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Reflections XIII Note from the publisher
There are many angels among us benefited from their many acts of kindness. There are obviously many residents who desire to help others and many who are Welcome…to our 13th annual truly appreciative of that help. edition of “Reflections,” a special We would like to thank all of supplement to the Fort Morgan those who nominated people for Times and the Brush News Trithe Angels. Every year, the job bune. gets more difficult to choose the We are so honored to be able to most deserving recipients. There salute the 9 residents and groups are so many, and you can tell that of Morgan County communities by the caliber of people who were whose good work and selfless spirit of giving improves the lives selected and featured. Morgan County is truly blessed with an of everyone around them. abundance of talent and of caring These are the unsung heroes, and wonderful individuals whose the “Angels Among Us,” who give hearts are so big. selflessly of their time, their talIn addition to the “Angels ent and their love to make our Among Us,” we’re pleased to county and towns better places to showcase the progress in our live, work and play. They absocommunities, and there has been lutely expect nothing in return. much. During these difficult ecoMany even shy away from any nomic times, we have much to be recognition. proud of. We have maintained, we Some won’t even accept their nomination from those who have have grown, and we are poised to
By Julie Tonsing Times Publisher
meet the upcoming challenges head-on with the style, grace and fortitude that our communities are known for. Thank you to our advertisers who are excited to be a part of a wonderful edition and whose support has helped allow us to share these good news stories. We encourage you to sit back in your favorite easy chair and enjoy the pages of “Reflections.” You will smile, you might even cry, as you read about your friends and neighbors and those business folks down the street. But most of all, we hope you share in our pride of presenting this special salute to the fine men and women who make up the tapestry of the place we call home – Morgan County. It is our pleasure to tell the story of those “Angels Among Us” who are dedicated to making the
lives of others better. It is our pleasure to tell the story of our local businesses and organizations who provide goods and services that we have come to depend on and who enrich our lives greatly. It is our pleasure to bring you Reflections XIII. A Special edition of the Fort Morgan Times 329 Main Street, Fort Morgan, CO 80701 and the Brush News-Tribune 109 Clayton Street, Brush, CO 80723 Publishers: Julie K. Tonsing, Iva Kay Horner Editorial Staff: Jenni Grubbs, Brandon Boles, Stephanie Alderton, Katie Collins Layout and Design: Kent Shorrock and Thomas Martinez Advertising Staff: Andrew Ohlson, Kaitlyn Lane Support Staff: Josephina Monsivais, Wendy Fyfe
INDEX Golden Angel Ron Prascher....................................................4 Angels Among Us Deb Polansky....................................................6 Landre Walker...................................................6 Larry and Elaine Coughlin .................................. 7 Jack Young.......................................................7 Courtney Knight................................................8 Lois Gregg........................................................8 Eileen Carlson................................................10 Ron Burns......................................................10 Progress Profiles Martha Manion...............................................11 Fort Morgan’s comprehensive plan ................... 14
Sunset Manor’s revival .................................... 15 Second-year coaches impress..........................16 New name, new life for Brush golf course..........18 Coach bids farewell.........................................20 Q&A with Robin Northrup.................................21 Back to roots for new MCEDC director...............22 Community History Writers .............................. 24 Paul Larino, Wiggins administrator....................28 Brush braces for big changes...........................30 Farmers State Bank ........................................ 32 High Plains Gymnastics...................................34 East Morgan County Hospital...........................36 Al O’Canas.....................................................39 Paul E. Woodward ............................................ 41 REFLECTIONS • MARCH 30, 2016 • 3
Reflections XIII 2016 Golden Angel
Courtesy photo
The late Ron Prascher was the principal of Brush High School for 27 years, and after his retirement he served as the executive director of the Brush Area Chamber of Commerce.
Prascher left lengthy legacy Brush principal, chamber director was major advocate for community not only his family and friends, but a lengthy and fulfilling legacy. Whether you knew the late Dr. Prascher from his 27 years as the On Sept. 15 of last year, the community of Brush lost one of its big- principal at Brush High School (BHS) or through one of the many gest and best advocates. Dr. Ronald Prascher left behind activities and events he worked
By Iva Kay Horner News-Tribune Publisher/Editor
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with, Ron was a friend to all. And if you didn’t know him, it didn’t take long for you to become familiar with the long-time Brush resident and his caring and friendly soul, his infectious smile or his inspirational disposition and
approach to life and people. A die-hard Nebraska Cornhuskers fan, this year’s Golden Angel recipient and his family moved to Brush in 1970 where he served as principal at BHS until retiring in See PRASCHER, pg. 5
Reflections XIII
PRASCHER from page 4 1997. But retirement didn’t last long as Prascher took on the position of Executive Director of the Brush Area Chamber of Commerce in 2000. It is widely-known that Ron enjoyed working with the people of Brush and surrounding area, where he has been described as a “piece of our community, mentor and promoter of local business.” In his capacity as chamber director, Prascher worked with people from all walks of life in the community on a variety of projects including Oktoberfest, the Main Street Improvement Project, All American City designation with the City of Brush!, Morgan County Economic Development Corporation and served as a member on committees pertaining to the Northeast Colorado Travel Region Board, Historical Preservation Board, Central School, Save Our Sands (SOS), Downtown Streetscape, Ports to Plains/ Heartland South, Brush Area Museum Curators, Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA), Morgan Community College’s CACE and was an associate member of the Fort Morgan United Methodist Church, where he served on the Church Board for five years. Another venue benefitting from Prascher’s “inspirational disposition and approach to live and people” was that of the Brush Rotary Club, where he was a member and past president from 1978 to 1979 and again from 1996 to 1997. A member of the club board from 2005 until his death in 2016, Dr. Prascher served as Assistant Rotary District Governor from 1995 to 1999.
Ron Prascher
His dedication to the Rotary program resulted in the creation of the Ron Prascher Interact Service Award in 2003 and is presented at the annual Rotary District 5450 Conference for the outstanding Interact Club of the Year. The late chamber executive director, who graduated from the University of Nebraska-Kearny in 1962 and the University of Northern Colorado with his Educational Doctorate degree in Educational Administration in 1975, was
known to love a joke, as well as play his share of good-natured pranks. “He loved to play pranks and ping pong,” his wife Elaine stated. “He was known for his ping pong tournaments at the high school.” Additionally, the Brush NewsTribune’s Golden Angel recipient served on the East Morgan County Hospital Foundation Board, the Brush Rodeo Association, Brush Stakeholder’s group, Blue Horizons and was a past board presi-
dent and volunteer for the United Way of Morgan County. Prascher’s commitment and passion for Brush was evident as noted by Gregg Mullen, former chamber board president and owner/agent of State Farm Insurance. “Ron truly loved the City of Brush!, the chamber and his job at the chamber. He was a sincere, caring and friendly soul, always willing to share information, knowledge and resources with those around him. He will be greatly missed.” Long-time friend Homer Andersen, who became acquainted with Prascher in 1976, said, “He was always sincere, dedicated and honest. He had a determined attitude that made him successful.” “Ron would be gratified and very happy,” Elaine stated. “He would be proud to get this award.” She added, “He didn’t do this stuff to get awards, it wasn’t his reason for doing it. He really would like to see this area grow and flourish.” Elaine seconds Ron’s love of people, explaining her late husband was “people-oriented”, especially children. “He loved to work with kids, loved to see them succeed. That’s one reason he was so active in Interact and the Rotary program.” “You’ll never meet another person like Ron,” she fondly commented. In addition to his wife, the late Dr. Ron Prascher has a son, Daniel (Emily) Prascher of Centennial, one daughter, Mirrelle Prascher of Brush, a sister in Arlington, Texas, and five grandchildren.
“He was a sincere, caring and friendly soul, always willing to share information, knowledge and resources with those around him. He will be greatly missed.” Gregg Mullen Former chamber board president
REFLECTIONS • MARCH 30, 2016 • 5
Reflections XIII Angels Among Us
Deb Polansky
ful people,” she said of the warming shelter. “They’re just not what Deb Polansky does not feel like cots and start the process.” people envision an angel, but maybe an angel’s Nominator Barbara Keenan cerhomeless peohelper. tainly sees Polansky as an angel. ple to be. These “I don’t do anything for acco“She recognized an almost invisiare regular peolades,” she said, calling her nomible need in our community that ple: somebody nation as an Angel Among Us and most people ignored or denied, who got hurt on then being chosen “surprising” and assisted in addressing that the job and lost and “very humbling.” need,” Keenan wrote of Polansky. their home or “Deb, whose H&R Block business “It’s in service to the Lord, and lost everything; is on North Main, often observed in service to these people, who somebody who men sleeping between her buildhave become my friends,” Polangot divorced; sky said, referring to the homeless ing another, and men, with sacks whatever the and backpacks, walking rather folks who are able to stay oversituation may aimlessly day after day.” night at the United Methodist be. You hear Church’s annex as a warming shelheart-warming After getting a call from Pam ter. stories from the Hernandez of Rising Up, “Deb people who you That space is being used for that believed God was sending her a Deb Polansky meet there.” message to become involved in purpose partly because of PolanPolansky enviproviding a safe place during the sky answering a call from Rising Up for help understanding the tax winter months for those who need- nature,” but also as a “remarkable” sions herself continuing to work person who has “willed herself to on solutions and help for the implications of running a nonprofit ed it. In spite of Deb and Dave’s homeless shelter. busiest season soon approaching, become a skilled effective woman” homeless. “Getting past the challenge of she found the time to research our and make a difference in so many “It just touched my heart,” said homelessness is difficult,” she lives. “She truly is an Angel homeless problem, talk with variPolansky, who is a H&R Block said. “We all have this picture in Among Us,” Keenan wrote. ous local people, and find a franchise owner, UMC Chair of our minds. God told me these are Polansky has gotten to know “Beyond the Walls” grant, offered the Church Family Growth Team his children. They need to be many of the people she is helping and president of UMC Women, of by the United Methodist Confercared for. It’s a priority for me now so directly. ence to fund this project.” learning about the issue and relatto continue that work.” “The people who stay there, ed needs in the community. “The Keenan describes Polansky as a they’re very grateful and wonderchurch applied for a grant to buy “quiet, shy, retiring woman by — Nominated by Barbara Keenan.
Landre Walker The city of Wiggins means a lot to Landre Walker. He admits the town has gone through some bumps over the years, but everyone has come together to help and do their part to make the city great. To do his part, Walker serves as a volunteer firefighter for Wiggins. He has been doing it for now 28 years. “I wouldn’t be doing it for 28 years if I wasn’t proud of our community,” Walker said. “We’ve come a long way. I’m proud to be a part of that.” The two people who nominated Walker commended him for his
service with the volunteer fire department. Walker has done many things with the department to help, whether it has been participating in every fire call, recruiting new firefighters, and helping those families in need. Walker’s outgoing support has been passed down as both of his sons and one of his employees at the welding company he works at also volunteers with the fire department. One call Walker went on during his time was an important one for a local member of the Wiggins community. A wife found her husband unresponsive in their house
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North Colorado Medical Center. The nominator said that due to quick thinking from Walker and his crew, he was able to come home a week later with no after effects. “Being an excellent neighbor and his Landre Walker work on the fire department and called 9-1-1. Walker was one of means he has many stories like the first responders in minutes at mine that can be replicated in our the site. The husband had suffered community,” the nominee said. an aortic dissection. Walker and the rest of the crew determined – Nominated by Arnold Kammerzell that he needed to be flown to the and Peggy Clay
Reflections XIII Angels Among Us
Larry and Elaine Coughlin
Family and community are at the heart of the many endeavors that Brush residents Larry and Elaine Coughlin have taken up upon retirement. Despite the anticipation of reward, the couple continue to take time to help better their Brush community. Whether it’s spending time in their local United Methodist Church of Brush by lending a hand in washing dishes and driving patrons to and fro, or making efforts to support community organizations by being a salient part of corresponding committees, taking that time to help others in need is simply what good citizens do. “These people and this community are all doing something for us not necessarily us for them,” Elaine said as she spoke of her involvement with the church. “When we drive folks like Miriam Buckmaster to church, to lunch and back to Eben Ezer, she is such a treat, and all our friends are, that really, they are giving more to us.”
it was the greatest experience of their lives, and that’s what it is all about.” Larry also donates his time to the East Morgan County From Elaine’s time as presidentLibrary, serving elect of the Brush Hospital Auxiliaas an active ry to her involvement in Beta Sigboard member ma Phi, an international women’s and huge proorganization that helps donate to moter of the many Morgan County causes from new, wonderful Eben Ezer to the Relay for Life, the things going on time she devotes to others, even in there now. retirement, is heartwarming. Larry and Elaine Coughlin “I enjoy being “Elaine has been one of the priwith people,” mary motivators and leaders in the change for the entire city, including continued Larry. “While on council, United Methodist Women’s group,” the opening of the Pawnee Power mentioned the Carlsons, “and both Plant to a plethora of housing built and with the library, Rotary and church boards too, they are all very are currently active on the Leader- then, as well as starting the city’s much like family to me and it’s nice ship Team there, with Larry as water augmentation plan. Larry Chairman of the Board and Elaine remains active as a member of the to spend your time with great people.” as Recording Secretary. They both Brush Water Advisory Board and “Of all the people in Morgan help out in numerous ways, includ- also values his time as secretary ing helping with general mainteCounty, nobody is more deserving and as chairman of the community nance. Larry can often be found at service committee in Rotary. of this honor than Larry and Elaine the kitchen sink in the Fellowship Coughlin,” wrote Angels nomina“I think it’s important that you Hall, washing dishes,” they contin- get involved in your community tors Wayne and Carol Carlson, notued. ing, “Both of them have served and serve your fellow man,” said Upon his retirement from the vet- Larry, “and Rotary does so much their fellow humankind in so many erinary field in 2010, Larry has con- for Brush and the youth here. For ways that it is difficult to keep tinued to serve his community. track.” instance, the RYLA (Rotary Youth As Brush Mayor from 1981 to — Nominated by Wayne and Carol Leadership Academy) program has 2001, Larry helped usher in great sent kids who’ve come back saying Carlson, Brush.
Jack Young There are a number of people Jack Young is close with in Fort Morgan. For those he has a strong relationship with, he is willing to help out in any way he can. One of those people Young has helped out is Larry Overton with a variety of different things. He has helped drive him to appointments at the Medical Center of the Rockies, remove snow on sidewalks and driveways in the winter, and work on a lawnmower to keep it working. “(Larry) was the orchestra teacher and had my three boys,” Young said. “He was the only
orchestra teacher that was doing it. I can honestly say, I think he was the best orchestra teacher. He always got the best out of the kids.” Those are just some of the things Young has helped Overton with, but he is not the only one who has been touched by his support. Young has also helped with Jack Young repairs on the Presbyterian Church. Other people the nominee included that have been when needed. helped by Young were Ray Smith Helping with lawnmovers has with up-keeping on his house sev- been treated more like a hobby eral times and Patsy Johnson with than a job, according to Young. her mower and other assistance “From the time I was young, I
always liked playing with small motors,” Young said. “I like to see if I can make them run better and do things like that.” Now retired, Young has had years of experience in many different career paths that have shaped him to help others and work on projects like the lawnmovers he helps keep up and other ways to help people. – Nominated by Larry Overton REFLECTIONS • MARCH 30, 2016 • 7
Reflections XIII Angels Among Us
Courtney Knight Volunteering is a full-time job for Brush resident Courtney Knight. The daughter of Dawn and the late Ken Knight gives of her time not only with the local food bank at the United Methodist Church, but also is a member of the Altar & Rosary Society at St. Mary’s Catholic Church. The 27-year-old, who was nominated by former Angel Doug Chenoweth, also gives her time to Sunset Manor and Eben Ezer Lutheran Care Center where she helps serve communion. But it doesn’t end there. Courtney, who is a 2007 graduate of Brush High School, volunteers with Blue Horizons, having served as manager of the basketball team for the past six years. She also helps with track and the
horse therapy program and is fully involved with the local Special Olympics program. “Courtney is a good person and a good volunteer,” Chenoweth said in his nomination. “She helps with disc golf and loves helping carry food out to people’s cars and working with Davey Chenoweth, Bob Smith and Deb Loose at the Brush food bank.” When this year’s Angel is not volunteering, she can be found spending quality time with her mom, sisters Ashley and Samantha, as well as her two nieces and one nephew and her six-year-old German Shepherd, Maya. “It’s heaven,” Courtney said of her time spent with her family. “We are a pretty proud family,” Dawn said of her youngest daugh-
Lois Gregg The Caring Ministries Board of Directors was in a tight spot last year. With no executive director, very little financial resources and not much hope in sight, it seemed like an impossible situation. But Lois Gregg never gave up. As the nonprofit’s president and a founding member, Gregg took it upon herself to ensure Caring Ministries of Morgan County would survive, and for that she now is being recognized as an Angel Among Us by her fellow board members, as well as many other community members. “Lois has always been a committed board member and volunteer at Caring Ministries, but in addition, when the manager resigned and the board felt we couldn’t hire a new one, Lois immediately stepped up,” nominator Cindy Tormohlen wrote. “Lois is very dedicated to the mission of Caring Ministries and is willing to do all she can possibly do for Caring Ministries and the people in which
whom she said, “has taken Courtney under his wing…he is her mentor.” She added, “We live in a good community.”
Courtney Knight
ter receiving the award. “She is always open to new opportunities.” Dawn laughed, “She is never without a smile. She brightens people’s days wherever we go without even trying.” Mom is thankful for Doug,
Courtney also does what she can for the family business, Golden West. According to her mom, Courtney helps out with office work when able. When asked how she feels about being named an Angel, and with a wide, infectious smile, Courtney exclaimed, “I’m proud.” — Nominated by Doug Chenoweth, Brush
the nonprofit running, as well as her own family and her church family at Caring Ministries serves. First Baptist in “Lois, as the president of the Fort Morgan. board of directors, has allowed us “It’s definitely to operate and serve the organizaa team effort,” tion by stepping in and serving as Gregg said. an interim director at no pay,” the While she nomination from the full board sometimes feels stated. “She worked to get volunlike maybe she teers, made sure we had food for is doing the the pantry and worked to reorgawork of the Lois Gregg nize and regroup with only two angels, she part-time staff members. She has didn’t consider re-established contacts in the com- is now helping as a substitute for herself to be one until she got the munity and is helping us partner the director. She does all of this on call about this recognition. with other organizations so our her own time without any pay. She “I was definitely surprised,” community can be best served for is a grand example of one doing Gregg said. “It made me feel really those in need. … Lois has allowed work for our Lord.” good. It made me feel appreciatus the time to stabilize the organiFor Gregg, doing what she is ed.” zation before the hunt for a new doing for Caring Ministries is not And that’s exactly what all of executive director goes forward.” working. It’s doing what she loves. those people who nominated her Another nomination letter for “I believe in what Caring Minisas an Angel Among Us want her to Gregg came from Joan Wilson and tries is about, and I feel we’re feel and know. Gregg definitely is a large group of other people: “We going back to what it used to be appreciated. wish to nominate Lois Gregg for when we first opened 36 years — Nominated by the Caring her continuous, tireless work for ago,” Gregg said. Caring Ministries. She has served She gives credit to her two part- Ministries of Morgan County Board of Directors, Cindy Tormohlen, Joan this organization since its inceptime workers and all the volunWilson and 12 others. tion. She served on the board and teers who have helped her keep
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Capital p of the Plains Beautiful, Clean, Safe
“We recognize and appreciate community members who aspire to make Fort Morgan the city of choice for ourselves and future generations.’’
http://www.cityoffortmorgan.com/ REFLECTIONS • MARCH 30, 2016 • 9
Reflections XIII Angels Among Us
Eileen Carlson By Stephanie Alderton Times Staff Writer
Eileen Carlson, a retired Fort Morgan woman in her 80s, keeps herself busy by making art and helping others. Although she has always lived in Morgan County and been involved in the farming community, Carlson has spent much of her life traveling and trying new things. She co-wrote a book about the history of Orchard, where she grew up, which sold out two printings, and she has decorated her house with paintings and handmade quilts. But especially since the death of her husband in 2007, she has
dedicated more of her time to helping friends. “I have known Eileen many years and find she is a very freely [giving] person,” Carlson’s nomination said. She regularly drives her friends to doctors’ appointments, meetings and other events both inside and outside the county. Her craft skills come in handy for the many DOES (female Elks Lodge members) events she helps with. For their annual St. Patrick’s Day dinner, she has started making soda bread and Eileen Carlson sewing green vests for all the attendees. Sometimes Carlson’s giving friend from suffocating when her spirit goes beyond small, neighborly gestures. She once saved a chimney became blocked. Carl-
Ron Burns senior center and to seniors in need of assistance. And Burns doesn’t shy away from more menial tasks; he regularly does the Ron Burns has become a vital dishes, cleans trays and takes out part of the Wiggins community the trash at the center. during the 10 years he’s lived “One of these days, I’m going to there, thanks to his constant willbe old,” he said. “I hope there’s ingness to help out a neighbor. somebody to help me out then. Burns is a retired Navy veteran But I enjoy it.” who is active in the American Even outside his regular circles, Legion in Wiggins. Burns is always looking for ways But he’s more than just a particito help. pating member. He acts as the He helps out on neighbors’ group’s treasurer and messenger, farms, feeds their pets when and rents out their building for they’re away, shovels their driveevents. He also used to take care of their ways and gives them a ride when gun range, until the city took own- they need it. Burns has suffered some health Ron Burns ership of it last year. problems recently which have Another place where he serves kept him from serving as much as regularly is the Out West Senior tist, in the construction of a new Center in Wiggins. He often deliv- he used to. But he’s still planning sanctuary this year, just as he’s ers meals from Fort Morgan to the to help his church, Summit Bap-
By Stephanie Alderton Times Staff Writer
10 • MARCH 30, 2016 • REFLECTIONS
son called the police and drove her friend to the emergency room. To help save lives on a broader scale, she organizes annual bake sales for the Morgan County Relay for Life. “It’s just something in my blood that I need to help people,” she said. “You got to keep busy. If you sit down, you’re done for. You’ve got to keep going.” – Nominated by Georgia Hultquist.
helped in many of their ministries and events in the past. He said he feels his community has supported him just as much as he’s helped them over the years. “I’ve been to a lot of churches, but I’ve never been to one like Summit,” he said. “A lot of nice people-they’d do anything for you.” Burns lives alone with his dog, a rescue named Sarah Jane. – Nominated by Pat Gabriel.
Reflections XIII Log Lane Village
Jenni Grubbs / Fort Morgan Times
Martha Manion sits in her Log Lane Village home. Behind her over the chair back is an afghan made for her by the grandmother of one of the students who ride on the Re-3 school bus she drives. The afghan's clown motif makes Manion smile, she said.
Manion more involved in LLV than ever Also a school bus driver and great-grandmother, she enjoys serving as town trustee hard to imagine her laughing her head off at the suggestion. But that’s what the 70-something Manion finds herself doing today. If you had asked Martha Manion She has served as a trustee in 50, 30 or even 15 years ago if she Log Lane Village for almost eight would ever wind up as a governyears now and currently serves as ment official who helps watch over the head of the town’s Conservaa town’s parks finances, it’s not tion Trust Fund. By Jenni Grubbs Times Staff Writer
Manion, who was born in Grant City, Missouri, moved as a young child with her family to Colorado in 1945. They wound up on a farm in the Boulder area, which had drier air that was better for two of her sisters with asthma. Manion is the second of six children, with three
sisters and two brothers, who are all still alive and living in Colorado. “At one time, we were scattered all over the U.S.,” she said. “Now we all moved back to Colorado.” Manion graduated from high school in the Erie/Longmont area in 1968, although that happened See MANION, pg. 12
REFLECTIONS • MARCH 30, 2016 • 11
Reflections XIII
Jenni Grubbs / Fort Morgan Times
The Log Lane Village Board of Trustees conducts business at the March 10, 2016, regular meeting. Trustee Martha Manion, left, has been a part of the town's government for about eight years, between running for election and getting appointed when an election was not held. Pictured, clockwise from left, are: Manion, Maintenance Supervisor James Wessels, Trustee Shawn Greenwell, Trustee/Mayor Pro Tem Raina Hallahan, Mayor Ed Parker, Town Clerk Kim Alva and trustees Robin Mastin, Rick Alva and Mike Carlson.
MANION from page 11 after she initially left school early. “It should have been ’58,” she said. “I went back to finish it. I was going to get my GED, and the teacher talked me into going for my diploma.” That same determination to not only survive, but persevere and come out better for the struggle becomes apparent as Manion tells more of the tale of her life thus far. Manion has lived quite a life, having been married and divorced multiple times, raising two children mostly as a single mother, and working jobs as varied as waitress, car hop, electronics technician and school bus driver. “As a kid, I did a lot of waitress work, car hop,” she recalled. “I raised two kids by myself. But I had some pretty good jobs.” Manion also served as a farm wife to her last husband during their five-year marriage, as well as
playing the role of surrogate mother for some kids who needed a break from their families along the way. Her passion and willingness to help children is an oft-repeating note running through the memories she shares, as well as her plans for the future. Today, Manion spends as much time as she can helping kids. It doesn’t matter to her whether they’re the ones in Kids At Their Best programs or her own 2-yearold great-grandson, who lives in Log Lane with Manion’s granddaughter. Her job as a school bus driver has lasted for 20 years, and even today Manion drives the Head Start bus for the Morgan County Re-3 School District, as well as other routes for little ones. “I really like to drive the school bus, and I like this area, especially
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the kids,” Manion said. “I guess I’ve always just really liked kids. Once I started driving the school bus, that’s just all I really wanted to do.” And she gets to know not only the young students, but their families as well. “I got an afghan from one for Christmas,” Manion said, pointing to the back of her chair and the colorful throw with a clown motif covering the back of it. “Her grandma made it.” She most recently has gotten involved with Kids At Their Best, volunteering with the nonprofit’s Log Lane summer meal site and other programs when she can. “I like being involved with Kids At Their Best,” Manion said. “It’s a good program.” Manion also is passionate about animals, with five pet Shih Tzu dogs and two cats.
“To me, they’re my kids,” she said. Something Manion is not looking for is another husband. She tried her hand at marriage three times in the past, but all were relatively short-lived and ended in divorce. But two of them did result in her children: daughter Dr. April Young, a psychologist and online college professor living near Platteville, and son James “JC” Cook. And now she also has her granddaughter and greatgrandson living near her in Log Lane. Her last divorce in 1995 was what led to her move from Brighton to Log Lane. “I found out, I do better when I’m by myself,” Manion said. “Sometimes, I think I’d like to move back to the Front Range, but I like it down here.” See MANION, pg. 13
Reflections XIII
MANION from page 12 And she has made a home and gotten involved in the future of her little town by repeatedly seeking the seat on the Log Lane Board of Trustees. Concerns with what she saw as corruption in the town’s Marshal’s Office and wanting to be part of overseeing and changing things was what pushed her to run the first time. After that, serving on the board just became something she did, and her fellow residents have not voted her out. “I kind of wanted to get off it last time, but they didn’t let me,” she said, laughing of how she was convinced to stick around another term. Being part of small-town government is something that has opened her eyes to things she previously would have done little more about than complain, Manion said. “I’ve learned a lot about the functioning of small governments,” she said. “I used to have a bad opinion of it. But I really do enjoy it. You learn how government works – or doesn’t work.” She most recently has taken on the role of caretaker for the town’s Colorado Lottery funds and the Conservation Trust projects and purchase that money goes toward. Manion is enjoying the increased responsibility. “You can make things look good in he parks and stuff,” she said,
But she knows there is a fast-approaching need for the town to get the parks facilities more into Americans with Disabilities Act compliance, and she likely will play a sizeable role in making that happen. Manion now has seen many of the board members turn over several times, but she is comfortable with the current state of the town’s government and that the board is working for the good of Log Lane residents. “I think we have a really good board right now,” she said. Manion also has been on the decision-making side of both the times of budget crisis and now being somewhat flush from marijuana sales tax revenue but still not having enough to accomplish Jenni Grubbs / Fort Morgan Times everything right away. The American Flag flies high over “I can see a lot of things that are Log Lane Village on the new pole the going to happen down the road,” town had installed last year. Next to Manion said. “It just takes time it is one of the newly refurbished and money.” and colorful benches in one of the She supported the town’s maritown's parks. Log Lane's Conservajuana ordinance and letting medition Trust funding from the Colorado cal pot dispensaries and retail recLottery helped fund both projects. reational cannabis stores set up in Trustee Martha Manion currently Log Lane, as well as the annexaoversees the town’s Conservation tions that allowed the property Trust Fund. that now holds Nature’s Herbs & Wellness Center II to come into albeit crediting town maintenance the town. “I kind of knew it would be good staff and contractors for actually for the town if we handled it right,” doing the physical work. “I love Manion said. “I have some friends that. I think it looks pretty darn who live in Garden City, and I saw nice. We got the benches done, what the marijuana money did for and the flag pole is up.”
that town. Log Lane needed something. We didn’t have much revenue. Now we do. It’s kind of nice to need something for the town and be able to afford it. Before, we had to scrounge up the money to even have a Town Cleanup Day. Now, we’re going to have two a year. It’s kind of neat.” Manion foresees a lot of things that money could do for the town, whether it’s fixing more streets, building new town facilities or further expansion of the services Log Lane can provide to its residents. “Down the road, I’d like to see us have some kind of rec. center, a place for (kids) to go,” she said. “We figure that with our marijuana money and maybe some grants, hopefully, we can get a rec. center going. We need something really good for the kids. They’re our future. They’re going to take care of us – if live to be old.” On that note, she said Log Lane also could use a senior center. Manion does foresee more growth for the town. “I give us about five years, and I think there’ll be a big (population) difference by then,” she said. But whether Manion will still be a town trustee at that time is not entirely in her hands. “I’ve got two more years on my term on the board,” she said. “They’ll probably get tired of me and ask me to leave or vote me out.”
REFLECTIONS • MARCH 30, 2016 • 13
Reflections XIII City of Fort Morgan
Big undertaking 5 things to know: Fort Morgan’s Comprehensive Plan creation
By Jenni Grubbs Times Staff Writer
In 2015, the Fort Morgan City Council set out to start the process of creating a new comprehensive plan for the city. So far, the city has: contracted with environmental planning firm Logan Simpson to guide the process and ultimately put the new plan together; gotten Fort Morgan High School students involved; conducted community sur veys; met with stake-holders at businesses and industrial employers; had the council approve a set of preliminar y vision statements put together by the contractor based on community input to guide the plan’s creation; and held an open house to share those vision statements with residents and gather even more feedback. Here are 5 things to know about a city’s comprehensive plan and why Fort Morgan is making such a big deal about residents getting involved in the creation of the new one: Comprehensive plans are long-range documents. They look out far into the future and what the current residents and officials want the city to become. Fort Morgan’s most recent version was an update in 2008 to a plan originally created in 2003. They can draw in or prevent growth. Comprehensive plans are intended to guide the decisions by officials and staff on larger city planning issues and proposals for new developments, including commercial, industrial,
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Jenni Grubbs / Fort Morgan Times
Colorado Plains Medical Center CEO Gene O'Hara, left, talks with Fort Morgan Engineering/Public Works Director Brad Curtis and Fort Morgan resident Lyn Deal, center, talks with Councilwoman Lisa Northrup at the city's openhouse-style event to review the progress on creating a new comprehensive plan for Fort Morgan. City officials and representatives from consulting firm Logan Simpson were there to go over the preliminary visioning statements for Fort Morgan's future and gather people's feedback and ideas to incorporate into the new comprehensive plan. The event was held Feb. 23, 2016, at Fort Morgan Library & Museum, and a wide range of city residents, business leaders and representatives from community showed up. For more information, visit www.connectfortmorgan.org/.
residential and recreational ones. The council’s goal is for this to be a document that will be consulted and used regularly, not just another binder sitting on a shelf. They’re a big investment. Last October, the council approved spending up to $195,000 with Logan Simpson on the creation of the new comprehensive plan. That includes a $95,000 grant from the Colorado
3.
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Department of Local Affairs. The best ones are complex, but yet simple. They have to be specific enough to offer structure for city officials and staff over a wide range of land-use and development scenarios, but still be flexible enough to allow for changes in the needs of the economy and the people, including technology and demographic shifts.
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Morgan is going all in 5. Fort on getting people involved in creating it. Thus, the community sur veys, open houses and encouragement for all ages to get involved in the process. There also is a whole website set up for providing information and gathering community feedback: www.connectfortmorgan.org/. Expect to hear a lot more about this before it’s completed.
Brush
Reflections XIII
Sunset Manor seeing revival
to cut trees, lay rock, paint, clean and decorate their home. Quickly this home grew. In no time it went from 40 resiSunset Manor has been a part of dents to 70 residents and growing. the Brush community for over 35 Sunset Manor’s staff is refurbishyears. This once vibrant campus ing the independent apartments slowly dwindled to just a small with the plan to have it become nursing facility servicing about 40 Senior living apartments once residents. more. The Convention Center has In June of 2015 a new administrabeen transformed into a training tor came to this quaint home and center and was just approved to be through her eyes, a vision was a training site for C.N.A’s. The born. Life was breathed back into Assisted living will be reborn the facility and the staff and resibefore the end of 2016. dents began celebrating and growAt Sunset Manor the question is ing as a family. simply, why not? They are in the Together they worked to revive process of turning the dining room the campus and restore it but not into a 50’s diner that will include a just restore it to what it once was, jukebox, coffee/ice cream parlor but transforming it into something and restaurant service operated by more than it was. The staff and resstaff and residents. idents worked together side by side Sunset Manor resident council By Sunset Manor Staff Special to the News-Tribune
Katie Collins / Brush News-Tribune
Under the direction of a new administrator, and with the help of staff and residents, Sunset Manor in Brush is undergoing many changes inside and out.
have voted on having a community garden that they will plant and maintain and then the produce will be sold in a farmers market. All proceeds will go into their fund where they will meet to discuss as a resident group what events they would like to go to and how they
would like to spend their hard earned money. There are many other projects underway at Sunset Manor and you are encouraged to go visit anytime. Ideas are welcome. The sky is the limit all you have to do is ask yourself, why not?
Thank you Morgan County, for 29 wonderful years! We are pleased to happy to support within our county. Thank you to our n long-term employe those who are just the dedication and do the things we d Thank you, again! A great big thank y good quality cattle. from all over northe
REFLECTIONS • MARCH 30, 2016 • 15
Reflections XIII
Prep sports
High school sports see progress with second-year coaches
By Brandon Boles Times Sports Reporter
The 2014-15 prep sports season was known as the year of the coaching carousel. In all five schools in Morgan County and New Raymer, each sporting season saw a number of first-year head coaches with programs trying to start anew. This year, the majority of those first year coaches returned, and almost all the programs saw vast improvement from the first season to second season. In the first season serving as head coach, many of the coaches taking over said they wanted to get a feel for the program and the athletes they would be coaching. Coming into year two was much more comfortable for the coaches, as well as the players. “This year had more of a smoother feel and we all knew what to expect and what to prepare for,” Fort Morgan volleyball coach Cami Weimer said. “One of the great things about coaching is you continue to learn as you go. You learn how to better the program.” For some of the coaches, they took over programs accustomed to success and continued the trend with a veteran roster and plenty of experience. As for many of the programs with first year coaches, the new staff came in looking to improve their teams and build up the program towards sustained success. That first step towards building up the program, according to many of the coaches, was changing the culture. It is a process that does not change overnight and can be difficult to change right away. “We really felt like the culture
Brandon Boles / Fort Morgan Times
Fort Morgan head coach Cami Weimer (center) addresses her team during a practice in the fall. The Mustangs volleyball program qualified for the regional tournament in Weimer’s second season at the helm of the program.
we wanted to establish was hard for people to buy in the first year,” Wiggins volleyball coach Michelle Baker said. “The first year was a learning experience for both the athletes and us coaches.” For many of the new coaches, the first year saw some bumps along the way. A couple teams with new coaches came away with winning records, and many others saw where the state of the program and worked to take the next step up toward success. “The goal when I took over was to create a culture of accountability,” Weldon Valley boys basketball coach Kerry Sherman said. “When your teammates know that
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you will own up to your shortcomings, it makes it easier to own up to their own. It also develops trust, and that goes a long way.” Most of the coaches that talked about going from year one to year two said the first season at the helm of the program was to start putting the process in place. Most of the teams bought in to how they would play, prepare, and work in practice by the time the second season rolled around. As a result of the athletes and coaches buying in, almost every coach saw big improvements from year one to year two with their coaches. Wiggins volleyball and Weldon Valley boys basketball
both made it to regionals for the first time in over a decade, and Fort Morgan volleyball also had its first regional trip since 2007. Other programs like Weldon Valley girls basketball and Prairie volleyball either maintained its success from the previous season or won more games in the second year. “The main reason for our success this year is the girls,” Weldon Valley girls basketball coach Samantha Lawrence said. “They came to practice every day ready to work and get better. They wanted to see what they could do. We knew they had potential and it was See COACHES, pg. 17
Reflections XIII
COACHES from page 16 great to see them working together as a family and making things happen on the court.” A few more coaches will look to keep that trend going in the spring sports season. Aaron Phillips took over the Wiggins baseball team last year with an inexperienced group, while Kevin Fergus helped lead the Brush baseball team to a 3A state championship appearance. Fort Morgan girls golf had a state qualifier in head coach Mike Gross’ first year with the team in 2015 and a number of girls look to be in the conversation to get to state this year. With the success that came in the second year for many coaches, the next step they say the programs will look to take will be to maintain that high level of success from this past year. The teams want to maintain their winning ways and continue to keep building up the program to win for
years to come. To make that process happen, the coaches said the culture change must be continued on in the upcoming seasons. “It’s something in my opinion we’ll continue to do,” Baker said. “It’s definitely not going to change. For us to make it to regionals we have to have accountability and a discipline to the sport.” And all the coaches echoed their excitement for things to come in year three and beyond. “Even without the eight win increase on the floor this season, just seeing the way the guys interact with each other, their school mates, and teachers, tells me that we are on the right track,” Sherman said. Brandon Boles: 970-867-5651, sports@fmtimes.com or twitter.com/FMT_Sports
Brandon Boles / Fort Morgan Times
Weldon Valley boys basketball coach Kerry Sherman saw his program win eight more games and qualify for the regional tournament in his second season with the Warriors.
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REFLECTIONS • MARCH 30, 2016 • 17
Reflections XIII The Course at Petteys Park and Course Café and Lounge
Brush brings new life to Bunker Hill Golf Course
Transforms it into new The Course at Petteys Park and The Course Café and Lounge er equipment, a revamped pro shop, engineering for a new irrigation system, a new name and then, a new chef. When the owners of one of A complete tear-down, renovaBrush’s most boasted landmarks tion and expanse, to be precise, of turned to city officials for help in the golf shop is currently underkeeping Bunker Hill Golf and way as 2016 rolls through and the Country Club alive in the midst of enlarged space will include new a detrimental time, the solution windows, doors, flooring, lighting, was swift and certain. display walls, an office area and It took just months for city staff more. and council members to unaniA new and expanded deck overmously approve the bold move to looking the first tee also is planned have the city purchase the staple to accommodate more outdoor recreation site, but the hype surdining and the plagued irrigation rounding the fresh, new refurbishsystem experienced much-needed ments have residents from all repairs to help sustain the course around the area excited for a new until the following year, when the season on the greens. city hopes to install a completely 2015 marked a magnificent time new irrigation system. of change for the Brush golf As a fast, first honor, long-time course as its new owners brainBunker Hill and new Course memstormed methods to reinvigorate ber Carol Flenniken, recently was the established setting, while honored by the Colorado Women’s maintaining the sense of history Golf Association as its Player of and respect for the past that has the Century. Carol, a Brush citilong-defined history in the rural, zen, has won more major CWGA plains community. individual championships than On May 1, Brush officially took anyone else. Flenniken cherishes the reigns to continue the social the friendships she makes while and recreational benefits that the on the links. Flenniken, who grew sport and links could bring. up in Wisconsin before making Financial donations from both the move to Colorado, won the the Joslin/Needham and Petteys 1959 Western Junior Girl’s ChamFoundations were profound for the pionship and the 1960 USGA Girls’ purchase, providing a way to reviJunior. While attending Arizona talize not only the 9-hole golf Courtesy photo State University, she won the 1962 greens that flank the area just Brush City Councilor Heath Becker cracks a claw on his lobster at the Women’s Western Amateur and south of the I-76 interchange, but Course Cafe and Lounge at The Course at Petteys Park in Brush. followed that with a 1964 win that also to the restaurant and lounge made her the youngest British portions, which took on their first boards of both foundations, noted who helped acquire over $260,000 Ladies Amateur ever. formidable transformation upon The Course Café and Lounge’s that if the entities were to be in donations toward improvements being bestowed the new title of first head chef was chosen in early involved, it must be done right. to the facility, which have included The Course at Petteys Park and November of 2015 in 30-year veter“I expect the Course to be the kitchen reconstruction and equipThe Course Café and Lounge. an cook Bill Wentworth, whose finest 9-hole golf facility in Northment replacement, the replaceBob Gunnon, chairman of the See GOLF, pg. 19 east Colorado,” voiced Gunnon, ment of golf carts, upgraded mowBy Katie Collins News-Tribune Staff Writer
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GOLF from page 18
Reflections XIII
Courtesy photo
The Course Cafe and Lounge at The Course at Petteys Park is providing the Brush area with a variety of meals including sandwiches, steaks, pasta and seafood.
family had just moved to Brush from their home in New Mexico upon the hire of wife Cindy Wentworth as Chief Human Resources Officer at Brush’s East Morgan County Hospital. Chef Bill brings with him not only a big love of food and boisterous appetite, but also a pride in creating fantastic flavors and hearty dishes. For the chef with an even bigger appetite for life and food, it’s no surprise that The Course Café and Lounge includes a menu of hearty staples such as steaks, pastas, seafood and sandwiches, as well as his own favorite barbecue items. “I’m new to the area,” he said as he donned his new black head chef garb inside a newly remodeled Course kitchen in December, “so I’m being loose with the menu options for now. I’m a big guy with a big appetite so I love to serve hearty foods and most of the items are based on suggestions from local guests. We will provide several other options, such as hearthealthy and light foods, as well as seasonal specials and locally grown offerings.” Looking forward into 2016, plans
Katie Collins / Brush News-Tribune
Pictured are a couple of the holes at The Course at Petteys Park in Brush.
Katie Collins / Brush News-Tribune
Pictured is one of the greens at The Course at Petteys Park in Brush.
for the golf park might also include the addition of a token-operated range ball machine for the driving range, additional rental carts, a new maintenance tractor and new signage, as well as new interior design decoration. The Course Café and Lounge has opened its doors to the public with hours, thus far, that include
breakfast available from 7 to 11 a.m. on Tuesday through Saturday, lunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and dinner from 4 to 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Sunday brunch hours are open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the bar has hours that have it open until 9 p.m. on Monday-Friday, and open until last call
each Friday and Saturday. The 9-hole course is also gearing up for great weather and is open to the public. Tee times can be secured by calling the Course Café and Lounge at Petteys Park at (970) 842-5470 or by booking online via their website at www.thecourseatpetteyspark.com.
REFLECTIONS • MARCH 30, 2016 • 19
Reflections XIII
Prep wrestling
Coach Reynolds retiring He spent 16 years with Mustangs wrestling program By Brandon Boles Times Sports Reporter
At the Pepsi Center on Feb. 20, Spike Reynolds was suited up in his fanciest outfit and ready for the final matches for the Mustangs at the 2016 State Wrestling Championships. He watched his two stars, seniors Toby McBride and Alex Mai, walk out for the Parade of Champions. And then he waited for his two to wrestle for individual state titles. The wait seemed like a long time in the stands under the bright lights. He patiently waited, and then finally headed out to the mats to sit on the side and coach his two finalists. The final matches were successful as Mai won by majority decision to win the 220 pound title in class 4A and McBride followed up with a decision win for the 285 pound crown. Reynolds rejoiced with his two champions, and then the team shared a special evening celebrating another strong season and performance at state. Just days after leading the Mustangs at state, Reynolds announced his decision to retire as head coach. He was filmed in a short video with Fort Morgan athletic director Kyle Bules announcing his decision. “I’m happy that I’ve had 16 years here,” Reynolds said. “It’s been an awesome experience and I’ve been blessed to have some good administrators to work for. Currently with Kyle (Bules) and Ben (Bauman), they have been some great guys to work with.” The long coaching career could not have been scripted with a better ending than two state champions and another placer for his final season as head coach. Over his 16-year tenure, Reyn-
Brandon Boles / Fort Morgan Times
Fort Morgan head wrestling coach Spike Reynolds (right) offers some final words of encouragement to senior Toby McBride before his match in the 4A 285-pound finals at the 2016 state wrestling tournament in Denver.
olds has worked with hundreds of wrestlers with the Mustangs program. He said all the kids that have come through the program have made his experience a special one. “I’ve had some great kids,” Reynolds said. “I’ve had a lot of hard workers that have given me a lot. They have given me their hearts. I’m going to miss that.” Because his wrestlers gave him everything they could, Reynolds
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made sure he did the same for them. “Stepping in, you’re full of all this energy and ideas,” Reynolds said. “Every call is personal. You fight for these kids. You learn to be more patient and more understanding to see the bigger picture and see that it’s a process.” No matter if he was coaching a state champion or a young freshman still learning and growing in the sport, it was clear that Reyn-
olds was locked in for every second of every match. During his 16 years serving as coach for the Mustangs, Reynolds said the biggest thing he learned was patience and growth. He also said seeing the kids realize their potential and become the best they could be was his favorite part of the journey. “Over the 16 years, I have matured,” Reynolds said. “I have definitely gotten a lot of growth in myself. I’ve learned a lot about myself in how patient and strong I can be. I learned a lot about kids and how you can push them to do amazing things, get them to believe in themselves, work for a goal, and have no regrets.” Where Reynolds hopes the biggest impact his coaching will come into play for the kids that wrestled for him comes outside of the gym and off the mats. “Getting these kids to work with you, teach them a little bit about life, and do it through sports, I hope I did that for a lot of kids,” Reynolds said. Reynolds leaves the program after becoming the sixth head coach for the Mustangs. The team has only had six coaches since 1936, another quality he said showed the commitment and pride within the program had over the years. After a long career that saw multiple state champions and a level of sustained success, Reynolds is ready to move on and begin a new chapter of life. And he will always cherish the times he had in his most recent chapter with Fort Morgan wrestling. “It’s really a pride thing to be a part of this school and the Mustangs tradition,” Reynolds said. Brandon Boles: 970-867-5651, sports@fmtimes.com or twitter.com/FMT_Sports
Chamber of Commerce
Reflections XIII
Q&A with Robin Northrup New Chamber executive director
ple. I love working with the community, working with the community projects, membership. It’s just the best place to work. Is there anything you’d like to change, or anything new you’d like to introduce to the Chamber this year? Jumping back into the Chamber, getting my feet on the ground will be the first thing that I do. Especially with summer so close, there’s the Glenn Miller festival and Bobstock and other events that the Chamber takes part in. So I think we will get through the summer, and then the board of directors will make decisions on if anything else needs to be changed or improved. Are there any new challenges or opportunities that you see, now that you’re returning to the director position? I’m excited to be back working with the community, and I think my challenge is...just getting oriented back into the office, which should just take me a couple days. And then I’ll be out there recruiting membership. How many businesses are members of the Chamber right now? They currently have about 200 members. That’s a fair
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By Stephanie Alderton Times Staff Writer
After being without an executive director for many weeks following the departure of Cheryl Sanchez, the Fort Morgan Area Chamber of Commerce has at last hired Robin Northrup to fill the role. Northrup has been involved with the Chamber for many years, and she has connections to many businesses around Morgan County. She started her new job the week of March 7. How did you become the new Chamber executive director? I was the executive director a couple years ago, and then Cheryl Sanchez took over. And when she retired, I re-applied for the job. I did work [at Cargill Meat Solutions] up in the payroll department, under Mary Ginther, wonderful lady. And when the Chamber job came open, I left there and came back. What made you want to apply again? The Chamber is a great place to work. It’s great peo-
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they require a lot of volunteers. That can sometimes be difficult, to find a lot of volunteers, but it appears that people have been stepping up and helping out with the Chamber. How about the Glenn Miller Fest? That’s going to be different this year, isn’t it? That is. The Chamber is dealing with the sponsorship side of it, and different entities are responsible for different parts of the festival, so it should all come together as one great event. Do you have a favorite event that the Chamber participates in? No, they’re all my favorites! [But] the events that take place during the summer, they’re so big and involved, with people coming from out of town, and it’s fun taking part in all the events that take place. Northrup said her main priorities as executive director would be “to recruit membership and ensure that our Chamber members are provided with the amenities that come with their membership.”
File Photo/ Fort Morgan Times
Robin Northrup
number, considering our community. You’re always working to get more members. You want as many members as you possibly can, and that’s my main focus, is membership. One of my main focuses. What’s one of your other focuses? The community events that we take part in. They’re big projects, and a lot of work, and
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Stephanie Alderton: 970-867-5651 ext 227, salderton@fmtimes.com or twitter.com/slalderton
Country Hardware We have everything you need! 218 Main St., Wiggins, CO 970-483-7312 REFLECTIONS • MARCH 30, 2016 • 21
Reflections XIII Economic development
Going back to the roots
New MCEDC director hopes to attract new business while keeping old-school charm By Stephanie Alderton Times Staff Writer
Greg Thomason loves old buildings and new businesses. That’s why he’s become the new executive director of the Morgan County Economic Development Corporation. Thomason has been on the job for almost a month, though he’s still working on moving from Arvada to Fort Morgan. His experience in business and marketing goes back much farther than that, however. Thomason started out in the field of journalism, becoming the editor of a weekly newspaper in Wyoming at a young age. Later he turned to business, joining the local rural electric association and serving on its board. Since moving to the Denver area, he has headed five start-up companies, served on the board of the Arvada Historical Society and the light rail advisory committee and worked as a marketing resource for the Colorado Department of Local Affairs. “I came to see the world through the eyes of an entrepreneur or a business owner,” he said. This isn’t the first time he has done business with the businesses of Morgan County, either. When the town of Brush first entered the national Main Street program in 2001, the Chamber of Commerce consulted him and the other members of the Historical Society for advice. When the position of MCEDC executive director opened up after Kari Linker’s departure in the fall, Thomason saw it as a chance to “pivot away from corporate America” and use all of his experience and interests in one job. He was Stephanie Alderton / Fort Morgan Times also attracted to the old-fashioned Greg Thomason, the new executive director of the Morgan County Economic Development Corporation, in his new See THOMASON, pg. 23 office at the Morgan County Administration Building. 22 • MARCH 30, 2016 • REFLECTIONS
Reflections XIII
THOMASON from page 22 style of Main Street Fort Morgan—a look that he feels is being eroded in Old Town Arvada, where new apartment buildings and a light rail station are displacing the area’s historical architecture. “I see this not as a sacrifice, a trade-off, but as a growth opportunity that allows me to get back to a community that is more aligned with what my roots were as a child,” he said of the move from Arvada to Fort Morgan. Thomason also sees abundant opportunity for new business in Morgan County. As executive director, he hopes to help attract companies that can serve the agriculture industry, the numerous manufacturing plants within the county and even the Denver International Airport, the county’s most
About Morgan County Economic Development Corporation The MCEDC is a not-for-profit organization that seeks to promote Morgan County and attract more business and workforce to the area. Its board of directors consists of 13 voting members, each representing a different business sector. Together, they are the primary coordinator of information and resources for new and expanding businesses. They can be contacted at: 231 Ensign St., Suite B102 Fort Morgan 970-542-3527 mcedc@morgancountyinfo.com
giant business neighbor, 85 miles away. But of course, he recognized that Morgan County’s housing shortage remains the biggest obstacle to those plans. Large companies may be reluctant to move to a place where their
employees won’t be able to find housing. Thomason said he hopes to work with other organizations and cities in figuring out solutions to that problem. He also plans to reach out to Morgan County’s current businesses, to help facilitate their
growth. Before he tries to implement any specific projects, though, he said he’s going to focus on listening to the other board members and the businesses they work with, and get to know the community better. “I’m here to be a facilitator, so in that role I’m willing to be flexible and listen to others,” Thomason said. “I’ll work in whatever capacity I can work to make Morgan County stronger from an economic perspective.” Meanwhile, he’s also working on selling his house and finding a new one in Morgan County. Pickings are slim, but he plans to be settled in by June 1. Stephanie Alderton: 970-867-5651 ext 227, salderton@fmtimes.com or twitter.com/slalderton
“I see this not as a sacrifice, a trade-off, but as a growth opportunity that allows me to get back to a community that is more aligned with what my roots were as a child.” Greg Thomason Director Morgan County Economic Development Corporation
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REFLECTIONS • MARCH 30, 2016 • 23
Reflections XIII History
Ladies who research
Community History Writers grew out of passion for re-telling area’s stories By Jenni Grubbs Times Staff Writer
Swapping stories, telling tales and sharing gossip from years gone may not sound like the most productive way to conduct a meeting, but this is the normal process for the Community History Writers. This group of volunteer researchers and writers meets monthly with a Times reporter and Fort Morgan Museum curator to make a plan for what will appear on the monthly history page or pages in the newspaper. Those meetings typically are a mix of the above-mentioned stories, tales and gossip, but they also are filled with actual making of plans — and lots of laughter. The Community History Writers, who choose to remain relatively anonymous, formed as a group during the creation of “Morgan County: A Land of Immigrants,” a booklet detailing the area’s immigration. That was an initiative started by the Fort Morgan Heritage Foundation and funded by a grant from OneMorgan County. The foundation plans to fund its second printing, which could happen this summer, as all extra copies of the original press run have been claimed.
The core group of people who did the research and writing for the immigration history booklet thought it sounded like great fun to continue doing such research and then writing lots more about the area’s history on the topics (mostly) of their choice. They pitched this idea to the Fort Morgan Times — not expecting any payment, just monthly space for their stories to be published. Museum Curator Brian Mack would aid with research and providing pictures from the museum collection to go with the stories. How could the Times turn them down? Since then, the group has written and had published a total of 19 monthly history stories on a multitude of topics, as well as a few timely extra stories along the way. It started in September 2014 with the story of three women — one local, two Somalian immigrants — bonded by overcoming a language barrier and teaching each other about their cultures and lives. The Community History Writers were in infancy as a group at that point, still debating some about what to call themselves, what topics to tackle and sources to use, who would write which subjects, how the content would flow from
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Reflections XIII
HISTORY from page 24 the researchers to the writers to the newspaper and more. But it all was worked out along the way. There have been a few members who have left the group, others who float in and out as their schedules dictate, and new people reading one of their articles and getting interested enough to check them out and then join in the fun. Sometimes the group has a schedule planned many months out for what stories will be written which months. There were a few stories that were back-ups, with the research already done and the story just needing to be written if something fell through at the last minute. At other times, especially around the winter holidays, it can become more of a “what the heck are we going to do and who’s going to be free to do it” sort of thing. But one thing has proven true: There will be a monthly story in the Times from the Community History Writers, and it will be a fascinating look at how a family, industry, issue or event played a role in this area’s past. One of the most popular things they have done was a two-part series on the area’s history of “murder, mayhem and mischief.” For that one, the writer discovered that there was too much history related to those things to fit in one story, so it wound up taking up both the October and November articles. But without the group’s efforts, how many people would know about the murder by beer bottle hit to the head that happened in July 1913? Or the mayhem that was going on during the days of Prohibition and what happened after law enforcement raids on illegal stills: “Meanwhile, the police and sheriff’s deputies were busy raiding moonshine stills, and throwing ‘playboys who lubricated themselves with giggle-soup’ into jail. One night, they arrested a group who were ‘making whoopy with a
Community History Writers The Community History Writers research and write a series of monthly stories published in the Fort Morgan Times. Here’s a list of the topics of the stories they have produced so far and when they were published in the Fort Morgan Times: Sept. 12, 2014 - 3 women build cultural bridges Oct. 10, 2014 - Great Western Sugar Co. arrives in Morgan County Nov. 14, 2014 - Morgan County had Colorado’s only two-story sod house Dec. 19, 2014 - Morgan County has history of changing Christmas traditions Jan. 16, 2015 - Migrant roots now planted deep (about Rogelio and Anna Segura) Feb. 13, 2015 - Fred Ostwald’s immigration story March 13, 2015 – Howard’s Castle (about artist Howard Rollin) April 17, 2015 - Locals with Hungarian roots made long-term homes in Morgan County May 8, 2015 - Morgan County’s one-room schools June 12, 2015 - Brush Rodeo has long history July 10, 2015 - How Fort Morgan became ‘The City of Lights’ Aug. 7, 2015 - Greasewood oil boom: Big hopes also brought a big fall Sept. 12, 2015 - A look at early health care (in Morgan County) Oct. 10, 2015 - Murder in Morgan County Nov. 20, 2015 - Mischievous times: Mayhem and Mischief in Morgan County Dec. 18, 2015 - Home for the Holidays: Recipes and images in a local cookbook from years ago Jan. 15, 2016 - Selling snake oil as ‘patent medicine’ Feb. 19, 2016 - Extra, extra! Read all about it! (History of newspapers in Morgan County) March 10, 2016 - Revisiting the ‘Dirty Thirties’
See HISTORY, pg. 26 Fort Morgan Times, Dec. 18, 2015, Page 7 REFLECTIONS • MARCH 30, 2016 • 25
Reflections XIII
HISTORY from page 25
gallon of raisin liquor by the fairgrounds.’ They were transported to the Morgan County Jail, where they serenaded everyone with a ‘songfest’ all night until they sobered up,” the Community History Writers’ story reads, quoting from stories in old editions of the Times. And the stories they have researched and created on things like the Greasewood Oil boom, how Fort Morgan became the City of Lights, the rise of the beet sugar industry, sod houses and one-room schools, small-town newspapers, early doctors and so-called patent medicines and how the Dustbowl did or did not hit this area has shown how varied and rich Morgan County’s history truly is. There also have been quite a few personal, family stories going back to the group’s roots: telling the tales of immigration, settling in Morgan County and making their marks on this area. And there were the lighter stories of local artist Howard Rollin, the Brush Rodeo and the area’s many holiday traditions. The best part is that there are many more such stories still to come from the Community History Writers, who already have a plan stretching into next fall for what they will research and write. The Community History Writers also welcome people who may be interested in joining them in researching and writing about local history to check out one of the monthly planning meetings. These usually happen after lunchtime in the early afternoon on the fourth Thursday of the month at Fort Morgan Library & Museum. But just like how they run their planning meetings, the group is somewhat informal about the time and date. Send an email to jgrubbs@fortmorgantimes.com if you want to know the specific time and date for the next one. If you come, you just might find out who these hilarious history buffs are. Fort Morgan Times, Oct. 10, 2015, Page 7 26 • MARCH 30, 2016 • REFLECTIONS
REFLECTIONS • MARCH 30, 2016 • 27
Reflections XIII Town government
From L.A. to Wiggins
Courtesy Photo
Paul Larino has tackled some tough issues in his first year as Wiggins town administrator.
Paul Larino’s journey as town administrator er and has lived in rural areas ever since. When he went into the cattle business as an adult, he often had to deal with small town govPaul Larino has been town ernments, and he eventually administrator of Wiggins for more became interested in going into than a year, but he’s been interest- that field himself. After studying ed in government for much longer. public administration for two Larino grew up in Los Angeles, years, he heard of a job opening in but moved to Missouri as a teenag- Wiggins and immediately applied.
By Stephanie Alderton Times Staff Writer
28 • MARCH 30, 2016 • REFLECTIONS
The town council voted to hire him in October of 2014. “I love challenges, and I love opportunities,” he said. “I’m a very ‘type A’ person, so I love opportunities to work hard and make things better.” He said his family has often vacationed in Colorado and he had grown to love the state, which was
another point in the job’s favor. And Wiggins, with its tiny population and rural setting, was just the sort of community Larino was used to. One of the first opportunities he had as town administrator to “make things better” came with the Wiggins water system. The See LARINO, pg. 29
Reflections XIII
LARINO from page 28 town has struggled to provide a working, up-to-code water system for years, and although it was mostly up and running when Larino came to town, one of his major tasks was to make sure all of its parts could connect and work together. He worked to improve the monitoring plan and equipment to make them more efficient. “Getting to understand the whole Colorado water system has been a pretty enlightening experience,” he said. Other challenges have faced Larino and the town council over the last 17 months, such as paving the roads and applying for state grants to help with public improvements, a time-consuming project in and of itself. On a more personal level, he faced some difficulties moving into the town. Since Wiggins had so few houses available at the time, it took him about eight months to find a house there, during which time he was commuting from Brighton. So his recent efforts to get the Kiowa Park and Thomas family housing developments approved for the town came from a personal understanding of the housing shortage. Not every decision Larino has made over the last 17 months has been universally liked. Approval of the housing developments, for example, stirred up controversy among a few residents who believed the new homes would
“IT department,” because she helps him with technology so often. Not everything about the job of town administrator is easy, but Larino plans to be in it for the long haul. He said he loves the community spirit in Wiggins, and events like the town Fourth of July and Christmas celebrations last year make him excited about where it’s going. “To me, that’s the biggest accomplishment, that we can come together as a community and be sort of doing these things together,” he said. “You just don’t have that in larger cities. And I want to keep that as the town grows, that community spirit moving forward.” Stephanie Alderton / Fort Morgan Times
Wiggins town administrator Paul Larino listens to a report during a town council meeting. Larino has worked as administrator since October of 2014. Although he has helped complete many projects, including improvements to the Wiggins water system, he considers the organization of the town's 2015 Fourth of July and Christmas celebrations to be among his greatest accomplishments.
overwork the town water supply (Larino believes that with the help of recent augmentation agreements, Wiggins will have enough water for many more homes). But his colleagues on the town board of trustees have repeatedly commended him for his hard work and smart planning. “Do you ever take a break?”
Stephanie Alderton: 970-867-5651 ext 227, salderton@fmtimes.com or twitter.com/slalderton
Mayor Mac Leon asked him after one of his board meeting presentations. Larino does take breaks occasionally, mostly to spend time with his wife and three daughters, one of whom is married but two of whom still live with their parents in Wiggins. He refers to his youngest daughter, Sarah, as the town’s
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Reflections XIII City of Brush
Pioneering projects praised But Brush bracing for big coming changes By Katie Collins News-Tribune Staff Writer
A wealth of awards and accolades were bestowed on projects that helped revitalize and restore the boundaries of Brush last year, forming firm foundations for bold changes ahead that will likely reshape the landscape itself. As the ag-based area that began as a supply point on the TexasMontana trail in 1882, braces for even more transformations, the community’s determined identity remains intact. It is that very passion that will keep the pioneering tradition alive as the rural region fast becomes a beacon on the plains for modern innovation and growth.
Katie Collins / Brush News-Tribune
2015 and 2016 have been busy ones for Brush as the municipality purchased the former Bunker Hill Country Club, transforming it into The Course Café and Lounge at Petteys Park. Several people from the community attended the ribbon-cutting that welcomed the business to the community.
made tremendous accomplishments in partnerships within the 2015 Small-Community community to establish it as a great place to be,” said EDCC Repof the Year resentative Michelle Alcott during From the completion of awardthe May ceremony that celebrated winning projects that put new life into the I-76 corridor and Hospital Brush’s tenacity and spirit. Looking into the long term has Road pathways that provide a gatelong topped the annual list of way to Brush, to collaborative efforts that landed the city the dis- Brush City Council goals for city departments, and projects that tinguished title of 2015 ‘Small came before councilors in 2015 Community of the Year’ through an Economic Development Coun- proved Brush is primed for future sustainability. cil of Colorado’s (EDCC) award, Brush’s dedication to improveAward-winning ments, progress and partnership Downtown Revitalization were highlighted on a national in final phase stage. A solid foundation for future The EDCC’s honor marked growth and renewal as Brush’s Brush as unique in the state as it was chosen as the best of 10 Colo- award-winning downtown revitalization project brought in a rado communities that had been renewed business district. nominated - and this after the city The four-phase project began in had earned the designation of ‘All2010 and completely modernized America City’ the prior year from the look and utility of the downthe National Civic League. “Brush residents enjoy the rural town areas from Edmunds to Clayton streets with new lighting, sigpace and charm, complete with a nage, landscaping and streetforward-thinking city that has 30 • MARCH 30, 2016 • REFLECTIONS
scaping efforts, as well as the construction of a state-of-the-art storm water drainage system and pond. With the beautification and revitalization effort, the Brush community received another nod, this time in the Downtown Colorado Inc.’s 2013 Governor’s Award for Downtown Excellence that was bestowed on the City of Brush and phase two and three contractors NolteVeritical 5, specifically for Best Public Space for a Main Street. The final phase of downtown redesign and construction will put a finishing touch to the entire 21st Century makeover and is set to commence in June, with the bid for the contract awarded in February 2015 to J-2 Contracting Company out of Greeley. This final phase will have crews working on storm water improvements on Edmunds Street, roughly between Carson Street and the 200 block of E. Edmunds as it meets Highway 34. Crews also will
tackle storm water lines from Colorado Avenue to a newly constructed storm water pond east of Brush, which the city managed to help fund via a generous Colorado Department of Local Affairs grant.
Construction, fresh facilities and new business development Surrounding the heart and soul of the city’s downtown area, a great deal of Brush lands are gearing up for a grand redesign as 2015 saw the city approve a new ambulance facility through the county, which will count as just one of several new structures that will begin to flank the once prairie grasslands surrounding Hospital Road. Hospital Road, described often through the latter half of 2015 as the ‘Gateway to Brush’ as it too braces for big change, enjoyed a complete annexation into the City of Brush in October as the portion See PROJECTS, pg. 31
Reflections XIII
PROJECTS from page 30
of the right-of-way (MCR 27) from Mill Street to I-76 was brought into the official city limits. The incorporation came just as the city readies to urbanize the roadway, which will likely see a large-scale change as the wellknown travel and truck stop chain, Love’s Travel Stops and Country Stores, made their plans for a new station that, according to preliminary plats provided to city staff and council in February, will be located at the former Castle Rock subdivision site on the southeast corner of Hospital Road and I-76 and could come complete a with drive-thru fast-food chain and the potential for a hotel on the site. Though plans remain in a production phase as of March, developers and Love’s representatives Katie Collins / Brush News-Tribune hope to start work on, and even Signs along U.S. Highway 34/Edison invite travelers and residents to the complete, the new travel stop con- city of Brush. struction before the end of 2016. of train horns as they travel through. The city also helped lead the Hospital Road might also enjoy a way for other rural communities in more peaceful sounding atmothe ways of progress during a cutsphere before traffic increases as ting-edge sign code update that it is set to play host to a second has blazed a path for other towns ‘Quiet Zone’ construction along and cities to follow, especially upon the railroad tracks there, just as receiving recognition for the effort the Clayton Street crossing in including awards from the ColoraBrush enjoyed as it ushered in do City and County Management 2016. Association, as well as the ColoraThe Quiet Zone project set work- do Municipal League. ers to reconstructing the crossing Community pride area, providing required features for the zone which has greatly prompts activism silenced the resounding honking A plethora of new restaurants
Brush blazes path for future of rural areas
began dotting the Brush landscape in anticipation of great renewal and according to Brush Mayor Chuck Schonberger, those located within and outside of the downtown area have enjoyed tremendous growth, with the downtown buildings enjoying one of the highest occupancy rates in many years. With such promise on the horizon, citizens have enjoyed a renewal of sorts, and came out in great numbers to voice their disproval of allowing the growth or sale of marijuana by businesses within the city limits, to which the council responded with a vote to forbid the
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newly legalized cash crop in what most residents are proud to call their All-America City. Brush is also proud to be ushering in a 26th year as an Arbor Day Foundation ‘Tree City USA’ during the 2016 Arbor Day celebrations. The designation comes with great effort that has had city staff and the Tree Board, as well as community businesses and volunteers, come together to meet core criteria to help sustain a green standard in communities nationwide.
2016 Brush City Council goals are in gear 2016 will usher in even more anticipation in terms of growth and goals for the City Council this year that include completing a master plan for a storm water augmentation pond and more in the English Feedlot lands, developing a recreation master plan to include more trails, ball fields, a potential new swimming pool, pocket park and community buildings, the reconstruction and refurbishment of a public safety building that could house the fire and police departments, as well as continued promotion of community aesthetics such as the Beautify Brush campaign, the restoration of dilapidated buildings and a continued focus on water resources development through the newly established Water Advisory Board as well as efforts to refurbish the historical Central School building.
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REFLECTIONS • MARCH 30, 2016 • 31
Reflections XIII Farmers State Bank
Iva Kay Horner / Brush News-Tribune
Pictured are the officers at Farmers State Bank in Brush. Back, from left, Cashier/Trust Officer Susan Coronado, Vice President Spencer Farnik and Vice President Wesley Sailsbery. Seated is President Kirk Lowry.
Dedicated to the community for 100 years and going strong ber 1915 to discuss organizing a bank in Brush, to the present, the “banks directors, officers and staff have remained resilient for 100 It is a rare occasion that a sucyears, dedicated to excellent sercessful business is able to celevice, safety, responsibility and brate being a continuous member above all, being completely of a local community for 100 years. involved in the communities it But the Farmers State Bank has serves,” the bank’s website notes. done just that. Over the past year, the bank has From its first meeting in Septemcelebrated its 100 years of service
By Iva Kay Horner News-Tribune Publisher/Editor
32 • MARCH 30, 2016 • REFLECTIONS
to the community by hosting open houses at its Brush and Akron locations. It has reminisced of earlier days by offering hot dogs, root beer floats, popcorn and a catered barbecue luncheon as their way of saying thank you to their many loyal customers. From that first meeting in 1915 to today, much has happened in the nation and to the banking
industry in the United States. The Bank’s Articles of Incorporation were signed on October 7, 1915, and delivered to the State Bank Commissioner, the Secretary of State, and were filed with the County Clerk and Recorder of Morgan County. Named as the first president of See BANK, pg. 33
Reflections XIII
BANK from page 32 the newly formed bank in 1915 was John Needham who held the position until his death in 1960. In all those years, the bank has had only eight presidents including Needham (1915-1960), Alonzo Petteys (1960-1967), Warren Watrous (1967-1978), Steve Christoff (1978-1981), Norm Tisdale (1981-1991), Will Schippers (19911998), Al Campbell (1998-2015) and the current president Kirk Lowry. Serving as long-time Chairman of the Board and still active is Bob Gunnon. Through the early guidance of Needham and Petteys, the bank followed a path of expansion and diversification, adding the First National Banks of Wray and Sterling, along with Citizens National Bank of Akron. With the reactivation of the charter of Equitable Savings and Loan Association in 1954, the organizations grew and formed “The Pioneer Group” which now serves 15 locations with thousands of customers.
The Sterling bank was sold and Equitable Savings and Loan was expanded in the 1980’s to 10 locations throughout Northeast Colorado. Equitable has had a major impact on the single family housing market. Fifty years after its birth, the Brush bank underwent a complete remodel, consisting of expansion of the upstairs community room, as well as addition of a drive-up window on the west side of the bank. Another addition came in December 1975, when Farmers State Bank constructed a separate drive-up facility on the corner of Carson and Edison Streets. Installation of an ATM at the drive-up took place in 1980. In 1982, the directors merged the three banks into a multi-bank holding company named The First Pioneer Bank Corp. This merger brought additional strength in capital and assets and spread the businesses into a larger trade area. In
1986, in-house accounting computers were added. The bank made another business move on November 10, 2009, with the merger of the Brush and Akron banks to become The Farmers State Bank of Brush and Akron. In observing the past 100 years and moving into its second century, President Kirk Lowry commented, “As we consider this accomplishment, we recognize that it took a great deal of work and perseverance. Think about all the great events that have occurred in the last century. The country has survived several wars, The Great Depression, and numerous recessions. Our bank withstood all of those events and continued to grow and become stronger.” He continued, “Our success has been due to strong management, dedicated employees, consistently conservative policies and thousands of loyal customers over the
last 100 years. But, the most important part of the banking business hasn’t changed at all – the people. We are blessed with valued customers. Taking care of customers and providing the products and services that they need is still our number one priority.” The safety of customer’s funds is important. Lending out customer’s and shareholder’s money for 100 years has ensured the area would grow and prosper. The bank is the epitome of a rural, locally owned, successful community bank. Mr. Gunnon noted, “That having original founding families and their descendants still involved in the bank brought a continuation of honesty, direction, and a strong interest in the growth of the local community. There are very few locally owned community banks left in the country. We are continuing to use the principals the founders instilled in the bank. We look forward to see what the next 100 years bring!”
“Our success has been due to strong management, dedicated employees, consistently conservative policies and thousands of loyal customers over the last 100 years. But, the most important part of the banking business hasn’t changed at all – the people. We are blessed with valued customers.” Kirk Lowry President Farmers State Bank
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REFLECTIONS • MARCH 30, 2016 • 33
Reflections XIII Fitness
High Plains Gymnastics Academy continues growth
By Brandon Boles Times Sports Reporter
The High Plains Gymnastics Academy was once seen as a side business for KC Sailsbery and her husband, Wes, when they took over as the owners of the gym. Now, in their 11th year working behind the scenes, it has become a full-time business added on to their current carrers. Ownership for the Academy began for KC in 2002 when she moved to Fort Morgan and was hired as a PE/Health teacher as well as the new high school head gymnastics coach. An assistant coach she worked with was looking to close the gym down in 2005 and called Sailbery to see if she wanted the equipment from the gym to keep. “I kind of said I wanted the whole thing,” Sailsbery said. Rather than seeing the new gym as an extra responsibility, Sailsbery saw it as a way to help grow the high school program she was coaching. “I wanted to do it earlier because I saw it as a way to fuel something into the high school program,” Sailsbery said. “From that point I took it over and renamed it High Plains Gymnastics Academy for a name for the local area.” In her first year as owner, Sailsbery worked with every girl that was in the Academy, from the young toddlers being exposed to the sport for the first time to the teens that were getting ready for the high school and summer seasons. Her schedule was not packed either, coaching only three to four days a week for a couple hours. Over time, the numbers began to increase. A few years after taking
Brandon Boles / Fort Morgan Times
KC (left) and Wes Sailsbery are the owners of High Plains Gymnastics Academy in Fort Morgan.
over, Sailsbery hired on some extra coaches to help out at the gym. But the growth continued to come, and more coaches were added on as more and more kids came through the program. Today, the gym hosts multiple classes per day, with an entire coaching staff working on a regular basis. The gym has grown from having around 35 kids when Sailsbery took over to having well over 125 in the program. In addition to having more coaches, the teens who head into high school also began to be coached on how to coach some of the younger kids and play that role before graduating and leaving. That process of
34 • MARCH 30, 2016 • REFLECTIONS
going from learning gymnastics to coaching the sport is one Sailsbery herself has gone through. She was a gymnast growing up in Portland and had that instilled on her while going through her rigorous training. “The coaches told me that I should do some coaching because that would keep me in the gym more,” Sailsbery said. Sailsbery started gymnastics at 4 years old and fell in love with the sport instantaneously. When her family moved to Portland at age 8, she was put on a competitive team right away and competed until she was 18. In Portland, she was part of a
USA Gymnastics program, which is one of the highest levels and most competitive to be in. She started helping out with practices when she was 12, and then was hired on as a full coach at 14. Her plans to continue competing in gymnastics came to an end in college when she suffered a knee injury. Her athletic career came to an end, but her coaching career continued on. When Sailsbery went to the University of Northern Colorado, Eaton High School had an opening for a gymnastics coach. She coached as an assistant her junior and senior year of college. See GYMNASTICS, pg. 35
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The High Plains Gymnastics Academy offers classes for all ages and experience levels to teach the sport of gymnastics. The number of participants joining the academy has grown significantly over the years.
GYMNASTICS from page 34 After graduation, Sailsbery said she was looking for a job in Colorado and wanted to stay west. A mistake led to her applying for a job in Fort Morgan, but she took the job and took over coaching with the gym and the high school program for the last 11 years. “When I got the job here with the college, it needed more of my time,” Sailsbery said. “The business side of it was also growing, and I wanted it to keep blossoming.” In 2014, it was Wes who took over for the Mustangs program. Unlike KC, he did not have a background in gymnastics. His start in the sport came when she asked him to help out at a practice one time after the two were married. “In 2007, (KC) said she had a kid she needed help spotting on bars, but I had never done it before,” Wes said. “I came in the one day to help do that and she asked if I could come to one more practice. One practice turned into one meet and more practices, so on and so forth.” The duo became well liked by
the girls, according to KC. “I’m more of the strict and rigorous type, and he can be the laidback, funny coach for them,” KC explained. “We make a good coaching team. We even each other out and the girls get the right structure.” This year, the two will be stepping back from their coaching positions to focus more on the business side of the Academy. They also have their own three daughters who are just beginning to go through the gymnastics program, which gives KC and Wes another way to look at the business. “It’s exciting to be on the outside and now receive the report cards and see how the girls are progressing,” KC said. As for the future for High Plains Gymnastics Academy, she expects more numbers to grow this year. “With this being an Olympic year, we’re expecting another boom of kids to join,” KC said. Brandon Boles: 970-867-5651, sports@fmtimes.com or twitter.com/FMT_Sports
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Reflections XIII East Morgan County Hospital
Expansion benefits hospital, Brush community
More services available now at EMCH By Katie Collins News-Tribune Staff Writer
“We’ve had a pretty phenomenal year,” said East Morgan County Hospital CEO Linda Thorpe upon reminiscing on what turned out to be a whirlwind 2015 for the Brush hospital and staff. The completion of a $20 million expansion effort that brought the Banner Health facility expanded capabilities and space, as well as a strengthened commitment to the community that was reinforced. The master plan, begun in 1994 with the Alonzo Petteys Rehabilitation Center, also amplified services offered, as well as the number and quality of staff, helping EMCH to experience an invigorated, lively atmosphere that has patients and staff alike praising the innovations, both internal and external. Even with the trials of such a tremendous transformation, EMCH has managed to maintain standards that have shaped the hospital as a leader among Banner Health’s nationwide network of facilities, and even exceed expectations. With the new construction came the addition of a plethora of new services offered to area citizens and, throughout 2015, the effects became visible and noteworthy. The original hospital, built in April of 1967, was transformed with the addition of 32,000 feet of expanded space that included a new labor/delivery area complete
Banner Health Brush EMCH / Courtesy photo
The lights are on 24/7 at Banner Health's East Morgan County Hospital in Brush. The expansion included a new entrance and parking area, in addition to renovations within the facility.
with three delivery suites and two overflow rooms, a state-of-the-art C-Section operating room, pre-labor triage room, breast lactation room and state-of-the-art, threebay nursery. The obstetrics wing was a welcome sight for many local women who helped breathe new life, literally, into EMCH. The first baby born in Brush in nearly 20 years was welcomed by an elated EMCH staff on September 15, 2015 as Christian Connely, son of Bri and Christian, helped usher in a new day-and-age for the site. “It marked a new beginning,” Thorpe said, adding, “Christian
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was the first of a number of babies whose births have taken place or are expected in the coming year and it makes me think back to just a few years ago, when we first heard from community members about the desire for an obstetrics service. We knew it would take a great deal – from new physicians, new equipment and staff to newly constructed state-of-the-art patient rooms and an operating suite – it would take work. Similar to how parents dream of what their families will one-day become, we dreamed of what this could bring and then we worked to make it happen.”
Thorpe notes how so many people and organizations came together for the cause to introduce the services, including the EMCH District Board, EMCH Foundation and Auxiliary and business community of Morgan County itself, who gathered resources, financial and emotional support, even creating 10 baskets for the first 10 families with babies born there. Just 15 months after the completion, and just seven months following the finish of the obstetrics space in September of 2015, a total of 15 babies have been born at EMCH, with nearly 30 more
See HOSPITAL, pg. 37
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HOSPITAL from page 36 scheduled as of March. “Our work family at East Morgan prepared for this project with the skill and confidence that our expecting families deserve,” noted a proud Thorpe. “We have since recruited excellent providers and have welcomed them into our community. We continue to strive to make a difference in people’s lives through that excellent and compassionate patient care.” The expansion helped revamp and beautify the landscape of the City of Brush!, adding a modern, cutting-edge feel to the EMCH lot located between Highway 34 and Edmunds Street, with Harvard and Cambridge streets flanking the new architecture. With the addition of the 19, modern, private patient rooms, two Banner Health Brush EMCH / Courtesy photo negative air pressure isolation rooms, three intensive care rooms, Pictured is the new waiting area at East Morgan County Hospital, which was part of the recent renovations at the See HOSPITAL, pg. 38 hospital in Brush.
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HOSPITAL from page 37 multi-purpose room used for training and education to new waiting and consultation rooms to the new kitchen, expanded cafeteria, fresh lobby, revitalized gift shop and ample parking lot, the facility has become one of Banner Health’s shining beacons. “I think the expansion has helped a great deal,” said Thorpe. “Not only has it brought an increase in our acute and regular in-patients numbers, but it has also helped highlight many of our offerings for the public, from our exercise pool to the large line of women’s health services, to our kitchen and cafeteria. We have people coming in for many areas of health and education, and especially for our food,” she continued, noting the enticing flavors that Head Chef Peter Sisneros and his staff in the newly remodeled kitchen, bistro and cafeteria have dished out. The impact through the first year has been more than a success, as reported by Banner Health, who ranked East Morgan County Hospital No. 2 among the corporation’s 29 facilities nationwide. The Brush-based site earned a healthy reputation both inside the community and outside, as numbers brought out by Banner near the end of 2015 ranked the Brush hospital No. 1 for ‘would recommend’ among patients, and was No. 2 in doctor-to-nurse communication. EMCH also came in at a No. 1 spot for cleanliness. Physicians, nurses and other staff who have been recruited to the site also have praised the hospital for its efforts towards employees and patients. In the same Banner Health study, employees ranked Brush as No. 1 for nursing communication and No. 2 for doctor communication. EMCH also earned a high No. 3 mark in providing concise discharge instructions and came in the Top 5 for pain management. “It shows our physicians and nurses are speaking the same language and are making sure
Banner Health Brush EMCH / Courtesy photo
The $20 million expansion at East Morgan County Hospital included the addition of 19 modern, private patient rooms, two negative air pressure isolation rooms, three intensive care rooms, a multi-purpose room and state-ofthe-art patient rooms in the birthing area of the facility.
patients and families understand what is going on,” noted Chief Nursing Officer Dan Lingle. “We are meeting or exceeding every target we’ve been given by Banner,” added Thorpe, who also noted that the 15 doctors brought in to Brush in 2015 have reiterated the sentiment. The surge in hires, growth and patient numbers have not seemed to deter the staff there, who counted Brush as a wonderful place to work, with notable leadership, in the surveys which enticed 95 percent of employees to participate. “When compared with our Banner sites, this shows us that our employees are actively engaged and are highly committed to our mission, vision and values,” voiced Thorpe, who hopes to continue the trend in the future when she hopes the facility might add more
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in-house options, such as an MRI or expanded lab or clinic space. EMCH continues to contribute a great deal to the community at large through 2015 and into 2016 as they host events from the Alzheimer’s Memory Walk, to an Ask the Expert series, the annual Community Health Fair, Drug Take Back events, Relay for Life, sports physicals and banquets such as the EMCH Foundation’s new Prairie Rose fundraiser, and annual Fall Affair. On March 30, EMCH is inviting the public to peruse the facility, from 4 to 6 p.m., where folks can meet and greet the new providers, as well as take part in department tours. East Morgan County Hospital is operated by Banner Health, one of the nation’s largest nonprofit healthcare systems comprised of
25 hospitals in seven states. East Morgan opened in 1967 and offers inpatient and outpatient diagnostic services, cancer care, cataract surgery, community outreach programs, education and classes, Emergency care, intensive care with iCare technology, heart care, medical imaging, occupational health, orthopedics, pediatrics, surgical care, transitional care, women’s services, Telehealth and the state-of-the-art Alonzo Petteys Rehabilitation Center. More information on EMCH in Brush, about services, events, physicians and providers, as well as scheduling and more, can be found on their website at www.bannerhealth.com/Brush , by calling their main line at (970) 842-6200 or by visiting their newly remodeled facility at 2400 W. Edison Street in Brush.
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City of Fort Morgan
Water guardian
Al O’Canas oversees things at Fort Morgan Water Treatment Plant By Jenni Grubbs Times Staff Writer
When a water faucet is turned on in Fort Morgan, the residents and businesses feel pretty comfortable about whether it will be safe for them to drink, cook with, shower in, launder clothes, water lawns or run through sprinklers on a hot day. That’s possible in part because Al O’Canas worries about this every day. As the superintendent at the Fort Morgan Water Treatment Plant, O’Canas is responsible for the day-to-day operations at the
plant and making sure clean, safe water continually flows downhill to the city. He is only the second person to hold that position at this plant, having taken on the promotion from senior operator to interim superintendent not long after John Turner’s October 2014 retirement, and then getting the full job a few months after that. Initially, O’Canas did not want the superintendent job. It would have meant moving to the house at the plant and living on site, being on-call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Plus, there was all the paperwork, managing the crew and everything that came
with being in charge. His first response to the possibility of becoming the plant superintendent was “Heck no.” But eventually, O’Canas came around to the idea. Especially after other people came out and turned down the job. “John left, so we didn’t have a superintendent. We were rotating it, both senior operators,” O’Canas recalled. “We made sure the workload continued, things were getting done. Bills had to be paid, paperwork had to be done.” He credited Water Resources/ Utilities Director Brent Nation and everyone in the Utility Billing Department for helping the plant
workers through that time. O’Canas found that he could do the work of the superintendent job after all. You just start getting your feet wet, start figuring things out,” he said. “Maybe I can do this.” O’Canas decided to give it a try. “Once you get your feet wet, and you’re doing the job, let’s take this opportunity and see where it takes you,” he recalled thinking. “But there was a lot of thinking to do.” He had to consider his family, which at that time included longtime girlfriend Mandy, who is now his wife, and his six pet wiener dogs that he calls “a handful.”
See WATER, pg. 40
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WATER from page 39 Plus, O’Canas has two adult children, the currently 21-year-old Kiana, a barista in Cheyenne, and the 20-year-old Ouray, a student at Fort Lewis State College in Durango. That family is part of what led him into water treatment in the first place. O’Canas graduated from Fort Morgan High School in 1990. He worked for about 16 years in maintenance in Log Lane Village, which is where he first started learning about water. “Their water system consisted of ground water,” he said. O’Canas left Log Lane’s employ about two years after the town took on water from Morgan County Quality Water District, but he still had the opportunity to learn more about water from that process. That led him to the Fort Morgan Water Treatment Plant, where he was hired on as a C-license operator. “My family was growing, so I was looking for a new opportunity,” he said. “I applied and got lucky and got the job.” He was hired by John Turner, who pushed O’Canas to get higher and higher classes of water treatment operator license. “It took a couple years, but I got by A operator,” he said. “We had a couple guys leave, and it gave me a chance to become a senior operator.” That eventually led him to where he is now: plant superintendent and a Wiggins address. He still considers himself a Fort Morgan-ite, though. “I was born in Fort Morgan and raised there,” he said. “I never really left. But now I’m sort of in Wiggins. I have a Wiggins address at least.” And he has settled into living in the house by the plant and the superintendent job. Even though it was a challenge and was taking him out of his comfort zone, O’Canas went for it and found the superintendent job agreed with him. Like he tells his workers, it took him “into the learning zone.”
That’s what O’Canas now wants his plant workers to do, like what Turner did for him, training them for the next thing and getting them ready to step up if needed. “I can’t thank John Turner enough for the things he taught us,” O’Canas said. And there is always something to learn and new to do at the plant, which O’Canas called an “awesome” place to work. “Every day’s something different,” O’Canas said about working at the plant and why he likes it. “We’re trying to stay ahead of regulations, and I’m not just an operator anymore. I’m making sure the guys are staying on daily tasks, the chemical applications are right… The responsibilities are many, you have to be able to juggle things.” Currently, one of those responsibilities is getting one type of expensive new treatment equipment upgrade online. That upgrade is for the flocculation equipment, which is one of the four stages of treatment where chemicals added in the first stage cause particles in the water to clump together and form “floc.” The floc then float to the top of the water before settling on the bottom, where they can be filtered out more easily in the third stage, O’Canas explained. The new flocculation equipment was about 50 percent installed by the contractor the week of March 11, and O’Canas expected the whole project to have been completed by March 21. It’s one that has been in the works since before Turner retired, so O’Canas is excited to see it coming to completion. “Flocculation’s our biggest project right now,” he said. “I can’t wait to finish that up.” However, he’s already looking to the future and what will need to be done next at the plant. He’s already ahead of the game on a new rule about inspections of water storage tanks, O’Canas said. “Each town that has a water storage tank has to make sure the maintenance inspections are up to date,” he said. “It goes into effect
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Jenni Grubbs / Fort Morgan Times
Fort Morgan Water Treatment Plant Superintendent Al O'Canas points to a metal beam just visible under the water (straight out from his feet) moving in a treatment basin at the plant. It is part of the plant's new flocculation system, which is part of an upgrade plan that began in 2014 under the nowretired plant Superintendent John Turner and now is nearing completion of installation in March 2016 under O'Canas.
April 1. We already do that.” Another one is making sure there is at least a certain level of chlorine that stays in the water distribution system, .2 milligrams per liter. “We’re well above that,” O’Canas said. “We’re in good standings there.” And being able to be ahead of the curve with upcoming rules and regulations is one of the things he had instilled in him by Turner as a necessity at the plant, and one he similarly intends to drill into his operators’ minds. Other than O’Canas, the plant has four operators: senior A-license operator Bob Kopetzky, who has worked there 12 years; A-license operator Tom Smith, eight years; B-license operator Tyler Horton, four years; and the newest operator, Chris Cobbley, who replaced O’Canas and has one year and a D license. “These guys at the plant really stepped up,” O’Canas said of his crew. “It’s making it a lot easier out here.” In the meantime, O’Canas is looking to the future and the possibility of having even more water to
watch over and treat. The city recently acquired land for a potential second city reservoir, and the water that currently flows through the Colorado-Big Thompson pipeline to the plant could one day be coming from the Northern Integrated Supply Project’s reservoirs. O’Canas is a big supporter of NISP, which could receive a permit decision in the next couple years, although it getting completely built may still be a decade out. “We need to keep moving forward with NISP,” he said. “You never want to miss out on water. That’s the best thing we’ve done as a city. It’s expensive, but it’s needed.” O’Canas said he likes being part of showing city residents that the water pipe dreams pay off, like with the C-BT pipeline. “Look at where we’re at,” he said. “Look at what we’ve got.” And knowing the city’s water needs and ensuring there’s enough clean, safe water flowing to Fort Morgan is a large part of O’Canas’ life these days. After all, that’s his job.
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Colorado Plains Medical Center
Small in stature, big in heart Paul Woodward was one of finest humanitarians in Morgan County more than a career for Woodward. In fact, some would go so far as to label it a calling for the gentle man In the early 70s, a passenger who never took a day off and was train made an emergency stop in always available whenever his Fort Morgan. One of its passenpatients needed him. gers, John Snow, was experiencing Paul E. Woodward was born in severe chest pains. The man was Kirkville, Missouri, on Feb. 3, quickly met and assessed by Paul 1905. Due to health reasons as a E. Woodward, the railroad’s desigyoung boy, he came to Colorado to nated area doctor and seasoned live with relatives on a farm near family physician. Snyder. After graduating from Although Snow was a much largBrush High School, he attended er man, the railroad doctor realColorado University and CU Mediized that time was of essence and cal School, graduating in 1929. carried the stranger from the train After a year-long internship at to his personal car and soon Kings County Hospital in Seattle, rushed him to the hospital where where he met his first wife, Amy he eventually recovered. Penny, the physician and his bride Woodward’s kindness didn’t stop soon came back to Morgan Counthere that day, but extended to ty where he joined the practice of Snow’s family who hailed from A.F. Williams and treated patients Pennsylvania and came out to until his death in November of check on the hospitalized patient. 1990. Woodward personally met them at The 5-foot-3-inch man was full of the Stapleton Airport and transmoxie from the start in his career. ported them to Fort Morgan, To prove that he was committed to showing that hospitality and care serving as a trusted partner of extend beyond hospital walls in Williams, Woodward promptly the rural community of Fort Mor- arrived on his first day of work to gan. assist him with a couple of tonsil This is just one example in a surgeries. As he sat in the waiting career that spanned six decades of room, a nurse noticed him and one of the finest humanitarians in See WOODWARD, pg. 42 Paul E. Woodward, M.D. Morgan County. Medicine was By CPMC news services
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WOODWARD from page 41 asked if he happened to be the little boy who was having his tonsils removed. “Absolutely not,” he exclaimed. “I’m the doctor.” The unintended insult was soon forgiven, and the nurse, Catherine MacNaughton, later became the physician’s second wife in 1962 after the death of his first wife. A general practitioner who was skilled in all areas of medicine, Woodward did everything from delivering babies, to performing surgeries, to even amputations, which he once had to do under trying circumstances and minimally available anesthetic resources. His diminutive stature didn’t stop him in the operating room either. A set of three nesting boxes was present for when Woodward needed them. In fact, he was often commended for his surgery skills in addition to his clinical assessment skills. A country doctor like Woodward needed to be adept in mending broken limbs, which he was often called upon to do. Family members of Woodward reminisced about a time in which a Weldona resident was taken to the Fort Morgan hospital with a severe fracture and bone sticking through the skin. With no available x-ray equipment at the time, Woodward used his skill to clean and reset the leg. Nine months later, the patient literally walked out of the hospital with a small limp. Although a beloved family practitioner to patients of all ages, the very young and the old were favorites of his. It is estimated that Woodward delivered approximately 5,000 babies during his lifetime. Many of these deliveries were performed in people’s homes sometimes under primitive conditions until the Fort Morgan Community Hospital (now Colorado Plains Medical Center) was built in 1952. When Colorado Plains Medical Center remodeled its obstetrics unit in the early 2000s, the wing was dedicated to Woodward for his contributions to the field of obstet-
er trustees of the Williams Family Foundation, and many scholar“Dr. Woodward was a man who loved ships for Morgan County students in medically related studies have to practice medicine, and his patients been awarded over the years due to the generosity of the Foundaloved him. He enjoyed life and was of tion, which was initially established by his physician partner of great service to the Fort Morgan many years. community.” This commitment to having educated and highly trained medical R. Neil Chishold personnel in rural communities Colleague and close friend of Paul Woodward also continues under a rural residency program that was recently established at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and is slated to begin in Fort Morgan in July of 2017 with the support of medicine. Woodward received the the Williams Family Foundation. rics and for the decades of com1987 Silver and Gold Award, the mitment to the care of Morgan It wasn’t the awards and recognihighest honor given by the CU County residents. tion that motivated the humble Medical Association. This was an era of change and man, but the idea of taking care of He also received the University progress for CPMC. The unit tranothers in the community as a clinisitioned from a model in which tra- of Colorado Community Service cian and as a humanitarian that Award in 1984 and was the recipi- captures the true essence of this dition had mothers delivering in ent of Colorado University Medical late physician. Woodward served designated equipped rooms and School’s Outstanding Alumnae newborns being tended to in a as the past exalted ruler of the nursery, to today’s preferred fami- Award for his dedication as a Elks Lodge, past president of the humanitarian. The esteemed docly-oriented method of care. The Fort Morgan Country Club, memobstetrics area of the hospital was tor served on CU’s board of trustber of the Fort Morgan Chamber expanded and remodeled to allow ees of the Health Sciences Cenof Commerce, a member and past ter’s Webb-Waring Lung Institute for a family birthing experience master of the Masonic Lodge No. and on the Williams Family Founwhere the family spends time 67 F.F. & A.M., the Fort Morgan together and all activities from the dation, which not only established Chapter and Commandery, Rocky birth to recovery are completed in the A.F. Williams Family Practice Mountain Consistory, El Jebel Center at the medical school, but a comfortable home-like setting. Shrine of Denver, and member of It was felt that this sense of “fam- has been instrumental in various the 32nd Degree Masons. hospital improvements at CPMC ily” was a fitting tribute to a man A medical colleague and close including the original ICU unit, the who valued this aspect of life. friend, R. Neil Chishold, once Buckingham-Williams wing, the Woodward loved the seniors as remarked, “Dr. Woodward was a helipad on its rooftop, and recent well. At Christmas, he morphed man who loved to practice mediupgrades to the obstetrics unit into Santa Claus for the residents cine, and his patients loved him. bearing his name. at Valley View Villa. At Saint PatWoodward probably recognized He enjoyed life and was of great rick’s Day celebrations, the doctor the need to have a sound, modern- service to the Fort Morgan comdressed in his finest green Irish attire. These were the unexpected day hospital. Before the Fort Mor- munity.” Although the country doctor gan Community Hospital was built “extras” Woodward provided and with a huge heart is present in not part of the official duties of the in 1952, Woodward was called memory, his legacy of caring for Medical Director position he held. upon to fix the rope on a pulley humanity lives on and is eloquentThis compassionate service to the that would sometimes slip off the ly and succinctly expressed on a manually operated elevator at the elderly is carried out today by his grandson, Shaun Thompson, who old hospital on State Street. Wood- bronze plaque that resides with Woodward’s daughter, Cathy ward was the only one small now serves as Valley View Villa’s Thompson, and son-in-law, Pat enough to climb into the second Medical Director. Thompson. It reads: During his 60 years of providing floor ceiling and replace it. I WAS A STRANGER AND YE Having trained medical personmedical care, Woodward was honTOOK ME IN nel in rural areas was viewed as a ored many times for his achieveJohn B. Snow, DPM ments and for the advancement of priority for Woodward and the oth-
42 • MARCH 30, 2016 • REFLECTIONS
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