2011-04 Lydia's Style Magazine by Style Media & Design, Inc.

April 2011

Geek Chic

Men's Spring Fashions

Economic Outlook 2011 Update for Northern Colorado

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w w w. s t y l e m a g a z i n e c o l o r a d o . c o m w w w. m e d i c a l a n d w e l l n e s s . c o m Publisher Lydia Dody | lydia@stylemedia.com Editor Angeline Grenz | angie@stylemedia.com creative director Scott Prosser Senior Designer Lisa Gould digital director Austin Lamb | austin@stylemedia.com Advertising Sales EXECUTIVES Jon Ainslie (970) 219-9226 Karen Christensen (970) 679-7593 Lydia Dody (970) 227-6400 Saundra Skrove (970) 217-9932 Craig Spellerberg (970) 568-2203 Office Manager/About Town Editor Ina Szwec | ina@stylemedia.com Accounting Manager Karla Vigil Editorial Assistant Audrey Springer Office Assistants Ronda Huser, Trisha Milton Contributing Writers Connie Hein, Heidi Kerr-Schlaefer, Marty Metzger, Erica Pauly, Corey Radman, Kay Rios, Heather Schichtel Photographer Marcus Edwards CONTRIBUTING Photographer Brent Yoder Affiliations Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce Loveland Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center 2011 Style Magazines January-Loveland/Greeley Medical & Wellness Magazine and Directory February-Style March-Northern Colorado Medical & Wellness April-Style May-Northern Colorado Medical & Wellness June-Style July-Northern Colorado Medical & Wellness Magazine and Poudre Valley Health System Physician Directory August-Style September-Women’s Health & Breast Cancer October-Northern Colorado Medical & Wellness November/December-Holiday Style Style Media and Design, Inc. magazines are free monthly publications direct-mailed to homes and businesses in Northern Colorado. Elsewhere, a one year subscription is $25/year and a two year subscription is $45/year. Free magazines are available at over 150 locations throughout Northern Colorado. For ad rates, subscription information, change of address, or correspondence, contact: Style Media and Design Inc., 211 W. Myrtle St., Suite 200, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521. Phone (970) 2266400. Fax (970) 226-6427. E-Mail: ronda@StyleMedia.com ©2011 Style Media and Design Inc. All rights reserved. The entire contents of Style Magazine are copyrighted and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the publisher. Style Media and Design Inc. is not responsible for unsolicited material. All manuscripts, artwork, and photography must be accompanied by a SASE. The views and opinions of any contributing writers are not necessarily those of Style Media & Design Inc.

Lydia’s STYLE Magazine

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Thank Yous Lydia, I cannot thank you enough for the opportunity to be photographed for the cover of your Holiday 2010 issue. Our company has always been a believer in Style Magazine – but the impact that issue and the wonderfully written article regarding our 100-year celebration was off the charts. No amount of money could have purchased the response we received from our existing clients as well as bringing us many new clients. Within one day of the magazine hitting, I was stopped in church, the supermarket, my children’s school, you name it…. people commented on it. Our company story is a good and honorable one – I will never be able to thank you enough for allowing us to celebrate our anniversary in such a fine and powerful manner.

Keep up the good work, ~Carl Patton Fort Collins Lydia, Thank you for continuing to produce an extremely high quality magazine.

Fondly, ~Julie Sather-Browne, Sather’s Leading Jewelers

~Pat Wagner, Office Administrator Orthodontic Associates of Greeley

Lydia, Sondy, Angie & Team, Thank you so much for the wonderful cover and feature article on HighCraft (February 2011 Style Magazine)! We couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome and are very grateful for all of the hard work that went into making the issue perfect. We are thrilled with the feedback we have received and wanted to let you all know that we are very appreciative.

Focusing on the Local Community Lydia, I want you to know how much I enjoy receiving Style Magazine and the Northern Colorado Medical & Wellness issues every month. Every issue gets better! Everyone locally wants to see it and read about people they know. It is such a good magazine for our community. It is all about keeping our local community alive by focusing on the people right here. I look forward to receiving it each month.

~The Team at HighCraft Helping Northern Colorado Become Aware To The Editor, I am the internal marketing coordinator at Good Samaritan Society – Water Valley Senior Living Resort here in Windsor, CO. I wanted to write this brief testimonial to let you know how appreciative we are of Style Magazine and how instrumental you have been in helping to make the Northern Colorado community aware of our presence here in Water Valley. We have had two separate feature stories in your Northern Colorado Medical & Wellness publication, one in March 2009 and the most recent in October of 2010, along with various advertisements we have placed with you. Each time, we have received a major increase in phone calls as well as tour appointments in the months following those features and/or advertisements from people who tell us they found out about us from your magazine. Thank you for your wonderful publication and for being an integral part of allowing our Northern Colorado community to become aware of new enterprises such as ours! Sincerely, ~Kim McCloud Internal Marketing Coordinator Good Samaritan Water Valley

Dedicated Coverage Lydia, Thanks for these nice medical issues. They are always very informative and very useful. I also appreciate your dedicated coverage for bonafide medical providers in our community and your exclusion of pseudo-medical practitioners from the naturopath and holistic communities. While these things may have their place, I feel that they do not belong in the same class as medical science and medical providers. There are more and more socalled supplement ads in AARP, for example, that promise seniors many things without medical basis, and it is getting harder and harder to tell these spiels from bonafide medical articles. I am glad you have not gone that route.

~Elizabeth Metcalf Thank You for Thinking of Us Lydia, I hope things are going well for you! I wanted to thank you so much for citing our friend Mary Lacy (“Navigating Health Insurance,” March 2011, Northern Colorado Medical & Wellness Magazine). She is truly phenomenal in her work. Clients give her a hug when they see her (putting a face with her voice) and that speaks for itself. Again, thank you so much for thinking of Volk & Bell and Mary Lacy! ~Heather Mills Volk & Bell Benefits Good Information in Article Lydia, I received the medical issue yesterday. I loved the knee article (“Weak in the Knees: Total Knee Replacement Surgery,” March 2011, Northern Colorado Medical & Wellness Magazine). It was right on with what I am going through and confirmed my thoughts on the treatments I have decided to do. My knee is still problematic, but I think I am just thankful to be walking reasonably comfortably. Good information in the article. ~Rosie Sinnett, Fort Collins

Lydia’s STYLE Magazine

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Although the content of this ad is intended to be accurate, neither the publisher nor any other party assumes liability for loss or damage due to reliance on this material. If you have a medical question , consult your medical professional.

on the cover

As the courses green up, avid golfers everywhere are polishing their clubs in anticipation. Fort Collins Country Club, pictured on our cover, is just one of the spectacular courses available in Northern Colorado.

features

philanthropy

Outlook Bright in Northern Colorado . . . . Northern Colorado’s Growing Industries . . .

Loving Care for the Terminally Ill . . . . . . . . . . . 64

swing into golf Summer on the Greens . .

Tee Off in Style This Season . . .

. . . . . . . . .48

Summer Golf Events/ Improve Your Game .

. . . .50

business Loving the Living Space . .12

A Greener Cleaning Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Smart Financial Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

building

Special Building Section: 54

HighCraft Builders, Lindgren Landscape & Irrigation

Lindgren Brings home landscaping award . . . . . 55

60 68 APRIL 2011 :: STYLE

OtterBox: Off the Chart Success . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Gregori’s Garden . . . . . . . 32

32 56

10 years and growing .

Hope Lives! The Lydia Dody Breast Cancer Foundation

Geek Chic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

28 30

NCMC Foundation

. . 24

Photography by Tim O'Hara.

12 20

Supporting Community Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Hospice of Northern Colorado

Celebrating 50 Years . . 65

House of Neighborly Service

lifestyle

Com-palat-able Conversations . . . . . . . . .

Creative Capital Class . .

All Jazzed Up in Greeley .

about town a photo tour of non-profit events . . . . . . . 70 Loveland Chamber Annual Dinner CHAMP Celebration Breakfast NCMC Foundation Gala Building Incredible Kids Breakfast Mid-Season Celebration Catsblanca Dancing with the Stars Simply Red RAMSTRENGTH WomenGive Empty Bowls Give 10 Grand Gala Masquerade Ball

community innovator

Leading the Economy . . . . .76

Dr. Martin Shields

great outdoors departments Fort Collins Baseball Club Hits a Homerun with youth . . . . . . . . . . . . .56

From our readers . . . . . . . . 6 publisher’s letter . . . . . . .10

www.stylemagazinecolorado.com Lydia’s STYLE Magazine

The Bright Beginning of Spring

he April issue of Style is always an informative one. Each year, we take the opportunity to speak to a variety of regional city officials to get the economic pulse of our communities. This year, we spoke with Fort Collins City Manager Darin Atteberry, Greeley City Manager Roy Otto and Loveland City Manager Bill Cahill about their city’s triumphs and challenges as they come out of the recession. To recap their general assessment, and for insight into where our local economy is headed this year, read “Outlook Bright in Northern Colorado.” Read about the bright spots in industry growth in Northern Colorado. In addition to Leprino Foods expanding its factory in Greeley, Abound Solar will be doubling its workforce in Weld County and Anadarko Petroleum could be bringing 4,000 new jobs to the area. Larimer County has attracted many smaller companies into the area and paints a nicely diverse economic picture, poised for continued growth. Read “Northern Colorado’s Growing Industries” to gain more insight into some of the positive growth in the region. One of our homegrown success stories is the founding and growth of OtterBox. Read “OtterBox: Off the Chart Success” to get a peek at the triumphs and challenges of its exceptional growth and contributions to our region. On a smaller scale, we enjoyed meeting up with Kevin Williams, owner of a new men’s clothing store in downtown Fort Collins. We photographed three handsome computer geeks, all decked out in great clothing from his store, Williams Clothier. Thanks Austin, Clint and Mike for your participation. All three of you looked awesome! With the arrival of spring weather, many of us start thinking about our outdoor passion – golf. Our nice weather and wide range of beautiful golf courses cater to all levels of players and make this sport a popular one in Northern Colorado. Browse through our golf section to learn about what is new for this upcoming season, read up on ways to improve your game, and enjoy a few of the upcoming fashion looks you’ll be seeing on the course. Thank you Suzy, Christie and Chris for your patience while we endured the cold wind the day of our golf photo shoot. You all were such great sports showing off the new golf looks from Hanrahan Golf School. Spring weather also brings out my gardening instincts. I can’t wait to plant flowers and beautify my home and Style's office with color. Every year we feature a beautiful garden; this year, enjoy reading “Gregori’s Garden” and learn how Tammie plans her annual transformation to showcase a variety of color, texture, dimension and unique species in her garden. Many more articles fill these pages, so enjoy browsing and learn about the fun outdoor activities available in the area, building and landscape projects, financial planning tips and profiles of local businesses. This issue is all about enjoying the new year as Northern Colorado comes to life. Happy Spring, lydia@stylemedia.com

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Style 2011

Business Profile

Loving

W By Heather Schichtel

When Rod Clough opened The Living Space in 2009, he had a vision for a different type of furniture store in Northern Colorado: a place that featured design that was unique, customizable and local. A year and half later and now positioned in the Opera Galleria in the heart of Old Town, The Living Space provides Northern Colorado with high-end furniture and design options that previously were only available in larger cities. 12

alking into the gallery, notice the exquisite Wyatt Cocktail Table, relax on the Moreno sofa or imagine hosting dinner for 12 guests at the Ashton Dining Table. The table features hand-crafted Vietri dinnerware, and a recycled rover sits loyally next to a custom-made ottoman. The Living Space beckons you to make your home more beautiful. Clough loves design, good furniture and has an exceptional eye for creating functional spaces. When searching for furniture for his own home, he found that the closest place to purchase unique, higher-end furniture was in Denver. “I saw a need to provide a destination shopping experience, custom furniture and design, and to provide all of this right down the street.” Clients can create their own Candice Olson Sofa while sitting in the design center browsing through different patterns, textures and colors. The Living Space is about finding that perfect generational piece you will cherish for a lifetime. The inspiration behind The Living Space, however, is more than great design. Clough’s passion for furniture extends beyond how it looks in a room. “I

Lydia’s STYLE Magazine

grew up in a family that loved good furniture. The pieces purchased stayed within our family for years.” The Living Space features items that are made in the U.S. by American artisans. The furniture is socially responsible – meaning that one will pay a little more than at a discount dealer, but these pieces support a livable wage for American crafts people. “This is truly an art; the work is handcrafted and one-of-a-kind,” says Clough. Furniture is also crafted in a way that is safe for the environment. The Living Space chooses its pieces carefully, not only to create beauty in a room but also to emphasize a socially conscious way of life. In a time when communities are focusing on locally grown food and buying items that are humanly, consciously processed, Clough’s attitude towards furniture is perfect. The store just completed an expansion in the Opera Galleria, proving that Clough did find a need in the Northern Colorado market, even during a financial downturn when people are less likely to buy high-end furniture. Clough’s business philosophy mirrors his thoughts regarding good furniture: employ local, surround yourself with quality people, and ensure that what you are doing is socially conscious and good for the community. When asked about a five-year plan, he humbly states he would love to expand further. When asked what advice he would give to a small business owner just starting out in these hard economic times, Clough says, “Be ultra conservative in everything you do and negotiate every dollar. Know your business. Talk to everyone in the business. Save as much as you can. Support the community when you can. Most importantly, stay open – nothing supports our local community more than thriving, healthy businesses.” As an active, locally supported small business in Downtown Fort Collins, The Living Space gives back by providing commerce during tough times. But Clough also actively supports local non-profits. The Respite Care Center mentions Living Space as a local friend and supporter. The Fort Collins Museum Of Contemporary Art, The Fort Collins Symphony, The Susan G. Komen Foundation and local artists all benefit from the generosity and community spirit of The Living Space. As a supporter of these causes, Clough smiles and says, “We are comfortable and doing well. As a result, I feel it’s very important to give back.” You can find The Living Space on Facebook, where new pieces are featured as well as upcoming items and highlights within the community. There you can find the lovely Lexington collection as well as a set of Aquiesse candles, perfect for your next dinner party. A lovely Norwalk sectional is placed at the entrance of The Living Space. The arms are wide, inviting people to sit anywhere on the couch. “This is one of my favorite pieces,” Clough says casually, while sitting on the wide back. “I like it because it beckons people to gather around it. This is the perfect piece for a party, comfortable and inviting.” Kind of like The Living Space. Heather Schichtel is a freelance writer and marketing professional living in Loveland. You can find her at her daily blog: www.samsmomheathers.blogspot.com.

Style 2011

Business Profile

a greener cleaning service By Connie Hein

The phrase “There’s no place like home” may initially bring to mind images of a young girl with a little black dog, ruby slippers and an assortment of kooky companions. But the phrase takes on a whole new meaning when you think of coming home after a long day – to a home that is sparkling clean, where you can enjoy quality time with your family and your own assortment of companions without the distraction of an untidy space.

eith Gregory, president and owner of Clean N’ Green Cleaning in Greeley, says that is their priority when cleaning for residential clients. “Our goal is to give families more quality time together, which can lead to a better overall quality of life.” Gregory has observed the many households in Northern Colorado with two working parents – who would much rather spend time enjoying their families when they are at home than cleaning. “The small amount they pay to have their homes professionally cleaned every week or two is priceless to them.” Gregory also believes that quality of life for his clients includes being healthy, which is why his company uses only the highest quality green cleaning products. As the health and environmental impacts of

conventional cleaning products have become better understood, says Gregory, more green, healthy and effective cleaning products have started hitting the shelves, making it easy for all of us to be more responsible in our cleaning. Gregory and his staff have tested many of these products over the years and use the most efficient ones available for their clients’ businesses, facilities and homes. Residential cleaning is just one of the many facets of the Clean N’ Green business. They also specialize in commercial cleaning and janitorial, as well as commercial and residential carpet and window cleaning, with the same goal of using green cleaning products to protect the health of their clients. The clean, green philosophy was part of his goal when Gregory first started his business. Gregory started cleaning offices as a favor for a friend. He

had no idea that taking a part time job in college would launch a successful career that he would become so passionate about. He started cleaning an office to pay for travel expenses while he was living in Greeley and attending Denver University. Through word of mouth, he got offers from other business owners to clean their offices, and as a student, he didn’t want to turn down the money. He eventually had to hire employees to keep up with the growing need for his services and expanded from commercial cleaning to include residential, carpet and window cleaning. Almost four years later, the company has become one of the fastest growing, independently owned cleaning companies in Northern Colorado, employing up to 40 full-time and seasonal employees. Gregory believes the secret to the success of his company is not only the continued commitment to a greener, healthier environment, but his awesome team and great customer service. “We set out each morning to treat every person we encounter with the highest level of respect and service. And when you put that effort, expertise and enthusiasm together, it adds up to a better day for our clients and our employees.” The company mission is simple and straightforward: to exceed their customer’s expectations of cleanliness and customer service while utilizing environmentally friendly cleaning products and methods. “We want to protect the basic health of the clients in any home or facility we clean and to have respect for the total impact of our actions.” Gregory believes there is no reason clients should be exposed to the harsh chemicals contained in many traditional cleaning products or charged premium prices for choosing to go green when green products cost about the same as traditional products. “The small step of choosing a green cleaning company, that makes corporate social responsibility and sustainable development its top priorities, can be part of a giant step in changing the world,” he says. Whether you need help to keep your home, business or yellow-brick road sparkling clean, choose a company that will not only make your life cleaner but will help make our environment healthier. Gregory says for him, the Clean N’ Green business is all about “cleaning with a conscience.” For information and cleaning estimates throughout Northern Colorado, including Fort Collins, Greeley, Loveland and Windsor, call (970) 301-4362 or visit www.cleanngreenonline.com. Connie Hein is a freelance writer living in Windsor and the author of the Toliver in Time series of children’s books.

Lydia’s STYLE Magazine

Style 2011

Business Matters careers are beginning and future needs (like having children) may not be outlined yet. “There are so many unknown variables when you are young; it is a moving target.” At the same time, he adds, this is when risk tolerance may be at its highest point. Since everyone has different levels of tolerance, it’s important to understand what that is before making recommendations. Jones suggests that the key to the early stage is to get in the habit of saving (retirement accounts and general savings) and pick the appropriate risk level – don’t try to “time the market.” At the same time, if you have extra funds left over, a ROTH IRA is a great option if you qualify.

Smart Financial P L A N N I N G

By Angeline Grenz

For many of us, financial planning is a double-edged sword. We may know we need it, but a large margin of us don’t know quite where to begin. Those that are more financially savvy may hesitate, agonizing over the thought that they may be giving up their autonomy by handing the financial “keys to the kingdom” off to someone else. Others still may just feel that they aren’t in the financial position to bring in that third party. 16

All of those assumptions are wrong, and could be dangerous when it comes to accomplishing your financial goals. What a planner can bring to the table is the ability to create a plan that ties together your financial goals at every stage of your life. “Financial planning is not just retirement planning,” says Chad Jones, client advisor for First National Wealth Management. People often mistakenly think of planning as just investing their money. Rather, says Jones, financial planning is a tailored, customized approach that may start broad in the early stages of financial planning and narrow significantly in the later stages (often in the years before retirement) to meet your life goals. Jones recommends starting your financial planning as early as possible. “It doesn’t matter how much you have, just get started as soon as possible.” He breaks financial planning into three “stages” to help with general guidelines: early, mid and late stage planning. The key to planning at any stage is to set reasonable goals. He outlines some general guidelines to setting those goals in each stage of financial planning. Early Stage – Start with the general strategies of investing in your 401(k) or other employer retirement plan, investing enough to get at least the maximum employer match, and begin a savings account for emergency purposes. During the early stage, says Jones, specific goals are less defined,

Mid Stage – At the mid stage, Jones says, it’s easier to set specific goals. Continue to ramp up your savings, he suggests. Also, at this point most people know if they will need to save up for their children’s education or to take care of an aging parent. “Begin setting reasonable goals and quantify your idea of comfortable, general living expenses.” Revisit your risk tolerance and adjust accordingly, he adds. During the mid stage is also a good time to begin thinking about creating wills, general and medical power of attorneys, and other legal necessities to protect and direct your assets. He says it’s also the time period to start reevaluating your goals and progress every year and continually update and monitor your financial plan. Late Stage – Jones generally refers to late stage as about 10 years out from retirement and beyond. This is the stage where goals become very defined – what is the amount you need to live on per year to have the retirement lifestyle you want? What do you need in order to buy that vacation home, to travel or to care for a parent? “We start to dial in on those goals.” This is also the time to update wills and trusts for estate planning, register with Social Security and decide when to start taking your Social Security income. Jones points out that the people who fared the best during the recent economic downturn were those who already had a financial plan in place and who stayed the course during the worst of the recession. “The folks that survived the best had a plan, didn’t panic and, as a result, are in good shape. ” Those whose finances took a hit during the downturn have had to reassess their goals, perhaps cutting back on travel or working for a few more years before retirement. But with good financial planning and realistic goals, they can readjust. Real estate values have taken a severe dip in recent years, but wise planners make real estate just one part of an overall financial plan. For those who have found themselves upside down in the value of their home, Jones suggests, “If you are not overextended it may be best just to hold onto your real estate.” Many industry leaders are predicting that Northern Colorado will see a return to peak values in a few years. With the basic elements of a good financial plan in mind, when is it the best time to bring in a financial planner? Jones gets this question frequently, and his best advice is to consider hiring a financial planner “when you no longer feel confident in your own ability to handle your financial plans or you have a lot of unanswered questions. But, it is never too early to bring in a planner.” He adds that often people don’t realize that a financial planner can help you, even if you don’t have

Lydia’s STYLE Magazine

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a lot of cash to invest. “A good financial planner looks at everything, not just how much you have to invest.” For some clients, the first steps in their financial plan may be focused on debt reduction or increasing savings. Other financial investments may not come until later. Jones’ associate Eric Rakness, a financial planning account executive at First National Wealth Management, says he had one client approach him for a financial plan with the expectation that he might lose his job in the next six months. “He wanted a plan in place if that happened.” That type of planning is not uncommon. “It is our role as planners to be educators,” says Rakness. “You are the quarterback, but we educate you to make the best decisions.” This includes making wise financial decisions during times that are not ideal. Part of the benefit of a planner is they can take all the pieces of your finances and pull them together into a cohesive plan – one that takes into account where you may be under protected (do you have adequate insurance coverage?), where you may not be diversified enough, and how one financial decision will affect other areas (such as anticipating tax consequences). “As planners, we really are able to take a step back and look at the big picture for you,” says Jones. “Then we can help you define what you need to do to reach your goals.” Choosing a Planner Not all financial planners are created equal. In fact, almost anyone can call himself or herself a “financial planner.” Jones is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP) who adheres to the CFP Board’s Code of Ethics. Specifically, this means that a CFP shall at all times place the interest of the client ahead of his or her own, and owes to the client the duty of care of a fiduciary (as defined by CFP Board). The process to become a CFP involves an education component, a two-day national examination and a minimum of three years of related experience.

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Eric Rakness and Chad Jones, financial planners with First National Wealth Management

It takes, on average, 2 to 3 years for someone to complete the CFP process. Additionally, there are ongoing continuing education requirements to maintain the certification. The education, according to Jones, is similar to the education that a certified public accountant must go through. A local listing of CFPs is available at www.CFP. net. The Financial Planning Association’s website, www.fpanet.org, also contains a “Find a Planner” tab, searchable by zip code, most of whom are CFP certified planners. Once you have made sure that the credentials and education are in place, interview your prospective planner. “You want someone whose personality is a good fit and with whom you can develop trust,” says Jones. The best way to find that planner is by asking plenty of questions. Jones suggests the following questions: What services do you provide? Do you work alone or as part of a team? If part of a team, where is your team located and what is their expertise? How much do you charge for a plan? Have you ever had any disciplinary actions taken against you? He also says to avoid those planners that won’t answer how they make their money or tend to lead with a product (how do they know that product is right for you if they haven’t completed a plan and gotten to know you yet?), and to avoid those who do not disclose what they charge up front. Furthermore, “ask them to put it [their pricing structure] in writing.” “Interview three to five different firms,” he suggests, and ask for recommendations from trusted family members and friends who are happy with their planners. A final piece of advice? Jones says the best thing you can do is to take the time to educate yourself and understand that you are ultimately in charge of your financial decisions.

Angeline Grenz is editor of Style Magazine.

Style 2011

Outlook Bright in Northern Colorado By Angeline Grenz

Sales tax figures are up and higher than expected; job numbers are edging up, too. Unemployment has come down somewhat. That news, combined with the warm spring breezes chasing away any remnants of winter, means that the outlook in Northern Colorado is largely positive.

It is hard not to be optimistic as the season changes; it feels as if we are coming out of a long economic winter and this spring just may be our ticket back to happier times. However, optimism is best tempered with a healthy dose of realism, so we asked the experts: how is the economic outlook for Northern Colorado in 2011? Colorado State University associate professor and local regional economy spokesman Dr. Martin Shields believes we are headed toward a brighter economic picture in Northern Colorado, but are not necessarily out of the woods quite yet. “The worst is behind us,” Shields affirms. “But it is going to be a long slog.” He explains that Northern Colorado took longer than the nation to fully enter the recession, and it will continue to lag behind the nation in recovery for a time. But while we may be behind, he believes our economy will rebound better than other communities across the U.S. “We will not see remarkable turnaround in 2011, but we will turnaround fast,” he continues. “And Northern Colorado will probably be back where it was before the nation will.” He points to factors like the sluggishness in the housing market – “It is the only sector not moving in the right direction” – and the very modest increase in new jobs in Larimer County as factors that will need to ramp up before the northern Front Range really begins to turn around. The region remains a good draw for employers, despite the fact that large employers are few and far between on a national level. “We see more small companies coming in,” he says.

The region’s greatest asset, adds Shields, is its highly educated, fairly low paid workforce. Along with that, employers want to access the “youth of the region, with its dynamic, creative and entrepreneurial” spirit. In fact, this population of thinkers embodies what Shields believes is the strength of the U.S. as a nation. Larimer County’s job growth, with large government employers and CSU seeing continued cuts, will remain sluggish. Weld County, however, is fairing better in the job market, Shields says, due largely to the oil and gas development going on there. “As gas goes up, it will put more jobs in the ground.” As a result, “we will see a return to growth in southwest Weld [County].” As this growth occurs, Shields predicts that Greeley and Loveland will continue to grow closer together and look similar, with Windsor, Timnath and Berthoud not far behind, and much of the new retail growth in the region concentrating itself along the I-25 corridor south of Centerra. Shields calls Fort Collins’ Mason Corridor project a “wild card” when discussing future retail growth in the region. “We will have to see how it pans out. Will it change behaviors?” he asks, referring to the transit portion of the project. “Will it pay for itself?” Shields acknowledges that trying to predict the future can often be a futile exercise. “I can’t believe in 30 year or 3 month [economic] forecasts,” he says, adding with a smile, “Maybe 30 years is better.” But for now, he feels confident that recovery is underway and that it is sustainable. “The threat of a double dip recession is essentially gone.”

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Northern Colorado’s three largest municipalities also find reason to feel positive about 2011, though each still have a ways to go before they recover to the service level enjoyed prior to the recession. Here is what Greeley, Loveland and Fort Collins have to say about their struggles and triumphs of 2010 and what they see for their future.

Greeley

Despite growing employment opportunities in Greeley and Weld County, Greeley still struggles with funding basic service areas, says Greeley City Manager Roy Otto. Sales tax revenues in 2010 rose 4.5 percent over 2009, but he says the city will go into 2011 with a very conservative budget. “We still have a tough row to hoe,” he says. He predicts city sales tax revenues will continue “flat or maybe up just a percent or two.” Greeley’s job growth outlook is a bright spot with several new developments in 2010 and 2011. Leprino Foods, a cheese manufacturing plant, is being constructed on a redevelopment parcel in downtown Greeley. Leprino, when fully built out, will be an 800,000 square foot factory resulting in 500 new jobs in Greeley. Another bit of adrenaline to Greeley’s job market came with JBS’ expansion, which brought 200 executive level jobs to Greeley in 2010. JBS is the world’s largest beef processor and recently acquired Pilgrim’s Pride Poultry, one of the nation’s largest poultry producers. More recently, Noble Energy applied for a building permit for an approximately 66,000 square foot field office in west Greeley. The project represents an $18 million investment, says Otto. “It was a good shot in the arm,” says Otto, one that is estimated to bring 300 to 400 new jobs to Greeley by 2012. Greeley’s downtown also saw a bit of vibrancy in 2010 with 27 new businesses opening up. The city is currently working with the University of Northern Colorado to create a university district. “We are putting the foundation in place for the future,” says Otto. The university district will be geared to enhancing the neighborhood and creating a vibrant economy. This activity and other large employment projects in Weld County means that Weld led the state in new job growth by percentage in 2010, based on a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report released in December. Good news for residents of Greeley and surrounding towns, but it will be sometime before the true impact is felt. In the meantime, Greeley still struggles. “Growth in the housing market has been nonexistent,” says Otto. “What growth we had last year has just been in remodels and repairs of existing homes.” The number of foreclosed homes is down in Greeley, and Otto estimates that they have hit the bottom of the market, but this year’s re-appraisal of property taxes, which runs two years behind, will likely lower property values somewhat. But the biggest challenge facing Greeley, says Otto, is adjusting the delivery of services with the amount of revenue available within the city. The big loser is ongoing streets maintenance – where $10 to $12 million is needed to improve road conditions. “Taxpayers made it clear [with a failed ballot measure in November] they are not interested in a new tax,” says Otto. More recently, a February session with residents made

Style 2011

it clear they are not interested in finding other revenue streams for the shortfall. For Greeley, a full recovery is most likely another 3 to 5 years away, says Otto, despite the good news on the job front. But he echoes Shields on the danger of predictions: “The economy is a house of cards – we don’t really know what recovery will look like.”

Loveland

With a new city manager at the helm, Loveland is poised to take advantage of the rebounding economy. Bill Cahill has been Loveland’s city manager for a mere five months and says he is excited to help shape Loveland’s future. The timing is good, as Loveland has several exciting projects underway. As with other municipalities, the city’s 2010 sales tax figures were up, 3.6 percent over 2009. Cahill expects the trend to continue: “It will come up a little more, but we are not expecting huge increases in 2011.” He adds that Loveland is likely a few years away from returning to peak sales tax revenue figures. In the meantime, Loveland has been spending a good amount of energy positioning itself to be attractive to the highly sought NASA and Colorado Association for Manufacturing and Technology (CAMT) park that is looking for a home along the Front Range. The Agilent site in Loveland is the area that is being considered. Loveland’s council is waiting anxiously for the announcement from NASA and CAMT (which may well happen during the printing of this issue) on their decision for the site. The park is expected to bring in as many as 7,000 to 10,000 jobs over five years. Loveland is one of the leading candidates for site selection, along with properties in Longmont, Berthoud and Denver, says Cahill. If Loveland is not chosen for the park, however, the site does have other parties interested in redeveloping. Loveland continues to see good interest in the Centerra shopping area, with several new stores filling empty locations, though Cahill says they are smaller retailers. He is also optimistic about the continued growth of the Fort CollinsLoveland Municipal Airport. Allegiant Air maintains a high load factor on most flights out of the airport and is exploring the addition of more flights in the future, says Cahill. “The remarkable thing is that this [expansion] interest is coming from the airline. It is not something the community has to beg them to do.” The city is also focused on continuing its downtown revitalization. “The Council has made downtown one of their top priorities,” says Cahill. The first major project is underway. The Rialto Bridge project, which will expand the Rialto Theater and provide ground-floor restaurant and third-story office space, is projected to be complete this year. The city also has two downtown properties available for private development partnership. “We have done a request for proposals and have seen pretty good interest so far,” according to Cahill. “We hope to select a proposal this summer.” Loveland will also reap the benefits of the voter-approved 3 percent lodging tax, which went into effect January 1, 2010. The city received more revenue from the tax than they had originally projected, and the funds are dedicated to tourism promotion, including grants to small

Lydia’s STYLE Magazine

Dr. Martin Shields, Associate Economics Professor, Colorado State University

businesses and nonprofits, festivals and events, and marketing efforts. Loveland has faced reductions to services to maintain a balanced budget the past few years, and they continue to balance future expenditures with relatively flat revenues. One anticipated shortfall is the $3.5 million budget deficit expected in 2012. “We are asking city council to identify priorities and create strategies to find where we can make changes,” says Cahill. The city’s highest priorities will remain funding public safety, streets maintenance, parks and facilities, and economic development. “Our residents are used to a high quality of living in Loveland,” says Cahill. He and the council are challenged to continue to maintain community expectations with a shortfall that is estimated to remain for several years to come.

Fort Collins

Roy Otto, Greeley City Manager

Bill Cahill, Loveland City Manager

Darin Atteberry, Fort Collins City Manager

Thanks to a voter-approved tax to supplement funding for city service areas and a strong economic development strategy, Fort Collins is ready to take on the new economy. Though on the surface Fort Collins may seem to have come through the last few years relatively unscathed, the city went through severe cutbacks during the recent recession. They eliminated 150 city jobs and cut over $24 million in expected costs. “Part of the reason the community hasn’t experienced a lot of the pain is because we were so internally focused on getting better and being more efficient… a lot of those reductions were internal facing,” says Darin Atteberry, Fort Collins city manager. But the city was facing another $5 million in cuts in 2011 and went to the community for a solution. Voters approved 2B in November, which gives the city an estimated $18.7 million dollars to fund street maintenance and repair, transportation needs, police services, fire services, parks and recreation, and other community priorities. The tax was the community’s answer to looming cuts that would have specifically targeted major recreation facilities in Fort Collins. Atteberry says such a move by the community is almost unheard of in other cities, especially in this kind of economy. “I am so proud of the fact that this community said ‘yes.’ It is a statement that the community is invested in its future.” Retail sales tax revenues are rebounding as well. The city had a 2.4 percent uptick in revenues in 2010 over 2009 and expects an additional 2-plus percent increase (on the moderate end) in 2011. While Fort Collins may not have the exciting possibility of a NASA partnership that Loveland is pursuing or the high volume employers that are flooding into Greeley and Weld County, they are by no means sitting back on their laurels. The city has made the retention and expansion of existing businesses their highest priority. “Our number one focus needs to be to keep companies here and help them grow,” says Mike Freeman, Fort Collins’ chief financial officer of economic development. He estimates that the majority of job growth in 2011 will come from these existing businesses. Encouraging a diverse economic climate is another priority. To do this, Fort Collins has implemented a cluster-based development strategy that places a high importance on partnerships in the community. The plan focuses on clean enerCONTINUED on PG 27

Style 2011

Northern Colorado’s growing industries By Heidi Kerr-Schlaefer

The last several years have been rough on businesses in Northern Colorado and beyond, but it doesn’t take much digging to uncover bright spots. It turns out that even in a down economy, Coloradoans have a lot to be happy about.

Various industries around Northern Colorado have been growing, perhaps not at the same rate as in years past, but there has been growth. From the thriving oil and gas fields of Weld County to clean energy companies choosing to relocate to cities around Larimer County, when it comes to industry, the economic future of the region holds promise.

Weld County in Focus

Weld County is responsible for much of the recent success in Northern Colorado. The US Department of Labor and Statistics identified Weld as leading the state of Colorado in 2010 in new job creation. Larry Burkhardt, president and CEO of Upstate Colorado Economic Development, explains that multiple industries are driving these numbers. “Agriculture is our heritage industry and in direct adjunct to that we see a lot of food processing here in Weld County,” says Burkhardt. Weld County is home to JBS, the world’s largest beef processor. Last year JBS acquired Pilgrim’s Pride Poultry, one of the country’s largest poultry producers. The acquisition resulted in the addition of 200 executive level positions at JBS in Greeley. “In addition, we’ve got Leprino Foods building a factory in a redevelopment parcel near downtown

Greeley,” says Burkhardt. Leprino Foods is the world’s largest producer of mozzarella cheese. The company is in the process of constructing an 800,000 square foot factory that will ultimately process 2 billion pounds of cheese per year and employ around 500 people. The production of cheese requires milk, and Leprino Foods will need to secure at least 62,000 new head of dairy cattle within a 100-mile radius to serve the factory, a likely boost to many dairy farmers in Northern Colorado.

Renewable Energy Sector Going Strong

In addition to agriculture, Weld County has been a leader in the renewable energy industry. Companies like Vestas lead the way with three factories in Weld, and when built out, there will be 2,000 jobs directly associated with these facilities. Abound Solar, with headquarters in Loveland, is also part of the renewable energy sector. As one of the country’s largest manufacturers of thin-film photovoltaic modules, they secured $440 million in Federal loan guarantees last year. These loans will allow Abound Solar to triple the output of their Weld County manufacturing facility and double the workforce, adding another 150 jobs in Northern Colorado.

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UQM Technologies is another company in the renewable energy sector of Weld County. The company manufactures electric propulsion systems for vehicles and has existing contracts with the military. Last year they signed a contract to supply 2,000 units to KODA, a California company making electric sedans. UQM also recently announced a new relationship with Audi.

Oil and Gas Industry Benefits Many

Oil and gas is also a large component of the economy of Weld, and the county leads the state with more than 16,000 oil and gas wells. Anadarko Petroleum Co. is a player in the oil and gas industry in Northern Colorado With national headquarters located near Houston, Texas and regional headquarters in Denver, this 25-year-old company employs 700 in Denver and another 300 between their offices in Brighton and Evans. Those numbers will increase due to the company’s current construction of a 47,000 square foot facility in Evans. “We’ve had an operation in northeastern Colorado called the Wattenberg field for a number of years," says John Christiansen, manger of external communication for Anadarko Petroleum. "It has been a very good asset for us and it’s one that has continued to grow. It’s been around for well over 30 years and yet we are still finding ways to increase production out of the field.” Today, Anadarko has begun a testing program on what is called the “horizontal Niobrara play” which extends from northeast Colorado into southeast Wyoming. “That program is underway as we speak," says Christiansen. "We’ve been very encouraged by what we’ve seen so far, but we are very early in the testing program of the Niobrara. We’ve got a lot of work to do before we really have a good feel for what the resource potential of that play might be and how that might affect plans for further expansion in the area.” “Niobrara’s claim to fame is that it’s principally oil, and not as much natural gas,” explains Burkhardt. “Given the international pricing structure, that’s a real benefit to this area.” Burkhardt notes that as the project progresses, it could bring as many 4,000 new jobs to the area. The expansion of Noble Energy, which recently announced the construction of a 65,000 square foot center in Greeley, is directly related to the Niobrara discovery. Chesapeake Oil, the country’s second largest natural gas company, just announced that it is planning to move 10 new rigs into Weld County this year and possibly another 20 in 2012. Each additional rig creates 100 new jobs. Another oil and gas player in Weld is Halliburton. They are currently advancing a $2.4 million credit for the City of Fort Lupton to extend water and sewer down to their new property south of the city. The Halliburton expansion could result in several hundred new jobs in Weld County. The Niobrara discovery could mean big things for Weld, but it’s not only the oil and gas industries that will benefit. Industries across Northern Colorado could profit from this discovery. Companies like Westwood, out of Minneapolis. The company has offices near the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, which they opened last year. As development consultants in land and energy, Westwood provides surveying, engineering, planning, GIS, and environmental support consulting services. “Right now wind and solar are big topics and Westwood is a leader in consulting engineering for

those projects,” says Michael Lang, PLS, director and office manager of Westwood’s Loveland office. The company also provides development consulting services to the oil and gas industry. The decision to open a branch in Northern Colorado was based on several factors, but the biggest was location. “We don’t look at a market as a town, but as a region. Being north of Denver gave us much better access to points north,” says Lang, who has lived and worked in Northern Colorado for 20 years. Westwood’s Loveland branch currently employs nine people, but with a 3,500 square foot office, they have plans for adding staff in the future. “Our plan is to be at about 15 at the end of this year with considerable growth each year after that,” says Lang.

Diverse Industry in Larimer County

While Weld County has been an attractive area for large national companies from a handful of specific industries, Larimer County has been attracting smaller businesses from varying industries. There has been economic growth in Larimer from companies relocating to the area and from the expansion of companies already established in the county. One such company is Spirae, Inc., a Fort Collins company that develops technical solutions for integrating distributed and renewable energy resources on to the grid. Spirae’s clients are distribution utilities and they collaborate with cities that are looking to meet energy goals. Renewable energy resources are things like wind energy, solar and biogas. Distributed energy resources may or may not be renewable and include things such as combined heat and power plants and electric vehicles. “Our technologies help integrate those types of resources so that the power system can accommodate them,” says Julie Zinn Patti, director of operations at Spirae, Inc. Founded in 2002 by CSU graduate Dr. Sunil Cherian, Spirae’s Fort Collins office grew 35 percent last year, and the company plans to continue to expand their workforce in Northern Colorado. While companies such as Spirae are adding workers, some companies are choosing to relocate to Larimer County from other states. Companies like Cardinal Glass, a provider of high-performance glass that relocated to Northern Colorado from Utah. “Our pipeline is diverse," says Adam Krueger, business development manager of the Northern Colorado Economic Development Corporation (NCEDC). "We had more leads in business attractions from companies coming from outside of Larimer County than we’ve ever had in the past. That bodes well for this year and 2012. “We also announced more companies last year than in the past years. We announced 11 new companies, but they were smaller companies.” Krueger explains that while Weld County is bucking the trend, the region as a whole is seeing a lot of smaller companies moving in – companies with 30 or fewer employees – and these companies also represent a diverse assortment of industries. No individual industry segment comprises more than 13 percent of Larimer County’s economy. Krueger points out that this is a good thing because a diverse economy isn’t dependent on one particular industry, such as car manufacturing in Detroit. “We see a fair amount of companies that have been in larger markets that are consolidating and heading to secondary markets like ours,” says Krueger. In Northern Colorado these companies are able to lower their overall cost of doing business because CONTINUED on PG 27

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of relatively low taxes, real estate prices and wages. In addition, the companies have access to a highly educated, young workforce. While around 23 percent of the growing industry sector in Larimer is in the energy sector, there is also growth in aerospace, data centers, bioscience and traditional office space. “This is great. We want to keep a number of different industries looking at our area,” says Krueger.

gy, bioscience and water innovation clusters. Fort Collins partners with Colorado State University’s Research Innovation Center, Rocky Mountain Innosphere, the Engines and Energy Conservation Lab and others to attract and incubate new businesses. The city is seeing success with their approach, though new employers are mostly small businesses. “We did see, in the first six months of 2010, a little bit of an uptick in hardware and technology,” says Josh Birks, Fort Collins economic advisor. “I think that sector is coming back.” A third focus is what they call Uniquely Fort Collins. This focus is on the entertainment, art and lifestyle climate that draws employers, visitors and residents to spend their dollars locally. The Lincoln Center renovation, new Fort Collins Museum & Discovery Science Center, Beet Street and other city partnerships are geared toward expanding Fort Collins’ cultural draw. “We have a base of companies in the creative arena that is an important and growing part of the community,” says Birks, adding that the city’s recent 2011 Governor’s Arts Award showcases their commitment to arts and culture. “It is an important part of the underlying economic strategy,” adds Freeman. By focusing primarily on the economic stimulators, Freeman says, “the retail follows.” It is not retail as economic development, he emphasizes, “but they are synergistic.” Along those lines, Mid-Town, which is tied heavily to the upcoming Mason Street Corridor development, has been one area where the city’s eye is particularly focused. The Mason Street project, an economic development corridor that includes transit, is what Atteberry calls a “legacy project. It will reshape land use patterns in Fort Collins.” The construction of the corridor’s south transit center begins this fall, and the transit system is planned to be up and running by late 2013. Work with General Growth Properties to revamp the Foothills Mall is an ongoing challenge, according to Atteberry. But he is optimistic that the deconstruction work that has begun at the mall is a signal that it will see renovation in the future. These projects and others within the community are building an excitement that Atteberry thrives on in his role as city manager. “I love what we have done. And I want to do more of it.” For Fort Collins, the signs are positive moving out of the recession. “We are building a world class community.” While 2011 may look a lot like the previous year in terms of sales tax revenues, the economy is improving at a mild pace, according to experts. The fear of a double dip recession is subsiding. Community leaders and regional economists recognize, and are embracing, the fact that Northern Colorado is poised to make a bright recovery over the next few years. The future for Northern Colorado, like the sunshine outside, looks good.

The Future Looks Bright

This past January, Governor Hickenlooper attended the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade’s Regional Economic Development Working Session – Region 2. Approximately 200 people, including concerned citizens, industry representatives, and business owners, gathered in The Ranch to participate in this open forum session. “One of the real challenges here is to figure out the strengths and weaknesses of each county and the appropriate relationship of our state government with the counties," said Governor Hickenlooper during the event. "There will be different challenges all over the state, but there are certain elements whereby each region of the state, by working together, can create a lot more value.” The fact is that whether a specific industry is growing in Larimer or Weld, residents and businesses across Northern Colorado and the state will benefit. Industries like oil and gas require the support of an extensive web of small businesses; these businesses are tremendously important to the health of Northern Colorado’s economy. This is not a metropolitan area, and the interconnectedness of a region like Northern Colorado is inevitable. “There are lots of drivers and lots of activities throughout all of Weld County and we only see more of the same going forward,” says Burkhardt. His sentiments are echoed by Krueger, who explains that although nationally business relocations have gone down 50 percent, Larimer County has seen an increase in activity. “What that tells me is while there are less projects out there and there’s more competition for those projects, we’re getting a bite of the apple and that’s a good sign for continued growth.” Continued industry growth will depend on many things, such as a strong focus on higher education in the region and a continued effort to attract diverse industry to the area, as well as a healthy relationship between Northern Colorado and the State of Colorado. Heidi Kerr-Schlaefer is a journalist and freelance writer from Northern Colorado. She is also the Mayor of www.HeidiTown. com, a blog about Colorado events and festivals.

Angeline Grenz is editor of Style Magazine.

OtterBox: Off the Chart Success By Corey Radman

Five years ago when Curt Richardson and Brian Thomas travelled for business, they boarded flights and would have that, “So, what do you do?” conversation with fellow travelers. No one had ever heard of their company. This is no longer the case. “On my last flight, the guy sitting next to me, the flight attendant and both pilots all used OtterBox on their phones,” smiles Thomas, president of the wildly successful Fort Collins startup. “It has taken a long time to get our brand recognized.” A long time and a lot of extroverted conversation. At its inception in 1998, OtterBox built small waterproof boxes for aquatic-loving sports enthusiasts to keep their cameras dry, but CEO Curt Richardson saw great potential in the mobile handheld market and changed course, swiftly, with the agility of… well… an otter. “Our namesake is fully due to my wife, Nancy. She has more intuition than anyone I know,” says Richardson, who doesn’t mind a shot of playfulness mixed with his branding.

A manufacturing veteran, Richardson had been creating injection molding products for other entrepreneurs for decades but was tired of watching them hit the market and then flounder. “I wanted to create something fun that would last,” Richardson says. “I knew I could take OtterBox to market and make it succeed.” Succeed it did. By listening to market demand and remaining flexible, OtterBox products have appeared on Best Buy shelves nationwide and gained positive reviews in every tech blog on the web. Their four lines of phone cases fit every major brand of phone available. They also manufacture protective covers for e-readers and iPads, and still have those original boxes as well – all of which can be purchased directly through their website. A Gizmodo.com review sums up the cool-but-useful chic factor OtterBox pulls off: “If Batman were to have an iPad, this is the case he'd use for it.” In 2010, OtterBox cracked the Inc. 500, landing at number 395 on the list of the nation’s fastest growing companies. Their staff doubled in size during that year to 250 people, and they plan to add another 70 to 100 Fort Collins jobs in 2011. The company now owns seven properties along Canyon Avenue, and will be moving their main office to the newly remodeled building on Meldrum Street on June 1. These numbers alone are staggering especially during a recession, until you look at OtterBox’s revenue numbers. In the last three years, their profits increased by 1,690 percent. With revenue like that, the next logical step for the company was global distribution, which OtterBox

jumped into by opening an office in Cork, Ireland last September. Cork handles sales and branding in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Asia Pacific will also soon have an OtterBox office in Hong Kong, to be open by the end of second quarter. Not bad for a little Fort Collins company. All this success, however, has come at some cost. Growing Pains Richardson addresses the impact of explosive growth on the company: “The last year has been hard on all of us, especially the Otters,” as he affectionately calls his workforce. “They’re really feeling the growth, and in some ways have been just as outstripped as our facilities [which, more than once, have been filled up by staff before the paint was dry]. “They’re saying, ‘Whoa, what just happened to us?!’” he continues. “And it’s not like [Brian and I are] out there doing everything we can to blow this thing up. We’re not. It’s our customers who are demanding more and more.” In particular, OtterBox employees have reportedly struggled to keep processes and procedures in line with their rapidly growing company. Kristin Golliher, OtterBox public relations manager, addresses the concern: “It’s amazing for a company to be able to experience this kind of growth while still maintaining the strategic operation plans.” She explains that employees have outlets to address concerns including peer mentors (OtterPals) and opportunity to ask direct questions at CEO talks with Richardson. “We may be growing, but we’re still a small company,” she says.

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Golliher continues: “Sometimes people get nervous about change, but we have invested a lot of thought in making sure it’s sustainable growth. Curt and Brian are smart people; they’re not going to start a business with all these jobs and then send employees packing. OtterBox is going to be around for a really long time.” Where is it all going? In response to a question about going public, Thomas and Richardson emphatically reply, “No!” Thomas elaborates: “Part of our vision for OtterBox is to create a legacy company that will always be privately held.” And, says Richardson, always be headquartered in Fort Collins. According to Stacy Johnson, Northern Colorado Economic Development Corporation director of business retention and expansion, “OtterBox has continued to make a significant impact in the Fort Collins economy. A primary employer in this industry typically will create an additional 1.2 secondary jobs, locally.” She continues that every newly acquired property, building remodel and equipment purchase impacts Fort Collins positively. In short, OtterBox is steadily becoming a player – one that citizens in the region are starting to count on. Philanthropy In recognition of their good fortune, OtterBox created a charitable arm last year called OtterCares. Ever the pastor’s son, Richardson quotes from Luke 12 to explain: “‘To whom much is given, much shall be required.’ We feel that we owe the city a lot. The best way to pay that back is to continue to contribute

jobs and be a company that gives back.” OtterCares is led by Nancy Richardson, Curt’s wife. The foundation’s mission, educating and empowering youth, is exemplified by the support OtterCares has given to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Larimer County. Last September OtterCares sponsored their Day for Kids event by providing financial support as well as OtterBox employees to volunteer. Maria Swall, development director for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Larimer County explains: “OtterBox has been amazing in their support of our kids. By stepping forward as the presenting sponsor for our first, large-scale Day for Kids event in 2010, they made it possible for us to have a successful event with over 2,000 kids and families in attendance. A number of OtterBox employees volunteered in planning and at the event. Nancy Richardson volunteered as a judge for our Fine Arts Competition. “When a well-respected company like OtterBox steps forward to show their support for the Boys and Girls Clubs, it has a ripple effect and other businesses respond in kind. Without community support, our Club members would not have a Boys and Girls Club to attend.” No one has an economic crystal ball to say exactly where this explosive ride will end. However, OtterBox seems to be extremely well positioned in a growth market with enough investments in staff and infrastructure to be one of the jewels in Fort Collins' crown for many years to come.

Brian Thomas, President, OtterBox

Curt Richardson, Founder and CEO, OtterBox Corey Radman is a writer and mother who lives in Fort Collins. Her website is www.fortcollinswriter.com.

Bent Fork the grill

5971 Sky Pond Drive, Suite C-106 Loveland 80538 In the Promenade Shops at Centerra (970) 613-9333 Open 11:00 a.m. daily www.bentforkgrill.com

Bent Fork the grill is a locally owned independent restaurant which serves a diverse offering of traditional dishes that are inventive, fresh, and flavorful in a distinctive environment of casual sophistication. In the spirit of the classic grills of the early 1900’s, Bent Fork’s award winning menu features made-from-scratch offerings, with an emphasis on local products, prepared daily by our chef Scott “Manno” Manning and his Culinary Team. The central location, the ambiance, incredible patio, eclectic wine list, handcrafted martinis, and menu variety provide an environment that allows for a simple weeknight meal or celebration of a special occasion.

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Clint is comfortable with technology as well as his fashion. Kroon sport coat in charcoal, $305, tops Tuscano cotton long-sleeved stone washed v-neck sweater, $88, Mandarin striped cotton button down sport shirt, $103, and luxury twill khaki pants by Road, $95. JZ Richards silk tie finishes the look, $70. Hush Puppies black suede NORCO shoes, $130.

These handsome guys love technology, but that doesn’t mean they don’t recognize the importance of looking good . . . Clothing by Williams Clothier Fashion photography by Brent Yoder of Capturesque Photography On location in downtown Fort Collins

Austin sports a confident look in designer Peter Millar’s classic fit navy sport coat, $520, worn over a soft silk blend cashmere sweater with quarter zip, $225, and long sleeved button-down washed chambray poplin pink shirt, $115. JZ Richards silk striped tie, $70, adds a smart touch. Agare Waterman relaxed fit straight cut dark jeans in Levcadia, $205, add a sharp look.

Lydia’s STYLE Magazine

Austin Lamb Austin is engaged to Julia Uthe. He is the Digital Director at Style. His interests include photography, golf and hiking. “Williams Clothier is a great place to shop – their inventory is very selective and top-notch. Kevin and Sara were great to work with. They matched me up with a fantastic outfit and made me feel very comfortable. Larry Baker at HeadTurners Salon gave me a great trim.”

Clint Andrews Clint is an information services manager with the City of Fort Collins. He enjoys reading, working out, socializing and dining at all the wonderful restaurants in Fort Collins. “Kevin, owner of the store, and the Style staff were great. Williams Clothier is a great store. I really enjoyed the professionalism of the staff and the variety of clothes offered. I could see myself wearing the clothes from the shoot to work or going out.”

Michael Stolz Michael is married to Carol, and they have four children, Aaron, Amy, Brandon and Justin. Mike is the owner of Computer Renaissance in Fort Collins. He is an avid sci-fi and fantasy reader, hiker, 4-wheeler and geo-cacher. “This was a hoot! The fitting process was pretty painless, which was something of a surprise since I’m notoriously hard to fit. Everyone was very nice – easy to work with and very friendly. I’d do it again in a flash!”

Mike is tech savvy and looking good in Peter Millar’s short sleeved button down sport shirt in surf blue, $98.50, and Agave gringo classic fit straight cut jeans in Indian beach, $215. Martin Dingman bill-weathered latigo leather belt in walnut, $85.

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Tammie Gregori, sitting in her vegetable garden last year, is an advocate of home gardening as a therapeutic and satisfying hobby – with the added benefit of feeding your family and friends.

Gregori’s Garden

By Connie Hein

On the topic of gardening and landscaping, Tammie Gregori has many theories and goals. From January through the first glimpses of spring, Gregori is looking through books and websites to find little bits of beauty to add to her extensive collection of trees, bushes and plants.

or Gregori, gardening is huge part of who she is and how she spends her time at her Fort Collins home. “Every season has its purpose in the planning and transformation of my gardens.” Spring is when much of the work begins. She does an initial spring cleanup, but does it a little at a time. “I like being up close and personal with my beds several days a week to make sure everything is tended and doing well. I don’t want to miss a thing,” she says as she pinches here and prunes back there continuously. In her small passive solar greenhouse, Gregori begins planting herbs and vegetables in early spring. “The greenhouse stays about 25 degrees higher than the outside temperature so I can start tomatoes and other vegetables sooner and enjoy the produce earlier in the spring and longer in the fall.”

No matter what the season, Gregori works diligently and lovingly on her gardens. Her goal of attaining at least one type of each variety of plant family has become one of her gardening passions. “After nine years of searching nurseries for unusual species, I now have over a hundred examples of different plant families.” She says this dream of hers started when she was attending Iowa State University (ISU). “The beautiful campus had so many different and unique plant varieties to study that I decided someday I wanted to have a similar garden at my home.” In 2001, she and her husband Ed, along with their son Paul, daughter Becky, dog Meeho, and cats Zorro and Zeus, moved to a quiet Fort Collins subdivision and her dream started to become a reality. She used a professional landscaping company to help with the initial design, and her yard has slowly evolved into the garden she dreamed of. The Gregori's traditional two-story home was built with colors and materials that blend into their garden paradise, with a roomy porch overlooking the front gardens and large deck overlooking the back. Within the gardens are cozy patios and ramadas, with wind chimes and fire pits from which portions of the garden can be enjoyed during all seasons of the year. Gregori has many different gardens within her garden and in dividing them has created variety at every glance. Her theory about gardening and landscaping is “Don’t worry about doing it ‘right,’ just plant what you like.” Gregori's landscaping passions started with a simple love of plants. “I love everything about them: how beautiful they can be, how unique some are, the inner workings of the plant structures and cells, classification, their contribution to life on this planet, growing and tending them, and enjoying the sense of place that they help create.” Gregori majored in botany at ISU and has a master’s degree in plant breeding and genetics. “I have never actually used my degree for a paying job, but to me education is always valuable no matter what you actually do in life.” She says most of what she has learned about horticulture has been through books and websites. Her garden consists of everything from flowers and vegetables to flowering bushes and fruit trees. Gregori says she achieved the unique look by creating parts of the garden that are more formal and symmetrical, then within those spaces planting whatever she likes. “Part of the fun is finding the perfect plant species for each space so that it adds color and dimension. And if it doesn’t work in one spot, I move it to another.” Along the front stone foundation is a formal garden of unusual evergreen plants and small bushes with foliage ranging from light minty green to shiny forest green. Gregori’s goal was to create the evergreen-look, but doing so without junipers. To achieve her goal, she found other plants and bushes that stay green throughout the winter with a little watering during cold, dry and windy months. For the front border garden along the sidewalk, Gregori chose to plant red flowers and colors that go well with red. “It has evolved to mostly red, purple and yellow. I love that combination.” This includes annuals such as verbena that symmetrically border the sidewalk, and blooming perennials within the border. In what Gregori calls her white garden, most varieties of plants have white flowers when in bloom. “I love the delicate look and scent of white blossoms as well as the pale pink and lavender that add little wisps of pale color to the area.”

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Along the fence between the front and back yards, she plants annual sweet peas from seed that produce their unique fragrance and trailing blooms most of the summer. Beside the white garden lies the tree grove. Her goal for the grove is to have primarily trees and ground covering to create the feeling of a canopy with a soft path on which to stroll. Along every fence in the backyard are many varieties of vines, giving the feeling of peace and quiet comfort. Bushes, plants, shrubs and stepping stones create little paths and nooks for quiet rest and reflection. In the back corner stands the small grove of fruit trees that includes apple and cherry for fresh pies in the fall, with rhubarb and asparagus and other delights growing around them. Between all of this beauty are raised beds with tidy vegetable gardens. One of the things Gregori most loves to do, and encourages others to do, is small-scale vegetable gardening. “I am so delighted to see home vegetable gardens becoming popular again,” she says. “The sense of satisfaction you get from growing something to eat is a feeling everyone should enjoy.”

She believes the key to successful vegetable gardening is to start small so that you are successful and not overwhelmed. “The square foot gardening method is an awesome approach,” Gregori says. “Almost everybody has room for and can tend a 4’ x 4’ plot with success and grow an amazing amount of food in the small space.” She says she learned this type of gardening from Mel Bartholomew’s book All New Square Foot Gardening and believes he is right when he says this kind of gardening could eliminate world hunger because it takes very little room, soil, water, expense or work. Part of what Gregori and her family enjoy about their garden is the fruits of their harvest in the fall. With the fruit-bearing bushes, trees, greenhouse and raised beds, there is much to enjoy and share. She also freezes many of the foods to use them throughout the winter. For Gregori, the fruits of her labor are not only for her family to enjoy, but also for those around her. People often stop to admire the gardens as they are walking or driving by. She says it makes her feel good to bring joy into the lives of others.

“When I was young and idealistic I thought I would like to contribute to helping feed the world, along the lines of the Nobel Laureate Norman Borlaug and the Green Revolution,” she says. “Now I think that perhaps the way I can help feed the world is one household at a time, by motivating people and showing them how easy and satisfying it is to have a backyard vegetable garden to enjoy and share with others.” She believes if we all did that, whether we lived on a large lot in a subdivision or a tiny lot in the city, the world would be a better, happier and healthier place. After a stroll through her gardens with the cats enjoying the butterflies, and the dog sniffing the tracks of animals that visited during the night, one can’t help but feel happier and more at peace. I left with the lingering feeling of tranquility and the gift of a fragrant bouquet of flowers for my home. Gregori is truly sharing beauty through her labor of love and inspiring others to do the same. Connie Hein is a freelance writer living and gardening in Windsor.

jerald L. Dunn, CIMA~ CFP~ Managing Director Dennis M. Hagerty, Managing Director Thad R. Dunn, CFP~ Managing Director "L~'S

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412 WEST MOUNTAIN AVE I FORT COLLINS, CO 80521 I 970.484.8806

Summer on the Greens By Connie Hein

What’s new in the world of golf for the 2011 Northern Colorado season? After talking to several passionate golfers at area clubs and training facilities, we found there’s a lot going on in the game and that it is ever changing and evolving to suit the needs of the players, whether beginner or expert.

Harmony Club Golf pros say that each season on the many beautiful Northern Colorado courses is different. With different weather and course conditions, events and tournaments, as well as new technology for training, each season is filled with excitement and fun. So grab a buddy and your clubs and let’s take a little golf tour to see what all the excitement is about.

Private Golf and Country Clubs

Harmony in play is what every golf season is about at the four-year-old Harmony Club in Timnath. Now in its fifth season, the club is ever evolving as the landscape matures and changes. Sheri Jensen, Harmony Club’s communications director, says the vision and design of the course itself and the surrounding residential community maintains a reverence for the land that brings peace and harmony to the golf experience. Harmony Club is a private club with an initial fee for joining and monthly dues. At this point the club exclusively offers golf, caters to golfers and focuses on making playing the course an extraordinary experience. “On this course, we're delighted that golf can be played as it was intended to be played,” Jensen says. Tee times are scheduled on 15-minute intervals rather than the usual 7 to 10 minute intervals. This makes the course much less congested, which gives the usual round a feeling of peace without the

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nuisance of rushing or waiting to accommodate other players. Without overpopulation, Jensen says there is time for focus and relaxation throughout the experience. It also allows golfers with a time limit on their game to be able to plan golf into their day without the possibility of delays. Steve Lind, director of golf, says Harmony Club is considered a high service level club. “This means that from the time you pull up to the parking lot until the time you get back into your car to leave, you are given only the best level of service by the attendants and professionals there to assist with your every need.” Besides the attention to detail in customer service, there are many features that make the club unique and special for golfers. Lind says the “wall to wall” cart paths keep the greens in pristine shape and make it easier for golfers to get around the course, whether using carts or walking. The course is walker-friendly for the athletic golfer, featuring Jim Engh's characteristic muscular bunkers and undulating fairways. Engh, the course architect and a CSU graduate, has won national awards for his designs. “Engh designed a fun course for all levels of golfers from seniors and women to expert golfers,” Lind says. “There is plenty of distance and subtle elevation changes for beauty and interest, with wide fairways for those golfers who don’t hit it as straight

as they would like.” He adds it is a new situation and game every time you play the course because of the unique bunkering and topographical movement of the course. “It is not your old-fashioned bowling alley type course. It’s eye candy for the golfer, and never boring even if a golfer plays it every day.” The deep setbacks for the homes surrounding the course also ensure tranquility on the greens. Harmony Club's developer Byron Collins designed the community so that homes are far enough away from the course that even golfers who have a less than perfect shot are not worried about breaking out a window on someone’s home. And the residents can enjoy the beauty of the course and watch golfers play without watching for stray golf balls. The club boasts members from all over Colorado, including Denver and mountain areas, as well as members from surrounding states. Since the course is in a convenient location from almost anywhere, it is accessible to area business people who want to play at lunch or as a workout before they go to the office. Located just east of I-25 on Harmony, it is within easy driving distance from Old Town as well as southern Fort Collins, Windsor and other communities in the area. This keeps the serenity within Harmony balanced with the conveniences of the booming Front Range area. Residents of the Harmony community and members of the club are quite proud of their association

and support of the CSU men’s and women’s golf teams. Members of Harmony Club are great supporters of the young golfers and enjoy watching them as they play the course and work out on the practice greens. The association with CSU started with Byron Collins’ generous gift, constructing a state-of-the art training facility and donations from the Ram Masters, the Birdies, and other CSU supporters. It has become one of the top training facilities in the state. “It has been a win/win situation for the members of the teams and our members at the club,” Lind says. “Harmony Club members take great pride in the accomplishments of the students.” He says the club is very supportive and very invested as they follow the careers of young golfers before and after they graduate. Stan Fenn, who is the golf pro and owner of Golf Academy of Northern Colorado at Harmony, says the training facility is a golf instructor’s dream. He says he has personally taken people from all over the country on tours of the facility because it has such a great reputation. Fenn volunteers his time to help with instruction of the teams and says it is wonderful how Harmony Club has made practicing and learning the sport a joy for the students. Fenn also gives much of his time to other volunteer programs to teach golf to youngsters. “I am passionate about teaching the game of golf to young people, because learning the game of golf has many similarities to learning to live a responsible life.” As a volunteer instructor for area youth summer golf programs and in-school programs, he helps youths to learn the basics of golf, including chipping,

putting and golf swings, and golf rules and etiquette. “I believe learning the game also helps young people learn honesty, integrity, overcoming obstacles, good decision making skills, goal setting and living day to day in harmony and peace.” Contact Harmony Club at (970) 482-4653 or visit www.harmonyclub.info. Fort Collins Country Club (FCCC) has been a golf haven to members since 1959 and is rated as one of the top golf clubs in Northern Colorado by the Colorado Golf Association. The member owned, not-for-profit golf club is located on the north side of Fort Collins in a beautiful established community. General Manager Norman Nuwash says there are many reasons for the club’s high rating. The course itself is beautiful and has enough challenges for the expert as well as the amateur golfer, especially since changes have been made to the tee boxes. “For this season we have added forward tees for ease of play by women or novice players,” he says. “Since women’s golf is the fastest growing demographic in the sport, we want to make sure they are able to play the course and enjoy it.” He adds that when a course is too difficult, players are not able to be successful, making it hard for them to relax and enjoy the game. When golfing from the back tees, the course presents plenty of challenges for even the most experienced players. “We hosted the Mid-Am Championship (Middle-age Amateur Championship) last year with 84 of the best amateur golfers in the state and only two of them were able to break par.” Nuwash says another reason for its rating and popularity (with over 550 members) is the beauty

of the course. “The back nine is played along the large lake with 200 water-surface acres.” He says the entire course is situated beautifully among mature landscaping that gives the course challenging holes along with beautiful views. This 18-hole private championship golf course is 7,150 yards and includes a double driving range, putting green, and a practice chipping green complete with sand trap. Par for the course is 71 and includes 5 par threes, 4 par fives and 9 par fours. One big advantage to joining FCCC is its association with Fox Hill Country Club in Longmont and the Greeley Country Club. FCCC members can take advantage of the amenities of all three clubs. “When you join our club you can play all three courses,” he says. “It’s like getting to play 54 different holes of golf for the price of monthly dues at one course.” FCCC has a unique website for members of the club to be able to set tee-times for all three courses and be able to see when and where friends are playing. Members can sign up to play with friends or sign up and then invite friends to play through automated email. “This puts management of golf in the hands of the members and makes communication easier and more convenient.” Along with the full service golf course, the club is also home to Hanrahan Golf School, which is in a private setting at the back of the course and is open to the public for year round instruction. Owner John Hanrahan says the school features heated indoor bays where golfers stay warm while their golf ball travels outside the full distance of the shot. “This is very important as a teaching tool because ball-flight matters,” he says. “If we don’t know what the ball

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Fort Collins Country Club does, we can’t help the golfer correct problems with their swing.” He says the teaching bays are also equipped with video equipment and launch monitors, which measure club head speed, ball speed and launch angle to help assess a student’s swing accurately. Full service club fitting and club repair is also available. Hanrahan was named Northwest Region Callaway Golf 2009 Club Fitter of the Year. He says he is very proud of this honor because the Northwest region covers a lot of territory with many great golf-fitting professionals. But, correctly fitted equipment is just one important aspect of a golfer’s success in the game, says Hanrahan. They focus on that as well as many other factors with their comprehensive golf evaluation and instruction. Hanrahan says it is FCCC’s focus on families that makes the club special. FCCC has many family programs that include golf, tennis and pool activities with dedicated directors who have worked at the club for years and know their members well. “This makes for a safe, fun, healthy, family-friendly environment that sets this club apart.” New to FCCC this year is their Ticket to Paradise – a preview membership program that kicked off in February with great success. Nuwash says this new promotion allows individuals who are interested in the club to join for one year for just the price of the monthly dues without paying the initial fee. Members of the program have access to all amenities during the year and can then decide whether or not to join. After the year, they can pay the one time entry fee to become a permanent member. They also offer a Young Executive Program, which gives young families a lower rate based on age and gives them the option to pay for the one-time membership fee in installments instead of a lump sum. “This gives young families just starting out a chance to start their lifestyle at the country club early, with all its benefits and activities for young families, including summer day-camp programs.” Nuwash says one important aspect of the FCCC that he is very proud of is the members’ willingness to give back to the community. The course is available on Mondays throughout the golf season for tournaments for charitable organizations. “We can do up to two tournaments every Monday. Last year alone we gave out $80,000 in tee-presentations to encourage golfers to participate in these worthwhile events.” This gives golfers who are not members of the club the opportunity to play the course. Charities get great participation at the events because of the beauty and uniqueness of the members-only course. Nuwash says FCCC is truly a full service golf and country club with many amenities, including swimming pools, tennis courts, full service day-spa, fishing, boating, a private beach, club house, and restaurant with an extraordinary culinary staff. They also have banquet and meeting facilities that can be rented by non-members for weddings, business meetings and other events. For membership information and to tour the course, prospective members may call (970) 4821336 or visit www.fcgolf.org. For information about charity tournaments and events, call (970) 482-9988.

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The Eaton Country Club (ECC) was established in 1923, when Eaton was just a small farming community. It has been a popular community gathering place ever since. The private club is unique because of its views of the Rocky Mountains as well as the Colorado plains. Rick Cole, PGA pro and general manager, says ECC is a “country” club in the truest sense of the word – even with all the development in Northern Colorado, the course is still in the country, nestled among the cornfields. “We think it’s the best kept secret in Northern Colorado because of its accessibility, reasonable prices, great staff and full service amenities.” The course itself is famous for its fast greens, which make for a faster pace of play. “This makes it possible to play 18 holes in less than four hours,” Cole says. It has therefore been host to many championship tournaments, such as the High School 3A and Senior Men’s championship. The course is flat and well bunkered for

Greeley Country Club (GCC) is centrally located near Loveland, Fort Collins and Windsor and is one of the oldest private golf clubs in Colorado. It was built in the 1920s and has been remodeled throughout the years. Press Maxwell designed the back nine, which opened in 1962, and he redesigned the existing holes at the same time. According to Keith Cornett, first assistant golf pro, what makes the course unique is not only its interesting design, but the beautiful mature trees and landscaping. “It is not a long course, but is challenging and narrow with plenty of out-ofbounds, water, bunkers and approximately 2,000 mature trees that can alter your shots.” He says the course features small, smooth greens and says good greens make the course. “Our greens are meticulously manicured for a smooth rolling surface at each hole.” Every green on the course has trees along the sides for visual beauty. The trees are pruned and any that need it are replaced each winter to keep the course in the best shape possible. The 18-hole regulation golf course yardage

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Eaton Country Club

interesting play, with three lake features on seven holes. It is considered a park-style course because of its natural beauty. Cole says it makes a great walking course because there are only 35-40 yards from one green to the next hole. Since there is little upslope snow in Eaton, the golf course can typically be played year round. Cole says from 1993 to 2008 the course was played every month of the year – so accessibility is great. Cole says the appeal of the course also has a lot to do with the staff, which has worked together for so many years. They are all like family and treat members and guests with that same attention. “It gives a very homey relaxed atmosphere to the club.” Cole says the Eaton Country Club offers the best value around for exclusive clubs. The restaurant is open to the public and can be booked for events. For information about leagues and tournaments, prices and availability call (970) 454-2587 or visit www.eatoncountryclub.com

varies from a 6,547 yard, par 70 for men, to a 5,660 yard, par 72 for women. “It is an interesting and challenging course to test any level of skill,” Cornett says. The course features a generous practice area and three pros that offer golf lessons. Group, individual and junior lessons at all levels are available, including lessons for new members to introduce them to the course. GCC also has a full service dining room, banquet facilities, tennis courts, racquetball and swimming pool. Cornett says the 2011 season will begin a new phase for GCC: Ken Anderson, who served as head golf pro for the past 28 years, retired this spring. “We will miss him very much, with his attention to detail and passion for the game.” With Anderson’s retirement, the head golf pro and director of golf positions at GCC will merge. Greg Heiny, current director of golf, will take over that position. For information about membership readers may call Amy Fiedler (970) 353-0528 or visit www.GreeleyCC.org.

Greeley Country Club

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SouthRidge Golf Club

City of Fort Collins Municipal Golf Courses

Dave McCleave, golf pro at SouthRidge Golf Club, says the word on the street is that the 2011 golf season is going to be a great one and the staff at SouthRidge is looking forward to it. He says SouthRidge is very popular in the Northern Colorado area because of its laid back, friendly atmosphere. Whether golfers are playing the course or sitting on the patio enjoying a beverage, it’s all about enjoying the total experience. “Everyone is there to relax and have a good time without any pressure.” McCleave says the biggest news for the 2011 SouthRidge golf season is the rerouted back nine. “We think our regular folks will have fun playing the newly routed course this year.” He says the new number 10 hole is the old hole 17. “The back nine now starts on an easier hole so golfers can get into the round more slowly and then progress to the more difficult holes. The back nine then finishes with a par 3, like the U.S Open.” The rerouted course makes it easier for golfers to get to the clubhouse as they make their way to the second half of the course. Golfers that have finished their game and are sitting on the deck can now enjoy watching other groups as they finish their rounds. McCleave says they are excited about the new course design and are sure their regular golfers will enjoy the change. They have also launched a new and improved website for this season. The site is now filled with tips and general information as well as tournament dates. “It is very entertaining to be on the site with all the pictures and videos,” he says. Check it out at www.golfSouthRidge.com or call (970) 416-2828. City Park Nine Golf Course has undergone an extensive tree clean up and removal project this year. According to golf pro Doug Perry, the pruning and removal of trees becomes necessary on the beautiful older course with more mature landscaping because the trees start becoming unhealthy and unstable. “It is a big job to keep the trees on this course maintained," says Perry. "When we remove or prune dead or unstable trees, the course looks better and is more enjoyable to play.” He says the tree clean up gives the course more sun, which results in healthier grass and a better course in overall appearance and playability. Perry says he thinks 2011 will be a great season for that very reason, as well as the fact that the weather conditions have been milder this year, so there are golfers that have been playing consistently throughout the winter. This fact makes transitioning into spring easier with more players than last year. Perry is very excited about new events they will be offering this year: the Major Tournaments will be played on each city course, one tournament per month in May, June, and July, and then the Champions tournament in August. This year at the Champions tournament, awards will be given for player of the year in Champion and Handicapped divisions for golfers who have played in the individual course tournaments. “I think this is the first year for these awards,” Perry says. “We are hoping that more golfers will participate in the individual course tournaments, hoping to get enough points to win this award at the end of the season.” Dale Smigelsky, PGA head golf pro at Collindale Golf Course, says he, too, is very encouraged about the 2011 season. “We can feel everyone getting excited for the golf season this year. We’ve finally City Park Nine Golf Course

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HIGHLAND MEADOWS GOLF COURSE 2011 Summer Highlights Windsor Open 3-Days. 3-Courses- June 10th-12th Highland Meadows Invitational August 20th C h eck out o ur web site fo r all o f o ur 2011 events.

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Contact Executive Chef Kevin Edd (970)203-0424

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6300 HIGHLAND MEADOWS PARKWAY, WINDSOR, CO 80550 (970)204-4653 WWW.HIGHLANDMEADOWSGOLFCOURSE.COM

www.hanrahangolfsch Style 2011

Collindale Golf Course had a decent winter for golf, something we haven’t had in five years.” He says the golf course is coming out of the winter in great shape. “We had enough moisture to keep the grass in good shape during the winter, but not enough snow and ice to do any damage.” With consistently warm temperatures, he says the course should green up quickly this spring. Smigelsky says he is also excited about new products being introduced for golfers, like the new R11 club series from Taylor Made with the white heads for the driver, fairways and hybrids. “Our Collindale Golf Academy and Fitting Center with two PGA professionals is already busy and we have many golfers looking at the new products for the year,” he says. “We fit clubs for nine different club manufacturers and all of our new demos are in.” Their huge Demo Day at Collindale event will be April 17 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. “Expect to see reps from 12-15 different golf companies with all the latest and greatest in clubs and equipment.” As far as tournaments, Collindale will have their typical allotment of charity events and will participate in the city invitationals (the SouthRidge Invitational, Collindale Invitational, City Park Nine Invitational and City Championship tournament). Points will be accumulated in the three invitationals and City of Fort Collins annual golf passes will be awarded to the Player of the Year in different handicap ranges. “When you’re ready to play, give us a call at Collindale to set up your tee time,” Smigelsky says. For tee times call (970) 221-6651. Or to get some help on your game, call the Collindale Golf Academy at (970) 223-GOLF and ask for Vince or Brian.

Northern Colorado Course Comparison COURSE NAME Boomerang Golf Links Cattail Creek City Park Nine Collindale Golf Course Eaton Country Club Estes Park Fort Collins Country Club Greeley Country Club Harmony Club Highland Meadows Golf Course Lake Estes Executive Link-N-Greens Mad Russian Golf & Country Club Mariana Butte Mountain Vista Greens Pelican Falls at Water Valley South Pelican Lakes Golf & Country Club Ptarmigan Golf & Country Club Southridge Golf Club The Olde Course at Loveland

ADDRESS 7309 4th St, Greeley 2116 W. 29th St, Loveland 411 S. Bryant Ave, Fort Collins 1441 E. Horsetooth Road, Fort Collins 37661 Weld County Road 39, Eaton 1080 So. St. Vrain Ave, Estes Park 1920 Country Club Road, Fort Collins 4500 W. 10th St, Greeley 4176 Club Drive, Timnath 6300 Highand Meadows Parkway, Windsor 690 Big Thompson Ave, Estes Park 777 E. Lincoln Ave, Fort Collins 2100 Country Club Parkway, Milliken 701 Clubhouse Dr, Loveland 2808 N.E. Frontage Road, Fort Collins 1620 Pelican Lakes Point, Windsor 1620 Pelican Lakes Point, Windsor 5416 Vardon Way, Fort Collins 5750 S. Lemay Ave, Fort Collins 2155 W. 29th St, Loveland

PHONE TYPE 970-353-4653 Public 970-663-5310 Public 970-221-6650 Public 970-221-6651 Public 970-454-2479 Private 970-586-8146 Public 970-482-1336 Private 970-353-2431 Private 970-482-4653 Private 970-204-4653 Public 970-586-8176 Public 970-221-4818 Public 970-587-5157 Public 970-667-8308 Public 970-482-4847 Public 970-674-0930 Semi private 970-674-0930 Semi private 970-226-8555 Private 970-416-2828 Public 970-667-5256 Public

Traveling out of town? Try one of these great courses in Nebraska: Bayside 865 Lakeview Rd, Brule, NE 308-287-4653 Cross Creek 900 Crosscreek Rd, Cambridge, NE 308-697-4768 Four Winds CR 45 & Country Club Drive, Kimball, NE 308-235-4241 Heritage Hill 6000 Clubhouse Dr., McCook, NE 308-345-5032 Hillside 2616 Hillside Dr, Sidney, NE 308-254-2311 Meadowlark Hills 3300 30th Ave, Kearney, NE 308-233-3265 Wild Horse 41150 Road 768. Gothenburg, NE 308-537-7700

Public Public Public Public Public Public Public

DINING HOLES YARDS PAR RATING SLOPE Outback Pub & Grill 18 7214 72 73.4 131 No 9 1426 27 n/a n/a No 9 3089 36 69.9 123 CB & Potts 18 7157 71 71.4 129 Restaurant 18 6788 71 70.8 118 Hanger Restaurant 18 6400 71 68.9 124 Restaurant 18 7150 71 73.6 137 Restaurant 18 6547 70 71.7 134 Catered/Cabin Club 18 7331 72 73.9 144 Tavern on the Green 18 7011 71 71.9 128 Snacks 9 2209 31 30.4 102 Snacks 18 4897 64 66.2 107 Café 18 5641 69 66.4 121 Stoneridge Grill 18 6583 72 70.7 127 Grill 18 6988 72 71.4 127 Austin’s Homestead 9 2940 34 66.4 120 Austin’s Homestead 18 7264 72 73.8 134 Restaurant 18 7223 72 74.5 142 MacKenzie’s Pub & Grill 18 6666 71 71.6 131 The Grille 18 6806 72 71.3 127 Mashie Niblick Snack bar Mulligans Bar & Grill Hillside Bar & Grill Snack bar Snack bar

18 18 18 18 18 18 18

6597 7218 6493 6715 6924 6517 6955

71 72 72 72 72 71 72

71.3 74.3 71.4 73.7 73.2 70.3 73.6

134 120 120 130 124 120 134

GOLF PRO Matt Cantu Jim Dargis Doug Perry 3 on site Rick Cole Mark Miller 3 on site 3 on site 3 on site Paul McQuade Mark Miller Mike Musgrave Steve Coffey Winston Howe 5 on site Several on site Several on site Mike Ball David McCleave 2 on site Shantel Nemecek Sean Riley Chad Wise Ron Cash Chuck Christianson Dave James Don Graham

Lydia’s STYLE Magazine

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The Mad Russian Golf and Country Club

Public Country Club Golf Courses

The Mad Russian Golf and Country Club was named Golf Digest’s most unusual course in 2003 because of its unique setting, terrain challenges and interesting history. The short 5,461 yard course is in an area of bluffs just south of Milliken, with lots of hills, trees, water and extraordinary views. Its colorful history began in 1980, when Ted Blehm – the original “Mad Russian” – built the course. Rumor has it that Blehm was not allowed to join a local golf club so decided he would find the perfect spot and build his own. With a couple of trusty friends, he built the course named Jack Rabbit Trail. Then, because of economic problems, the course closed in 1981 and was purchased by a Nebraska bank. After years of being vacant, Bob Ehrlich purchased the course and buildings and, with his crew of farmhands, began to mow down weeds and build the new 18-hole golf course. Ehrlich named it The Mad Russian in honor of Blehm. The new course opened for play on August 1, 1987. That day is still celebrated at the course each year as Mad Russian Day. The Ehrlich family ran the course through 1998, then leased it to Hall Irwin. Heidi Ehrlich-Heckenlaible, Ehrlich’s daughter

Lydia’s STYLE Magazine

and general manager, says that in 2009 the Ehrlich family once again took over day-to-day operations of the course, so it has the original “Mad Russian” feel back. “It is now family owned and operated with a friendly, family feeling.” Ehrlich-Heckenlaible says even though the course is short with small greens, it is fun and challenging for all skill levels. “The unusual terrain brings unique challenges to different aspects of each player’s game.” She says the big news for 2011 is the newly renovated event center. “The wall of windows facing west frames Longs Peak perfectly and makes a great setting for special events with catering by All Occasions Catering.” She says the clubhouse features a wraparound balcony with the same spectacular views and has a pro shop and café area serving beer, wine and snacks. Call (970) 587-5157 for more information. Highland Meadows Golf Course (HMGC) is different from any course in Colorado. The public course sits like a beacon on a hill west of Windsor with breathtaking views and beautiful terrain, “with only one mature tree – our signature tree,” says golf pro Paul McWade. The course was built in 2004 and McWade says it is getting better every year as the fairways and greens mature. “The grass on the greens has CONTINUED on PG 52

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Fashions courtesy of Hanrahan Golf School. Photography by Marcus Edwards, Four Feathers Photography. On location at the Fort Collins Country Club.

Looking forward to golf, Suzy sports Nivo black and white coordinates. Sleeveless zebra print top, $80, cotton long sleeved pullover, $135, over comfy nylon/spandex shorts, $85. Nike women’s air embellished white with black trim golf shoes, $100. Chris looks good driving the ladies in Polo separates. Navy pima cotton pullover, $135, tops striped golf shirt, $86, worn over khaki cotton golf pants, $95. Christie can’t wait to play in the JoFit sleeveless poly top, $68, and Nivo black and white check cotton blend skort, $80. Black Nike air embellished golf shoes, $100.

Christie is happy with her shot wearing JoFit’s peacock with lime trim short sleeved shirt, $76, and comfortable grey poly skort, $88. Black Nike air embellished golf shoes, $100. Practicing on the green, Suzy shows off JoFit’s lively blue and lime checkered poly blend golf shirt, $76, and grey nylon blend cropped pants, $86. White with black air embellished Nike golf shoes, $100.

Anxious for the season, Chris looks good in color blocked blue and white Mizuno poly thermal pullover, $105, worn over a grey long sleeved poly blend turtleneck, $93, and Polo easy wear cotton khaki pants, $95. Ecco brown street golf shoes in leather with rubber sole, $139.

Christie Bretz is married to Chris and mother of Cortney and Trevor. She is an active retiree that enjoys hiking, biking and spending time with horses. Christie has been golfing for six years and likes to get on the green four to five times a week. “Golfing at the Fort Collins Country Club is great because it’s a challenging course. Just remember to keep it fun and don’t take yourself too seriously!” Chris Bretz is husband to Christie and father of Cortney and Trevor. He is a business unit director at STMicroelectronics. In his spare time, he is an avid outdoorsman and especially enjoys fishing and hunting. Chris has been golfing for about six years. He enjoys golfing at the Fort Collins Country Club because “the staff and service are phenomenal. The golf course is challenging, but even at the busiest times you can play 18 holes in less than four hours.” His advice? “Life is short – play for the enjoyment of the game and don’t let what happened in the past affect your next shot.” Suzy Wells is married to Gordan and has two stepchildren, Matt and Aubrey, and three step-grandchildren. She is a retired teacher whose hobbies include skiing, scuba diving and cooking. She is also the president of the Fort Collins Country Club Women’s Golf Association. Suzy is a 30-year golfer, “although my handicap doesn’t reflect that.” She touts the benefits of golf, including making new friends and renewing old friendships. Her #1 tip to improve your game: “Keep your head down!”

Hot Golf Accessories RAZR Driver Callaway has made a giant leap forward with forged composite technology in the new RAZR Hawk Driver. This weight is positioned exactly where needed for maximized distance, accuracy and workability. The driver retails for $399.99 at Golf Shop Fort Collins. www.golfshopfortcollins. com, (970) 229-1929.

Titleist 910D3 Driver A high performance, 460cc, pearshaped driver. This driver produces mid/high launch with medium/low spin. Available for $399.99 at Golf Shop Fort Collins. www.golfshopfortcollins.com, (970) 229-1929.

Summer

Golf Events

olf Calendar 2011 G

City Park Nine Golf Course For details call Golf Pro Doug Perry at (970) 221-6650 May 17 – Moonlight Golf Night June 7 – Fort Collins Fore Kids Golf Clinic, 7:45 a.m. July 4 – Stars and Stripes Open, 11 a.m. July 16 & 17 – City Park Nine Invitational, 7 a.m. July 31 – Parent/Child Tournament, 10:30 a.m. Monthly family nights for parents and kids – grilling burgers and hot dogs Couples Sundays once a month – serving beer, wine and food

Collindale Golf Course For details call (970) 221-6651 April 17 – Collindale Demo Day, 10 a.m. – Demo of golf clubs and equipment May 16 – U.S. Open Qualifying, 7 a.m. This is a CGA Stroke Play tournament. Points from this tournament will count for “Fort Collins Player of the Year Award.” For more information go to www.cogolf.org. May 21 – Growth of the Game Clinic, 8 a.m. Free instructional clinic June 4 & 5 – Collindale Invitational, 7 a.m. This is a CGA Stroke Play tournament. Points from this tournament will count for “Fort Collins Player of the Year Award.” For more information go to www.cogolf.org. Eaton Country Club For details call (970) 454-2587 May 28 & 29 – Two-person Best Ball Tournament, open to the public July 17 & 17 – Eaton Invitational, a CGA tournament, for more details visit www.cogolf. org. July 20 – Ladies Sun Bonnet Tournament, 8 a.m., open to the public Fort Collins Country Club & Hanrahan Golf School For details call (970) 482-9988 Saturdays With the Pro Series – Spend a Saturday afternoon learning golf and stay for dinner! Open to the public, $120 per session • June 12th Full Swing. 3pm–5:30pm. • June 26th Short Game: 3pm–5:30pm

• July 10th Full Swing: 3pm–5:30pm • July 24th Short Game 3pm–5:30pm • August 14th Take it to the course clinic 3pm–5:30pm • August 28th Take it to the course clinic 3pm–5:30pm May 10 & 17 – Ladies Clinics: 4 p.m. Full Swing, 5 p.m. Short Game-Chipping and Putting and 6 p.m. Short Game Bunkers and Pitching. Open to the public, $50 per session or all three for $90 and includes margaritas and appetizers. June & July – Hanrahan Golf School Junior Golf program, Wednesday mornings from 8:00 to 11:00 a.m., the course is open for families and junior golfers. June 11 – Dr. Craig Farnsworth Putting Clinc, two classes are available, presented by Hanrahan Golf School June 18, 25 & July 2, 9, 16 – Hanrahan Golf School Junior Days, Friday mornings; junior clinics are open to junior golfers who are not members of the FCCC Greeley Country Club For details call (970) 353-0528 June 13 – NCMC Golf Tournament to support The NCMC Breast Center July 8 to July 10 – Dick Billehus Invitational, a CGA tournament, visit www.cogolf.org for more details Highland Meadows Golf Course For details call (970) 204-4653 April – July, monthly Ladies Lunch and Learn June 10, 11 & 12 – Windsor Open playing three courses in three days (Ptarmigan, Pelican Lakes

Improve Your Game Local golf schools can take your game from mediocre to magnificent. Call one of these schools today. Hanrahan Golf School at Fort Collins Country Club John Hanrahan has been in the business of golf instruction since 1993 and has served as director of golf at Fort Collins Country Club since 1994. He started the school at FCCC in 2009. The school now includes four golf pros including himself, Ryan DeHaan, Jason Shields and Natalie Stone, PGA apprentice and level-one certified Titleist Performance Institute Professional (TPI). Hanrahan says the TPI certification, which he will also complete soon, incorporates physical fitness aspects into golf instruction. “The body is an instrument used in the game of golf, just as a club is,” Hanrahan says. “TPI helps us to determine if there is strength, flexibility or even pain problems that are hindering your golf game.” He says they can diagnose the problem and then make recommendations for a physical therapist to address. He believes this new instruction tool will make lessons far more comprehensive for golfers of any level. To set up individual, junior or group instruction with one time pricing, as well as three, six, and nine month classes or playing lessons, readers may call

(970) 482-9988 or (970) 690-4500 or visit www. hanrahangolfschool.com Golf Dynamics Performance Center Owner/instructor Derek Cordova has been teaching in Northern Colorado for 22 years and believes that his success in golf instruction is about establishing a relationship with clients so they are more comfortable and therefore learn better and easier. He says it’s all about the personal touch and very individualized attention. His passion and experience are what make him a successful instructor. Golf Dynamics has the latest state-ofthe-art video training tools in their indoor/outdoor training facility. Included in their golf instruction is High Speed Video analysis and the newest video technology K-VEST, a 3-D software new this year after an extensive training and certification process. Cordova believes this new technology will set them apart. It can be used for individuals that have never had a golf club in their hands to professionals that want to improve their game. The instruction at GDPC is done both indoors and outdoors with programs ranging from a one-hour corrective lesson to six

month or yearly packages and anything in between. Memberships can be purchased for lessons for one person, couples or families. Or you might even try The Ultimate Golf Day package that includes two hours of video instruction, 18-hole playing lesson, lunch, and a recap session following play. For information about golf lessons, call (970) 613-9663, visit www.golfdynamics287.com or drop by to see the facility at 520 West 69th St, Loveland. GolfTEC GolfTEC is a leader in golf improvement. The company teaches 20 percent of all U.S. lessons annually and delivers a consistent 95 percent success rate. GolfTEC Fort Collins is in its third year of operation and can work with beginners who want to learn the game and accomplished amateurs who are just looking to lower their handicap. GolfTEC offers a comprehensive approach to improve your game. They use a five factor approach: fact–based diagnostics with a state–of–the–art motion measurement system and a video analysis of your swing; sequential lessons to provide long lasting result; retention tools with post–lesson access to your swing video, coach’s notes and practice drills

Lydia’s STYLE Magazine

and Highland Meadows), 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. August 1 – US Amateur Sectional Qualifier #1, a CGA Stroke Play qualifier, visit www.cogolf.org for more details August 20 & 20 – Highland Meadows Invitational, a CGA tournament, visit www.cogolf.org for more details Dates to be announced for: Glow Ball Night Unlawful Outrage Night Junior Golf Camps The Mad Russian Golf & Country Club For details call (970) 587-5157 Date to be announced – Mad Russian Day SouthRidge Golf Club For details call the SouthRidge Pro Shop at (970) 416-2828 May 7th & 8th – SouthRidge Men’s Invitational, 8 a.m. This is a Colorado Golf Association (CGA) Stroke Play tournament. Points from this tournament will count for “Fort Collins Player of the Year Award.” For more information go to www.cogolf.org. July 4 – Firecracker 18 Tournament, 8 a.m. July 22 – Fort Collins Buckaroos Tournament, 8 a.m. July 24 – Parent/Child Tournament, 11 a.m. Aug 5, 6 & 7 – City Championship Tournament, 7 a.m.

GolfTEC Fort Collins to reinforce your new skills; video–based practice that provides instant and accurate feedback on your swing mechanics; and precision–matched clubs that use launch monitor technology and a database of over 1,000 club options. “All five factors are needed for maximum improvement and lasting results,” according to co–owner Brandon McDermott. Beyond lessons and unbiased custom fitting, GolfTEC offers club repair and special ordering. The Fort Collins location is owned and operated by McDermott and Brad Thorberg. Both graduated from the University of Nebraska with degrees in professional golf management and are certified personal coaches. For more information about lessons call (970) 692–5270 or visit www.golftec.com. See their location at 4637 South Mason Street, Suite A4, Fort Collins.

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Highland Meadows Golf Course (HMGC)

CONTINUED from pg 47 improved over time. As the root systems get stronger, the greens get thicker. The smoother and thicker the greens, the better they receive and hold the balls.” He says to keep things interesting at HMGC, there is the ever-present breeze blowing across the course that cools the hot summer days and makes each game played on the course different depending on the intensity and direction of the wind. “No matter how you swing the club, it will be different from one day to the next, which keeps it interesting for our golfers.” The course is a 7,011 yard link-style course with lots of natural grass and several water hazards with ponds and lakes on the course. There are five tee grounds at each hole, so that from novice to expert, every golfer can have a challenging and enjoyable game. New for this year is the famous “big red barn” that has been converted into an event center for the facility. “It is the perfect venue for weddings and parties, with in-house catering or flexibility if you want to cater the event in a different way,” McWade says. Also new are the package deals for families that include the pool, tennis courts and golf course at a bundled rate. Something they added last year was the Players Association. This is open to anyone who wants to join, with a $25 registration fee. Members

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of the association can choose to participate in many recreational and competitive events. With activities such as Glow Ball Night and the Unlawful event, where there is outrageously hard pin placement, there is something for everyone. They will also have Players Association Championships. “There are many fun activities for the whole family during the summer,” McWade says, “including several different leagues that are open to anyone and opportunities to learn while having fun with friends at events, such as the Ladies Lunch and Learn.” The club features a pro shop and dining room with full food and beverage service, the indoor learning studio with video analysis for winter use and many other instructional opportunities throughout the year. For events and information readers may visit www.highlandsmeadowsgolf.com or call (970) 204-4653. So there you go – everything you ever wanted to know about where to go to golf, learn to golf, or watch others golf in Northern Colorado. Now it’s time to head to the greens for a round or pick a patio, order a cold beverage and watch someone swing the club. Connie Hein is a freelance writer living in Windsor with lots more interest in golf now.

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Building Northern Colorado

Special Advertising Section

An Escape Home Within The

Sometimes all the soul needs to be refreshed is a retreat from the monotony of the daily routine. HighCraft’s recent remodel of this master suite for a busy Fort Collins family provided them the retreat they needed to relax and rejuvenate – a personal refuge of sorts from a very demanding schedule. “Our master bath was outdated, and my husband had a vision of a spa-like room,” says the happy HighCraft client. “He wanted a room to relax in – not just a bedroom but an extended living space.” HighCraft renovated the entire master suite, opening the bedroom and the bathroom to each other, expanding the master closet and turning a poor layout into one that was immediately more functional and restful. They started by opening up the space. The doorway between the master bedroom and bath was significantly widened, giving the suite a more spacious feel. An open-flame, three-sided, custom bio fuel fireplace the couple had flown in from Germany became the focal point of the entire suite. The existing oversized builtin bathtub was removed and replaced with a more compact, modern soaker tub. “The addition of the fireplace between the bedroom and bath meant that we had to have a tub,” recalls the homeowner. However, some freestanding tubs can take up a substantial bit of room. The perfect solution was found in the contemporary, streamlined shape of this Victoria and Albert tub, placed at an angle to make the best use of space. Inside the expanded master closet an organization system was added that allowed the homeowners to get rid of their bulky chests of drawers. The custom closet system now houses clothes and all of the audio visual equipment for the bedroom. HighCraft removed the small, enclosed shower and installed a luxurious walkin steam shower, complete with a custom Mirabelle showering system and river rock flooring that embraced the modern, Colorado spa feel the clients were looking for. The bath features all new bath fixtures provided by Ferguson Enterprises. The space also received new custom cabinetry and hardwood floors. The warm, tranquil tiles surrounding the tub and the clean lines of the dry stacked stone fireplace surround contribute to the restful atmosphere, while the warm honey maple hardwoods throughout give the suite a cozy feel. Now, after a long day of work and caring for their two young children, this couple can retreat in style. “I love the space. It is home, but it also like being away from home.” And what could be better than a luxury retreat in your own home? If you are interested in creating your own retreat, visit www.highcraft.net to view their gallery of work, or call (970) 472-8100 and set an appointment with one of their remodel specialists.

970.472.8100 • www.highcraft.net

www.ferguson.com Lydia’s STYLE Magazine

Special Advertising Section

Building Northern Colorado design than stamped concrete,” she says. Pavers represent a solid investment in your landscape. Pavers generally cost a couple dollars more per square foot than higher end stamped concrete, but the cost is recouped in the life of the investment. Think of the Roman highways made of pavers all those centuries ago, says Perry. “They will last a lifetime.” For more information contact Lindgren Landscape & Irrigation at (970) 226-5677 or visit www.lindgrenlandscape.com.

The Power of

Pavers

If you are thinking about updating your patio, take a look at pavers as your decorative surface solution, say the professionals at Lindgren Landscape & Irrigation. “Pavers are a great option for our clay soil,” according to senior designer Georgia Perry. Perry explains that when installed properly, pavers allow for movement in the soil, without damage to the finished surface. “You won’t see the cracks which are common in concrete,” adds Perry. Concrete walks and patios fail over time, cracking sometimes right after installation despite how well they were installed. Additionally, stamped concrete can chip and becomes slick when icy. Pavers, on the other hand, can last a lifetime, says Perry. Pavers, made of precast concrete, have twice the structural strength of poured in place concrete. Where a concrete slab has the structural strength of 4,000 pounds per square inch (psi), pavers have a minimum of 8,000 psi, “and many are greater than that.” Pavers are versatile, too – small sections can be replaced as needed, if a tree root pushes up through the pavers, or they can be seamlessly expanded when desired. Pavers also offer a “softer, more charming look and can create an even more detailed

970.226.5677 www.lindgrenlandscape.com

Lindgren Brings Home Landscaping Award “We have had the opportunity to design and install some pretty neat projects in Northern Colorado for the last 15 years. This award really validates what we have been doing. I would like to thank the owners of this project as well as our team of designers and installers.” - Tim Lindgren

In February, Lindgren Landscape & Irrigation was awarded the Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado’s (ALCC) prestigious 2010 “Excellence in Landscape” award. Lindgren’s award acknowledges their quality work in the Residential Design/Build category. The ALCC’s yearly competition honors Colorado’s finest landscape firms for their creative and distinctive projects and is open to landscaping firms statewide. Lindgren competed against hundreds of other Colorado firms for the award. Owners Tim and Ami Lindgren happily point to their dedicated staff as the secret to their success: “Tim and I think the people who work with us are truly the best at what they do,” says Ami Lindgren. “It is so nice to see them get the recognition we know they deserve. The group here really puts their hearts into their work... we are blessed with a great staff.” The winning project was a residential landscape located in Windsor. “The owners on this project have been so much fun to work with,” says Tim Lindgren. “They allowed us to be creative and step outside the box, and enabled our team to hit a home run.”

Matt Wadlington, Allison Jonez, Ami Lindgren, Tim Lindgren, Georgia Perry, Scott Taillon, Adam Thode

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B A SEB ALL CL

S LLIN

WITH YOUTH By Kay Rios

Even after 50 years, the Fort Collins Baseball Club (FCBC) is still batting a thousand in terms of the programs it offers area youth, and the fun can be had all year long.

Lydiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s STYLE Magazine

CBC, a private non-profit, is the only year-round baseball opportunity in Fort Collins, says Board President Phil Ebersole. “It’s not just a seasonal sport anymore.” FCBC Executive Director Pat Wunch explains, “Spring season is April through May; summer runs June through July. In August, we are rebuilding the program and registering kids. The fall season is September and October, and we have an indoor winter season in November and December at the Edge Sports Center. Then during January through March, we are organizing and assigning coaches.” The programs serve kids from 4 1/2 to 18 years old. During the school year when high school programs are in effect, the program provides K through 8th graders with team play. “In the summer, Poudre School District (PSD) doesn’t run the sport so we also have a high school program,” Ebersole says. FCBC is funded through fees, sponsorships, fundraising and donations. The average cost of participation in the recreational league is $7 to $12 per game. This cost is further spread between practices and supervised team activities, reducing it another 50 to 66 percent, making baseball a very economical and rewarding summer program. “Our entire mission is about providing the opportunity without consideration of ability to pay, so we also have a large scholarship program for reduced or waived fees for lower income families,” Wunch explains. Anybody can play. “We have rec programs, pre-K through 11th grade, for kids who want to play ball in town and not be on the travel teams," Wunch continues. "We also have a travel program for 9 to 14 year olds with league games and tournaments throughout Northern Colorado and into Southern Wyoming. FCBC administers one of the largest travel leagues.” FCBC emphasizes the fundamental importance of recreational baseball, not only as a feeder to these competitive teams but also as a source of alternative summer and fall recreation for local youth. The program promotes player participation and teaches baseball rules, skills and the elements of play along with the development of a healthy attitude toward sportsmanship and respect for authority. Stone Beck, age 11, an FCBC player, says he’s learned a lot by being in the club and playing ball. “It teaches everyone about team work. And it doesn’t matter if we win. It’s important that we play well.” He says he’s really enjoyed the experience. “I like meeting new people and I like playing. You get to know your teammates and how they play and what they will be like.” He encourages other kids to play. “I think it would be an excellent thing for a child to do because it’s fun and teaches them to be patient and not be upset if you fail. Baseball can be a game of failure but you learn and you can have fun.” Marc Buffington, a third generation FCBC member, agrees. “It teaches players how to fail and that there are two ways to go about it. If you quit, you are a failure. But if you get better as a result, you use that to succeed. It parallels life.” Buffington, who started playing when he was 11, is now 29 and the head varsity baseball coach at Poudre High School. “It also teaches a work ethic and how to work as a team. Baseball is a sport that rewards perseverance. You don’t have to be the tallest or the strongest and there are so many intangibles.”

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Some of the original Fort Collins Baseball Club players: Clark Nelson, Greg Bever and Gary Buffington, circa 1963.

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149 -$199

per month! *OAC

Ebersole adds, “What makes baseball so special is its history and that it is multigenerational. In 1910, it was basically the only sport so most of our parents and their parents played, even if it was just stickball. So, now when our kids play, it brings generations together and because it’s been around so long it makes for an easy bond.” Ebersole became involved with FCBC when his son began to play. He later coached and, after his son grew up, he stayed involved, volunteering on the board. “A lot of people helped my son and I wanted to give that back to others. We provide a consistent, quality program for a lot of kids and we’ve been doing it for 50 years.” It all started in 1961 when a group of parents got together looking for summer activities for their kids. Ken Buffington was one of those parents. As a result of their efforts, the FCBC became a reality. “It wasn’t difficult to start. First National Bank sponsored and we had lots of people that wanted to help. Everyone wanted to be involved. We had about 25 dads involved at first. One of the mothers kept score and the moms made sure the kids got there.” With 15 teams, they started playing at Colorado State University on the site where the Towers now stand. “We had to build all our own fields,” Ken Buffington says. “All those fields were dirt,” remembers Buffington’s son, Gary, who was 10 at the time. “They borrowed wooden snow fences from the county and old telephone poles and chicken wire. They had to be taken down when CSU wanted to use the fields.” After about six years, with construction of the Towers looming, the Board approached PSD. “There was a lot of vandalism in the baseball complexes so the Board thought that by allowing the kids to

Lydia’s STYLE Magazine

A 2011 FCBC youth: 11-year-old Stone Beck.

play weekdays, it would decrease the vandalism and it did,” Wunch says. “From that point on we’ve partnered with PSD and the City. We pay for use, but we maintain the fields.” In 1993, FCBC completed the Boltz Field Project, which created two new fields. Then, working with PSD and the City, FCBC helped create the Larry Walker Field at Lincoln Jr. High and Walt Weis Field at Timnath Elementary, built through a grant from the Colorado Rockies and the McCormick Tribune Foundation. The generations of players kept growing along with the fields. The Buffingtons are a good example. Ken coached as Gary played and Gary, in turn, coached when sons Marc and Mathew began to play. Ken says, “We never turned any kid down. We always found a way for them to play moneywise and we found a place to play. Even if they weren’t good players, they played at least two innings. They played on dirt fields and now look at these grass fields they’ve got.” There are now about 275 teams and 3,300 kids reflecting that successful history as FCBC moves into its semicentennial. Two events will mark that achievement. On May 6, a commemorative breakfast (invitation only) at the Hilton Fort Collins will celebrate the past and look forward to the future while raising money to pay for scholarships for low-income families who can’t afford the fees. For the general public, a family friendly festival in Rolland Moore Park on June 18 will begin at 9 a.m. and feature games, contests, memorabilia, and a special presentation. For more information go to www.fortcollinsbaseballclub.org and check out the Facebook link to see some of the old pictures. Kay Rios, Ph.D., is a freelance writer in Fort Collins.

Style 2011

NCMC Foundation

Supporting Community Health

This mother and child are among hundreds of community members to benefit from NCMC Foundation's First Steps program.

By Connie Hein

Carla Gomez was suffering from both mental and physical health issues, and her husband was legally blind. They knew they needed help to raise their toddler. When they became involved in the Parents as Teachers Home Visitation program offered by Family Connects through the North Colorado Medical Center (NCMC) Foundation, they knew they had found the help they needed. 60

They participated in the Parents as Teachers program with their 3-year-old son to help them understand the natural development of a child that age. The programs allowed them to learn the individualized parenting skills they needed as young parents with disabilities. Gomez says they are feeling better equipped to care for their son and to comfortably interact and enjoy their time with him every day. Through assistance and education, the Family Connects program increases the capacity of families to support and deal with developmental needs of their children. There are hundreds of other recipients like the Gomez family whose lives have been positively impacted by this and the many other NCMC Foundation programs. The Foundation was organized in 1975 by the Weld County General Hospital Board of Directors. The group that started the Foundation was dedicated to making patient care within the hospital walls the best it could be with the newest in technology as well as staff training and education. Jodi Smith, interim president and corporate and foundations relations manager for the NCMC

Foundation, says as the need for healthcare outside hospital walls and into the community became the trend, the Foundation grew along with it to better care for recipients. “The board members saw the need for creative support of medical needs in healthcare and moved forward to fill that need in whatever way they thought necessary,” Smith says. “This soon started reaching farther than just the Greeley community to serving a large region, including many rural areas of the state.” Smith says the goal of the Foundation is to generate philanthropic support for NCMC and the community by applying for grants, organizing fundraising events, seeking major and planned gifts, and maintaining funds raised for their many educational and health programs. “We are very dedicated to being good stewards of the funds that are so generously donated to the Foundation. We are committed to continually supporting the many life-saving and life-changing programs within NCMC and throughout the community.” The programs supported by the NCMC Foundation are: Med Evac provides 24-hour a day air ambulance

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services to a 300-mile radius surrounding Greeley. This includes Northern Colorado, southern Wyoming, and eastern Nebraska. The program is comprised of two Bell 407 helicopters, one based at NCMC and the other stationed in southern Weld County. The flight teams fly more than 800 missions per year. The Hospitality House at NCMC offers affordable overnight accommodations for families visiting their hospitalized loved ones. In 1995, long-time Greeley pediatrician Dr. Donald Cook, along with the NCMC Foundation, saw an overwhelming need for primary healthcare among children from Weld County’s low-income families and opened the Monfort Children’s Clinic. The clinic was designed to provide complete medical care for children who are Medicaid eligible or uninsured. The clinic was built with the Monfort Family Foundation’s lead gift and generous contributions from the community totaling approximately $4.5 million to support the program. The clinic is owned and supported by the NCMC Foundation and operated by Sunrise Community Health. The Curtis Strong Center for the Visually Impaired is another valuable community program. Curtis Strong spent his youth in the mountains near Evergreen. In 1936, he started his own business after borrowing $50 from his mother to purchase a dump truck. Soon after, he and a friend, Cassey Herren, formed the Herren & Strong Company. The company is credited with the construction of many of the highways in Northern Colorado, including the U.S. 34 bypass through Greeley and U.S. 85 south of Greeley. During his final years of life, he suffered from macular degeneration eye disease that caused him to lose most of his vision. The blindness was devastating for this avid pilot and outdoor enthusiast. Curtis Strong passed away in 2000, and the NCMC Foundation received nearly $1.7 million as the residual beneficiary of his estate. This funding established the Curtis Strong Center for the Visually Impaired. Most patients of the clinic have vision loss that can’t be corrected medically or surgically. Clients often struggle doing simple everyday tasks, such as reading a newspaper or a recipe. The center’s purpose is to assist these individuals to maximize the vision they currently possess. The United Way of Weld County and the NCMC Foundation jointly funded the Med-Aid Prescription Assistance Program. It was established in 1990 to provide one-time prescription assistance to people in Weld County with an urgent medication need who can’t cover the cost. The program works with healthcare providers who determine patient eligibility for this assistance and direct patients to Med-Aid participating pharmacies. The Will Rothman Family Chaplaincy program began in 1995 and was named for Will and Anne Rothman in honor of their generous lead gift. Today the program is directed by a full-time chaplain, Rev. Mark Weiler, and staffed by three additional parttime chaplains. Chaplains make rounds on patient care units day and night to offer spiritual care to any person who requests it. They also make pre-surgery visits and involve local clergy upon request. A staff chaplain is on site or on call 24 hours a day for trauma and death consults. These dedicated chaplains see that the spiritual needs of patients and their families are addressed sensitively when facing illness, difficult diagnoses, major surgery or simply fear of the unknown. First Steps is a program that provides women access to referrals for medical care and education designed to meet their individual pregnancy needs.

Style 2011

NCMC Foundation efforts support a broad range of ongoing programs and raise funds for the NCMC Breast Center, Cancer Institute and Western States Burn center.

First Steps also helps mothers by providing information about other community resources at no cost, regardless of age or income. The First Steps team works closely with clients to address their individual needs, concerns, and questions. Over 80 percent of First Steps clients are dealing with the challenges of an unexpected pregnancy. There is often a need to support women through sharing the news with family and friends or navigating commitments and responsibilities. Smith says a young lady named Shauna was one of those clients dealing with this unexpected challenge. “She knew from the beginning that her pregnancy was going to be an uphill battle, considering the risk factors she faced.” Shauna was a teenager struggling with alcohol consumption and tobacco use and was having difficulty gaining weight, which increased her odds of developing conditions such as preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. “The First Steps case worker and dietician worked with Shauna to ensure she received education and guidance throughout her pregnancy,” Smith says. “Their efforts led to the elimination of alcohol and tobacco use throughout her pregnancy and an adequate weight gain, so that by the end of her nine months, Shauna delivered a healthy 7 pound 11 ounce baby boy.” Besides these great programs, the NCMC Foundation also contributes to and works closely with the NCMC Level-two Trauma Center that reaches thousands of people in the region and in northeastern Colorado, the Western States Burn Center which serves an eight-state region, and the NCMC Breast Center which serves an 8,000 square mile region and over 9,000 women annually with outreach for care and education. Mary Scheid, a nursing specialist in the NCMC Breast Center, recently had the honor of receiving the 2011 RN Nightingale Luminary Award. This award is given to honor nurses who best exemplify the philosophy and practice of Florence Nightingale, a 19th century nursing pioneer. With the great community need served by these programs, there is plenty of work for the Foundation staff and its Board of Directors. Smith says she looks forward to turning over the reins and welcoming the new incoming president, Chris Kiser, who is joining the Foundation this month from the Cheyenne Regional Medical Center. Smith says they are all very excited about Kiser because of his vast experience and his

familiarity with the area and the community. He has worked at Colorado State University, the University of Northern Colorado and the University of Colorado. She says the Foundation will continue to do their part in the community and region to promote philanthropy to enhance and ensure the health and well-being of the people in the region. “It is through generous donations and participation in fundraising events that we are able to help recipients in the area with our beneficial programs,” she says. The 2011 NCMC Foundation Gala, held January 29, was a huge success with $176,000 raised to benefit the Cancer Institute at NCMC. Next year's event is scheduled for Saturday, January 28, 2012. The next scheduled fundraising event is the NCMC Foundation Golf Tournament on June 13, benefitting the NCMC Breast Center. Last year, nearly 200 golfers helped raise more than $40,000 to benefit the Breast Center at NCMC. Proceeds from the event help with the acquisition of equipment, patient outreach support, and other areas of greatest need. The NCMC Foundation-sponsored Western States Burn Center Golf Classic will be held on Thursday, September 15 at Boomerang Golf Links. More than 280 golfers, sponsors and volunteers participated in last year’s sell-out tournament. Over $58,000 in net proceeds from last year’s event go to the purchase of medical equipment for the Burn Center, promote fire prevention and safety, and provide continuing education to the highly specialized team of nurses, doctors and other healthcare providers caring for burn patients. The 14th Annual Turkey Trot 2K/5K Run/Walk to support Cardiac Rehab at NCMC, which will be held on Thanksgiving Day, November 24. The Foundation will also be conducting an Adopt-aMom initiative to promote heathy pregnancies through the First Steps program. This initiative will be completed through a direct mail solicitation to community members throughout Northern Colorado. Anyone interested in supporting these fundraiser events or making a donation may call (970) 3569020 or visit www.ncmcfoundation.org for more information. Connie Hein is a freelance writer living in Windsor and the author of the Toliver in Time series of children’s books.

Life in the

k Pin

CELEBRATIN

Hope Lives!

YEARS

Last year's Pink Boa 5K Run was a huge success. Community members came together to raise funds for Hope Lives in honor of their family members who have been touched by breast cancer.

Hope Lives! 10 Years and Growing After 10 years of supporting women during one of the most challenging periods of their life, the Hope Lives! Lydia Dody Breast Cancer Foundation is older, wiser and ever more dedicated to helping women (and men) who have received a breast cancer diagnosis. As the number of services offered by Hope Lives has continued to grow, so has the number of women that have been helped by the Foundation, says Melissa Evans, ececutive director of Hope Lives. “About 200 women in Colorado are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. We are currently serving 145 women this month and we’re seeing that number grow each year,

By Erica Pauly

which is very exciting for us.” But the Hope Lives crew is not satisfied with only 145 women. This year they are partnering with others in Northern Colorado with hopes to make 2011 their biggest, most successful year helping women yet. “To date we have provided over 12,000 free services to our clients,” adds Evans. Hope Lives is a non-profit foundation that provides assistance to women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. In the past decade, the number of services offered has grown exponentially to include a plethora of integrated oncology treatments such as acupuncture, lymphatic massages, chiropractic treatments and even emotional counseling. Lifestyle support treatments are offered as well. These include light housecleaning, meal preparation, and an errand service. The Foundation also has a wig bank, which offers more than 2,000 wigs. “The great part about what Hope Lives offers is that these are services that

are not covered by most insurance companies,” says Evans. “But the truth is, these needs are still important for women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. There have been studies done that say the services we offer are 80 percent effective in helping women overcome the battle of breast cancer. So, on many levels, we are helping these women.” The only qualification to receive services from Hope Lives is that the individual has been diagnosed with breast cancer. The Foundation provides two services per month to each individual. The services are offered up to six months after they have been told that they are ‘cancer-free.’ Hope Lives is supported by generous community donations and fundraisers held throughout the year. Their signature event is the annual Hope Lives! Gala. This year the 11th Annual Hope Lives! Gala will be held on October 22 at the Fort Collins Hilton. Sponsorships, corporate tales and individual tickets are available. Supporters can also become involved in Hope Lives’ “pink” weekend in May: On May 20, Hope Lives is partnering with the Colorado Ice indoor football team. During that day, $1 from every ticket sold for the football game, held at the Budweiser Event Center, will go to Hope Lives. Additionally, the team has titled the game night as their “PinkOut” event. The community is encouraged to wear all pink to the game to support the local indoor football team as well as Hope Lives and the many women in the community who are receiving services from the Foundation. On May 21, participate in the Annual Pink Boa 5K Run. This run/walk event, held at the Front Range Village, will not only benefit Hope Lives and the women and men it supports, but this race is also the last Bolder Boulder race qualifier. Last year’s event was a huge hit with the community as family and friends showed up in pink to support those in their lives who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. This year, Hope Lives will be partnering with The Mantooth Company to launch a new marketing campaign to ensure that all Northern Colorado is aware of the services Hope Lives offers to this segment of the population and encourage more in the community to open their hearts to help those with breast cancer. Evans says, “We are still discussing all of the things we will be doing throughout the year to get our name out to the community. It is all coming together soon, so keep your eyes open for even more new and exciting things happening with our Foundation.” The work done by Hope Lives and the services they provide will have a lasting effect on Northern Colorado and the women who live in here. As Evans says, “We are here to equip her to fight the best battle she can.” For a full list of Hope Lives services, to volunteer, or to find out about upcoming events, visit www.hopelives.org. Erica Pauly is a freelance writer who lives in Loveland. She is also the Marketing Director at GrowSecure Inc., Insurance and Financial Services.

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Hope Lives! Pink Boa 5K Run/Walk

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Hospice of Northern Colorado

Loving Care

Mary Ann Abrams, a Hospice of Northern Colorado volunteer, sits with a hospice patient.

for the Terminally Ill

For the past 33 years, Hospice of Northern Colorado has provided quality end of life care for the terminally ill. The non-profit assists residents of Weld, Larimer and Morgan counties, ages infant to seniors, whose prognosis is six months or less to live. Most care is at home. Given the choice, few people would choose to be hospitalized or reside in a nursing home. The comforts of familiar décor provide cheer and a calming setting. Family members who also reside there can encourage their loved one far better on a daily basis than if merely visiting for a few hours a week. Also, it’s usually more financially advantageous to manage a patient’s pain at home than as an inpatient at a medical facility. Inpatient services are available for acute symptom management or to give caregivers a break. The stresses of caring for a chronically or terminally ill person can leave the primary caregiver emotionally and/or physically exhausted. So, a patient’s brief in-hospital stay can recharge the carer’s batteries. Hospice of Northern Colorado has the largest inpatient facility of its kind, located on the 4th floor of North Colorado Medical Center in Greeley. One of Hospice’s goals is to aid patients throughout a terminal illness. So, if someone outlives the six months or less prognosis, he or she continues to qualify for care. Mandi McIntyre, fundraising and development coordinator, says that scenario does occur. In fact, Hospice patients sometimes outlive non-Hospice patients with identical diagnoses. McIntyre says this might be due to ongoing pain management and other support

By Marty Metzger

her organization provides. Occasionally, a patient “graduates” from Hospice when a lethal affliction goes into remission. Hospice has added a palliative care program, which is extended to anyone with a life-limiting, chronic or advanced illness. This consultative only treatment is free of charge, thanks to a grant. Palliative care relieves physical, emotional and/or spiritual distress. Each patient works with a team that consists of the medical director and a Hospice-employed nurse, chaplain or social worker. The nurse, by reviewing medications’ efficiency, works with the physician by serving as the eyes and ears in pain management. “Hospice of Northern Colorado is proud to be the only hospice in Northern Colorado to offer a palliative care program,” says McIntyre. “We provide the best quality of life for a person living with a serious illness, focusing on the relief of pain. Palliative care, which is not hospice care, can be delivered at the same time as any other medical care that prolongs life or attempts to cure the illness.” Medicare, Medicaid and many private insurance plans cover hospice care. But the uninsured are also welcome at Hospice of Northern Colorado. “Our services are needed by individuals with terminal illnesses,” says McIntyre, “and we provide care regardless of a patient’s ability to pay.” McIntyre expounds further, stating that $282,319 in free care was given in 2010, a record amount in Northern Colorado. Fourteen families benefitted from this gratis assistance. Also in 2010, 528 patients received hospice care and 23 more benefitted from the palliative program. Another service, supporting family members of a patient who has passed, is Hospice’s bereavement counseling. Assistance is available to anyone in the

community, based on a sliding fee schedule, and free of charge for 13 months to a Hospice patient’s family members. Of necessity, the non-profit must somehow compensate for such major expenditures. Also, even payments for insured patients fall short by $20.69 per patient, per day, says McIntyre. Donations to the non-profit help cover that shortfall. The majority of private contributions come in as memorials via cash, check, credit card and Pay Pal. Additionally, numerous fundraising events present diverse, enjoyable ways for the community to support Hospice’s valuable work. For example, theater goers might want to attend “An Act of Grace” at the Candlelight Dinner Playhouse in Johnstown. The April 9 event, which begins at 5 p.m., will feature dinner, a live and silent auction and performance of “The King and I.” Tickets must be purchased in advance either online at www. hospiceofnortherncolorado.org or by phone at (970) 352-8487. Greeley skies will come alive with the flutter of thousands of delicate wings on June 18 at 9 a.m. The live butterfly release at Bittersweet Park will serve as this year’s Spring Memorial. To memorialize a deceased loved one, purchase your butterflies on the Hospice website or by phone. You can release the fluttering little creatures in person at the event or make arrangements with Hospice to send them heavenward. Palisade, Colorado’s famous peaches, will benefit the organization this coming summer. Pre-order these juicy jewels for $35 a box or $25 a half box by phone or on the Hospice website. They’ll be available for pickup beginning at 7 a.m. on August 20 at St. Michael’s Town Square in Greeley. The Peaches for Hospice fundraiser will also include a 5K Walk/Run dubbed “Peachie Cheeks on the Move.” Register on the website or by phone. Another opportunity to help Hospice is as a volunteer. People are always needed to staff special events, perform office duties or even provide some patient care. McIntyre lauds everyone connected with Hospice of Northern Colorado. “We are so grateful to have such a dedicated group of staff, volunteers, board of directors, donors and community members. Without their support, we’d be unable to continue the work we do. It has been very rewarding to be able to work with such a giving community. The support we’ve received from the residents of Northern Colorado is truly amazing.”

Every June, Hospice of Northern Colorado holds a butterfly release to memorialize loved ones who have passed away.