December 2020 THRIVE Local Magazine

December 20 20

Nor t her n Color ado Edit ion

The Mak ing of Mr & Mr s Claus

1 1 s Mar ilyn Fit ch-Her r mann w it h Al & Bar b Davis Est es Par k Resident

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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

In This Issue...

Pu blish er s' Not es............................ 4 In dex of Spon sor s............................ 5 Ou t & Abou t .................................... 6 Local Resou r ces............................... 7

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

Joh n st ow n Senior Center 60+ Ride

970-587-5251 970-352-9348

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

Est es Par k Residen t s....................... 8 Lar im er Cou n t y Resou r ces............. 10 Est es Par k Residen t ........................ 11

THRIVE Local Cont r ibut or s...

Br ain Gam es..................................... 12 Weld Cou n t y Resou r ces.................. 13 Lovelan d Residen t s......................... 14 Joh n st ow n Residen t ........................ 16

Bob McDonnell Johnstown

Phyllis Kennemer Loveland

Terry Rustin Estes Park

Danita Nixon

Mark Nixon

Virginia Huppe Berthoud

M ak in g a Dif f er en ce Gr eeley ......... 19 Healt h y Livin g.................................. 20 Local Wr it er s................................... 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.

THRIVELocalMagazine.com Dec. 2020

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

INSPIRE - CONNECT - EDUCATE

Publishers' Not e Hello friend!

Can you believe we are now ent ering t he last m ont h of t he year? Where has t he t im e gone?

Undoubt edly t he holidays will be different t his year. Hopefully, each one of us will st ill find t he im pet us t o celebrat e!

Don't Miss a Single Issue Pick up a har d copy of t he magazine at : Ber t h ou d: Eat on : Est es: Ft . Collin s: Gr eeley: Joh n st ow n : Lovelan d:

Bob Hope said it well...

"My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others. Come to think of it, why do we have to wait for Christmas to do that?"

We can all reach out and care for each ot her t his holiday season. A sim ple call or card can m ake all t he difference.

If t here is som et hing specific t hat we can do for you, we hope you will reach out t o us!

Dan it a & M ar k Nixon

M illik en : Tim n at h :

Senior Center & box In front of Post Office Heritage Market Senior Center, Recreation Center, MedX, Egg & I Breakfast Club & Walgreens (Lemay Ave) Safeway on 10th St & Aunt Helen's Coffee House Senior Center & YMCA Safeway (Cleveland), Breakfast Club, Golden Corral, Library, Loveland Coffee Co. Senior Center 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 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.

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

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THRIVELocalMagazine.com Dec. 2020

Wishing you a Chr ist mas f illed w it h all t he t hings you love!

Danita & Mark Nixon

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

Baker y

Baked Joy

970-619-8081

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

In Home Car e

Phoenix Home Care

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

Family Mortgage CO

970-203-0284

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

Index of Sponsor s

Who do you k now t hat you would r ecommend t o your neighbor s?

THRIVE Local Magazine is looking for recommendations for the following businesses: Audiologist Orthopedic doctor Auto sales Roofer Computer repair

Optician Auto repair Bank Painter Seamstress

Dentist Auto body Handyman Organizer Hairdresser

Call Dan it a at 970-852-4900 or em ail: Dan it a@Th r iveLocalM agazin e.com THRIVELocalMagazine.com Dec. 2020

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Out & About

Est es Par k

Robin Harding, Vice President of the Estes Valley Land Trust Board, and Singer Brad Fitch were Out & About filming a video at Centennial Park at Knoll Willow, in Estes Park.

According to Robin Harding, "The Land Trust hosts an annual holiday party, at which we re-connect with our members and friends and celebrate our year ?s work. We typically have about 150 attendees. Unfortunately, this year, because of the Covid-19 virus, we have been forced to cancel this event. So we decided to stay connected with our supporters via a holiday video. We contacted Brad, who has been a long-time supporter of our work, and he graciously agreed to perform one of his original songs. During the course of his performance, we will drop in photos and short video clips of our Board and staff celebrating the holidays.

The idea is to provide a little bit of fun and good humor, as we have all experienced a really challenging 2020." Check out their website to see the video and to see what else is happening with this valuable organization! evlandtrust.org

Fr iends of THRIVE Local Magazine

Look in g f or a u n iqu e (an d special) local gif t f or a loved on e? Give t h e gif t of m u sic f r om Cow boy Br ad Fit ch's w ebsit e! Ch eck ou t h is of f er in gs at : cow boybr ad.com The "Bell Ringers" were Out & About in Loveland this year, as part of a long and reverenced tradition. On November 11th, from 4am-6am, vehicles with bells and flags mounted on them, drove throughout the city to declare the arrival of Veterans Day! Historians believe the tradition started in 1918 when veterans rushed to a flagpole in downtown Loveland upon hearing news of the armistice that ended World War I and celebrated with bells, noisemakers and gunshots.

L O V E L A N D

F T C O L L I N S 6

THRIVELocalMagazine.com Dec. 2020

Surrender the Booty!

Pirates in Northern Colorado? Argh! Shiver me timbers!

Danita Nixon was Out & About with Pirate Radio (93.5 FM), Disc Jocky Sue Sutton. They met up at the studio for an on the air interview about Danita's business, Senior Living Advisors of Colorado!

Sue has been living in Greeley for 32 years, and is celebrating seven years of waking up Northern Colorado on The Pirate!

When asked what her favorite music is, Sue replied, "Over my career, I've worked about every music format there is and found something to love about all of them...couldn't possibly choose!"

Looking for the best oldies music...tune in to the Pirate!

104.7 FM & 93.5 FM

Local Resour ces

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+. The group is for women who want to connect with other women, and have stimulating discussions about a variety of topics that pertain to our lives. Most of the women in the group are in their 60s, 70s, and 80s. This is a group of vital, interesting women dealing with challenges and changes associated with getting older. The tone of the group is positive and uplifting and we manage to laugh together in spite of the challenges we all face. 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.

M edical Equ ipm en t an d Su pplies Good Healt h Will - Loveland: 2003 W 8th St, 970-624-6002

Greeley: 2611 W 11th St. Rd, 970-515-6935

Where can you donate medical supplies and equipment that you no longer need? Where do you go to purchase medical supplies and equipment at an affordable cost?

Loveland and Greeley have a hidden gem called "Good Health Will". Good Health Will is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that accepts donations of durable medical equipment and healthcare supplies, and provides low cost purchase options of those items to the public.

Both stores are open Monday - Saturday from 9:00am - 5:00pm, and are closed on major holidays. Their staff is extremely friendly and helpful. You can even call in to see if they have what you are looking for, to save you a trip!

Greeley staff dressed up for Halloween

Bathroom safety equipment

Incontinence supplies for all sizes

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.

Call one of our support lines anytime to talk. Our counselors understand what you are going through.

And, talking to them is free, confidential and anonymous. Talk to someone who is trained, knowledgeable and never judges. Sometimes it helps to talk with someone you don?t know. Our free support line will help you understand your reactions and emotions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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 THRIVELocalMagazine.com Dec. 2020

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Estes Park Residents

The Mak ing of Mr & Mr s Claus Al & Bar b Davis of Est es Par k How many of us wanted to grow up and be Santa or Mrs. Claus? I can honestly say I don?t know anyone that as a child said, "I want to be Santa or Mrs. Claus when I grow up." I don?t think that Al and Barb Davis had those dreams as children; well not that they can remember.

Back in 2010, Barb Prentiss met this wonderful man on match.com. His name was Al Davis. Al wasn?t without his own issues, as no one is. He had been in Vietnam. He had struggled with his demons. But while in a program for Vets that helped those with addictions and those that were homeless, he managed to find a life that he would never forget. One day he became connected with the local shopping mall. They needed a Santa. He said, "Yes, he would be their Santa!" It became his job for the next fourteen to fifteen years. Al loved being Santa to the little children, hearing their wishes and seeing their joy.

Barb didn?t immediately jump into the role of Mrs. Claus. She really didn?t think it was something she wanted to do or something that was for her. She would dress up occasionally as Mrs. Claus for family and friends at private gatherings. But one year, she struggled with what to get Santa for Christmas. He isn?t a material man. She decided she would purchase a Mrs. Claus costume and hide it from him until Thanksgiving. That was when they planned to have their family gathering.

She ran to the store. They had one costume left and it was her size. What a coincidence! She hid the costume and waited. That Thanksgiving the kids wanted them to dress up and take pics with the family. She walked out in her costume and all Al could do was cry. She knew she had just given him the best gift ever. That Christmas they went to Leavenworth, WA and walked around as Santa and Mrs. Claus. Barb still wasn?t sure this was for her. A little girl ran up and grabbed her hand, she said she had always wanted to hold Mrs. Claus? hand and spend time with her. From that moment, Barb knew she was Mrs. Claus.

When the Davis?married, she called her Dad to tell him she just married Santa. He told her that

By Jen n if er Wilson

as a child she would ask Santa to marry her every year when she went to visit him at Christmas.

WOW! Miracles really do happen!

Santa and Mrs. Claus are now retired in Estes Park. They moved to Estes in May of 2017. They have 5 kids and 8 grandchildren between them.

Their kids live on the East Coast, so they decided in March of 2017 to start looking for a quaint little town to call home. They wanted to find a place that would allow them to be closer to the kids.

They happened upon Estes Park; neither of them had ever been there before. They found a realtor and started looking at houses. When they told the realtor what they did as a side job, they were shocked when the realtor said, "We need a Santa, our Santa passed away last year ". It was then they knew, they had found their home.

Santa doesn?t get around as well as he used to, but he will always have the magic of Christmas in his heart, and Mrs. Claus by his side!

Mr and Mrs Claus visiting with children at the Stanley Hotel in 2019.

"I stopped believing in Santa Claus when I was six.

Mother took me to see him in a department store and he asked for my autograph."

- Shirley Temple THRIVELocalMagazine.com Dec. 2020

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Lar imer County Resour ces

Lar imer Count y Dr ive Thr ough Senior Meal Ser vices Due to Covid-19 restrictions, some meal sites in Larimer County are providing "drive through" meal services. The sites ask patrons to honor CDC guidelines for safe distancing and the wearing of masks.

This list is not all inclusive - check with your local Volunteers of America to determine if they are offering drive through services in your local area.

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 adult 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

Did You Kn ow...

Ban an as can h elp im pr ove you r m ood A banana has approximately 30% of your daily recommended intake of vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 helps the brain produce serotonin, which is considered a mood stabilizer. Serotonin impacts your motor skills and emotions. It is also the chemical that helps you sleep and digest food. Eating a banana can help relieve depression and anxiety by stimulating the serotonin levels in your body.

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Est es Par k Capt ur ed Her Hear t

Estes Park Resident

By Ph yllis Ken n em er

Marilyn Fitch-Herrmann and her husband, Edward, moved to Estes Park in 1975. They opened an art gallery dedicated to selling Edward's watercolors of mountain scenes in Rocky Mountain National Park.

His paintings were popular with tourists and the art gallery thrived for ten years. They closed the gallery and retired in 1985.

For several years after that, they spent their winters in Arizona and their summers in Estes Park, but Marilyn's heart always remained in the Colorado Rockies. The couple purchased a home in Estes Park in 1999 and made it their permanent residence. Marilyn continues to live there on her own, since her husband's death in 2012.

she gives away as gifts.

Marilyn relates that she has lived through some frightening experiences in her life. She remembers being a child during World War II with blackouts and rationing, but her scariest year has been this one, 2020. Due to coronavirus, she has been "sheltering in place" in her home since March, alone, except for quick visits with her children -wearing masks and keeping six feet apart. During this time frame, Marilyn has used Facebook to stay connected with her friends and family. She is known for her positive and encouraging posts that she makes on a daily basis! She is definitely one of those people who brings sunshine into any room she enters!

When the world opens back up again, and you bump into Marilyn on the street, be sure to say hello! You will find her to be a very kind and engaging person!

Before the pandemic, one of Marilyn's favorite activities was participating in the Mountain-Aires.

This group of about 35 women enjoyed singing together and presented two concerts a year, one at Christmas and the other in the spring. They hope to eventually be able to resume their schedule!

Marilyn is extremely proud of her talented children and grand children! Marilyn's three children and one of her grandsons are professional musicians.

Doug Fitch sings and plays guitar for performances in Hawaii. Here in Colorado, Cowboy Brad Fitch entertains people in Estes Park with his own band, which includes his sister Melinda as a singer and her son, Eamonn playing electric bass, stand-up bass and cello.

Doug, Melinda, Marilyn, Edward, & Brad

Then came the wildfires! The mandated evacuation was terrifying. She headed for her daughter 's home in Boulder, driving by herself. Traffic was bumper to bumper. A trip that usually takes about an hour took her four hours to complete.

Marilyn is presently writing an autobiography to leave with her family. She wants her future generations to know about what life was like "way back when." Her major hobby is making beaded jewelry which

Doug, Melinda, Marilyn, & Brad THRIVELocalMagazine.com Dec. 2020

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Br ain Games

Nov emb er Puzzl e Sol uti ons

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W el d County Resour ces

Weld Count y Fr iendly For k Meal Sit es 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. This list is not all inclusive - Information regarding meal locations and phone numbers may be obtained by calling (970) 400-6132 for Weld County.

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.

Volunteer Opportunity 60+ Ride: Neighbors in your area of Weld County need help! Please leave a message at 970-352-9348 if you would like to volunteer to give rides or deliver groceries. Background checks are completed on all volunteers.

Johnst ow n's Annual Senior Cent er Chr ist mas Bout ique M ak e su r e t o m ar k you r calen dar f or Decem ber 5t h f or t h e Joh n st ow n Sen ior Cen t er Ch r ist m as Bou t iqu e!

The event, from 9am-3pm will feature vendors, crafts, a bake sale and silent auction!

You can even enter a drawing for the chance to win a toy-filled Radio Flyer Wagon, perfect for kids or grand kids from 0-12 years old.

Tickets for the drawing are $1 each or 6 for $5 and all proceeds from the event will go towards the Johnstown Senior Center.

Join u s, Dec. 5, 2020 at t h e Joh n st ow n Com m u n it y YM CA 165 Set t ler Way. For m or e in f or m at ion call 970-578-9676.

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Lovel and Residents

By Vir gin ia Hu ppe

I can?t believe my eyes! REINDEER on a ranch west of Loveland, Colorado?

Pam and Chris Jessen are the parents to nine reindeer in their ?animal family? and two children Maddi 8, and Bodhi 6, in their ?human family.?

The Jessen family raised miniature cattle for 15 years. When hay prices got high, and the market flooded with breeder ?s, they decided to make a turn in the road and starting researching reindeer.

They looked at several breeders across the US and finalized their plan by purchasing two bottle fed reindeer from folks in Wisconsin, and five reindeer from a breeder in Washington.

Reindeer have been domesticated for over 2000 years. They dine on a specialized reindeer diet, and graze on about 20 acres of pasture. A reindeer eats about 5 lbs. of feed a day, and It costs about $2500.00 a year to feed and provide necessary vet care for each reindeer.

Both female and male reindeer have antlers.

Reindeer are also the only ?deer ? specimen that have hair covering their entire nose. For the most part they are ?easy keepers.? The reindeer only require yearly vaccinations, and their hooves trimmed several times a year to keep them healthy.

Caring for the reindeer is a ?family affair ?, as the

entire family works daily with the reindeer. The reindeer are halter broke and follow the family around in the pasture as they do their chores.

Maddi cleans stalls and even rides one of their female reindeer. Bodhi bottle feeds the babies, giving them love and sweeping the barn.

Pam grew up in rural Douglas, CO. and graduated from Colorado State Univ. with a BA major in Speech Communication. Pam isn?t doing too well with her speech degree with the reindeer, as they don?t talk ?people talk,? but understand in their own way and antics. Husband Chris, grew up in Loveland and graduated from Regis University with a BA in Liberal Arts.

On the Reindeer Ranch they also have other exciting animals such as two bactrain camels, an alpaca, three miniature donkeys, a kangaroo, four goats, 60 chickens, three cats and a dog.

With the recent Cameron Fire this family had to evacuate their home. Yes, even the reindeer.

Though the ranch is not open to the public, the reindeer can be rented for public or personal events. The ranch starts getting calls to book the reindeer starting in June.

For more information about booking the Jessen reindeer or seeing what events they are attending, go to: jessenreindeerranch.com THRIVELocalMagazine.com Dec. 2020

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Johnstow n Resident

10 2 Year s Old and St ill Going St r ong

by Bob M cDon n ell

Being able to celebrate your one hundredth birthday is a milestone, for sure.

Tracy Sturdivant, who was born on September 6, 1918, celebrated that birthday two years ago!

Tracy lives in Johnstown with her oldest daughter, Donna Clausen. Tracy grew up on a farm near Charles City, Iowa. She attended high school in Charles City, graduating at the age of sixteen. She earned a teaching certificate in high school and then attended school at what is now the University of Northern Iowa for a year. Tracy taught at her old high school, then went back for another year of education.

Tracy liked to work with students who were having challenges learning. Donna says her mom taught grade school, high school and special education. ?She kept going back to special ed.? Donna stated.

In 1941, when Donna got married to her husband Don, she quit teaching.

Tracy and Don then traveled extensively, mostly in their recreational vehicle. Among other places, they visited Hawaii, Mexico, the World?s Fair in Knoxville, Niagara Falls, the Calgary Stampede, the California Date Festival and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. They also went to Pearl Harbor, which was special to Don, since he severed in the Army during 16

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World War II. Tracy and Don stayed married until her husband?s passing four years ago at the age of 96. The couple had been married for 75 years.

Tracy has seen incredible changes in technology during her long life. She noted that people have ?so many things out there they need to think about.? She mentioned that she and her family were out in the country and ?didn?t have all these electronics.?

Shirley Newsom-Gamez, coordinator at the Johnstown Senior Center, explained, "Tracy was active at the center before Covid-19 hit.

Tracy liked attending the Wednesday lunches and enjoyed playing bingo at the center." Now that Tracy can?t get out, she spends time reading; she likes novels and mystery stories.

Tracy mentioned a couple of interesting events in more recent years. At the age of 90, she tried a hot tub for the first time; she liked it. She drove until she was 99, relinquishing her license when it expired.

Tracy didn?t have a lot of advice on how to live a long, full life. She did say it helps to ?accept that things aren?t perfect over time.? She says to do the best you can with what you have. Mostly, she says, "It helps to be interested in other people."

Tracy?s 100th birthday included a celebration at the senior center and at church. A grandson-in-law promised Tracy a big party when she became a centenarian.

Now they are discussing when the next party will be.

Odds are, Tracy has a few more birthday cakes in her future!

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

Your fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight and bull-strong.

Keep skunks and bankers at a distance.

Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.

A bumble bee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor.

Words that soak into your ears are whispered? not yelled.

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Mak ing a Differ ence

Weld Count y Boys & Gir ls Club Pays Tr ibut e t o Dr. Dallas Hor t on at Annual Calf Auct ion Horton Family: Wife- Mary, Son?s Trent & Travis, & their grandson

On Saturday, November 7th, 2020, The Boys & Girls Clubs of Weld County held their 22nd annual Calf Auction at Producers Livestock in Greeley. The event boasts an amazing free prime rib dinner, and an auction featuring cows, calves, home goods and more!

Rick Montera, former board member for the Boys & Girls Club of Weld County, gave the following tribute to Dr. Dallas Horton at the event : "The Boys & Girls Clubs of Weld County would like to take a moment to recognize and pay tribute to Dr. Dallas Horton and Horton Feed lots. Sadly, Dr. Horton recently passed away after a year-long battle with cancer. We join many others today as we say thank you to Dallas and his incredible family for the impact they have had on this region and more specifically for their support for this event and for our Club Kids throughout Weld County. Horton Feedlots and Research Center was established in Wellington, CO in 1978. From there Dallas expanded the Horton feeding operation to the Greeley area. Sons, Trent and Travis, still operate the feed lots today and are here with their mom, Mary. Dallas?s love of the cattle industry Rick Montera and people led him into many amazing partnerships and adventures from feeding cattle for Japan, sending breeding stock to the Ukraine, working with embryo transfer techniques to improve genetics, to building profitable composite bulls to enhance feedlot performance - just to name a few. Dallas?s vision was always toward the future and improving the cattle industry. What an amazing journey he lived. On behalf of our entire Board of Directors and the Calf Auction Team, we would like to offer our sincere gratitude as we honor the memory of a great man and the legacy of a great family. Please join us as we say thank you to the Horton family."

Thanks to community supporters, the Boys & Girls Clubs raised $191,000 and counting at the auction, towards supporting the kids and teens of Weld County!

If you ar e in t er est ed in con t r ibu t in g t o t h e m ission Boys & Gir ls Clu bs of Weld Cou n t y, you can go t o t h eir w ebsit e at bgcw eld.or g, or you m ay sen d a ch eck t o Boys & Gir ls Clu bs of Weld Cou n t y, P.O. Box 812, Gr eeley, CO 80632 THRIVELocalMagazine.com Dec. 2020

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Heal thy Living

Ask t he Doct or

by Ter r y A. Ru st in , M D

Qu est ion : ?M y f am ily doct or n ow h as a Nu r se Pr act it ion er in t h e of f ice.

Wh at 's t h e dif f er en ce bet w een seein g t h e doct or an d seein g t h e Nu r se Pr act it ion er ??

Ter r y A. Ru st in , M D

An sw er : Nurse Practitioners (NPs) are trained and licensed to take a medical history, perform a physical examination, order and review lab tests, prescribe medication, and refer to specialists.

That's what family doctors do, as well.

To become a family doctor, a person graduates from college, goes to medical school for four years, and then takes a three-year residency. To become an NP, a student gets a bachelor 's degree in nursing (from a nursing school or a university) and works for a few years as a registered nurse. Then, the nurse returns to school for two or three years and gets a master 's degree in nursing (MSN) or a doctorate in nursing (DNP), depending on the institution.

So, doctors have more academic training, and NPs have more practical training. NPs usually have an area of focus during their training, such as family medicine, women's health, or pediatrics. Doctors are licensed by the state medical board; NPs are licensed by the state nursing board. ?Scope of practice? is an important concept in understanding the role of a doctor and an NP. It means the areas in which a clinician is considered qualified and licensed to work.Sometimes the scope of practice is set forth clearly and sometimes it is just understood. If you ask your urologist a question about your cardiac pacemaker, he will probably say, ?That is outside my scope of practice.?

For NPs, the scope of practice is the area in which 20

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they were trained. Pediatric Nurse Practitioners do not examine or treat adults, and Women's Health Nurse Practitioners do not treat men. Within their scope of practice, however, NPs are given great flexibility.

NPs are sometimes called ?mid-level practitioners,? a group that includes physician assistants, nurse midwives, and clinical nurse specialists.

A visit with an NP looks the same as a visit with a doctor. For everyday problems, like respiratory illnesses, blood pressure checks, and well-woman examinations, there will be no difference at all.

NPs are usually quicker to refer a patient to a specialist than a family doctor, and may not do as many in-office procedures as doctors. In addition, NPs do not receive staff privileges at hospitals.

After seeing both a doctor and an NP, patients often comment that the NP took more time to listen to their problem and paid more attention to their situation at home and work than the doctor did. Several research studies have found that for everyday problems, the outcomes of treatment by a family doctor or a nurse practitioner are equivalent.

About the Author: Terry A. Rustin, MD is a summer resident of Estes Park. He recently retired after 40 years in the practice of Internal Medicine and Psychiatry.

Information provided in this article is informational only, and is not intended to be personal medical advice.

Dr. Rustin will answer general questions in this column; write to AskTheThriveDoctor@gmail.com.

Consult your personal physician regarding your own medical care.

?If we are creating ourselves all the time, then it is never too late to begin creating the bodies we want instead of the ones we mistakenly assume we are stuck with.? ? Deepak Chopra

Local W r iter s

Car l and Jane Bock

By Ph yllis Ken n em er

Jane and Carl first met in 1962 at a field study station sponsored by the University of California in Sierra Nevada. Carl was a student in the class and Jane was a Teaching Assistant. They were attracted to each other and the matchmaking efforts of the professor helped the relationship along. They were married in 1964.

The Bocks accepted professorships at Colorado University and moved to Boulder in 1968. Because their areas of expertise are complimentary, it made sense for them to team up to write scholarly articles for technical journals in the field of biology.

Carl is an expert in the study of wild animals, especially birds. Jane is an internationally known expert in plant life. They estimate they had over 200 articles published during their teaching careers.

Carl and Jane moved to Loveland in 2006, choosing a home on a lake with views of plants, birds and wildlife. The close proximity to their daughter and her family in Evans also influenced their decision.

While at C.U., they conducted summer field studies in plants and animals in southern Arizona near the border with Mexico. Upon retirement, they decided to use their joint writing skills to create fiction stories, specifically mysteries. They have published two books in their first series,"Arizona Borderlands Mysteries." Their descriptions of settings transport readers to stunning desert scenes. Their knowledge of plants and animals is important to the plots of their stories.

Jane and Carl with their Welsh Corgi, Sadie

For more information about their books go to: carlandjanebock.com or absolutelyamazingebooks.com

For the past ten years, the Bocks have wintered in the Florida Keys, so they started another mystery series with that setting, "Florida Swamp Guide Mysteries." Once again, the settings are very realistic, placing readers on boats navigating through swamps. These plots rely heavily on Carl's expertise of birds, while also including clues based on Jane's proficiency with plant life.

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Legal View s

Designat ed Benef iciar y Agr eement s Unmarried couples cannot inherit from their partner?s Estate without an estate plan in place, and frequently unmarried partners are denied access to their partner?s hospital rooms and are unable to communicate with their partner?s medical providers under the direst of circumstances. The Colorado legislature recognized these issues and enacted law to provide a workaround? the Designated Beneficiary Agreement.

Essentially, a Designated Beneficiary Agreement is an agreement between two people designating one another as beneficiary of the other and/or providing one another with certain financial and decision-making authority for the other. Among the rights and powers available, parties to such an agreement can acquire, own, or transfer property as Joint Tenants with Rights of Survivorship with one another; they may serve as one another?s Trustees; they may be designated as the other?s named beneficiary for PERA, firefighter and police pensions, life insurance policies, and health insurance policies.

Such parties can have priority to serve as Guardian, Conservator or Personal Representative for the other; may have the right to visitation in a hospital, nursing home, hospice care, or other facility; may serve as medical proxy/decision maker for the other; may have the right to receive notice of withholding or withdrawal of life-sustaining procedures for the other; may have the right to inherit property when the other person does not have a Will or Trust in place; may have the right to receive workers?compensation benefits on behalf of the other; may have standing to sue for wrongful death of the other; and may direct the disposition of the other?s remains after their passing.

To enter into a valid and enforceable Designated Beneficiary Agreement, one must be at least 18 years old, be mentally competent, not be married to another individual or party to a civil union with another individual, and not be a party to another Designated Beneficiary Agreement. Once drafted, the Agreement must be signed and notarized, as well as recorded in the county where at least one party to the

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Agreement resides.

Even if properly executed, Designated Beneficiary Agreements may not necessarily prevail in certain circumstances. If there is a Will, Trust, Codicil, Advance Healthcare Directive/Living Will, Medical or Financial Powers of Attorney, Remains Directive, marriage license or certificate of civil union, or beneficiary designations on either an insurance policy, retirement account, pension, or checking or savings account, such documents or designations will override the provisions contained in an otherwise properly-executed and recorded Designated Beneficiary Agreement. This is true whether the Designated Beneficiary Agreement is executed prior to or after such other documents or designations.

If you are interested in exploring Designated Beneficiary Agreements further, especially in relation to other methods of estate planning, please reach out to the attorneys at Jorgensen, Brownell & Pepin, P.C.

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