82717 July/August 2019

JULY / AUGUST 2019

GILLETTE’S KID SCENE

DITCH SUMMER LEARNING LOSS UNSUNG HEROES

CLOVER KIDS

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Connect with Us on JULY / AUGUST 2019

FIND US WITH COUNTY 17 AT THE CAMPBELL COUNTY FAIR! JULY / AUGUST 2019

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JULY / AUGUST 2019

Aug 3 at 7pm

OCTANE ADDICTIONS GENERATION FAIR 99 Annual July 31 to August 3 th

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JULY AUGUST 2019

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Contents

Inspire and Represent

18 FAMILY: SWEET THINGS

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Recently, we stopped by Alla Lala Cupcakes & Sweet Things for a closer look at what makes owner Laura Chapman’s cupcakes so damn great.

25 COMMUNITY: HEROES

VAC volunteers are working hard to inspire change and represent the best interests of abused and neglected children in Campbell County.

29 MENTAL HEALTH: Q&A

Gillette counselor Tomi Barbour helps kids and adolescents with adjustment disorder, substance abuse and other mental health issues.

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32 TECH: ULTIMATE GEAR GUIDE

The Flock

Parenting can be tough, but we’ve rounded up the year’s top apps and gadgets to make your life easier.

34 EDU: YOUR KIDS’ SUCCESS

A look at Campbell County’s newest individualized supplemental education offerings and how Sylvan Learning Center of Gillette can help your kid.

36 READING: KIDS’ EDITION To combat summer learning loss, here’s a roundup of all the season’s hottest kids’ books from (mostly) Wyoming authors.

47 LIFE: KID SCENE

JULY to AUG20

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Meet the guys and vision behind Gillette’s new trampoline and adventure park.

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# C CFAIR JULY / AUGUST 2019

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Twinkle Time

FREE ENTERTAINMENT GENERATION FAIR 99 Annual July 31 to August 3 th

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THOUGHTS

Sadly, 82717 Life Magazine will no longer be inserted in the Gillette News Record.

As always, you can pick up a copy at various locations throughout Northeast Wyoming.

We value your readership and are pleased to now offer an annual mailed subscription to our monthly publication. Subscribe now by phone, mail or online.

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Outliers Creative, LLC P.O. Box 3825 Gillette, WY 82717

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JULY / AUGUST 2019

HAPPY, From the Editorial Director

Healthy Kids Breaking News: There

D

is no one perfect way to parent

on’t worry, 82717 Parent: Our annual everything-kids-and-parenting edition of 82717 Life Magazine is here to help with insightful tips and tools to guide Campbell County moms and dads through some of the most challenging aspects of parenthood – from pregnancy through the school years.

We ask parents, educators, psychology experts, business leaders, local authors and even bakers (yes, bakers!) as well as other city and county dwellers what they think is great about raising kids in the 82717. We get straight to the heart of all the latest news and recommendations for your kids’ health, emotional well-being, education and entertainment and also feature some of Gillette’s best summer camps and activities still accepting new enrollments.

We continue our look into the lives, livestock and Campbell County Fair projects of local 4-H’ers via 2019’s final installment of the all-new #CCFCloverKids series, and invite you and your littles to join us for the 99th Annual Campbell County Fair July 31 through August 3 at Cam-Plex, where family-friendly entertainment

includes Octane Addictions freestyle show, Pig Wrestling, Ranch Rodeo and more.

Say goodbye to summer blues and boredom because there’s gobs of free entertainment in Campbell County this month, including Twinkle Time and Kachunga (also at the Campbell County Fair), and so much more. From 307 Mysteries escape rooms to Flight Zone’s countless trampolines and other offerings, to a heartfelt exposé into child advocacy and the real-life love story of two recovering addicts – get excited! (We know we are!)

There’s something in here for everyone.

So, friends, neighbors and visitors to Campbell County, welcome! Inside this issue of 82717 Parent, where adults and kids can learn real-life skills from the pros, other parents and locals. We hope you find some helpful gadgets, apps and pointers, as well as uplifting stories and local happenings that bring you wisdom, hope and happiness.

Stephanie L. Scarcliff

@OCmaven @ocllcwy JULY / AUGUST 2019

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Editorial CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Erika C. Christensen MARKETING DIRECTOR Stephanie L. Scarcliff CHIEF OF STAFF Lisa A. Shrefler SALES Jessica L. Pierce Jason N. Kasperik CONTRIBUTORS Jennifer C. Kocher ART DIRECTOR Richard W. Massman DESIGNER Candice E. Schlautmann PHOTOGRAPHER Adam D. Ritterbush

Inquiries & Customer Service

On the Cover

??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Kachunga

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FREE ENTERTAINMENT JULY / AUGUST 2019

Outliers Creative, LLC P.O. Box 3825 • Gillette, WY 307.686.5121 • 82717@mcllc.net 82717 is a publication of Outliers Creative, LLC © 2019, all rights reserved. Reproduction in any form, in whole or part, without written permission is prohibited. This magazine accepts freelance contributions. 82717 is not responsible for loss, damage, or any other injury to unsolicited manuscript, unsolicited artwork (including but not limited to drawings, photographs, or transparencies) or any other unsolicited materials. Outliers Creative, LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of MC Aegis, LLC.

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GENERATION FAIR

July 31 to August 3

FREE ENTERTAINMENT All Aboard

All Aboard trackless train travels the fairgrounds, departing from The Plaza, giving rides to all ages in comfort and style with a high-quality conductor to keep fairgoers, young and old, entertained and informed.

Twinkle Time

Twinkle brings a colorful, high-energy pop concert fusing education, arts and pop culture!

Kids learn magical lessons through bilingual pop tunes at the Wyoming Center beginning Wednesday, July 31 at 3 p.m.

World’s Funnest Photo Booth

Status Crowes

Chuck & Michelle, “The Acoustic Jukebox,” are a high-energy acoustic duo with a repertoire of more than 1,300 songs and covers, who pride themselves on making every show unique, and gladly taking audience requests on the Free Stage in The Plaza.

The funnest photo booth ever will take a picture, insert wild backdrops like bulls or dolphins, print a photo within seconds and send a digital copy to share across social platforms.

Bubble Tower/Stilt Party

Bubbles flying everywhere, children chasing them while others try their luck on a variety of stilts! What could be more fun?

Don’t miss the return of the 14foot solar-powered Bubble Tower and Stilt Party in The Plaza.

Stunt Jump

An exciting way to enjoy free time at the fair, kids become stunt pros jumping off of the 11-foot and 20-foot platforms. Zero Shock stunt bag catches jumpers. Must be 5 years and 40lbs with signed waiver and parent signature to jump off 20-foot platform.

Orbitron Ride

Laser Tag

Thrilling and exhilarating, the Orbitron spinning carnival ride challenges kids age 5-12 to utilize their strength and coordination for the ride of a lifetime! Grab on, push off and enjoy the ride, inside the Wyoming Center.

State-of-the-art outdoor laser tag combines the competition, speed, agility and excitement of paintball with the extreme game of laser tag. Children as young as 5 can participate, with two teams of 5 competing around 10 obstacles in The Plaza.

Cartoon Bill Caricatures

A familiar face at the Campbell County Fair, and a truly incredible talent, caricaturist Bill Crowley knows how to entertain a crowd and make life-long memories that last.

Appearing daily in the Wyoming Center, Bill draws fun cartoon versions of fair patrons worthy of framing.

Freckle Farm Petting Zoo

Since 1984, the family owned and operated, Freckle Farm Petting Zoo and Pony Rides have been an annual highlight for children at the Campbell County Fair. Freckle Farm Petting Zoo will keep your hearts captured and your family entertained in The Plaza.

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82717LIFE.COM

Generation Fair With this issue, we ask parents what makes raising kids in the 82717 great, honor the life of Bobbi Jo Heald and celebrate a new generation of fair enthusiasts and agriculturalists. We acknowledge that the 99th annual Campbell County Fair brings us together to share new stories and experiences through newer, more relevant technologies, social platforms and apps.

Let’s get social In keeping with this year’s theme, Generation Fair, Campbell County Fair invades our magazine and County 17’s community news stream August 31 – July 3! You’ll find fair info, a detailed schedule of events, real-time fair results, and so much more at www.county17.com/ccfair.

facebook.com/82717Life

#CCFAIR / #GenFair / #CCFCloverKids We encourage you to use these hashtags to find and share pics and vids across your socials.

@82717Life

82717Life.com / County17.com/ccfair More great things happening online! From local events to added features and exclusive video discussions about the stories you see here in print. We’ve got it going on for fair at County17.com/ccfair and all month long at 82717Life.com.

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@82717Life

As a small part of a greater effort to celebrate agricultural and the rural lifestyle that constitutes the backbone of this community, we’ve launched the new Campbell County Fair Clover Kids campaign (CCFCloverKids), where friends, family, and the community of Gillette and Campbell County are introduced to local 4H’ers and invited to follow along as they train their livestock and prepare their projects for the Campbell County Fair 2019, beginning July 26 through Aug. 4.

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k c o l F e Th

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he sheep were hungry. After their morning practice sessions with the Gray siblings, they bleated and bayed in the nearby pen while 15-year-old Carl and younger sister, 13-year-old Stephanie, measured their food based on the weight of each of the eight sheep.

Younger brother Clyde, 11, meanwhile, slipped inside the house to feed himself.

The kids, who had been up since 6 a.m. on a typical Monday summer morning, were getting a bit of a late start, they said, due to the unseasonably cold morning at the family’s home off Austin Drive, 11 miles north of Gillette. Two weeks into June, the siblings have about two months left to get their lambs ready for the Campbell County Fair.

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Right now, they’re trying to fatten them up.

At just under a year, the eight sheep are weighing in at about 100 pounds apiece. You feed the sheep 3 percent of their body weight, Carl explained, as he dumped a scoopful of sweet feed into a large bucket in his sister’s hand. Stephanie added the alfalfa pellets and corn before she mixed it all up – on her mom Lynne’s prompting – and headed over to the pen.

The sheep were happy to see her.

Bleating as they jumped over one another and jockeyed for a spot at the two feeding troughs, they were not interested in their handlers as they chowed down.

The Gray kids have been competing in the sheep contests at both county and state fair for the past five years. Right now, their focus is on fattening the lambs to meet the four criteria for showmanship, namely fat loin, big square butt, squat feet and big puffy limbs. The kids are also competing in other 4-H events like shooting and static sports, so they’re busy this time of year. This morning, it’s all about the sheep.

With names like Chex Mix, Muddy Buddy, and Dick and Jane, their sheep are a non-fancy mixture of speckled, black and white faces, and already all three kids have isolated their showmanship lamb and have been haltering them and working on getting them set up for the judges.

While the older Gray siblings have a more

pragmatic working relationship with their animals, Clyde is all hugs, nuzzling his lamb in between feedings, who was happy to pause in her feeding for a little love.

“He’s the lover in the family,” mom Lynne said, noting that he has a knack for picking calm and passive animals that fit his personality. For his part, Clyde likes the sheep, but loves the money more.

Last year, he brought home roughly $700, after paying off his investment in both lambs and food. In the auction, sheep typically net about $5 a pound with the sheep weighing anywhere from 100-140 pounds. Deduct from that the cost of feeding them for about four months and the cost of the animal itself, which runs around $180 each.

And though the kids enjoy playing with the sheep and give them names, they are comfortably distant when it comes to knowing that those very animals will wind up on someone’s plate.

“We don’t get too attached,” Carl explained.

Coming from an agricultural background, with both parents hailing from the Wyoming ag world, the kids have learned how the business works

by taking part in both the economics and caretaking end. They’re old-school, Lynne explained, buying their feed from their grandfather in Pine Bluffs, who runs a feedlot, and using their dad’s old fitting stand for sheering them prior to fair as well as the big heavy scale inherited from their grandfather.

“We want them to understand how the industry works,” Lynne said, should they care to become involved down the road.

So far, none of them has expressed an interest, but given their long list of activities and sports, like most ordinary teenagers, their attention is currently divided by any number of things that make long-term career choices a bit difficult to pin down. For now, Carl thinks he wants to be a vet, while Stephanie would like to be a physical therapist and part-time photographer.

Clyde, meanwhile, really likes dogs – including their 10-year-old Australian Shephard Socks – who gets chased around by the sheep and equally coddled by the siblings, who all vied for his attention as they finished up their morning livestock chores.

See the Grays and their sheep at the Campbell County Fair Youth Sheep Show

Thursday, Aug. 8 at 8 a.m.

at the CAM-PLEX East Pavilion.

Photo: Stephanie Gray JULY / AUGUST 2019

t e k c i Cr s e d i R y b Ru

L

ast year, Rooster was a bit sassy, Cricket Ruby explained, so they’re working on his manners. In last summer’s Campbell County Fair 4-H competition, Rooster, her 15-year-old pony, tried to ignore her, among other poor showmanship behaviors, so the pair have been spending a lot of time lately bonding and working on their patterns.

With Rooster tied to the horse trailer in her backyard, 9-year-old Cricket, who just barely reached the top of his head, scratched his forehead under his tuft of brown hair and explained their Saturday morning training on the family acreage about 15 miles south of Gillette on Highway 50. With less than a month to go to fair, they’re focusing a lot on groundwork. Point and swing. Lunging. Training Rooster to flex, so he’s not so stiff in the ring.

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“Last year, he wasn’t focused on me,” she said like a seasoned professional as she squinted down at his hooves, which will need some polishing before he’s competition-ready. “I want him to be more smooth and agile and not distracted by his horse friends.”

Apparently, Rooster has an active social life, so when he gets around the other horses at fair, he sometimes forgets about his rider.

All their extra bonding time together seems to be paying off. When the pair attended 4-H horse camp in Thermopolis earlier this summer, several people commented to Cricket about how well behaved Rooster was and that Cricket was making riding look very easy.

“One person said that he was the best pony she’d ever saw,” Cricket said with a grin.

The pair have also been doing well in the

recent 4-H Progress Shows, where she’s also trying out a couple new lucky outfits. She likes the fancy shirts and bling, personally, though in the competitions where she can’t wear it, she’s content to settle for a Western shirt to coordinate with him.

That shows they’re a team, she explained.

Mom Catrina watched her daughter with a smile as she confidently led Rooster through a couple warm-up exercises. The pair have bonded incredibly well over the past year, she said, and last week when Cricket was walking past his corral Rooster ran over to the fence and whinnied, letting her know he was out there waiting for her.

That her daughter is comfortable riding and training her pony isn’t exactly the easiest

experience for her, Catrina admitted. Growing up on her family’s Schlautmann Ranch, she watched her mom have a pretty terrible accident, and afterwards, the family had given up horses.

And though she married into a long legacy of serious horsemen and women, with Doug’s sister Connie, the 4-H Horse Superintendent, and her husband JD McGinley, Catrina herself hasn’t overcome the fear to ride and sometimes has a hard time watching her daughter.

“She loves it, though,” Catrina said as she watched Cricket tug on Rooster’s halter, “so I try to keep my anxieties at bay.”

Along with riding Western, Cricket has lately been experimenting with riding English and even has her own saddle, which she pulled out of the horse trailer to demonstrate. Her dad Doug sets up the saddle for her on a fence, so she can practice her balance. Rooster, which was a hand-me-down from Aunt Connie, has only been ridden once English-style, so she’s not sure how he’ll do.

“He’s a little stocky,” Cricket said of Rooster, noting that horses used for riding English tend to be taller and lither, like her younger sister Ginger’s new pony Sparky, who just arrived last night. She eyed Sparky walking slowly around the perimeter of his new corral, learning the lay of the land as a couple of her barn cats darted around blowing dust onto her cowboy boots.

Her cats, Sweetie, Racer, Poofie Face, Jewel, and Dandelion, also factor into her

Campbell County Fair 4-H practice as she plans to compete with them too. And her chickens, and a few static projects. Done practicing with Rooster for the day, Cricket was busy chasing down her favorite chicken. The cats dodged in-between her legs while 7-year-old Ginger followed close behind her older sister, biding her time before she gets her chance in the ring.

By: Jen C. Kocher

Parenting,

Politics & SWEET THINGS with

Laura C hapman INTERVIEW BY STEPHANIE SCARCLIFF

In a city heavily frosted with cupcakes — there’s Momma Johnna’s, 2 Kids and a Cupcake, Sweet Cakes, and of course Gillette’s original cupcake mainstay, Alla Lala Cupcakes & Sweet Things, to name a few — the search for the perfect tiny cake with just the right cake-to-frosting ratio was beginning to feel a bit tired. But recently, we stopped by Alla Lala’s newish 3rd Street location — a hip downtown shop with a tree built inside it — and were reminded why we fell for owner Laura Chapman’s delectably sweet, ready-to-go treats in the first place.

While she sells her own variations of all the predictable flavor staples such as Very Vanilla, Birthday (vanilla cake, chocolate frosting) and Un-Birthday (chocolate cake, vanilla frosting), we chose a few of her more inspired offerings: Rhubarb Basil, Mr. Pineapple, Butter Beer, Caramel Macchiato, S’mores and Boston Cream.

Mmmm!

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Known for her sweet things, she also has a pretty cool backstory. At age 31, with a successful 11-year career in marketing and business development at an Arizona-based advanced technology architectural and engineering firm, Laura was overcome by severe post-partum after the birth of her second child, Torin. Far removed from her family in Wyoming, and with her husband Trevers working on location in North Dakota, she packed up their home and children on a whim and moved back to Gillette to live with her mother.

She telecommuted for three months in 2013, before realizing that she could continue down that path and have a successful career in marketing or pave a new one that would bring her happiness and fulfillment. She spent hours at her mom’s kitchen table that year, buried in books. She knew that she wanted to start her own business but didn’t know what she wanted to do.

She remembers telling Trevers, “I just want to bake cupcakes and make people happy.” Do that, he told her. From there, she researched how to write a business plan and secure funding. When she presented her plan to First National Bank Loan Manager Tom Hammerquist, she recalled, he was blown away.

She would have to bake five dozen cupcakes a day to break even, she said. Today, she’s cranking out 30 dozen, plus cakes, fresh macarons, lunch and coffee.

And although her shop has incredible lunchtime bites like paninis, soups and salads, it’s the gobs of crave-worthy every day, weekday and seasonal cupcake flavors baked from scratch with fresh, natural ingredients, gluten-free and vegetarian options that keep us coming back for more. And more. Our go-to is the Coal Seam Overload: a chocolate cake topped with chocolate frosting and — wait for it — more chocolate in the form of cookie crumbles.

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82717: What’s the biggest problem you see

Baked goods from scratch with fresh, natural ingredients.

During our visit, Laura spoke candidly about the vision, planning and people behind her tactful business model and shared how countless hours of tireless research at her mother’s kitchen table sparked the bold moves and novel flavors that have made her shop a success. She also talked about prioritizing family, dodging politics altogether and pursuing her dreams as a working mom, before touching on the stigmas surrounding needed conversations about mental health.

82717:

Laura, you were pretty vocal on social media following the Sage Valley Jr. High School incident last year, taking the conversation away from gun control and instead asking parents to “HUG YOUR (expletive) KIDS” and then appealing to the community at large to “Just be kind to one another for (expletive)’s sake. It’s not that hard.” Can you speak on that?

We’re the first examples our children will emulate, so perhaps we should show them first and foremost how to be kind. It's the "practice what you preach" concept. If my monsters see me treating the people around myself with respect and kindness, they will emulate that. My husband often tells people "I appreciate you,” be it our server at a restaurant, the checker at the grocery store, or the fifth cell phone company representative he's been transferred to. I love that about him, that he tries to recognize the efforts of the people around him. It’s a small gesture, but meaningful. I think our days should be filled with small gestures, because they can add up to big things.

As for hugging your kids, our society is built around judgement and fitting in. Atypical persons are often ostracized, and that’s something many people do unconsciously. So, we need to make a conscious effort to be inclusive and kind. I think that everyone, especially children, need to be uplifted, encouraged, loved, and accepted. Hugs are a great way to convey all of those things in one simple gesture.

kids facing today?

I want my children to just be themselves – quirky and awkward and truly marvelous. Take my daughter Naiya, for example. She is 14 and absolutely wonderfully bizarre. I love that she is unlike anybody else, and I don't want to see her become another robot in our social machine. I want to see her become more fully herself, the best version of Naiya she can be. That's why I encourage my kids to embrace what sets them apart from others, what makes them them…that’s the good stuff. My Naiya is thoughtful and introspective, emotional but very private. She’s also a band geek, a book worm, a gamer nerd, a hockey player, and has the goofiest sense of humor (I never get her jokes).

I use these labels as terms of endearment, because I want her to accept and embrace being exactly who she already is, and once you have accepted yourself, it’s a lot harder for others to tear you down. Selflove is some powerful armor.

82717: Your kids are your “monsters,” and it

sounds like you encourage them to be true to themselves. What are your philosophies on parenting? What works? What doesn’t?

I don't know that I have a true parenting style, more a philosophy for personal accountability. I am responsible for me and only me: how I feel, how I react to situations, how I treat people. I want my kiddos to be responsible for themselves. I want them to be responsible for how they view the world, and how they treat themselves and others. My son, Torin, is a whirlwind. We call him the Torin-ado.

He's impulsive and chaotic, and I am constantly, and firmly, setting boundaries. But I want him to flourish, to learn how to be himself in a society with rules. So, I try to teach them both that; ultimately, only they are responsible for their successes and failures. Torin had a really hard time when he entered kindergarten. He cried almost every day when he had to go to school. I started talking to him about choosing to have a positive attitude towards school, to focus on the things that he enjoyed about it, rather than what he didn’t like. We would talk about how he gets to choose if he has a good day or a bad day. It felt like victory the day I picked him up, asked how his day was, and was told that it was great, that he didn’t enjoy some of the things they did that day, but he said he chose to be happy anyway.

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82717: You’ve been open with us about the

struggles you’ve faced as a wife and mother, including depression. Your story, from reinventing yourself at your mom’s kitchen table to following your passion and creating a successful business from scratch in your thirties, is an inspiration. What advice would you give other moms or future entrepreneurs?

Parenting is HARD. Hell, just adulting is hard. Make sure to give yourself a ton of grace along the way, because we all screw things up. Own that, take it and be better because of it. I am not a perfect parent or a perfect person by any stretch of the imagination. I have to remind myself that every day is a challenge I’ve never faced before, so it’s ok if I don’t get it right the first time. Parenting and starting a business are even harder. I had a lot of support when I decided to quit my job and start Alla Lala, from my mom, my mother-in-law, my sisters, but most importantly, my husband. He didn’t even blink, just helped me plan and execute it. Not everyone has that same built-in system, so the best advice I can give is to seek out people already living their dreams. Most of those I’ve found are more than happy to talk and encourage you. Surround yourself with people that believe in themselves, and watch, ask questions, soak it up. Be open, curious and brave.

82717: Let’s talk politics. What issues or

causes do you believe in and why?

I try pretty hard not to get political – that always feels a lot like heartburn. I’m very secure in my own views, and I don’t feel a need to try to sway people to my viewpoints. I can respect that others have different opinions. That said, I am a very staunch feminist. I think this world needs more strong, vocal women. We need to feel empowered, accepted and embraced, no matter the place we choose to make in this world. We need to support each other, lift each other up, be encouraging and above all be genuine and kind.

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By: Stephanie L. Scarcliff JULY / AUGUST 2019

Most of their flavors can be baked gluten-free and Alla Lala boasts around a dozen vegetarian offerings.

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Unsung

Heroes VAC Volunteers are working hard to inspire and represent the best interests of abused and neglected children in Campbell County. | By: Stephanie L. Scarcliff

The Visitation & Advocacy Center for the Sixth Judicial District, formerly known as CASA, has served the community of Gillette for over 20 years.

Their newer, longer designation, albeit wordier, is more accurate. Here’s why: The Visitation & Advocacy Center for the Sixth Judicial District (VAC), comprised of six full-time employees, four part-time staffers and 58 volunteer advocates who strive to provide a voice and programs for the protection, care and welfare of local children in need, offer up so much more than strictly Court Appointed Special Advocate services (which they still do, btw) for abused and neglected kids in Campbell County. For example, VAC provides services for supervised parenting time and

exchanges for domestic relations, custody disputes and separated parents, as well as for families involved in the Department of Family Services’ child welfare system. They’re also implementing a new program utilizing therapy dogs.

But to even begin to fully comprehend the magnitude of services, coordination and impact this one agency (working out of a discrete building tucked behind the post office) is having on the kids, teens and families of our community, we asked five-year Case Manager Supervisor Becky Terry to bring a recent Advocate of the Month award-winner, Ann Blauert, by the 82717 offices to speak about her experience as a part of VAC’s advocacy program.

O

n a Tuesday afternoon in June, advocate Ann Blauert sat quietly at the oversized table in the conference room. Wearing a taffy pink buttondown sweater open over a modest gray t-shirt, her brown curls fell just below her shoulder.

She smiled nervously as she talked about how much it means to be a volunteer child advocate. An office manager at NAPA, she’s more likely accustomed to churning out numbers behind a desk than

answering a barrage of questions point blank from a stranger, probing into her personal life for a story.

But she’s all for it, “if it helps the kids.”

Blauert has built a three-year tradition of helping not one but four local children, elementary school-aged siblings, who have suffered some form of trauma and/or abuse in the home. Their names, sex and ages are not identified nor discussed and no specifics about their circumstance or family dynamics are given. VAC Supervisor Becky Terry

explained that these are children in need, and it’s left at that. Protecting these children is what they do, and they’re good at it.

The conversation returned to Blauert’s advocacy, which began when she attended the Red Wagon Pulling for Kids event in March 2016. The advocates who took the stage that night to speak about their experiences had moved and inspired her.

However, she was fresh out of college at the time and, admittedly, couldn’t afford to contribute monetarily.

In 1976, a Seattle juvenile court judge had to make a life-changing decision about whether or not to remove a 3-year-old girl from her home, based on a report of child abuse. The judge felt he didn’t have enough information to make a fair ruling, but the case inspired the creation of Court Appointed Special Advocates, or CASA — just one of many programs and services offered through Gillette’s Visitation & Advocacy Center for the 6th Judicial District.

ADVOCATING FOR KIDS

185 volunteers are needed to represent the best interests of abused and neglected children with open cases in Campbell County.

Become an advocate. Call or visit VAC in Gillette to let them know you’re interested in becoming a volunteer. You’ll need to pass a few tests and a background check, and complete up to 35 hours of instruction and online training.

“Non-profits in our community need feet on the ground to help them,” she said. “I could do that.”

That night, she filled out one of the comment cards provided and left it on the table, where she’d sat watching the men and women who’d unknowingly shaped the next chapter of her life.

“I got a call and applied to be an advocate the next week,” she said.

Blauert was over 21 and passed all the required background screenings. She was then

required to complete several hours of online and classroom training sessions and was finally sworn in at the courthouse and handed her first case.

Three years later, she continues to serve those same four children.

In addition to monthly individual and group time, Blauert attends court hearings and participates in multi-disciplinary team meetings, which include the Department of Family Services, the County Attorney, court-appointed Guardian Ad Litem, and

Campbell County School District representatives, including each of the kids’ teachers and counselors, the kids’ parents, foster parents, and/or guardians and their lawyers.

“It takes a half hour once a month to make a difference in someone’s life,” she said, struggling to hold back her tears. “It’s not as hard as you think.

Who else is going to help these kids?”

By: Stephanie L. Scarcliff

JULY / AUGUST 2019

27

DEDICATED TO PROVIDING YOU WITH SOLUTIONS

The Counseling Center

1401 W 2nd Street, Gillette, WY 82716

307.682.6699

thecounselingcenterofgillette.com Specialize in treatment of stress, excessive worries, depression in children, teens, and adults.

Traditional talk therapy and non-traditional methods like EMDR and hypnosis.

Ann Phillips MS, LPC, NCC

Tomi Barbour MA, LPC

Leslie Mashak MS, LPC

The Under Dog

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The “Under Dog� program consists of two separate facets: THE FACILITY PROGRAM Our certified therapy dog/facility dog will be utilized at the visitation center and has been trained to assist staff with various client related services.

THE R.E.A.D. PROGRAM This program utilizes registered therapy dogs to interact with our clients by allowing the chil-

dren to read to them or just sit and be pet.

Some of the Program Benefits: O Clients feel comfortable & relaxed O Offers support while talking O Acts as an ice breaker

O Provides support for adults & children O Helps children improve their reading

Meet Jamboree!

We are very excited to have Jamboree meet and greet guests at our office and accompany us in some orientations and visitations.

O Helps gain self-esteem while reading

300 S. Carey Avenue, Gillette Wyoming | 307-687-9440 | Open Monday - Friday 9 am to 5 pm

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JULY / AUGUST 2019

Tomi Barbour INTERVIEW BY STEPHANIE SCARCLIFF

Y

ou’ve got questions.

(So many questions.)

We’ve got answers.

Gillette counselor Tomi Barbour helps kids and adolescents with adjustment disorder, substance abuse and other mental health issues.

In a recent sit down, she talks about a parent’s role in their child’s mental health and how The Counseling Center is integrating new treatments.

What’s the biggest mental health issue Gillette’s children face?

I think the root problem is self-image issues.

Kids are really trying to figure out who they are

What’s your specialty?

I focus primarily on community mental health, which covers a broad spectrum of the population without limiting the age or life phase of my clients.

Why did you choose this specialty?

We live in a rural Wyoming community, and it makes sense for a counselor to be adaptable and understand the issues that can affect a client throughout the duration of their lifetime.

What do you like about working with kids and adolescents?

It’s an honor to do my job, every day. People come to see me and they trust me. They trust me with their problems, they trust me with their kids, and they trust me to do everything within my power to help, often through some of the most challenging experiences of their lives. For me, being able to help people, children, and teens in particular, that’s the most rewarding job I can imagine.

in the world and how they fit, and there are new challenges to a child’s growth and development in Campbell County in 2019. Things like changing family structure, new societal norms, or the overwhelming influence of peers via social media result in kids having a larger pool of influence.

Also, understanding media-driven information and content is so important. Some people are surprised to learn that how a child’s parents are doing can directly impact that child’s mental health. For example, if a parent is not doing well emotionally, or perhaps financially, oftentimes the child will also struggle. Think of it like this, the family is a system and when one part of the system isn’t running up to par, it affects everyone in that system.

What about for teens and adolescents?

What problems are they facing?

For teens, the world begins to shift from being centered around one’s parents and siblings to being more peer-driven and peer-centric.

At this point, subgroups begin to form which can further any already preexisting divides, especially for those teens who do not fit into publicly perceived social norms, and can leave a teenager feeling unaccepted, unwanted, and depressed.

Why are self-perception issues so relevant for teens?

Teen issues, in terms of “who I am in the world and where do I fit in” haven’t changed, but external influences have.

In the past, the peer group that would have held the most influence over a teen would have included other teens within the community where they lived, including their schoolmates, teammates, neighbors, and friends from church. Now, teens have access to peer groups across the globe, so they have a lot more pressure to figure out who they are and more points of reference from which to compare themselves, which can distort a teen’s perception of self and reality.

Is screen time the problem? How many hours do you recommend?

The standard recommendation from the American Pediatric Association is one hour for ages 2-5 and two hours for older kids, preferably of high-quality, JULY / AUGUST 2019

29

educational-type programming. For example, shows or videos that help children learn about the world or teach important life skills like empathy and connection. We like to call these shows academic or social skills-promoting but, ultimately, if your kid is in front of the TV, on a phone, or tablet, this is the preferred form of programming because there’s some

value in it — making it better than most. My son is 12, he gets an hour on the phone and his game time is only 30 minutes. But he has unlimited access to apps like Audible, Kindle, and Calm, which are educational, mindfulness, and mental health apps that can be used to help kids and teens with mental health issues.

One in five children in the United States has a diagnosable mental health condition, but children and adolescents represent a mental health treatment gap in which many who need help and treatment don’t get it. The Counseling Center, located at 1401 W. 2nd Street in Gillette, provides mental health and counseling services including crisis intervention, trauma, domestic violence, divorce, relationships, anger management and substance abuse evaluations aimed at closing the gap.

Are blended family, single-parent or two parent-working homes a problem?

No. There have always been challenges when it comes to parenting, but what impacts the mental health of children the most, in my opinion, is not the family’s situation.

It’s how the family adapts and meets the needs of their children. For example, divorced, single-parent homes, and two parent-working homes, do not necessarily have a negative impact on the mental health of a child. It is how a parent or parents choose to respond that impacts the coping of the child.

Your advice to parents?

In my experience, the parents who are the most successful are those who work continuously to be in

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tune with their child and their child’s needs. Kids tend to speak through behaviors because they can’t always effectively communicate what they’re feeling and needing. So, if you notice behavioral issues like anger outbursts or temper tantrums, particularly for children under 12, or withdrawal and mood changes in your pre-teen or teen, it may be a good time to seek professional involvement and have your child speak with a counselor. If your child is withdrawn or suicidal, it is absolutely the time to seek counseling.

JULY / AUGUST 2019

What’s the biggest mental-health misconception among parents?

If you bring a kid to counseling, it means they’re damaged. That’s simply not the case. I tell parents to think of mental health like physical therapy; sometimes your kids and teens will need a little extra help. Don’t wait until it’s too late to seek out help for your child or yourself. Comparing your kid or your parenting skills and styles to others isn’t fair. No two children or their mental health issues are the same.

Is there a patient or parent behavior you wish you could change?

When I started out, one of the biggest mistakes I made was to press the parent’s concern onto the child, and the child would just shut down. What I’ve found is my job is to help everyone understand different perspectives of the problem and work together to find a solution. Sometimes it is helping the child understand the parent’s concern, and sometimes it is helping the parent understand the child’s perspective.

Tomi Barbour MA, LPC

Tomi earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Wyoming and a Master of Arts Counseling: Clinical Mental Health from Adams State College. She is a licensed professional counselor in the State of Wyoming, specializing in adolescent and adult individual counseling, mindfulness and guided imagery, pain management, hypnotherapy, hypnosis and domestic violence/anger management.

Is there a recent development in your field that you’re excited about?

It may not be a recent development, but I am excited about the concept of executive functioning skills.

These are the skills we all use to adapt, meet, and overcome challenges in our lives. These skills include things like emotional regulation, flexible thinking, planning, and organization. It is really exciting to work with children and watch them learn and incorporate these skills.

What’s a parent’s end-game when bringing a child to counseling?

Successful parents tend to ask things like, “How do I help my child navigate through this and learn the best way to approach this problem in the future?”

We also like to see parents exercise empathy, provide guidance, and meet their child’s discipline needs without limiting outcomes or hindering their child’s independence and character development.

What’s the “perfect parent” look like?

Perfection is a myth. Every day I counsel kids, teens, adults, and parents, I learn more about how to become a better parent to my son. I’m privileged to gain lots of insights and knowledge into the struggles of the average parent and I learn from hearing how children feel. I do worry that I’ll mess him up sometimes because I want him to talk about his feelings all the time. He rolls his eyes and is like, “Mom, stop.” But that’s the job of a parent: We don’t stop. Love and support are a full-time gig.

, o HellBaby!

Connect with us online!

WHCW Y O. COM women’s healthcare obstetrics & gynecology

DAVID BECK, MD

JULY / AUGUST 2019

31

TECH FINDS

The

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279 Over 93 percent of parents say they get more sleep with Nanit’s breathing wear technology that tracks sleeping and monitors breathing without any electronics on your baby or in the crib. This innovative gadget mounts above the crib to record your baby’s sleep and analyze it. Then, also offers guidance and tips through the app. $

REST EASY

Hatch Baby Rest

60 Customize your baby’s sleep space with Hatch Baby Rest. Part sound machine, part night light with a Time-to-Rise indicator for your toddler to know when it’s time to get up, Rest is the super-smart, super-cute, do-it-all sleep device that you control from your smartphone. Adjust volume, brightness and style (with fun coverlets), too.

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$

LABEL BABY

Brother P-Touch Cube

50 Need a smart, easy way to label your kids’ stuff? This app-controlled label maker with Bluetooth wireless tech and multiple templates just reinvented label making. Now, you can wirelessly print labels up to 1 inch-wide from your smartphone, tablet or laptop. It’s the perfect baby shower gift for that tidy control freak in your life! $

nting Gear Guide ier, so you can reach – and maintain — your superhero status, whether your kid’s a newborn or teen.

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Polaroid Cube+

150 Possibly the cutest, most fun little one-button lifestyle action camera on the market. With a recording capacity of up to 90 minutes, this bad boy captures hi-def video and photos with stabilization and a wide-angle lens, and then uses built-in Wi-Fi to stream and sync to your smartphone or tablet in real time. $

FIND THINGS

Tile Mate

25 Keep track of anything with Tile Mate, the world’s best-selling Bluetooth mini tracker. It’s the sleek, compact companion for your keys or wallet that uses an easy-to-navigate app to quickly locate your stuff. The Tile Mate can even find your phone. Or your kids’ phones. Again. $

ZIPPITY DOO DAH

Polaroid Zip

130 Print anywhere with the adorable Polaroid Zip Instant Photoprinter. This pocket-sized device pairs wirelessly to any smartphone (also with the Polaroid Cube+) to instantly edit and print fullcolor photos from your smartphone or tablet in less than 60 seconds. Bonus: 2 x 3” smudge-proof prints have a peel-off, sticky back for extra fun. $

ZANIMATION

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20 Stickbots, with suction-cupped hands and feet, can go anywhere, thanks to an included green-screen stage and stop-motion animation app that’s easy to use for everyone. Your little moviemakers can upload their own photos or use included backdrops, add props, toys, music and sound effects to make mini films starring their Stikbots! $

By: Stephanie L. Scarcliff JULY / AUGUST 2019

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Your Kids’ Academic

A Lo o k a t C a mpbe ll County ’s N ewe st In divi

I

n April, local brother and sister duo Jason Jensen and Jamie Sanders launched Sylvan Learning Center of Gillette — the first franchise in the state of Wyoming.

Located in Gillette’s Camel Plaza, flanked by stores like Candy’s Taqueria and Forget Me Not Floral, their new business marks the national brand’s presence in all 50 states. This year, Sylvan also garnered a spot on the 60th Annual Entrepreneur 019 Franchise 500 Ranking. But

Jensen and Sanders said their motivations speak more to their Campbell County roots than anything else.

“We’re from here,” Sanders said. “I’ve been an educator with the Campbell County School District for over 17 years and believe that our district offers some of the most amazing services and opportunities for its students. We want to build on what the district offers to help students succeed in all areas. After we kicked

around a couple ideas, toured Sylvan’s Baltimore headquarters and a few of their competitors, we went for it.”

The Pronghorn Elementary School fourthgrade teacher says they chose Sylvan for the company’s varied offerings from personalized tutoring, academic coaching, homework help, advancement and test prep to summer math camps, STEM camps, and so much more. In addition to one-on-one tutoring, Sylvan Learning

Looking for ways to keep your child engaged this summer?

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sylvanlearning.com JULY / AUGUST 2019

Sylvan’s Academic Camps are a no-brainer. Choose from fun and challenging topics like math, literature, and engineering and try Build-a-Bot, MakerCamp, or ACT Boot Camp.

Success Just Got Easier

d uali ze d S u p p l em enta l Educ at i on O ffe ri n g s also boasts ACT and college prep, something she said was important in their decision to franchise.

“A lot of tutoring focuses strictly on kids that are below grade level. At Sylvan, we work regularly with high-achieving students as well as struggling students to help them attain even greater academic outcomes,” she said. “Students who come in looking for more of a challenge are learning and thriving here. Students who need extra help find that here as well.”

Her brother and business partner Jensen, an Edward Jones financial advisor, is more of a numbers guy. Over the past four months, their Gillette location has already serviced over 45 local kids and families through roughly 38 educational programs, classes and camps, he said.

“We’re helping students succeed with tailor-made education opportunities previously unavailable in Campbell County,” he said. “Just last week, a Gillette College student came in

asking for a Spanish tutor to help with collegelevel courses. There’s something for everyone at Sylvan Learning of Gillette, and we’re truly here to help.”

Beyond Gillette, the siblings have plans to expand their enterprise throughout the state, but say their hometown will remain their primary focus.

“Again, we’re from here!” Sanders smiled.

By: Stephanie L. Scarcliff

Sylvan Learning Center of Gillette 900 Camel Dr. Suite CC Gillette, Wyoming 82716

(307) 257-2044

JULY / AUGUST 2019

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2

3

1

Reading

WHAT YOUR KIDS SHOULD BE

Check out Steph + Jen's top summer reading picks for kids!

4

5 Photos: Adam D. Ritterbush

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JULY / AUGUST 2019

DITCH SUMMER LEARNING LOSS It’s summer, which means your kids should be reading. Yup! Studies show students’ achievement scores decline over summer vacation by 20-30 percent, or up to one full month’s worth of school-year learning. Eeek!

Kiss the summer slump goodbye by adding these five children’s books to your kids’ summer reading list! (Most are from Wyoming authors and available locally at Teacher’s Corner Kids’ Mart.)*

1.

I Can Only Draw Worms | Will Mabbitt Counting books innately leave little room for surprises. Until now. This smart and superbly silly quick-read picture book is part counting, part laugh-out-loud adventure and all kinds of awesome.

2. Fox the Tiger | Corey Tabor*

Who doesn’t love a quirky, mischievous fox? Gillette native Corey Tabor’s award-winning early reader invokes the imagination with a fun story about a fox who dreams of becoming a tiger.

3. Outdoor Adventure | Stacy Tornio & Ken Keffer*

In "The Kids Outdoor Adventure Book," moth hunting, rock art and winter cookouts are just a few of the fun activities that will get your kids off the couch and out into the great outdoors this summer, where their curiosity will come alive while having fun and learning! Gillette native and Campbell County High School graduate Ken Keffer has put together a bookfull of adventure with cowriter Tornio.

4. Roadie the Ranch Dog | Scott Haynes*

Inspired by the dogs of his childhood and a desire to keep art and music alive in the classrooms of his youth, Newcastle, Wyoming-based author Scott Haynes takes us on a calf-finding adventure. Follow his little orange heeler mix, Roadie, in the Roadie the Ranch Dog four-book series Gillette kids will love.

5. C is for Cowboy | Eugene Gagliano*

Explore the many natural wonders of Wyoming in C is for Cowboy: A Wyoming Alphabet (Discover Americas State by State), with rhyming text for younger readers and detailed expository to keep older readers engaged, by retired Buffalo, Wyoming, schoolteacher Gene Gagliano.

By: Stephanie L. Scarcliff

*Available locally at Teacher’s Corner Kids’ Mart.

& Jennifer C. Kocher JULY / AUGUST 2019

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JULY / AUGUST 2019

H

eather Johnson still has a hard time believing this is her life.

“I feel like I don’t deserve it,” she said, gesturing from the leather couch where she sat beside her husband Shawn in the couple’s sprawling two-story house in the upscale Legacy Ridge subdivision south of town. “I stand in the entryway when I get home each day and just cry and thank God.” Her thankfulness has less to do with materialism than it does being grateful that she and Shawn are no longer hooked on drugs or in prison.

Just a few years ago, the couple was strung out on meth and heroin in Rock Springs, living from one drug fix to the next. Paranoid and ashamed, they lived the chaotic life of most addicts, putting meth and heroin above everything else – jobs, family, children – calling only when they needed bail money. As a dealer, Shawn was “not a nice guy,” according to Heather, and bears no resemblance to the smiling, kind man now at her side.

It would take several months and a huge awakening on Shawn’s part to get to where they

are today. Back then, the pair had been together for about four tumultuous months before they spiraled out of control, eventually losing everything and ending up in prison.

“We were like Bonnie and Clyde,” Heather said. “Two flames joining in fire.”

“We loved to party,” Shawn said with a shrug. “It was only a matter of time.”

That time came much more quickly than either had imagined, and by the point they were arrested, they’d pretty much burned through everything and were staying in hotels or sleeping JULY / AUGUST 2019

39

paying their bills on time. Rather the chaos was erupting in their personal lives and estranged relationships with their kids, ex-spouses and families, who no longer trusted either of them or wanted to be around them.

In some ways, it was a lucky break when one of their customers turned on them to cut a deal with the cops, resulting in their arrest. Out on bail awaiting trial, the couple got a hotel room and continued to party, barely surviving on Malt-O-Meal, and eventually getting caught again and sent to prison.

“It was the lowest point of my life,” Shawn said, looking down at his clasped fingers.

An end, and a beginning.

Now sober and behind bars, both finally woke up. on couches because they’d lost everything they had once worked hard to earn.

ADDICTED Heather’s drug use started early. Growing up in Jacksonville, Florida, by 18, she was already drinking heavily and popping pills, and doctor shopping to maintain her opioid addiction. By 23, she was an unwed mom with a 2-year-old son and living as an addict on the edge.

Distraught, Heather’s parents tried to intervene and sent her to rehab, but she had no desire to be cured. Instead, she escaped from treatment and thumbed it to Rock Springs in 2009, where she fell in with a familiar crowd.

Eventually, she met Shawn, then a meth dealer, who kept the couple in constant supply.

“We basically traded addictions,” Heather said. “Shawn switched to heroin, and I started doing meth.”

From the outside, their lives looked kinda normal. Shawn maintained his oil field job, and Heather worked too. Both were from uppermiddle class families whose names didn’t appear in the police blotter. The fissures, however, had nothing to do with owning a house and

40

JULY / AUGUST 2019

FINDING THE LIGHT In the state penitentiary in Rawlins, Shawn was put into a pod with lifers, gang bangers and murderers. This was his second time in prison and up until now he had seen no point in rehab with drugs out there waiting for him as soon as he got out. This time was different. He’d always told himself he was in control of his own life and didn’t consider himself an addict. Now, those defenses were crumbling, and he admitted to himself that he needed help. Though he hadn’t grown up particularly religious, he now found himself reaching out to God.

“I started crying, and asked God for his help,” he said. “I had tried doing it my own way for the past 38 years and clearly wasn’t getting anywhere.”

In Rawlins, he started attending bible studies and met an older man, Arlen Price, who was doing life for killing his uncle, who Price claimed had sexually assaulted both he and his brother. The fact that a guy like Price, who was facing life behind bars for what he’d been through, struck a chord with Shawn who couldn’t believe he still had such faith and hope. Price took Shawn under his wing and helped lead him to God.

WYOMING

Addiction by the Numbers 5,000 (10.7%) Wyoming adolescents reported drinking alcohol within the past month in 2014-2015 (compared to the national average of 10.6%).

31,000 (6.4%) Wyoming residents over age 12 met criteria for an alcohol use disorder within the past year in 2014-2015 (compared to the national average of 6.1%).

3,261 Wyoming residents were enrolled in substance use treatment in 2015. This number was an increase from 2013 but a decrease from 2011, when 3,396 were enrolled.

Of those in substance abuse treatment, 18.7% were enrolled for a drug problem, 37.7% for an alcohol problem, and 43.6% for both drug and alcohol problems. ____________________________________

ADOLESCENTS Aged 12-17

In 2017, approximately 4% of American teens suffered from a substance use disorder; this equals 992,000 teens or 1 in 25 teens About 443,000 adolescents in this age group had an alcohol use disorder in 2017, or 1.8% of adolescents An estimated 741,000 adolescents suffered from an illicit drug use disorder in 2017, or about 3% of this population. ____________________________________

YOUNG ADULTS Aged 18-25

About 5.1 million young adults battled a substance use disorder in 2017, which equates to 14.8% of this population or about 1 in 7 people.

About 3.4 million young adults in this age group had an alcohol use disorder in 2017, or about 10% of young adults.

About 2.5 million young adults had an illicit drug use disorder in 2017, or about 7.3% of this population.

Heroin use among young adults between 18 and 25 years old doubled in the past decade.

Source: American Addiction Center

Shawn asked for forgiveness and also prayed for Heather, having no idea where she’d gone or would end up.

Over in Lusk at the Wyoming Women’s Center, Heather was also finding her way back.

Two inmates in particular, Darla Rouse and Susan James, led Heather to God, where her life was beginning to take on new meaning as she sobered up. During her incarceration, she wondered about Shawn but figured they were both probably much better off now that they were apart.

Once out of prison in 2016, Heather was accepted at the Volunteers of American (VOA) center where Shawn had also been sent, and the two were rightfully weary of one another. They promised they were rehabilitated and wanted a much different life, but there was the residual fear of former addicts who knew too well the risk of a backslide.

The odds were against them. According to the American Addiction Center, the relapse rate for substance use disorders is estimated to be between 40 to 60 percent, a rate similar to rates of relapse for other chronic diseases such as hypertension or asthma.

Something was markedly different about Shawn, Heather noted, who no longer even talked or acted the same. Once a surly dealer protecting his assets, he was now a smiling guy who talked a lot about God and His plan.

“Shawn was already in his walk with the Lord and had completely transformed,” Heather said. “When I finally saw him, he looked so happy and great.”

“The whole time I had been praying for Heather,” he said, smiling at his wife. “I wanted her to be loved like she should be loved.”

In Gillette, the two tentatively began to see

each other against the advice of all of their family and friends, who feared the two would lead each other back down the same old road. They were a bit leery themselves and limited their time together to meeting at the library for bible study or just to talk.

After being released from prison in March, three months later, the couple married and began their uphill climb.

FIRST STEPS Starting over was the hardest part. Not only had they lost everything, but they had nothing to go to, and for the first time in years, had no vices to lean on.

“For the past 18 years, there was nothing but drugs,” Heather said. “It was the starting over that scared me. But it’s different when you have God in your life. I knew He would take care of us.”

The first step was getting their family on board and to trust them once again. With their biological children living with their ex-spouses, both Shawn and Heather worked hard to prove they were no longer the same people. Luckily, the pair got along well with their, and each other’s, exes, who worked with them to slowly lead up to visitations and supervised visits, and finally, unsupervised longer stays. Likewise, with their own siblings and parents, and repairing all the bridges they had burned in the past.

As they worked on their personal lives, their careers were another area that they wanted to turn around. Despite their past, both had always been reliable, hard workers. Shawn had always wanted to work for Anadarko, where his dad had worked for 38 years and loved his job. Shawn had applied over the years, but now clean and sober, he was determined to finally land his dream job with the company. A position in Gillette opened, and Shawn applied.

Along with the neck tattoos and felony record, Shawn didn’t think he really stood a chance, so when asked about himself in the interview, he point blank explained that he was a felon and former drug addict. The two men interviewing him looked at each other in surprise, but the interview went surprisingly well, Shawn thought, who walked out feeling pretty great because he had told the truth and didn’t try to “B.S.” around.

JULY / AUGUST 2019

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“I think they respected that I was straight with them and just laid it out there,” he said. “But, when I asked what my chances were of getting the job, they were honest and said not good.”

He shook their hands and thanked them for the opportunity, he said, and moved on.

A couple weeks later, he was surprised when they called to say they’d created a contract position for him if he was interested. Had they hired Shawn for that first position, his new boss explained, he’d have been stuck with an entry-wage job. Now, with this new position, he would come in at a higher salary and could work his way up from there.

“They brought me on at two levels higher,” he said. “I called Heather crying. I was so happy.”

“I love that part of Shawn’s story,” Heather said with a big grin. “It shows that hard work pays off and it’s never too late to try again.”

For her part, Heather took a job at the Starbucks in Albertsons, and within a few months, worked herself up to supervisor at the coffee shop.

Then, she just kept working until recently being promoted to assistant grocery manager for the entire store.

Even more astounding to the couple was the visit with Shawn’s brother, a mortgage broker, who informed Shawn that he was able to afford the house in Legacy Ridge, which was much nicer than he'd ever imagined owning.

“I never thought we would live anywhere as nice as this,” Heather said, wiping back tears with the heels of her hands as she looked around at the arched, tall ceilings, granite countertops, leather couches and large square coffee table where a neat stack of magazines waited. Framed photos of family and crosses hang on the walls.

“There’s not a day that goes by that I

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JULY / AUGUST 2019

don’t feel blessed,” Heather said, while Shawn nodded solemnly.

MIRRORING CHANGE That day, a sunny June morning, Heather’s daughter asked her mom if she could go outside for a bike ride, so the couple followed her out

on the front lawn and smiled and waved as she jumped on her bike and showed off some of her new tricks as she practiced steering with one hand.

At age 46, the couple is not taking any of this for granted, and both praise God for where they are now and have been. They in large part credit the Journey Church, Second Chance Ministries and the Mirror Program in Casper, as well as Shawn’s family, for helping them turn their lives around.

As far as they're concerned, they attribute God for directly having a hand in their sobriety

and success and are happy and content living a sober life at Journey Church and home. Neither miss anything about their former lives, and if anything, see their past as a good reason to remain sober.

“This is the first town I’ve lived in where I’ve never been to a bar,” Shawn said with a surprised smile.

They’ve had to cut off friendships with people from their past who are still in that world, but it’s a small price for where they both are today.

Instead, they’re working hard to help others turn their lives around, mentoring and offering bible study with the inmates at the Campbell County Detention Center, where they go a couple times a week. They also help mentor juveniles as well as other volunteer public service.

Some regrets don’t go away, however, and both have their share of those.

She watched her parents die thinking that they’d lost their daughter. Her mother passed away while she was in prison and her dad not long thereafter. Perhaps worse yet is the influence she had on her oldest son, who at age 26 is now in jail for drugs.

“He followed in his mom’s footsteps,” she said, covering her mouth with both hands as tears pooled in her eyes.

Shawn had to work hard to repair his relationship with his daughter. He knows he failed her and is doing whatever he can to make amends.

“Looking back on that life makes me sick,” Shawn said quietly, studying his hands.

Nonetheless, on this warm, June morning, Heather and Shawn cheered from the edge of their well-groomed, manicured lawn as their daughter pedaled figure eights in the street, enjoying the first day of summer.

By: Jen C. Kocher

The judge’s room is just as he left it. A half-played domino game is spread out on a coffee table and framed photos of a teenage-aged girl decorate one corner of his desk next to the gavel the judge was known for liberally pounding during trials. A wallet and pile of mug shots in the beaten-up leather briefcase under his chair are the only clues he’s left behind.

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ow, the question is where did he go and who might have wanted to see him missing?

This is just one of the mysteries that people pay to solve when they step into 307 Mysteries. Parked in a gravel lot off of N. Highway 14-16, a mile out of town, four mobile trailers have been meticulously repurposed into

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various staged scenarios by owner Lezlie Kinsinger, whose imagination and analytical crime-solving abilities rival that of Sherlock Holmes.

It’s pretty addictive, she admitted. Kinsinger had tried an escape room for the first time with her kids during a trip to Kansas, and again, later when she was in Las Vegas. A pharmacist by trade, she’d never thought about opening her own escape

room business, but after talking to the owner in Kansas and doing some research, she decided to try it part time as a side business that wouldn’t require too much of a capital investment.

Since opening less than two years ago, 307 Mysteries is staying busy, and Kinsinger is happy to see it catching on, primarily as a group activity for friends or family, corporate team-building exercises

decade, they’ve made it to Wyoming, with escape rooms in most of the larger cities like Jackson, Sheridan, Casper, Cheyenne, and Laramie.

Recently, Kinsinger purchased an enclosed trailer with two converted rooms to grow her mobile operation, parking at events like Donkey Creek Festival, fairs and sometimes at businesses, where she offers shorter, 10- or 30-minute versions of the typical allotted hour to solve a mystery or crime.

She opened the business with one room – her husband’s former camper trailer used for hunting – that has since been converted into the sparse home of a crazy guy, who has been accused of killing the woman he’s obsessed with and her fiancé. She came up with this storyline – much like all the others – at one of her son’s wrestling meets while sitting up in the bleachers.

“There’s a lot of time in between matches,” she laughed. Some of the mysteries can get a little kooky – like searching for an alien at the neighbor’s or escaping from the grips of a mad scientist or from a crazed man who currently has you locked in cuffs inside his grandma’s basement.

Where the scenarios might be whimsical, however, the clues to figuring them out are anything but analytical, requiring the deduction skills of a CIA agent and the sleuthing of a bloodhound.

Seemingly simple, easily overlooked details like a circled date on a wall calendar, an underlined passage in the middle of a book or a plastic tic-tactoe game stuck in a kitchen drawer all might be integral clues for unraveling the puzzle in as short as time as possible.

As a chemist, her mind naturally thinks in puzzles, so for her thinking this way comes naturally, whereas most others struggle. She said that her friend wonders if she’s a secret serial killer. At times, she joked, she wonders herself.

Anywhere from two to five people at a time are invited to solve the puzzle, racing to beat the clock. She watches groups through cameras in each room and is on hand to offer clues at their prompting, but each clue sets that group back by five minutes, so they use this lifeline judiciously.

You can learn a lot about a person in one of these scenarios, she noted, which is probably why they’ve become popular for corporate exercises or sometimes gauging the particular skills of an employee. For her part, she too has learned a couple things about people since opening the business. Namely, they will take anything apart, many are too stubborn to ask for help even when they desperately need it, and most people do not follow directions, no matter how many signs she hangs on the walls.

It’s hard to say who’s having more fun, Kinsinger or her clients, up to 30-50 people a week, many of whom are repeat customers, including one couple who tried all four rooms in one day.

Currently, she’s open by appointment only (with hours listed on her Facebook page). The cost is $12 to $15 for the hour-rooms and she has special rates for shorter-timed rooms.

By: Jen C. Kocher

and even for couples on first dates. It’s a great way to weed out a potential boyfriend, Kinsinger noted, recounting a few of the times couples have emerged with mysteries unsolved and not talking.

And though some people have never heard of escape rooms, they have been popular since around 2004, emerging by extension from interactive escape room games like “Crimson Room.” In the last JULY / AUGUST 2019

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Gillette’s New

ENTERTAINMENT DESTINATION

A long-awaited adrenaline pumping escape has opened right here in Gillette. It’s the newest destination location, and is a journey all on its own merit. The state-of-the-art extreme adventure park is f inally here.

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D

ream big has always been businessmen and entrepreneurs Brian Ellis and Tom Simons’ motto. Brian, a First Northern Bank of Wyoming mortgage lender by day, shared the idea about a trampoline park with his long-time friend and business partner, Team Properties Group Realtor and entrepreneur Tom Simons. The two have a history of floating out various business ideas – some worked, some didn’t – but they never let that stop them.

Ellis and his fiancé Felicia Porch went out of town often looking for family-oriented fun activities with their two girls.

“Why are we going out of town and spending our time and money elsewhere? We need something right here in Gillette,” Ellis said. That idea sparked yet another business vision, and he approached Simons with his idea.

“Tom shook his head and just laughed,” Ellis said.

Eventually, Simon got on board as their research and business plans literally took flight.

After touring numerous trampoline and adventure parks across the country for almost two years asking

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questions, taking notes, brainstorming, and as always, dreaming big, the last stop was attending the annual International Association of Trampoline Parks (IATP) Conference and trade show in Nashville.

“We met and spoke with the best of the best in the business — experts in their field,” Ellis said. “We swapped stories, ideas, building design concepts even down to the smallest detail, socks, believe it or not.

Socks always made the top of the list.”

The two took all they learned on the road home – including socks – as they put together their plans for building their own adventure park in Gillette.

What they built was better than either of them had thought. Upon entering Flight Zone’s

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front doors, guests are transported inside 360° degrees of eye candy, as visitors struggle to figure out what to look at first.

Typical Laser tag? Not for them.

“Our two-story reality laser arena transports gameplay and imagery to an out-of-world experience,” Simons said. “With state-of-the-art Laserforce GEN 8 interactive jackets and phasers that are fully customizable. Pick your avatar and code name that will be displayed on the 5-inch chest screen, track your game play and move up levels.”

Reality is set aside once you enter the area of fast-moving players, he added, where the mystic of a city is filled with dangers around every corner and enemies to defeat.

“You become one with the landscape. The smoke machines, laser lights and techno music take you to another realm of gameplay reality where you influence characters in a real-time experience,”

he said. “It’s truly an unforgettable immersion, interactive gamified experience that will take you to multiple intergalactic dimensions.”

If your kids like jumping on the bed or couch to couch, he added, then it’s “Flight Zone to the rescue!”

With over 15,000 feet of trampolines, including a two-story NINGA warrior course that has multiple levels of obstacles, three performance trampolines, a wipe out zone, three different height slam dunk basketball hoops, full foam pit with trapeze bar, high jump and launch trampoline to a fully enclosed dodge ball arena. Add to this, the open jump trampolines and two long 50-foot tumbling trampolines.

“Heck, even the walls are trampolines,” he said. “Nights and weekends offer black light events, full light shows and a thumping sound

system to keep the party going.”

For those that don’t wish to jump, there is a full arcade with prize redemption.

“You can try your luck at one of the 41 player arcade games, score more tickets and get big prizes from the large redemption area. They have games for all ages and skill levels,” Simons said.

“People are so excited about having another attraction,” he added. “It’s not only for families.”

Along with all the activities for kids, Flight Zone also hosts corporate events, couples, kids’ birthday parties, athletic competitions, gaming experiences and exercise opportunities. With six private party rooms, they can accommodate a variety of special occasions with a multitude of options to choose from.

“It’s meant to be interactive and create that meaningful memory with families, coworkers and friends alike,” he said. “And you won’t leave hungry! Flight Zone offers Hot Stuffed Pizza, burgers, chicken, cinnamon rolls, cookies, appetizers and all kinds of beverages. Parents can relax in one of the many massage chairs or lounge areas and watch the game.”

Porch, an agent at Pat Avery Real Estate, started helping out around Flight Zone before they opened, answering phones and interviewing potential employees. She’s since become a Flight Zone fixture, dubbed events coordinator, a position that keeps her busy.

In the end, their goal is to see families, community members, kids and businesses have the “flight of their life.”

Paid content.

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July / August Family-Friendly

Events & Adventures July 1 Up-cycled and Vintage Market

Come shop with the best vintage and handmade vendors around at the Up-cycled and Vintage Market Trade Show, a part of CAM-PLEX's first Summer Festival, at the CAM-PLEX Wyoming Center Equality and Frontier Halls, Friday from 3-7 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

July 8 Family Picnic Potluck

The Campbell County Democratic Party invites residents of all political stripes to join their family picnic at the Pat Mueller Shelter Monday evening, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Bring a dish to share and your family to meet others in the community and have fun. Hot dogs and drinks will be provided (no alcoholic beverages, please).

July 12 John King in Concert at CAM-PLEX

Come swoon and croon to the sounds of rising country star John King, whose song, “Try Saying Goodbye,” was just listed among top 10 country songs by Rolling Stone Magazine. The Friday night concert starts at 7:30 p.m. in Equity Hall. Tickets are $25, and can be purchased at www.cam-plex.com.

July 16 Party at the PLEX

Bring your family and lawn chairs to hear the sounds of The Unknown Knowns Tuesday night for the first concert in CAM-PLEX’s free family concert series.

There will be lots of fun for the kids, including air brush tattoos, yard games and inflatables, and bubble stations. Buy dinner on site from Mickory’s Food Truck with music beginning at 5 p.m. next to the Central Pavilion. Event is weather permitting.

More info can be found at www.cam-plex.com

July 20 Brewfest

Gillette Main Street’s 6th Annual Brewfest event at the 3rd Street Plaza, featuring local and regional brews, including Gillette Brewing Co, Big Lost, Blacktooth, Snake River, Sick-N-Twisted, Luminous and more! Food vendors are Pokies, Gone

Postal Pizzeria, On the Hook and Rosebud Concessions, with live music by Brandon Anderson, The UnKown Knowns, Karessa Kruel, Don't Dread on Me and Ruben Garcia.

Gates open from 4 – 8 p.m. ID’s required.

Advanced tickets available for $30 at Gillette Brewing Company and Alignment Pros Point until Friday, July 21, or pay $35 at the gate. Kids and nondrinking attendees are free. For more information, visit Gillette Main Street Facebook page or Gillette Main Street Brewfest event page.

July 26- Aug. 4 Campbell County Fair Campbell County Fair is one of the largest and longest-running youth and family events in Campbell County. It provides opportunities for the community and local youth, including the 4-H Youth Livestock Sale, Future Farmers of America, and Girl and Boy Scouts, to come together to display their products and livestock for competition. It also provides fun-filled, familyfriendly entertainment with many ticketed and free events July 26 through Aug. 4 at CAM-PLEX.

#CCFCloverKids check out our geofilter!

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MAKE A DIFFERENCE

B

ikers Against Child Abuse, Inc. (B.A.C.A.) exists with the intent to create a safer environment for abused children.

We exist as a body of bikers to empower children to not feel afraid of the world in which they live. We stand ready to lend support to our wounded friends by involving them with an established, united organization. We work in conjunction with local and state officials who are already in place to protect children. We desire to send a clear message to all involved with the abused child that this child is part of our organization, and that we are prepared to lend our physical and emotional support to them by affiliation and our physical presence. We stand at the ready to shield these children from further abuse. We do not condone the use of violence or physical force in any manner; however, if circumstances arise such that

we are the only obstacle preventing a child from further abuse, we stand ready to be that obstacle.

Bikers Against Child Abuse, Inc. B.A.C.A. is a non-profit, 501-C3 tax exempt organization that exists to provide aid, comfort, safety, and support for children that have been sexually, physically, and emotionally abused.

B.A.C.A. is a strong organization of dedicated individuals who are willing to sacrifice any and all in order to protect and secure a child’s basic right to a happy childhood.

While it might be clinically evident that a child has been abused, that child might not qualify for therapy benefits because he/she was too frightened to provide enough evidence for the case to be pursued. He noted that children who feel safe are more capable of telling the truth because the threats made by an abuser are offset by the presence

of dedicated bikers that have now become part of the child’s world.

One of the greatest and most unique assets of B.A.C.A. for the children is its bike-family attitude.

Bikers are a tightly knit group. The brotherhood and family values are not just a way to live, but a way of life. One for all and all for one is not just a quote, it is our reality. The children have an uncanny sense for honesty and trust. The children can feel when they are being lied to or deceived. When a large group of bikers ride to a child’s home to support and honor that child, and the bikers tell that child that he/she does not need to be afraid anymore because the bikers are there and will be there under any circumstances, the children feel the security of a brotherhood.

For more information or to get involved, please contact 307-257-0605

International Journal of Evaluation and Program Planning

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Aug. 1 Lyle Cottrell Memorial 2 Mile

New Patients Welcome!

The whole family can enjoy the Campbell County Rec Center’s “Feet Don’t Fail Me Now” road race series with kids’ fun before every race and a social event to follow. This month’s featured race, the Lyle Cottrell Memorial 2 Mile, sponsored by Big O Tires, will be held Thursday, Aug. 1 at the Recreation Center at 6:30 p.m. Kids Fun Run starts at 6:15 p.m. Visit ccprd.com for more information and race results.

More events

www.82717Life.com

•• General & Cosmetic Dentistry •• Comprehensive Dental Care •• Single Appointment Crowns •• Laser Cavity Detection •• Digital X-Rays •• Single Appointment Root Canals •• Nitrous Oxide Available

Delta Dental Provider 417 West Flying Circle Drive, Gillette, WY 82716

Call (307) 682-3353 www.GilletteDental.com

Aug. 16-17 Homestead Vintage Market Shop outside at the beautifully located 105-year-old homestead, just south of Gillette, at 1275 WY-50. Enjoy rustic charm, countryside views, delicious food and talented musicians and vendors selling unique wares.

The market is open Friday night from 4-8 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

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ADVERTISERS 307 Mysteries 307mysteries.com 307.567.0063

Day Law LLC daylawwyo.com 307.682.7337

Papa John’s Pizza papajohns.com 307.687.7272

Alla Lala Cupcakes and Sweet Things alla-lala.com 480.205.9879

Flight Zone flightzonewy.com 307.670.9400

Papa Murphy’s Take ‘N’ Bake Pizza order.papamurphys.com 307.673.7272

Campbell County Chapter B.A.C.A. bacaworld.org 866.712.2873

Gillette College sheridan.edu 307.686.0254

Red Hills Veterinary Hospital redhillsvet.com 307.696.2525

Campbell County Fair ccgov.net/959/County-Fair 307.687.0200

Gillette Dental PC gillettedental.com 307.682.3353

Sylvan Learning of Gillette sylvanlearning.com 307.696.2223

CAMPCO Federal Credit Union campcofcu.com 307.682.6105

Infinity Builders, LLC infllc.com 307.685-1295

The Bank of Sheridan buffalofed.com 307.673.8100

City of Gillette gillettewy.gov 307.686.5200

Mountain West Dental mountainwestdental.com 307.685.1111

The Counseling Center thecounselingcenterofgillette.com 307.682.6699

County 3 county3.news 307.461.4319

Outliers Creative, LLC outlierscreative.com 307.686-5121

Visitation and Advocacy Center 307.687.9440

Davis ENT Specialists davisent.net 307.686.73.46

Paintbrush Services paintbrushservices.com 307.682.3913

Wyoming Cancer Resource Services health.wyo.gov 888.684.4450

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