January 2021 THRIVE Local Magazine

Januar y 20 21

Nor t her n Color ado Edit ion

Meet Tidbit s Publisher Ron Ross 1 1 Photo by Amy Huggins, Huggins Photography

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Impor tant Phone Number s Ber t h ou d Senior Center 970-532-2730 Berthoud Area Transportation Sys. (BATS) 970-344-5816 Rural Alternative For Transportation (RAFT)970-532-0808 Eat on Recreation Center - Active Adults

970-893-1200

Est es Par k Estes Valley Community Center 970-586-8191 Estes Park Senior Citizens Center (EPSCC) 970-581-2195 Meals on Wheels VIA Transportation 303-447-9636 For t Collin s Meals on Wheels Senior Center SAINT Transportation

970-484-6325 970-221-6644 970-223-8653

Gr eeley Active Adult Center Meals on Wheels 60+ Ride

970-350-9440 970-577-0610 970-352-9348

In This Issue...

Joh n st ow n Senior Center 60+ Ride

970-587-5251 970-352-9348

Pu blish er s' Not es............................ 4

Lovelan d Meals on Wheels SAINT Transportation Chilson Senior Center

970-667-0311 970-223-8653 970-962-2783

M illik en Senior Center 60+ Ride

970-587-2484 970-352-9348

In dex of Spon sor s............................ 5 Fr ien ds of THRIVE............................ 6 Local Resou r ces............................... 7 Ou t & Abou t ..................................... 8 Spon sor Spot ligh t ............................ 9 Lovelan d Residen t ........................... 10

THRIVE Local Cont r ibut or s...

Br ain Gam es..................................... 12 Fin an cial Fou n dat ion s.................... 13 Est es Par k Ar t ist .............................. 14 Ber t h ou d Residen t .......................... 16 Local Resou r ces............................... 18

Bob McDonnell Weld County

Phyllis Kennemer Loveland

Terry Rustin Estes Park

Danita Nixon

Mark Nixon

Virginia Huppe Berthoud

M ak in g a Dif f er en ce ....................... 20 Healt h y Livin g.................................. 21 Legal View s...................................... 22

Š2020 THRIVE Local Magazine, 1635 Foxtrail Dr., Loveland, CO 80538 970-852-4900 All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is strictly prohibited. Advertisements contained within this publication do not represent endorsement by the publisher. Publisher may not be held liable or responsible for business practices of these companies.

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It 's n ot JUST a m agazin e it 's a M OVEM ENT!

Publishers' Not es NOM INATIONS Please!

We are looking for nom inat ions for people t o do art icles on!

Who do you know t hat is 50+, living in Larim er or Weld Count y...

An d Is...

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A Volunteer An Artist A Business Owner Running a Farm or Ranch Running a Non-Profit Making a Difference Traveling

Or Has...

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An Interesting Hobby An Adorable Pet A Cool Car A Beautiful Garden A Lovely Home

Please send us t heir nam e and cont act inform at ion!

INSPIRE - CONNECT - EDUCATE

Don't Miss a Single Issue Pick up a har d copy of t he magazine at : Ber t h ou d:

Senior Center, Library, box on corner in front of Post Office Eat on : Heritage Market Est es: Senior Center, Recreation Center, MedX, box on side of Egg & I Ft . Collin s: Breakfast Club & Walgreens (Lemay Ave) Gr eeley: Safeway on 10th St & Aunt Helen's Coffee House, Stockman's Cafe, Good Health Will Joh n st ow n : Senior Center & YMCA Lovelan d: Safeway (Cleveland), Breakfast Club, Golden Corral, Library, Loveland Coffee Co. M illik en : Senior Center Tim n at h : On the corner, in the box in front of post office

Don't Miss a Copy of THRIVE Local Magazine!

There are two ways to subscribe: Digit al Su bscr ipt ion : Free - Email your email address to Danita@thrivelocalmagazine.com Har d copy m agazin e, m ail su bscr ipt ion : $24.00 for 12 issues. Mail a check to THRIVE Local Magazine, 1635 Foxtrail Dr., Loveland, CO 80538 Or , call 970-852-4900 t o set u p you r su bscr ipt ion

Meet t he Publisher s

Leave a m essage at 970-852-4900 or sen d an em ail t o: dan it a@t h r ivelocalm agazin e.com !

Danita & Mark Nixon are residents of Loveland.

Mark is a native of Colorado, born in Ft. Collins. Danita was raised a Navy brat, and considers Colorado home.

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When they aren't working or serving in the community, Danita & Mark can be found spending time with friends & family, cooking, escaping clue rooms, geocaching, or traveling.

Index of Sponsor s Our Sponsors make it possible to provide this monthly publication to our community free of charge. When you have a need for our sponsors' products or services, we ask that you give them a chance to earn your business. Please tell them you found them in the THRIVE Local magazine!

At t or ney

Jorgensen, Brownell & Pepin, P.C.

800-598-4348

Aut o Glass

Prime Time Auto Glass

970-305-0476

Debt Eliminat ion

Smart Financial Foundations

970-316-3328

Der mat ology

Monarch Dermatology & Surgery

970-800-9330

Elect r ician

Grayson Electric

970-852-4480

Financial Advisor

Edward Jones, Art Aldrich

970-663-0554

Floor ing, Kit chen & Bat hs

ProSource, Sami Martinez

970-612-8100

Hear ing

Fyzical Therapy & Balance Centers

970-541-2851

Hospice

Charter Homecare

970-667-2273

Insur ance

Mountain Storm Insurance

970-834-3668

Medical Equipment

Mobility & More

970-461-8400

Medical/Safet y Aler t

Senior Living Advisors of Colorado

970-541-4592

Mor t gage

Mortgage Contract Services

303-638-7814

Moving Company

Exodus Moving

970-484-1488

Physical Ther apy

Fyzical Therapy & Balance Centers

970-541-2851

Rossit er

Grace Yoga

970-646-2022

Real Est at e

Kimberly Caldwell

970-980-1671

Senior Living

Senior Living Advisors of Colorado

970-541-4592

Tr avel Agent

Cruise Planners

970-578-9779

THRIVELocalMagazine.com Jan. 2021

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Fr iends of THRIVE

In Loving Memor y of Shar on Zamor a Sharon's favorite holiday was Christmas. She is seen here enjoying a holiday party with Friends of THRIVE.

Sharon Zamora

Loveland Resident, Sharon Zamora, was one of those people who never met a stranger. She was a kind, thoughtful, quiet soul, that navigated life with a twinkle in her eye.

We could all learn a thing or three from Sharon. Though challenged with health issues, she ALWAYS maintained a positive attitude, and continued to be active and engaged in the community (with the assistance of her dear husband Ernie).

Sharon served on the Larimer County Office on Aging Council for sixteen years. Members are asked to share their biographies, so that others on the Council can get to know them better. According to fellow council member Elaine Boni, Sharon felt too shy to speak for herself, so Elaine interviewed her, wrote her story, and shared it with the council. The following is Sharon's story as told by her two years ago: "I, Sharon Zamora, was born in Igloo, South Dakota. It doesn?t exist any more. It was just a bunch of quonset huts, and my dad worked there. I am a member of the Lakota Ogallala Sioux nation.

We?ve been married for 53 years. I had a daughter; then another daughter six years later, and then eight years later another daughter. Two of my daughters live in California and one lives here in Longmont. I have three granddaughters, and one died very young of SIDS. There are three grandsons and three great grandsons who live in Colorado Springs. I am very close to my family and proud of my native heritage and my faith.

There were nine girls, four boys and one half sister in my family. I was the fifth from the oldest. Two first cousins came to live with us when their parents died.

That made fifteen kids.

We had a home in Manderson, which is thirty miles from the Pine Ridge Reservation. We lived in a log house with 300 acres around it. We had from ten to fifteen horses, and I rode them. My mom and dad spoke the Sioux language, and we kids could understand it, but didn?t speak it.

As an adult, my dream came true, and my mother paid to send me to Nursing School at Front Range Community College. I graduated in 1990, the first Native American to graduate from there.

Unfortunately, a bad back prevented me from lifting, so I could not work as a nurse.

I went to a Catholic Indian School, the Holy Rosary

However, I worked at the Thompson Valley School District."

Mission. The Franciscan sisters were strict but kind. I lived at the school for nine months of the year and went to the school for twelve years. All of my childhood, I wanted to be a nurse, and the nuns were arranging for me to go to a nursing school in California. However, my mother needed me to help her at home, so those dreams were dashed.

My mom and I moved to Longmont and we both worked there. I met Ernie and married at eighteen.

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A gof u n d m e h as been cr eat ed t o h elp pay f or bills associat ed w it h Sh ar on s' illn ess an d passin g.

www.gofundme.com/f/sharon-zamora 6 6

Local Resour ces THRIVE Local M agazin e Nor t h er n Color ado Bu sin ess Speed Net w or k in g Are you a part of a business that you would like to promote to other Northern Colorado businesses? We are starting a monthly ZOOM speed networking event. At this event you will have the opportunity to share your business one on one with up to eight connections! Event is $10 to THRIVE Local Magazine Readers who are 65+ and $15 for all others.

Weds., Jan u ar y 20t h f r om 4:00pm -5:30pm Space is lim it ed, RSVP at : h t t ps:/ / bit .ly/ t lm speedn et w or k in g

Fr ien ds of THRIVE M on t h ly " Happy Hou r " !

What are "Friends of THRIVE", you ask? Friends of THRIVE are simply those who read our monthly magazine and enjoy it! Prior to Covid, Friends of THRIVE held several monthly events. We have patiently waited for the world to get back to "normal", so we can get back to having those in-person meetings. In the meantime, we have had many of our readers reach out to us and ask us when we will begin meeting again. Many folks are feeling isolated and a bit bored. We are committed to keeping everyone safe, so we have decided to start up zoom meetings so that we all can re-connect. As soon as gathering limits are lifted, we will begin meeting in person once again!

Th e 1st Fr ien ds of THRIVE ZOOM Happy Hou r : Weds., Jan u ar y 27t h f r om 4:00pm -5:00pm Our speaker will be storyteller Jim Willard - sharing an entertaining rendition of "Jim's Whims"!

Please RSVP at : h t t ps:/ / bit .ly/ t lm h appyh ou r Note: If you need help getting your computer or other device set up to use Zoom - please call Mark at 970-612-2360. He will happily assist you (no charge) in getting set up!

Su ppor t Gr ou p f or Wom en Th e Wise Wom en Support and Discussion Group is a free, community-based support group for women 50 ? 100+. Due to the Coronavirus pandemic we currently meet once every two weeks via Zoom. If you wish to sign up to receive email announcements of our next meetings and the discussion topics, please email Beth Firestein at firewom@webaccess.net and request to be put on the list.

COVID-19 Su ppor t lin e Let ?s Talk ! Color ado Spir it Pr ovides a Fr ee COVID-19 Su ppor t Lin e f or Lar im er & Weld Cou n t ies Are you feeling lonely or isolated due to the COVID-19 pandemic? Maybe you are struggling financially.

Have you experienced loss or changes in your routine? You are not alone, we are here to support you.Larimer County residents, call the support line at (970) 221-5551 or email colospirit@summitstonehealth.org. Weld County residents, call the support line at (970) 347-2359 or email colorado.spirit@northrange.org Not Everything is Cancelled...

Sunshine is not cancelled

Love is not cancelled

Relationships are not cancelled

Reading is not cancelled

Naps are not cancelled

Devotion is not cancelled

Music is not cancelled

Dancing is not cancelled

Imagination is not cancelled

Kindness is not cancelled

Conversations are not cancelled

HOPE is not cancelled - Author unknown THRIVELocalMagazine.com Jan. 2021

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Out & About

Big Thompson Canyon The big horn sheep were out and about in the Big Thompson Canyon recently! THRIVE Local Magazine Sponsor Amanda Mancuso (see article on page 9) was fortunate enough to be there to snap some great photos.

Fu n Fact s abou t Color ado bigh or n sh eep: Colorado is home to the largest population of bighorn sheep, with an estimated population of 8,000.

They breed in November and December, giving birth in May and June.

Fr iends of THRIVE Local Magazine

Ewes (females) have spiked horns, weigh between 120-200 pounds and live 10 to 14 years.

Rams (males) have curled horns, weigh between 150-250 pounds and live between 9 to 12 years.

L O V E L A N D

Volunteers of American resumed meal service in Loveland on Mondays.

This drive in meal service is being handled by mother daughter duo Kim and Megan, who faithfully serve lunch with a cheery "hello" and a smile! For information on receiving VOA meals in Loveland, check out page 18.

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Megan delivering a meal.

Megan shared, "I look forward to catching up with my senior friends. I want to know what is going on with them!"

Sponsor Spotl ight

Amanda Mancuso - Mount ain St or m Insur ance Have you ever wondered if you are paying too much for your home and auto insurance OR has there ever been a moment when you thought, ?Am I covered for that??

Amanda Mancuso is a local insurance broker who will spend time making sure you are properly covered AND you have the best rates. Most agents have access to just one insurance company and have to figure out how their products fit with the client?s needs. As a broker, Amanda has access to many companies so the customer ?s needs are always first. If she cannot find better coverage or better rates you will find comfort in knowing you have done your due diligence.

Amanda got into the insurance business to foster relationships and serve people. She was born and raised in Fort Collins and her roots here run deep.

She has 3 children, ages 5-22, and a husband who

works for the Fire Department. She spent many years as a social worker and prides herself on compassion, empathy and the ability to put people first. Her parents have been insurance agents for 40 years here in Northern Colorado, and are thrilled she finally decided to take the plunge and join them in their work. Making it a family affair brings a love for the work and unites everyone with new challenges that they are tackling together.

Amanda offers free, no obligation insurance reviews on home, auto, business, and life policies.

Customers who have participated in the review have said things like ?This is incredible informative?, ?I had no idea my liability coverage was so small? and ?You seriously saved me so much money!? Come join the family!

Give Am an da a call at 970-834-3668!

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Loveland Resident

One Gif t ed Guy Ron Ross playing the piano with passion!

By Bob M cDon n ell Ph ot os by Am y Hu ggin s Ph ot ogr aph y

If Ron Ross has a hat rack, it has to be a large one. The active Loveland senior citizen wears a lot of ?hats.?

Some know Ron as Dr. Ross because of his educational achievements, although he admits he barely graduated from high school in 1961. He also says that very early in his life he realized, he was ?here for a purpose.? That purpose led to a formal education, including a Bachelor ?s degree in Ministry from Nebraska Christian College, a Masters of Divinity from Creighton University, and a Doctor of Theology from Biblical Life College and Seminary. Ron notes that he was the first protestant minister to graduate from Creighton, a Jesuit Catholic university.

He used this education to pastor at a church in Kansas, then spent seven years as a missionary in Zambia with his wife and two children. Later, he was at a church in Omaha for nine years.

Ron traces his Colorado roots back to his grandfather who homesteaded in Deerfield. Ron comes from the Julesburg area and his late10wife lived inBill, Longmont asBrett a child. ?It?s home,?

Ron Elizabeth, $ Christina Markham 10 10

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says about Colorado.

Learning is an ongoing process for Ron. He is a self-described vociferous reader. He said, ?I?ve participated in more seminars, training sessions, and discussion groups than I can count.? He has had personal private interviews with two presidents, Gerald Ford, at his retirement home in Colorado, and President Kaunda of Zambia. He also had the privilege of working with the late-great newsman, Paul Harvey.

In 1967 Ron became involved with Tidbits, a monthly newspaper publication that contains trivia and interesting facts. As the publisher and distributor of Tidbits for Loveland, Centerra, and Greeley, Ron writes a column for each issue.

Ron is the ?Dean? of Tidbits University, where he gives online instruction classes for new Tidbits publishers across the nation.

Besides reading books, Ron has written a few. His first book is titled Your Family Heritage, A Guide to Preserving Family History.Preserving family history is important to Ron. He wants people to capture and preserve their family legacy. His website, recordyourfamilyhistory.com, encourages people to record their family?s past.

three-day adrenaline rush that followed. He plans to jump again on his 80th birthday.

Recently, Ron teamed up with Carol Hall, a Loveland neighbor, to create a movement called Powerful Seniors. They believe many seniors realize the truths that formed America are being twisted, ignored, and denied, and the American dream is fading. They are creating an online library of resources that will help seniors tell the truth to our youth.

At the same time, and in conjunction with Powerful Seniors, Ron and Carol collaborated on a book titledYou?re Something Special. It?s intended for individuals and for parents and grandparents to share. The book?s premise is that ?You are not an accident; you are a special creation of God.?

Writing, speaking, music, and publishing! It appears Dr. Ross has no intention of reducing the size of his hat rack! He shares, ?I want the last chapter of my life to be the best one of all.?

Ron is an accomplished speaker. In 2016, he joined the Loveland Sweet Talker ?s Toastmasters Club. He joined in part because he ?wanted something to do?? a year after his wife of over 50 years died from brain cancer. He remains an active member of the club and always welcomes opportunities to speak.

He used his voice in another way too. Ron had a radio program every week for five years. The broadcast called Tidbits Radio was created in his home studio. The show featured what was in Tidbits that week and his philosophies and opinions on various topics. Each show ended with a trivia pop quiz, which became another book for Ron to market.

For some reason, in 2017, at the age of 73, Ron tandem-jump parachuted for the first time. The main thing he remembers from his jump was the

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Br ain Games

Decemb er Puzzl e Sol uti ons

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Cr eat ing a Plan for t he New Year

Financial Fitness

By M ar k Nixon

Have you heard of the term ?foundational planning? ? It is an old term with a history that dates back to the great depression. Foundational planning is the starting point for personal or business financials, which is not talked about much, because it is not as exciting as investment conversations. Yet, foundational planning builds a solid financial base upon which financial planners and investment advisors can do their work. This type of planning was used by well know names like Walt Disney, JC Penny, and the Pampered Chief to create wealth and use it to keep their business dreams afloat. This strategy is available for anyone to use. For a majority of us, especially our kids and grand-kids, this is an important conversation to have heading into 2021.

Foundational planning has four pillars, debt elimination is the first and one of the most important. Debt is a subject that most people don't like to talk about, however, it is a major point of contention for many families. 80% of the American population is in debt and most of us have increased our debt even more in 2020.

Retiring ones?debt as soon as possible is the goal of this first step. Student loans, car loans, credit cards, and mortgages, can be eliminated in nine years or less in most cases. Retiring debt helps folks to worry less about their finances which gives them the freedom to live more, and to retire when and how they would like to in their 40?s, 50?s, or beyond!

January is the beginning of a new year and it is a great time to create a plan to reduce debt and grow money so all of us can create more long term security and options for our futures.

Next month we will look at Pillar #2, Protecting your assets. For more information about financial foundations and our debt elimination program, please visit our website at www.SmartFinacialFoundations.com

We Can Hel p You M ak e th e Ri gh t M ov es i n 2021 Personal Finance Decisions Can Be A Game of Chess, Which Moves Will Get You Through Singlehood, Parenthood, Pre-Retirement Years, & into Retirement?

We Can Help You Plan Far En ou gh Ah ead t o Win t h e Gam e of Lif e Give Us a Call Today!

- Debt Elim in at ion - Asset Pr ot ect ion - Ret ir em en t In com e - Lon g Ter m Car e Sm ar t Fin an cialFou n dat ion s.com

M ar k Nixon (970) 316-3328 M ar k @SFFPlan n er .com

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Estes Par k Ar tist

Mont e Michener Reveals t he Gr ace and Power of Hor ses in his Sculpt ur es

By T.A. Ru st in

Monte Michener has been riding horses since the age of 5. ?Horses were my life at that age,? he said quietly, and explained that at the age of 13, he developed severe Type I diabetes and nearly died before receiving treatment. ?I'd been starving to death,? he said. ?I had lost 20 pounds. I looked like a skeleton.? The weekend after he saw the doctor for the first time, however, was a big horse show in which he was scheduled to participate. The doctor stabilized him in the hospital, and then let him compete in the show? which he won. ?The doctor told me, 'Diabetes is not going to stop you,'? he recalled. Caring for his horses, communicating with them and riding them became a motivation for him to live.

Today, Monte's love and admiration for horses is apparent in his artwork. He uses driftwood that he finds on the shores of Lake Estes and elsewhere, 14 14 14

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and builds remarkable sculptures of horses, from the ground up. Having minimal training in art, Monte has developed his own techniques for assembling the sculptures and preserving them against the elements.

Residen

Monte has recently widened his vision and has made driftwood sculptures of bison, bighorn sheep, and deer. ?The thread through all this work is reclaiming things? repurposing and reusing materials,? he said.

Many of his pieces incorporate pieces of steel and other found objects.

His most recent pieces have been benches made from sections of aspen screwed together and finished. ?I like functional art", Monte explained. He has also made a number of striking wall mounted pieces incorporating shades of blue and red paint on sections of cedar. He exhibits his work at his studio and at the spa owned by his wife, Ravit, on the banks of the Big Thompson River. Several of his horses can be seen from Moraine Avenue.

Before devoting himself full-time to his art work, Monte earned his living in the construction trade. He has applied his construction skills to his artwork, so that his sculptures, though quite heavy, are balanced and stable, like the animals they represent.

Although he is working on quite a number of projects, sculpting horses remains closest to Monte's heart. ?Freedom is what they represent to me."

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Ber thoud Resident

Car ey J. Salomonson My personal story needs to convey my appreciation for growing up and living my entire life in the Berthoud community. My wife Donna, and I always recognize what a great environment we enjoyed raising our six children.

I have always lived on the Salomonson Centennial Farm West of Berthoud. My parents had a herd of milking shorthorn cattle and the hand-drawn milk was sold to the Johnstown operation making condensed milk as well as raw milk for our meals.

Growing up, I spent many long days mowing, plowing and combining using our two tractors with no radio or cab covers. My brother Vince, Virginia Huppe and I attended Red Rock rural school. We walked or rode our bikes to and from school.

When the rural schools closed, about 1952, we rode buses to attend school in town. It was quite a change for country kids

creation of the Independent Bankers of Colorado.

In 1998 I was elected President of the IBC as the thirteenth president of the bank organization at that time supporting over two hundred community banks in Colorado. I will never forget, at the 30th annual convention in 2005, I was awarded the fourth Ivan Fugate Award as a contributor to IBC efforts in support of Colorado community banks. It was a special event for Donna and me, as four of our kids and several BNB bank employees were there as surprise congratulators. Wow! I was then elected to serve a three year term on the board of the national organization, ICBA. The principal effort of this organization is to communicate community bank issues to members of congress.

On July 22, 1970, my first wife Mary Beth gave birth to fraternal twins, Julie and Craig. During the birthing process Mary Beth suffered a cranial aneurysm and immediately passed away. With Eric age seven, and Amy age five and new twins I was a busy guy. A few years later, I, very fortunately, met Donna who also had twins Kelly and Mike, and we married and successfully put our two families together.

On February 24, 1964, after graduating from CSU, I, very fortunately, was hired at Berthoud National Bank (BNB). It was very different from these days as BNB was the only bank in town. I started as a teller/bookkeeper and was viewed by customers as being very young to be a small part of the bank team. As the health of owner/president Louis Bein declined I became President for eleven years until the bank sold to Centennial Bank of the West. WE had a wonderful team in the bank, which with the interaction enjoyed, I greatly miss to this day.

The owners/directors of BNB encouraged involvement in the Berthoud community. In the 1960?s and 1970?s business in Berthoud was slow and limited. I was elected President of the Berthoud Development Company. We utilized a tool of the Small Business Administration (SBA) that encouraged the sale of stock locally, at

BNB was an organizing community bank in the 16 16 16

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$100.00 per share to community members, which then financially supported business startups. We were fortunate to bring Burkhard Manufacturing and Champion Homes to Berthoud as new local employers.

A final community bank support effort by BNB, was construction of the new Guaranty Financial building across from the A&W. The building housed our in-house date processing staff. There was a community room in the basement, and a back-up-generator on the roof.

Following retirement from banking employment, I was fortunate to be elected to the Board of Directors of Home State Bank headquartered in Loveland. I served for eight and one half years.

Today our farmstead is part of seventy-two irrigated acres. John Ellis carefully does the farming on our land, raising quality grass hay. I stay retired, but busy trying to control weeds and maintain fences. I greatly enjoy my shop (Man

Cave) where I attempt to make gifts for our large family and friends.

Donna and I enjoy limited travel. We greatly enjoyed taking our son Mike on three South African hunting safaris. We have been on three cruise?s. For me, without an exercise room, I would have been bored. Since food is always available on cruises, I always worried about ?walking on the boat and rolling off ? at the ending port. Several years ago we enjoyed a trip through Alaska for our twenty fifth wedding anniversary.

In conclusion, readers should allow some inaccuracies in my recollection of some of my life events. There have been many other experiences I could have described, but for space limitations.

Again, I am grateful to Virginia Huppe and Thrive magazine for asking me to share some of my personal story.

Advice f r om An Old Far m er ...

Meanness don?t jes?happen overnight.

Forgive your enemies; it messes up their heads.

Do not corner something that you know is meaner than you.

It don?t take a very big person to carry a grudge.

You cannot unsay a cruel word.

Every path has a few puddles.

When you wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty.

The best sermons are lived, not preached.

Most of the stuff people worry about ain?t never gonna happen anyway.

Don?t judge folks by their relatives.

Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

Live a good, honorable life? Then when you get older and think back, you?ll enjoy it a second time.

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Local Resour ces Due to Covid-19 restrictions, some meal sites are providing "drive through" meal services. The sites ask patrons to honor CDC guidelines for safe distancing and the wearing of masks.

Lar imer Count y Dr ive Thr ough Senior Meal Ser vices This list is not all inclusive - for other locations, call Volunteers of America at 970-472-9630 option 1 Ber t h ou d The Smiling Spoon is providing curbside pickup every Thurs. between 11:30am - 12:00pm at the Berthoud Senior Center 248 Welch Ave., Berthoud Reser vat ion s m u st be m ade by 1:30 pm t h e day bef or e pick u p at 970-472-9630 opt ion 1 Est es Par k Drive Through Meals provided by the Big Horn Restaurant are served every day at 11:45am at the Estes Park Senior Center, 1760 Olympian Ln., Estes Park Cost and menu can be found at Estesparkseniors.org Reser vat ion s ar e r equ ir ed t h e day pr ior by 1:00pm . RSVP at 970-581-2195 For t Collin s The Smiling Spoon is providing curbside pickup every Weds. between 11:30am - 12:00pm at the Sanctuary Place Apartments 3732 Kunz Ct., Fort Collins Meals are available for adults 60 or older - suggested donation $2.50 per meal Reser vat ion s m u st be m ade by 1:30 pm t h e day bef or e at 970-472-9630 opt ion 1 Lovelan d Smiling Spoon curbside pickup every Mon. between 11:30am and 12:00pm at the Chilson Senior Center 700 E 4th St., Loveland For adults 60+. There is no cost for eligible diners. Suggested donations of $2.50 may be mailed in. Self-addressed stamped envelopes will be available at the site. Cash donations will no longer be accepted on site.

Reser vat ion s m u st be m ade by 1:30 pm t h e Fr i. bef or e at (970) 472-9630 opt ion 1

Weld Count y Fr iendly For k Meal Sit es This list is not all inclusive - for other locations, call Volunteers of America at 970-400-6132 Eat on Friendly Fork Drive Through Meals are being served every Weds. at 12:00pm at the Eaton Recreation Center, 1675 3rd St., Eaton Cost for the meal 60+ years of age - $4.00 Under 60 years of age - $12.00 Reser vat ion s ar e r equ ir ed t h e Tu esday pr ior by 10am . RSVP w it h Am y Hodge 970-893-1200 Gr eeley Active Adult Center 1010 6th St., Greeley Mon. & Weds. at 11:30 am Reser vat ion s r equ ir ed, call 970-350-9440 Joh n st ow n Friendly Fork Drive Through Meals are being served every Weds. at 11:45am at the Johnstown Senior Center, 101 Charlotte St., Johnstown Must be at least 60+ years of age or a spouse of a person 60 yrs old. Suggested donation $4.00 Reser vat ion s ar e r equ ir ed t h e Tu esday pr ior by 10am . RSVP at 970-587-5251 M illik en Friendly Fork Drive Through Meals are being served every Mon. & Fri. at 11:30am at the Milliken Senior Center, 1101 S Broad St., Milliken Suggested donation for meal is $4.00 for 60+ and $14.00 for those under 60 years of age.

Reser vat ion s m u st be called in at least on e bu sin ess day pr ior t o m eal day. Please call Kat h y at 970-660-5040 t o r eser ve you r m eal.

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Mak ing a Differ ence

Ther apy w it h Miniat ur e Hor ses

by Ph yllis Ken n em er

A bit of comfort is welcome during these stressful times. DeAnnaKay Swetzig offers soothing support to those in need. Her specially trained miniature horses bring a calming effect to those seeking relief from trauma, grief, depression, or isolation.

The horses travel by van to homes, parks, and other locations where they quietly connect with suffering souls.

DeAnnaKay, the founder of Whispering Hearts Therapy, is passionate about helping people, especially the elderly, children, veterans, those with disabilities, and those experiencing grief.

Therapeutic sessions with the horses make differences in people's lives, as they experience positive changes in their emotional well-being.

Some describe their time with the horses as magical. Others bask in the joy of being in their "happy places" during the interactions.

DeAnnaKay has interacted with horses for her whole life. She began her association with the Miss Rodeo organization when she served as Miss Rodeo Colorado in the 1970s. She has continued to be involved at the state and national levels since then.

She facilitates Whispering Hearts Therapy on her 20-acre ranch north of Greeley (near Windsor). The ranch is a private residence; not open to the public. The farming area is leased out and 20 DeAnnaKay concentrates her efforts on her 20 20

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animals. She has four miniature horses, two full-size horses, and three Castilian donkeys.

The donkeys are occasionally involved in therapy sessions along with the miniature horses, but they are quite different from horses. Donkeys are more inquisitive and quite curious. A Board Member/Handler is presently training two Jennys for therapy visits in 2021. ( Jennys are female donkeys; males are Jacks.)

Before Covid, DeAnnaKay reports that the miniature horses were popular visitors in assisted living centers and senior care facilities. They would go into individual patients' rooms and offer comfort. Since no one is allowed inside the centers now, the horses sometimes interact with people near windows in the buildings. Sessions with other types of clients are arranged in parks and other outdoor settings.

Wh isper in g Hear t s Th er apy is su ppor t ed f in an cially by don at ion s an d spon sor s. It also depen ds on volu n t eer s t o h elp w it h t h e m an y t ask s n ecessar y t o t ak e car e of t h e an im als an d accom pan y t h em on visit s. Th ose w h o ar e in t er est ed in h elpin g can f in d addit ion al in f or m at ion on t h eir w ebsit e: w w w.w h isper in gh ear t st h er apy.com or by con t act in g DeAn n aKay at dean n ak ay@w h isper in gh ear t st h er apy.com .

Heal thy Living

Bet t er Balance

by Alison Bar on , DPT

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention every 11 seconds, an older adult is treated in the emergency room for a fall. It is important to have your balance checked regularly as part of an annual health exam and if you feel unsteady or off balance to seek help immediately.

If you are interested in strengthening your balance at home, our Physical Therapist recommends the following exercises in addition to staying active and eating healthy.

St an d on On e Leg - Stand behind a steady, solid chair (not one with wheels), and hold on to the back of it. Lift up your right foot and balance on your left foot. Hold that position for as long as you can, then switch feet. The goal should be to stand on one foot without holding onto the chair and hold that pose for up to 1 minute.

Walk in g Heel t o Toe - This exercise makes your legs stronger, which enables you to walk without falling. Put your right foot in front of your left foot

so that the heel of your right foot touches the top of the toes of your left foot. Move your left foot in front of your right, putting your weight on your heel. Then, shift your weight to your toes. Repeat the step with your left foot. Walk this way for 20 steps.

M ar ch in g in Place - Marching is a great balance exercise. If you need to hold onto something, do this exercise in front of a counter. Standing straight, lift your right knee as high as you can.

Lower it and lift the left leg. Lift and lower your legs 20 times. March slowly so you focus on your balance.

Heel Lif t s - This is a strength training exercise and improves balance. You?ll need a chair or a counter.

Stand straight and put your arms in front of you.

Raise yourself up on your toes as high as you can go, then gently lower yourself. Don?t lean too far forward on the chair or counter. Lift and lower yourself 20 times.

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Legal View s

Spousal Maint enance 10 1 One of the most misunderstood areas in the world of divorce is spousal maintenance. Spousal maintenance, formerly known as alimony, is a way for the court to be sure that one spouse is not left unable to support him or herself when the marriage ends.

The primary question seems to be, ?Am I definitely going to have to pay spousal maintenance? ? The answer is dependent on the income of the parties and the division of assets and debt. Colorado created maintenance guidelines to keep all courts and all districts within similar rules for the determination of maintenance but the amount, term and whether maintenance is ultimately granted is still up to each individual judge in each individual case.

The guidelines are published and are a simple mathematical calculation that can be considered by the parties with or without counsel. The goal of the court is to make sure that the lower wage earning party has not less than 40% of the gross marital income. To do that, the court adds up both parties?gross income and multiplies it by .40. If the lower wage earner earns that much money or more, there is probably not maintenance awarded. If the lower wage earner earns less than that 40%, the higher wage earner pays the other party to make up that difference.

However, prior to doing that calculation, the court must consider the division of assets and debts, any other resources of the parties, including sole property, and then whether the lower wage earner needs maintenance to meet their reasonable needs, and whether the higher wage earner has the ability to pay maintenance and still meet their reasonable needs.

The next question is how long is the term of maintenance if it is granted. After three years the guideline term is one third the term of the marriage, and as the marriage lengthens so does the term of the maintenance up to a guideline of one half the term of the marriage or 10 years.

However, again, this is a guideline and the court may make maintenance any length of time despite the length of the marriage, especially in cases where one party becomes disabled during the marriage.

An effective attorney can walk you through this process and present your arguments to the court.

If you h ave qu est ion s abou t spou sal m ain t en an ce, or if you n eed a divor ce at t or n ey, con t act JBP Legal at 800-598-4348.

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