LOCAL NEWS Q&A With Congressman Ed Perlmutter
WEST COLFAX SKETCHES Salon in a Paint Store: Westland’s Art Gallery
2017 NEIGHBORHOOD DINING Special pull-out section featuring local dining opportunities Pages 7-14
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Panhandling, Illegal Camping, Homelessness – What Can You Do? n By
J. Patrick O’Leary
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rom trash and illegal camps along the Clear Creek greenbelt, to bedraggled people asking for food or money at busy corners, there’s evidence that homelessness is on the rise in Wheat Ridge. But is the city really experiencing an increase in homelessness? Is it resulting in more crime? And what, if anything, is the city doing about it? “This year (since last October) we started to experience … a pretty significant increase in reports of illegal camping along the greenbelt,” said Wheat Ridge Chief of Police Dan Brennan. But it’s not just here: Edgewater, Denver and other cities in the metro area are seeing it, too. “Nobody is sure why. Communities throughout the U.S. and Colorado are also seeing an increase. It’s not unique to Wheat Ridge.” Continued on page 2
VOLUNTEERS BUILT AN OUTDOOR PAVER PATIO for Mint & Serif Coffee House, 1150 W. Colfax Ave., on Saturday, May 6, as part of West Colfax Community Association’s first Business Beautification Program project. Pictured are Spencer Hendrix, Jenny Gay, Kam Gay and Bill Marino. PHOTO BY MELANIE STOVER
Lakewood Elks: A Tradition of Caring n By
T
Sally Griffin
he Lakewood Elks were recognized this year with the Lakewood Mayor’s inaugural Inspiration Award. This award is given to remarkable people and organizations in Lakewood and recognizes their inspiring contributions to community engagement, collaboration, and community impact. According to the Mayor’s Office: Lakewood Elks Lodge 1777 is the largest and most active lodge in the state, supporting youth, the disadvantaged, military veterans and their families. The projects the lodge works on are projects that range from providing dictionaries for students to funding a disabled children’s facility with $4 million. They also provide numerous donations, events and help for veterans. The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks was born in 1867 in New York City. An Englishman, Charles A. Vivian, was a successful comic singer and dancer who came to America. Other entertainers were drawn to his magnetic personality and his boarding house, where they stocked beer on Saturday night. They would then congregate at this boarding house on Sunday to partake of the stored beer. At the time, liquor laws made Sunday a very dry day in New York City. They called themselves the Jolly Corks, a named derived from a joke he had introduced to the group. Vivian came to be known as the Imperial Cork. When one of the Jolly Corks died unexpectedly and left behind a widow and children, they decided it was time to create a more permanent organization-one which, while still being committed to good fellowship, would also serve those in need. They looked for a name that they thought was uniquely American. While seven members were in favor of becoming Buffaloes, eight voted for the Elk name.
Thus, the Jolly Corks transformed into the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Over the years, the Elks have grown into one of the oldest and largest fraternal organizations in the U.S. The organization is committed to the ideals of charity and patriotism. The Elks have created a quiet network of good deeds that profoundly change millions of lives for the better. According to the Lakewood BPO Elks Exalted Ruler, Carrie Mesch, they are working hard to overcome the image of old white men who join for cheap beer, dancing
and bingo and to let people know how active they are in giving back to the community. This Lodge focuses on three areas of giving: Veterans (in particular, homeless vets), Disadvantaged Youth and the Disabled. They give locally and carefully research the organizations they support. They also require accountability from these organizations to make sure they are impacting those for whom the money was given. To this end, they have given the most money to the Jeffco Action Center, the Boys and Girls Club of Lakewood, and
numerous veterans organizations. They also give dictionaries to every third grader in Jefferson County, college scholarships for local graduates, and provide summer reading programs and space and equipment for arts programs at Molholm Elementary School. I recently got a complete tour of the Lodge facility. Built in the late 70’s, the lodge contains, in addition to offices, a large dining hall, a club lounge, a Lodge room, Continued on page 2
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Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design – A Blend of the New and the Old in Lakewood n By
Nancy Hahn
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hat do Paul Sullivan, an illustrator on the Simpsons and designer of the Colorado Avalanche logo; Brian Nugent, who worked on “Alien vs. Predator” and “Benjamin Button;” and Michelle Matt, whose work was featured in “Rock Band 2” and “Chicago 10” have in common? Each of these successful artists attended the Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design. The Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design has lovely historic buildings and creative art throughout the campus just a few blocks off of Colfax Avenue in Lakewood. The buildings of RMCAD were not originally built for students. They were built for patients. Over a hundred years ago, tuberculosis or TB was a terrible disease with no cure. Many people, who LIANA, A FIRST-YEAR STUDENT AT ROCKY MOUNTAIN suffered with the disease, were sent out West. The dry air and the
COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN is working on a still-life. She says most of her classes are fun.
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