January 25, 2014 - Boulder, Colorado - The Boulder Valley Rotary Club and Art Cleaners teamed up once again for the 24th annual coat drive collection and distribution. With the help of many community members, nearly 1,800 coats and many other winter garments were collected and distributed earlier this winter to people in need through many charitable organizations.
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The Colorado State President's Project is the Denver Fisher House(DFH). DFH serves a nine state area. It opened in 1993 at the Fitzsimons Army Medical Center Campus in Aurora, Colorado as one of the original Fisher Houses. It is indeed the “Home of the Brave” in many ways.
A long term stay in a military hospital, sometimes hundreds of miles away from home, can easily mean expensive lodging and food costs, not to mention emotional stress on a family. That’s where the Denver Fisher Houses comes to the rescue. It provides a "home away from home" for military families to be close to a loved one during hospitalization for an illness, disease or injury. The Denver Fisher House offers a warm, compassionate environment where families find support and encouragement from others in similar circumstances. The house has nine bedrooms, a kitchen, living room, dining room and outside gazebo area. It is always full. The average length of stay is 15 days and since the national program began in 1990, more than 142,000 military families have been served. Highly trained staff and caring volunteers are available to assist all the Denver Fisher House guests.
"Operation Second House"
With the building of the new Denver VA Medical Center, the Department of Veterans Affairs has recognized the need for an additional Fisher House in Denver. The "Second House" will be built on the campus of the new VA hospital when it is completed in 2016. The Denver Fisher House Foundation is committed to raising $3,000,000 as their portion of the construction cost. Your monetary gifts, both large and small, will help to achieve the mission of helping our men and women currently serving and those who have worn the uniform. Thank you in advance for your generous support that makes a difference in the lives of our military families!
Four Ways to Help
Please join the Colorado State Society N.S.C.A.R. in supporting this incredible mission.
1. Make a Financial Donation Checks payable to: Colorado State Society, N.S.C.A.R. Mail to: Preston Brantmeyer, P.O. Box 350, Niwot, CO 80544 Fisher House Foundation tax-exempt 501(3)(c) EIN 84-1445569
2. Collect & Donate Wish List Items
3. Donate Hotel Points thru Hotels for Heroes on the Fisher House Website - Programs Tab. www.fisherhouse.org/programs/hotels-for-heroes/how-to-donate-points
4. Donate Meals provide or prepare a meal, please visit: www.DenverFisherHouse.org and click the meal train logo
Denver Fisher House Foundation
14001 E. Iliff Avenue, Ste 210
Aurora, CO 80014
Phone: 303.632.7319 Fax: 303.364.4882
Melanie Starkman: Executive Director
mstarkman@DenverFisherHouse.org
Carina (center) with HOPE seniors Zach and Andrea
Phenomenal. Goes out of her way. Nothing but praise. Help them succeed. Nurtured over the years. Helped to turn their lives around.
These are a few of the words and phrases shared about Ms. Carina Garcia Kirk, a mentor at HOPE at Front Range Academy – Broomfield. Ms. Garcia Kirk is a long-time educator with HOPE Online Learning Academy Co-Op. She’s worked with HOPE’s middle and high school students for the last nine years.
“I enjoy getting to see these kids progress through to graduation,” said Ms. Garcia Kirk. “This work is challenging, but I am doing it for the kids.”
Ms. Garcia Kirk holds a degree in social work. She was led to HOPE through a practicum she did in college. The supportive staff and what the HOPE model provides students are the reasons she’s stayed.
“HOPE provides kids who don’t fit the traditional school setting a place to find the confidence they need for the real world,” she said. “We provide a personal, caring environment where we can get to know the students and work with them one-on-one on their studies.”
One of Ms. Garcia Kirk’s students had this to say about her.
“Ms. Garcia Kirk is the best mentor ever! She has been there for me since 8th grade. She really is a big part of who I am today. Before this school I never thought teachers could be as amazing as her. She has given me life advice, and she has constantly proven that she does this job for us. She is always pushing me forward. I was going to get my GED, but she convinced me to stay. Because I know I can amount to better. She has inspired me for the longest time to be a better person and I have become one. She will definitely always be my reason for finishing high school. She loves to help people, and she is like my mother in a way. She pushed me to realize how smart I am, and she is a great mentor.”
Ms. Garcia Kirk says she keeps in touch with many of her graduates and some have even come back to get advice on college or careers from her. This summer she also helped a student and her family with a funeral for their brother/son.
“I’m proud of my students. There are so many great stories of what they’ve overcome to succeed,” she said.
HOPE at Front Range Academy – Broomfield’s Director, Ms. Dare, says Ms. Garcia Kirk is one of the most sincere mentors she’s ever had.
“She works very hard to ensure that her students are successful in academics and their life skills,” Ms. Dare said.
One of Ms. Garcia Kirk’s colleagues, Ms. Monck, a HOPE Moderate Needs Teacher, is inspired by her dedication.
“Ms. Garcia Kirk is a top-notch HOPE mentor. She does everything she can to help our students. Parents have nothing but praise for her work,” she said.
This is just one example of the outstanding staff HOPE Online Learning Academy Co-Op has across the state. HOPE is a blended online public k-12 charter school which delivers its curriculum through community-based Learning Centers from Denver to Greeley, Fort Collins, Leadville, Colorado Springs and Pueblo. Students attend Learning Centers five days a week and rotate between online lessons and face-to-face classroom instruction. The award-winning curriculum exceeds state standards. HOPE also offers low student-educator ratios and is an accredited high school diploma program, with graduates going on to attend college at institutions from the University of Denver to the University of Northern Colorado and beyond. Additionally, HOPE provides character development programs, including physical education, music, the arts and extra-curricular activities such as competitive sports, specialty clubs, talent shows and more. Enrollment for 2015/2016 is starting soon. For more information, visit hopeonline.org or call 720-402-3000.
Be Ready Longmont:
Taking the first steps to “Be Ready” for disaster.
Written By: Kimberly Smith
I confess. I’m a Prepper. Not an “End of the World, Build a Bunker, Learn Wilderness Skills and Survive the Zombies” type Prepper, but a “Be Ready and pick up a few extra items at the grocery store” Prepper. I have been affected by several types of disasters - riots in London, hurricanes in Cayman, earthquakes in San Francisco, severe winter weather in Arkansas and floods in Longmont - and my “Be Ready” style of prepping has kept my family and I fed, warm and safe.
During the 2012 floods in Longmont, my teen daughter and I went without power for three days and were unsure about the safety of our water. Yet we remained comfortable and healthy because our "Be Ready" closet was stocked months before the event. We had a camping stove and fuel to cook up hot meals and three 5 gallon jugs of water to drink and wash.
I admit that by day 3 I was tired of cooking on a camping stove and taking sponge baths with lukewarm water. My teenager was bored and every towel we owned (all 6) were filthy after using them to clean up wet dogs, muddy floors and ripping out the wet carpet in our basement. We knew little about what was going on around us and gleaned information speaking to a few neighbors and, when my cell phone was charged, calling my husband serving in the Guard.
It wasn't until after our power was turned on that we realized how extremely lucky we were. Watching local news we understood our few days were spent in relative comfort compared to so many others. We didn't spend time waiting in long lines at grocery stores for water or being hungry or cold and in the dark. Even our short evacuation was spent in relative comfort at friends who welcomed our four pets (although the cats would disagree as we had to cram all three into one cage in order to fit every soul into the car).
What made us different? We were prepared.
Granted, we were not directly affected by raging flood waters. There’s little one can do when they get hit head on by the disaster other than have your insurance policy at hand and a place to go. But otherwise, we were prepared to stick it out at home with a long-term power outage and no running water. Why were we so prepared? Because it is our way of life.
I grew up on a farm in Arkansas. Winters in Arkansas could result in snow/ice storms that resulted in ice forming on tree limbs and breaking power lines. Out in the country, we could be without power for a week or more. But our pantry was always stocked, wood stacked up by the fireplace and my cousins and I snug and warm in old blankets, wearing socks for gloves, and cooking hotdogs and burning marshmallows over the fire in the living room fireplace.
I recall meeting up with a fellow Arkansan years after a particularly bad winter ice storm. I reminisced and said, “Oh that storm was so much fun.” She looked at me in horror, “We almost STARVED.” I was stunned. She told me that after 3 days in their house without food and electricity, how she and her brother managed to walk to the grocery store only to find it closed. Of course it would have been closed, I thought. Employees could not get to work and trucks could not make deliveries. I was stunned by her assumption that businesses and shops would still be operating normally in such a storm.
I then worked in San Francisco. Luckily I never experienced a major earthquake but when my business moved into a high rise building in the Financial District, the building management required we take an earthquake preparedness session. We were advised that if all of the glass in the windows shattered during A Big One, there would be 17 feet of glass surrounding the building and it would be several hours if not days before an overwhelmed fire department could rescue us and we could leave the building. We were then provided with instructions on what to have on hand (food, water, first aid kit) and how to stay warm (cut up the carpets if necessary and wrap up).
When living in London, I experienced being stuck on the train (underground) and heard of instances where some people were trapped for hours – sometimes in darkness. Not a disaster, but not comfortable either – especially in summer when the heat can be unbearable. So when I took the Tube to work I always travelled with some granola bars, a bottle of water and flashlight “just in case”.
During some riots in London, my colleagues and I were forced to "shelter in place" at the office for a day due to violence on the streets outside our building. Being one who usually went out for lunch and a quick Starbucks, I was grateful to our office manager who had boxes of ramen noodles and bottled water stored for just such a situation. (We also drank the bottles of wine left over from a Christmas party but that's another story.)
In Cayman, we could sometimes wait for days to see if we would be impacted by a hurricane heading our way. Windows were boarded, boats moored in harbors and cars taken to higher ground just in case. In 2004 Cayman took a direct hit by Hurricane Ivan and, although I personally did not experience it, many friends and colleagues went for weeks without power, air conditioning and running water. Most want to forget the days after the hurricane because they were so awful. I particularly recall the story about the toilets. With dozens living at the shelters (usually office buildings) and no running water, the sanitation and smell was apparently unbearable before they figured out to use trash bags over the toilet seats which were then disposed of later.
Regardless how well prepared everyone was in each disaster, there was still some discomfort and some unpleasantness experienced. But I can only imagine how much worse each situation could have been had someone not had the forethought to “Be Ready”.
To become a “Be Ready” prepper does not require a drastic change in lifestyle or mentality. Being ready for an emergency is already a way of life for you if you think about it. When you take your dogs for a walk I'm betting you take doggie bags. You probably also make sure you have enough gas in your car to commute to work. Parents of young kids I suspect carry juice boxes and snacks for the children and extra diapers and wipes for the babies. You get vaccinations and health checks and you probably ensure there's enough milk left for breakfast in the morning. So you already plan ahead for little emergencies.
To “Be Ready” for disaster is just taking those same skills and applying them for bigger emergencies. You don’t have to get extreme and build an underground bunker. And definitely don’t try to start out by thinking of every possible disaster scenario – especially the “end of the world” thinking. Just think in terms of no power and no running water for a few days. Start there. Consider what YOUR family needs for a short-term power outage and gather the supplies you will need to ensure you are comfortable and safe – and work the preparation into your daily life.
After the floods, I participated in The City of Longmont’s CERT program and learned even more useful tips for anticipating and preparing for possible emergency scenarios. The CERT training made me realize how many possible disasters we could face here in Longmont – from a train or semi accident, a chemical spill, tornados, a pandemic, winter weather or even more flooding. The CERT training helped me understand not just what could happen, but what I could expect and for how long.
So, sign up for an upcoming CERT class through the Office of Emergency Management at (303) 651-8438 or email them at oem@longmontcolorado.gov. You can schedule a BeReady presentation for your office, school or community organization to help you learn how you can Be Ready by contacting Michelle Cherniske, The City of Longmont’s Public Safety Education Coordinator, at the Department of Public Safety. You can reach her by calling (303) 651-8432 or by sending her an email at Michelle.Cherniske@longmontcolorado.gov.
The popular TV sensation, Dancing with the Stars is about professional dancers and amateurs learning dance routines for a series of judges. Whether you like that reality show or not, you might try galloping over to An Evening of Dancing Horses at the National Western Stock Show with The Denver Brass on January 21 and 22 at 7:30 PM. Use promo code: DENVERBRASS at NationalWestern.com or call 303-295-2979, for a $19 ticket.
The difference between Dancing with the Stars and An Evening of Dancing Horses is that Dancing Horses has lots of professionals – the riders, the horses and The Denver Brass - no amateurs. Once again, The Denver Brass has found a way to showcase the talents of its musicians by becoming part of one of the West’s most popular events, the National Western Stock Show in An Evening of Dancing Horses.
The Denver Brass has been wearing boots, jeans, wide brim hats and big belt buckles since 2008 while providing music for some of the world’s finest horses and riders. From the precise art of dressage to death defying bareback gymnastics to heart stopping reigning, An Evening of Dancing Horses becomes even more enthralling when the music is added.
Adding music isn’t just about playing anything in the Brass’ repertoire and letting the horses do their thing. Here’s the poop (not literally although, there is some of that, what with the horses and all). It is a yearlong process of communicating with the riders about length of routine, tempos, styles, dynamics and moods. On the Brass side, the effort is led by Associate Director of the Denver Brass, Becky Wilson.
Becky must learn about all the characteristics of each routine from the riders themselves and she often studies video of the horses performing, too. Then, the task of finding pieces that work well for the horses as well as putting together a musical presentation that stands on its own, for the audience and musicians alike – no small task. Once the music is chosen and the show is shaped, the whole thing is turned over to world renowned rodeo announcer and cowboy poet, Dr. Lynn Phillips in conjunction with Denver Brass conductor, Warren Deck.
A three-hour rehearsal, 9:00PM till midnight, the night before the show puts it altogether and it is up to Warren to rhythmically become one with rider and horse as he leads the powerhouse brass ensemble through the show. For the Brass, it’s a killer! Non-stop music for an hour and a half with a short intermission is not easy on the face and those lips do get saddle sore!
So, that’s the inside scoop. It is an equestrian delight and family-friendly show from start to finish. There is a great showcase for the young riders of the Westernaires and some humorous routines as well. Those horses can do incredible things and watching how riders connect with their horses is always an amazing sight and thanks to the Denver Brass, an amazing sound as well!
Normally, the market slows in the fall as the leaves and the temperatures drop. This fall, however, the market has been unusually active, defying the standard seasonal pattern. Sales volumes are actually remaining steady, if not increasing.
Specifically, the volume of real estate sold across all Front Range markets in October increased 0.1% compared to September’s volume, and was up 11.4% on a year-over-year basis. Sales remained steady, but the number of new listings followed the typical seasonal pattern and fell 8%. Fewer listings and steady sales resulted in a drop in the inventory from 2.3 months to 2.1 months, reversing the four-month trend of rising inventory levels.
Looking ahead, the market’s strong performance in October should continue through the end of the year based on a few leading indicators. First, the number of listings placed under contract in October was up 10% over last year. These under contracts are November and December’s closings.Second, home sales have been trending up this fall on a national basis. The NAR Pending Home Sales Index, a forward looking indicator based on contract signings, has been rising since the summer and has been above 100 for five consecutive months. (100 is equal to an average level of contract activity)
One more metric that gives us a peek even further into the future is foot traffic – the number of buyers actually touring listings and looking at them for purchase. This is the time of year that foot traffic would normally level off and start to drop. We’re actually seeing the exact opposite. The national Foot Traffic Index published by NAR Research and Sentrilock is skyrocketing. The Index jumped 8.7 points to 65.7 in September, the third consecutive monthly increase.
More and more buyers appear to be staying active or coming into the market this fall. On a macro level, the reasons for the increase in demand can be found in the positive economic news of late, from lower jobless claims to higher job openings to an increase in consumer confidence.
However, something that is not receiving much press, but is certainly impacting the housing market, is the fact that it’s getting easier to secure a mortgage, not harder. According to the Mortgage Bankers Association, the average FICO score of a buyer who purchased a home with a conventional mortgage in September was 755, 4 points lower than the average score in 2013, and 9 points lower than the average in 2012. Of course, we haven’t returned to the bubble days of recklessly easy credit, but the trend for the past two years has been an increase in credit availability, and this is slowly helping first-time buyers enter the market.
Back in the July edition of the 8z Real Estate market update, when many national real estate sites and pundits were talking about a slow down in housing, we predicted “the second half of 2014 looks like it will be quite strong.”
It’s been a little over a year since Boulder landed the 4th spot in the “best city for hippies” ranking by the magazine Estately. And while Boulderites will have a divided opinion about that, few would disagree that hippies are intimately linked with the word “peace.” Boulder has its own history of peace activism, especially with the protests against the Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant. Some of those activists may have considered themselves hippies; some may not have… but the article did not mention this history of peace activism, focusing instead on Boulder’s love of marijuana. So what does it even mean to be a hippie? What does it even mean to really desire peace?
It’s this word “peace” that has become almost a laughingstock – a tie-dyed peace symbol you’ve stared at so long it’s lost its meaning, or something shouted by barefoot, drugged out people that will never ever happen.
If we’re keeping peace only in the houses of hippies and within the ambit of a 1960s counter-culture, we’re doing it a major disservice. This is the message that’s been coming out of an organization here in Broomfield, One Earth Future, which has been producing research and interviews of thought leaders on the subjects of peace and conflict. What is needed to make us stop thinking of peace as an unattainable utopia, and apply this concept to a practical agenda?
For one thing, we can’t be kidding ourselves that the mission is to evaporate all forms of conflict. “We need conflict,” says William Ury, co-founder of the Harvard Negotiation Project. “Wherever there’s injustice, you need to engage it.” But injustice can be engaged through nonviolent forms of conflict that are more effective in the advancement of humankind.
For another, there are some seriously underutilized resources and attention out there that can be harnessed for the cause of peace. As Sanam Anderlini, the co-founder of International Civil Society Action Network points out, a silent majority actually does want peace, and it’s not the hand-holding, altered-mind state, but the practical existence of nonviolent action. We just need to elevate and learn from these voices – especially women. Women in particular can be powerful negotiators, says Swanee Hunt, and bring a different perspective and knowledge base to the peace process.
And let’s remind ourselves that peace is not represented only on your uncle’s John Lennon poster. Like psychologist Steven Pinker says, our mindsets towards peace should change so that it becomes a practical, solvable problem, not about whether or not you sing the right folk songs. We no longer consider dueling, slavery, or human sacrifice fashionable practices, and norms about war may be going the same way.
Voices like Ambassador Charles Stith caution us about the scope of the challenges, especially existing levels of discontent. Lack of fairness makes for violent people, as he says, and we have only to look to Ferguson, MO for proof that underlying grievances are far from vanishing. But we can also look to some inspiring examples – like the Civil Rights movement – for confronting anger and conflict in nonviolent ways.
There is a little referenced distinction between inequality as represented by World Bank stat sheets, and a person’s own sense that they are being treated unfairly What if we were to get better attaking the sense of a people’s inequality into account along with the other statistics? What if, like Ury suggests, we treat war and violent uprisings more like common health ailments – predictable and preventable? What if we stop giving in to a narrative of spiraling unrest and danger and start paying more attention to some of the astonishing positive global trends that have taken place?
Whether or not Boulder is a haven for hippies is beside the point. Hippies and non-hippies alike, we have a lot of practical problem-solving ahead of us.
The goal of this book fair is to support local Boulder artists and art admirers.
BOULDER – The Barnes & Noble and Boulder Art Association Book Fair kicks off early on Saturday Nov. 22. It’s the first time the BAA has participated in this event and hopes it will bring awareness to the plethora of local artists in various mediums that are part of the organization.
The free, open-to-the-public fair will be an all-day, family-centered event, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., at Barnes & Noble Boulder, 2999 Pearl St.
Conveniently timed just a week before Thanksgiving, the book fair will offer book-lovers, art-lovers, and cheesecake-lovers a chance to buy gifts and food items for the holidays, all benefiting a great cause. There will be lots of activities to keep the whole family busy, including artist demos, kids’ crafts, art workshops, and art viewing. BAA Artists will even be there to recommend their favorite products – and it’s easy to help benefit the BAA. All attendees have to do is say the organization’s name at the book store or cafe register.
The BAA is also excited that the Barnes & Noble Café will sell whole Cheesecake Factory cheesecakes, the perfect Thanksgiving dessert, during the event.
For those who can’t attend the action-packed book fair at the store itself, Barnes & Noble will generously donate a portion of the profits of online sales for five days after the event, Nov. 23-28. For instructions on how to benefit the BAA through BarnesandNoble.com, please visit http://www.boulderartassociation.org/bookfair2014.html.
About the Boulder Art Association: The Boulder Art Association offers artists of any skill level the opportunity to join an open, friendly group committed to offering art opportunities throughout the Boulder Community. Consistent growth and a long history in Boulder enable us to offer more community outreach, support for local artists, county art shows, and a gathering place for artists and art lovers alike.
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In my sleep, I still see all the handguns pointed at me, the flash of light from the sniper’s scope, and the tank.
--
My wife and I moved to Fort Collins, Colorado, in October 2008.
Having visited the town on several occasions, we fell in love with the lifestyle that defines Fort Collins: rather small-town hospitality and pace, with most of the city amenities, weather that works for our favorite activities, a host of outdoor options, and relatively affordable housing.
We bought a property from a local builder, and put together the specifications for their semi-custom dream house.
It would take about six months to complete. We rented a house, during construction.
I have been medically disabled since 2004.
I was born with a complicated laundry list of eye problems, and a Primary Immune Dysfunction. For over six years, one of the eye problems was treated with eye drops that -- I later found out -- burned my corneas, leaving me in severe, chronic pain.
I had to leave a career as a Director and Vice President of several different corporations.
I now have to wear fluid-filled, custom-made contact lenses while I am awake, and was treated for the chronic pain that the eye issues cause. It is only because of the gift of these lenses that I could tolerate the dry, windy, wintry climate of Northern Colorado. But the lenses are maintenance-intensive, ridiculously expensive, and ... I cannot ... MUST not ... sleep in them.
My underlying eye issues are particularly severe when doing “close work,” like reading and using computers. My focusing muscles are like having two bad knees, with focusing being a lot like standing up and squatting down. While standing up and squatting down should be fairly easy, in my case, my knees (focusing muscles) tend to either give out or lock up. Imagine being locked with your knees bent at 90 degrees … for hours and hours and hours. When I use my eyes for reading or computer work, that’s what happens – I get a ‘charley horse’ in my eyes.
Medically, I need to be outside as much as possible, bicycling, hiking, snowshoeing, walking, running, or nearly any other activity that lets me focus on things off in the distance – straightening out my legs, so to speak.
The exercise is also necessary to help me strengthen my ability to fight off infections.
As our new house was being built, my wife and I noticed that the structure extended nearly all the way back to the property line, behind the house -- much farther than the neighboring house to the North of ours.
As a result, the entire master bedroom was “in the back yard” of the neighbors’ house, and a mere couple of feet away.
No reason to be alarmed, I thought. While the houses were very close together, my wife and I picked this neighborhood because of the clear sense of community and friendly people who lived there.
The way our house was situated could have been an issue, but we felt quite comfortable that -- if noise ever became an issue -- we’d be dealing, reasonably, with reasonable people, and could resolve any issues that might arise, between neighbors.
We moved into our new house in February 2009. Almost immediately, I realized that the neighbors had two young dogs who barked.
And barked a lot.
And barked exceptionally loudly.
The young sister dogs were a ‘cattle dog mix,’ a breed known for its intense, high-pitched bark.
The dogs barked early in the morning, late at night, and -- on most days -- for hours on end, while their owners were away.
And the dogs' owners were away a great deal of the time – all day long, and for days on end.
Because I often cannot fall asleep for hours because of the pain in my eyes -- particularly once I remove the special contact lenses – I was being awakened, over and over and over.
Upon awakening, it feels like there's ground glass in my eyes. Like there's molten ground glass in my eyes. It's terrible. The pain is excruciating. I was losing hours of sleep each day, and … because of the all-day barking … couldn’t even take a much-needed nap.
This began a spiral of fatigue and increasing pain that led me back to the doctors at the pain clinic, for relief. Increased medications led to increased fatigue. Increased sleep deprivation led to increased pain. It was a vicious cycle. I was trapped in it. It was just a horrible nightmare.
I told my wife that the dog owners were probably used to living next to an empty lot. I was sure that they would adjust to having people live next door. I chose to give them a bit of time to see if the problem resolved on its own, before bringing it up.
But the problem didn’t resolve. The hour after hour, day after day barking just continued.
The barking echoed throughout my house, no matter how many doors and windows were closed, or what kind of earplugs or background noise I used to minimize the noise. The houses were mere feet apart. The barking dogs were as close as about arm's length from the entire side of my house.
Without the barking of the neighbors’ dogs, the neighborhood -- well, at least our house -- was just about dead silent, nearly all the time. It was unbelievable to me just how intense these barks were, coming against a background of such profound quiet. It was like a bomb going off. Not only was it horrendously loud, but it was what they call an “impulse” noise – very sudden – as opposed to sounds like traffic that are pretty constant.
After a couple of months of this, I finally wrote a kindly-worded note to the neighbors, explaining my medical circumstances, and the toll it was taking on my health. I invited the dog owners to come to our house, to meet, chat, and talk about the barking issue.
For a week or so, things seemed to get better. I sent the neighbors a fruit basket to express my thanks.
But the respite didn’t last. The barking problem returned, and quickly.
I, again, sent a kindly-worded note. Again, I offered to meet and chat, over a glass of wine or a dinner.
By this time, the fatigue was catching up with me. I was having great difficulty pursuing the outdoor activities that were so critical to the health of my eyes, and ... I began to get sick.
This time, though, the neighbors' response wasn’t particularly cordial. They said that “other dogs bark, too,” despite the fact that no other dogs were barking mere feet from my bedroom, waking me up, or preventing me from sleeping in any room of my house.
Finally, after about seven months of this, fighting to remain physically active, and now on antibiotics for an illness that wouldn’t let up, the dogs barked for over an hour, at about 11:00 at night, while I was trying desperately to sleep.
One of the dog-owners -- a professional bicycle racer -- was in Italy, for a race, at the time.
I sent her an e-mail, letting her know that her dogs, again, were barking continuously, and preventing me from sleeping.
She sent an e-mail back, telling me -- at 11pm, and already sick -- to “walk next door and talk to her husband about it.”
But nobody was home at the neighbors’ house, and the dogs’ barking wasn’t stopping.
At this point, I told the neighbors that the barking was not only a problem for him, but might point to a problem with the dogs themselves. Maybe they were frightened, anxious, lonely, bored, or even scared.
The dog-owners dug their heels in. They insisted that there was nothing wrong with their dogs, and -- in effect -- nothing more that they would do.
The dog-owners let me know, that it was time for me to leave them alone.
I reached out to Animal Control, citing the pre-sunrise barking, the near-midnight barking, and the hours-on-end, day-after-day barking. On several occasions, I held the phone in the air, allowing Animal Control to listen to as much of the non-stop barking as they wanted.
Despite having a conversation with the dog-owners, Animal Control would go no further. They claimed to require statements from complainants at two separate addresses. As I later found out, this wasn't actually Animal Control's policy.
I explained that nobody else’s house was situated the way mine was, and that the dog-owners' other neighbor worked and traveled a great deal. She also had a SECOND floor bedroom, well out of the "line of fire." I’m sure the barking was nowhere near the intrusion for the other neighbor that it was in our house.
I wrote to Animal Control, explaining the circumstances, and pleading with them TO act, in this case.
They wouldn’t act.
The barking continued.
I asked the Fort Collins Police Department to intervene.
They wouldn’t.
The only animal noise complaints that they pursued were based on referrals from Animal Control, who had already refused to act OR refer the matter. Apparently, this is a pretty common catch-22 in many cities.
I was stuck.
My health was deteriorating. I was chronically exhausted. My vision was getting worse. It was all but impossible for me to engage in the critically important outdoor pursuits.
As my long-time primary care ophthalmologist had always said, "Four things will ALWAYS make your vision worse: fatigue, illness, stress, and intoxication." At this point, I had all four strikes against me. I was a medical wreck.
I reached out to the property managers of the neighborhood’s Homeowners’ Association -- letting them know that this had been going on for eight months, and that all civil, friendly, and reasonable efforts to resolve it, between neighbors, had failed.
I let them know the toll it was taking on my health, and pleaded with her to help.
They promised to help.
But things didn’t get better.
Reaching out to the property managers, again, I was told that “the Homeowners’ Association does not want [us] to pursue any further action.” They recommended that I “contact a Board member.”
I was among the last to move into this rather small neighborhood -- one where the close-knit feeling among the residents had a strong appeal. But I quickly realized that this close-knit community was a double-edged sword.
Dealing with worsening medical issues, since shortly after moving in, meant that I hadn’t been able to “join” the community, as I had hoped to, and that the Homeowner’s Association comprised this tight-knit group of friends.
I asked the property manager for the contact information for the Board members. She gave me only one name: that of the Vice President of the HOA's Board of Directors.
Meanwhile, the situation appeared on the radar screen of the City’s Mediation Coordinator.
The Mediation person mailed a letter to me, asking if I would be interested in mediation. I responded that I would be glad for the opportunity, and -- on several occasions -- asked her to call me to talk things over.
The Mediator never called me back, despite me leaving several voice mail messages and sending numerous emails trying to speak with her.
I sent the HOA's Vice President a note, explaining the magnitude of the barking problem, the impact it was having on me, and the neighborly way in which I had asked the neighbors for help in resolving the issue.
The HOA Vice President wrote back, saying that the HOA wasn’t going to take any steps to resolve the issue, “since there are so many folks with dogs,” and “they all know that our own dogs are prone to bark at times, and do not wish to be hypocrites.”
Nobody would ever just speak to me about the problem, no matter how often I asked to meet.
Nobody stopped by to see the unfortunate proximity of my home and bedroom to where the dogs spent most of their waking hours, or to understand that there was no escape, within my home, from the intrusion of the barking, and that the barking wasn’t just a brief and occasional issue, but would go on hour after hour, day after day.
After a while, I wrote back to the HOA Vice President, pleading with him to reconsider, to understand the circumstances involved, that the problem wasn’t occasional and annoying, but inescapable, chronic, and taking a devastating toll on my health.
I offered to meet with the Board, anywhere, and at any time, to go over the particulars and make my case.
The HOA Vice President didn’t respond.
I reached out to him one last time, asking for the contact information for the entire Board of Directors.
The HOA Vice President then responded with a shocking list of reasons why he didn’t like me, personally, and explaining how close his friendship was with the dog-owning neighbors. It was just a scathing and vicious personal attack.
While the HOA Vice President had only met me, personally, once, and briefly, he went on and on, for several paragraphs, about all of the things that he thought were wrong with me, none of which were true, and none of which had anything to do with the actual problem.
Rather than explore the truth of the barking situation, the HOA Vice President and his neighbors began looking into me, personally, looking for ways to demonize me, rather than address the barking issue, itself.
And, still, not a soul would meet with me or talk to me.
The HOA Vice President closed by telling me to leave him and everybody else in the neighborhood alone, and made it clear that -- while I had done everything in my power to keep this issue confined to only the people in a position to do anything about it -- it had become a neighborhood-wide issue, and that “the majority of the neighborhood” had turned on me.
I scheduled a Mediation date with the neighbors, despite never having had a chance to talk with the Mediator, directly.
When the Mediation date came, my wife and I were there. Nobody else was.
Apparently, the Mediator had canceled the Mediation, but never told me.
Seeing no further “friendly” options, and being too sick to consider moving, I consulted an attorney, and asked her to try to convince the neighbors to curb the dogs’ barking.
The neighbors refused, eventually threatening to sue me for “harassment.”
By this point, my health was a mess. I was virtually unable to get outside, and had been battling exhaustion for the better part of a year. Now, the dog owners were threatening to sue me. I was being treated with multiple antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, steroids, and monthly IV infusions of Immune Globulin.
Nothing was working. The medical bills were piling up. My health was just crumbling.
In the spring of 2010, more than a year into life with chronic barking, I was now battling insomnia, struggling for any sleep that I could get.
Unable to sleep in the custom contact lenses that I had to wear, I had to leave them out for days at a time, to allow me to nap when I could.
This led to a string of sight-threatening corneal problems that forced me to make a nearly impossible drive to Boston, to be treated for six weeks at a specialty eye center, there -- a period that I describe as "a lot like torture." Eight hours a day, five days a week, of enduring excruciating eye pain, in an effort to fit me with new lenses.
I asked my attorney what I should do.
She suggested that my wife and I file lawsuits against the neighbors for Private Nuisance, and against the HOA Vice President and the Homeowners’ Association for Failure to Enforce Covenants, Breach of Duty of Care, Breach of Duty of Good Faith, and Breach of Contract.
As part of the lawsuit, I learned that the dog-owning neighbors, the HOA Vice President, and our neighborhood friends had banded together to stop me , spread false and vicious rumors about me, and do everything in their power to side with their friends, the dog-owners.
They were totally unconcerned about the truth, the barking, or the harm it had caused me. They simply sided with their old friends, and against this new guy.
Rather than ever talk TO me, the neighbors spent an inordinate amount of time talking ABOUT me.
They had decided that -- since they had “seen [me] ride a bicycle, before,” that I must not be disabled.
As part of the lawsuit, I learned that the dog-owners and their friends had reached out to every member of the community, telling them a one-sided version of what had happened, and saying that I was “trying to force them to get rid of their dogs,” rather than simply train them not to bark so much.
As part of the lawsuit, I learned that several neighbors often heard the neighbors' dogs bark.
These neighbors lived quite far away from the dogs, relative to my house. If these neighbors heard the barking from 150 feet away, why couldn’t they imagine just how loud it must have been in my house, only a few feet away from the dogs ?
In another document, the situation had been presented as me “insisting that the animals are either removed or put down [killed].”
Nothing could have been further from the truth.
From the beginning, my wife and I loved the dogs. In fact, I continued to venture outside in an effort to calm and quiet the dogs, even giving them treats from time to time – something the neighbors’ attorney deemed “suspicious” and ordered me to stop.
No. I never had a problem with the dogs. The problem was with the owners.
As part of the lawsuit, I learned that the dog-owners had been in lengthy back-and-forth correspondence with the City Mediator (who never returned my phone calls). The Mediator was counseling the dog-owners on how THEY should handle the situation with THEIR ‘annoying neighbor.’ To the Mediator, the dog owners, and the neighborhood, I was the annoying neighbor.
Again: the Mediator never got my side of the story, and never spoke with me.
As I later discovered, the Mediator already had a relationship with the dog-owners.
The Mediator soon left the City of Fort Collins. Her department said that there was no file on my case. Apparently, the Mediator had destroyed it before departing.
The lawsuit was stressful, painful, and extremely expensive for my wife and me.
Eventually, the Judge dismissed the lawsuit against the Homeowners’ Association, ruling that -- no matter how the HOA acted, what they did, what they did not do, or what laws may have been broken -- since it was up to the Homeowners’ Association whether or not they would enforce the dog barking Covenant -- the case was totally without merit.
The Judge never even considered the other legal Causes of Action. I never got my day in court.
The Motion for Summary Judgment, then, was decided in favor of the HOA. The strategy of the HOA’s attorney was to "prove" that I wasn't disabled at all -- simply factually untrue. They were given piles of medical records – requested from me – that more than substantiated everything I had said.
The Judge throwing out my case meant that -- in the eyes of the Judge -- there were no issues of law or fact that should be decided by a Judge or a jury. In law, this is an extremely high bar. There was no way a Motion for Summary Judgment should ever have been granted in our case.
Even the Judge-Mediator, with whom we met, in Denver (at a Court-ordered Mediation), said that there was no way this could happen. She said that the case was chock full of issues of fact and law.
I was denied my day in court.
The Judge then awarded the HOA $73,000 in legal fees, in addition to the nearly $100,000 in fees that I had already spent.
This $73,000 was payable to State Farm Insurance, the policyholder of the HOA's Officers and Directors' insurance.
This took my life’s savings, left me broke, and ... absolutely stunned.
I was reeling.
Despondent, sick, and without hope of a fair trial, in the Court of this Judge, my wife and I settled with the dog-owners.
We had spent everything we had, and my health was still going downhill.
At this point, my only activities were trips to Denver, to be evaluated by Immunologists, Infectious Disease specialists, and Ear, Nose, and Throat specialists, and to get my monthly IV’s.
Eventually, the ENT recommended a sinus surgery to clear up the persistent infection that hadn’t responded to aggressive multi-drug therapy.
While recovering from the surgery, and running a fever, one of the neighbors used his ATV to plow the sidewalks and driveways of the houses on either side of mine. He plowed all of the snow onto my sidewalk, forcing me – in order to comply with Fort Collins law – to bundle up, perspiring, feverish, shivering, and – literally – with blood dripping out of my nose --and dig myself out of the mountains of snow the ATV-owning neighbor had left me.
I, again, called the Fort Collins Police Department, and begged them to intervene. I told them that the pattern of behavior of the neighbors – against a medically-disabled man – was escalating. I told the Police Officer that I was “medically disabled, in chronic pain, have an immune dysfunction, and have been battling serious health issues.”
She – literally – laughed out loud at me, and said that this was “the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard.”
I never recovered my health. Neither could I make it to my next scheduled trip to the eye specialists in Boston.
Those Boston trips cost me about $12,000, out of pocket, each time I have to go. We just didn’t have it, anymore.
Since the time that the Motion for Summary Judgment was decided, in favor of the HOA, I had to file multiple police reports against the HOA Vice President, who had begun to harass me on numerous occasions, while the next-door neighbor OF the HOA Vice President tried to run me off of the road, with his truck, and revved the engine of his motorcycle every single time he passes my house. This same man “played chicken” with me on numerous occasions, as I left the neighborhood.
I was physically unable to move out of the neighborhood, to get my health back, or to pursue the outdoor activities that were so critical to both my eyes and the stability of my health.
For months, I did nothing but be seen by medical specialists, all of whom were stumped about how to restore my health.
I later learned that the Judge is married to the sister of a residential and commercial property builder, who runs Homeowners Associations, and that the Judge’s daughter worked for the Judge’s brother-in-law, as a Property Manager of these Homeowners’ Associations.
For me, it begged the question of whether or not the Judge should have recused himself, in this case, since it would raise the appearance of bias to many observers.
The Judge’s family makes money, and his daughter makes a living, by siding with the HOAs, NOT the residents. I can only imagine the sort of one-sided conversation that takes place around that dinner table, when they get together. I was pretty shocked when I learned how tightly intertwined his life was with HOAs, and -- for the life of me -- couldn’t understand why he didn’t let another Judge preside over our case. But it certainly explains a lot.
The dog-owners finally moved from the neighborhood in the spring of 2011, but not before one of their two puppies -- only about two years old -- died.
It was the dog who barked much more than the other, and made me worry that the dogs were truly NOT okay.
The dog died of an autoimmune disease.
I don’t think the dogs were okay. I think she was either sick, and barking because she was sick, or the stress of being left alone so much made her sick. Either way, the dog died. It was the worst kind of lose-lose situation, and simply didn’t have to happen, in the first place. They lost a dog, and I lost everything. And for what ?
My wife and I look back, in disbelief, at the whole saga.
We moved to this neighborhood, in Fort Collins, for a better quality of life, and for the sense of community that this neighborhood promised. We tried to do everything right, abide by the law, and be decent in asking the appropriate people and agencies for help, in a civil and reasonable way. We still can’t believe this `happened to us.
Having spent nearly all of the winter of 2011-2012 living as a recluse -- leaving my house only for medical visits, I knew that, as spring came, II would have to tend to the landscaping of my property. There was no way the HOA was going to cut me ANY slack.
But I could find no landscapers to return my call during the busiest part of their season.
Having avoided further threats, assaults, and abuse by the neighbors, by staying inside, it seemed I'd be able to stay inside no longer.
It was clear that the authorities would do absolutely nothing to protect me from further harm.
For self-defense, I purchased a handgun, was trained in its use, and openly carried it on my property, while maintaining the yard -- perfectly legal in Fort Collins.
I’m not a gun guy. I’ve never owned a gun in my life. But the escalating pattern of abuse and torment … against a disabled guy who simply tried to sleep in his home made it impossible for me to know just how far these individuals were willing to go. And it became clear that the authorities weren’t going to help me. I was never going to hurt anybody. I simply had to protect myself from them … again … still.
I only stepped outside my house for the briefest of periods, and after ensuring nobody else was around near my end of the neighborhood. And … when I did step outside … I openly and legally carried my gun.
In early June, having seen me carrying a handgun ON my property, the HOA Vice President -- hiding behind the bushes in his own yard and using an eight-power telephoto lens, took a handful of pictures of me carrying the gun.
He snapped a handful of pictures during the roughly five minutes I had dared to exit my house. In all but one picture, I was looking down at the yard that I was maintaining. In one picture, I looked straight ahead for a brief moment.
Fort Collins Police and SWAT team arrested me. There were probably 20 law enforcement officers, in full riot gear, all pointing guns at me. There was an armored SWAT vehicle in the street, two doors down, and a sniper pointing a rifle at me from across the street.
This is the image that haunts my dreams, awakening me nearly every single night.
They jailed me and charged me with Felony Menacing.
I was given a “Deferred Prosecution” that required – among other things – an evaluation by a forensic psychologist. The psychologist concluded that I …
“responded appropriately to the emotional stress and turmoil created by the ongoing dispute by seeking out mental health counseling and his process of problem resolution was progressive and appropriate to the circumstances. There was no indication that Mr. Brooks responded impulsively or irrationally during the dispute and, while frustrated by the circumstances and outcome of his case, he never verbalized retaliatory or vengeful thoughts against the opposing parties.”
The Court also imposed a Gag Order on me, preventing me from speaking publicly about the case.
Fort Collins has had more than its share of negative publicity, largely due to government malfeasance. Apparently, this time, they could control the publicity and be sure nobody knew what they had done … at my expense.
I moved away from Fort Collins, and into a long-term hotel in the Denver area. My wife and I are currently separated. I am still pursuing solutions to the issues with my health. All of my possessions are in Colorado storage spaces, my unprotected, chemically-burned eyes make it impossible for me to live in the State, unless I’m utterly stuck inside – the worst place in the world for me to be.
Since all of this happened, I have been seen by numerous corneal specialists, all of whom agree that I should not wear my life-saving lenses. I can spend the weeks and the thousands of dollars to TRY to be fit again, but there’s no longer any guarantee that wearing the lenses won’t cause further harm to my eyes.
After talking with Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) attorneys, it became clear that my civil rights, as a disabled person, had been violated by the neighborhood, the Homeowners’ Association, and their property management company, when the Homeowners' Association denied me the "reasonable accommodation" needed to maintain my quality of life.
All I ever asked was that the dogs' barking be curbed. That’s it. Nothing more.
It's also likely that the City, the County, and the various governmental agencies' refusal to act constituted a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Unfortunately, my attorney -- from the onset -- told me that there were no federal discrimination issues, in the case. She was wrong. If she had made a simple phone call, to see that my case WAS Federal, the case would have been heard outside of Fort Collins, and would have -- almost certainly -- yielded a different result.
Still unable to safely wear the life-saving custom lenses, I left the country, for Central America, in March 2013, on the theory that the extreme humidity of the region might help me stave off additional sight-threatening complications. It did not work.
In August 2013, I returned to the States, to live with family members, and -- once again -- pursue a path back to the Boston clinic that could TRY, again, to make new lenses for me. The trip is extremely expensive and extremely painful. I tried to save money, and began working with a Pain Clinic, a Palliative Care Clinic, and a team of doctors, to get the pain under control, and -- hopefully -- allow me to make the Boston journey anew.
Unfortunately, on Christmas Day, I got sick. Seriously sick.
After months of doctor visits and procedures, followed by a three-week long trip to the Mayo Clinic, I got a diagnosis of “DRESS Syndrome –“ a life-threatening reaction to a prescription medication – in this case, most likely the anticonvulsant that was prescribed to try to manage my corneal nerve pain.
The Mayo Clinic recommended that I avoid any medication not deemed “absolutely essential,” leaving me with no custom lenses, and no options for treating the recurrent infections OR the chronic corneal nerve pain.
The cult of residents in that neighborhood, and the City of Fort Collins, Colorado … have truly taken everything away from me, a disabled man … who had never hurt a soul … and wanted nothing more than to be able to sleep in his new house.
http://nbeener.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-destruction-of-medically-disabled.html
I am involved with an organization called Nurturing Minds whose mission is to support and educate impoverished girls in Tanzania who would otherwise be on the street or living in squalid conditions with no chance for a better future. Nurturing Minds supports the Sega Girls School, a residential secondary school that houses and educates 180 girls who have been hit with a reall-life crisis (AIDS, starvation, the death of a parent) that forces them to withdraw from classes, usually before even completing elementary school.For the past 6 years, the Rocky Mountain Chapter of Nurturing Minds has organized a really fun event called An African Evening where we raise funds to support critical needs at Sega , such as supplying beds, desks, clean water, a bus and solar power. This year, we are trying to raise funds for teachers' salaries and to provide scholarships for 10 girls to attend the Sega School for a year.Please join me on Nov 15 at our annual African Evening fundraiser. You can purchase tickets here http://events.readysetauction.com/nurturingminds/rmafricaneveningIf you want to learn more about our program and what we are doing, please visit www.nurturingmindsinfafrica.org.Asante Sana! (that's 'thank you' in Swahili
Come take a magic carpet ride with a darling group of local youth actors, many in their very first performances, as they bring to the stage Disney’s ALADDIN Jr.
Boulder County’s own, The Art Underground, will open its Fall Season production, Disney’s ALADDIN Jr., Friday evening, November 14th for six performances in Boulder at Platt Middle School.
ALADDIN Jr. is a one-act theatre musical adapted from the very popular animated Disney film Aladdin, released in 1992. The film is based on the Arab folktale of Aladdin and the magic lamp from “One Thousand and One Nights”. Both the story and music in this version closely follow the original film.
So come join our three casts (25 each) of talented young actors ranging from 4th -8th grade and with the talented direction of Betsy Keating. Hear the Academy award-winning score with songs including “Arabian Nights”, “One Jump Ahead”, “Friend Like Me”, “Prince Ali”, and “A Whole New World”, as well as a new song, “Why Me”, which is sung by Jafar and Iago. You’ll also be treated to colorful, dazzling costumes and innovative, creative set design by Art Underground staff.
Friday,11/14/14
7pm Blue Cast
Saturday, 11/15/14
11am Red Cast
2:30pm Blue Cast
6:00pm Yellow Cast
Sunday, 11/16/14
1pm Yellow Cast
4:30pm Red Cast
High School 2014 Diplomats dressed up for Halloween! Photo courtesy of the High School Diplomats Blog
Piano chords floated out into the crisp morning air as seventy-nine other high school students and myself began raising and lowering our arms in the traditional Japanese Rajio Taiso workout. “Two lines!” the counselors intoned, and, having finished stretching, we lined up next to our roommates and began chatting. “HSD Go! Ikimashou!” we shouted.
Ten days of my summer started this way. I was honored to have been chosen as a 2014 member of the High School Diplomats program, a Japanese-American cultural exchange hosted at Princeton University. Forty American and forty Japanese students are paired with a roommate from the opposite culture, and complete many activities to explore each other’s cultures and daily lives, as well as discuss world issues.
The program was started by the AIU Insurance Company of Tokyo, and is also sponsored by the Freeman Foundation. The two companies work together to provide generous merit-based full-ride scholarships to all participants. According to the website, the program’s goals are “to spread international understanding among Japanese and American high school students… [and] foster the creation of meaningful and lasting friendships.”
A typical day in the program includes many opportunities to learn about each others’ culture. Presentations given by the students over topics such as education, social issues, regional characteristics, and government included in-depth information about the differences between the countries. An hour of language classes split up the two groups of students allowing many of the Americans with no Japanese background to learn basic words and phrases to try out with their roommates, while those that had taken Japanese previously could participate in bilingual discussions. Similarly, the Japanese students refined their English skills with the introduction of slang and idioms. The language classes were then followed by culture classes. Among other activities, the American students participated in a traditional tea ceremony and learned basic calligraphy.
The most highly-anticipated part of the day was in the evening, when theme-night activities were held. The Independence Festival, a celebration of American culture, was complete with line-dancing lessons, a trivia game, a dunking booth, a photo booth with George Washington cutout, and a pie eating-contest. Date Night, which simulated an American prom with dinner and a dance and Halloween, which included learning choreography to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” and roasting s'mores in our costumes were hits, especially with the Japanese students. My personal favorite, Bunka No Hi, or the Japanese culture festival, afforded me the opportunity of dressing in the traditional yukata and learning both a traditional and then a J-pop dance, playing Japanese childrens’ games, and watching a martial arts demonstration.
The major focus of the program is the roommate relationship. I was fortunate enough to be roommates with a 17 year-old from Tokyo, Momoka. We bonded very quickly, sharing a love of Harry Potter, a sense of humor, and, most importantly, a desire to learn about each other. It wasn’t always easy to be spending every moment of ten days with a person that had been a complete stranger from halfway around the world before the start. Language barriers also proved a problem for us, and required patience and hard work from both parties.Yet even through this, we were able to have fascinating conversations about history, our futures, beliefs, and more. It was incredible how strong of a friendship can be created in such a short period, and I feel so, so lucky to have met her.
With our roommates and the other participants, we went beyond the surface elements of the cultural differences to talk about deep differences in our societies. We also applied this knowledge and different thought processes to other world issues. During one theme day, entitled Diplomat Talks, we sat down and discussed in depth our views and ideas about poverty, women’s rights, and nuclear power.Conversations about these issues and others then continued spontaneously during meals and in free time
.One of the most fascinating and beautiful concepts that I took away about Japanese culture was how precise and deliberate it is. From the traditional tea ceremony, which required ceremonial and precise phrases and movements to allow everyone time for quiet reflection, to the deliberateness in which people choose their words to respect those around them, taking time to do things respectfully and correctly is a large element in the Japanese culture.
It was through these insights that I gained, in addition to the amazing activities and incredible people that I met that allows me to say with confidence that my experience at HSD lived up to its motto. I can honestly say that High School Diplomats was, “the best ten days of my life.”
The High School Diplomats 2015 program will be hosted at Princeton from July 28 through August 8! Interested in applying? High school sophomores and juniors can apply now on the program’s website.The application must be postmarked by January 7th, with an interview and then results of selection following. Visit www.highschooldiplomats.com for more information.
She was supposed to be a biomedical engineer, and by some twisted tragedy, Meghan became a singer/songwriter. How did this happen? She only knew a G chord on the guitar, yet the music and lyrics came in between the space of the sorrow she was experiencing. She wasn't a musician. Was she?
On the Way to the Waterfall is Meghan Cary's personal story. She is a Billboard Magazine Newcomer pick and her debut album made it in the top 10 along with John Hiatt's that year.
You can check out all about Meghan via her website: http://www.meghancary.com
Back to my review. Please suspend your judgement. In all honesty, I am helping out this show at the 2014 Fringe Festival. I will say that I am an avid arts fan just like anyone else, and I have been Fringing since 2006. I have to say that this was one of the best Fringe shows I have experienced. Maybe it is because, this time, it was personal.
My family went through a similar tragedy. I got the call, I remember it being at around two in the afternoon, that my sister was in a car accident. I was hoping beyond hope that they were not riding their motorcycles that day. I barely got out the words to ask if she was okay, and the officer knew I was having trouble. He said she is going to be okay. My sister was in intensive care. I asked about her significant other, the officer quietly said, he didn't make it.
During the show, there was a scene that was extremely raw and powerful. It was in that moment I was hit with all the emotion I know my sister had gone through. It was anger at experiencing a loss when no loved one was around to help support the intense heavy load, and I lost it. I knew in that moment what my sister had gone through. I never truly got it, what it was like before I could get to the hospital, until Meghan acted out her personal experience. I am thankful I brought some tissues.
Another moment that had me breathe in, the grasping at the reason why this happened. In a simple instant, "Oh."
The ending got me as well. This show was well acted, professionally directed, fast flowing, and the music is demonstratively healing, as the part of the music truly was in Meghan's life.
So please, suspend judgement. Of course I want this show to succeed. I will say as the role of another arts attendee, this show is a must see. At least give yourself the opportunity to witness a gifted talent, Meghan Cary, while you have this chance.
SCHEDULE: Thu, Sep 18 @2PM; Fri, Sep 19 @8:30PM; Sun, Sep 21 @4PM; Tue, Sep 23 @7:30PM; Wed, Sep 24 @5:30PM; Sat, Sep 27 @4PM
VENUE: Carsen Theater at The Dairy Center for the Arts (2590 Walnut St, Boulder, CO)
TICKETS: $12/$10 general/students & seniors
TICKET DEALS: 2-for-1 discount, Bring 4 Friends get your ticket FREE, Group Rate - $2 off each ticket for 10+!
For information and to purchase tickets: http://bit.ly/hypotheticaltheatre
YouTube: http://youtu.be/9g2i9IVtVRc
www.rialtoloveland.ticketforce.org“From London and Broadway with Love”
Loveland Opera Theatre 10th Anniversary Gala!
Come celebrate the best musical offerings from both sides of the Atlantic Ocean!
Loveland Opera Theatre presents “From London and Broadway with Love” on October 4, 2014 at the Rialto Theater. The celebration marks Loveland Opera Theatre’s 10th Anniversary and features nationally acclaimed concert pianist, arranger and composer Micky Poage, “Vail’s Piano Man”.
The Gala will begin at 6:30 pm with a high-value silent auction followed by the concert at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $32 each and can be purchased through the Rialto Box Office 970-962-2120 or at www.rialtoloveland.ticketforce.org.
Micky Poage will play original arrangements of Beatles hits, plus selections from Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables. Accompanying Poage will be Loveland Opera Theatre’s own soloists and chorus. Soloists include Amy Maples, Soprano; Max Hosmer, Tenor; Timothy Kennedy, Baritone, Mariah Van Tress & Christina Hazen, Mezzo-sopranos and more.
For tickets: call the Rialto Box Office at 970-962-2120 or order online at: http://rialtoloveland.ticketforce.com/. For information, please call LOT at
970-593-0085or email us at lovelandoperatheatre@gmail.com This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Boulder, CO: Today, the Boulder Art Association announced that they will host Major Fredric Arnold, a 92-year-old Boulder-based sculptor and retired WWII P-38 Combat Fighter Pilot, as he reveals one of the life-size sculptures from his “Lest We Forget: The Mission” monument on Sept. 19, 2014 at 6:00 p.m. Of his original 14 P-38 Fighter Group, 12 were killed. Major Fredric Arnold is one of the two survivors. The sculpted artwork is part of a monument to honor the 88,000 airmen who lost their lives in WWII. Maj. Arnold will speak about the first of the 12 sculptures and conduct a book signing of his autobiographical work, Doorknob Five Two, at the presentation. The event will take place at the Boulder Art Association, 4800 Baseline Road, Suite B-103, Boulder, CO 80303.
“We are extremely honored as a local arts organization to have the opportunity to highlight Major Arnold’s artistic and military achievements,” said Rod Swanstrom, President of the Boulder Art Association, “We invite the entire community to experience Major Arnold’s first casting of his epic project at one of its first public showings before all 12 pieces come together for their final installation. When attendees view his amazing work, they’ll also get the chance to meet Fredric and purchase his book, a chronicle of his experiences as a WWII pilot.”
Arnold’s Lest We Forget: The Mission includes 12 life-size fighter pilots at a mission briefing; Seven of the figures are alive and participating, while five, lighter in color than the rest, are pictured in full flight gear, as they would have looked when they were killed in action, evoking a feeling of distance and loss of life.
Of his inspiration for the sculpture, Arnold said, “Following my five month tour of duty in North Africa, Sicily, and Italy, I was one of two pilots who survived from our original group of fourteen P-38 fighter pilots…Today, I’m the last guy standing and I’m determined to fulfill my commitment to honor their memory and give thanks to the less fortunate members of my class.”
When visitors attend the event, they can also view the artwork from September’s member art show, an eclectic showing of art works in various mediums showing the variety and diverse styles of the BAA members. Both shows will run until Sept. 28. The BAA is open Friday-Sunday, 2 p.m. – 6 p.m.
About the Boulder Art Association: The Boulder Art Association offers artists of any skill level the opportunity to join an open, friendly group committed to offering art opportunities throughout the Boulder Community. Consistent growth and a long history in Boulder enable us to offer more community outreach, support for local artists, county art shows, and a gathering place for artists and art lovers alike.
Kick-off the Labor Day Week-end - Thursday, August 28th 6 - 7:30: FREE SUMMER BONUS CONCERT!
Bring a blanket and a picnic, and enjoy the PARK HILL BRASS CONCERT, sponsored by the Louisville Cultural Council.
The Louisville Arboretum is adjacent to the Skate Park on Via Appia Way, just west of the Louisville Recreation Center.
Each year, the National Society of the Children of the American Revolution creates a National Theme and the National President develops a program that will benefit the Society and the nation. Led by National President Betsy Ehmcke and Senior National President Billie Spence, our National Board promotes the project and theme to support our educational programs.
The National Theme for the 2014–2015 N.S.C.A.R. year is O! Say Can You See.
The 2014-2015 National President’s project is to make a donation to the Star-Spangled Flag House in Baltimore, Maryland, in honor of the Star-Spangled Banner’s bicentennial. The Star-Spangled Banner Flag House began as the home of Mary Pickersgill, the woman who sewed the Star-Spangled Banner, and has become a museum that retells the impact Mary and her flag had on our independence. The museum attracts nearly 10,000 visitors each year, with 30% of its visitors coming with school groups.
Unfortunately, of the ten flags on the grounds of the Flag House, all ten are in need of repair. As this is an expensive project and falls outside of restricted exhibit funds, the Flag House has been unable to fix them. This year, the N.S.C.A.R. hopes to raise $20,000 to donate to the Flag House. With our donation, all ten flags can be restored, including a large Star-Spangled Banner that flies in front of the museum. Our donation will also cover the cost of a recognition marker for the N.S.C.A.R. on the Flag House grounds.
In addition to a donation to the Flag House, this year the N.S.C.A.R. will place an emphasis on learning about our nation’s flag. Local societies are encouraged to spend time learning flag etiquette and exploring the history of the American flag. Our flag symbolizes freedom and independence, and our societies will pay tribute to it in its bicentennial.
Join us as we honor the American flag. “O! Say Can You See”, may our flag ever wave.
We will having the first annual Lafayette Brew Fest! Hope you can come. Entrance is FREE!
Here are the details...
Thirsty? Come join us for Lafayette's FIRST Brew Fest featuring Micro and Craft Beers for sale from the local area Breweries. No Entrance Fee.
Local Music by The Chris Daniels Band
Visit craft and business booths and a variety of restaurant and food booths
Event day prices: $2.00 for each 4 oz pour
Purchase pours in advance by Sept. 11th and receive extra pours and a chance to win great raffle prizes
receipt must be presented day of the event.
Those who are drinking must purchase tasting tokens and will receive a souvenir cup.
For more information call 303-666-9555.
21 & Over (Must show ID at the door) Presale Pour tickets are non-refundable.
Vendor Application (Click Here)
Chamber Members given first preference
Participating Breweries:
Crystal Springs Brewing Company * Echo Brewing
Front Range Brewing Company * Gravity Brewing
Kokopelli Beer Company * Liquid Mechanics Brewery
Odd 13 Brewing Inc. * The Old Mine
The Post Brewing Company * Twelve Degree Brewing
West Flanders Brewing * Westminster Brewing * Wonderland Brewing
the art underground of Louisville will be hosting an Open House on Saturday, Aug 23rd. They will provide information about their exciting new art center and arts village project with Boulder County Housing Authority and Louisville Artists Co-housing. Come try sample classes for all ages from the fall catalog! Great Saturday morning activity with the kids as we will have a Prize Wheel, Open Craft Room, Raffle and Refreshments.
the art underground, 901 Front Street, Lower Level in Historic Downtown Louisville 303-229-1127
