Blogs

Firehouse Films provides an opportunity for film lovers and movie-goers to enjoy cutting edge, artistic and humorous films without the drive. We believe Firehouse Films provides a culturally significant opportunity for the arts to be viewed, contemplated and discussed.   Every month, 1st Friday.

http://firehouseart.org/film

Join us for film free popcorn & beer at 7:00 p.m.

December 6:  

Stacey Steers

Stacey Steers' films are created from thousands of handmade works on paper, whether collages or individually-painted drawings. Her process is both labor-intensive and intuitive. She spends several years creating artwork for each film, typically eight distinct, unique images for every second of animation. Over time, these images become a formal record of an ongoing and obsessive engagement with an original idea, through all its transformations.

Lafayette Quaker Oatmeal Festival
Saturday, January 11, 2014
7:30am - 12:00pm
Various locations in Lafayette

18th Annual Lafayette Quaker Oatmeal Festival is a popular family event focusing on healthy lifestyle.

A unique festival including an Oatmeal Breakfast, 5K Walk/Run and Health Fair.

Breakfast
Pioneer Elementary
101 East Baseline Road
7:30am-12:00pm
Over 128 different toppings, Oatmeal Muffins and Pancakes

NEW THIS YEAR!!!!!
Try 4 Signature Oatmeal topping creations by Samantha Stephens, Owner & Chef of OatMeals Cafe' in New York City and Quaker's NEW Creative Oatmeal Officer.

Visit our website starting December 16th for a new recipe each week.
Visit Quaker Website and Facebook page for great Oatmeal ideas
www.quakeroats.com
Quaker Facebook - @Quaker
Quaker Twitter - @/Quaker

Visit OatMeals Website and Facebook page for delicious recipes
www.oatmealsny.com
OatMeals Facebook - @OatMealsNY
OatMeals Twitter - @OatMealsNY

Health Fair
Bob L. Burger Recreation Center
111 West Baseline Road
8:00am-12:00pm
Sponsored by Boulder Community Hospital/Community Medical Center. Health Fair features health screenings, interactive demonstrations and so much more.

Quicker Quaker 5K Walk/Run
5K Starts at 9:30am SHARP
Colorado Music Festival & Center for Musical Arts
200 E. Baseline Rd.
Registration begins December 2
Visit www.lafayettecolorado.com or active.com for race registration

Bonfils Community Blood Drive - parking lot between Pioneer Elementary and the Bob L. Burger Recreation Center

For more information visit www.lafayettecolorado.com/303-666-9555

You may have seen ads and billboards around that say "The Storm is Coming." The "storm" refers to the History Colorado Center's newest 7,000-square-foot exhibit, Living West -- an experiential journey into the deep relationships between Colorado's people and the land through three stories: life in the Mesa Verde region 800 years ago, the 1930s Dust Bowl on the southeastern plains, and today’s Rocky Mountains. 

And guess what, the storm is here. Living West opens on Saturday, November 23. Come for opening weekend, November 23-24, and not only do visitors get to be among the first to see this groundbreaking exhibit, but also enjoy a day filled with free live performances, crafts, and chats with the experts involved.

History Colorado’s exhibit developers worked with environmental and archaeological experts from around the state to weave environmental history into the human story. Living West also features plenty of hands-on interactives that appeal to both kids and adults. 

With water as a consistent theme, Living West examines the impact of water on human and natural habitats and the implications of issues we face today, like pine beetles, wildfire, increasing wildlife interactions and alpine snowpack on the mountains Coloradans love.

While the Mesa Verde and Dust Bowl sections of the exhibit look at our history, the Our Mountains section tells a contemporary story. Experts from the University of Colorado helped exhibit developers to highlight why the pine beetle epidemic is taking place in the Rocky Mountains, and the Boulder Daily Camera and 9NEWS provided footage and information about the devastating 2010 Fourmile Canyon fire. 9NEWS also partnered with History Colorado to produce a video about the September 2013 floods. 

In the Mesa Verde section, tribal representatives from the Santa Clara, Zia, Acoma and Zuni pueblos and the Hopi Tribe assisted with both exhibit content and the selection of nearly 200 artifacts from History Colorado’s renowned Mesa Verde collections that illuminate the lives of ancestral Pueblo people.

Visitors also experience the epic 1935 Black Sunday dust storm that rolled across the southeastern plains in a special "object theater."

Visitors can measure their water and carbon footprint, divert water to thirsty areas across the state and more via interactive components developed in partnership with the Science Museum of Minnesota, which also provided design and fabrication services for Living West.

In Living West, visitors explore how people have struggled, survived and thrived in Colorado’s fierce and fragile landscape, with each gallery designed to generate conversation about the environmental choices Coloradans have made and continue to make.

Living West is presented in partnership with Denver Water, with generous support from the Gates Family Foundation.

Living West launches History Colorado's second of three exhibition phases. The second phase also features new educational programs, live museum theater, demonstrations and performances, as well as two traveling exhibits coming in 2014: Food: Our Global Kitchen from the American Museum of Natural History and RACE: Are We So Different?, a project of the American Anthropological Association.

Admission to Living West is included in the cost of a general admission ticket, which includes all History Colorado Center exhibits. The cost is $12 adults, $10 students/seniors 65+, $8 children 6-12; children 5 and under are free. Tickets can be purchased online in advance.

Download the Living West Activity Book posted online for information on how your child can get free admission to the museum (hint: it's a fun craft).

For complete information, visit www.HistoryColoradoCenter.org.

History Colorado is a statewide organization that inspires generations to find wonder and meaning in our past and to engage in building a better Colorado. Find out more about History Colorado, a Smithsonian Affiliate, on Facebook, twitter @HistoryColorado, HistoryColorado.org, or call 303-HISTORY.

Women's Wilderness is excited to announce the newest member of our team: Program Director Suza Bedient.

Suza's roots tap deeply into wild places; Australia, new Zealand, Baja California, and the Himalaya are landscapes that know her well.

Her skills in engaging earth energies began as a child exploring the Appalachian Mountains and the Chesapeake Bay. As an adult she broadened her explorations, including becoming a senior field instructor for the National Outdoor leadership Schools (NOLS) with over 300 weeks in wild places. She is excited to get to know our community and "join with a wonderful team of wild women."

You can read more of Suza's bio on our website. Welcome, Suza, to the Women's Wilderness Family!

This month is National Caregivers Month and National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month. It can also be a hard time of year for those living with Alzheimer's. My own family was impacted 12 years ago as my husband began to develop symptoms of the disease at only 52 years of age. Thank goodness for healthy active parents, two wonderful sisters and a strong community network, we were able to care for Bill at home for most of the years he lived with the disease. The holidays were the most stressful for me however. We tried to keep our traditions alive for the first few years, going to the Nutcracker Ballet, cutting our tree from nearby forest land, walking in the annual Golden Holiday Parade. However, as the disease progressed Bill got more anxious about buying and wrapping gifts for me and other family members. Party invitations had to be carefully considered if there would be a lot of people since he was easily confused and embarrassed at not remembering names. He wasn't able to make the delicious meals he had enjoyed creating each year during the holidays so I found this task and many others falling to me alone. With advice from the Alzheimer's Association, I finally took a hard look at what we were continuing to do each year that was causing me stress and exhaustion, and focused on what we truly loved to do. By changing things a bit we could still manage to keep the joy in the holidays. Christmas eve service was still manageable if we went a little earlier, I could supplement homemade items with store bought goodies, friends could take Bill shopping for gifts and make suggestions as well as manage the money, and we could spend time celebrating with smaller groups of people that we really cared about. 

This time of year will always be bitter sweet for me having lost Bill four years ago this next February but his legacy lives on every time I share our story and offer insight about caregiving. This month, take some time and look around your own life. Find the caregivers who need your love and support this holiday season. Sometimes it's hard to ask for help so if you can be specific and suggest some ides of your own you may find your offer is received with relief. Offer to do errands like grocery shopping or picking up meds at the pharmacy. Drop by with a ready-to-cook meal. Give the gift of your time to sit with the person who is ill or needing a companion so the caregiver can take some time off. Offer to wrap gifts or do the decorating. Caregivers are often too busy to think about themselves and what they need in order to keep going. Let them know they aren't alone. If you know someone who needs help caring for a loved one who has Alzheimer's or another form of dementia make sure they know about the Alzheimer's Association. All of their services are free and just a phone call away. 800.272.3900 Many caregivers will tell you there was never any question about whether they would care for someone they love. Each and every day is a gift, every moment, even when things get tough, a treasured memory. Find a way to honor a caregiver in your life this holiday.

Loveland-based tech company first to lease from Cumberland & Western

Loveland, CO – DataTraks (www.datatraks.com), a custom engineering and software solutions company, will move to the Rocky Mountain Center for Innovation and Technology (RMCIT - http://rmcinnovate.com) in Loveland, Colorado. The company will be the first tenant to move into the RMCIT facility, helping to revitalize the currently vacant campus.

As an incentive for DataTraks to move in to the RMCIT campus, the Loveland City Council approved $19,500 to be paid from the Economic Development Incentive Fund to DataTraks. The payment was contingent upon the company signing a five-year lease with Cumberland & Western, and will help DataTraks offset some of the cost of relocating and acquiring equipment. Signing the final lease agreement in early September made DataTraks the first official tenant of the RMCIT facility.

"Since we're first, they wanted to make sure everything was correct," stated Jim Bilodeau, DataTraks’ founder and president. Originally located in downtown Loveland, DataTraks makes a significant change moving to RMCIT, almost doubling their facility space. The company will occupy approximately 7,000 square feet of space in the lower D building of the campus. This expansion comes with further plans to develop additional services and capabilities.

“We’ve hired three people this year, but as we continue to grow we’ll eventually be hiring more,” said Bilodeau. “As a company, we’re excited to be the first in the space, and we’ll be more excited to have some cool companies move in next to us.” With plans to be in the new facility within 90 days, Bilodeau cited limited parking and space for growth as motivating factors in moving his organization to the new campus. Many hope DataTraks’ move will provide momentum that leads to additional leases and an atmosphere that benefits other new tenants.

The design for DataTraks’ new space was done by Kenney and Associates Architects (www.kenneyarch.com) of Loveland. Tenant finish will be completed by Loveland-based R&L Builders.

About DataTraks

DataTraks was founded in 1998 to help railroad operators make critical decisions regarding the development and maintenance of safe, effective rail systems. The company provides customized engineering and software solutions for companies around world, in the railroad, manufacturing, and mining industries. DataTraks clients benefit from an experienced team of electrical, mechanical and software engineers dedicated to helping those they serve operate safer and more efficiently. Areas of focus include Positive Train Control (PTC), wireless sensor systems, custom software, non-destructive evaluation, and preventative maintenance. For more information, visit www.datatraks.com, call (970) 461-1140, or email info@datatraks.com.

Denver, Colo. – Nov. 6, 2013 – Westcore Properties was recognized with an outstanding building of the year award by the Denver Metro Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) demonstrating the company’s delivery on sound building management practices, a strong commitment to community involvement and innovative eco-friendly operations.

The building, located at 285 Century Place, Louisville, Colo., is managed by Jenna Goddard of Westcore Properties. The firm has owned and managed the property since 2006. 285 Century Place has a total of 69,145 square feet of office space with four tenants. Westcore owns 1.1 million square feet of office space and 500,000 square feet of industrial space in Colorado.

“Westcore Properties is having a tremendous year with property management and leasing operations at all of our locations in the U.S. and our office space continues to grow,” said Don Ankeny, president & CEO at Westcore Properties. “This award underscores the great Westcore team assembled in Colorado and our company’s commitment to hands-on property oversight, responsive service and quality maintenance.”

The Outstanding Building of the Year® (TOBY) Awards, held at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts on Nov. 1, are the most prestigious awards of their kind in the commercial real estate industry. The awards recognize superiority in office and industrial buildings and reward excellence in building management. 

During the review process, all facets of a building’s operations are thoroughly evaluated – from community involvement and site management to environmental and green policies and procedures.

“We are honored to receive this recognition from the Denver Metro BOMA chapter and look forward to moving up and competing for a regional TOBY award,” said Carrie Parker, vice president for regional property management in Westcore Properties’ Colorado office. “Our team works hard to meet the needs of our tenants. We take pride in our ability to provide high-quality building management in all facets – from operations and maintenance to our commitment to the local community.”

About Westcore Properties
Westcore Properties is a private, entrepreneurial commercial real estate investment firm with a specialized focus in the western United States and key European markets. Since its founding in 2000, Westcore Properties and its affiliates have acquired and managed more than $3.9 billion in industrial and office assets comprised of more than 550 buildings totaling over 26 million square feet. In addition to its U.S. headquarters in San Diego, Westcore Properties has regional offices in San Francisco, Sacramento, Irvine and Denver. The firm's European offices are located in Geneva, Switzerland and London, England.

FRS sales reporting system is rated highly by sales representatives using it in the field

Fort Collins, Colo. – Front Row Solutions (FRS), a customer relationship management (CRM) system built around the needs of sales representatives and sales managers, has released the results of a recent survey of its user base utilizing the Net Promoter (www.netpromoter.com) scoring approach. In a survey of thousands of sales representatives, FRS received a Net Promoter Score^® of 8.59 on a scale of zero to ten.

Front Row Solutions recognized from the beginning that one of the biggest challenges facing companies using a CRM system is getting sales representatives to engage with that system and use it to report their sales activities. Research into the market showed that compliance with CRM systems was generally very weak.

The FRS CRM system was designed to meet the needs of the sales representative in the field and boost compliance and productivity for their clients. Research showed that sales representatives wanted a CRM that is fast, easy to learn and use, and mobile friendly. FRS answered that demand with the Sales Pro App for mobile devices; it combines the fastest, easiest mobile reporting tool available with real-time information for sales managers. Clients saw compliance levels among their representatives surge to more than 90 percent.

Further showcasing Front Row Solutions’ focus on the needs of sales representatives, they reached out to those individuals currently using FRS to find out how well the system was meeting the key requirements of representatives in the field. After independently researching the CRM Industry for sales representative feedback, Front Row found no evidence of other CRM companies engaging sales representatives with surveys or questionnaires.

FRS chose to use the Net Promoter Score^® approach to send out a simple, to-the-point survey aimed at getting as much feedback as possible. With the permission of their clients’ management teams, a brief questionnaire was sent out asking sales reps for comments, suggestions, and their rating of the FRS CRM using the Net Promoter Score^® question. Sales representatives were asked how likely they would be to recommend FRS to another person or business on a scale of zero to ten.

The results of the Net Promotion survey showed that sales representatives using the FRS sales reporting system gave the CRM a Net Promotion Score of 8.59, or 85.9 percent. The Net Promotion format categorizes customers as promoters (9-10), passives (7-8), or detractors (0-6). The score of 8.59 indicates that the majority of FRS’ clients are mostly promoters, or “loyal enthusiasts who will keep buying and refer others.” FRS’ median rating was a 9.0, with 35 percent of surveyed sales representatives rating the company at a 10.

Reaching out to sales rep users has been critical to the direction of the Front Row Solutions system. Front Row President and Founder Etien D’Hollander notes, “We are constantly looking to augment and improve to the Front Row Solutions app to engage and assist sales representatives. We are encouraged by our Net Promoter Score, which prove to us we’re on the right track; and the suggestions we got for improvements to the system were very insightful.”

“We have now integrated Front Row Solutions with Microsoft Outlook, IBM Notes (Lotus notes), Google PMI, and Thunderbird, all because of suggestions made by our sale representative customers in their survey responses. There will be more, so stay tuned for what’s coming down the pipeline.”

To try the Front Row Solutions app on one of the company’s free demo sites, simply download the app. It is available on the app store under “Front Row Sales Pro.” Once the app is installed, contact Front Row Solutions for a free password and login at sales@frontrow-solutions.com. The Front Row Sales Pro app is focused on assisting sales representatives and providing critical information to the management team.

About Front Row Solutions

Front Row Solutions (FRS), a North American company, was founded in 2008 to improve the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) process. Designed by former sales representatives and drawing from the executive team’s 30+ years of experience in all facets of business, the FRS CRM system can stand alone or integrate into currently implemented systems, helping sales representatives improve revenue and profit by using its fast, user-friendly interface. The FRS CRM provides real-time insight to the sales management team; the fast, easy-to-use system improves sales representatives’ compliance on sales reports, empowering the sales management team to fully track representative accountability, performance and a host of other invaluable functions for guaranteed improved profitability. For more information, call 1-800-986-0983, email sales@frontrow-solutions.com, or visit www.FrontRow-Solutions.com.

Athleta invites the Boulder community to celebrate our 1st year!

The event will be Wednesday, NOVEMBER 6th from 5-7pm.

At 6pm we will host a fashion show featuring all our new holiday outfits, worn by local models. We also will be hosting a giveaway for 2 different OUTFITS OF YOUR CHOICE! Come drink, eat, be merry and enter to win free Athleta clothing!

This is a FREE event please RSVP here or to Elizabeth_Hilliard@stores.gap.com so we can have enough goodies on hand!

The Firehouse Art Center, Longmont Colorado is pleased to present an exhibition recognizing established and emerging local talents.   From paintings and drawings to ceramics and sculpture, featured artists are pushing the boundaries of contemporary art in our region.

An Opening Reception will be held November 8 from 6-9 p.m. at the Firehouse Art Center.   The public is invited to attend.

Firehouse Art Center is an historic landmark in downtown Longmont.  Renovated in 1999, the Firehouse Art Center is a permanent art gallery and facility for art education and classes.   The Art Center is available for rentals for functions of various kinds.

Visit the Firehouse Art Center at Fourth & Coffman, Longmont.

Visit our website for a calendar of events at www.firehouseart.org