CORONADO Magazine May 2023

D e l C o r o n a d o R e a l t y i s a f u l l s e r v i c e b o u t i q u e b r o k e r a g e s p e c i a l i z i n g i n C o n c i e r g e - l e v e l r e a l e s t a t e i n C o r o n a d o C A ,

L a J o l l a , D e l M a r H e i g h t s , a n d t h e s u r r o u n d i n g C o a s t a l S a n

D i e g o A r e a s . T h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f D e l C o r o n a d o R e a l t y a t t h e H i s t o r i c H o t e l D e l C o r o n a d o h a s b r o u g h t a n u n p a r a l l e l e d b e n e f i t t o t h i s b r o k e r a g e a n d o u r c l i e n t s o v e r t h e y e a r s .

May is for Moms!

There is nothing like a mother’s heart, a mother’s words and a mother’s touch. We honor all Moms in this issue and how important they are in our lives and in society. In this edition you’ll get a glimpse of the special bond between mothers and sons, the forever memory Hattie shares of a Taylor Swift concert with her daughter, and the friendships that we toast with the St-Germain Greyhound!

Mother’s are the backbone of our families, the glue that holds our relationships together, the shoulders our tears land on and the strength that helps us move forward. The title of mother isn’t a one size fits all role, but rather the special women in our lives who help shape us into who we are today and who we hope to become.

Also in this edition … we say goodbye to the long-time face of Coronado Athletics, Robin Nixon (look for more with Robin on her farewell from CHS in the graduation issue of the Coronado Eagle & Journal, in June) … May is Mental Wellness Month here in Coronado, and Safe Harbor offers simple tips for self-care. The Coronado Cultural Arts Commission looks back on the year, and the Military Spotlight shines on Coronado Mom (and Navy Commander) Kay Khrone. We take a trip to Fort Collins with Kris Grant, get to know our Island Icons, and learn about POW/MIA Bracelets.

“Proof of Mom”

It’s a funny phrase I first heard chatting with one of the contributors to our Mom & Son section this month. As this Mom was recounting to me, it was challenge to find any pictures that included both her, and her son, but there were many pictures of her son and husband together. When commenting to a friend on this challenge, the reply was … “well, that’s proof of Mom.” And it is, isn’t it? Mom is often the one behind the scenes … keeping us moving forward, making us happen, “is your homework done?” - “have you eaten?” - and in this case, Mom was the one taking the pictures!

So, this May, reflect upon your own proof of Mom … and remember to say:

Dean K. Eckenroth Jr Editor & Associate Publisher

Cover photo by Kel Casey

I Love You, Mom!

Publisher

Dean Eckenroth publisher@eaglenewsca.com

Associate Publisher

Dean K. Eckenroth Jr. editor@eaglenewsca.com

Business Development

Advertising Director Patricia Ross patricia@eaglenewsca.com

Amanda Ramirez amanda@eaglenewsca.com

Renee Schoen renee@eaglenewsca.com

Editorial

Alessandra Selgi-Harrigan alessandra@eaglenewsca.com

Lauren Curtis copyeditor@eaglenewsca.com

Kel Casey kel@eaglenewsca.com

Maria Simon maria@eaglenewsca.com

Christine Johnson christine@eaglenewsca.com

Brooke Clifford eaglenewsbrooke@gmail.com

Photographer Hattie Foote

Production

Andrew Koorey

Printing

Reed Printing

Distribution

Roberto Gamez

Today Was a Fairytale

by Hattie Foote

It was a typical Friday morning in our house, the usual chaos of getting everyone up and at ‘em, sourdough toast and eggs on the table, a missing shoe search. But I had a little secret that I had been keeping for months. As we were about to head out the door, I broke the news to my nine-year-old daughter Lux. I was so nervous I felt like I was proposing, “Baby you aren’t going to school today, we are actually headed to the airport right now. We are flying to Las Vegas and going to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour tonight!” We were screaming, sweating, crying, all the things. I made Chris record the moment so I could watch it over and over, which I do, and I cry each time I watch it. I packed the night before, so I grabbed our bags and headed out to drop off a jealous brother at school. Just as we were about to head off island, I had one more surprise. We stopped at our best friends house to pick them up because they were coming too, mother/daughter trip of a lifetime!

We landed in Sin City, and it was so fun to watch the girls take it all in. They couldn’t believe the people watching, the lights, the Eiffel Tower! They decided it was the classiest place they had ever been and declared their intentions of going to college together there (which was concerning to say the least). Apparently, we need to get out more. I remember my first time going to Las Vegas when I was about the same age for a soccer tournament during Thanksgiving break with my family. We stayed at Circus Circus and had a depressing buffet Thanksgiving dinner, so I was not as enamored with it as they were. This time we stayed at Delano Las Vegas which is located at Mandalay Bay, if you ever go to a concert/football game at Allegiant Stadium this is the best location. It has direct access to a

pedestrian bridge and is a quick 10-minute walk between hotel and venue.

We grabbed lunch and spent the afternoon dressing to the nines; feathers, rhinestones, glitter, you name it - we wore it. We had to get a little creative in order to plan the girl's outfits. Last summer I took Lux to a candlelight Taylor string quartet tribute concert at the San Diego Natural History Museum in Balboa Park which was stunning. We told the girls we were going to take them to another candlelight show and you are supposed to dress up in themed

outfits. This way they were able to have the perfect outfit without ruining the surprise! We went to a beautiful fancy steakhouse for dinner, the girls had their Shirley temples and the moms their spicy margaritas. Everyone in the hotel seemed to be going to the concert, the energy was electric and the outfits were wild. We walked to the stadium and bought the girls bubblegum pink cowgirl hats with feathers and lights. We also got screamed at by evangelical protesters that yelled that we were going to

hell for going to the concert, which was fun to explain to our kids!

The concert started at eight and for the next three and a half hours again we were screaming, crying, sweating. It was the most breathtaking show I have ever seen, Taylor Swift is a force. I can't imagine it being my first concert, I have a vivid memory of my mom taking me to my first concert. It was The Judds who I was obsessed with at the time. I love that memory I have with her, and it feels so special to have the same with

my daughter. I don't want to spoil any of the show in case you are going this summer, but you're in for a treat. If you couldn’t get tickets, you're more than welcome to come over to my house and Lux and I will perform our hearts out for you in our living room.

After not even 24 hours in Las Vegas, we were back at the airport bright and early the next morning. We walked past the slot machines with Lux still in her cowgirl hat, fitting in like a local and we boarded our plane. We met so many people in line from all walks of life who had been at the concert, and we were all bonded and blissful from the experience. Swifties unite! Core memories were made and I feel so incredibly grateful to have shared these precious moments with my girl. I may be getting mother of the year award this Mother's Day from her, but on the other hand I just fed my son a packet of peanut butter crackers for dinner. You win some, you lose some! Happy Mother's Day to all of you extraordinary women, cheers to the hardest and best job in the world!

Anchors Sons are the of a Mother's Life

-Sophocles

There's this boy who stole my heart from the moment he was born He calls me mom For seventeen years he has made me very proud of the young man he has become He is kind, smart, hardworking, strong, witty and hilarious! Every day he makes me laugh.

I love being a boy mom!

Maureen Eckenroth, Conner's Mom

Moms and their sons are a special breed I feel so blessed to be able to say that Scotty and I have had a special connection truly since the day he was born He is the most loving, compassionate, gentle and caring person, son and now husband, a Mom could ever pray for I thank God for him every single day!

Wanda Aurich, Scotty’s Mom

The bond between and mother and her son is one of the strongest bonds a person could have León is kindhearted, loving, smart, funny and a little loco all wrapped up in a handsome little guy that I get to call my son I am so proud of the little man he is becoming, and I am so blessed to be his mom! Always be true to you, my boy I love you!

~Amanda Ramirez, Leóns Mom

Being a mother to a son means you get to witness firsthand how a little baby boy grows into a strong, kind, and caring person of his own As a mother to a son, you get to share in his sense of wonder and curiosity, and rediscover the world through his eyes. Being a mother to a son means you don't take yourself too seriously - you laugh harder, play more, and love greater than you ever thought possible!

Rena Clancy, Adrian's Mom

The unbreakable bond that I have with my son, Remington, is based on this wild, unfiltered and unapologetic love! He teaches me to not take life so seriously and fosters who I want to be as a mother I've learned to embrace and thrive in chaos And I get the chance to raise the kind of man that I want to see in the world.

Brooks Nathan Beard is by far my greatest blessing, adventure and teacher At two, he loves unconditionally, is so excited about discovering the world, says the silliest things and gives the best hugs. I am the luckiest Woman in the world to be his Mom! I recently started a book, The Parenting Map by Dr Shefali I highly recommend this book for Moms that have a little extra time and are looking for a great parenting book

A Mom of 3 Boys

I am blessed beyond measure being the mom to these three amazing boys…actually two are men now It has been such a fun and crazy roller coaster raising them lol! But, they always treat me like a queen and I couldn’t ask for anything more than that! :)

Life is filled with wonder when you first hold your baby boy. You watch him grow into the little boy you adore and you see the world through his eyes filled with his imagination, energy and sensitivity Before you know it, he has grown into the man you could only hope he would become

~Hayley Beard, Brooks’ Mom

~Cassandra Goldberg, Remington’s Mom

~Beth Aiello, Slater, Anthony, and Dawson’s Mom

~Ruth Ann Fisher, Kelcey’s Mom

I think it is common for mothers to see similarities between their sons and the important men in their lives, such as their father or husband. For me, this is a source of comfort and connection as I lost both my dad and my husband in a six-month period during the pandemic Will Purvis has the best of both of those guys in him and although I miss them both the best of them are in my son. And yet, Will has his own unique qualities. He has a wicked sense of humor, a zest for life and I hear he is a pretty good dancer We share a love of reading, Trojan Football, and dogs He wasn’t always easy, but he was usually charming. I miss the stinky lacrosse bag, the fingerprints on the door header when he ran into the kitchen and the wet towel always on the floor I am grateful to be the mom of a boy

What is special about being a mother to a son?

As littles they were just so much fun! Always running about, giggling and getting into something As teens their friends filled the house with rough and tumble enthusiasm, dripping wet from the pool, sweaty from basketball, hungry, energetic and competitive They were my buddies, helping out with projects, taking walks and going to lunch They kept me company and made me feel safe when their Dad was away As adults they fill my heart with joy and pride for the gentlemen they have become, their devotion to their families, their dedication to their work, their love and caring of their children and their involvement in their communities

~ Nancy Eckenroth, Dean and Brian's Mom

As a "boy Mom", it is extraordinarily special to be able to raise three boys into three exceptional young men. I dreamed of them my whole life. I am blessed beyond measure to have sons that are respectful, kind and loving to each other There is nothing quite like cheering for home runs, soccer goals, cross-country wins, volleyball spikes and a lacrosse goose! I miss them being little, but am so proud and blessed to have been a part of it all and to be their Mom!

~ Kelly Purvis, William's Mom

Trisha Ross, Daniel, Charles and Steven's Mom

He has given me a different perspective to life, his playfulness and lighthearted spirit makes life more fun, easy-going, and very active His hugs and snuggles are the best.

~Edith Salas, Ian's Mom

Justin stole my heart the moment he was born Ever since he was 8, sailing has been his passion. We led an adventurous life, he has always been by my side. We still hike, bike, sail, and go on trips together. I am so thankful for Justin; he lights up my life He’s all grown up now, living his dreams, and I am so proud of him

~Shelly Klessinger, Justin's Mom

My very cute little boy, aka "Bradley Bad-Dude," has been the joy of my life! I prayed for him and God said, "here ya go now hold on to your hat!" Yep! That's my boy always creating the next adventure! He continues to bring us an abundance of love and fun and never a boring moment! God blessed us with a sweet and loving boy who has grown up to be a courageous warrior, a strong man, a leader and a wonderful husband and father I am amazed at his tenacity, perseverance and inner strength and truly couldn't be more proud of my boy and forever grateful to our Lord, Jesus Christ for giving us "Bradley-Bad-Dude."

Class of 2003 Coronado High

~Vicki Inghram, Bradley's Mom

Happy Mother's Day!

Bay Books Book Club Corner

What books people are reading…

Lessons in Chemistry

By Bonnie Garmus

About women’s lives regarding struggles with career and empowerment in the 1950s and 1960s. This story centers around an ambitious and bright chemist named Elizabeth Lott who, despite the societal challenges she faces, is determined to make her name known in the scientific community. While working hard to pursue her academic career, Elizabeth also finds herself coming face to face with issues in her personal life: she grapples with a strained relationship she has with her mother, who wants to prioritize the idea of family and marriage over her career, and a romance with a fellow scientist, Henry. Elizabeth learns to balance her personal and professional life, all while fighting to make her dreams come true. As it delves into serious themes such as societal expectations, feminism, and self worth, Elizabeth’s quirky and authentic personality creates an exciting journey that makes this book a hard one to put down.

Wake Up With Purpose!

By Sister Jean with Seth Davis

A remarkable memoir of 103 year old Jean Dolores Schmidt, or most commonly known as “Sister Jean”. From her childhood, to her vocation as a nun, to her role as the chaplain of the Loyola Ramblers basketball team, Sister Jean shares her experiences and anecdotes that have shaped her values, faith, and her understanding of purpose. Sister Jean’s story of her century-long life is told with her wit, spirit, admirable wisdom, sense of humor, and important themes. It will feel as though readers have gotten to know Sister Jean personally through her heartwarming and inspirational stories. As Sister Jean states in her book, “I’ve seen so many changes in the last 102 years, but the most important things remain the same.”

Where the Crawdads Sing

By Delia Owens

A 2018 coming-of-age novel following the life of Kya Clark, a girl who is forced to grow up in the marshes of North Carolina after being abandoned by her family. As called the “Marsh Girl” by the local community, Kya is placed on the outs and must learn to survive on her own in the wilderness. Despite the endeavors, Kya’s wild spirit and determination provides her a deep connection with both nature and two men from the community, Tate and Chase. However, everything takes a turn when Chase is found dead in the marshes. When Kya becomes the prime suspect for Chase’s death, her life that she had worked so hard to build up immediately becomes dismantled. The narrative switches back and forth from Kya defending herself against the case accusations from the community and facing flashbacks of her upbringing, which causes her to both discover her inner self and unravel the truth of this murder mystery.

Daisy Jones & The Six

By Taylor Jenkins Reid

Inspired by one of history’s most well known bands, Fleetwood Mac, is a fictional novel about an up-andcoming 1970s rock band. Daisy Jones, known for her charisma, beauty, and powerful voice, discovers her passion for singing and crosses paths with the Six, a rising music group. Their partnership leads to the success and release of an album, and the band transforms from obscurity to fame. Daisy becomes lead singer with Billy Dunne; their collaboration brings forth triumphs, yet also introduces various internal conflicts. As Billy struggles to overcome his alcohol addiction and Daisy falls even harder into her drug addiction, the band buckles their seatbelts for a roller coaster of music-related turmoil. Facing conflicts, love affairs, rivalries, and the dark side of fame, this story reveals the wild reality of the rock n’ roll era.

May Is For Moms May Is For Moms

(And Friends) (And Friends)

By Christine Johnson

As we begin the month of May, we realize that spring is leaving us and the start of summer heat and crowds at our favorite local restaurants will begin. May also brings much to celebrate.

Researching the month of May, I never realized how many things are observed. Certainly, there are some like national hamburger day that seem a little made up. But there are ones that stand out as a true day with meaning and appreciation on the calendar.

Mother’s Day is a celebration that honors the mom in your family, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in our society. Mother’s Day is also responsible for keeping the post office and Hallmark in business with the purchase of 152 million cards each year on average. The floral business enjoys the day as well with 26% of annual flowers sold on that day. Cards and flowers aside, let’s remember to take time to honor our moms and thank them for all they have done for us.

Memorial Day is an extremely special day on the May calendar as well. This is when we set aside time for remembrance of those who have died in service to our country. I am always touched when I see the flags around the island honoring our service men and women in Coronado on Memorial Day. Without a lifetime of hard work, time away from their families, and sacrifices too

many to count, we do not maintain our freedoms. Thank you for your service and please honor a veteran on Memorial Day and always.

I was reminded by a friend recently that May is also Mental Wellness Month. This is a great time to reflect and reach out to anyone you know that may need guidance. We are lucky to live in a place like Coronado that provides us with such a wonderful community both young and old, and one that enjoys being together. The more time I spend meeting people, I realize we are people who help those in need, support local businesses, and give back when asked. One of my favorite things is seeing people sitting in their yards sharing dinner and cocktails with neighbors and family. The laughter and smiles over something so simple are a reminder of simpler times and truly what is important in life.

My friend Tracy who I find to be a true inspiration and never without a smile and bright outlook on life reminded me of something. A slogan to live by: “Enjoying a drink with friends allows people to connect and improves social well-being. Anyone can cheers to that.”

I share this May cocktail with you all to celebrate the special moms, Veterans and people in your lives. It is a refreshing, colorful and tasteful drink to begin the summer season.

Ingredients

(Makes 1 Cocktail)

• 4 ounces fresh grapefruit juice

• 2 ounces vodka

• 1 ounce St-Germain liqueur

• Ice

• 1 grapefruit slice for garnish

Mixology

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine the grapefruit juice, vodka, and St-Germain. Cover, shake vigorously, and strain into an ice-filled high ball glass. Garnish with the grapefruit slice. You can also sugar or salt the rim of the glass.

Happy Mother's Day!

1130 Orange Ave Coronado, CA 619.435-4541

Calvary ChapelCoronado

Living Waters Fellowship

Bridging the gap in prayer from our Island to the World Come join us as we teach the entire counsel of God's Word

Sunday Service 9:30am Wed. Evening Bible Study - 7pm Saturday Morning Breakfast Fellowship - 9:00am

Pastor Gary Boggs

Live Streaming on www.calvarychapelcoronado.com cccoronadolwf@gmail.com

Renae and Cathy

SAYING GOODBYE - ROBIN NIXON RETIRES AS THE FACE OF CORONADO ATHLETICS SAYING GOODBYE - ROBIN NIXON RETIRES AS THE FACE OF CORONADO ATHLETICS

By Clark Fahrenthold

When you think of Coronado athletics, where does your mind wander? Perhaps it’s to our storied water polo program, our land stand success in lacrosse? Or maybe it’s one of our standout athletes like Layne Beaubien.

While those names and programs are all great, one name should come to mind before them all. Coronado’s Athletic Director Robin Nixon.

Few people are more connected to this town, school, and its athletics than Nixon, as she’s had Islander blood run in her veins since day one.

“My whole family was athletic and loved and grew up all around sports. But most notably, my father taught and coached here (at Coronado High School) for 35 years,” said Nixon. “So I grew up going to Islander football and basketball games.”

Always in and around so many Islanders sports programs because of her father, who still coached at CHS when she arrived at the High School, Nixon was just waiting for the day that she could dawn the Islander green and white.

“Growing up, I was always looking forward to being an Islander and playing for the High School,” lamented Nixon. “My graduating class and the class ahead of me had some extremely talented teams and athletes with names Tammy Fick or Nancy Hankel and, for a small school, were able to have some excellent teams and which made it fun.”

Nixon herself was an extremely strong athlete, earning multiple varsity letters in basketball and volleyball.

As a part of the volleyball team, she helped lead CHS to a CIF final appearance, which at the time was a far more difficult feat, as only one CIF Division existed.

“As a player, I think my favorite memories come from our run to the CIF finals in volleyball.” said Nixon. “It was a special time and a special season because back then, it was rare for any of our teams to get to the finals due to how the CIF system was set up. But what I always remember more than anything were the people and the friendships I made, and that have lasted my whole life. But I loved it, I loved it all, win, lose, or draw.”

Following a successful run as an Islander athlete, Nixon departed Coronado High School for college, where at the time, she never imagined she would one day return to CHS. But as so many of us have experienced in our early twenties, things changed.

As Nixon described, she thought she would go to college and earn a degree in business, which she did. However, after receiving her college degree and working for a year, Nixon was presented with the opportunity to coach the JV volleyball team for Coronado High School at just 22 years old. Where soon after, she decided to return to school and earn her teaching credential.

“My first coaching opportunity was a bit of an ‘ah-ha’ moment for me,” said Nixon. “I really enjoyed it, I enjoyed the kids, so I went back to get my teaching credential. Also, during that time, I helped run the clock for my dad while he was coaching JV basketball.”

Nixon also noted just how impactful her father and his time as a coach influenced her and her decision to return to CHS, initially saying, “My dad coached varsity golf, but other than that, he did not coach any other varsity sports, and what I learned from him was that mentality of that just because they’re not ‘the best’ you still change lives and the impact he had. And he influenced my philosophy that it’s not just about winning… there is so much more to sports than that.”

Soon after earning her teacher’s credential, Nixon was hired by CHS, where she would teach PE, history, and health while continuing to coach. During that time, Nixon stayed close to then Coronado Athletic Director Sandy Gunderson, helping still with JV basketball and the occasional football game. Sandy would remain persistent, telling Robin that once he retired, she should take the AD role.

“When he was getting ready to retire, he kept telling me I was the person and that I needed to do this,” Nixon recalled. “I wasn’t totally sold, thinking at first it was a little too much. But he eventually wore me down, and in 2007, I was hired as the new AD.”

Over the last 15-plus years, Nixon has headed the ship for one the state’s most successful high school athletic programs, helping bring in championship banner after championship banner. And while there is a laundry list of iconic sports moments that she’s witnessed, a pair stood out more than most.

“The two that I come back to are our lacrosse team beating Torrey Pines a few years back and then our boy’s varsity soccer team in 2022 beating Torrey Pines in the CIF Open Semi-Finals. Both were just gratifying games to come out and win as perceived underdogs. But really, I’ve been so blessed to be a part of and see so many championships in my tenure here.”

When Nixon departs us at the end of this year, she told us that there would be so many things that she does miss, but what she would miss the most are the relationships, saying, “The relationships with my colleagues and the kids is what I will miss the most. That’s what it’s all about. I’ve always tried to put the kids and our athletes first. And I hope that’s how people will remember me after I leave. That I was fair and that I was a champion for our programs, and that I was always there for our student-athletes.”

Robin Nixon embodies everything a Coronado Islander should strive to be. For years she has dedicated her time to this school and its student-athletes, and it has shown every day. The impact that she has left on CHS sports won’t ever be forgotten.

So, the next time you think of Coronado High School sports, hopefully, you think of Robin Nixon and her years of selfless work to better countless programs and studentathletes.

Known for their sweetness and rich red color, cherries are the last ones to ripen yet the first ones to be harvested each year. The history of the cherry can be traced back thousands of years; it is believed that cherries were first cultivated around the area of the Black Sea (what is now modern-day Turkey), and later brought to Europe by the Romans. The United States’s first cherry orchard was planted in 1629 in Massachusetts. Today, California, Oregon, and Massachusetts are known for producing more than 97% of our nation’s cherries.

“In cherry condition” means ‘something new’; cherry blossoms are a symbol of renewal and rejuvenation. Their delicate pink and white flowers are often associated with impermanence and the fleeting nature of life. A cherry’s red color is known to symbolize strength and energy. Not only are these sweet treats a good source of fiber, but they also contain compounds called anthocyanins that can boost your mood, brain power, cognitive function, and can even help protect against heart disease. Did you know? Cherry pits can be put to good use to relieve pain, too; use them to make a heating pad, as cherry pits can retain heat for an extended period of time when microwaved or heated in the oven.

Nonetheless, cherries are like fun little bombs of goodness that pack a serious punch. They’re sweet, they’re tart, and they’re juicy. They’re perfect for snacking on the go, and their bright red color adds a pop of fun and whimsy to any dish. Drop a few on top of your ice cream sundae, or into your Shirley temple. Add them to your smoothies, oatmeal, or even your savory dishes like salads and salsas. Enjoy them in cherry jam or in grandma’s delicious cherry pie. Unless you plan to eat them immediately, always keep your cherries refrigerated. And don’t forget: get them quick! As summer is prime cherry season, these won’t be in stores again until this time next year. Be sure to stop by your local market and enjoy these delectable treats while you can – your taste buds will thank you!

Simple Self-Care for May and Every Day!

By Tracy Real, Safe Harbor Coronado

Have you reflected about what helps you feel your best? A beach walk, coffee with friends, a puppy snuggle, painting or reading - any of these things make you feel better? May Mental Wellness Month is a time to raise awareness and it serves as a reminder to take care of YOU!

Identify the activities that bring you inner calmness and true fulfillment. You smile just thinking about it. You may ask yourself – “Why haven’t I done this before or why don’t I do this more often?” May is a great time to start; your mental health depends on it. We are help!

Mental health includes emotional, psychological, and social well- being. It affects how people feel, think and act and is essential to overall health and quality of life. It is important because your family needs you to feel well, we want you to feel well, and Coronado benefits when we all genuinely feel our best. That said, life can be difficult, and things bring us down.

Simple sustainable activities, like selfcare, can lift us and often bring long term joy. Develop these practices into regular, positive habits. They will make a difference. Here are some simple selfcare tips to implement in May and carry forward.

Social connections

May Mental Wellness Month

Make sure you have people in your life that help you and make you feel better - a quick note, check in, golf game or walk.

Gratitude

Focus daily on what you are grateful for - health, milestones of your children, a flower blooming.

Positivity

Maintain a positive mindset. This shift gets you through problems easier and improves life satisfaction. You got this!

Lifestyle

Daily balance of work and play helps you feel strong professionally and personally. Leave work at an ideal time to go for a bike ride, play tennis or finish a book.

Sleep

6-10 hours daily improves your cognitive function. Relaxing music can invoke better sleep.

Nutrition

Eat a balanced diet and stay hydrated for optimal body functioning, mental acuity, and concentration. Prioritize your wellness.

Exercise

Physical activity promotes mental and physical well-being, keeps your body healthy and helps you feel better. Jogging, pickleball, gym visitswhat helps you feel strong?

Joyful practices

Do something daily that brings you joy. Drink a frothy coffee, catch some waves, garden, giggle at comedy. If it is something you look forward to... fantastic-that’s it! Keep it healthy, simple, and fun.

What do fellow Islanders do?

Check out these leaders’ input, “How you keep your mental health positive?”

“To keep my mental health positive, I focus on seeking and sharing joy.  When I am able to center my attention on all the light and love that surrounds us each day and strive to reflect that back to others, my overall well-being is improved.  And, a good dose of music and dancing provides a burst of joy just when I need it most!”

-Payton Hobbs, Head of School, Christ Church Day School

“I keep a positive outlook on life by having a daily mental gratitude journal.  Each day I think of the things, activities, or people for which I am grateful.”

-Anne M. Hill, Secretary, Board of Directors, Safe Harbor Coronado

“Playing tennis helps keep my mental health positive. It gets me outdoors, I get some exercise, and I am with friends. All those things are helpful in keeping my mood and attitude positive.“

-Debbie McBride, Board of Directors, Safe Harbor Coronado

“Before I go to bed I like to write about my day in a journal. I write down three things I am grateful for and a few personal goals. Writing in a journal helps me stay positive and track my progress.”

- Chloe Von Koehe, Coronado High School Student; Safe Harbor Coronado Intern

“I enjoy sports on every level! I incorporate fitness, a healthy diet, and watch sports with my lovely wife, as a way to maintain positive mental wellness.“

-Peter Harris, Principal, Sacred Heart Parish School

“I notice that my mood is much more positive all day long if I simply get out for a walk in the early morning. Even a quick 10-minute walk makes a huge difference. I get to see all of the beauty of Coronado.”

- Georgia Chakos Ferrell, Executive Director, Safe Harbor Coronado

“If I am feeling stressed or overwhelmed, I enjoy working crossword puzzles and doing embroidery. The puzzles take my mind off my worries, and the embroidery is like meditation. Often if I’m trying to solve a problem I’ll just sit and stitch, and the solution will usually come to me. I also have tickets to a comedy show in May. There is nothing better for stress relief than laughter!”

- Ivy Weston, Senior Librarian for Programs, Outreach and Marketing, Coronado Public Library

“I do my best to maintain a positive state of mind and take care of my mental health by spending time with my friends when I feel stressed. They allow me to relax and escape from some of the negative things that can impact my mood. “

- Taylor White, Coronado High School Student; Safe Harbor Coronado Intern

You are probably taking part in many of these activities already. If they help you feel better, ensure you are incorporating them into your regular routine, even for a few minutes - a stretch, funny video, deep breaths, smelling a flower. Feeling like you need to change things up? Visit our website for resources and our May calendar for May Mental Wellness activities in the community hosted by our valuable partners. We are very excited; this a community wide effort- supporting wellness. Whether you want inspiring books from the library, a meditation, a yoga session, a massage at Sharp Coronado Hospital- there are many options. Check them out- see who is partnering. If you have an activity you want to promote, please let us know.

Join in! Our website is updated daily with activities and resources you can use. Additionally, talk to your friends, family, neighbors, and colleagues regularly – Connect! Share and implement helpful strategies and encourage them to do the same so we ALL can take care of our mental wellness.

Mental wellness is a complex issue, but we are here to help. Resources and supports are available if anyone feels like they are struggling. At Safe Harbor Coronado we provide prevention, intervention, and low-cost counseling services to help Coronado residents. Daily practices that focus on gratitude, connections, and self-care also play crucial roles in maintaining mental health and support treatment as well as recovery if one has mental illness.

Safe Harbor Coronado: 619-522-6884

Lifeline: 988.

Thank

The Cultural Arts Commission - 2022-23 Year in Review

Spring 2022 marked the beginning of the second decade for Coronado's Cultural Arts Commission and just like that the first year of their second decade is nearly over At the May 2 City Council meeting the Commission submitted their 2023 Annual Report along with their Work Plan for the upcoming year.

The past year saw the Commission involved in a wide variety of events, programs, and initiatives, all aimed at promoting and enhancing the arts in Coronado There has been a resurgence of the arts in Coronado over the last year as people once again feel safe to gather and enjoy events in person.

To stay relevant and meet the needs and desires of the community the Commission completed a review of their structure and work An on-line community survey was conducted as well as a community assessment workshop attended by 65 members from Coronado’s creative community. The community at large confirmed the value and appreciation of the Commission's efforts but made Commissioners rethink others as they planned for the future

What came out of the review was that the City of Coronado and their Cultural Arts Commission has played a key role through support of Coronado’s nonprofit art and culture organizations, better known as the Arts Partners The Commission has created and maintained robust and valued communication channels to the community about upcoming cultural events, They have continued to support and create opportunities for Coronado’s visual artists and sponsored many events and performances through the use

Top: "The Knot" by James Wood photo courtesy of Anna Woerman

Bottom: Cultural Arts Commission Arts Assessment Community Meeting

of city facilities

From new public art installations to mounting six exhibitions in city-owned and operated gallery spaces, the Commission has been hard at work, bringing creativity, beauty, and inspiration to the community.

The Commission focuses on seven program areas, assigning a Commissioner to chair the area. They are: Arts Education, Arts Partners, Arts and Prosperity, Communication: PR and Media, Literary and Performing Arts, Public Art and Visual Arts. Commissioners are appointed by the City Council and serve as volunteers for a term of three years.

Arts Education is chaired by Stephanie Anderson who joined the Commission in January She hit the ground running taking on the updating and expanding of listings on CoronadoARTS.com of classes and instructors for art learners of all ages From piano teachers to watercolor classes the Commission maintains a database of instructors to help connect instructors with students

Recently the Commission hosted a booth at the Emerald Keeper's Earth Day Celebration and turned plastics found in our bay and ocean into an exhibit that illustrated the quantity and quality of plastic found over a few days washing up on Coronado’s shore The Commission is also collaborating with Coronado Safe Harbor in the Artopia Booth at the second annual Coronado Art and Wine Festival on May 13. The Commission is sponsoring Joe Rocks Coronado and supplying the rocks, paint and one fun instructor for free art activities.

Coronado has joined the national Arts and Economic Prosperity (AEP6) Study conducted by the Americans for the Arts Five previous studies have been conducted dating back to the first in 1994. Commissioner Johanna Wilson with support from Commissioners Heidi Wilson and Dawn Richards have been conducting surveys and working with local arts and culture nonprofits to collect information for the study

San Diego, Carlsbad, Encinitas, Oceanside, National City and Chula Vista are also participating. Coronado’s personalized AEP6 report is scheduled for release this fall. Previous studies have documented that the nonprofit arts and culture industry generates significant economic activity for communities

And speaking of nonprofit organizations, the Commission initiated regular meetings with local arts and culture nonprofit organizations early in their formation and have continued that tradition growing to 21 recognized Arts Partners The purpose of the Arts Partners is to open communication and collaborate. The next meeting of the Arts Partners is scheduled for May 16 at 10:30 a.m. in the Winn Room. The City Council at their May 2 meeting appointed Brenda Jones to the Commission and she will take over this important program area

If you are not receiving the Commission’s weekly arts publication “Five on Friday,", it is time to sign up on the CoronadoARTS.com website. Commissioner Jeanmarie Bond is responsible for this weekly e-mail that hits your mailbox early Friday morning and features five upcoming arts events as well as updates on what is happening at our local theatres. Commissioner Bond also writes articles highlighting the arts for local publications,

When the Commission started work in 2012 publicity was high on their list of priorities Today, there are over 7000 subscribers on the City’s e-mail list and weekly publications are sent from the Commission as well as from the Coronado Public Library, Parks and Recreation and the John D. Spreckels Center

Former CAC Chair Heidi Wilson and Commissioner Dawn Richards conduct AEP6 audience surveys

Former Commissioner Paul Schutz mans the Coronado Cultural Arts Booth at the 2022 Art and Wine Festival.

highlighting arts and cultural events Also, the Commission maintains a presence on social media with Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter accounts.

Commissioners Dawn Richard and former Chair Heidi Wilson did an amazing job planning the 2022-23 Classical Musical Series Offering ten events over a four-month period featuring six different performing groups and attended by over 1,500 with several sold-out events requiring wait lists, these performances have been hugely popular, with audiences raving about the quality and variety of the shows.

Commissioner Richards has also collaborated with the Coronado Public Library as well as the Coronado Historical Association on several literary events On May 18 don’t miss an evening with Taylor Kiland and Judy Gray authors of “Unwavering: The Wives Who Fought to Ensure No Man is Left Behind.” This event also features special guest Pat Mearns, one of the Vietnam POW wives from Coronado’s own League of Wives

Public Art has helped to make Coronado a more vibrant and exciting place to live and visit Newly elected Chair Deb Kaller oversees this program area There are over 75 pieces of public art in the City's collection and the Coronado Public Art App is available to download to your sm phone to learn more. This past year new public art installed and dedicated “The Knot,” a gift from the W Family Trust was installed on Coronado’s Promenade P overlooking Glorietta Bay between City Hall and Community Center

In addition, another major work of art was accepted by City in November. The “League of Wives Memor sculpture honors the wives from the Vietnam era who br tradition and demanded the humane treatment of t POW husbands Star Park has been selected for siting piece and the Commission will begin the work of design the site and installing the piece with a projected dedica in 2024

The popular public piano program "Sit a Spell and Pla Tune" was continued in 2022 with three pianos at Ro Plaza, Adella Plaza, and the Coronado Public Library. L this month look for the return of a single piano bearing whimsical artwork of local artist Michael Ives at Coronado Public Library entrance

Let’s end on the work of Commissioner Roberta Korte and the support of the visual artists in our community. With two city-owned and commission-maintained galleries there are multiple opportunities for local artists to display and sell their work. Four exhibitions were held in the C3 Gallery this last year The current exhibition “Figments of Your Imagination” feature the works of Coronado High School art students It will be up through May 19 “Heads Up,” the next exhibition in the C3 will feature portrait work of local artists with the opening reception scheduled for May 25 in the community center

Villa Lobos performs at the John D Spreckels Center - Photo courtesy of Keith James

Alexia Palacios-Peters and Dr. Christina Bagaglio Slentz present the "League of Wives" gift offer to the Coronado City Council

Students from the Coronado School of the Arts Fine Art program present "Figments of Your Imagination" at the C3 Gallery in the Coronado Community Center Gallery

A second city-owned gallery is located in the John D Spreckels Center and currently is featuring the work of eight local quilters “Piece by Piece” will remain up through the end of July. All galleries are open to the public during regular facility operating hours and admission is always free.

Commissioner Korte, along with representatives from the Chamber of Commerce, Coronado MainStreet and the Cultural Arts Commission Chairman Deb Kaller also work on the “Celebrating Coronado Artists” banners currently displayed on Orange Avenue Every spring the City hosts thirty banners displaying art of local artists on the median light poles, Discover Coronado generously has funded the project since it was introduced in 2017 and the Cultural Arts Commission manages the program including the Call to Artists, jury of artwork and banner production The City’s Public Works Division installs all the banners on the medians throughout the year

Overall, the work of the Coronado Cultural Arts Commission over the last year has been impressive and farreaching. From working with local Arts Partners, engaging in a national study of the Arts as well as promoting and creating opportunities for local artists your Cultural Arts Commission has been working hard to make Coronado a more beautiful, inspiring, and culturally rich community

As we look towards the upcoming year, the Arts Commission will actively seek to engage more volunteers in our events and programs. If you have time and talents you would like to share, we welcome you to learn more about volunteer opportunities available with the Cultural Arts Commission To learn more visit CoronadoARTS com, email coronadoarts@gmail com or contact the Arts Administrator Kelly Purvis at 619-522-2633

To read the full FY2023 Annual Plan and FY2024 Work Plan for the Coronado Cultural Arts Commission scan the QR code below

Local photographer Laurie McCormick presents her work in the C3 Gallery at the "Who's New Exhibition,"

Local artist Mary Hale's "Celebrating Coronado Artists" banner on Orange Avenue

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SPOTLIGHT

Kay Khrone Knows Only Navy Life

By Linda L. Austin

Kay Khrone is immersed in the Navy life, starting with her father, Captain Quinn, who began Saturdays with the white glove inspection of her bedroom looking for a dust spot she may have missed. After a circuitous route, she joined the Navy, married Ted Khrone, and raised two sons who were in the Navy. One room of her Coronado home is decorated with each wall dedicated to the plaques and awards of the four Khrones.

As a child, she looked at the moves as, “Well, I thought it was an adventure, meeting new people.” The family lived in Japan, Hawaii, Washington, DC, and she graduated from Granby High School in Norfolk, VA.

Khrone retained her outlook through her college years starting at George Washington University before the family moved to Hawaii. “And at the last minute, I said, “Oh, well, maybe I need to go, and so I went with them across country. We took the SS Lurline to Hawaii. Yes, the five-day luxury cruise back then. That’s how they got you there if you were a senior officer. My dad by then was a captain, and that was great. Then I spent a semester at the University of Hawaii. I came back and graduated from George Washington, all in four years.” Her degree was in drama.

From college, she joined the family in Boston and “got a great job as a cocktail waitress in Framingham, Mass. And I was very happy doing that because I was making good money, and… I had a lot of social contacts. All was good.”

Not so good with Dad, however, who reminded her with the waitress job, “You haven’t picked a career with much upward mobility.” Not wanting to be under the influence of her father, she decided to join the Air Force, but when the date to report arrived, she was informed that the class was

full. With her mind geared to go military, she switched to the Navy who had an immediate opening.

Khrone has funny stories about her start in the Navy. When she saw her first room, sparse with a bunk bed, “My mother comes in to see it and she says, ‘Oh look,

don’t worry. I’ll make matching bedspreads and curtains, and it’ll be fine,’ and my dad just starts laughing. So I said, ‘What’s so funny?’ And he said, ‘You’ll find out.’ And I did.”

She found out that it was going to be tough, not home. Khrone experienced the unenthusiastic acceptance of women in the military. Her designation was General Unrestricted Line Officer, the only position open to women at that time. Sometimes she had to use persuasion to secure the assignment she needed to advance, except for her first assignment. “My first duty station was the Pentagon. I was in public affairs and only later came to find out that my dad had had a hand in that because he knew the Admiral who was at that time CHINFO, which stands for Chief of Information… I really didn’t want to be under his thumb, with him orchestrating my career, so I got a split tour to Pensacola, and I worked for the

Chief of Naval Air Training as one of the lowly PAO’s (Public Affairs Officers) there. And I loved it. I loved the aviation world. I loved being stationed at the home of the Blue Angels.”

From there, she got orders to VS 41, an anti-submarine aircraft squadron at North Island where she met and married Ted. “I wanted to be the personnel officer after having been the communications officer and educational services officer and all these other things, and I wanted a better job. So I asked the commanding officer about putting me in as the personnel officer. And he said, ‘Well, Kay, you know, we can’t give that. That’s a good job that we have to save for the aviators.’”

Thus began the diplomatic persuasion to secure the job she wanted. “‘Well, Sir, you know, I am not an aviator, so that means I’m here all of the time, which means I could handle all of the personnel issues anytime they needed to be handled. So

could you just give it to me for six months for just a trial to see or three months even. And if I don’t do a good job, then take me out.’ He finally acquiesced, and I got the good job.”

Her moving around came to a stop as the family grew with the arrival of Kris and Karl. With some planning and lobbying, she remained in the San Diego area except for one assignment. Since their wedding day, the family has lived in the same home in Coronado.

That one assignment, to the Royal Navy Staff College, was a highlight of her career. “I happened to be a first. They had never sent an American woman before, and when I got there, I found out I was the only woman on the course because… there was one WRNS (Women’s Royal Naval Service) in the class with me, and she dropped out. So that left me as the only woman.”

As a mother, Khrone felt she could not accept the honor; however, her husband

convinced her that she would regret not going. “We had a full-time live-in housekeeper for 18 years, same gal, and that made it all possible. Everybody went over together… to get me to the Royal Navy Staff College.” She visited the family at Christmas and completed the seven-month course a few months later.

Many other memorable assignments followed. “I loved being the Executive Officer of the (San Diego) Recruiting District. I honestly must say that’s my favorite tour because we won the Unit Commendation. While I was executive officer, that commanding officer who didn’t want me in the beginning, ended up writing me such a glowing recommendation that I got the Royal Navy Staff College. He mentored me and wrote me up for the Meritorious Service Medal.”

Another prestigious assignment was as Commanding Officer of the Personnel Support Activity at the Naval Training center.

“That was one of the only commanding officer jobs that a woman could have.”

The Navy allowed her time off to get her MBA from Southern Illinois University. “When I was the Executive Officer of the NROTC unit (stationed at USD), I started my doctorate, and then I retired (1989), and I was able to finish my doctorate after that in leadership.” In retirement Khrone started her own business, training in executive leadership which “morphed into American Management Association. I did a course for them called Developing Executive Leadership and later on I did a rewrite for the American Management Association.”

While Khrone enjoys her pet Sandy and having play dates with other dogs and owners in her backyard, playing Bridge, and reading, she and Ted devote time to honoring their older son Kris who died in a plane crash while on exchange duty with the Air Force. Kris Khrone and Captain

Quinn were inducted into the Avenue of Heroes in the same group. The Khrones present a Spirit Sword, a sword required for dress uniforms in the Marines and Navy, to outstanding NROTC graduates at George Washington University and USD and a scholarship at USD in memory of Kris. A bench near their home above the Yacht Club also has a plaque in his memory.

Karl spent six years in the Navy as an enlisted Fire Control Man after which he got his MA in computer science. He recently got his second MA in cyber security.

Khrone’s biggest challenge in the Navy “…was always trying to get the job that I wanted, and there were several times when I had to go to extreme lengths to get that.”

She did get the jobs, had a stellar career while experiencing the progress women have made in the military, and all of that while maintaining the wife and mother roles. Her “Yes, I can do this” outlook on life served her well.

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The Story Behind the Iconic POW and MIA Bracelets The Story Behind the Iconic POW and MIA Bracelets

By Taylor Baldwin Kiland

Ask any Baby Boomer woman about the POW and MIA bracelets and she will most likely tell you she wore one. She might even still have it, buried in a jewelry box somewhere. More than five million of them were sold to Americans during the Vietnam War. Each one of the metal cuffs carried the name, rank and loss date of a man missing or captive in Southeast Asia. Upon the release of the POWs fifty years ago, many of the bracelet wearers sought out the men behind the names on the bracelets, eager to share how long they wore it and how they longed for their release from captivity.

Who created these icons? And how did they become so wildly popular, effectively rallying a nation around the plight of its missing and captive men? We must go back to 1971:

Ever so carefully, Stanley and Virginia Bates crack open the door to their daughter’s bedroom, grimacing as it creaks. Peeking inside, they smile as they spy twentyone-year-old Carol sprawled across her bed, fully clothed and sound asleep. A plump, baby-faced ingenue with blunt-cut blond bangs and piercing eyes, she is covered with checks and bank deposit slips.

Carol was up late the previous night, as she has been many nights over the past year. She is throwing all her energy into rallying Americans around the nation’s POWs, some of whom are entering their sixth year of captivity in Southeast Asia.

With her friend, Kay Hunter, Carol is the brains behind a wildly successful nation-

wide campaign to raise awareness about the missing and captive men. The pair is selling aluminum and copper cuffs engraved with the name of an individual POW or MIA. Millions of people around the country sport the bracelets as a visible sign of their concern for and support of the men. Sales are exceeding expectations. Money is rolling in faster than it can be processed.

Carol is astonished as 30,000 envelopes and packages filled with order forms, cash, checks, and letters of support pile up in their office daily. The two gals can barely keep up.

After mail starts to disappear from the post office and neighbors find pilfered bags burning on their front lawns, the duo hires a Brinks driver to deliver mail bags to the bank. They also hire a fulfillment company to ship the coveted bracelets. As sales keep garnering publicity and orders, the bank account grows fatter.

The campaign and its success lead to questions from POW and MIA wives. “We were very skeptical about this idea of there being bracelets,” POW wife Sybil Stockdale admits later. “I remember we [initially] voted that we were not going to support the thing…and we told them that if they wanted to use anyone’s name, they would have to get permission [from the family].”

MIA wife Pat Mearns was also wary. Where was the money going? she wondered. And how about their own organization, the National League of Families? “VIVA was making so much money and the National

League had so little,” MIA wife Carole Hanson recalls.

VIVA, or Victory in Vietnam Association (later called Voices in Vital America), is the organization sponsoring Carol and Kay’s activities. Carol, a Republican since the age of six, is attracted to the campus group formed in 1967 in Los Angeles. Its members are more wary of the spread of Communism than most of their contemporaries. VIVA activists supported ending

the war in Vietnam by winning it. Concerned about surging violence and unrest on college campuses, Carol and Kay had wanted to do something positive for U.S. soldiers fighting in Vietnam and tap into local Republicans. California is a Republican state with Ronald Reagan as governor. Many of old Hollywood’s royalty are part of the GOP, including John Wayne, Charlton Heston, and Jack Benny. Carol and Kay get to know these celebrities

POW bracelets on display in Open Doors, the Coronado Historical Association’s latest exhibit.

and other notables, including local personality and fervent anti-Communist television talk show host Bob Dornan.

The girls attend tapings of his new television show and tag along to political fundraisers and rallies. A fighter pilot who survived two ejections, Dornan feels a connection to the POWs and those missing in Vietnam. His fate could have been the same.

In late 1969, he introduced Carol and Kay to MIA wives Carole Hanson, Pat Mearns, and Patty Hardy. They brainstormed how sympathetic college students could help the women’s cause. Would petitions help? Letters to Hanoi’s leaders? Knocking on the doors of Capitol Hill? Speeches on campuses? Media interviews?

Carole and Kay were nonplussed. They

had been doing all that for more than a year, without garnering much attention.

The two students were moved by the wives, as was VIVA’s adult advisor and board chair, wealthy Los Angeles socialite Gloria Coppin. She had been searching for a meaningful issue for VIVA, an opportunity to do more than bake cookies for soldiers. Enter Gloria with her Rolodex, checkbook, and free time. She was a game changer for VIVA. In many ways, she fit right in with the college co-eds. Photogenic and hard-working, she toiled around the clock, sometimes staying awake for days.

She opens the doors to her spacious Brentwood mansion for Carol and Kay to use as office space, funding and mentoring them.

The idea for a bracelet campaign sparked in Gloria’s kitchen. Bob Dornan wears

a bracelet, a simple band of aluminum airplane scrap given to him in 1966 by a Montagnard tribesman in the Vietnam central highlands. The Montagnards were an Indigenous minority who fought alongside American Special Forces, raising the ire of the Communist People’s Army. Around a campfire in the Kontum region, an elderly village chieftain placed the bracelet on Dornan’s wrist and told him, “Please, sir, do not stop wearing this bracelet, and thinking of my suffering people, the Montagnard, who are being murdered and killed by the Communists. Do not take it off, till my people are free.” Dornan vowed he would not.

It’s a vow he still honors. He told Gloria: “When I work so hard and go without sleep, and think I can’t go that extra mile, I jump in the shower and I’ll often hit my arm against the shower, and I’ll feel that bracelet and it will remind me that someone is suffering more than I and it’ll keep me going.” Impressed, Gloria shared the anecdote with Carol and Kay. They were immediately inspired. Why not go to Vietnam and find more bracelets? They could invite citizens to wear them, to remember the POWs.

But who will fund the coeds’ trip? “My parents were absolutely horrified,” Carol recalls. Carol and Kay strategized. What if they made their own bracelets, like Bob’s? Gloria remembers their pitch: “These two girls called me with the obvious answer, which I hadn’t thought of at the time. Why can’t we do this same type of thing for the prisoners of war?”

Gloria embraced the idea wholeheartedly.

of the people who supported her husband Wendell “Ray” Alcorn by purchasing a bracelet when he was a Prisoner of War. Courtesy of Jim and Sue Oliver.

They wanted Bob’s help. They write their idea for a nationwide campaign to support the POWs. At the taping of his Saturday night television show they shouted it from the audience. Bob was excited: “What did you just say? That’s a fantastic idea.”

Along with Bob and Gloria, the girls called a metal shop in Santa Monica that engraved horse harnesses. Dornan suggested flattening the aluminum for easier engraving. On the phone with manufacturer Jack Zeider, they decided to include the missing or captive man’s name, rank, and loss date. Zeider agreed to make prototypes in both nickel-plated aluminum and copper, a popular remedy for arthritis.

One question loomed: What should they charge? Carol suggested $2.50, about the cost of a student movie ticket. They searched for startup funding. Ross Perot rebuffed them, as did Howard Hughes. Eventually, Gloria’s husband, the owner

of an aircraft parts manufacturer, donated enough metal for the first 1,200 bracelets. At a Salute to the Armed Forces dinner dance in Los Angeles on May 7, 1970, where Governor Ronald Reagan was the keynote speaker, Bob Hope and actress Martha Raye were announced as co-chairs of the bracelet campaign. Perot’s wife received the first one.

Sales explode. Demand increased from 500 a week to 1,000 and, shortly thereafter, to an astounding 40,000 per week. Zeider hired 120 college kids and some Vietnam veterans to work around the clock creating bracelets, charging VIVA fifty cents for each one. With a 500 percent mark-up, cash started rolling into VIVA’s headquarters.

Nearly five million are sold. John Wayne wears a bracelet. Sonny and Cher wear bracelets. Princess Grace of Monaco and her daughters wear them. Johnny Cash, Fred Astaire, Billy Graham, Gov. George

Wallace, and President Nixon wear them too, vowing to keep the bands on their wrists until all the men return home.

The plight of men like Jim Stockdale, Steve Hanson and Art Mearns became personal for millions of Americans. The campaign rallied the nation behind the men like no other tactic.

This article is adapted from the book Unwavering: The Wives Who Fought to Ensure No Man is Left Behind, coauthored by Kiland. The authors and MIA wife Pat Mearns will be discussing this book and Pat’s wartime experience at a free lecture hosted by the Coronado Historical Association and the Coronado Public Library on May 18 at 7 p.m. at the Coronado High School’s auditorium. Register to attend by visiting the Coronado Historical Association website.

Island Icons Work With CHS Students

After three years, the Coronado Historical Association’s Island Icons program continues to be a popular program that includes an exhibit in the museum and a monthly column featured in Coronado Magazine. The program started during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns as a special archival project. The aim of the project is to collect insights and personal memories from local residents that might otherwise be lost to history without this initiative. Each Icon shares their life experiences in Coronado during an oral history interview with a CHA volunteer. These recorded interviews and notes will be added to CHA’s archival collection. The stories they share are also written as historical vignettes in the magazine.

Last fall, CHA had four student interns from Coronado High School conduct the oral history interviews. The Coronado High School Internship Program at CHA is in its fifth year and this year, the interns worked under the guidance of Margo Rhodes, a CHS alumni and current CHA board member. The 2023-24

internship students were Lilly Adams, Cate Gregory, Jasmine Lo, and Virginia Ryan.

Nominations to be inducted into the Island Icons program come from community members across the village and Cays. This round, the Icons are once again people who have long contributed to the vibrancy of the Coronado community, making Coronado a better city. Those honored are: Dixie Beth SternTalbot, who among other endeavors has chaired the Coronado Schools Telethon; Kirk Henry, best known for his work with the Round Table meetings; Wayne Strickland, retired Coronado fireman, involved with several charities in town as well; and last Kelly Purvis, well known for her work with the arts in so many ways, here in Coronado.

Once each of the students were assigned one of the Island Icon nominees, they began the internship by learning research techniques and became familiar with research sites and tools used by the CHA historians. The interns will learn, practiced, and

(L-R) CHA internship supervisor Margo Rhodes stands with internship students Virginia Ryan, Jasmine Lo, Cate Gregory, and Lilly Adams.

improved their interview skills and then conducted recorded oral interviews with each of their Icons. The interns then had to write and edit a 500-750 word article that will be published in upcoming issues of Coronado Magazine. In January 2023, at the end of the semester, the students had to deliver a presentation about their Island Icon to family, CHA and CHS staff, and CHA volunteers.

Merging the Island Icons program and the CHA Coronado High School Internship program was a natural fit. Both programs were strengthened by intergenerational connections, as well as celebrating a shared sense of place and community - Coronado! Be sure to look out for upcoming articles in Coronado Magazine written by this year’s interns and featuring some of Coronado’s best Island Icons!

Christine Stokes, CHA Executive Director, presents the Island Icons exhibit wall at CHA during a reception in January 2023.

CHA Executive Director, Christine Stokes, presents plaques to Island Icon Carol Pastor, as well as Gail Babbs and Mary Ellen Cortellini who wrote about Icon Nancy Cox.

Fort Collins

The heartbeat of Northern Colorado

By Kris Grant

Welcome to the city that Travel & Leisure has dubbed to be one of the happiest cities in the USA. It’s not surprising, as this welcoming family-friendly town, “FOCO” as locals call it, offers endless recreational pursuits on a canvas of rolling hills that serve as the gateway to the Rocky Mountains.

Add in a spirited craft-brewing scene, the youthful vitality of a college town (Colorado State University) and one of the most bike-friendly communities in America, and you do indeed have the makings for happiness.

Speaking of that other happiest place on earth, we’ll take a look at how this Rocky Mountain high city (4,982 feet high to be exact) found its way onto Disneyland’s Main Street.

Along the foothills of the Rocky Mountains’ northern Front Range lies a pretty little town that traces its history to 1864 when a military fort called “Camp Collins” was established along the banks of the Cache la Poudre River. The fort, named after Lt. Col. Williams O. Collins, a popular commander of the Ohio Cavalry troops, was established supposedly to protect emigrant trails and overland stage lines from growing hostile attacks of the Plains Indians.

The fort was not barricaded but largely open to its surroundings and never engaged in major military actions. In fact, relations with the Arapaho and Cheyenne tribes in the vicinity were largely peaceful. The fort’s major battle, which it lost, was against Mother Nature when the swollen Poudre River overflowed and devastated the camp in June 1864. The fort was moved to higher ground shortly thereafter, adjacent to what

is now Fort Collins’ vibrant town center, Old Town Square.

By 1865 hostilities with Native Americans in Colorado subsided (sadly, because we had driven many of the tribes north to the Dakotas, but that’s another story…). By 1867 when the fort was abandoned, settlers had moved into the area, primarily raising sugar beets and sheep on the fertile lands bordering the Poudre, and were quick to take possession of the former fort’s structures. In 1877, the Colorado Central Railroad laid tracks to Fort Collins. In 1870, Colorado Agricultural College was founded, although first classes weren’t held until 1879. (The school was renamed Colorado State College in 1957.)

Fort Collins was incorporated in 1873. By the 1900s, the town was filled with grand Victorian and Italianate structures.

Fort Collins’ Old Town Square, site of the former Linden Hotel, is now a vibrant intersection of shops, restaurants, and breweries.

Photo by Tim O’Hara, courtesy of Visit Fort Collins

Fort Collins to Disneyland

If you ever walk down Main Street in Disneyland and you hail from Fort Collins, you might do a double take. Many of the buildings along the famous avenue look very familiar. Coincidence? Not!

It turns out that one of Fort Collins’ native sons, Harper Goff, born March 16, 1911, designed much of Main Street, Disneyland, drawing inspiration from his boyhood home.

Goff’s family owned the local newspaper in Fort Collins, which was then (and is today) the quintessential American small town. When he was a teen, Goff and his family moved to Santa Ana, California, and young Harper took classes at the renowned Choinard Art Institute (now CalArts) in Los Angeles.

He moved to New York and worked as an illustrator for several magazines including Collier’s, Esquire and National Geographic, then came back to California and worked as an art director for films for Warner Brothers, including Casablanca.

During his World War II military service, Goff first worked with the Army, designing a set of paint colors that became the standard for camouflage. Near the end of the war, Goff transferred to the Navy, where his painting techniques helped camouflage Navy war ships.

In 1951, after leaving Warner Brothers, Goff and his wife went on a vacation to London. The Walt Disney Family Museum records Goff’s memory of that trip:

“I was always a miniature train fan, so I went to Bassett-Lowke, Ltd. … I was trying to find something I could bring back as an antique. I found one and the man said, ‘There’s a gentleman coming in this evening who’s shown some interest in that. I can’t

Fort Collins’ Old Firehouse was previously its City Hall. It bears a striking resemblance to the Firehouse on Main Street, Disneyland, thanks to Fort Collins’ native son, Harper Goff.

Photo by Kris Grant.

The Miller Block is one of Old Town’s premier structures, a building of Italianate red sandstone and buff sandstone trim that faces both Linden and Walnut streets. Danish immigrant Frank C. Miller built this structure, which originally housed his saloon. That business evaporated in 1896 when Fort Collins went dry, so Miller took part ownership in the Fair Store, a home furnishings and dry goods store, and leased out portions of the block to other businesses. The Miller Building is the main reason Fort Collins has a historic downtown district today – it was slated to be demolished in 1970 to make way for a highway bypass but downtown business owners banded together to save it and subsequently established a nationally recognized historic district.

Photo by Kris Grant.

sell it to you because I think he may think it’s being saved for him.’”

The gentleman was none other than Walt Disney, who returned that evening and met Goff. While Walt prevailed in the train acquisition, more importantly, he had just stumbled upon a talented art director who would be a valuable asset to him in future endeavors. Upon learning of Goff’s art background, Walt said he wanted to hire him and urged him to get in touch when he returned to the states.

So Goff did just that and began work for Disney Studios with his first project designing sets for what was to be a film-short entitled 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. But when Walt beheld Goff’s 4-by-8-foot compelling storyboard panels, he quickly changed direction: the short morphed into Disney’s first live-action full feature, a blockbuster produced in 1954.

Then Goff set to work on a project that never came to fruition: it was to be called Disneylandia, a novel concept that combined Disney’s love of trains with a bit of nostalgia. Walt asked Goff to create miniature, fully animated scenes of Americana on train cars that would visit hometowns throughout America. That assignment brought Goff back to Fort Collins to photograph many of the city’s historic buildings. Alas, the train project was scrapped as rail lines became less accessible and costs mounted. But, never mind that, Walt had an even more ambitious project in mind for Goff: he asked him to draw concept plans for “Mickey Mouse Park,” an amusement park filled with Americana that Disney first planned to be built across from the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank. Disney historian Jeff Kurrti dubbed Goff

“the second Imagineer” (after Walt Disney, of course).

When Walt decided on Anaheim for the location for Disneyland, Goff continued to design that park, drawing inspiration from Fort Collins’ buildings, much as Disney also drew inspiration for structures from his boyhood home of Marceline, Missouri.

And when Walt was planning an elaborate river ride, it was Goff who steered him to the African jungle, and then designed the entire ride, complete with hippos and Congo boats, drawing inspiration from the film, The African Queen.

A man of many talents, including acting

in television and film, Goff also played the banjo. He was part of the Dixieland jazz band, “Firehouse Five Plus Two,” made up of various Disney artists. They performed on opening day of the park and often in front of the Main Street firehouse, a dead ringer for Fort Collins’ firehouse. And just like the fire fighters who slept at the original firehouse, Disneyland’s firehouse also had an upstairs apartment – it’s where Walt would often enjoy an afternoon nap in his Magic Kingdom.

The same year that Goff died, 1993, he was given the highest honor bestowed by the Disney Company: Disney Legend.

A mural of Harper Goff is located at the entrance to Harper Goff Alley in Old Town Fort Collins. From afar, it appears to be a portrait of Goff above the old firehouse. But up close you’ll find it is made up of doodles depicting key moments from Goff’s life — such as film canisters and the Nautilus submarine from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

Fort Collins: The Napa Valley of Beer

Today Fort Collins is a town of 174,000 and together with neighboring town of Loveland to the south, the metro area tips the scale at 310,000 residents. And the region is growing – there’s a lot of thirsty souls out there.

Fort Collins produces 70 percent of the craft beer made in Colorado, which is ranked fourth in the nation for the number of microbreweries per capita. It’s no wonder that Fort Collins is now known throughout the region as the Napa Valley of Beer. That’s quite a feat for a city that remained a dry town until 1969!

Anheuser-Busch opened a Fort Collins plant in 1988, brewing 33 different beer brands. You can visit the brewery and its famous Clydesdale horses. But I preferred to visit a few of FOCO’s 20 craft breweries. Here’s where I went:

Odell Brewing Company

Founded in 1989, Odell Brewing is the oldest of FOCO’s craft breweries. It was started by Doug Odell, his wife Wynne, and his sister Corkie. Thirty-four years later, its culture of family and collaboration still thrives.

Kids are welcome and seemed quite at home at this brewery that feels like family. In fact, in 2015, the Odell family founders sold the majority of the company to its co-workers (now co-owners) in a combined management buyout and an Employee Stock Ownership Program.

I sampled five Odell brews, all clearly labeled for my drinking pleasure. The Drumroll Hazy Pale Ale was juicy and citrusy; so was the maltier Easy Street – I found them both refreshing. The India Pale Ale was quite hoppy and bold, and a bit much for my untrained palette. But I loved

90 Shilling, Odell’s flagship brew. This medium-bodied amber ale was smooth with a burnished copper color.

A recent addition at Odell’s is the OBC Wine Project. Odell sources grapes from Washington, Oregon and Colorado, and then crushes, ferments and bottles at their Fort Collins winery. There were ten wines on tap on the day I visited, although I didn’t taste any, this being a beer adventure for me. So, whether you prefer to taste beer or wine, Odell has you covered!

It was raining the day my Fort Collins friend Rachael Dohrn and I visited Odell Brewing, so most folks including us stayed inside. But on a sunny day, Racheal says their patio is a happening spot, where locals and visitors alike come to enjoy beer, wine, music, offerings from local food trucks, and each other.

Maxline Brewing

“Craft – Community – Culture” are the watchwords etched on the chalkboard at Maxline Brewing, Rachael’s favorite neighborhood microbrewery. Located in FOCO’s Midtown, I immediately sensed this brewery is one of those places where “everybody knows your name.” It features community tables where Bingo is played on Mondays and Tuesday is Trivia Night. Play is free and you might just win a beer with each round played.

Husband-wife team of Cathy Morgan and Kevin Gearhardt opened the brewery in 2012. After all, it was well past time: Kevin had been home brewing ‘Big Butt Beer” with friends from his garage two or three

times per month for over two decades. I’m just glad they didn’t adopt that name for the brewery!

Maxline, named for its adjacency to FOCO’s Max Bus corridor, has a focus on supporting the community, with four cents from each beer sold dedicated to community nonprofits. And each member of the company volunteers six hours (plus!) monthly at local nonprofits and sustainable farms. I’ll drink to that, and I did, particularly enjoying five of its flagship beers, ranging from a light-bodied, slightly spicy and citrusy Witbier to a rich and chocolatey Coffee porter. Well done, Maxline!

Maxline’s Cathy Morgan and Kevin Gearhardt. All photos this page by Kris Grant.

Surely you’ve heard of New Belgium! The brewery is considered a pioneer in bringing Belgian influences to an American beer industry long dominated by English and German beer styles. And you might say this company promotes biking nearly as much as it does beer.

It all started when Fort Collins resident Jeff Lebesch, then an electrical engineer, made a summer cycling trip to Belgium in 1988. Jeff had already been home-brewing German and English style beers (after all, he was from Milwaukee, so he ought to know…) but he was knocked sideways when he tasted the far more sophisticated Belgium-style beers. As he pedaled the Belgian countryside, Jeff picked the brains of brewers and bartenders. When Jeff returned home to Fort Collins and his wife Kim Jordan, he started trying to recreate the flavorful Belgian-style beers, adding fruits, spices and small amounts of hops. He had a breakthrough when he used some imported yeast from a Belgian beer company.

Jeff and Kim began commercially producing in March 1991, installing brewing equipment in the basement of their Fort Collins home. They also trekked into the Rocky Mountains where they established core values for their new company, which were inspired by Kim’s career as a social worker.

Two of their early recipes were the original amber ale, Fat Tire, and the Trappistinspired beer, a dubbel, called Abbey. (Thirteen Trappist monasteries, including six in Belgium, currently produce beer.) Both of the New Belgium beers were sold for the first time at the annual Colorado Brewers Festival.

With brewing underway, Kim became a jack-of-all-trades, handling bottling, distribution, marketing, financial planning and serving as company CEO.

In October 1995, New Belgium moved to its present facility where tours are offered

daily, including a free 45-minute “Tour Teaser” with beer tastings and a 90-minute brewery tour for $10. Tours are limited to 25 people and fill up quickly during the summer; you can make reservations online.

In 1999 the company introduced a new tradition that remains to this day: on an employee’s first anniversary they are presented an Electra cruiser. (After five years, they get a trip to Belgium and on 10 and 20 year anniversaries, they get to take a sabbatical, with a six-pack of beer for each week on leave).

In 2009, Kim and Jeff divorced and Kim purchased Jeff’s portion of the business.

In 2012, the company became 100 percent employee-owned with a total of 457 co-workers. And in 2020, the employees voted to sell the company to Lion Little World Beverage, with a commitment to

continue New Belgium’s “force for good” mission.

Our tour guide, Dave Ponceby, a former high school teacher, has been with New Belgium for 14 years. “Here’s where I am ‘til I drop,” he told me.

New Belgium Brewing Company has always championed bike riding. Many locals ride to its headquarters in Fort Collins, where food trucks offer great accompaniments to the main attraction – beer, of course!

Photo by Kris Grant.

New Belgium Brewery tours take place several times a day.

Photo by Rachael Dohrn.

Downtown Fort Collins – heart of the city

It wasn’t until the late 1970s that Fort Collins realized what Harper Goff had figured out years before: Downtown Fort Collins was a gem. But in the 1970s, it was a diamond in the rough. Blame the automobile that drove residents away from the city center and caused a steady gradual decline in occupancy, store facades, and upkeep.

Making way for vehicular traffic almost forced the demolition of some of Old Town’s most iconic structures, including the Italianate Miller block. When a four-lane bypass was proposed, it came within a few votes of passage. So when the townsfolk emerged victorious in this one battle, they pushed for more protection, finding it in 1978 when the Old Town Historic District was approved as a National Historic District. That paved the way for merchants and developers to secure loans and grants to preserve and beautify their buildings and for the city to pitch in with beautification projects. Today, the district features sidewalks and medians with plants and water features.

In 1981, the city created the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) that uses tax increment financing to stimulate development in the central business district, typically partnering with developers, business or property owners.

Flowers and fountains along Old Town Fort Collins’ sidewalks and medians bring color and life into the historic district.

In the heart of the district lies Old Town Square, a colorful pedestrian-only shopping, dining and entertainment district with 84 businesses. The DDA enhanced the Square in 2015. Today its outdoor stage features entertainment nearly every day during the warmer months of the year. There’s also a vibrant Sculpture-inthe-Square program that brings in juried sculptures on a rotating basis.

Even the town’s historic alleyways are bustling with activities – they were identified in 2004 as areas of untapped potential and now are filled with dynamic art installations, multiple murals, abundant flowers and flower baskets and special events.

But in looking ahead, it’s also fun to look back in time. That’s what I did when I joined the Fort Collins Ghost Tours, a walking tour that took me back to the days of the city’s founding, with enchanting stories of the people who brought Fort Collins to life. We left from Old Town Square, near the fountain.

History and yesteryear’s scandals come alive on Fort Collins ghost tours. Photo by Kris Grant.

Alleys became focal points of Old Town Fort Collins beginning in 2005, with additions of flowers, murals, vintage lamps and hardware. Retailers followed. Photo by Kris Grant.

Old Town Square appeals to families with permanent play features, a central fountain and stage.

Photo by Kris Grant.

You’ll find lots of great shops, including candy and cheese purveyors, and restaurants and breweries throughout the downtown district.

A favorite for over 90 years is the Silver Grill Café. It began as a single “bay” shop and over the course of four owners, gradually expanded into three more storefronts. Its menu (breakfast and lunch only) is amazing. Rachael and I made a beeline for breakfast there, and I ordered a (huge) pecan cinnamon roll, while she (wisely) opted for a more substantial egg dish.

On my next visit, I’m heading there for lunch and one of its malts, featuring locally made Walrus ice cream (We visited Walrus ice cream’s basement on our ghost tour.)

Silver Grill’s lunch menu strangely features a full line-up of cocktails to accompany their burgers, sandwiches, soups, salads and chilies. Maybe I’ll order the French dip and change that malt into a “boozy milkshake.”

Artisanal cheese and candy shops are finds in the Old Town district. Photos by Kris Grant.

Walrus Ice Cream: You can sample one or all of Walrus Ice Cream’s flavors, made right on the spot since 1987. Photo by Kris Grant.

The Silver Grill Café is a bustling place, and has grown ever larger and more popular with locals and visitors over the course of its 90 years. Photos by Kris Grant.

Gateway to the Great Outdoors

Between the Cache la Poudre River — Colorado’s only designated ‘Wild & Scenic River’ — and Horsetooth Reservoir, Fort Collins offers paradise found for outdoor fun.

Rachael took me on a drive to Horsetooth Reservoir, one of Colorado’s most scenic outdoor utopias. It’s located just minutes from the heart of Fort Collins and as we ascended up to the giant outcropping that looks much like a horse’s tooth, I had a panoramic view of the city below.

The 6.5-mile-long reservoir is a favorite recreation spot with lots of activities, including boating, paddle-boarding, fishing, swimming and camping. You can rent boats and SUP boards at the marina.

For anglers, Fort Collins has 20 natural areas that allow fishing. The Poudre is perfect for fly-fishing, though there are a few spots where you can bait fish. At Horsetooth, you might catch smallmouth bass or walleye from the shore or a boat.

Of course, the number one recreational activity in Fort Collins is biking – the city is one of only five Platinum-rated bike cities in the nation! You’ll find all kinds of bike tours offered along 19 miles of wide paved bike lanes. On a warm summer day, it’s almost a civic duty to bike from brewery to brewery!

For more extensive bike or hiking treks, the outdoor areas in and around Fort Collins offer 285 miles of mostly flat trails and paths. The Horsetooth Falls hike is a

family-friendly 2.5-mile round-trip hike west of Fort Collins in the Horsetooth Mountain Open Space. For a bit more of a challenge, head to Arthur’s Rock Trail in Lory State Park for a moderate 2-mile hike that rewards hikers with incredible views of Horsetooth Reservoir and Fort Collins below. Greyrock, in the Cache la Poudre River Canyon, is another beloved local hike with two trail options, the moderate Meadows trail or the more challenging Summit trail.

Horsetooth Reservoir overlooks Fort Collins and offers a myriad of outdoor adventures. Photo courtesy of Visit Fort Collins.

Poudre River Whitewater Park, a city park completed in 2019, is a perfect spot for kayakers, tubers and kids of all ages to enjoy the Poudre River. The park brought the river back to a more natural state, helps connect the river to downtown, provides safe access to the river, and improved the river floodplain. A pedestrian bridge connects to the Poudre Trail. Photo by Kris Grant.

Colorado State University’s Trial Gardens are a favorite destination for hikers and bikers.

Photo by Rachael Dohrn.

The Armstrong Hotel

The Armstrong Hotel is the last remaining historical hotel in Old Town Fort Collins. It was founded in 1923 by Charles and Carolyn Mantz and named after Carolyn’s father, Andrew Armstrong, whose house once stood on the property.

At the time of its construction, the hotel was the tallest building in Fort Collins, with two elegant dining halls, 41 guest rooms, and retail shops.

During World War II, the hotel was used as a barracks for the U.S. Army and, with America’s burgeoning love for automobiles, the hotel housed one of the first American Automobile Association chapters. As previously mentioned, those autos also drew business away from Old Town in the ‘60s and ‘70s, and the hotel gradually fell into disrepair, finally closing in 2000. But in 2002 local entrepreneurs Steve and Missy Levinger purchased the historic building and preserved and restored much of its former grandeur and the hotel re-opened in 2004. Fourteen years later the Levingers sold the hotel to Jackson, Wyoming-based Crystal Capital Investments.

The property underwent an extensive remodel in 2019, creating a refined and luxurious atmosphere that still pays homage to its rich history.  I loved my suite at the Armstrong and heartily recommend a stay here.

And it was so convenient to dine and drink “down under” at the elegant and yet cozy Ace Gillett’s, modeled after a former speakeasy, where I met Rachael for cocktails and dinner. Ace Gillett was a real person, a former owner of the hotel during Fort Collins’ era of prohibition, which continued until 1969. Was this basement supper club a true speakeasy, where one could imbibe in an illicit drink? It’s your guess!

I enjoyed my stay immensely at the Armstrong Hotel, where guests and visitors enjoyed sidewalk entertainment, and the Ace Gillett supper club down under was a rich experience of fine crafted cocktails, comfort food and music. Photos by Kris Grant.

IF YOU GO…

Visitor Information Breweries

Visit Fort Collins

The destination management organization has a great website, complete with special events, restaurants, accommodations, a link Colorado State University and suggested itineraries.

www.VisitFtCollins.com

New Belgium Brewing Company

www.newbelgium.com

Odell Brewing Company

www.odellbrewing.com

Maxline Brewing

www.maxlinebrewing.com

(Find a complete list of breweries at www.Visitftcollins.com.)

Restaurants and Entertainment

Ace Gillett’s Ace Gillett’s supper club and lounge pairs craft cocktails, reimagined comfort foods with live music and spinning vinyl favorites.

Bike Rentals and Bike Tours

Beer and Bike Tours

Recommended Hotels

The Armstrong Hotel

The hotel, recently renovated, is celebrating its Centennial this year!

www.thearmstronghotel.com

The Elizabeth Hotel, Autograph Collection

The Elizabeth Hotel, just off FireHouse alley in Old Town captures FOCO’s fun-loving and light-hearted vibe. You know when you enter the lobby, with its spiral staircase and embossed ceiling, that the hotel speaks luxury, but then you spy the musical instrument lending library of keyboards and guitars (including a ’52 Fender) plus a curated vinyl record collection of 1,000 albums and you know it’s edgy-elegant. The 164 guest rooms have all the luxury amenities you’d expect along with in-room Crosley record players. www.theelizabethcolorado.com

Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Fort Collins

If you’re bringing the family, this hotel with its indoor pool, daily buffet breakfasts, spacious guests rooms, and free parking is a good choice. www.ihg.com

(Under locations, enter Ft. Collins)

www.acegilletts.com

The Silver Grill Café

Now celebrating its 90th year, the Silver Grill Café is a neighborhood staple in FOCO. And oh those cinnamon rolls! Open for breakfast and lunch, 7 a.m. – 2 p.m. www.silvergrill.com

The Magic Rat

The Magic Rat at the Elizabeth Hotel regularly hosts budding musicians and big-name acts. The popular Old Town Fort Collins bar and live music venue is open Tuesday through Saturday. www.theelizabethcolorado.com

The Sunset Lounge

This rooftop bar atop the Elizabeth Hotel overlooks Downtown Fort Collins and offers panoramic Front Range views. The venue serves craft cocktails, local craft beer, wine and small appetizers and desserts. Live jazz piano on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. Reservations aren’t taken except for High Tea on Sunday. www.theelizabethcolorado.com

Fort Collins Ghost Tours

www.fortcollinstours.com

For this self-guided tour, you’ll be provided a custom five-speed bike with a basket, helmet and lock, and a digital guide to breweries. Beer at the breweries is not included. $75 per day.

www.beerandbiketours.com

Recycled-Cycles

Rentals start at $30 a day with two locations for pick-up/drop-off.

www.recycled-cycles.com

Pedago Electric Bikes

Rental prices range from $40 for two hours to $100 for a day. Pedago also offers two tours, one along Spring Creek and the Poudre River and the other throughout town.

www.pedagoelectricbikes.com

Distinctive bike racks are present throughout Downtown Fort Collins.

Photo by Kris Grant.

The trial gardens at Colorado State University bloom from May through October. Photo by Rachael Dohrn.

Photo by Rachael Dohrn

Teaching Teens Financial Responsibility Teaching Teens Financial Responsibility

Presented by Jane Braun, CFP®

We feel confident our kids will be taught reading, writing, and basic math in school. But how will they learn to budget, use a credit card, save for a car or a down payment on a home, and stay out of debt? Just as reading and writing are critical skills for a successful future, so is financial responsibility. Unlike with common academic subjects, however, it often falls on families to teach money-related lessons. Before a teenager leaves the nest, they should know these basic financial concepts to lay a foundation for success in adulthood.

Allowances are commonly offered to kids as a reward for doing chores. They also provide lessons in saving and budgeting. A monthly allowance—as opposed to a weekly one—gives more opportunities for planning ahead because the cash needs to last longer. Creating a budget with your teen for how to spend an allowance can lead to a discussion about prioritizing needs over wants and figuring out how to spend less on some things so you have more to spend on others. You might suddenly find your kid packing a snack at home, for example, instead of visiting the vending machine at school.

Teens often have additional opportunities to learn money management when they earn cash from part-time jobs or summer work. That additional income means they have more to spend and budget—and they’re attaining more financial independence. One common approach is to instruct kids to divide their income into three categories: save, spend, and give. Although saving in an envelope or piggy bank might work for young children, opening a savings account for your teen helps them learn about banking in general, accruing interest, and planning for long-term

goals. Many banks offer teen checking accounts with a debit card as well as allow parental access and controls.

It might be possible to set up direct deposit for paychecks and have your teenager check the balance from their mobile phone. Looking at the paycheck together can also spark lessons in taxes, such as types of deductions, what the government uses the money for, and who must file a return. This way, you’ll save them from a big surprise when their take-home pay is less than expected. You can also look into youth brokerage accounts to get your teen to learn about investing.

Braun is a Registered Representative and an Investment Adviser Representative with/ and offers securities and advisory services through Commonwealth Financial Network®, Member FINRA/SIPC, a Registered Investment Adviser.

Jane

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Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices CA Properties

Monique Fuzet

(619) 994-4453

fuzetpmonique@gmail.com

DRE#00949513

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices CA Properties

Apua Garbutt

(619) 372-2777

apuareagent@gmail.com

DRE#01859903

eXp Realty

Tina Gavzie

(619) 778-0955

tinagav@aol.com

MovetoCoronado.com

DRE#01205962

Compass Real Estate

Vicki Inghram

(619) 204-3400

BestofCoronado.com

DRE#01293521

Compass Real Estate

Richard Inghram

(619) 301-7766

ringhram@gmail.com

DRE#01377744

Compass Real Estate

Karen Lee

(619) 861-4133

karenlee.realtor@gmail.com

DRE# 00962910

Willis Allen Real Estate

Kari Lyons

(619) 884-4193

karisellscoastal.com

kari@karisellscoastal.com

DRE#01475331

Park Life | Compass

Neva Kaye

Ken May

(619) 435-5200

chaines@bhhscal.com

www.sellcoronadorealestate.com

DRE# 00953131

Caroline Haines Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices CA Properties

Kathleen K. Hanlon

(619) 339-6536 Mobile

kathleen.hanlon@yahoo.com

DRE#01386879

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices CA Properties

Shannon Herlihy

(619) 855-8655

shannon@kenpecus.com

DRE #01863573

eXp Realty

Katie Herrick

(619) 865-2085

kate@katieherrickgroup.com www.ktherrick.com

DRE#01800357

Compass Real Estate

Francine Howard

(619) 302-0234

Francine@sd-realtor.com

DRE#01802654

RE/MAX Hometown Realtors

Karen Hust

(619) 838-7021

karen@themorabitogroup.com

DRE#01708516

Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate

Napolitano & Associates

(619) 865-2019

neva.kaye@sothebysrealty.com nevakayegroup.com

DRE#01925476

Pacific Sotheby’s Realty

(619) 254-7497

SocalKenm@gmail.com FindCoronadoRealEstate.com

DRE#01260645

Compass Real Estate

Maryellen McMahon

(619) 252-4778

maryellen.mcmahon@elliman.com maryellenmcmahon.elliman.com

DRE#01992431

Douglas Elliman

Molly Haines McKay

(619) 985-2726

The Koop Group

(619) 435-8722

Kathy Koop

(619) 985-8722

DRE#00460840

Karrie Koop Gilby

(619) 857-7665

DRE#01465419

Allison Koop Rice

(619)490-9049

DRE#01818903

www.KathyKoop.com

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices CA Properties

Molly Korson (619) 808-6610

mollykorson1@aol.com

DRE#01379254

Korson Properties

MollyHainesMcKay@gmail.com

DRE#01876062

Carrie Mickel (619) 630-3570

carriemickel@bhhscal.com

DRE#01999494

Lindsey Lyons 619.405.9208

lindseyblyons@gmail.com

DRE# 01993229

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices CA Properties

Meridith Metzger (619) 850-8285

meridithmetzger@gmail.com

DRE#01435132

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices CA Properties

Kathy Pounds

(619) 997-3171

kathypoundsteam@gmail.com

www.KathyPoundsTeam.com

DRE#01044960

David Udell Chris Probasco

(619) 435-0988

David@justlistedhomes.com

DRE#01184568

Gina Schnell (619) 865-0650

Realtor® | Broker Associate gina.schnell@compass.com

DRE# 01945038

(619) 435-0988

Chris@justlistedhomes.com

DRE#02118648

Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate Napolitano & Associates

Cheryl Morabito Dino Morabito

DRE#01183389

DRE#01415017

(619) 987-3066

Dino@TheMorabitoGroup.com www.TheMorabitoGroup.com

Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate

Napolitano & Associates

Ed Noonan

(619) 252-1232

enoonan12@aol.com

CoronadoCays LuxuryHomes.com

DRE#00993300

Noonan Properties

Renee Wilson Scott Grimes

(619) 518-7501

Renee@parklifeproperties.com Scott@parklifeproperties.com

DRE #01192858

DRE #01391946

Zack Thornton (619) 209-0169

zacharyj.thornton@outlook.com

DRE#01911180

Mary H. Bowlby (727) 692-6516

mary.bowlby@compass.com

DRE#01994278

Steve Clinton (619) 279-1818

sclinton95@gmail.com

DRE#01006292

Diego Ocampo

(858) 200-5780

diego.ocampo@compass.com

DRE#02015515

Victoria Wise (619) 519-0352

wiserealestateinfo@gmail.com

DRE#01464951

THE KATHY POUNDS TEAM

Compass Real Estate

Olga Stevens (619) 778-8011

Olgaminvielle1@gmail.com OlgaCoronado.com

DRE#01105050

Willis Allen Real Estate

Taylor Smith (619) 762-8815

TaylorSmithRealEstate.com

Taylor@willisallen.com

DRE# 02076557

Willis Allen Real Estate

Shirley Smith (619)559-6548

shirley@shirleysmith.com www.shirleysmith.com

DRE #02046865 Coldwell Banker West

Carol Stanford (619) 987-8766

carol@carolstanford.com

BuyCoronado.com

DRE#01390529

eXp Realty

Tom Tilford (619) 300-2218

tom@tomtilfordre.com

DRE#01897051

Compass Real Estate (619) 847-4282 www.parklifeproperties.com

Parklife | Compass

Ken Pecus

(619) 977-8419

ken@kenpecus.com

DRE#: 01056969

eXp Realty

Nancy Parrett

(619) 368-1898

Nancyparrett@sd-realtor.com

DRE#01256239

At Home Realty

Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate Napolitano & Associates

Edith Salas (619) 905-5780

edith@salasproperties.com

DRE#01966248

Evan Piritz (619) 600-7817

evan@salasproperties.com

DRE#02022374

Josh Barbera (619) 957-5357

josh@salasproperties.com

DRE#02053563

Heather Vidal (619) 571-1700

heather@salasproperties.com

DRE#02150791

Stephanie Baker (619) 306-6317

stephanie@salasproperties.com

DRE#01986654

Greg Roberts (858) 731-6101

greg@salasproperties.com

DRE#02191947

Ken Nagel (619) 952-4486

ken@salasproperties.com

DRE#01946378

Jeff Tyler (619) 865-7153

Jtyler@cbwhomes.com

JeffTylerCoronado.com

DRE#01900337

Coldwell

Anne Trombley (619) 318-6259

anne@salasproperties.com

DRE#02168533

Roberto Cornejo (619) 548-6306

roberto@salasproperties.com

DRE#01204327

Stacie Bales (619) 370-2467

stacie@salasproperties.com

DRE#02060775

Yvonne Fulp (626) 390-4953

yvonne@salasproperties.com

DRE#01821777

Romina Nassif Baloyan (619) 882-4100

romina@salasproperties.com

DRE#02190405

Sergio Munoz (619) 751-3415

sergio@salasproperties.com

DRE#02211855

Minerva Alvarez (619) 653-0288

minerva@salasproperties.com

DRE#02195687

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