s cousin, Ed, son of George, quit his banking career to join Ken as a partner.

Wanting to not be involved in daily management, Ken and Ed merged the company with Moore Realty, Title Associates in 1988 as an independently owned franchise. A year later, they joined another franchise to become Prudential LTM Realtors. In 2014, they joined Re/MAX Traditions, where Ken is a commercial real estate broker for the then newly formed commercial division. Ed has since retired, and Ken is semi-retired, primarily working with his longtime clients and managing his own properties.

“I enjoy solving my clients’ problems, desires and wishes,” Ken said. “I got to meet clients who became great friends and a big positive influence on me and my family.”

Ken’s cousin, Karen Wood of Longmont, commends Ken for all of his accomplishments.

“He’s carried on what our parents and our grandparents have instilled in us—the tradition of working hard, being honest and giving back to the community,” Wood said. “(He and Ed) have been really active in the community, and they both continue to contribute through donations and serving on boards.”

Over the years, Ken watched Longmont evolve from a farming community to one with “clean industries with high-paying jobs.” Over the next 25 years, he expects to see the population increase even more and traffic congestion to worsen with rush hour getting earlier and earlier, he said.

“Despite the traffic concerns, I believe Longmont will continue to be a great place to live. People will continue to want to move here, enjoying our location, climate and being able to use all the wonderful facilities we have here,” Ken said. “Hopefully, the leadership will be forward thinking to cure existing problems and plan for the increase in population.”

Story by Shelley Widhalm • Photo by Cliff Grassmick • Longmont Times-Call

COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 20, 2021 • 27

Jade Krueger and some of her strongest community partners have ties to Chicago, ground zero for the colony who headed more than a thousand miles west from there to settle Longmont.

28 • JUNE 20, 2021 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

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Jade Krueger is working to preserve Longmont history

s Longmont celebrates its 150th birthday this year, the city’s associate historic preservation planner might be the first one to count the candles on the cake — to appreciate every year of development as an important chapter in the community’s story.

To this end, Jade Krueger, who got hired two years ago, has found a strong alliance of neighborhood boosters.

“Part of my job is getting people to be more interested in historic preservation, and it’s very admirable how active neighborhood groups here have been,” she said.

Coincidentally, both Krueger and some of her strongest community partners have ties to Chicago, ground zero for the colony who headed more than a thousand miles west from there to settle Longmont.

Though a Minnesota native and current University of Colorado student earning a master’s degree in city/urban, community and regional planning, Krueger earned a bachelor of arts degree from The University of Chicago in Near Eastern languages

Age: 27 Occupation: Associate historic preservation planner Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 2

and civilizations with a human rights minor.

In the Windy City she became enamored with historic architecture and passionate about preserving it, she said.

Her inspiration came from many places there.

But Krueger mentioned the classic prairie style of midwestern American architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, who designed buildings from the late Victorian era through the middle of the 20th century.

The Rookery Building that opened downtown in 1888 and is now considered a masterpiece office building of Burnham and Root’s architectural firm also gave her a sense of Chicago’s unfolding story — a sense she enjoys nurturing in Longmont with residents, she said.

For example, Sharon O’Leary, the Historic East Side Neighborhood Association’s co-chair, is a Chicago native and 43-year resident in Longmont’s first neighborhood.

“They settled in what we

now call the East Side because they had to live by the train tracks where the lumber came in,” she said.

“And though everybody wants to preserve the grand old homes, that’s not the whole story. Longmont had humble beginnings.

This is the oldest neighborhood, and here is where the risk takers lived.”

Now, thanks to the historic preservation movement launched by the city in 1971, many of the small original homes O’Leary calls “cottages” still tell a story of Longmont’s earliest days when residents prioritized front porches and back yards.

“But my fear is that if we don’t continue doing preservation we’ll lose our identity and turn into Beigeville,” O’Leary said.

Krueger acknowledged that getting people on the same page about what is important enough to preserve and what is not can be a “delicate” process.

But she continues partnering across town to raise awareness around the concept that historic preservation efforts play a role in the city’s “smart growth” goal, she said.

Besides the inherent sus-

tainability of reinvesting in older homes versus scraping them to build new homes, Krueger noted the city’s focus on raising awareness through the Cultural Resource Survey and creating more “equal opportunity and greater equity” for more Longmont residents to value their older home either from an architectural or a cultural standpoint.

Krueger collaborates with Steve Lane, chairman of Longmont’s Historic Preservation Commission, to encourage residents to submit historic preservation applications of potential landmark properties and apply for the historic tax credits available to homeowners seeking historic preservation designation.

Most applications the commission reviews fall into one of two categories — either repair and/or preservation; or an adaptive re-use/addition, Lane said.

“This second type is always much more difficult as the owners are trying to balance preserving the historic qualities of the property that attracted them to it with the needs of today’s world,” he added. “… Most

buildings aren’t museum pieces. They need to adapt to the owner’s needs and situations. We just want to be sure they do so in a way that still allows Longmont’s heritage story to shine through.”

With strong community support, Lane noted that Longmont won national district designation for its downtown in 2018 — a status that helps the city pick up economic momentum, Krueger said.

“To weave in a historical narrative in a commercially developing area, to maintain that history, is important to a city’s culture and can bring in additional dollars,” she explained.

Still, Longmont needs to formalize its historic preservation plan to remain robust in sharing yesterday’s story today and tomorrow, Krueger added.

“Longmont is 150 years old this year, and we have three registered National Historic Districts — the East Side, the West Side, and Downtown — and 139 individual local landmarks designated,” she said.

“That’s great. But I am looking for grants to apply for in 2022, and I’ll keep applying until we get them.”

Story by Pam Mellskog • Photo by Matthew Jonas • Longmont Times-Call

COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 20, 2021 • 29

Byron Kominek

Amanda Maldonado

Age: 39 Occupation: Community solar entrepreneur Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 5 What brought you here? What has kept you? I enjoy that we are doing more with our family farm now by getting the community more involved in our land. It’s nice to see with the resources we have, we are able to do something creative. I really enjoy that part of it and being part of the Longmont community. I play ultimate Frisbee. There is a league here that I have been a part of it for years now. I have friends that live here. That’s nice. I enjoy the food scene, too.

What does a typical day look like for you? Typically, I am on the laptop for a few hours each morning. Then I take meetings and calls and whatever else along those lines. The other week I spent hours spreading compost. (One weekend), I spent most of the weekend setting up our irrigation. It depends on the season. In the winter time I am not doing much outside.

What first interested you in solar farming? I worked in natural resource management in Africa, and I had an interest in choosing the way that land was used to benefit people. I was interested in doing more with our land, and it happened to be that solar was an interesting way to go about that. We just followed that avenue. We were just in one of the largest news outlets in Japan.

We had reporters from Belgium that came out. We are the largest researched site for growing crops underneath solar panels. There are people taking note of what we are doing here — not just in our community but in surrounding countries around the world.

Age: 30 Occupation: Illustrator, artist, community developer Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 2 What brought you here? What has kept you? My husband got a job in Colorado through his company. It gave me a chance to move away from home without having to find a job first myself. It was very exciting.

What about Longmont feels like home? Since I have moved away from home, I have craved family and being able to be with people and be yourself and that sense of community. When I moved to Longmont, I was like “Oh my God. I am lonely. All of my friends are in Boulder, and I have no one to hangout with on the weekends.” I went into Javastop and infiltrated a knitting club and would just sit and draw while they knitted and made friends that way. I started a birding group. I would do bird walks in Longmont and made a few friends that way.

How did you decide to get so involved in the community and what do you enjoy about giving back? Something that recharges me is just connecting with other people. I reached out to Firehouse (Arts Center) and the Longmont Downtown Development Authority and I said “I would love to host a virtual art market for the Longmont community. Is this something you guys are interested in? I can do all of the work. I just want to put your name on it so people have trust in what it is and know it’s backed and supported by you guys.” That ended up becoming a three part series. I want to help create more of a sense of community and encourage people to get together and make them feel good about themselves.

Don Macy

Dan Massey

Age: 81 Occupation: Real estate developer Years in the St. Vrain Valley: Born and raised in Longmont but lives in Denver now. Lived in Longmont for about 20 years.

What do you enjoy about owning a business in Longmont? It’s a community which supports balanced growth, and the residents and the city leaders have been supportive of our businesses. I have had businesses in Longmont since 1972.

How would you describe Longmont to someone that has never been here? A family-friendly community with a great location and a small town feel (with) a good mix of agriculture, high technology and other businesses. The residents value education and have an active lifestyle.

When did you leave Longmont? What was your favorite thing to do in Longmont as a kid? I left in about 1969. (My) favorite thing was dragging Main Street with my twin brother Dave in our 1957 Chevy.

Age: 53 Occupation: Cybersecurity researcher. My current title is Program Lead, “Operate Through” 5G Initiative, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 17 What brought you here? What has kept you? We moved back to Colorado in 2004 to raise our family, relocating from D.C. before our oldest daughter was a year old and before our second daughter was born. My wife and I are both Colorado natives, born and raised in Pueblo and Denver respectively. We met in California and have lived various places around the country before returning to Colorado. Longmont has substantial tech itself, with an emerging Longmont startup ecosystem of large and small companies and is near Denver. Plus Longmont’s foresight in high speed network connectivity is a great enabling factor.

Why run a cybersecurity bootcamp for K-12 teachers at the Innovation Center? The SVVSD Innovation Center is illustrative of Longmont’s forward thinking and enables advanced work in cybersecurity, as well artificial intelligence, robotics and other innovative new programs. As part of the bootcamp, we used a variation of an escape room where participants had to use clever insight to unlock briefcases, apply book ciphers to decode secret message, connect a Raspberry PI to a network, use WireShark to observe network packets, and ultimately obtain key information to solve a combination of technical and physical challenges. Working with the national organization TeachCyber, we helped develop a national high school cybersecurity curriculum framework. A number of Colorado high school teachers played a critical role in the development of this framework, which is now being adopted in school districts across several U.S. states.

Why should high school students start learning about cybersecurity?

Every student should have basic fluency in cybersecurity; cybersecurity impacts laptops, and phones, and smart devices from toasters to fitness trackers, and cars, and our water and systems, and so forth. For students interested in a cybersecurity career, there are tremendous opportunities and Colorado is an especially great area for cybersecurity professionals. According to CyberSeek.org, Colorado ranks 50th in the nation in the cybersecurity workforce supply/demand ratio. In other words, Colorado has a high number of job openings and insufficient skilled people to fill the positions.

30 • JUNE 20, 2021 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

Carol Matheis-Kraft

Heather McChesney

Age: 73 Occupation: Retired nurse gerontologist Years in the St. Vrain Valley: Lived in Longmont since fall 1979 What brought you here? What has kept you? My family came to Longmont because of many outdoor opportunities and extended family lived here. I have stayed for the same reasons. One can’t beat living within sight of the mountains and close to Rocky Mountain National Park.

You’ve been involved in so many community service initiatives. Which one are you most proud of creating and what was its inspiration? I am most proud of the creation of Micah Homes with my church (United Church of Christ, Longmont) and Inn Between. This initiative was in response to the lack of affordable housing for people near/in poverty. Lots of people were talking about affordable housing with little action. I have a can do attitude!

What do you think is the best well-kept secret in Longmont? During COVID people have discovered Longmont’s best kept secret: the great outdoor spaces so near to our city. From the greenway to Sandstone Ranch and all the city/county open spaces we are fortunate to be a city unto ourselves and with many parks within the city limits.

Age: 37 Occupation: Realtor and owner of community brand Good Morning Longmont Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 16 What brought you here? What has kept you? My roots are in Boulder County and I landed in Longmont in 2005.

Longmont is centrally located to Fort Collins, Boulder and Denver and allows my family and me the opportunity to work and play where we like. Longmont, in particular, has a hometown feel to it — small enough that the barista knows my coffee order, but big enough that its people create thriving businesses.

What inspired you to start Good Morning Longmont? Good Morning Longmont’s goal is to connect the community with businesses and individuals that are bringing the good and sharing the good in our community. Longmont is our hometown, and Good Morning Longmont highlights what makes Longmont unique. The network of people in Longmont is what builds our community into something great. I want to help grow that network and to be a part of that community, I love connecting people. Good Morning Longmont will help you find out about the hidden and not-so-hidden gems our city has to offer.

As a Realtor, what do you enjoy most about finding clients their dream homes? I have been a Realtor with Homes with Heather at Keller Williams since 2014. To me there is no better feeling than helping families and individuals achieve their home ownership goals or to help build and diversify investment portfolios. My goal for anyone buying, selling and investing in real estate is to have an enjoyable experience. I absolutely love building relationships with my clients and it’s important to me to connect them to other people and places so they feel a part of their community. Being a native to Boulder County, I know the roads to the perfect home.

Deanna ‘Dee’ Maxwell

Mary McFerren (aka Mary Stobie)

Age: 84 Occupation: Retired from owning a real estate company with my daughter, Holly, on Lake Superior in Minnesota Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 17 What brought you here? What has kept you? My late husband, Glen, and I moved here in 2004 to be closer to my son, Steve Altermatt, who has been in Boulder since 1980. I knew for many years that Colorado would be my retirement place. I lost my husband in 2009, and never even considered leaving. My daughter, Holly Lyman, moved here in 2015.

When did you start volunteering at Longmont United Hospital and why?

What’s the benefit of volunteering at your local hospital? I started volunteering at Longmont United Hospital in February 2009, and have been a fixture every Wednesday afternoon at the Welcome Desk in the main lobby ever since. Volunteering at Longmont United Hospital gives me not only a sense of belonging to something, but allows me to interact with people who come there for many reasons. I try to remember that no one comes to the hospital without an express purpose, and they may need someone to help them get to where they need to be. A positive attitude is a must!

I hear that you are excellent at crafting dog vests. How did you get into the hobby and what dog does a vest look best on? I had a cottage business that started by accident in 2007, making fleece mittens and dog vests. I sold them at the Mollie McGee Craft Markets until two years ago, when it just became too hard setting it all up. I had many sizes, fitting everything from a 3pound Chihuahua to a 130-pound Mastiff. I even made one for a goat.

You went whitewater rafting at the age of 82 and want to sky dive at 90.

What would you like to do when you turn 100? Whitewater rafting was definitely on my bucket list, which I did at age 82. I told my cardiologist that if I make it to 90, I’m going sky diving. He just shook his head. At 100? Who knows?

I’ll go where my path leads me. Life is a journey, one day at a time.

Age: 73 Occupation: Author, syndicated columnist Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 2 What brought you here? What kept you? In 2019 my husband, Dick, and I moved to Longmont to be closer to family.

After buying a condo, we became part of our grandchildren’s lives and their school activities. What kept us here? We quickly made new friends and got involved in recreational sports and volunteer activities. I like the free parking which represents to me the generosity of the well-run city of Longmont. And I love the older Longmont downtown area on Main Street including the bookstores and restaurants. When I walk out my front door in the morning the view of Longs Peak reminds me that I did well finding a home for us. As they say: “Location, location, location.”

You’ve met a few famous people. Which one was your favorite to interact with and how did you run into them? I could talk about Warren Beatty, at whose house I had Christmas dinner my first year in Los Angeles. Two interactions with him are in a chapter in my memoir “You Fall Off, You Get Back On.” But the interaction that made me famous and notorious was in my first movie role as a counterwoman at the Los Angeles Free Press. The movie was called “Hardcore” from Columbia Pictures, and like its name was very intense and disturbing. Paul Schrader, who wrote “Taxi Driver,” was the director. My scene was with George C. Scott, who seemed every bit as intimidating as General Patton, the role which earned him the Oscar for best actor. As a big star, he refused to rehearse the scene with me, a green horn actress. But our interaction on film gave me several lines, a closeup, and my first experience with acting. My scene with George C. Scott will be preserved for eternity, which makes it my favorite interaction.

COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 20, 2021 • 31

Kathleen McGoey

Laura Merritt

Age: 40 Occupation: CEO of Kathleen McGoey & Associates, Inc. Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 8 What brought you here? What has kept you? I moved to Boulder County in 2012 from Austria, where I completed work for a master’s degree in International Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of Innsbruck. I chose this area to be near my brothers, niece and nephew while I wrote my thesis. I also discovered qigong, a Daoist movement meditation, and met a local teacher who took me under her wing as I wrote my thesis, which focused on the importance of cultivating internal peace in order to work in conflict. I’ve chosen to stay because of my work in Restorative Justice. I began working at Longmont Community Justice Partnership in 2013, and I served as its executive director for six years.

Why are you passionate about restorative justice? Restorative justice invites people to come together with a shared purpose that is unlike most human interaction. That purpose is to listen without analyzing, evaluating, giving advice, or correcting. How often do we gather in community to truly listen to people who may be struggling with one of the most challenging moments of their lives? Restorative Justice asks that each person tell their own story, their own truth. As we listen to each other, we discover that many truths, however similar or different, can respectfully coexist. This is a simple concept that is deeply impactful when experienced in real life, with real people, sitting in a circle.

What made you decide it was time to leave the Longmont Community Justice Partnership? Leading LCJP was one of the greatest gifts of my life. The friendships and relationships that I formed inspired and educated me. We facilitated over 800 cases involving 2,000 harmed and responsible parties and I co-produced a documentary, “How to Love Your Enemy: A Restorative Justice Story,” to share the approach’s success in Longmont. I have now launched my own business, Kathleen McGoey & Associates, to broaden my impact by providing training and consulting in Restorative Justice and Conflict Transformation to organizations and people nationwide.

Age: 61 Occupation: Nurse of 39 years, COVID-19 response nurse, rehabilitation nurse, BSN and RN Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 28 What brought you here? What has kept you? My husband got a job here. We thought we’d see if we liked it. Apparently we did! We love the beauty of nature and the people here. And the weather!

You’ve been described as a highly passionate person and dedicated to being a frontline COVID-19 response nurse? I initially chose nursing because I could get a bachelor’s degree without taking very much math (truth). I did fall in love with nursing though and have enjoyed the many roles a nurse can play — teacher, counselor, listener and healer. I have worked in hospitals, doctors offices, a clinic, a school for the deaf, Longs Peak Middle School, home health and hospice. I am now a rehab nurse at a long-term care facility where I hope to stay until I retire.

What is the best part about your job and passion? Any fun stories to share? I feel the best part is all the awesome people I get to meet with and work for. I have taken care of farmers, CEOs, kids, stay at home moms, etc. Once I got an opportunity to take an Ethiopian hospice patient home to die. We went through five airports, and she made it home safely. Her family showed me around Ethiopia. It was very special!

Anything else you want to add/say about your passion for helping local families? I love helping people. God gave me the desire and the opportunities.

All the glory goes to Him! I also want to give a shout out to all my fellow nurses.

It’s been a tough year, but we are tougher! Hang in there!

Joseph Mehsling

Elliot Moore

Age: 53 Occupation: Director of Twin Peaks Charter Academy Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 29 What brought you here? What has kept you? I love Longmont. Before we lived in Berthoud, I lived in Gunbarrel and Niwot. I got my first teaching job at Sunset (Middle School). I have been very fortunate to work at four schools in this town.

It’s just been a great community that really gives back. It’s a community that keeps reinvesting in its citizens, students and city. I have been watching Longmont grow over the past 30 years.

What led you to become an educator? I was a horrible student. I really disliked school. I joined the (U.S.) Marine Corps, and in the Marine Corps, I took a step back and thought “What’s my favorite thing I am doing that I can translate to real life?” And it was teaching. I grew up in Golden, so I went to Arvada West and the University of Colorado and (received a) master’s (degree) at the University of Northern Colorado.

What is the most rewarding part of your career? The most rewarding part of being an educator (for me, is) when you have stayed planted in a place for a long time and seeing your students’ children and watching a community grow.

Even a few of my teachers were my former students. Planting roots pays off. If you stay rooted in a community, you really get to see everything you have sewn. I just love the town. It’s a great place to raise a family and plant roots. I feel very honored to work in a community like Longmont.

Age: 42 Occupation: Musician; Music Director and Conductor of the Longmont Symphony Orchestra Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 3K What brought you here? What has kept you? Following an 18 month national search beginning in 2016, I was selected as the winning candidate for the position of Music Director and Conductor of the Longmont Symphony Orchestra (LSO). It is such a pleasure making music with the exceptional musicians of the LSO. We have a wonderful time in rehearsals delving into some of the greatest musical works in the history of Western classical music! I speak for all LSO musicians when I say that our biggest thrill is bringing these works alive for our audience.

It is the transformative power of music to touch, move, and inspire the people of Longmont, as well as the exceptionally bright future for the arts in Longmont, that keeps me here.

What is the best part about your job and passion? Any fun stories to share? The best part of my job is the ability to touch and impact people’s lives.

A story that I have been thinking about a lot recently, took place five years ago.

The Make-a-Wish Foundation of Michigan contacted me; there was a little girl with stomach cancer whose wish was to conduct a Beethoven symphony. Once we connected, I began coaching this young music enthusiast on conducting the “Ode to Joy” from Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. We had three one-on-one conducting lessons and as many rehearsals with the orchestra. Her performance was exceptionally moving! There were so many powerful lessons for everyone involved, including experiencing the healing power of music, the joy of making music, and how music can be a transforming agent. By the way, this young girl beat cancer. It is a true joy for me to see her growing up!

32 • JUNE 20, 2021 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

Rhea Moriarity

Colleen Pacheco

Age: 48 Occupation: Director of Shelter and Clinic Operations at Longmont Humane Society Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 15 What brought you here? What has kept you? I’ve been living in Boulder County for the last nearly 30 years. I fell in love with the Longmont community; I think that the people are amazing, resilient and inspiring. I’ve really enjoyed living in this community and being a part of this community so. I did work in Boulder for many years, then moved out to Lafayette and started working in Longmont, and then once I was able to purchase a home in Longmont I moved my entire life to Longmont. I like that it is urban enough to have great restaurants and entertainment. It’s also rural enough to have lots of trails and places to go with my dogs.

Why pets and animals? What made you choose that as a profession? I started volunteering at the Humane Society about 15 years ago. As a volunteer I was working in the medical field. I started out just walking dogs once a week and then I started fostering dogs. I really grew to love it when I got a couple of really tricky dogs that I was fostering because those dogs challenged me. I then got very interested in training so I started working more closely with some of the staff at the shelter in the training and behavior program to help make pets adoptable. That just sort of lit a fire in me and got the bus going and there was no turning back. Soon a position opened up at the shelter in the training department and I was all in. Now I’m director of operations.

What has been the biggest challenge this year? With COVID-19 it became really obvious that not only did the pets we serve need people and good homes, but also it became clear that people needed their pets to make it through the tough months, and seeing how those pets are thriving in these homes just melts me.

Age: 54 Occupation: Server at Chili’s in Longmont Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 18 What brought you here? What has kept you? My exhusband’s family lived their entire lives in Erie, and my sister and her family lived in Longmont. I have other family members in Pueblo. We moved back from Seattle to be closer to family again. I love the sense of community I have built since living here. Because of my children and my jobs, I know a huge portion of people living in Longmont. I’ve watched an entire generation grow up from little kiddos, that are now parents themselves with their own children. That means a lot to me that I’ve played a part in so many peoples lives. We enjoy living here because of the things we enjoy in our off time.

Can you tell me a little bit about working as a server and what it’s like here in Longmont? I’ve been a server for almost 35 years and joke often about ‘What will I do when I grow up?’ Since I’m now 54, I guess I am still waiting for that answer. I work hard but enjoy the energy and pace of my job.

What is one of your favorite memories from being a server in Longmont?

(A) wonderful memory is of a man that came to eat. On his table sat a beautiful sphere. He explained that his son had passed away and these were his ashes.

They were having lunch together. I proceeded to treat it as if both were there in attendance, two plates, two silverware settings, two waters. It made the man so happy and gave him a way to talk openly about how special his son was to him.

I was grateful to be part of his sharing.

Jenn Ordway

Tomás A. Pérez

Age: 46 Occupation: Music teacher at Eagle Crest Elementary School Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 15 What brought you here? What has kept you? We moved to Longmont in May of 2006 because of my husband’s job, and we’ve loved every minute of being a part of this awesome community. Opportunities to move to other states have popped up over the years, but we love Longmont. It’s our

home.

Tell me about the annual January choir concert you organize: Hands down, my favorite part of my job is our annual third- to fifth-grade concert at the Vance Brand Auditorium. I started this event more than 10 years ago with the intent of creating a unique opportunity to bring the Eagle Crest community together to celebrate the gift of music. Each year has a different theme and features five songs per grade, choreography and a huge finale. But the highlight is that each year a local cover band, The Last Men on Earth, play with us. This night is so special to me because it is about community. Eagle Crest students get the opportunity to be on the big stage under the lights, singing with a professional band with a packed house of parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, teachers and members of the Longmont community singing right along with them! It is a magical night and the highlight of the school year.

How did you adapt the concert and your teaching this year during the pandemic? Unfortunately, due to COVID restrictions, we weren’t able to do the concert this year. While disappointing, this year was about keeping the love of music alive for my students. We found creative ways to explore and make music while being safe in the classroom. Kids are resilient. They taught me so much about making the best of a difficult situation. Every day I get to spend with my students is a gift, whether we’re on a stage performing or finding new ways to experience music.

Age: 61 Occupation: Business manager, The Law Firm of Jess M. Perez, P.C.; owner/manager, The Old Town Marketplace; owner, The ART Spot, ltd.; board president Community Cares, Ltd. Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 20 years (Boulder County: 30 years) What brought you here? What has kept you? While working as the community relations director for the Longs Peak Council, Boy Scouts, I would support volunteers and scout programs in Longmont through a program I managed, along with community leadership, called Scoutreach, a nontraditional approach to include socioeconomically challenged communities into scouting. I appreciated how Longmont supported their youth and decided in 2001, after 9/11, to move my young family to the area. In 2006 we purchased a building on the 300 block of Main Street and created office space for the family business and housed Aims Community College’s alternative high school program. Later that year I opened our first art gallery, The Rockin’ Rose, and we started to become part of Longmont’s fabric.

In 2015, I became manager of the Old Town Marketplace mall and in February 2020, just prior to lockdowns, I became the owner.

What was it like during the pandemic for Old Town Marketplace? First months were very scary. I had just invested to become the owner of the mall in February 2020 and we had to shutter our doors, remove all seating and institute infection mitigation policies. A few tenants asked to be let out of their leases in the early months; the future was unknown. Thankfully due to our essential food and beverage businesses, a grant from the Longmont Community Foundation, city of Longmont (LDDA) support, and county and state policies, we were able to set a course of action to remain open to the public. It helped that our mall interior has a large atrium for social distancing and an evaporative ventilation system that kept exterior air circulating into the mall.

What are you most looking forward to as things begin to reopen, both personally and professionally? Main Street parades! All the wonderful events our community is so well known for. Along with Community Cares’ (nonprofit) fundraiser, held inside the Old Town Marketplace; “The Cars that Care” Pinecar Derby scheduled for Oct. 30!

COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 20, 2021 • 33

Colleen Peppler works alongside her husband, Kent, to run their roughly 500-acre farm, Peppler Farms, near Mead. The couple, who have two grown children, grow beer-brewing barley, wheat, alfalfa hay and corn.

34 • JUNE 20, 2021 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

Colleen Peppler has two passions: Agriculture and education

C

olleen Peppler retired as a St. Vrain Valley School District educator in 2013, but her efforts to help people grow and learn in the classroom haven’t stopped.

Her nearly 30-year tenure with the district started in 1984, when she began teaching home economics at Niwot High School. In 1990, she transitioned to Longmont High School, where she served as the assistant principal until 2013.

Those who know Peppler said that as an educator she encouraged her students to think outside the box.

“I have found that when you interact with anybody, if you allow them the floor to talk to you, you allow them to give you a real perspective on what their thoughts are,” Peppler said. “I would just listen and allow them to work through the situation.”

She’s still challenging people to think creatively through her involvement in multiple organizations that seek to provide knowledge on where food comes from.

She serves on the board of the Colorado Foundation for Agriculture’s Agriculture in the Classroom, a

Working hard runs in Peppler’s blood.

She was 13 when she first began driving a combine to thrash the wheat that grew on both her parents’ and grandparents’ land outside of Akron — a nonprofit that provides free small town in northeast Colorado. educational materials for teachers to teach their stuIn the summer, her famidents about agriculture. ly lived on her grandparents’ farm about 25 miles Peppler is one of nine outside of town. During the agricultural leaders winter, they migrated to a appointed by then Gov. residence in Akron. While John Hickenlooper to she missed her friends durserve on the Colorado Department of Agriculture ing the summer, the work sparked a lifelong love for Commission Board, helping to make recommenda- agriculture, giving her a tions to the commissioner, knack for helping other people understand its the governor and the genimportance. eral assembly on agricul“I appreciated what we ture issues from noxious did,” Peppler said. “Every weeds to the budget. Gov. year my college education Jared Polis re-appointed was paid for because I her to the role. She’s also worked on the farm.” part of Commonground Colorado, a nationwide When she wasn’t helping group of women farmers on the family farm, Peppler who seek to engage people was busy pursuing her latin conversations about agri- est 4-H project. culture.

Peppler also formed an Peppler does all this in early love for home ecoaddition to working along- nomics. A high school side her husband, Kent, to teacher’s passion for it run their roughly 500-acre interested her, while also farm, Peppler Farms, near encouraging her on the Mead. The couple, who path to a teaching career. have two grown children, She said she liked the pracgrow beer-brewing barley, ticality of the subject matwheat, alfalfa hay and corn. ter: Learning how to budAge: 61 Occupation: Partner in our farm operation and retired educator; worked for St. Vrain Valley Schools for 28 years Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 37

get, cook and manage seemed like important life skills to the high schooler.

She went on to attend Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, where Peppler met Kent, who was there earning a degree in agriculture, while she studied home economics education. Both ended up transferring to Colorado State University. Peppler today has a bachelor’s in home economics and master’s degree in educational leadership.

Peppler sees her efforts in retirement as an extension of her lifelong passions.

“It’s blending my two loves: agriculture and education,” Peppler said. “People need to know where their food comes from and how it’s grown. I hope the education about agriculture continues, because more and more people are forgetting where food comes from. The assumption is it comes from the store.”

Getting people to stop and think about where the food comes from is a large part of Peppler’s work.

Through her work with Commonground, Peppler has stood in Chicago’s Millennium Park and struck up conversations with

strangers about the importance of agriculture.

“It was a fun, educating day because the questions were so eye-opening,” Peppler said. “Consumers are very curious about the food they buy.”

So, how does someone get teachers in the classroom to educate their kids on agriculture?

Peppler hosts the Colorado Foundation for Agriculture’s Summer AgriCULTURE Institute — a fiveday, hands-on course which provides free teaching resources and information on topics like how to teach agriculture in science, technology, engineering and math.

Peppler Farms has been run by her husband’s family for more than 100 years.

In Mead, where Peppler approximates there are about 10 generational family farms left, showing the importance of agriculture has become more and more crucial.

“We eat — therefore, we need agriculture,” Peppler said. “I just hope people remember that when they’re making their decisions, whether political or in the stores. Without farmers and ranchers, there will be no food production.”

Story by Kelsey Hammon • Photo by Matthew Jonas • Longmont Times-Call

COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 20, 2021 • 35

Tracy Perry, a United States Air Force veteran, recently joined the American Legion Post 32 and will participate in a few of the Legion’s volunteer programs, he said.

36 • JUNE 20, 2021 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

M

Tracy Perry is the volunteer ‘every organization wishes for’

ore than 30 years ago, Tracy Perry was flipping through Reader’s Digest magazine when he stumbled across an article about a boy from Phoenix, Arizona.

The kid in the article had been accepted to receive a wish from the Make-AWish Foundation, a nonprofit organization that helps fulfill wishes for children with critical illnesses.

His wish was to be a police officer, and thanks to the program, he received a uniform that hung near his bed in the hospital.

After reading the article, Perry was determined to find a way to give back to children like the one in article and found a MakeA-Wish chapter in Denver.

“The one thing I enjoyed the most was the day we delivered the wish,” he said.

“About 65% of what we do is Disneyland. (For) a lot of those Disneyland wishes, we have a limo pick up the family at their home. Make-

Storage Technology as a technical writer for 15 years before retiring.

More than 30 years ago, Perry and his wife Lois disA-Wish covers everything.” covered their passion for Perry said he loves to volunteer work when they watch the families on the both began volunteering day of their trip. When limo with Make-A-Wish Coloraarrives, the mom of the do and The Children’s Hoschild smiles, but it’s the pital Colorado dad who breaks down cryFor 20 years, Perry and ing.

Lois drove to Denver every For Perry, seeing how week to volunteer at Chilmuch it means to not only dren’s Hospital Colorado the child but the entire where Perry cared for chilfamily is what it’s all about. dren by sitting with them “(It’s) just the satisfaction and reading to them. Every of helping some people out year they still help with] the annual Courage Classic that need some help,” he Bicycle Tour the hospital said. “I read once that if hosts, he said. They once you are not sure you are volunteered as part of the volunteering and doing these jobs for the right rea- luggage crew, and now they drive port-a-potties up son, one thing you should the mountain for cyclists, do is do something very nice for somebody and not Perry said. tell anyone else about it.

“We were putting 7,000 Then you are doing it for miles a year on the car the right reasons.” doing volunteer work,” he said.

Perry moved to Longmont in 1964 and worked Prior to the onset of the for the Federal Aviation COVID-19 pandemic, PerAdministration for 18 years ry volunteered every week and went on to work for with the Audio Information Age: 82 Occupation: Retired Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 57

Network of Colorado, where he read newspapers to people who cannot read, and he also volunteered with Boulder County Respite.

“I would go over to those families’ homes and play cards while the caregivers had a chance to go out and shop or do whatever they wanted to do,” he said.

Perry, a United States Air Force veteran, recently joined the American Legion Post 32 and will participate in a few of the Legion’s volunteer programs, he said.

Perry said he might be classified as a “volunteer junky.” Before the pandemic started, he was involved with about five organizations.

He said he doesn’t plan to quit his volunteer work until after he’s dead and buried.

“I will see if I can’t stretch that out a little bit,” he laughed.

Patti Forsythe, director of events and promotions

with Make-A-Wish Colorado, said Perry is one of the most reliable and committed volunteers Make-AWish Colorado has ever had.

“He started volunteering for Make-A-Wish Colorado more than 30 years ago,” she said. “There probably isn’t a job he hasn’t done or wouldn’t do if asked. He is most dedicated to his role as our ‘longest-serving wish granter.'”

Forsythe said Perry is addicted to volunteering and has worked a countless number of events and has helped mentor new volunteers.

“Like a mother, we’re not supposed to have a favorite child, but it’s no secret Tracy has always been a ‘most favorite’ throughout the years, no matter how many different staff members and families with whom he has worked,” she said. “He really is a remarkable person, and the exceptional and memorable type of volunteer every organization wishes for.”

Story by Annie Mehl • Photo by Matthew Jonas • Longmont Times-Call

COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 20, 2021 • 37

Bill Prewitt

Sybil Quaye

Age: 72 Occupation: Retired, winery/vineyard owner, Blue Mountain Vineyards Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 35 years What brought you here? What has kept you? I came here for the rural setting and have stayed due to the beauty and the wonderful community support.

You taught yourself winemaking from the blackberries that grew around Seattle? How? Introduction in wine was in Seattle after returning from Vietnam. Using the GI Bill, I became proficient in microbiology and biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin. Through self-research, I learned the art of winemaking.

What’s hard about making wine? Are there any tips that you have learned that you would share with a novice winemaker? The most challenging part is the time, patience and sheer amount of labor that goes into the vineyard and making the wine itself. There are a lot of small details that you have to pay a lot of attention to. Good winemaking also comes along with the support of my beautiful wife of 50 years.

What kind of care does a vineyard require day-to-day to make sure you get a great product? It’s a never-ending cycle. A few items to consider for good vines, good grapes and a good finished product are: proper temperature zone selection of the vines; soil management; vine spacing; planting protocol; trellising; annual training of vines; annual trimming, specific to vine varietal; Multiple sucker removal Constant weed management Pest and wildlife management; bud thinning proper fruit analysis for harvest; harvest; processing of grapes to wine; winter rest; preparation for vines; start all over again.

Age: 29 Occupation: Machine operator and aspiring lawyer Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 2 months What brought you here? I was born in Ghana. My parents divorced a few years after my birth. Subsequently, my mom traveled to New York, and I was raised by my grandparents. I joined my mom when I was 11, and eventually traveled back to Ghana because I wanted to be a lawyer. After law school there, I decided to do my master of laws degree at CU Boulder because they gave me the best scholarship. My partner and I recently moved to Longmont because it is more affordable.

Congratulations on just passing the bar exam! What kept you focused on this goal as you looked forward to motherhood? I learned I passed the bar when I was seven months pregnant. All my mates in Ghana were practicing lawyers. I had a job I did not like. My family kept asking me about the exam, and it seemed they had informed all their friends that I was a lawyer. So, I had a lot of pressure on me to pass. I took some time off and studied a lot. I do not like being overwhelmed, so I gave myself a year to study. I had a lot of time to study the material as well as practice some questions. I also allowed myself to have occasional fun.

Going forward, how would you encourage another student hoping to balance finishing his or her education while stepping into parenthood? I would say do your best and never give up. It is difficult, but take it one day at a time. Have in mind that setbacks are bound to happen, and that it is not the end of the world when they do.

Bill Prout

Age: 75 Occupation: Retired construction manager / construction company executive Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 36 What brought you here? What has kept you? As a Denver native, I spent the first 35 years of my life in a big city. In 1980 we moved to Grand Junction and loved the “small” town lifestyle. Returning in 1985, we vowed not to resettle in the Denver area. Fortunately, Longmont fit our desires, and we decided to settle. We have never considered leaving Longmont. It provided a great place to raise our four children, and we are blessed with many wonderful friends and neighbors.

There are multiple opportunities to contribute to civic, cultural, and human service organizations. Longmont is a thriving community with a great spirit.

How did you become involved with the OUR Center? In 1998 I joined Longmont’s Sun Construction and Facility Services. I quickly learned the owners, Steve and Margaret Strong, were generous benefactors of the OUR Center. In 2000 I became the vice president and general manager and worked closely with Steve on OUR Center projects. Steve was an OUR Center board director and tasked me with exploring solutions for a larger facility. I eventually worked for eight years with architects and planners developing the new facility at Third and Atwood. During this process, I also was elected to the board of directors, and coordinated the estimated cost with fundraising.

What are you looking forward to as things begin to reopen? We are beginning to see positive results to the COVID vaccination program. I am looking forward to more directives increasing occupancy limits and lessening of masking requirements. Larger restaurants and retailers have generally made it through to this point, but my heart has me looking forward to the smaller “mom and pop” stores and eateries regaining traction. Additionally, I am looking forward to those that have lost their jobs regaining employment. Many have lost their spirit along with their ability to provide for their family, but I am looking forward to this human tragedy resolving soon.

38 • JUNE 20, 2021 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

Devin Quince

Alexander Rodriguez

Age: 50 Occupation: DevOps engineer Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 21 What brought you here? What has kept you? The community and access to all that Colorado has to offer.

What do you enjoy about running a business in Longmont? The close-knit feeling of riding our bikes downtown, eating at the amazing restaurants and breweries, and being surrounded by the amazingness of Colorado.

How would you describe Longmont to someone who has never been to the city? The location is great with easy access to the mountains and other things and not crowded. The amazing community of customers who have become friends over the years.

How has the community supported Simply Bulk throughout the years?

Longmont, as well as the Boulder county community, has been extremely supportive. On Shop Small Saturday every year, even during the pandemic, countless residents and visitors come downtown and patronize every store. And last summer, as businesses were struggling, several customers purchased gift cards to help stores and one another. It’s so incredibly heartwarming.

Age: 32 Occupation: Full-time student, Front Range Community College-Boulder County, and small-business owner Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 2 What brought you here? What has kept you? I moved to Colorado from Florida in 2012. I have always been into outdoor activities. I remember always looking at pictures of Colorado’s gorgeous landscape in awe, and it seemed like the natural place for me. What keeps me here, however, in addition to the natural beauty, is the people. Colorado has, hands down, the friendliest people of any of the four states that I’ve lived in.

What’s it like balancing school with owning a business? It can be overwhelming at times, but I enjoy the challenge. Also, because I’m studying business, my schoolwork often complements my entrepreneurial efforts.

Why did you want to start a business? It begun as an opportunity to make some extra money, but it has since grown into so much more. As a small business owner, I have the chance to help my community prosper by providing a needed service and creating jobs, which is really rewarding.

What are some key lessons that you have learned about keeping a business sustainable? I believe that for any small business, building relationships within the community is crucial to remaining sustainable. No one succeeds within a vacuum; it’s all about relationships with others. Getting to know your fellow business owners, participating in community events and organizations, and volunteering to help when you’re able can make all the difference.

Heidi Quince

Amy Scanes-Wolfe

Age: 53 Occupation: Owner of Simply Bulk Market Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 21 What brought you here? What has kept you? We met in Boulder and moved here after getting married and deciding to buy a house and start a family. Also, most of our family moved here after we did.

What do you enjoy about running a business in the city?

The super-supportive community has been essential, particularly through this past year. (We enjoy) watching friends’ children grow up, taking time to exchange stories with customers, customers entering the store and stating, “This is my favorite store!” and offering a customer to harvest fresh rosemary from our home garden.

When you aren’t working, what do you enjoy doing in the Longmont area? (Devin and I) met through a social group based on outdoor activities and still love to bicycle, backcountry ski, hike and backpack. We also love to sail on Union Reservoir. Devin has been very active as an advocate for bicyclists. We get out on our bikes every chance we get.

Is there one specific memory you have that stands out to you about what it’s like to be a business owner in Longmont? We bought the store from the former owner, who told us how enjoyable it was to get to know people from the community and watch their children grow up. And now we’ve definitely been experiencing that over the five years we’ve had the store. We’ve gone from being residents to having this huge responsibility, particularly through this past year to help our friends and neighbors be able to get the groceries they’ve needed, especially toilet paper and baking yeast.

Age: 30 Occupation: Permaculture landscaper and teacher Years in St. Vrain Valley: 22 (non-contiguous) What brought you here? What has kept you? My family is South African, but my mother went to California for a wedding when I was 3 and accidentally got stuck in Boulder en route.

She loved it so much she moved there two years later. Though college and my passion for farming took me to wetter East Coast climates after high school, I feel deeply rooted on the Front Range and returned (I think for good) 3K years ago.

How did you become interested in permaculture? What could permaculture look like in the St. Vrain Valley? Five years on small-scale organic farms plunged me whole-heartedly into matters of food production.

After realizing the extent to which even annual vegetable production diverges from natural systems, I became fascinated in using nature as a model for designing agriculture — and that is the crux of permaculture. I think Colorado is a challenging place to grow, but we desperately need solutions that explore the intersection of ecological restoration and low-water food production. With the region’s passion for these subjects, I imagine it could become a hub for this kind of exploration.

What inspired you to write a book about Longmont? Well, first I just love writing and story-telling. But before returning to Boulder County three years ago, I worked at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello. Delving into the stories of our country’s founding made me feel so much more invested in its future. I wanted to replicate that feeling of connection in my hometown. And as I researched the history of the lay-men and women who settled here and pre-dated settlers, I felt compelled to share the story, whose ripple effects — the good and the bad — still impact our place today. I envision “Between Grass and Hay” as the first of a series of five that moves forward and backward in time to explore broader issues of settlement.

COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 20, 2021 • 39

Ashwini Shrestha’s devotion to school activities made her stand out, including her participation in cross country, Student Council, Model United Nations and her Ecological club.

40 • JUNE 20, 2021 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

A

Ashwini Shrestha has her sights set on a more sustainable world

shwini Shrestha, who graduated from Skyline High School in May as the valedictorian, signed up for both the school’s STEM Academy and the Advanced Placement capstone program in her freshman year.

She also worked as a student designer at the district’s Innovation Center, helping with programs with the district’s Mobile Innovation Lab, mentoring an elementary robotics team, designing summer programming for elementary students and interning with Boulder’s Anark Corporation.

Working in the mobile lab, which she described as “an RV filled with science stuff,” was a great first job, she said.

As early as fifth grade, she said, she knew she wanted to be an engineer.

“I would always make things with sticks outside,” she said. “I was always very interested in building things.”

As a freshman in the

ties that made her stand out, including her participation in cross country, Student Council, Model United Nations and her Ecological club.

“She pours her heart and soul into the causes she STEM program, the introduction to engineering pro- cares deeply about,” Giuliani said. gram her freshman year During remote learning gave her an opportunity to in the fall, Shrestha kept learn about different kinds Ecological going virtually, of engineering, including introducing her to sustain- hosting an Instagram Live event with experts on susable architecture. That tainable eating and factory introduction helped her decide to focus on environ- farming and a Q&A session with a professor involved in mental engineering.

Her passion for environ- a documentary on the disappearance of coral reefs. mental causes led her to start Ecological, a club she She also pushed a “get out ran all four years. Amanda the vote” campaign for the November 2020 election.

Giuliani, who coordinates Shrestha said it was the Skyline’s STEM program 2016 presidential election served as the club’s sponthat sparked her interest in sor. sustainability, while SwedGiuliani said Shrestha ish environmental activist thrived academically in Greta Thunberg inspired high school, taking the her to take action locally. most challenging classes offered and impressing her She also stopped eating teachers with her desire to meat for a year as a vegetarian, then became a veglearn. an.

But, she added, it’s her devotion to school activi“I just saw the imporAge: 18 Occupation: Graduated from Skyline High in May, Innovation Center student designer Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 18

tance of protecting the environment,” she said.

“It’s literally our future.”

In the spring, she helped run St. Vrain Valley’s firstever Model United Nations conference as one of two secretaries general. Skyline joined Erie High in hosting the virtual conference, which was attended by about 10 Colorado schools.

One of her favorite high school classes, Shrestha said, was outside of the engineering program. Her sophomore year AP History class changed her mind about a subject she previously “despised.”

“It really opened my eyes to why people liked history,” she said.

For the AP Capstone program, she wrote a research paper comparing awareness of the environmental impacts of fast fashion, as well as actions taken, of young adults and older age groups in Colorado.

This summer, she plans to continue her work with the district’s Mobile Inno-

vation Lab and her internship at Anark, as well as helping another Innovation Center designer on a “mad scientist” summer session for elementary students.

Last summer, she created and taught a “Sustain Earth” summer session over Zoom, leading students in testing water quality and conducting experiments in their backyards.

She’s headed to Colorado School of Mines in the fall with a four-year, full ride Boettcher Scholarship. She also considered the University of Colorado Boulder, but said she liked the School of Mines’ small size, engineering focus and distance from Longmont.

“I’ve grown up with the same people since preschool,” she said. “I wanted a change.”

One of her career goals is to take the self-sustaining earthship concept to places in other countries that need safe water and affordable housing.

“I want to make them sustainable,” she said.

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

COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 20, 2021 • 41

Logan A. Schlutz

Beth A. Smith

Age: 29 Occupation: Realtor, Estate Professionals (Top 100 Boulder County) Years in the St. Vrain Valley: Born and raised What brought you here? What has kept you? My mother’s family was a Colorado homesteading family, and I was lucky enough to be born right here in Boulder County. I’ve chosen to stay in Longmont partially because my family all lives within a mile-radius of my home and partially because I have found that no matter where I’ve gone in the world, Colorado is one of those places anyone is excited to call home.

When and where did you live in Spain and why did you want to live abroad? After CU, I moved to Madrid, Spain, where I attended IE Business School. I wanted to live abroad because of the reputation of IE Business School and to give myself a more international education. I remained in Spain on an entrepreneurship visa where I started a business focused on exporting wines from Spain’s Galicia region.

How did living abroad influence you as a Realtor and make you better at your job? While living and working abroad, I developed a proficiency in Spanish. Today about 20% of my transactions are conducted in Spanish, which helps my Spanish-speaking clients feel more comfortable signing contracts and making educated offers. Living abroad and graduating from a class that represented 70-plus countries helps me negotiate on a day-to-day basis because I’ve learned how different cultures negotiate. By using multicultural negotiation tactics, I’m able to better negotiate better outcomes for my clients.

What is key to relating to buyers and sellers, especially during a difficult time like the COVID-19 pandemic? Most people don’t know that buying and selling a home is the most stressful event in a person’s life after burying a loved one. Faced with a crippling pandemic and crisis-level low inventory, the stress of buyers and even sellers can be multiplied 10 times. I invest in real estate every year, and I can personally relate to the stress that people are going through (spending hundreds of thousands never seems to get easier), so I try to stay on top of every market trend, be hyper-educated about the market and steer my clients away from bad investments. I want my clients to feel like a professional is looking out for their interests, not just trying to sell them something. Relating to clients in this way has allowed me to become one of the top 100 Realtors in Boulder County.

Age: 59 Occupation: CEO at StickerGiant Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 19 What brought you here? What has kept you? I moved to Boulder from Richmond, Va., in 2003 to attend Naropa University (contemplative psychotherapy master’s program, class of 2006). And, I met my now wife the first day I arrived in Boulder. So, I’ve stayed for 18 years because I fell in love on every level — I met my person and made a life here, and the weather and outdoor lifestyle is like none other!

What do you think is one of the coolest stickers that Sticker Giant has ever created? Well, to be honest, we print a lot of very cool stickers! The stickers I’m drawn to are often about love — like “choose love,” “just love more,” “love wins,” or simply “loved.” And, I’m into stickers about social justice, mindfulness and meditation, local businesses, LGBTQ+ and of course, StickerGiant branded stickers like laser shark and Saul the sticker ball!

You recently went from COO to CEO at the company. What’s your secret for success? For me, I know that any success I achieve is directly connected to creating an environment where smart, talented and caring individuals and teams can thrive. It really isn’t about what I can do, it’s about what a collective group of people can do together. I am grateful every day to work with our Giants to fulfill our company purpose: To collectively create a good company to work for. Our “secret” for success at StickerGiant is our passion and commitment to: Happy Healthy Giants, Delighted Customers, Profitable Company.

Ken Schuetz

Linda Snyder

Age: 62 Occupation: Founder and CEO, Aligned Influence Consulting Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 62 What brought you here? What has kept you? My greatgreat-grandparents were the first to arrive in Longmont when my great-grandfather was 1 year old. That makes me at least a third generation native of Longmont. My family is part of the historic farming culture of the area, and I love going to places like the Golden Ponds that used to be part of our dairy farm many years ago. I have traveled all over the world but have never found a place that I would rather live 12 months a year than Longmont. My roots are deep in the St. Vrain Valley and I suspect that will keep me here until God calls me home.

What’s the first step toward organizational success? Clear, aligned roles for the executive and the board of directors is the foundation of organizational success. The titles are different in for-profit, non-profit and civic organizations, but the foundational concept is always the same.

You’ve served on the board and volunteered for Habitat for Humanity.

What one story from that experience stands out? My favorite story is told by one of the regular volunteers on the build sites. He remembers building a house for a mom, dad and two young daughters. He said that one day one of the daughters grabbed is finger and took him up to what would be her room someday. She told him that now that her family was to have a house, she would have to study hard because now she could go to college like all of the other kids. He said that he realized then that he was not building a house, but actually building a future for this little girl. He could never finish the story without crying.

42 • JUNE 20, 2021 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

Age: 66 Occupation: Making sparkly dreams come true; also owner of Snyder Jewelers Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 66 What brought you here? What has kept you? I was born here. My mother, my father, my grandparents grew up here. I loved to go to college and then I came back. I was gone maybe a total of 14 years. The quality of life here and the community and the location is so beautiful. I love everything about Longmont and the people here.

What’s your favorite part about helping customers find their perfect piece of jewelry? Mostly I love the joy they get when they find just exactly the right thing, whether it’s a new purchase or we’re designing and repurposing an heirloom. Sometimes it’s one of those things where there’s tearful happiness — not that I want to make people cry, but it’s an honor if they cry happy tears.

How do you enjoy spending your time outside of the store? I wish my daughter and grandchildren were closer, I love spending time with them. I spend a lot of time with my family and I love working in my yard and garden.

Sarah Jane Snyder

Marc Staats

Age: 77 Occupation: Retired Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 35 What brought you here? What has kept you? In September 1986 I transferred with IBM from California. Working on the huge dinosaur computers was exciting. Little did we imagine how fast and far technology would advance. I am here to stay with my family of friends, the small town community feeling, proximity to a big city, access to the outdoors and 300 days of sunshine.

Why did you get involved with the Longmont Senior Center’s computer program? When I retired in 2000, I saw an article in the Times-Call about the Longmont Senior Center’s new program for Seniors helping Seniors, peer to peer, learning technology. After coaching and instructing, I then assumed one of the lead coordinator positions. The need is still here. Working closely with a team of dedicated volunteers and connecting with so many in the classroom, labs and individually continues to keep me in the game.

Your career was focused on science and technology. What keeps you interested in the field? Computer programming is like working a jigsaw puzzle. Having been on the inside writing code, now on the outside as a user, I like the challenge of helping others figure out how a device works. This keeps the juices flowing and hopefully has a good effect on the ageing of my brain.

What does your perfect day in the St. Vrain Valley look like? An early morning walk around Lake McIntosh with a splendid view of the mountains.

Baking. Receiving a request for tech assistance, being able to resolve the issue and hearing the “aha” moment of understanding in their voice.

Age: 50 Occupation: Co-Owner/Distiller, Dry Land Distillers, Longmont Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 3 What brought you here? What has kept you? We have family and close friends in Longmont and Wellington. My family and I spent 20 years living worldwide while serving in the Army but visited here often. We developed lifelong friendships that blossomed into a business partnership. Longmont is a superb city. Moving to Longmont was an easy choice. Staying is an even simpler decision.

What inspired you to open a distillery? After the Army, I was in the unique position to do something completely different. I relished the opportunity to create spirits from raw ingredients that connect our growers with our phenomenal customers. Distilling is at the interesting intersection of several fields — business, biology, chemistry, thermodynamics, and a diverse supply chain just to name a few. Like other businesses, it’s hard work. At the end of the day (or in the case of our whiskey, years) you get to see and taste results.

What’s your favorite drink to make for yourself? For others? I’m easy — a great Rye Manhattan. For others though, I love making our Prickly Pear Margarita with our unique Cactus Spirit, fresh lime and orange juice, and simple syrup.

Katherine Spencer Inskeep

Karen Stallard

Age: 56 Occupation: Life Enrichment coordinator for Balfour Senior Living in Longmont Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 30 What brought you here? What has kept you? We moved to Longmont in 1991 for my husband’s job. I love Longmont. I think it is both small enough that you see people you know, and big enough that you feel somewhat anonymous. I love our arts, our trail systems — I feel like it’s a great little community. I love our independent businesses. I feel like Longmont has its own identity. I think that there are all these hidden gems — these little hidden neighborhoods and hidden parks.

What type of volunteer work do you do in the community? Most recently, I volunteered for Longmont Meals on Wheels as a driver. Prior to that I served on our elementary school board as a chairman. I worked in art and public places for about five years. I volunteered through church and volunteered through our neighborhood. I am a social coordinator. My motto or my mission is to build a community that you want to live in, and I feel that to do that we all need to pitch in and help.

Is there one organization you have volunteered with that you have enjoyed the most? I would say my Meals on Wheels work was super rewarding.

I am not able to do it now because of my work schedule, but I used to work from home, so I had a lot more flexibility. I enjoyed the population that we served, I think it is an unseen population in Longmont. Not always elderly but mostly elderly who are food insecure, health insecure or home insecure. I loved how I got to know every resident on my route because I had the same route every week. You just start to know a little about the residents that you serve.

Age: 29 Occupation: Membership director, Longmont Area Chamber of Commerce Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 29 What brought you here? What has kept you? I consider myself lucky to be born and raised in Longmont! This city has grown a lot in just my lifetime, but the amazing sense of community has stayed the same. While not a small town anymore, both locals and newcomers celebrate Longmont’s small-town feel.

This community, this togetherness, has been cultivated over generations and embraces the growth of our city and population. As Longmont continues to grow, I want to help ensure that we stay true to our past while not shying away from our future. I relish the work I do to connect the community in the great place I get to call home.

How are you the face of ribbon cuttings and other events? Why is it important to have someone that’s at all the events? I started at the Longmont Chamber in 2016 as the membership director. My title remains the same, but my role has grown as our organization has evolved. More than just connecting business to business, I get to find creative ways to showcase these businesses throughout the community. We produce events like Longmont Restaurant Week and Unity in the Community, but the smaller celebrations, like ribbon cuttings, are always a joy to run. I’ve done well over 200 ribbon cuttings, and I try to bring an energy and excitement to each one that hopefully makes people feel a little more connected to the moment.

What has the chamber had to do during the pandemic to reach out to business owners and keep business vital and thriving? The Longmont Chamber has been here for over 130 years, but the mission remains the same: We advocate for local businesses and ensure they have what they need to succeed. The needs of businesses change over time, and our job is to listen and adapt, to pivot alongside them and ensure we are meeting those needs. Our services have changed a lot since the pandemic began, but the core of our work remains constant. We still provide personal connection, communication that cuts through the noise, and a voice that speaks for business.

COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 20, 2021 • 43

John Stathis

Bella Steiner

Age: 66 Occupation: Interventional cardiologist at UCHealth Heart and Vascular Clinic in Longmont Years in the St. Vrain Valley: Nearly 33 years working in Longmont, 20 years living in Longmont What brought you here? What has kept you? What brought me here was I found it to be an excellent place to bring my family and raise my family. However, I would say what has kept me here is this wonderful community that I’ve served for 20 years, is the reward of taking care of this community. They really have shown tremendous appreciation to me, day in and day out. There isn’t a day that doesn’t go by, then I’ll get 10 to 15 people thanking me for everything I’m done for them. The community as a whole keeps me here — I am just humbled and want to thank all my wonderful patients, colleagues and the community for allowing me to continue to provide for and serve them.

Why have you continued to practice medicine so long here in Longmont? Wow, that’s a question. Aside from the community and my patients — can I say I haven’t retired yet because I want to be a mentor to these up and coming doctors? That’s my focus as I get older and really it is what motivates me today. These kids, and I say kids loosely because I’ve taken them under my wing to mentor but they are fully capable, trained and educated doctors, but they are just a real treat to work with and mold so that Longmont can continue to have wonderful doctors.

What message would you like to give to future doctors here? Oh that’s a curveball question. For future Longmont doctors — the best medicine is to tenderly care for and love the patients, there will be trying days, but they will be mostly rewarded with an abundance of gratitude. My life philosophy has always been to sit and listen to the patients, give them the time to talk to you because in general they’re going to tell you exactly what’s wrong with them and that doesn’t take a whole lot of intellectual effort, just care.

Age: 17 Occupation: Student Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 14 What brought you here? What has kept you? My parents both grew up in the Niwot area and decided to move back here when I was 3 years old. My friends, family, and horses are what has kept me here.

What sparked your interest in horses? Why did you decide to enter competitions? I’ve always been drawn to horses because of their kind and intelligent nature. I decided to enter competitions so that I could challenge myself in a show environment and bring my partnership with my horse to the next level.

What do you wish community leaders knew about being a young person in the St. Vrain Valley? I think it’s important to know that kids growing up right now have grown up in a completely different way than past generations.

Franziska Stein

Bob Stephens

Age: 98 Occupation: Retired former nurse, hotelier, restaurateur, art historian, humanitarian, author Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 25 What brought you here? I came to Colorado when my daughter was pregnant with our first, and only, grandchild. She had married an American from Denver and it seemed a good time to make the move. We bought the Cliffside Diner in Lyons from Reno Loukonen. The Black Bear Inn was named after the mascot of Berlin, Germany, where my husband George grew up. We applied for and received permission to use the city’s trademarked image and that became our iconic sign. We operated the Black Bear until 1977 when we sold it to the Wyppler family. I moved to Hygiene and later to Longmont, running a restaurant and art gallery on Terry Street with my daughter Barbara. We later moved back to Berlin.

What made you want to write a book about your life? I had so many interesting experiences, and when I would tell someone a story about these encounters, my friends would all say, “You should write a book!” I first published my biography in German but wasn’t satisfied. My granddaughter, Amy, helped me work on it until l I was happy with it. It took us about 15 years to get it done.

What is your most striking memory about growing up in Czechoslovakia before and during the war? I was 15 when Hitler annexed the Sudetenland, the ethnic German region of Czechoslovakia where my hometown of Karlsbad (now Karlovy Vary) is located. I have mostly fond memories of my childhood: skiing with my father and playing with my best friend. But during the war, I have so many memories of the terrible cost on innocent people. An Allied warplane shot at me and a neighbor as we foraged in the countryside for food.

She was killed laying in the ditch next to me, yet I was unharmed. And I remember the woman on the train from Dresden who gave birth while they traveled. The windowless car was so cold that the baby froze to death. In each train car from Dresden we saw something horrific, memories that today have disappeared for me behind the merciful curtain of forgetfulness. Only the mother with the frozen baby comes back to haunt my memories.

Age: 58 Occupation: Cashier, King Soopers Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 58 What brought you here? What has kept you? I was born and raised in Longmont. I’ve stayed in the area because I have family and friends here. Longmont is a great place to have grown up. As a teenager, we used to be able to cruise Main Street with our cars and socialize that way. Of course, that has changed now, but the fond memories of doing this still remain. I still enjoy living here.

What motivates you to go to work every day? I enjoy talking to the variety of customers that frequent the store. I like hearing about their hobbies.

Especially the car collectors. One customer told me that she had a 1937 Chrysler with a frozen engine that she wanted removed from her garage. This ended up being a fun project for my brother-in-law, who eventually got it running.

How has watching what other people buy affected your grocery buying and eating habits? I get to observe new and different food items every day. I enjoy people’s opinions of the products they choose and I like to try their favorites. It gives me a variety of new and interesting meals to try.

44 • JUNE 20, 2021 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

Madelyn Strong Woodley

Griffin Taylor

Age: 68 Occupation: Retired corporate executive and division head, Legal & Regulatory Division, Fedex Corp. Worldwide (Corporate Headquarters) Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 15 What brought you here? What has kept you? My sister is a 40-plus-year Longmont resident. Around 1986, my professional responsibilities required me to commute and work in Colorado.

I would often visit Glenda and family in Longmont. Meanwhile, my daughter and grandson relocated here. My daughter, Stella Woodley, became critically ill and required 24-hour long term care. I retired and relocated. The support we received from the Longmont community and members of the Second Baptist Church, Boulder, was second to none. After approximately eight years of intense medical attention, Stella’s health improved, and she was regaining her independence. I became involved with community organizations as a volunteer.

I soon recognized the need for more outward presence and involvement from the African American community and decided to work to try to impact positive change in that regard. I started by assisting Minister Glenda Strong Robinson with annual community celebrations honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Black History month. In 2012, Minister Robinson had to redirect her focus and I accepted the request to lead those efforts.

As a founder for the Executive Committee for African American Cultural Events, what’s your vision for the future of the committee? The forming of this organization is a direct response to calls to action from members of the Longmont and neighboring communities. Its cornerstone rests on five pillars: education, celebration, tribute, solidarity and service. It is our desire to continue to create programs that will support those five pillars and impact growth within our communities.

Can you name a local African American leader or someone from history who has been an inspiration to you? Mrs. Elmira Davis is a 91-year-old church member, who founded the Second Baptist Community Choir in 1963 and to this very day continues to render her voice in Christian service. I followed her lead as director of choirs until our shutdown due to COVID-19 last year.

Age: 16 Occupation: Longmont High School incoming junior Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 16 What brought you here? What has kept you? Before I was born, my dad got a job working for IBM that moved him and my mom to Colorado. We stay in Longmont because we love the community and everything we’re able to do in the area. I love Longmont high school and Longmont dance theater and all the friends I’ve made in all the sports and activities I’m involved in.

What first appealed to you about ballet? Why did you stick with it? I attended “The Nutcracker” every year put on by my current ballet studio ever since I was very young. When I was 4, I watched “The Nutcracker” and decided that I wanted to be on that stage performing and dancing. I joined the ballet studio a couple months later and was in “The Nutcracker” the next year as a junior party boy. So far, in my 10 years of performing ballets my favorite has been our most recent one “Coppelia.” In “Coppelia,” I played one of the main characters named Franz and really had fun with all the acting and dancing he does throughout the ballet.

What does the pre-professional ballet program at your ballet studio require? A pre-professional ballet program requires us to dance four hours a day, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Each day, we start with a class like yoga or Pilates to get our bodies going. Then, we take an hour and a half ballet technique class to start our ballet training for the day. And to finish the day we have a different class each day like a pointe class for the girls, men’s class, separate variations class for boys and girls, or a partnering class.

Wade Tagg

Kimberly Taylor

Age: 48 Occupation: Professional pilot Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 6 years working What brought you here? What has kept you here? I was a private flight instructor who traveled around the country training people how to operate their new aircraft. One of these trips introduced me to a new owner who happened to live in Longmont, and since I was a Colorado resident, it worked out well for me to return and continue his training at home. Our personalities seemed to mesh well, and the training relationship has continued for six years now. There have been several times when we have talked about locating the aircraft outside of Longmont, but he and I both enjoy the community.

How did you get into flying? A friend of mine in high school received his pilot license and took me flying in his small airplane. From that time, I wanted to be a pilot. It was just so exciting to see the world from the perspective of the cockpit window. When I moved to the Front Range with my wife, I worked for a flight school at Jeffco Airport. I enjoyed teaching and wanted to branch out to different perspectives, so I started my own business which led me around the country meeting great people and learning to fly many different aircraft.

Is there anything you like in particular about flying in and out of Longmont? There are many things that I like about flying out of Longmont. In particular, the camaraderie of the people. The airport community is full of wonderful people who look out for each other and look out for people all around Longmont. I have seen a group of pilots sacrifice their time and money to honor a fallen veteran. I have seen business professionals donate time, money and their aircraft to help children in dire need of medical transport.

There have been countless examples of members of the airport community donating funds to help different groups. The old saying goes “A mile of highway can take you a mile. A mile of runway can take you anywhere.”

Age: 48 Occupation: Business owner, www.LoCoThreads.com, and dedicated volunteer, Centennial State Ballet, Longmont Performing Arts Initiative, Longmont High School Education Foundation; wife and mom to two amazing boys Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 21 What brought you here? What has kept you? My husband, Paul, and I moved to Colorado from Buffalo, N.Y., for a job opportunity with IBM. What’s not to love? The people, the weather (no humidity), the bike trails, the schools, Longmont, we love everything about it.

How did you wind up working in your field? In 2007, my husband was participating in triathlons and I was running in several races a year so we made customized race day t-shirts for our sons. Many of the participants started asking us where they could buy them so we created a website and started selling customized race day t-shirts. It has taken off from there and now we print all types of apparel and promotional products.

What was it like working in and with small businesses during the pandemic? Our business, like so many small businesses, suffered throughout the pandemic. However, in April 2020 LoCo Threads joined a nationwide printing trend called the Here For Good Project. We created Here For Good Loco (www.hereforgood.locothreads.com) and offered t-shirts with our designs as well as custom business logos. $10 from the sale of every shirt was donated to a local business selected by the customer. Within two months we raised over $11,000 for local businesses. It was a true pay it forward project.

COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 20, 2021 • 45

When the Colorado Crane Operator School hired Joe Toth in 2017, he already had worked for five years as a crane operator and for three years after that in safety/training and inspections.

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Joe Toth teaches how to become ‘one with the machine’

o one stamps the words “FRAGILE” in red on a load of drywall, lumber, or steel I-beams.

But every crane operator candidate at the Colorado Crane Operator School in Frederick needs to develop a light touch on the crane levers and a sharp sense of the physics in play when controlling loads like these in midair, said Joe Toth, the school’s crane and safety training manager and inspector.

Optic yellow tennis balls balanced on waist-high posts line the course that his students follow as they maneuver a training load — a one ton metal barrel — dangling on a thick hook attached to the steel cable extended by the crane’s boom, the telescopic arm.

“They need to listen to the machine and the hydraulics working to get that touch for this work, and they need to keep practicing because everything here is within a quarter inch of tolerance to the standard,” Toth said, referring to the industry standards set by the nonprofit, Virginia-based National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators.

When the school hired

hook.”

With Toth’s coaching, Fleuter, 58, learned to operate the crane with more muscle memory pulling and pushing the levers, earned the certification, and went to work setting Toth in 2017, he already 14,000-pound wind turbine had worked for five years as a crane operator and for blades 54 or 57 meters long on truck beds after rotating three years after that in each of them 90 degrees. safety/training and inspecBoth teacher and student tions. The Colorado native share the same phrase to joined the school staff to describe the skill level and continue that work and to fluency that marks a crane be home more for his operator candidate at the young family — wife, Britni, and their three kids, school poised for success in the workforce. That perJax, 11; Olivia, 10; and son has learned to Easton, 5.

“But I was an ironworker “become one with the machine” in order to operfor six to seven years ate the crane with maxibefore I began running cranes,” the Frederick resi- mum safety and efficiency.

Students who pass the dent said, noting that stuwritten and practical testdents who enroll from ing earn either a three-year across the country often come from the trades look- qualification or a five-year certification good nationing for a new challenge.

Last winter, Tom Fleuter wide, according to the website.

— a Longmont resident The school, a private and former welder — took the school’s 10-day mobile business established in 1990, offers a one-day crane certification course course to one-month from Toth.

“I’m a patient person — a course. Operators can earn between $50,000 a year to fisherman and outdoorsupwards of $200,000 a year, man,” he said. “And that’s depending on the industry good in this job because you can’t rush any of these that hires them and the operations. You can’t rush type of crane they operate, when you have a seven-ton Toth said.

On the written test one of load on the end of your Age: 36 Occupation: Crane and safety training manager and inspector, Colorado Crane Operator School Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 4

the biggest challenges students report involves figuring out the load chart — the crane operator’s calculation of how much weight the crane can lift and how that varies depending on the distance and the angle of the lift.

“Well, we wouldn’t want to give away our secret recipe for success (to the public),” Toth said. “But for an operator to grasp the concepts of the load charts and capacities of the crane, they need to understand all of what is taken into consideration for their deductions that would be subtracted from the gross capacity, which would leave them with the net capacity load the crane could safely lift without stability.

“Think of it like your paycheck and the taxes that you pay,” he continued.

“Your salary is the gross total income. But what you are left with after the deductions — taxes, insurance, social security, etc. — is your take home or net income.”

Without accurate load chart calculation skills, crane operators can tip over their crane or accidentally swing loads into the very structure they are trying to help build, Toth said.

Not everyone can get the

knack for all the skills that go into excellent crane operation. But for some students, the appreciation for a construction process with this kind of machine goes back to childhood.

“Many that enjoyed playing construction in the sandbox as a kid have the opportunity to do it as an adult,” Toth said.

The school’s office reflects the playful beginnings behind some of the best crane operators and trainers.

Model cranes park on the classroom’s counters with booms lifted and extended, and a delicate, vintage-looking crane Christmas ornament sits on Toth’s office bookshelf year round.

“The Christmas crane ornament was something I found on a trip back to Michigan a few years ago at a place called Bronner’s, near Frankenmuth,” said Toth, whose wife is a Michigan native. “If you are into Christmas, this is a must stop any time of year, very big deal. We were leaving town heading home to Colorado from a Thanksgiving trip we took back to see her family, and we stopped in. I got the ornament, and my wife got her Christmas manger scene.”

Story by Pam Mellskog • Photo by Matthew Jonas • Longmont Times-Call

COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 20, 2021 • 47

Victor Vela Sr. says his passion for youths sparked from his activism work within the Latino community and from when he became a father and began to coach sports teams for his children.

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Victor Vela believes every child needs the community’s support

ictor Vela Sr. is known for many things, namely founding El Comité de Longmont, but he wears many hats including youth mentor, and he wants every child to achieve the greatness they may not believe they have within themselves.

“I spent many years being an activist here in Longmont for the Latino community, especially after the kids were shot by a local policeman, but today I drive around and see these kids and my heart breaks and I want to do more for them, I want our community to do more for them so they avoid the destructive mistakes in life,” Vela explained.

“I learned as a youth football coach for the last 39 years that they are our future and all children — especially minority children and children of color — need the community’s support to participate in childhood staples, activities and sports so they don’t fall into things like gangs and drugs,” Vela said.

Vela explained his passion for youth activism sparked from his activism work within the Latino

need a community to thrive.”

The soon-to-be 78-yearold said he is working with El Comité, other Latino programs and city officials to do more fundraising specommunity but also when cifically for underserved he became a father and youth to have opportunities began to coach sports to participate in activities teams for his children. such as sports, scouting, As the third generation in his family to plant seeds after school activities, summer programs and educain Longmont, Vela said he tional programs. learned “compassion for all “Part of the fundraising people and to stand for the from the Cinco De Mayo right things through my dance event next year and grandparents and parents with the various volunteer- other events we will be ing, mentoring and service hosting, will go to a scholarship fund in memory of opportunities they took Jeff Cordova and Juan Garon.” cia who were fatally shot “My grandparents were by police in 1980 — specifithe first generation to cally for underserved come up from Mexico to youth in the Longmont Longmont and settle in, area,” Vela added. and from that day they “I am proud of the work made it a point to show I’ve done in the general humility and kindness to sense of the Latino commuevery single person they nity, but now as good peoencountered, even to the ple, like Donna (Lavato) difficult people they met,” take on more at El Comité Vela explained. “It’s that for me, I can shift my gears older generation Latino and focus on our future — mentality, some call it the ‘Golden Rule,’ but really it’s these kids, and that’s really just the best part of human- my drive as I get older,” Vela said. ity — showing graciousness to those who might He said the turning point look, think or be different in shifting from focusing from us because we all on the wider Latino comhave struggles and we all munity to the underserved Age: 77 Occupation: Latino and youth activist, facilities management field Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 77

youth community was being recognized last year

by Gov. Jared Polis for his activism work and the accomplishments and impact El Comité has had within the community, county and state.

“My son, Vic Vela Jr., inspired me a great deal too because he has seen demons but he is thriving and stronger than ever,” Vela said. “His story can be any child here in Longmont or even the state, and I want to help be a driving force in that transformation and prevention.”

“It was scary for Latino kids when I was growing up and just as scary when I became a father myself — but today I think is scariest of all with how easily underserved kids slip through the cracks without anyone noticing,” Vela said.

He said the best way to prevent kids from falling through cracks is by being a mentor. For him that meant picking kids up for sports practices and taking them to tutoring or being a good listener.

“I have kids I coached 20 or 30 years ago come up to me and say, ‘Hey coach, remember me?’ (They’re)

now a lawyer or engineer or something successful in life,” Vela said. “I might not remember their face, but knowing I impacted their life to do something great — well that’s just a life well lived and something we can all do by being present in these young folks lives,” Vela said.

“Longmont is my heart and I will serve our community in any capacity I can — even with this cane, until my last breath and until my body gives out on me,” Vela said.

“Don’t overlook the Latino community, most just needed some inspiration, compassion and somebody to come alongside them to sort of guide them, but don’t overlook them because some of our greatest successes in life come from understanding those who are different from us,” Vela said when asked what message he wanted to give to residents.

As for what advice he wanted to share with new Latino immigrants, Vela said, “Do it right. Your parents brought you here to this wonderful community for a reason, do it right and don’t get yourself on the wrong side of the law.”

Story by April Morganroth • Photo by Matthew Jonas • Longmont Times-Call

COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 20, 2021 • 49

James Ory Theall

Mark Alan Trippensee

Age: 88 Occupation: Retired accountant, author Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 18 years, 7 months What brought you here? What has kept you? I came here to marry a close friend from our single days in Omaha, Neb. The marriage has been wonderful, and I have no intentions of leaving at this time.

How has been writing a challenge with vision loss, and how do you accommodate that? I was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa in 1957 while serving in the U.S. Air Force. I was devastated, needless to say, but the young ophthalmologist who told me about the diagnosis said I could curl up in a corner and feel sorry for myself, or I could accept that there was not yet a cure for the genetic condition and make the best of it. I thought about that for a few hours, crying and really feeling my life was at an end, but then accepted the challenge and moved on. With great assistance from the Veterans Administration, computers with speech output and keyboard input came into being, I immediately saw an opportunity to achieve a long-held desire to be a writer, and I’ve never looked back. Help from the VA has come in many forms: computer training, GPS technology, complete rehab and training on daily living skills, mobility training, and introduction to newer and newer state-of-the-art equipment like the iPhone, Amazon Echo, talking microwaves and toaster ovens.

How did you come up with the idea for your Cajun Tale Series, and what stories do you tell there? I’m a bit lazy and don’t like doing much research, so fiction is my bag! The Cajun Tales series was an idea that formed in my mind quickly, as I knew so much about the culture, having grown up in southern Louisiana. The characters are composites of people I’ve known and grew up with, and the stories just develop as I write.

What is your writing routine? The routine when I’m working on a book is to hit the keyboard as early as possible after breakfast and write until about 4 p.m., which is together time for my award-winning author wife, Lorraine, and me. We discuss our work for that day, share solutions for small problems, etc., and give a lot of thought to the next day’s work while waiting to fall asleep.

Age: 49 Occupation: Professional musician and licensed residential broker Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 45 What brought you here? What has kept you? My father opened up/managed Kmart stores around the country, and he was the first manager when the Kmart opened in the Horizon Mall on North Main Street. I eventually bought homes and raised kids here, my kids are now all grown up, and my mother still lives in the house I was raised in.

What’s the toughest concert you’ve ever performed at and why? I’ve done shows while having a major flu, or getting boiled by the sun, but maybe the toughest was the first time I played a sports arena full of people, opening for Staind and Three Days Grace. Still a positive experience, but my drums were moving all over the stage under me because I forgot a rug, it was hard to keep my adrenaline and tempo down, and the 30 minute set was over before you knew what happened.

What is the greatest drum solo of all time? All drummers know that Buddy Rich was the greatest of all time, but the one that changed me was Neil (Peart’s) solo on Rush’s “Exit … Stage Left.” It was a song in itself, and countless hours were spent in the garage out back, dropping the needle on the record, trying to learn it note for note as a teenager. Something that I don’t think enough young musicians do anymore. We didn’t have the ability to just find a “How to” video at our fingertips back then. You had to develop your ears and just “figure it out.”

Hugh Thornley

Natalie Wehrwein

Age: 86 Occupation: TV service, Main TV Repair Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 67 What brought you here? What has kept you? I was sent to Colorado by the U.S. Air Force, worked for the FAA for about seven years in Longmont, then quit there and started my own business in TV and electronic service in Longmont. I raised five kids in Longmont and have been single now since 1980.

How have you successfully stayed in business for 60 years? TV repair has been my life for all these years. I enjoy this work and like being my own boss.

The only time off was is 2003 when I had a heart attack! I only do TV repair now — this keeps me busy. We are about the only TV repair shop still open — we get repairs from Wyoming, Colorado and Nebraska.

Have more people needed repairs during the pandemic? If so, why?

People were stuck at home more and needed to keep in touch with the world.

When should you repair your TV versus buying a new one? TVs bought a few years (or months) ago seem to hold up better than the cheap brands sold now. We do repairs on all brands but try to stay away from some very low-end brands. We do tell people to stick with brands that they know about. We warn people about the screens on new TVs, as they break very easily and no replacements are available.

Age: 29 Occupation: Natural Resources Analyst for the City of Longmont.

Years in the St. Vrain Valley: Living here for 7 years; been working here for 8K years What brought you here? What has kept you? I applied for an internship with the city as I was getting ready to graduate college. I was offered the position which was supposed to end after a few months, but then the flood hit. I was offered another position to stay on and help with the aftermath of the flood. I was commuting from Fort Collins, and my husband and I decided to go ahead and move down here. We’ve been here ever since. We’ve stayed because we love the town, we love the mountain views, we’re close to Denver and close to the mountains. It’s the perfect location.

When did you decide you wanted to be an arborist, and what led to that decision? I always knew I wanted to work outside. When I was trying to decide what to major in for college I was having a hard time, so my parents sat me down and helped and we landed on natural resources. My Dad said, “Do you remember the Little Red School House (a nature center I loved to go to as a child)? Well this major is that.” I was sold. From there I fell in love with everything that major had to offer. With my job, I’ve enjoyed learning and working with people who have similar interests and love trees as much as I do.

Do trees have a secret life? I like to think they do. Trees are such incredible organisms and the amount of adaptations different species develop to overcome a myriad of problems never fails to amaze me. Plus trees never stop providing for the environment. Even when they begin to decay they’re a host to so many different animals and organisms. I love finding out all the secrets a tree holds.

We understand that you’re a big Star Wars fan. Which of the movies do you think is the best, and why? I think “Rogue One” is just phenomenal. Yes I know it’s not part of the originals, but the movie is just so well done. The story keeps you entertained the whole time. It also fits in with the main saga without having to try too hard.

50 • JUNE 20, 2021 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

Loree Mulay Weisman

Rex Wilson

Age: 53 Occupation: Mulay’s Sausage president, CEO Years in the St. Vrain Valley: Colorado fourth-generation native; raised in Longmont through 1986, returned in 2013.

What brought you here? What has kept you? I was born here. I came back to Longmont to be near my parents and have great schools for my girls.

What inspired you to begin Mulay’s Sausage? As ski bums in Crested Butte, we were looking for other ways to make money. Started with my Nana’s recipe from Sicily and linked up sausage to sell at the Fourth of July festival in 1990, and it just kept growing! Mulay’s is now sold in over 40 states across the U.S. and at Natural Grocers and Simply Bulk Market in Longmont.

How does it feel to be a woman in a space traditionally dominated by men? It is a fun challenge! I meet a lot of great people who are interested in the fact that Mulay’s is a WBENC certified woman-owned business. I am constantly educating myself to stay ahead of the game.

What do you enjoy doing in any spare time you have? I love traveling, cooking and entertaining family and friends. Paddle boarding at Union Reservoir, listening to live music at Wibby Brewing, and painting.

Age: 68 Occupation: S & S Upholstery owner and upholsterer Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 37 What brought you here? What has kept you? I was working for King Soopers. I had worked for them for 11 years. I was looking for something to do that I could control my own destiny. I stumbled across (S & S Upholstery). (The former owner) didn’t like it and so I bought it from him. I worked for him for about six months. I liked it and learned it from there. I didn’t have any training, besides just learning how to do it and I did.

Is reupholstery becoming a lost art? Why do you believe it’s an important service to offer? I do believe it’s becoming a lost art, because nobody is learning it. The thing is, if you just look around, there’s something that’s been covered by somebody, somewhere, everywhere you look.

Upholstery is a big part of our lives. People just don’t realize it. I’ve reupholstered interiors of airplanes, custom cars, new cars. … I’ve done seats in a train car, motor homes. It’s everywhere — it just is. I make awnings. I make hanging curtains for patios. The list is very long. It’s amazing what I’ve been asked to do. I’ve even covered walls in a house. We sewed the pieces together and made large panels. We stretched them over foam, because they were trying to make a sound-deadening room for a studio in their house. I made a cover once for the Longmont turkey plant (in the 1980s). The cover was 101 feet long and eight feet wide. It wasn’t just square, when it was done it looked like the landscape of a city — tall buildings and short ones and it was made out this very heavy weight vinyl. It took four of us to sew it.

We’ve heard you love working on hot rod cars. How did you get into the hobby? I’ve always like old cars. When I was younger all I owned was an old car.

My father bought a truck when I was 11 years old. I still own it and I’m 68.

Bill Wilkinson

Jeananne Wright

Age: Not provided Occupation: Band director Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 30 What brought you here? What has kept you? I met my wife, Beth, while we were students at John Brown University in Arkansas. She was from Denver and we wanted to live in Colorado. My first band director job was in Albin, Wyo. My band in Albin, Wyo., received top ratings at the state band contest.

All four judges at the Wyoming State Band Festival were professors at the University of Northern Colorado. Those same judges played bridge with then St. Vrain Schools Music Supervisor Leo Meyer. Leo asked if they knew of a young band director for the St. Vrain School Dist. They gave him my name.

You started playing the trumpet at the age of 10. What drew you to that instrument? As a very young boy I was interested in playing the trumpet, but for some reason when I signed up for fourth-grade band I selected the drums.

My fourth-grade band director wisely said he thought I should play trumpet. He had me try playing a trumpet. It was a natural fit. He called me “hot lips.”

You’ve performed for two presidents: President Nixon and President Ford. Take us back to those moments. Was that nerve wracking? What music did you perform for them? While in college I played trumpet with a group called The Sound Generation. We played over 100 shows per year. We were asked to play for the annual Presidential Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C., in 1970. Richard Nixon was president at the time. There were hundreds of dignitaries from all over the world. Security was very tight. Before we performed, our bass player accidentally kicked the guitar amp and the amp’s reverb made a loud noise. The security reached for their guns. That scared us to death. In the early ’80s, I played trumpet in The Glen Shull Big Band. We played for the president and Mrs. Ford’s Tea Dance in (Beaver Creek), Colorado.

Age: 80 Occupation: Retired school teacher; currently give quilt programs/lectures across the United States Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 28 What brought you here? What has kept you? (My late husband Ted and I) moved to Longmont from Lakewood 28 years ago and for several years drove to Jefferson County to continue our teaching careers. We moved here after our children graduated from high school to enjoy Longmont and its hometown atmosphere! That is definitely what keeps me here today! I love Longmont and like being involved in the community and studying our town’s history.

How did you get into quilting? I got into quilting as a legacy from my paternal grandmother who homesteaded on the prairie of northeastern Colorado near Keota. She was a dedicated quilt maker, and I followed in her footsteps. I now rescue old quilts and am a renowned collector. For the past 27 years, I have given quilt programs/lectures here in Longmont for the museum and Hover Home many times; the library; many churches and other Longmont organizations; and scores of times across the state and coast to coast.

You have an interest in the Oregon Trail. Why is that? I was raised on the prairie of northeastern Colorado and have been a lifelong walker, first gathering the cows for their evening milking. I walked daily on the vast prairie and it is there that I became interested in the Oregon Trail, especially women’s roles in the westward expansion of the United States. It is with great pleasure that I give my program, Quilts That Settled the West, to honor the women and their families that came west under very trying circumstances.

What inspired you begin walking regularly and when did those walks start to include picking up trash? I walk a few miles a day and started picking up trash about four or five years ago, after seeing the need. I take great pride in keeping my regular walking path clean, from Pace east along Highway 119 and all the way around the Longs Peak Hospital. I estimate I have picked up a thousand pounds of trash. I have no plans to slow down.

COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 20, 2021 • 51

The ‘100,’ through the years

Here’s a list of every person who appeared in the Times-Call “100” from our first edition in 2007 through 2019.

We did not publish the “100” in 2009-2010, 20122013, and in 2020.

Is there someone you think would be a good subject in a “100” but don’t see in this year’s edition or on this list? If so, let us know.

Send your nominee to tcnews@times-call.com and put “100 nominee” in the subject line.

Please provide that person’s name, where he or she lives and a little something about what makes that person interesting.

And if anyone out there still has a 2015 edition, we’d love to make a copy of the cover. We’ll give it back to you.

Robin Abb ................... 2015 Amy Abbott ................ 2016 Dr. Molly Abernathy ...................................... 2019 Theo Abkes ................ 2016 Hazel Achor ................ 2016 Brett Ackerman ......... 2019 Carrie Adams ............. 2016 Debbie Adams ........... 2016 Lauren Adams ............ 2015 Pete Adeney ............... 2017 Aaron Ades ................. 2008 Pam Adler ................... 2017 Randy Ahlberg ........... 2011 Alan Ahlgrim .............. 2011 Ismael Aldana ............ 2016 Janene Alford ............. 2016 Emmy Alipit ............... 2017 Linda Allour ................ 2016 Bruno Ammann ......... 2015 Paul Anderson ............ 2016 Trudee Anderson ...... 2016 Jill Andreozzi .............. 2014 Nick Angelo ............... 2008 Don Angstead ............ 2017 John E. Archibold ...... 2016 Mawiem Arik ............. 2008 Peggy Arnold ............. 2018 Matt Arrants ............... 2017 Chad Auer .................. 2011 Robin Autorino ........... 2015 Brian Bagley .............. 2015 David Bailey ............... 2018

Ingrid Bakke .............. 2008 Cathy Balan ................ 2014 Elizabeth Bałczac ....... 2007 Jim Baldwin ................ 2007 Bob Ball ...................... 2011 Rachel Bardach .......... 2008 Rob Bardenett ............ 2019 Cynthia Barnes .......... 2019 George Baskos .......... 2008 John Beck ................... 2014

52 • JUNE 20, 2021 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

Greg Beery ................ 2011 Clark Bell .................... 2011 Michael Bell ............... 2014 Wyatt Bell ................... 2008 Michael Belmont ....... 2011 Daniel Benavidez ....... 2019 Marian Bennett .......... 2008 Strider Benston .......... 2019 Maggie Benton .......... 2017 Angel Berdiales ......... 2014

Olga Bermudez .......... 2017 Sylvia Bernstein ......... 2015 Brian Berry ................ 2018 Jim Berthold .............. 2007 Jim Bertolin ................ 2007 Jose D. Beteta ............ 2017 Karen Bianco ............. 2014 Jasmine Biesanz ......... 2016 Leif Bilen .................... 2007 Pat Billson-Houston ... 2011

Sierra Bindsell ........... 2017 Linda Bitner ............... 2018 Lexie Birren ............... 2011 Aaron Bitterman ........ 2018 Dan Blake ................... 2015 Hank Blazon ............... 2014 Mariah Bledsoe ......... 2011 Jim Boggess ............... 2008 Vicky Boone ............... 2016 Continued on Page 53

THE ‘100,’ THROUGH THE YEARS Continued from Page 52

Yakov Borenstein ...... 2008 Edward Bowen ........... 2018 Rebecca SueBoyd ...... 2019 Jackie Boyer ............... 2018 Jerry Boyle ................. 2007 Leslie Boynton ........... 2007 Gerri Bradford ........... 2008 Mark Bradford ........... 2011 Carl Brady .................. 2018 Sandy Brady ............... 2015 Rod Brandenburg ...... 2007 Wanda Brandfas ......... 2019 Heather Brandt .......... 2019 Kimberly Brayman .... 2014 Cole Brenner .............. 2016 Tony Brewer .............. 2007 Michelle Brietzke ...... 2016 Melissa Brim .............. 2019 Heather Britton .......... 2014 Greg Brock ................ 2016 Tim Brod .................... 2019 Pamela Brogdon ........ 2018 Matt Brooks-Miller .... 2007 Kaylene Brown .......... 2016 Laura Brown .............. 2011 Michael Brownlee ..... 2008 Erin Brueggeman ...... 2008 Barb Brunk ................ 2011 Robin Bryant .............. 2014 Matt Buchler .............. 2015 Joshua Buck ............... 2011 Clint Buckner ............. 2017 Larry Burkhardt ........ 2011 Jason Buss .................. 2019 Bill Butler ................... 2007 Mike Butler ................ 2019 Nick Cady ................... 2015 Candy Campbell ........ 2015 Kalin Capra ................. 2018 Adrian Card ................ 2008 Jose Cardenes ............ 2016 Julie Cardinal ............. 2015 Jodi Carlson ................ 2018 Dale Carr .................... 2011 Carol Carroll .............. 2016 Kevin Carroll .............. 2016 Alexis Carroll ............. 2017 Mitch Carson ............. 2007 Leah Carter ................ 2008 Semsija Cass .............. 2018 Steve Carver .............. 2011 Tim Chaffin ................ 2014 Karen Charles ............ 2017 Alessandra Chavez .... 2015 Rebecca Chavez ......... 2018 Luis Chavez ................ 2018 Morgan Chen ............. 2015 Tom Chenault ............ 2011 Ron Cheyney .............. 2016 Gabriel Chou .............. 2007 Chris Chou ................. 2017 Stephen Christopher . 2017

Jade Clem ................... 2007 Eddie Cloke ................ 2008 Kevin Clowers ............ 2011 Cliff Clusin ................. 2019 Jim Cochran ............... 2011 Kelsey Colclasure ...... 2007 Giselle Collazo ........... 2014 Sophia Collender ....... 2019 Jessica Collins ............ 2019 Scott Conlin ................ 2018 John Conrads ............. 2019 Beth Conrey ............... 2015

Scott Converse ........... 2015 Tyler Cooey ................ 2007 Scott Cook .................. 2011 Allison Cole ................ 2018 Lynda Coonrod .......... 2015 Horace Copeland ....... 2007 Olga Cordero ............. 2018 Karl Cordova .............. 2008 Laura L. Cotter ........... 2017 Bob Cotton ................. 2016 Mary Cowdin ............. 2016 Kelly Cowling ............. 2015

Brent Craig ................. 2007 Ann Cram ................... 2018 Darby Crandall ........... 2018 Wilma Crofford .......... 2014 Al Croissant ................ 2015 Molly Cropp ............... 2019 Ewell Culbertson ....... 2008 Brian Curran .............. 2016 Kyra Czerwinski ........ 2017 Bob Dacey .................. 2011 Tanya Daschofsky ..... 2018 Tanya Daty ................. 2018

Alyce Davis ................. 2019 Tina Davis .................. 2019 Dan Dean ................... 2008 Dwight Debroux ........ 2008 Bill Decker ................. 2018 Jim Deeming .............. 2007 Kelsey Deems ............ 2014 Cliff DeJong ............... 2014 Meca Delgado ............ 2014 Matt Delumpa ............ 2007 Continued on Page 54

COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 20, 2021 • 53

THE ‘100,’ THROUGH THE YEARS Continued from Page 53

Oakley Dehning ......... 2019 Zeb Dennis ................. 2011 Jerry Denovellis ........ 2018 Susan DeNovellis ....... 2007 Drew Depler ............... 2011 Gabriel DeRoo ........... 2015 Carlos Descalzo ......... 2017 Steve Desmond .......... 2011 Rachel Desmormes ... 2008 JoLynn DiGiallonardo ...................................... 2017 Mike DiGiallonardo ... 2017 Dennis Dinsmore ...... 2016 Joe Docheff ................ 2015 James Dohm .............. 2018 Liz Donaghey ............. 2014 Elijah Donovan ........... 2017 Andrew Doran ........... 2007 Clay Douglas .............. 2007 Barbara Douglass ...... 2008 Angie Doyle ................ 2016 Margie Drake ............. 2017 Murry Drescher ........ 2014 Donald Dreyer ............................ 2008, 2014 Sabrina Duey .............. 2014 Louise Duggan ........... 2008 Jeffrey DuMont ......... 2017 Beryl Durazo .............. 2016 Liz Durfee .................. 2014 Bret Duston ................ 2008 Florence Dvirnak ...... 2017 George Dvirnak ......... 2017 Phyllis Dwyer ............. 2017 Marvin Dyer .............. 2011 Rick Ebbers ................ 2019 Mario Miguel Echevarria ...................................... 2011 Svein Edland .............. 2008 Rob Edward ................ 2008 Jennifer Eisenlau ....... 2011 Bill Ellis ...................... 2011 Artie Elmquist ............ 2008 Gary Elmquist ............ 2014 Ron Elms .................... 2015 Dave Emerson ........... 2015 Katie Emery ............... 2019 Craig Engelhorn ........ 2014 Robin Ericson ............ 2016 Andrew Ernst ............. 2015 Judith Ernst ................ 2015 Vanessa Escarcega .... 2017 John Espinosa ............ 2017 Sandra Esters ............. 2014 Kim Evans .................. 2007 Marc Evans ................ 2016 Tracy Evans ............... 2011 Wes Everett ................ 2014 Bob Fairow ................. 2015 Joycelyn Fankhouser ...................................... 2014 Katie Fankhouser ...... 2019

Sue Farwell ................ 2017 David Feely ................ 2017 Dr. Ian Feinhandler ... 2016 Buzz Feldman ............ 2011 Gabrielle Feneide ...... 2017 Jennifer Ferguson ...... 2019 Pastor Dawnmarie Fiechtner .................... 2015 Jared Fiel .................... 2019 Patty Fiest ................... 2014

54 • JUNE 20, 2021 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

Steve Fisk ................... 2019 Kaye Fissinger ........... 2015 Mickey Flaska ............ 2008 Emily Flemming ........ 2014 Hope Fletcher ............ 2015 Sean Flynn .................. 2007 Reed Foehl ................. 2007 Ralph Ford .................. 2019 Megan Forrest ........... 2014 Sam Forsyth ............... 2008

Amy French-Troy ...... 2015 Michael Freyta ........... 2017 Jenny Friesmer .......... 2011 Christy Friesner ......... 2011 Bren Frisch ................ 2019 Charlie Frye ............... 2017 Norma Fuentes .......... 2017 Valeria Fugate ............ 2018 John Gaddis ................ 2018 Francisco Galarza ...... 2015 Destiny Gallegos ........ 2015

Julie Gallegos ............. 2019 Charlie Garcia ............ 2014 Payton Garcia ............. 2018 Martha Garcia-Lara ... 2016 Tessie Gardetto .......... 2017 Deb Gardner .............. 2014 Alejandra (Allie) Garduno ...................................... 2017 Reed Gattmann .......... 2011 Continued on Page 55

THE ‘100,’ THROUGH THE YEARS Continued from Page 54

Mary Gavin ................ 2007 Opal Gee ..................... 2018 Lewis Geyer ............... 2017 Sadaf Ghiasy .............. 2016 Dr. Patricia Gill .......... 2015 Allen Ginsborg ........... 2016 Chris Gischel ............. 2014 Tim Glenn .................. 2018 Riley Glynn ................. 2017 Bob Goff ..................... 2011 Josh Goldberg ............ 2011 Jessica Goldberg ........ 2017 Diane Goldenstein ..... 2017 Katie Goldsberry ....... 2019 Fabiola Gomez ........... 2007 Jackie Gonzales ......... 2019 Elicia Goodsoldier ..... 2018 Bianca Gordon ........... 2019 Justelle Grandsaert ... 2015 Wayne D. Granger ..... 2017 Cliff Grassmick .......... 2016 Matthew Gravatt ........ 2019 Molly Gravatt ............. 2019 Dianne Green ............. 2008 Larry Green ............... 2011 Gary Greene .............. 2018 Karen Gregg .............. 2007 Will Gregorak ............ 2011 Joan Gregorson .......... 2015 Mary Ann Grim ......... 2014 Diane Groff ................ 2018 K.C. Groves ................ 2008 Kara Guggenmos ....... 2007 Mark Guitridge .......... 2018 Don Haddad ............... 2008 Lacey Haddock .......... 2011 Lindey Haddock ......... 2011 Ralph Hardesty .......... 2018 Pat Hains .................... 2018 Bob Hajek ................... 2007 Justin Hall ................... 2015 Scott Hamlin ............... 2011 Cheryl Hammond ...... 2015 Darrell Hammond ..... 2015 Helen Hanna .............. 2016 Richard Hansen ......... 2007 Eylsia Hardinand ....... 2007 Schriee Harding ......... 2016 Carol Hardy ................ 2007 Elisabeth Harris ......... 2019 Greg Harris ................ 2018 Jennifer Harris ........... 2018 Kris Harris ................. 2018 Terri Harroun ............ 2018 Clark Harshbarger .... 2017 Jalali Hartman ............ 2015 David G. Hartman ..... 2017 Liberta Hattel ............. 2007 Mike Hattel ................ 2007 Barbara Hau ............... 2015 David Hauger ............. 2007 Carrie Haverfield ....... 2008

David G. Hawkins ...... 2014 David Hayes ............... 2007 Betty Heath ................ 2011 Kathy Hedderman ..... 2008 Matt Heidenfeld ......... 2007 Jacob Heilveil ............. 2017 RachaelHeinrich ........ 2019 Lisa Helser ................. 2018 Amy Heneghan .......... 2017

MauriceHenriques .... 2019 Bill Herring ................ 2007 Katie Herrmann ......... 2016 Megan Herron ........... 2015 Cynthia Hess .............. 2014 Bunk Hess .................. 2017 Noah Hess .................. 2019 Jane Hill ...................... 2015 Ellen Hine ................... 2014

John Hix ..................... 2018 Jesse Hodgson ........... 2007 Riley Holcomb ........... 2016 Margaret Hollander ... 2007 Danielle Holmes ........ 2018 Chandler Holt ............ 2019 Tom Honn .................. 2008 Dennis Hopper ........... 2008 Kristi D. Hornick ....... 2017

Barbara Howe ............ 2019 Eric Hozempa ............ 2011 Marilyn Hughes ......... 2016 Virginia Huppe ........... 2014 Becca Hyde ................ 2018 Gilliam Hyde .............. 2011 James Insogna ........... 2014 Heather Isaacson ....... 2019 Continued on Page 56

COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 20, 2021 • 55

THE ‘100,’ THROUGH THE YEARS

Continued from Page 55

Greg Jackson ............. 2007 Jeanne Jackson .......... 2007 Kayla Jackson ............ 2008 Doug Jackson ............. 2017 Jay Jakosky ................. 2014 Georgia Jallo .............. 2018 JeffJames .................... 2019 DouglasJamison ......... 2019 Vivienne Jannatpour .. 2015 Gary L. Jefferson ....... 2007 Robbin Jeri ................. 2015 Reilly Jernigan ........... 2016 Amy Johnson .............. 2018 Brian Johnson ............ 2008 Bridget Johnson ......... 2008 Brigitte Johnson ........ 2007 Bruce Johnson ........... 2015 Dave Johnson ............. 2011 Kelly Johnson ............. 2007 LaVern Johnson ......... 2007 Roberta Johnston ....... 2014 Brad Jolly .................... 2011 Amanda Jonas ............ 2016 Analiese Jones ............ 2017 Sandie Jones ............... 2017 Lisa Jordan ................. 2008 Steven Joseph ............ 2018 Oscar Juarez-Luna ..... 2018 Richard Juday ............ 2016 Riley Juenemann ........ 2017 Jeffrey Justice ............ 2014 Leslie Kaczeus ........... 2014 Lucia Salomone .......... 2018 Kaczeus ...................... 2011 Steve Kaczeus ............ 2014 Vijay Kailasam ........... 2019 Margaret Kamigaki ... 2007 Keith Kanemoto ......... 2008 Jacki Kapushion ......... 2018 Ann Kaven .................. 2016 George Keeler ............ 2008 Meagan Keen ............. 2016 Andy Keller ................ 2008 Mackenzie Keller ....... 2017 Faye Kelley ................. 2015 Lucy Kelly .................. 2015 Gordon Kennedy ....... 2007 Kathy Kerr ................. 2019 Konni Keuter .............. 2014 Aditya Khune ............. 2018 Brian Kimball ............. 2008 Bobby King ................ 2014 Kaleb Kircher ............. 2015 John Kirkpatrick ........ 2007 Deb Kitt ...................... 2014 Emily Knapp ............... 2018 Brandon Knudsen ..... 2007 Julie Kocjancic ........... 2011 John Koehler .............. 2015 Jason Kokenzie .......... 2014 Stacy Kokenzie .......... 2014 Rob Kolanda ............... 2008

Linda Kopecky ........... 2017 Walker Korel .............. 2016 John Kotson ............... 2019 Linda Kozloff-Turner 2015 Richard Kpogoh-Nark ...................................... 2016 Patrick Kramer .......... 2015 Terry Kroenung ........ 2011 Gay Kuhlman ............. 2014 Christopher Kukich ... 2014

56 • JUNE 20, 2021 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

Chad Kupper .............. 2014 Ron Lamb ................... 2018 Josie Lamp .................. 2014 JoAnne Lamun ........... 2008 Gordon Laurens ......... 2016 Michael Laurenz ........ 2019 Lee Lawson ................ 2015 Genaro Laynes ........... 2011 Thad Lear ................... 2011 Matt LeCerf ................ 2018

William Ledesma ....... 2011 Elvira Lee ................... 2007 LoriLe Gault ............... 2017 Kathleem Leiding ...... 2011 Louise Leise ............... 2016 Dick Lentz .................. 2011 Maciel Leon ................ 2014 Bethy Leonardi .......... 2019 Sarah Levison ............. 2011 Hal Levison ................ 2017

Diane Levy ................. 2015 Gary Lewis ................. 2008 Jan Lewis .................... 2015 Tim Lewis ................... 2008 Linda Liang ................ 2014 Qian Liang .................. 2007 Sue Linroth ................. 2017 Teresa Litman ............ 2017 Continued on Page 57

THE ‘100,’ THROUGH THE YEARS Continued from Page 56

Rita Liu ........................ 2017 Kay Lloyd ................... 2014 Marta Loachamin ...... 2018 Eric Lombardi ............ 2008 Nate Lord ................... 2015 Michael Loukonen ..... 2015 Tonni Loutzenhiser ... 2017 Morgan Lu ................. 2011 Lindy Lubbers ............ 2008 Tina Ludutsky-Taylor 2008 Loan Maas .................. 2007 Nathan Maciejewski .. 2017 Casey Mackenzie ....... 2017 Mary Macomber ....... 2014 Richard Macomber .... 2014 Keith MacPhail .......... 2017 Teresa MacPhail ........ 2017 Greg Macy ................. 2016 Kelly Mahoney ........... 2019 Kathryn Mallot .......... 2008 Kim Manajek .............. 2018 Larrissa Mangione .... 2019 DonovanMann ........... 2019 Mark Mann ................ 2008 Shelley Mann ............. 2008 Sophia Manning ......... 2015 Craig Mansanares ..... 2007 Jane Marcus ............... 2017 Gary Markowitz ......... 2014 Sonia Marquez ........... 2018 Alan Marschke ........... 2016 Stephanie Martin ....... 2007 Debbie Martinez ........ 2016 Sharmaine Martinez ...................................... 2015 Shauntina Martinez ... 2016 Erik Mason ................. 2011 Rachel Mau ................ 2016 Gordon Mauck ........... 2008 Scott Mayfield ............ 2011 Jimmie McCaffree ..... 2016 Pat McCarthy ............. 2014 Frances McCarty ....... 2018 Laura McConnell ....... 2011 Angie McCreavey ...... 2016 Patrick McFarlane ..... 2019 Emily McLean ............ 2007 Wendy McMillan ....... 2017 Dr. Joe Meckle ........... 2015 Miguel Medina .......... 2014 Vijay Mehra ................ 2007 Madeline Anne Meier ...................................... 2019 Eric Meiers ................ 2016 Joe Mejia .................... 2017 Olimpia Mejia ............. 2018 Joaquin Melendez ...... 2011 Eliberto Mendoza ...... 2014 David Merrill ............. 2015 Sue Mesch .................. 2011 Molly Metz ................. 2007 Jesse Michaels ........... 2016

Mark Michels ............ 2008 John Mieras ................ 2017 Chris Miller ................ 2008 Ken Miller .................. 2008 Neil Miller .................. 2007 Sean Miller ................. 2018 Seth Miller .................. 2016 Skip Miller .................. 2015 Esther Mills ................ 2016 Mark Mills .................. 2011 Holly Milne ................ 2016 David Minaya ............. 2016 Jay Minaya .................. 2016 Terrell Minton ........... 2019 Carmen Mireles ......... 2016

Jim Mitchell ............... 2008 Marilyn Miyazima ..... 2019 Iria Isabel .................... 2018 Montanes Paz ............. 2015 David Montgomery ... 2007 Mike Monticello ........ 2015 Annie Moore .............. 2011 Jenna Moore .............. 2018 Joanie Moore ............. 2014 Linda Moore ............... 2008 Mary Lou Moore ....... 2007 Scott Moore ................ 2007 Marta Moreno ........... 2015 Ashlyn Morganfield ... 2018 Sadao Mori ................. 2018

Chuck Morris ............ 2014 Ron Morrow Jr. .......... 2011 Warren Morrow ......... 2018 Dianne Moses ............ 2007 Steve Moskal .............. 2015 Felipe Mosqueda ....... 2016 Victoria Moul ............. 2018 Bronwyn Muldoon .... 2015 Deanne Mulvihill ....... 2016 Kurt Munding ............ 2016 December Murillo ..... 2016 Mike Murphy ............. 2011 Bill Musselman .......... 2019 Isabella Musser ......... 2011 Wendi Nafziger .......... 2015

Aaron Nagell .............. 2016 Clinton Nash .............. 2007 Bill Nelson .................. 2011 Tanja Nelson .............. 2019 Tim Nelson ................. 2008 Tracy Nelson-Welker ...................................... 2019 Betty Ann Newby ....... 2014 Jewel Ng ..................... 2016 Parker Nicholas ......... 2018 Cary Nickolls ............. 2015 Geoffrey Nicosia ........ 2016 Ann Noble .................. 2017 Continued on Page 58

COMMUNITY REVIEW • JUNE 20, 2021 • 57

THE ‘100,’ THROUGH THE YEARS

Continued from Page 57

Bobbie Jo Noblin ....... 2008 Michele Noel-King .... 2018 Jethro (Jeff) Noonan ...................................... 2019 Jim Nordhougen ........ 2015 John Norling .............. 2015 Jef Norton ................... 2016 Bill Nugent ................. 2015 Nick O’Connor ........... 2015 Stephanie O’Connor .. 2015 The Rev. Carol GanSho O’Dowd ....................... 2011 Carol O’Meara ........... 2007 David Obvchowski .... 2016 Chris Olberding ......... 2017 Enoc Olivas ................ 2019 Silvia Olivas ................ 2008 Jason Olson ................ 2007 Michael O’Neil ........... 2017 Tony Onorato ............. 2007 Valerie Otero .............. 2008 Allen Overton ............. 2007 Stan Owens ................ 2014 Chris Parr ................... 2008 Bruce Partain ............. 2016 Audrey Partipilo ........ 2017 Darcy Pasko ............... 2016 Rashmita Patel ........... 2018 Pamela Patrick ........... 2019 Bray Patrick-Lake ...... 2008 Gina Patterson ........... 2016 Michael Payne ........... 2019 Paula Peacock ............ 2008 Clay Peck .................... 2014 Gordon Pedrow ......... 2007 Joe Pelle ...................... 2011 Adam Pena ................. 2018 Marci Perrotto ........... 2007 Lea Peshock ............... 2015 Payton Peterson ......... 2011 Brad Phelps ................ 2007 Olivia Phillips ............. 2011 Sam Piper ................... 2018 Lee Phillips ................. 2019 Julia Pirnack ............... 2018 Tom Plant ................... 2008 Steve Podel ................. 2008 Norm Poll ................... 2007 Jack Pommer ............. 2008 Dr. Mary Poole .......... 2016 Debi Pope ................... 2008 Anne Postle ................ 2014 Ray Potter ................... 2011 Steve Powers .............. 2017 John Poynton ............. 2007 OJ. Pratt ...................... 2007 Kevin Puckett ............. 2016 Kerry Leigh Pugh ..... 2008 Simon Quince ............ 2014 Jennifer Quinn ........... 2018 Dawn Quintana .......... 2015 Vern Raben ................. 2017

Doug Rademacher ..... 2007 Tim Rakow ................. 2019 Carmen Ramirez 2008, 2014 Ray Ramirez ............... 2014 Ricky Ramos .............. 2018 Ellen Ranson .... 2007, 2018 Sofia Raygoza ............. 2019 Helen Rayl .................. 2007 Ben Ready .................. 2011 Darrin Reese .............. 2018 Rick Reiten ................. 2008 Dawn Reiter ............... 2015 Regina Renaldi ........... 2011 Troy Renck ................. 2019 Heather E. Reszka ..... 2008 John Reuer ................. 2019 Mary Reynolds .......... 2011 Brian Rezac ................ 2014 Nancy Rezac ............... 2007 Larissa Rhodes ........... 2018 Nancy Rich ................. 2016 Dick Richards ............ 2008 Wendy Richards ......... 2008 Loretta Richter ........... 2011 Stacie Richter ............. 2007 Alma Rico ................... 2014 Dudley Rider .............. 2007 Janet Rider .................. 2007 Brenda Ridgley .......... 2016 Bobby Ridnour ........... 2015 Ted Risk ...................... 2016 Karlo Rivera ............... 2018 Michael Roberts ........ 2014 Blaine Robinson ......... 2019 Glenda S. Robinson ... 2014 Jose Rodriguez-Lopez 2016 John Rogers ............... 2015 Robyn Rogers ............. 2007 Patty Rollberg ............ 2017 Benny Romero ........... 2014 Joshua Romero .......... 2017 Karen Roney .............. 2008 Stephen Ross .............. 2014 Jennifer Rossman ...... 2019 Mary Rose .................. 2018 D’Anne Rudden .......... 2015 Kandis Rulle ............... 2016 Phoenix Sagen ........... 2014 Edwina Salazar ........... 2011 Scott Salzman ............. 2019 Adalberto Salcido Silva ...................................... 2007 Carol Salter ................ 2011 Mark Sample .............. 2019 Lorynda Sampson ...... 2015 Rick Samson ............... 2017 Emily Sanchez ........... 2019 Tony Santelli .............. 2018 Gabe Santos ............... 2011 Bob Sargent ............... 2007 Jeff Satur ..................... 2011 Anna Sauer ................. 2014 Sameer Sawant ........... 2007

58 • JUNE 20, 2021 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

Billy Sawyer ............... 2019 Monique Sawyer-Lang ...................................... 2015 Jennifer Scheidies ...... 2011 Mark W. Schell .......... 2017 Traude Schneider ...... 2015 Ralph Schnelvar ......... 2016 Pete Schones .............. 2014 Terry Schueller ......... 2011 Clayton Schultz .......... 2007 Katie Schultz .............. 2015 Janice Schumacher .... 2008 Steve Schwartzenberger ...................................... 2007 Joe Scott ..................... 2008 Sean Scott ................... 2015 Susan Scruggs ........... 2016 Sandra Seader ............ 2016 Robert Sears .............. 2019 Melissa Seipelt ........... 2014 Brandon Shaffer ........ 2011 Nirav Shah .................. 2017 Susan Shaheen ........... 2017 Mike Shea .................. 2011 Jeff Sherman .............. 2008 Dale Sherrod .............. 2018 Vince Shryack ............ 2015 Dan Siddal .................. 2014 Melanie Sidwell ......... 2019 Lenny Sigwarth .......... 2014 Ralph Silkonson ......... 2015 Dan Simmons ............. 2017 Deborah Simmons ..... 2017 Bonnie Sims ............... 2011 Bobbi Sindelar ........... 2018 Jonathan Singer ......... 2019 Daman Singh ............. 2016 Josh Sipfle .................. 2014 Annie Sirotniak .......... 2011 Matthew B. Skaggs ... 2015 Todd Skaw .................. 2018 Gretchen Skony ......... 2015 AndreaSmith .............. 2019 Donna Smith .............. 2015 Ladon Smith ............... 2007 Logan Smith ............... 2016 Sonny Smith ............... 2007 The Rev. Felicia SmithGraybeal ........... 2017 Richard Socash .......... 2016 Sharon Socher ........... 2007 Paul Sorensen ............ 2011 Tyler Sorensen .......... 2014 NatalieSonora ............. 2019 Jesus Soto ................... 2017 Stacie Speirs ............... 2017 Amulya Srivastava ..... 2014 Johnnie St. Vrain ........ 2007 Tommy Stager ........... 2017 Sara Staley .................. 2019 Brandon Staple .......... 2018 O Stecina .................... 2019 Chris Steele ................ 2007 Josh Stegmeier .......... 2016

Sherri Stephens-Carter ...................................... 2008 Archie Stevenson ....... 2015 Una Stevenson ........... 2015 Jason Stillman ............ 2014 Carolyn Storz ............. 2011 Anthony Stout ............ 2008 Dave Stout .................. 2018 Diane Stow ................. 2017 Juanita Straight .......... 2008 Garrett Struessel ....... 2017 Claire Studholme ....... 2018 Tom Stumpf ................ 2008 Wes Sugden ................ 2015 Cindy Sullivan ............ 2015 Bridget Sutton ............ 2011 Jul Swan ...................... 2011 Whitney Swander ...... 2014 Sean Swarner ............. 2007 Connie Syferd ............ 2011 Shirley Borrego Tackett ...................................... 2017 John Taft ..................... 2014 SaToro Tafura ............ 2018 Nancy Tanaka ............ 2018 John “Jaytee” Tanguma ...................................... 2011 Gale Taylor ................. 2018 Teresa Taylor Tate .... 2016 Ana Temu ................... 2014 Troy Terry ................. 2011 Rachael Teufel ........... 2014 Sophanna Thann ........ 2016 Jackson Theis ............ 2018 Byron Thomas ........... 2017 Ed Thompson ............ 2008 Eric Thorin ................. 2008 Frank Tiff ................... 2014 Paul Tiger ................... 2017 Ian Tinney .................. 2019 Derek Todd ................ 2008 Ejay Toledo ................ 2017 Mary Alice Tonkinson ...................................... 2019 Michelle Tran ............ 2018 Robert Trujillo ........... 2007 Delaney Tureson ....... 2018 Linda Tyler ................. 2007 Marijke Unger ........... 2018 Donna Valentine ........ 2008 Jay E. Valusek ............ 2018 Sally Van Meter .......... 2014 Diana VanDeHey ....... 2016 Nate Vanderschaaf ..... 2008 Ezequiel Vasquez ....... 2008 Meinte Veldhuis ......... 2015 Jill Vickland ................ 2019 Rebekah Vicknair ...... 2016 Garian Vigil ................ 2014 Maria Villagran .......... 2014 Rebecca Vincent ........ 2014 Ron Vogel ................... 2014 Quincy Vork ............... 2019 Savannah Vrooman .... 2019

Eugene Waara ............ 2011 Dave Wagner .............. 2011 Francine Wahlgren .... 2015 Hannah Waldron ........ 2016 Nelson Walker ........... 2017 Kiki Wallace ............... 2007 Jennifer Love Walter .. 2017 Gail Ward .................... 2008 David Edwin Ward ..... 2017 Pam Ware ................... 2011 Dr. Robin Waterbury ...................................... 2019 Katherine Weadley .... 2015 Wendy Weathers ........ 2017 Kenzie Webb .............. 2018 Michelle Webb ........... 2017 Ashley Weber ............. 2016 Patti Weber ................. 2007 Amy Weed .................. 2011 Jim Weglarz ................ 2018 Aidan Wegner ............ 2015 Shawn Wentz .............. 2017 Patti West ................... 2016 Sydney Wetterstrom .. 2016 Valerie Whatley .......... 2016 Myron Whisman ........ 2008 Mike Whiteley ........... 2008 Michelle Whitmore ... 2017 Ryan Wibby ................ 2018 Ken Wicklund ............ 2008 Eric Wiggs ................. 2018 Jeff Wilkes .................. 2011 John Williams ............ 2008 Serena Williams ......... 2011 Amanda Wilson .......... 2019 Fred Wilson ............... 2016 Gemma Wilson .......... 2018 Ruth Wilson ............... 2015 Greg Winger .............. 2015 Ernie Wintergerst ..... 2016 Sarah Wise ................. 2014 Ariel Wishkovsky ...... 2018 Cheryl Witt ................ 2015 Terry Witty ................ 2007 Dan Wolford ............... 2008 Dr. Jane Wolford ........ 2011 Richard Wolniewicz ... 2014 Connor Wood ............. 2018 Diane Wood ...... 2008, 2014 Peter Wood ................. 2018 Tisha Wood ................ 2019 Philip Woods .............. 2019 PiperAnne Worcester 2018 Owen Wroe ................ 2019 Jeff Wurtz ................... 2019 Dennis Yanchunas ..... 2019 Jose Quiroz Yanez ..... 2017 Jude Yedidovich ......... 2017 Skye Yedidovich ........ 2017 Joseph Zanovitch ....... 2019 Kyle Zimmer .............. 2014 Susan Zimmerman .... 2008 Connie Zweck ............ 2019 Tom Zweck ................. 2019

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