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May 2014
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ROCK CASTLE
CASTLE ROCK’S PREMIER MONTHLY COMMUNITY MAGAZINE
May 2014 1 CASTLE ROCK MAGAZINE
May 2014 WWW.CASTLEROCKMAGAZINE.COM 2
May 2014 3 CASTLE ROCK MAGAZINE
CONTENTS CASTLE ROCK
MAGAZINE
castlerockmagazine.com
In This Issue
5 7 9 11 12
From the Publisher: 2014 Shave the Mayor Fundraiser for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation
Volume 10 Issue 5 Publisher
Mike Waid mike.waid@waidpublishing.com
Editor
Pamela Waid pam.waid@waidpublishing.com
Ad Sales
Tiffany Grizzle tiffany@waidpublishing.com 303-805-9455 xt 14
Graphic Designer
Adrienne Zeak Brust adrienne@waidpublishing.com
Castle Rock Magazine is published 12 times per year by Waid Publishing (www.WaidPublishing. com), a division of Mike Waid & Associates, Inc. (www.MikeWaid.com), 19751 E. Mainstreet, Suite R-18, Parker, CO 80138, 303-805-9455. Castle ROck Magazine is available online at www.castlerockmagazine.com. Castle Rock Magazine is a trademark of Waid Publishing. All rights reserved. The views, opinions and/or statements made or expressed by individuals and/or entities, are not necessarily reflective of the views and opinions of Waid Publishing. No part of this publication may be reproduced without explicit permission from Castle Rock Magazine. Copyright 2014 Castle Rock Magazine - All rights Reserved.
Harmony Equine
Parent’s Guide to Mine Craft: The Good and the Bad
Bookends: Fallen Women
Local Author: Melissa JohnstonBurnham, LCSW
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WIN A NEW KINDLE!
Here is your chance to win a NEW KINDLE! Simply enter our Castle Rock Magazine scavenger hunt contest. It’s easy to enter. Simply go online to www. castlerockmagazine.com and click on our contest page. There you will find two “phrases” that are located within the pages of this issue of Castle Rock Magazine. Simply enter the page number of those phrases on the online contest entry form and, as long as the page numbers are correct, you will be entered to win! We will randomly draw a winner from all correct entries. GOOD LUCK! WWW.CASTLEROCKMAGAZINE.COM 4
May 2014
May 2014
From the Publisher 2014 Shave the Mayor Fundraiser for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation
By Mike Waid
This past month I had the honor to participate in two events that have truly changed my perspective on life and community involvement.
S
May 2014
everal years ago I first heard about the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, which supports pediatric cancer research, from a friend who lives in Boston. Last year, after being elected as Mayor of Parker, I decided to start the annual “Shave the Mayor” fundraiser for this great foundation. Their goal is to not only raise money to help cure pediatric cancer, but also to show solidarity to those who do not have a choice in losing their hair by shaving our own heads. This year, I set a goal of raising $5,000 and having at least a dozen people shave their heads for our event. After all was said and done, over 22 people shaved their heads and we raised over $17,000 for this great foundation! It was truly an inspiring event and one that I will remember forever. This year I met a young lady who lives in Parker named Haven who, at the age of 4, has been battling cancer most of her life. Her mom shared a story with me on how a treatment that Haven needed was previously not available in Colorado but is now because of a grant from the St. Baldrick’s foundation. It was an incredibly inspiring moment to see how our efforts can affect change right here at home. WISH WEEK FOR SHELBY Several weeks after Shave the Mayor, I was asked to speak at Chaparral High School at an assembly marking the end of their “Wish Week”. I didn’t know much about this event but wanted to do what I could to help out. A few days before the event I found out what it was all about. An 8th grade student at Sierra Middle School named Shelby had recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer. As you can imagine, this hit their family hard and suddenly. This is when the community of students and teachers at Chaparral sprang into action. They decided to create “Wish Week” to help raise money for the Make A Wish foundation in Shelby’s honor. In addition, they decided to give Shelby a week of being part of the Chaparral High School family a year early. Seeing how these amazing teenagers pulled together to welcome Shelby and her family (including her older brother who is a student there) truly touched my heart and soul. When I finally got to meet Shelby I found myself talking to a strong, confident, inspiring young woman who has decided to treasure life and leave her mark on our world. Her wish is to meet Katy Perry…and this wish is going to happen! Chaparral’s wish was to raise $7,000 for the Make a Wish foundation. Through the amazing efforts of the students and teachers, they raised over $20,000! Enough to provide three wishes to others with terminal illness. What an amazing experience it was for me to share with Shelby and her new High School family. MY CHALLENGE TO YOU This month I have a challenge for each of our readers. I challenge you to do two things. First, tell someone you love them. Don’t wait, don’t think about it, don’t put it off…go right now and call a friend, walk over to a neighbor’s house or grab your spouse/ child. Tell them how much they mean to you and how important their love is to you. Second, do something this month that will leave an impact on your community. Skip your daily cup of coffee at the coffee shop and instead donate the $5 to a charity. Drop off some food at the local food bank. Donate an hour of volunteer time at a local community group. Do something…anything to leave your community better than it was last month. With these two small things, each of us can make a lasting and impactful change for the future. v
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THE ‘MANE’ EVENT OF THE SUMMER:
May 2014
H
orse lovers of all ages are invited to kick off the summer at the Dumb Friends League Harmony Equine Center on Saturday, May 17, during its third annual open house and adoption day. Taking place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Harmony Equine Center, located at 5540 E. Highway 86, just west of Franktown, visitors can enjoy guided tours of the facility, refreshments from local food truck vendors and activities for kids, as well as meet horses available for adoption. No RSVP is required and all ages are welcome. In addition, professional horse trainer Brent Winston will offer trainings and demonstrations throughout the day, including how to trailer-load a horse, and how the Harmony Equine Center trains formerly abused and neglected horses so they are ready for adoption. “We want the public to come and see what we are doing, not only to help the horses in our care, but to spread the word that there is a real need for a facility like this in Colorado,” said Garret Leonard, director of the Harmony Equine Center. “We also want to share our training knowledge with the public to help improve the lives of all horses.” Guests can also learn about volunteer opportunities, training events and youth camps taking place throughout the summer at the Harmony Equine
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DUMB FRIENDS LEAGUE HARMONY EQUINE CENTER OPEN HOUSE
Center. “We’re proud to be part of such a horse-friendly community,” said Leonard. “Our goal is to be not only a safe haven for abused and neglected equines, but also to serve as an educational resource for horse owners and potential adopters.” The Harmony Equine Center is a private rehabilitation and adoption facility for horses, ponies, donkeys and mules that have been removed from owners’ care by law enforcement authorities. It is not a sanctuary or a rescue facility, and the center does not accept owner-relinquished horses. Adoption days are every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. or by appointment. To learn more about the Dumb Friends League Harmony Equine Center or to see horses available for adoption, visit ddfl.org/ equine or call (303) 751-5772. v Founded in 1910, the Dumb Friends League is the largest community-based animal welfare organization in the Rocky Mountain region, helping pets and people in the Denver metro area and beyond. In 2012, the League expanded the scope of its services to include providing shelter, care and hope for abused and neglected equines in Colorado. The Dumb Friends League has shelters at 2080 S. Quebec St. in Denver and the Buddy Center at 4556 Castleton Court in Castle Rock, as well as the Dumb Friends League Harmony Equine Center™ near Franktown. For more information, visit ddfl.org or call (303) 751-5772.
ELECT
DAVE WEAVER DOUGLAS COUNTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 1
“I believe we need to manage the growth in our county in a responsible way. I will work hard to continue to protect what we have and build on our successes.” • Sheriff of Douglas County with 33 years • Advocate for personal responsibility and individual liberty. of continuous exceptional service to our community. • Deep understanding of our local issues • Successfully managed 700 employees and and uniquely qualified to serve the people of Douglas County. volunteers while operating a $50 million budget through an economic downturn. • Proven track record of solving problems and finding solutions. A leader who • Staunch fiscal conservative supporting listens. low taxes and limited government.
May 2014
daveweaver4commissioner.com
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O
K, parents, here’s your essential crash course on Minecraft. If you have kids old enough to speak, there’s a good chance that Minecraft is already a part of their vocabulary. What is Minecraft? Minecraft is a video game available on mobile devices, gaming consoles and computers. The game features simplistic looking retro 8-bit graphics in a 3 dimensional world. In a single-player game there are two primary modes. Survival Mode requires players to build shelter, hunt for food, travel and fight monsters to reach the end of the game. Creative Mode gives players access to unlimited resources, protects them from dying and allows them to fly and work quickly to facilitate creative building. WHY DO KIDS LOVE IT? Imagine a treehouse so high that parents can’t reach it. In the treehouse you can fly, build anything, fight monsters, cast enchanting spells and create a little mischief. How much freedom should your kids have? You decide.
The Good
The Bad
Endless creativity in Creative Mode
Survival mode can be scary for young kids
Survival Mode teaches the work and planning needed to survive
Mindless use of TNT is unproductive
Kids are motivated to learn new things
There is killing of animals, monsters, people… including yourself
Redstone allows basic electrical and mechanical engineering “Mods” offer enhanced gameplay and more learning options
Online servers are just as risky as online chat rooms
Kids watch YouTube videos to learn - not all videos are appropriate. Consider buying Minecraft books for a safe way to learn.
WHY PLAY? Social - Join a local Minecraft Club or have Minecraft play dates. Life Skills - In Survival Mode, there is an ending. Working towards that goal can be a rewarding learning process. Engineering - Playing in Creative Mode and building contraptions with Redstone can teach basic engineering. Fun - Playing games can help kids blow off steam. Just know what is fun time and what is learning time. v
May 2014
Brian Dickman has been hosting Minecraft Clubs for over a year and offers free information for parents. You can contact him at http://www.deepspace.me/contact.
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BOOKENDS Fallen Women by Sandra Dallas
Beret Osmundsen, a wealthy New York socialite, receives news that her estranged sister has died in Denver. Her sister had moved to Denver to live with their aunt and uncle the year after their falling out. Beret discovers that her sister had recently moved out and become a prostitute in the seedy tenderloin district of Denver in the spring of 1885. Beret is determined to discover what happened and find her sister’s killer. Detective Mick McCauley is not thrilled to find that he will have help in the murder investigation, but Beret insists on being involved in this high profile case. PAM: I am always excited to hear that Sandra Dallas has a new book coming out and this was not exception! I always enjoy her inclusion of Colorado landmarks during her different stories. I thought this story was different from her others. Did you feel that as well, Becky? BECKY: I agree that a murder mystery was unexpected for this author and I didn’t feel the connection to old Colorado that I always enjoy in a Sandra Dallas book. What was familiar is a strong female character and in this story we follow a determined woman that is committed to solving this murder. Beret was a bit difficult for me to connect with and quite frankly like. Did you enjoy this brassy main character? PAM: I typically like Sandra Dallas’ strong female characters. But, I agree that Beret was harder to appreciate and make a connection with. She was certainly headstrong and determined. She decided she was going to be part of the investigation and paired with the detective on the case, regardless of how he felt. Mick, the detective, was a character I enjoyed. What were your thoughts? BECKY: I liked his character too and it would have been more interesting to have the story told through his eyes instead of Beret’s. I love a strong female character but I found her to be a bit confusing. There are times where she acts like an aristocrat with her nose in the air, yet she runs a mission for women in New York. Also, she is hell bent to find her sister’s killer, yet the sisters were not on speaking terms. As the story progresses we find out why the sisters were estranged. Did this make you like Beret more?
May 2014
PAM: Although it explained the sisters’ estrangement, it did not make me feel more connected to Beret. However, it did make me feel sad about her relationship with her sister. As the story progresses, we find out more information about her sister and her character. Beret seemed to know the truth about her sister and her behavior before she began the investigation into her death. However, she also hoped that they would eventually reconcile. This made me think she either hoped her sister would change or was just denying the truth. Do you think she realized the true character of her sister before her death? BECKY: Before their estrangement and while they were growing up, Beret viewed her sister through rose colored glasses. She didn’t seem to be surprised by some of the ugly stories of her sisters character so I think that she must have known that the accusations were on target. I would have expected some shock or anger when confronted by some of these allegations but overall she was quite accepting of them. As the investigation progresses we are presented with a handful of suspects. Do you think that Sandra Dallas did a good job with 11 CASTLE ROCK MAGAZINE
all of the twists and turns in this story? PAM: There were many twists and turns in this story. I felt that some were very mysterious and suspenseful, while others were more obvious. The author did bring in numerous characters during this story. One of the more unsavory characters was Beret’s ex-husband, whom had relocated to Colorado after their divorce. Did you feel as strongly as I did about this character? BECKY: There was nothing likable in that character. He was an opportunist that used Beret for her fortune and gave very little in return. Once again, Beret views this person through rose colored glasses and doesn’t see his true nature for quite awhile. Although I didn’t connect with Beret, I felt sorry for her as she had a lack of a support system. Her parents had passed away, she was not close to her sister nor was there mention of a close girlfriend. The author does give us a character that becomes quite fond of Beret. Did you like this development? PAM: I did like this development because I really enjoyed this character and was glad he became a main part of the story. It was interesting how the author connected his private and professional life to Beret. What did you think of this character and his role in the story? BECKY: Without giving too much away I found him to be the most enjoyable character in the story. I do think that the connections were a bit far fetched but he did bring some warmth to Baret’s character. As much as I usually love Sandra Dallas books, this was not my favorite and I would recommend one of her other books instead of this one. Did this story interest you enough to pass it on to a friend? PAM: I would recommend it for a quick read, but I agree with you. This was not my favorite Sandra Dallas book either. Where are you taking us next month, Becky? BECKY: I am excited for some interesting conversation after reading The Promise of Stardust by Priscille Sibley. Matt and Elle have know each other since they were small. Now they are both successful professionals and happily married. A fall from a ladder leaves Elle brain-dead and according to her medical directive she does not want her life sustained by artificial life support. As much as Matt doesn’t want to lose her, he is ready to support her decision. That is until the doctors realize that Elle is pregnant. We follow Matt through some difficult decisions and a nasty legal battle.
LOCAL AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT Cleft Talk for Kids is an informative and interactive book that explains the condition of cleft lip and palate in a childfriendly format. In Cleft Talk for Kids, children and their caregivers meet Kate and Charlie, best friends who were born with clefts. Kate and Charlie explain to young readers why clefts happen and how having a cleft can affect someone on a daily basis. Kate and Charlie also share how similar children with clefts are to their peers despite their physical difference.
Forever Mama
Forever Mama is a heartwarming story of adoption as told through a conversation between mother and daughter, which touches on the importance of the daughter’s birth mother and foster mother who remain
in China. In this conversation, the daughter learns of the qualities she has inherited from her mothers, and also receives the gift from her adoptive mother she has been hoping for all along‌the promise of forever. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Melissa Johnston-Burnham, LCSW, is the proud mother of the three greatest children on the planet, one of whom was internationally adopted from China in 2010. Melissa is also a clinician in a group psychotherapy practice who specializes in the treatment of children and adolescents. Melissa lives in a messy house outside of Denver, Colorado with her family and a multitude of pets. Forever Mama is her first book and Cleft Talk for Kids is her second. Both Books are available for purchase online at Amazon.com
May 2014
Cleft Talk for Kids
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Castle Rock
CALENDAR
May 1 BASICS OF BIRD
WATCHING (PT 1) 7 pm - 8 pm Bird identification, choosing binoculars and field guides, finding local birding spots. Philip S. Miller Library 100 S. Wilcox, Castle Rock
May 3 ROCK THE BARN 7 pm - 11 pm Dinner, drinks, an auction and live music will fill the night. The Wiens Ranch 5567 S Perry Park Rd., Sedalia (303) 814-3507
May 2 9HEALTH FAIR
May 3 SPRING UP THE CREEK
7 am - 12 pm Castle Rock Recreation Center 2301 N. Woodlands Blvd., Castle Rock www.9healthfair.org
May 2 CHILDREN’S AUTHOR
9 am - 11:30 am Volunteers will be given gloves, bags and, possibly, transportation to area creeks. Festival Park 300 Second St., Castle Rock (720) 733-6000
AFTER HOURS 6:30 pm - 8 pm Featuring Natasha Wing. Philip S. Miller Library CR Bank Room East/West 100 S. Wilcox Castle Rock (303) 791-7323
ORCHESTRA 3 pm - 5 pm Featuring Desert Sounds Concert. First United Methodist Church 1200 South St., Castle Rock
May 3
May 5 & 12 MOVIES ABOUT
May 2014
CINCO DE MAYO FESTIVAL 5 pm - 9 pm Enjoy street tacos, margaritas, a pig roast, Kona Ice Truck and more. The Village Shops at Castle Pines 872 W. Happy Canyon Rd., Castle Rock
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May 4 CASTLE ROCK
(THE) MOVIES 6:30 pm - 8:45 pm 5/5/14 - “The Purple Rose of Cairo” 5/12/14 - “Sullivan’s Travels” Philip S. Miller Library South Wilcox St., Castle Rock
May 17 & 18 3RD ANNUAL
May 17 CASTLE ROCK ‘N’
CYCLE AGAINST VIOLENCE 8:30 am Ride begins at 8:30am. Family ride @ 9:30am. 100% of proceeds benefit the Crisis Center.
ROLLERS - ROLLER DERBY BOUT 6 pm Castle Rock ‘n’ Rollers welcome Grand Junction Roller Girls. 500 Fairgrounds Rd., Castle Rock
May 17 DUMB FRIENDS LEAGUE
May 18 TRI THE ROCK 8 am - 1 pm Come for a great day of fun, food, prizes and sport. Butterfield Crossing Pool Butterfield Crossing Park 3952 W. Butterfield, Castle Rock 80109
HARMONY EQUINE CENTER OPEN HOUSE 11 am - 3 pm www.ddfl.org/equine (303) 751-5772
May 17 GUIDED BIRD-
WATCHING WALK (PART 2) 8 am - 10 am Advance the birding skills discussed in the indoor program. Festival Park 300 Second St., Castle Rock
May 17 ELECTRONICS
RECYCLING EVENT 10 am - 2 pm Castle Rock Middle School 2575 Meadows Blvd., Castle Rock (720) 648-5558
May 22 14TH ANNUAL CO-
ED SPRING SWING GOLF TOURNAMENT 7:30 am Annual Co-Ed Golf Tournament benefiting the Castle Rock Senior Center. The Ridge at Castle Pines North 1414 Castle Pines Pkwy, Castle Pines
May 28 NATIONAL SENIOR
HEALTH AND FITNESS DAY 9 am - 11 am Festival Park 300 Second St., Castle Rock 80104 (303) 814-7453
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