100 People of the St. Vrain Valley 2015

People of the St. Vrain Valley Longmont Times-Call Community Review March 29, 2015

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Welcome to the ‘100’

W

hen I decided to stick with the “100” theme for this year’s Community Review edition, I grabbed previous years’ editions so that the staff could check this year’s list of potential subjects against the lists of people we featured in the past. We don’t want any repeats.

Then it struck me. This year, the Times-Call reaches the 500 mark for people it has featured in this spring special. That’s 500 phone calls and emails, 500 photos to schedule, dozens of feature stories, and thousands of questions and answers. No wonder the staff wants to kill me.

It’s worth it. As I have found ever y year we do this edition, our community is full of the most fascinating people.

This year’s people include a watch repairman trained in

Switzerland who now makes his home in L yons (page 4); a Longmont resident who played basketball for Team USA and his wife, who speaks five languages (page 28); an artist who once dated William Shatner (page 52); and a locksmith who worked on a vault that had belonged to Saddam Hussein (page 55). Sounds like an introduction to a panel of “Jeopardy!” contestants. (Longmont has one of those, but she’s not in this year’s edition.)

This year’s 100 range in age from 11 to 101 and from musical to ... managerial. And they all will keep you reading.

So set your routine aside for a while and turn the page. Welcome to the 2015 Longmont Times-Call “100.”

— John Vahlenkamp, managing editor

Acknowledgments

Thanks to the following people, who made this year’s edition possible: Matthew Jonas, Lewis Geyer, Deanna Hardies, Karen Antonacci, John Bear, Amy Bounds, Charlie Brennan, Alex

Burness, Mitchell Byars, John Fryar, Isa Jones, Sarah Kuta, Pam Mellskog, Erica Meltzer, Joe Rubino, Michelle Vendegna, Alicia Wallace, Vince Winkel and Quentin Young.

WHO’S INSIDE Robin Abb...................................................4 Lauren Adams...........................................4 Bruno Ammann........................................4 Robin Autorino.........................................4 Brian Bagley...............................................5 Sylvia Bernstein.......................................5 Dan Blake....................................................6 Sandy Brady...............................................5 Matt Buchler..............................................5 Nick Cady.....................................................8 Candy Campbell.......................................8 Julie Cardinal.............................................8 Alessandra Chavez.................................8 Morgan Chen.............................................9 Beth Conrey...............................................9 Scott Converse..........................................9 Lynda Coonrod.........................................9 Kelly Cowling..........................................10 Al Croissant..............................................12 Gabriel DeRoo........................................12 Joe Docheff..............................................12 Ron Elms....................................................12 Dave Emerson.........................................14 Andrew and Judith Ernst..................16 Bob Fairow...............................................13 Dawnmarie Fiechtner.........................13 Kaye Fissinger.........................................13 Hope Fletcher.........................................18 Amy French­Troy...................................22 Francisco Galarza..................................26 Destiny Gallegos...................................13 Dr. Patricia Gill.......................................20 Justelle Grandsaert..............................20 Joan Gregerson......................................24 Justin Hall.................................................24 Cheryl Hammond.................................28 Darrell Hammond.................................28 Jalali Hartman........................................30 Barbara Hau.............................................32 Megan Herron........................................32 Jane Hill.....................................................32 Vivienne Jannatpour..........................32 Robbin Jeri...............................................33 Bruce Johnson........................................34 Faye Kelley...............................................33 Lucy Kelly..................................................33 Kaleb Kircher...........................................33 John Koehler...........................................36 Linda Kozloff­Turner...........................36

Patrick Kramer....................................... 36 Lee Lawson...............................................36 Diane Levy................................................38 Jan Lewis...................................................38 Nate Lord..................................................38 Michael Loukonen................................38 Sophia Manning....................................40 Sharmaine Martinez............................40 Dr. Joe Meckle........................................40 David Merrill...........................................41 Skip Miller................................................41 Iria Isabel Montanes Paz...................41 Mike Monticello.....................................41 Marta Moreno.........................................44 Steve Moskal...........................................44 Bronwyn Muldoon...............................44 Wendi Nafziger......................................44 Cary Nickolls............................................45 Jim Nordhougen...................................45 John Norling............................................45 Bill Nugent...............................................45 Nick O’Connor........................................48 Stephanie O’Connor............................48 Lea Peshock.............................................48 Dawn Quintana......................................48 Dawn Reiter.............................................49 Bobby Ridnour.......................................49 John Rogers.............................................49 D’Anne Rudden......................................49 Lorynda Sampson................................50 Monique Sawyer­Lang.......................50 Traude Schneider..................................50 Katie Schultz...........................................50 Sean Scott.................................................51 Vince Shryack.........................................51 Ralph Silkensen.....................................51 Matthew B. Skaggs..............................51 Gretchen Skony.....................................54 Donna Smith...........................................54 Archi Stevenson.....................................54 Una Stevenson.......................................54 Wes Sugden.............................................55 Cindy Sullivan.........................................55 Meinte Veldhuis.....................................55 Francine Wahlgren...............................55 Katherine Weadley...............................56 Aidan Wegner.........................................56 Ruth Wilson..............................................52 Greg Winger............................................56 Cheryl Witt...............................................56

COMMUNITY REVIEW • MARCH 29, 2015 • 3

Rockin’ Robin Abb

Age: 59 Occupation: Owner of Rockin’ Robin’s: Retro & Resale How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 18 What brought you here? What has kept you here? In 1996, I moved back to my hometown of Sherman, Texas, to care for my mother. She only lived for one more year, but it was one of the best years of my life. Then I was faced with a decision to move somewhere.

The mountains beckoned, and my dearest friend lived in Boulder.

I’ve always been a bit of a gypsy ,and so it freaks me out that I’ve lived in the same condo for 18 years and that the longest job I’ve ever had is one I created for myself. Likelihood is that I would have moved on years ago, except I opened a store, and you just can’t pick up and move on so easily.

That said, I have made more friends here than everywhere I’ve lived combined. I’ve had awesome opportunities come my way here, such as: performing with Till Death Do Us Party Murder Mysteries for 18

Bruno Ammann years, fronted two classic rock cover bands and had the pleasure of emceeing many local events. I love what I do in my store. Turns out, I’m really good at helping people find just the perfect outfit, and I really like helping costume people for special themed events. And then there’s the dude.

There’s always a dude, right?

How did the economic downturn affect your business and the way you operate/stock your shop?

Because my business is a consignment store, my stock is brought in by customers. When times are tough, customers look to shop cheaper, and consignment stores tend to do a little better. I’d like to believe that Rockin’ Robin’s is the most fun store to visit. I choose clothes for play rather than work, my formals and cocktail wear sparkle all year long, and my jukebox, filled with the greatest songs from the ’60s through the ’80s, provides a nightclub­like atmosphere so that my customers can “bop while they shop!”

What’s your favorite song?

“Mississippi Queen!” More cowbell!

Lauren Adams

Age: 16 Grade: 12 How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? Our family has lived in Firestone for 14 years.

What brought you here? What has kept you here? We love our small community and Frederick High School.

What was your motivation to bring the Yellow Ribbon Program to Frederick High? In November of 2012, I was taken by surprise when someone I was very close to died by suicide. This was the first time my family, my school and my community had ever experienced something like that. After some time, I came to the realization that I needed to use this experience to make a positive difference in my life and my community. I knew the best way of achieving my goal was to create

a program that educates students, staff and community members about how to help someone in need, and also that it is important and OK to ask for help if you are ever in need.

What do you like most about your school? I love that my school is united as one. Our principal and staff set an amazing example and show our student body that it is important to lean on each other. We live in a small community, and most of the students at our school have all grown up together. I love how much school spirit we have for every sport. It isn’t just the big sports that get recognition; all sports and activities are supported. All of the students are very involved and feel connected to the school in some way or another.

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Age: 59 Occupation: Watch and clock repairman How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? Three What brought you here? What has kept you here? Affordable housing, great views and my fiancee brought me here.

Access to wonderful skiing, cycling, hiking, fishing and outdoor activities has kept me here.

What is the best part of repairing fine timepieces? Using techniques and tools taught to me by my father and my training in Switzerland to fabricate parts that are no longer available in restoring timepieces.

Although tremendously demanding and frustrating at times, it is immensely gratifying.

Briefly describe your perfect day.

My perfect day starts with me watching the sun illuminate my views of Mount Meeker and Longs Peak from my deck while sipping my

favorite coffee. I have a light breakfast, head out to my studio where I load several hours of music and work on watches until about midday. Another light meal, and my wife and I head out on our road tandem for one of our favorite 50­ mile rides. We have another snack at Carter Lake before we head back to Lyons. On the road, we pass a group of semi­pro lady riders as we pedal the 2 percent grade down 75th toward Highway 66. We hook up with them at the Barking Dog Cafe, where they buy us coffee and question us about our lives and the places our tandem has taken us. Back home, I open the freezer deciding which wild game dinner I will prepare for my bride and myself. We finish a late dinner on a warm evening, dining on our deck, and retire to our swing chair, watching the stars fill the sky and thanking the Lord for the life we have!

Robin E. Autorino Age: 57 Occupation: Chocolatier/ business owner How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 12 What brought you here? What has kept you here? I transferred from Herndon, Va., Sun Microsystems to Broomfield Campus of Sun. How did you get into chocolate?

I have always loved making confections — it was a Christmas gift thing for my son and I. While working at the Brown Palace in Denver, a friend gave some of my chocolates to a florist. They ordered more chocolates for Valentines in 2008. I quit my job at the Brown and started a company.

Does Longmont love chocolate? Who doesn’t? But yes. The bulk of my sales are from Longmont and Boulder. There are a few resellers, plus we sell online.

Did you expect to become one of the nation’s top chocolatiers?

Absolutely not. But getting that from “Dessert Professional” magazine is quite the honor. However, it means I have to work even harder to make sure I deserve that title. It’s also quite intimidating — I’m just me, not a pastry chef or someone that has done this forever. I just have a lot of determination, a work ethic I am very proud of (thanks mom and the U.S. Navy!), and the passion to make better chocolates every day.

Brian J. Bagley

Age: 42 Occupation: Senior Partner of the Bagley Law Firm and Longmont city councilman How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 16 What brought you here? What has kept you here? Upon graduating from law and business school at the University of Colorado at Boulder, my wife and I knew Longmont was a wonderful community that would be perfect for raising our family.

You have a reputation for speaking your mind in City Council. Where did you get that tendency? Combination of two things. One, I hope that my reputation is not just speaking my mind and being unable to be objective. I like to think I speak my mind and treat everybody fairly, regardless of your political affiliation. So being the oldest of five raised in a traditional conservative Christian home, so to speak, that’s where

Sandy Brady I got “speaking my mind.” However, it’s tempered somewhat by my experience with (business author) Jim Collins, who taught me the importance of asking good questions and approaching a situation with the understanding that your opinion is not necessarily the right one.

How do you think about your role on the City Council? I tell people I’m not a lawyer. I’m an entrepreneur/small businessman providing legal services. On council, we need to think like we’re not politicians. We are citizens with a stake in the game, just like business owners, providing a political service. That’s how I think about politics. There’s no decision on council I make without thinking how will this impact my business, how will this impact my family and how will this impact my community? Because if any one of those are negative, what’s the point?

Sylvia Bernstein Age: 52 Occupation: President, The Aquaponic Source How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? I’ve lived in Boulder since 1999 and started The Aquaponic Source at our home there in 2009. We moved to our current location in Longmont in July 2013.

What brought you here? What has kept you here? My husband and I moved here with our two young children because we weren’t happy with the school choices we had where we were living in the Chicago suburbs.

How did you get into aquaponics? I was one of the original founders of AeroGrow International, the makers of the AeroGarden hydroponic garden, and largely responsible for the plant­growing research and development. In that capacity, I was always looking for an organic alternative to the chemical nutrients that were included with the seed kits. While reading industry literature, I came across this funky

growing technique called “aquaponics.” It is a way of growing plants using fish waste that has been converted by beneficial microbes into plant fertilizer.

Is this way of growing taking off around the country and world? Absolutely. More and more people are interested in growing their own food for various reasons, including food safety, freshness, convenience, superior nutritional value, etc. Aquaponics is a way of growing both organic vegetables and fresh, edible fish together in a single system.

Did you expect to become one of the nation’s experts on this? I honestly don’t consider myself a true “expert” even now.

I was fortunate to be an early entrant into this emerging field and found that my background in hydroponics helped me to grasp its nuances. After a few years of research and personal trial and error, I wrote a book, “Aquaponic Gardening: A Step by Step Guide to Growing Fish and Vegetables Together,” which has sold over 70,000 copies.

Age: 56 Occupation: Dog trainer How many years have you been in the Frederick area?

Three What brought you here? What has kept you here? Active population, potential for growth and the opportunity to help people take their dog anywhere they would like to go.

What is the best part of being a dog trainer? How about the worst? The best part about being a dog trainer is when I see the difference that training makes in the life of the dog in the dynamics of their family life. I love it when a dog that might end up in a shelter can improve their obedience and can redirect that energy into a positive experience for all.

The worst part about my job is going to meet with a potential client who I know I could help, but they decide to give the dog up or do nothing.

Briefly describe your perfect day. My perfect day is just about

any day that I am at work. I spend my days outside playing with dogs every day. What could be better than that?

Is it possible to teach an old dog new tricks? The old adage that you “can’t teach an old dog new tricks” is a fallacy, in my opinion. Dogs are working animals and usually are very eager to please us, as their owners. We should always be teaching new behaviors or reviewing current tricks with our dogs. We need to take the time to work their brains as well as their bodies. Teaching new tricks will help to keep them mentally active. In some cases, it may be easier to teach new behaviors to younger dogs because everything is exciting to a young pup, but our older dogs are more settled and can concentrate and focus on the task at hand without the distraction of “life.” I find it really rewarding when an owner with an older dog completes a new task with their dog when they weren’t expecting those results.

Matt Buchler Age: 47 Occupation: Principal, Erie High School How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 10 What brought you here? What has kept you here? I left a teaching career in Boulder Valley Schools to become an assistant principal at Lyons Middle/Senior High School.

What’s the best part of being a principal? The best part of being a principal is spending my days working with our community’s most valuable asset

— our kids.

What’s your best advice on how a student can have a good high school experience?

The plain things are the main things in life and in high school.

Good attendance, hard work and perseverance lead to success. And almost invariably, students who get involved in co­curricular activities — sports, choir, drama, clubs — experience a rewarding high school career.

Favorite school lunch? The salad bar.

COMMUNITY REVIEW • MARCH 29, 2015 • 5

After 40 years in business, Erie resident Dan Blake closed his junk yard in January. It is now open only by appointment.

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Cars for art’ s sake Erie gearhead/artist created a landmark A

one old automobile at a time

dozen touring Ferrari drivers once parked outside the gates of Blake’s Small Car Salvage in Erie to gawk at the hundreds of licence plates neatly affixed to the woven wire security fence.

If only they knew the fantastic collections of car part art that existed on the other side of the makeshift privacy screen, perhaps they would have hollered for the owner over the barking guard dogs to request a tour of the 16-acre property.

The Yellow Pages lists this business at the southwest corner of Erie Parkway and County Road 5 as a used auto parts place.

“His number is in my mind,” said Steve Knutson, who owns Diagonal Tire in Longmont.

“He’s the first person I ever dialed for tires. He sold good used tires, delivered free, and stood by his stuff. ... Yep. We’ll miss him.”

Evidence abounds of the tight system Dan Blake developed to that end over 40 years before closing in January except by appointment.

Old school buses, pickup truck beds and even wire grocery carts held his bread and butter: tires, suspension parts, differentials, transmissions, engines and many other groupings of like things.

Rows of car carcasses origi-

them site fees and an hourly rate.

Some of the attraction stemmed from the couple’s creAge: 66 ative repurposing.

Occupation: Retired owner of Dan Blake built a light fixture Blake’s Small Car Salvage out of tail lights, converted a Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 58 1962 Volkswagen van into a sauna, and welded five giant beach nally sorted by country of oriumbrellas each made with eight gin still spread — east to west Volkswagen Beetle hoods to — from the office like internashade their office. tional city streets.

Those old hoods also served At the height of his business, as outbuilding shingles and sidhe and his wife employed 13 ing, which gave the salvage people and maintained an inven- yard a patchwork-quilt look to tory of about 1,000 cars and 250 pilots based at the nearby Erie vans and buses, he said.

Municipal Airport.

Steve Harriger, owner of “The airplane people really Lafayette & Erie Import Car like the roofs,” Dan Blake said, Care Inc. in Erie, first did busi- grinning. “It looks cute and ness with Blake in 1980, when pretty from the air.”

Blake efficiently kept track of But strolling the maze of thousands of parts on index aisles where the Blakes have cards. lived and worked for decades “He’s got a lot of stuff out highlights the art-for-art’s-sake there, and some of it you just spirit of the place. couldn’t buy anywhere any A white front passenger door more,” he said. from a Plymouth, circa 1970, But Blake, 66, always held with a faded Colorado State back some stock for practical Patrol logo hangs by chains and aesthetic repurposing — an from an outdoor stand. Above aspect of his business that over the door, a trooper’s helmet and the years attracted local and sunglasses dangle in the winnational media along with phodow frame. tographers drawn by the yard’s A casual viewer would gather quirky eye candy. the phantom feel of the work, In fact, so many shutterbugs something Dan Blake confirms. knocked on their door that his “A trooper lost his life in that wife, Jill Blake — herself a pho- car,” he said. tographer — started charging Of course, all of the vehicles

Dan Blake

on the property come haunted, most of them without an official backstory.

Accidents, arrests and abandonment explain why previous owners — dead or alive — leave behind clothes, money, and even jewelry.

In one car, an employee found a diamond ring.

But no cloud hangs over the business.

Dan Blake, a math major who graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1973, said his life’s work stems from a celebrated philosophy on campus then and in mainstream society now.

“To make something out of something else was a good thing,” he said.

Before he heard those words, he practiced them.

Though born in Steamboat Springs, Dan Blake grew up in Longmont tinkering with model cars.

When the 1966 Longmont High School graduate could drive, he bought a Corvair Monza with his paper route money.

“Then, I needed to figure out how to keeping it running,” he said.

He made a living selling parts to help others do likewise and made life making parts into art.

“And it all started with one car on 1 acre,” he said.

Story by Pam Mellskog • Photo by Lewis Geyer • Longmont Times-Call COMMUNITY REVIEW • MARCH 29, 2015 • 7

Nick Cady

Age: 31 Occupation: Pastor, White Fields Community Church How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? Three years this June What brought you here? What has kept you here? I was asked to be the lead pastor of White Fields Community Church, so we are here out of a sense of calling to the church and to the community, but we absolutely love living near the mountains and spend a lot of time outdoors doing mountain sports.

How have you been able to apply your 10 years of missionary work in Hungary to your present position in Longmont?

Missionary work gave my wife and I a global perspective and experience working with people in crisis situations. As missionaries, our main focus was church planting and pastoring, but we also did a lot of humanitarian work. My wife, Rosemary, and I got to know each other as we worked in a refugee camp, serving

Julie Cardinal thousands of people who were trafficked or had fled terrible situations from places like Afghanistan, Kosovo and Sudan to name a few. We also worked with the poorest of the poor in Hungary, the Roma “gypsy” population, amongst whom we also planted a church and led humanitarian efforts.

Because of these experiences, when the flood hit the Longmont area in 2013, my wife and I felt like we were in our element. ... Over the following days, our church of 200 or so members was able to be very involved in key areas of the relief efforts.

What have been the most rewarding aspects of being a local pastor here?

The most rewarding part of being a local church pastor here has been seeing the love and the hope of the gospel message we teach and proclaim week in and week out impact and change individuals’ and families’ lives. I love mobilizing our church to do great things which share this love and hope with our community.

Candy A. Campbell

Age: 45 Occupation: Longmont Community Justice Partnership executive director How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 10 What brought you here? What has kept you here? I have family here. I moved to Longmont when I was in high school.

It’s been a great place to raise my son. You can’t beat the weather and the amazing views.

How do you explain Community Justice to people, and why is it important? Our organization’s mission is to reduce crime and empower community leadership by cultivating a safe and caring community through restorative practices by bringing together those involved in crime and conflict to be heard. ... Rather than focusing on punishment, restorative justice seeks to repair the harm done. At its best, through face­to­face dialogue, restorative justice results in consensus­ based plans that meet victim­identified needs in response to crime or conflict. Our program accomplishes this through community group conferences that bring

Age: 46 Occupation: Fine art photographer and owner of the DARKROOM Gallery.

How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 13 What brought you here? What has kept you here? Longmont reminds me a lot of my hometown of Pueblo, where I enjoyed a magical childhood with my parents and six brothers and sisters. I spent some time in Washington, D.C., working for the CIA, and upon moving back to Colorado, I discovered and was charmed by our Longmont.

What prompted you to open an art gallery on Main Street?

My passion for fine art photography and desire for my fellow fine art photographers to have a place to showcase their

work.

Have you always been involved in the fine arts? I’ve always been passionate about fine art, especially photography, and have been toting a camera around since I was about 10. There was a brief period when I thought that studying political science would be my career path, but photography lured me back in and I ended up getting a degree in it at the Art Institute of Colorado.

What are the things you like most about Longmont? The people. I can’t believe how many charming people I’ve met since moving to Longmont and especially since I opened the DARKROOM. We have so many talented artists, amazing business owners and just downright, hometown, nice people

Alessandra Chavez together victim(s), offender(s), their support, community member representatives, a facilitator and co­ facilitator and, when possible, an officer with the Longmont Police Department. We serve over 360 offenders and 166 victims each year through our Community Restorative Justice and our Restorative Practices in Schools programs.

What’s your favorite part of the job?

My team and our volunteers. I get to work with an amazing group of individuals who care about serving our community and approach every case and every client with respect and grace. What keeps us all going is the success stories. Every circumstance and individual that we work with is unique.

It is difficult to describe, unless you see the process firsthand, how their lives are transformed when offenders can sit face to face in front of victims or the community and take responsibility for their choices.

When they have an opportunity to choose how to repair the harm and know it makes a difference. More often than not, they make better choices for their future.

8 • MARCH 29, 2015 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

Age: 17 Occupation: Senior at Longmont High School, in the cosmetology program at the Career Development Center How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? I’ve lived here most of my life.

What brought you here? What has kept you here? It’s pretty close to everything. It’s not too big of a city. We have friends here.

Why cosmetology? I’ve always really been interested in it, and I really enjoy it. It’s really fun to learn to style hair to make certain features more prominent. I work

at Sport Clips.

Cutting, and styling guys’ hair is really my strength in the class.

What have you liked the most about high school, and what would you change? I’ve really enjoyed the teachers. They have looked out for my best interests. If I could go back, I would have been less shy going into high school. I didn’t know anybody when I started high school.

What’s your dream job?

I really want to go into criminology. Cutting hair will be a way to help me get through college.

Morgan Chen Age: 13 Occupation: Westview Middle School robotics team member How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 13 What brought you here? What has kept you here? My family lives here, and I was born here.

If you could design a robot that could do anything, what would that robot do? I saw a demonstration of a humanoid robot that was programmed to work with kids with special needs such as autism, and I thought that something like that would be interesting to work with. For next year in robotics at school, though, I would like to learn how to program line sensors on the robot

Scott Converse to sense lines that are taped down on our playing field so it can score more easily.

Who inspires you to work hard in school, and why? I want to do my best in everything, so a lot of times I make myself work hard. I also like to keep up with or go further than my friends, so they help me do my best that way.

My dad encourages me to learn more about the subjects than what I learn in school, too, and he helps me with that, particularly in math.

What’s the biggest worry or concern in your life right now?

I don’t know.

What gives you joy? I enjoy reading and writing.

Beth Conrey Age: 54 Occupation: Beekeeper and nonprofit manager How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 23 What brought you here? What has kept you here? My husband is in the oil and gas business, and I was in the food business. We moved back here right after our older son was born as jobs were available to both of us. We have stayed because we are happy here.

What are a few things most people wouldn’t know about bees? 1. There are over 900 species of bees in Colorado. Honey bees are the only colony bee. The rest are solitary bees. They do not produce honey, but they do provide valuable pollination services. 2. Bees are responsible for one­third of the human diet.

3. Bees are the only insect that makes food for human consumption (honey). Honey is the only food without a shelf life.

Any common misconceptions

concerning bees? Bees are not what sting you. CSU estimates that 90 percent of all stings in the state are caused by the Western Yellow Jacket, a type of ground­dwelling wasp.

What is the greatest challenge facing the bees in Colorado today? Us! That is the short answer, but we are also the solution. The long answer is lack of food and indiscriminate pesticide use. People need to provide clean and safe forage for pollinators. Clean and safe means pesticide­free and, usually, organic. Pollinators need three seasons of nectar and pollen. They need flowers in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors. Reduce or eliminate your pesticide use in your home and garden. Practice integrated pest management, which utilizes a variety of non­ chemical control methods to control pests in your environment.

Utilize chemicals as a last resort.

Never use a broad spectrum or systemic pesticide.

Age: 57 Occupation: Founder and president of TinkerMill How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 30ish years What brought you here? What has kept you here? My family moved to Longmont (from Minnesota) when I was 7.

My dad was one of the original employees at the IBM plant located between Longmont and Boulder.

What do you think Longmont will look like in 20 years? Longmont is at the center of a group of cities full of highly educated, creative and innovative people of every generation (from millennials to baby boomers). Because of its central location and its early adoption of gigabit fiber, in 20 years ... I believe the other communities in the area will be looking to Longmont to be its gigabit network central. This will help enable an entire new range of industries based in Longmont, such as energy component companies, data storage tech, aerospace and defense tech, agricultural tech, advanced manufacturing and prototyping capabilities and bio sciences. ... And, of course, with our penchant for the creative and the culinary, we’ll see (even more) highly successful breweries, distilleries,

food and beverage production, world­class food and dining opportunities as well as expanded visual and performing arts­focused individuals and organizations.

What is the value to the community of shared creative spaces like TinkerMill?

TinkerMill is a sort of creative, technical and business expertise melting pot. It’s an incubator for new businesses to form and be born in, and it creates economic development opportunities for the city as a whole. ... It houses a vast array of tools (3D printers; laser cutters; CNC mills; metal, wood and welding shops; a foundry and a forge; a pottery with multiple kilns; electronics and robotics shops; a hydroponics lab; a small brewery; a textile and fabric bench; a glass, jewelry, pewter and silversmith shop; and much more). ... Every so often, a great (or crazy) idea or a synthesis of two different disciplines will create something truly new and unique. Sometimes it’s just a “cool project” like a fire­breathing reindeer (yep, we have one) or a group of kids making full­sized swords in our foundry or members learning how to build beehives (and become beekeepers). Yep, we teach that, too.

Lynda Coonrod Age: 66 Occupation: Administrative assistant for the Detective Operations Section at the Longmont Police Department. Has worked at the department for 32 years.

How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 66 What brought you here? What has kept you here? I have stayed in the area because of family, friends, my job, and I don’t think you can beat the Colorado weather.

United Airlines Flight 629 crashed near your parents’ house after someone placed a bomb in a checked bag. What do you remember about that event? It was November 1955, and I was 6 years old.

It was after dark, and I was sitting in the living room at my home on the farm where I lived with my mom, dad, sister and brother. My sister and I were watching television with our grandpa. My dad, Ted Webber, was out milking cows, and Mom, Beth, was in the kitchen. I heard Dad come in and say he saw a plane blow up in the air and he and Mom should drive over where he thought it crashed and see if there was

anything they could do.

When they got back, neither said much until the next morning. By that time, it was all over the news and newspapers. It was later determined a man by the name of John Gilbert Graham put a bomb in his mother’s suitcase and then took out a life insurance policy on her. The plane was delayed leaving Denver so was only about 20 minutes from Stapleton when the bomb went off.

The FBI took over the investigation right away, and I remember big flood lights gleaming through the bedroom window at night keeping the crime scene intact.

What do you do when you aren’t working? I like to work in my yard, read a little (I read a lot at work, and when I’m home, sometimes that is the last thing I want to do.) I enjoy spending time with friends and family and watching HGTV and Broncos football. I love spending time with my three grandchildren, and I am anxious for the fall football season because my youngest grandson will be playing football for the Mead Mavericks again.

COMMUNITY REVIEW • MARCH 29, 2015 • 9

Kelly Cowling — photographed at Barbed Wire Books — organizes imaginative fiction reading groups for youths, young adults and adults.

10 • MARCH 29, 2015 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

Imagining success F

Diving into fantasy changed this optimistic reader’s reality

our years ago, Kelly Cowling handed out dozens of fliers in Longmont for a monthly J. R. R. Tolkien book discussion she was starting. She wasn’t sure if anyone would show up or if it would last more than a few meetings, but she had just come back from a conference about fantasy literature and wasn’t ready for the conversation to end.

“Essentially, I was bored,” Cowling said. “I had been to this conference. ... I presented a paper. I thought, these are really amazing people (at the conference), and I loved their enthusiasm and I wanted to keep that going.”

A few people, in fact, showed up to that first meeting, and four years later, that little book discussion has turned into the Grey Havens Group, a local nonprofit with events every day of the week and hundreds of active members.

“It’s incredible,” Cowling said.

“I really remember thinking when I started it, ‘Oh, I never stick with anything, I wonder if I can show up once a month.’

Now it’s a full-time job.”

Originally from Fort Worth, Texas, Cowling came to Colorado to pursue a master’s degree in religious studies at Naropa University in Boulder. She eventually settled in Longmont and, after realizing how differently she thought about literature

be a place, a community where they can be themselves and where they can look deeply into the things that interest them,” Age: 43 Cowling said. “It is a place Occupation: Founder of Grey where you can be a whole perHavens Group son.”

Years in the St. Vrain Valley: The Young Adults branch of Since 2005 Grey Havens Group is the newest and fastest-growing group, compared to her academic with a waiting list of kids. Cowlpeers, founded Grey Havens ing said that this group has Group. been particularly inspiring for “I think when I was younger, her, as she has watched shy I thought that to be cool you kids grow into themselves and had to be cynical,” she said. “So learn from the books and fanI was more into reading Henry dom they love.

Miller and Sartre. Then I real“Now we have kids getting up ized, that’s not me, I’m not cyni- and being confident and precal. senting about the things they’re “I’m a person who believes in passionate about,” Cowling said. hope and everything will come “They might not be able to conout right.” nect at school, but we bring She found that hope and pasthem together.” sion in the words of Tolkien, When she isn’t discussing the and, for her, it extended into all philosophies of Star Trek to prerealms of fantasy and scienceteens, Cowling is teaching Tolkfiction, from Star Trek to Doctor ien to senior citizens. Once a Who and beyond. month, she teaches a “small but The group, which just recent- loyal following” of residents at ly launched Grey Havens Young the Longmont Senior Center Adults, expects to be a 501c(3) everything from religious texts non-profit by September of this to the work of C.S. Lewis to year, and Cowling currently sits space-filled science-fiction. She on the board of directors and said she has no favorite class, attends and leads meetings con- and sometimes she can’t tinually. The facets of the organi- remember if an insightful point zation have one thing in comcame from a 14-year-old or a 74mon: promoting literacy, year-old. “It all blends together.” imagination and community Besides providing a place for inclusion. any and all Longmont residents “It’s given people a chance to to learn more about the litera-

Kelly Cowling

ture they love, founding Grey Havens Group has completely transformed Cowling. For the first time in her life, she said, she feels whole and that she is doing what she is meant to do.

“I spent many years trying to do good in the world in ways that made me miserable, such as doing very hard jobs that were not suited to my personality,” she said. “Grey Havens Group helped me discover that we do the most good when our work flows from the things that we are naturally drawn to.”

That revelation has been a guiding force for Cowling over the years as she has worked to discover who she is and what she wants to do. She plans to keep that exploration going, whether it is through growing Grey Havens or working on her own perception of the world.

She said she just wants to keep moving forward and keep reminding people of the singular thing that is so important both in the Grey Havens Group and everyday life — imagination.

“Grey Havens Group celebrates the imagination, the first place we go to when we want to overcome something that we perceive as a limitation,” she said. “Every time I have felt hopeless, it has been a failure of the imagination. Grey Havens Group shows me that I never have to feel hopeless.”

Story by Isa Jones • Photo by Lewis Geyer • Longmont Times-Call COMMUNITY REVIEW • MARCH 29, 2015 • 11

Allen Croissant

Age: 76 Occupation: Retired from the U.S. Postal Service, served as postmaster in Hygiene How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 28 What brought you here? What has kept you here? I was a postmaster in a little town out in Snider, Colo., and I missed the mountains. I finally got to come here. This is where the action is.

You’ve got your Denver Broncos and the mountains, and just the idea of being near the mountains is enough action for me.

What makes a good mailman? No. 1, you want to treat people like you’d like to be treated. Give ’em a smile every day, listen to what they got to say, and be good on the job. All my 35 years in the post office, my philosophy was to like my job. Many times I had bad hours, bad jobs, but every one I had, I liked.

What’s the fondest memory of your career? The most memorable thing at Hygiene is when we took in 400,000 seedlings from the nursery that went all over the United States for planting. They

Joe Docheff came in little 5­inch tubes. That kind of put Hygiene on the map.

How are you liking retirement? I’ll tell you what: Retirement was the hardest thing for me to do, because in the post office, there’s no retirement age as long as you can do the job. For me, after being there 35 years, I was about 49 percent not wanting to retire, but the 51 percent said I did. It was back and forth, until I just did it. It was hard in the beginning, because at the post office I wore a certain uniform every day and worked eight to 10 hours every day.

Having all this free time, it wasn’t easy, but where it changed for me is when I quit asking other people what to do in retirement. Everyone had given me their opinion, saying they golf, fish, bowl. I got all these suggestions, and where it really clicked is when I said, “You know, I don’t wanna do any of that stuff.” I don’t have a list every morning. I just get up and jump out of bed and sometimes I think sleeping is a waste of time. If you said, “Al, what do you do?” I’d say, “I don’t do anything, but let me check my calendar.”

Gabriel DeRoo Age: 32 Occupation: Transformational life coach and founder of Optimal Life Coaching How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? Seven What brought you here? What has kept you here? I came to Boulder County from New York City to study and practice meditation at Naropa University. I received my master’s degree from there in 2011, focusing on meditation and the Tibetan science of mind.

What got you into this line of work?

After I graduated, I used my newfound mental discipline from my education to embark on a health and wellness journey, which resulted in me personally losing 120 pounds. I had worked out physical and emotional issues that had troubled me, and so many others in our society, for my whole life. I felt inclined to use my experience to help others and

discovered life coaching as a means to do that. I underwent world­class professional coach training with the Newfield Network and began my practice facilitating transformational experiences in people’s lives.

What is the most satisfying part of what you do? I get to watch people bloom into better versions of themselves. They leave behind baggage that has been holding them back for years and get to work building the life and personality they have always dreamed of. Helping clients become the people they aspire to be and live the more joyous, meaningful, fulfilling life they want is incredibly uplifting. There’s a ripple effect where people who improve themselves and follow their passion inspire and uplift the people around them, benefiting not only themselves but the community as a whole. I could not ask for a more satisfying occupation.

12 • MARCH 29, 2015 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

Age: 50 Occupation: Dairy farmer How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 37 What brought you here? What has kept you here? The irrigated farm land with room to grow and the beauty of northern Colorado. I enjoy the community, the farming, good neighbors — and it’s a great place to raise the family.

What is something about being a dairy farmer that a member of the general public might not know about that you think is important? A dairy farm operates seven days a week.

What makes a good dairy cow,

and what makes for good milk?

Producing quality milk starts with healthy cows. Proper nutrition, keeping the cows comfortable and clean, results in wholesome milk. Our herd has been all home­raised. No outside cattle enter this dairy. Crops to feed the cows are locally grown and harvested. My family has been dairy farming for almost 80 years. Our dairy is operated with me, my father, two brothers, my son and nephew, and many valuable employees. My son and nephew are fifth­ generation dairy farmers in Colorado. The St. Vrain Valley has been a wonderful place to farm and raise my family.

Ron Elms Age: 55 Occupation: Storyteller, writer, speaker, retired English teacher How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 33 What brought you here? What has kept you here? When we met, my wife had a house here, so I moved from Boulder to Longmont to join her.

What prompted your interest in storytelling? As a high school English teacher, I was always looking for ways to connect with students. I discovered the realm of initiation stories — those used to help young people explore their identity and discover their personal path in life. I began using these with my students to try helping them find their way.

Do you find that adults are a more captive audience when you are storytelling, or is it the younger ones?

One of the biggest misconceptions today is that “stories” are for little children.

For nearly all of human history, storytelling has been one of the most common and entertaining ways of passing on cultural wisdom.

So while children are always open to the power of story, adults usually find themselves amazed at the power of storytelling if only they will give it a chance. Many, many tales are intended only for adults.

What the largest group you have ever told a story to? I gave a senior ceremony speech at Longmont High to a packed gym; I don’t know the number.

Bob Fairow

Age: 42 Occupation: Owner of A&R Tree and Landscaping How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 15 What brought you here? What has kept you here? Work brought me here.

The people and the mountains keep me here.

When’s the best time of year trim a tree? Is there a best time?

It really depends on the tree. Most can be trimmed any time of the year. There are a few exception to this: fruit trees, non­bearing fruit trees and American elms. They are trimmed only in the winter time for health reasons of the tree (November­February).

What’s the most precarious position you have ever found

Kaye Fissinger yourself in while on the job? I was removing a tree when this situation happened. I was cutting a whole top out of the tree when the wind picked up. It spun the top around in a circle and landed on the other side of the tree. Safely!

While it was spinning, I had to move quickly to stay clear of this large piece whipping in the wind.

This can be a dangerous job sometimes, so it’s always best to have the experience and knowledge to handle those types of situations.

Which variety of tree is your favorite? I love all trees! My most favorite is the autumn blaze maple for the fall colors and the way they grow. And white oaks, as they are strong trees.

Dawnmarie Fiechtner Age: 46 Occupation: Pastor How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 40 What brought you here? What has kept you here? I was raised in Longmont and also raised my family in Longmont. I guess what keeps me here is the feel of community, the social activities that draw families together and form relationships. It’s through those newfound friendships that I have felt that connection of community and safety.

What have you learned leading a church here? Leading a church in Longmont has kept me busy.

Leading a church like Hygiene United Methodist with its history in the community has really kept me busy. While there may be a few differences within each church, the responsibilities remain the same. As a pastor, I take great pride in serving the church I have been appointed to. Being a pastor is

about forming relationships with the members of your church and the community you serve. It is about nurturing and caring for the people that God has placed in your care. It is about walking beside each member and helping them through life’s joys and trials. What I’ve learned is that being a pastor in Hygiene is really being a pastor in the community and the surrounding area. There are no walls to service when you serve with the heart of God. What does your perfect Sunday look like? My perfect/ideal Sunday is a day that I get to worship with my church. It doesn’t matter about the topic that I am preaching on. What matters is that we are all together as a family praising God. I guess I would say every Sunday is my perfect and ideal Sunday because I am doing what I love — my heart’s desire — and I’m with the people that I care so deeply for.

Age: 70 Occupation: Retired; president, Our Health Our Future Our Longmont How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? Eight What brought you here? What has kept you here? My daughter moved to Longmont in early 2005. After I had completed extensive treatment for lung cancer, she asked me to move here as well so that I would be closer to family. I closed on my home in October 2006 and moved from the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles.

What do you foresee as the future for Longmont? I’ve dedicated my time in Longmont to public policy, advocacy and activism. It has been my central focus. I believe that my dedication has made a strong, positive contribution to the well­ being of my community. In the fall of 2011, while serving as the chair of the Board of Environmental Affairs, I became aware that the oil and gas industry intended to drill and frack within our city limits. This highly toxic industrial process has no place near our homes, schools, places of employment, parks and recreation areas — including Union Reservoir, where the drilling and fracking was targeted. Ultimately, I organized Our Longmont to initiate a citizen­driven ban on fracking and disposal of its waste

products and managed the campaign. The city charter amendment passed in November 2012 with a 60­40 margin. As long as we can prevent the industry from invading our marvelous community, Longmont’s future remains very bright. Both the industry and Gov. Hickenlooper are suing to prevent our well­being and local control of our community. The case is now in the appellate court, and the “citizen intervenors” have committed to see this absolutely necessary David vs.

Goliath battle to the Colorado Supreme Court.

Do you think younger generations are, in general, becoming less involved with their local governments? Actually, the contrary is true. The threat to our community from fracking for oil and gas has activated younger and younger people. Usually older, retired people assume leadership in local government issues. Younger individuals, especially families with children, recognized the severe threat to their health, safety and welfare, and galvanized to help pass the ban. Students in the area have also dedicated efforts to protect their future.

Thriving communities require involvement of all ages and backgrounds.

Longmont is well on its way to continued community engagement.

Destiny Gallegos Age: 20 Occupation: Waffle House waitress How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? Five What keeps you on the job? I need to pay bills. However, I’ve stayed because of the environment. The associates are like family. We share each other’s birthdays, weddings, losses and lives. The customers, especially our regulars, are a huge part of my day.

Name your top seller. Probably the All Star Breakfast, mainly because it’s a lot of good­quality food for a low price.

You get your choice of meat — ham, sausage or bacon — a couple of eggs, grits or hash browns, toast and our famous waffle. Really, it’s giving you a taste of everything and holds true to the idea of the hearty American breakfast.

Tell us about your customers. They

can make or break my day. One of my favorite regulars is Freddy, who has the classic old cowboy look and a handlebar mustache to match. He’s always in a good mood and tells great jokes. The customers do leave big impressions, sometimes more than they know.

If Waffle House were a person, how would you describe its personality?

It’s everything to everyone. It has the same hustle as a fast food chain when it needs to be, but it also has that local “everyone is a regular” atmosphere.

We’ve had weddings, wedding receptions, business meetings and late night parties eat with us. Famous musicians, city council members, families, truckers and the homeless all come in to eat. ... It’s not just Waffle House. It’s your house.

COMMUNITY REVIEW • MARCH 29, 2015 • 13

David Emerson is the executive director of Habitat for Humanity of the St. Vrain Valley.

14 • MARCH 29, 2015 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

Building community Habitat for Humanity director: St. Vrain Valley is ‘a great place to raise a family’

D

avid Emerson has dedicated the more than eight years that he’s been living in Longmont working to get lowincome families into homes of their own.

Emerson is executive director of Habitat for Humanity of the St. Vrain Valley, the local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, serving an area that includes Longmont, Lyons, Dacono, Frederick, Firestone, Mead, Niwot and Erie.

Home ownership “helps people get on the road to self-sufficiency,” Emerson said, adding that Habitat’s approach is “really about giving a hand-up kind of handout” to those families.

“I feel called to do this, and I feel blessed to be a part of it,” he said.

Emerson; his wife, Diana; their son, who’s now 13; and daughter, who’s now 10, moved here in October 2006 when he took the St. Vrain Habitat director’s job.

This wasn’t his first experience with Habitat, its home building projects and its mission of improving the living conditions of deserving families who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford a home.

“I got involved as a volunteer swinging a hammer” in south metro Denver in the late 1990s, he said. At the time, he was managing 401(k) retirement plans at a Merrill Lynch branch office.

Later, while working as an office-supplies sales analyst for 3M in Florida, “I really got heavily involved” in volunteering time to Habitat, serving on a local chapter’s board from 2003 into 2006.

“I was kind of at a crossroads” at

David Emerson Age: 44 Occupation: Executive director, Habitat for Humanity of the St. Vrain Valley Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 8½ that point, Emerson said, in deciding whether to the move to 3M’s corporate headquarters in Minnesota or to pursue something else.

“I just felt called,” he said, to make “a full-time profession” out of working in a nonprofit with principals and goals like Habitat’s.

“I wanted to be part of an organization that is community-based and is active in that community.”

Emerson said his wife saw a newspaper ad for the Habitat’s executive director’s position — a job he said initially was offered to someone else who turned it down before Emerson applied and was hired.

While he and his wife would be returning to Colorado, “we knew little about this area,” Emerson said.

After having lived and worked in south Denver, “I was hoping there was life north of Boulder,” he joked.

He soon found that “people here are very proud of their town and invest in their town” and that “a lot of people are very involved” in the community.

That’s crucial because of the roles that volunteers play in Habitat’s work, both on construction sites and in non-construction cleri-

cal and advisory capacities, he said.

Habitat of the St. Vrain Valley has six full-time employees, including Emerson, and four or five part-time employees at any given time. Another seven or eight people work at Habitat’s Longmont ReStore at 1351 Sherman Drive, where customers contribute to the nonprofit’s financial resources when they buy new and used furniture, appliances and other home improvement items.

“We want to make sure that any time we add a staff member, they know they need to engage with volunteers to help us,” Emerson said.

“We give the community a very tangible, concrete way to help those in need.

“When a volunteer builds on our site, they meet someone locally that they know they are helping, and then, for years and years to come, they can drive by that house and know that they helped build that particular house. It is a very satisfying way to contribute.”

Emerson said that prior to last summer, Habitat St. Vrain Valley averaged about 2,500 hours each quarter of the year, The last two quarters, there have been more than 8,000 volunteer hours.

Habitat for Humanity of the St. Vrain Valley was established in 1988, and Emerson credited former board and staff members and decades of volunteers with the organization’s accomplishments Since 1988, the St. Vrain affiliate has built 65 houses locally, he said, as well as helping finance the construction of 112 homes

through Habitat’s international programs. Thirty-nine of those local houses were built since 2006, when he came on board.

“A lot of this was my efforts piggy-backed off the hard work of those who got the organization off the ground and continue to work with us,” Emerson said. “Plus, each Habitat homeowner making mortgage payment to Habitat for homes built prior to 2006 “helped us build more homes.

“All that is to say, the collective efforts past and present have grown this organization,” he said.

“It’s exciting to see the increased impact we’re able to make.”

He said his “one regret is that I don’t get out to the construction sites as often as I’d like” for handson building tasks.

“There are so many other things that need to be done,” said Emerson, who has a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Michigan.

He said that with his financial background, he finds himself focusing on the lending piece of the organization’s assistance to homeowners.

But he keeps his hands on at home, he said, where he’s built a tree house and a chicken coop and chicken run in his spare time.

As for the changes he’s seen since moving here in 2006, Emerson said: “I just feel blessed to be here, as I think Longmont continues to get stronger and stronger economically and yet maintains a very down-to-earth, caring, close community despite that growth.

“It is a great place to raise a family.”

Story by John Fryar • Photo by Lewis Geyer • Longmont Times-Call

COMMUNITY REVIEW • MARCH 29, 2015 • 15

Due to a flat tire, Andrew and Judy Ernst were an hour late for their own wedding when they were married more than 50 years ago.

16 • MARCH 29, 2015 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

Love lives on Emery

J

Their life together got off to a late start, but this couple made it to 50 years in a hurry

udy and Andrew Ernst were an hour late to their own wedding.

The date was May 25, 1964, and the plan was all set: Andrew, a U.S. Navy officer, had a four-day break, during which he was to fly from San Diego to Denver, get married, and drive to his new base in Illinois, with his new bride in the passenger’s seat.

Judy was going to pick Andrew up at the airport, and they’d drive from there to a church in Hygiene for a small ceremony with a few family members. When she arrived at Stapleton, however, one of the tires had gone flat.

“I’d spent two days packing the car with everything we needed to set up house in Illinois,” Judy recalled. “So, of course, we had to unload it all, dig out the spare, change the tire, put it all back in the back, drive to Longmont, get the tire fixed, then drive out to the church.”

By the time they rolled up, Judy said, “My folks had gone to eat without us.”

An inauspicious start, to be

Andrew Ernst Age: 72 Occupation: Retired from cinder block company; former Navy Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 48

Judy Ernst Age: 70 Occupation: Retired preschool teacher Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 48 sure — but it didn’t slow them down a bit. Today, they live in the same house on Emery Street in Longmont that they bought in 1967, after moving back from Illinois.

Judy, 70, is a retired preschool teacher and passes much of her time volunteering in the theater world. Andrew, 72, worked for a cinder block company after the Navy and is now retired, but he stays very active in volunteer building upkeep, among other things.

Staying active, they agree, has kept them close.

“I think we respect each other’s independence and treat each other as equals,” Andrew said.

“We have a ton of the same friends,” added Judy, “but I have my work, and he certainly has his.”

When you speak to these two, hardly a minute goes by without an eruption of laughter. The Ernsts don’t take themselves too seriously, which may be one reason their marriage has endured for so long.

Another reason? “We do a lot of give-and-take,” Judy said.

In their case, for instance, Judy graduated from high school, worked, had two kids, worked again, then finally went to college to get certified as a preschool teacher. When she went to school at nights, Andrew fed the kids and put them to bed.

The feeding part of the equation wasn’t always so smooth, though.

“I’d cooked for my brother, so I knew how, sort of,” Andrew recalled. “But once, when the

kids were little and Judy went to California to visit her sister, I made apple pie. I’d made pie before, but I got out the cayenne powder instead of the cinnamon.

So my daughter was sitting there, not eating the pie, with tears rolling down her eyes. She said, ‘I don’t like this pie, Dad.’” As he wrapped up the story, the two began to laugh — again.

“I think we’re friends, and you have to be friends first before you can be anything else,” Judy said of the rapport.

They certainly seem it.

“It doesn’t seem like 50 years at all,” Judy said, and Andrew smiled and nodded his head in agreement. “It was just yesterday, I’m sure. The thing that surprised me was it used to be when we were young that if anyone was married 50 years, holy cow! But to us, it just sort of happened.”

Added Andrew: “We feel really fortunate. We’ve got more wealth now than I thought we’d ever have, but it still ain’t rich. I think rich is personal, anyway.”

And by that measure, these two might as well be billionaires.

Story by Alex Burness • Photo by Lewis Geyer • Longmont Times-Call

COMMUNITY REVIEW • MARCH 29, 2015 • 17

Silver Creek High School student Hope Fletcher, 17, enjoys hunting and has archery among her interests.

18 • MARCH 29, 2015 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

This junior aims high H

‘Extraordinary’ student stays active in athletics and in citizenship

ope Fletcher is busy.

The Silver Creek High junior regularly rotates through her roles as Boulder barista, deck-building intern, food bank volunteer, diehard cheesehead, archery hobbyist, varsity softball player and typical teenager.

And this year, Fletcher also became a grant-writer as her three-person team landed a $1,550 grant for their school’s Physical Education program as part of a Civics in Action Project.

Two Silver Creek High teachers run the CAP program as part of the social studies curriculum.

The projects require small groups of students to identify something they want to change in their school, community, city, state or country and make concerted efforts toward that goal, documenting their progress the entire way. Students have worked with school administrators on start times and have written letters to local newspapers or government representatives to influence policy.

This year, Fletcher and two of her varsity softball teammates wanted to land more funding for the Silver Creek PE program.

“Originally, we started interviewing the head of the PE department, Sara Whiteley, and she just started talking to us about how there’s not a lot of funding there,” Fletcher said.

pared to a PE class.

The group hopes that the concrete data on exercise provided by the heart rate monitors could Age: 17 help St.Vrain Valley School DisOccupation: Student, trict reel in increased amounts of Que’s Coffee barista federal grants for physical eduYears in the St. Vrain Valley: 17 cation.

“If they can show that our stu“We realized that they get basidents are having a certain heart cally no money. It’s like $2,000, rate throughout every class periand that’s nothing. That’s about od, the government could hopetwo packs of dodge balls.” fully give them more funding for The three girls explored varithe district, which will eventually ous options for getting more get to Silver Creek and other money funneled to physical edu- high schools,” Fletcher said. cation including charging a fee Justelle Grandsaert (page 20), per student to families for equip- Fletcher’s teacher for the CAP ment, like might be levied in oth- project, said she was happy for er classes, but they quickly their group, especially because scrapped that idea. They met not all of the projects were sucwith Principal Erick Finnestead, cessful in their goals. who walked them through the “Hope is an extraordinary indidifferent kinds of grants they vidual. ... She holds true to her could apply for. beliefs and convictions, and at They settled on applying for a the same time she is inquisitive grant through the Silver Creek and asks thoughtful questions High School Education Founda- about the other side. She is thortion, a nonprofit that focuses on ough.” improving the school. The girls Fletcher said the project was interviewed the PE teachers, important to her because family asking where specifically a grant has ingrained a love of sports in could make the most difference, her. and Fletcher herself filled out Her maternal grandfather, the the grant and submitted it to the late Bob Foster, was a PE teachfoundation. er and the first head football They chose to ask for 24 heart coach at Fairview High School rate monitors so the PE departand led a long career in local ment could collect better data on athletics before his death in the amount of exercise kids get 2010. throughout their day as com“Grandpa, before he died, pret-

Hope Fletcher

ty much taught me everything I know about sports, and I grew up around sports,” said Fletcher, who plays first base and outfield on Silver Creek’s varsity softball squad. “We’ve had season tickets to (University of Colorado at Boulder) football for, like, 50 years. We go to every single CU game.”

On the question of National Football League allegiance, however, Fletcher said she stays true to her dad’s midwestern roots.

“The (Green Bay) Packers are my favorite football team because my Dad’s diehard Packers,” Fletcher said. “We all have jerseys, and we all have cheeseheads.”

Fletcher said she believes exercising through competitive sports is important for young people, adding that softball has provided a group of like-minded teenage girls she can bond with.

“There really is a team aspect to it. Everything we do is teamoriented, like we have team dinners, scavenger hunts and come up with team slogans,” Fletcher said. “And I like being active. It’s a good way to focus your energy in positive ways rather than just, like, sitting on the computer.”

For now, Fletcher is awaiting the delivery of the hard-won heart monitors in between shooting archery in her backyard for fun and prepping for her ACT test.

Story by Karen Antonacci • Photo by Lewis Geyer • Longmont Times-Call

COMMUNITY REVIEW • MARCH 29, 2015 • 19

Patricia Gill Age: 57 Occupation: Physician, infectious diseases specialist How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 20 What brought you here? What has kept you here? Longmont needed an infectious diseases specialist. I have enjoyed the area — it’s close to mountains and close to Denver, but is small enough to be friendly and convenient.

What led you into this line of work? I have always enjoyed science, and I started my career as a dietitian. I realized that I could do more, and I returned to school. In medical school, I enjoyed all my rotations, but I especially enjoyed the challenge of solving problems and “figuring things out.” The mentors I most admired were

Justelle Grandsaert infectious diseases specialists.

I completed a residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in infectious diseases What is the most interesting aspect of your job and field?

The specialty of infectious diseases offers many challenges. I don’t have to give up any organ systems to focus on a single one, and most of the illnesses I treat are fixable. I see a wide variety of interesting problems, and the topics are constantly changing. I get to think about resistant bacteria and uncommon illnesses such as malaria, plague and tularemia. I also get to see healthy people and do preventive medicine by immunizing and counseling travelers to countries where there are risks for tropical diseases.

20 • MARCH 29, 2015 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

Age: 40 Occupation: Social studies teacher at Silver Creek High School How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 14 What brought you here? What has kept you here? The seasons and the mountains brought me to Colorado. The community has kept me here.

Is there one lesson you hope to impart to your students above all else?

What is it? Limiting it to just one is too difficult. I hope that the students in my class realize that each of them has a voice with a unique perspective and that they should feel empowered to use their voice to speak up about things that matter to them. I hope my students learn about compassion for others, the importance of a global perspective and becoming active citizens of the world. I hope that my students realize that history doesn’t have to be about dates and timelines; it is about stories and the human experience.

What person or experience had the

greatest impact on your teaching? I consider myself fortunate to work in a profession surrounded by individuals and experiences who have melded my teaching “style” into what it is today. Experiences such as government students presenting their solutions about complex foreign policy issues to adult judges, students thinking critically across the curriculum in a Socratic seminar, students spending their “free time” helping to support a Kenyan medical student halfway across the world. I come from an entire family of teachers. My parents taught each of us the importance of public education and seeking a profession that we are passionate about and in which we are able to make a difference. Finally, Kent Willmann, a professor at the University of Colorado, taught me during my first year of teaching that as educators, we have the responsibility to “educate them all,” and that every student that walks through my classroom door needs to know that they matter.

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COMMUNITY REVIEW • MARCH 29, 2015 • 21

Dawson School library media specialist Amy French­Troy is bringing the Civil Rights Movement to life for her students.

22 • MARCH 29, 2015 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

Her past, their future F

Lafayette librarian leads diversity charge at Dawson School

rom an early age, Lafayette librarian Amy French-Troy has been fighting for equality, inspired by stories of her parents’ upbringing in the segregated South.

In 1959, French-Troy’s grandparents moved her father from Norfolk, Va., after the schools closed as a result of unrest brought on by integration.

“My dad said a lot of kids had to enroll in private schools or move to other towns to attend school,” French-Troy, 38, said.

Her mother’s stories about the poor treatment of a friend’s Filipino dad still resonate with FrenchTroy, but her favorite story to share with students came from her grandmother.

“She liked to tell a story about a noodle shop near their house. The Chinese man who owned the shop served Asians and African-Americans inside but no whites,” French-Troy said. “On the rare occasion that they were able to buy a bowl of noodles, she and her siblings would go to the back door of the restaurant to be served by the man. He was very kind to them but never invited them to sit down and eat inside. It just wasn’t done.”

The story resonates with French-Troy’s predominantly white students at Dawson School, illustrating the vast impact of Jim Crow laws, she said.

French-Troy is Dawson’s first director of diversity and inclusion.

Diversity has always been a priority for the school, but it has yet to find a successful model, said Dawson’s head of school George Moore.

Amy French­Troy Age: 38 Occupation: Lower school library media specialist and director of diversity and inclusion for Dawson School Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 7 In the past, staff members have shared the title’s responsibilities, including finding ways to incorporate diversity into curricula and working directly with students through library and media programming, Moore said. While faculty and staff across the campus will continue to look for ways to increase diversity education, French-Troy will lead the charge.

“Amy has long had a passion for this work,” Moore said. “So we decided she was the perfect person to lead this effort in the years ahead by having her bring those passions, skills and expertise to the curriculum.”

Increasing diversity campuswide is important to the school’s virtues of respect, compassion, courage and integrity, Moore said, and integral to students’ success.

“Diversity is about a new perspective and teaching them about a culture or person that they aren’t familiar with,” French-Troy said.

“But it’s also about finding the commonalities that they have with this new perspective, finding how they can relate to that.”

This spring, Dawson students are peacefully protesting for universal health care, stricter gun laws and global Internet access,

answering French-Troy’s charge.

The library media specialist is teaching kindergarten through fifth-grade students about the Civil Rights Movement.

And she is not just talking the talk.

French-Troy was one of 300 students and adults to walk the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail in Alabama in March commemorating the 50th anniversary of the historic voting-rights march. Participants retraced the 54-mile trail that civil rights leaders took in 1965 led by Martin Luther King Jr. French-Troy took a video of her students holding their protest signs with her to Alabama as a way to make history come alive for her students.

“By teaching them about peaceful protesting and marches, and then participating in this march, I want them to see that their opinions matter and that it is possible to make your voice heard in a peaceful manner,” French-Troy said.

Growing up in Virginia, FrenchTroy could not stand aside while inequality ensued. In elementary school, she began working with children with disabilities, and in middle school, she was giving speeches about ending apartheid in South Africa.

By college, French-Troy began working with Teaching Tolerance, a nonprofit that promotes diversity, equality and respect in schools.

As a graduate student, FrenchTroy’s research was in building diverse library collections and designing diverse curricula, so when the school offered her a

new title in March, she gladly accepted.

French-Troy embraces diversity in her home, as well as at the school.

After moving to Boulder County from Vermont — where she attended graduate school — about seven years ago, French-Troy and her husband, Michael Troy, searched for diverse neighborhoods.

“There isn’t a lot of diversity in Boulder County in general,” she said, “but we did not want a neighborhood where everyone looks exactly like them.”

The couple has lived in Longmont’s Kensington neighborhood for more than six years. FrenchTroy’s children are often the minority among the neighborhood’s many Hispanic children.

“It’s good for them to be in the minority sometimes also,” FrenchTroy said.

The kids — Emmett Troy, 5, and Polly Troy, 1 — attend Longmont’s TLC Learning Center, a preschool that brings children with disabilities into classrooms with typical children.

While Emmett and Polly do not have disabilities, French-Troy said, her children have benefited from the integrated classrooms at TLC. Now, she is hoping to expand the benefits to her students by encouraging volunteering through a potential partnership between Dawson and TLC. “I’m hoping to kind of plant the seed,” French-Troy said. “These kids have the potential to be the movers and shakers, so let’s hope they take those seeds and do the right thing.”

Story by Whitney Bryen • Photo by Lewis Geyer • Longmont Times-Call

COMMUNITY REVIEW • MARCH 29, 2015 • 23

Joan Gregerson Age: 54 Occupation: Writer, poet, environmental advocate, building energy engineering teacher How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 1½ years What brought you here? What has kept you here? After taking a few years to teach English in South Korea and Saudi Arabia, I returned to my roots of engineering and Colorado. Last April, I founded Sustainable Revolution Longmont.

What has kept me here is the opportunity to meet passionate people and work together on caring for our planet and calling for climate action.

Some people don’t believe in climate change. If you spoke to such a person, how you go about convincing him or her that there is, in fact, such a thing? Burning fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide acts as a heat­trapping blanket that inevitably raises the temperature of the Earth. So when

Justin Hall you feel comfortable, add a blanket or two and see how you feel.

Which country did you like teaching English in more and why? If you liked both of them, what was something about each of them that you liked? South Korea has an amazing culture around food. On the traditionally hottest days of the years, you eat a special soup. Kimchi is present at every meal.

Kids and adults eat lots of tofu and vegetables. Saudi Arabia was very difficult in many ways. Our male counterparts could wear shorts and go play ping pong. We were limited, as by law we had to wear a black abaya when we stepped out of our individual apartments and, at many restaurants, we couldn’t be served because men and women can’t sit together unless they’re related. On the other hand, mothers are deeply respected and loved, and the young women I taught spent a lot of time with their mothers and had strong relationships with them.

24 • MARCH 29, 2015 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

Age: 37 Occupation: Department manager, Lucky’s Market Wine & Spirits How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley?

Rookie year What brought you here? What has kept you here? I was told the local squirrel viewing was top notch. She was correct.

How did you land your job at Lucky’s? They were searching for someone with management skills, product knowledge and ability to bench over 200. I filled 67 percent of their needs. I met with Jerome Crawford and Julie Joy, and after interviewing, I felt like it would be a great place to work and a great company to be involved with. Since we’ve been expanding so quickly, I’ve been able to help train managers to open other Lucky’s Markets across the country.

The wine and spirits part of the store is connected to the grocery store. Do customers bring their groceries over and ask you about wine or beer pairings? We do see quite a bit of this. So many people are

taking pride in the ingredients and quality of foods they prepare at home, as well as the entire process of serving a meal. The staff I have here is great at talking to people and getting a feel for what they want out of their experience.

What got you into competitive cycling?

Can anyone do it? I had a lot of money just sitting around not getting used, so I thought to myself: What’s the most expensive hobby per pound that I could waste my money on, while adding the benefits of being treated like a second­ class citizen by angry drivers? After much thought, I bought a bike and progressively got in better and better shape. After a certain point, you start to wonder if you could apply all the suffering you’ve put yourself through to inflict suffering upon others, so you enter competitive racing. Anyone can do it if they have the fitness for it, but you do have to start at the bottom and work your way up. After a lot of training and practice on the bike, you’ll have the benefits of looking really cool in Spandex.

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COMMUNITY REVIEW • MARCH 29, 2015 • 25

Durango, Mexico, native Francisco Galarza, 71, came to Longmont from Chicago about 15 years ago. He has gradually become part of the community while taking care of his wife, Maria.

26 • MARCH 29, 2015 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

The man from Durango He came to Longmont late in life, but he says this is his home

I

f you are lucky enough to meet Francisco Galarza, chances are he will break out his camera and take your photo in the black, gold-lined sombrero he keeps in his closet.

Or several photos, which he stores on two small digital cameras. He’ll probably show you a slide show of previous subjects.

Galarza, 71, was born in the city of Durango in the Mexican state of Durango. He came to Longmont in 2002 with his wife, Maria, after a short stint in Chicago. The couple waited 15 years to obtain permanent residency before immigrating to the United States.

“We went to the embassy and took a medical test,” Galarza said. “Luckily, we both passed.”

Galarza spoke to the TimesCall through an interpreter. He speaks English but felt more comfortable conducting the inter view in Spanish.

Francisco and Maria first traveled to Chicago to meet up with Maria’s brothers, who had already immigrated. He began working construction jobs, but the two had to return to Duran-

Francisco Galarza Age: 71 Occupation: Retired construction worker Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 12 go when tragedy struck the family.

“I was in Chicago working when one of my sons died,” Galarza said. “I had to go back to Durango.”

Galarza said his son Rene was one month away from graduating from college with a degree in psychology and planned on moving on to graduate school to study criminology.

Rene worked as a security guard at his school and was working alone at a campus party one night when he asked a group of drug dealers who had crashed the party to leave.

“They shot him in the back,” Galarza said.

Galarza got permission from his employer to head back to

Durango, but he ended up staying longer than he had planned. His employer hadn’t saved Galarza’s job, so he found himself unemployed.

Rather than go back to Chicago, Galarza chose Colorado. He and his wife didn’t know anyone in the state but decided to give it a shot, landing in Longmont, where they have remained ever since.

“I had heard good things about Colorado from people I worked with in Chicago,” he said.

Once in Longmont, Galarza resumed construction work, sweeping up at work sites. A skilled bricklayer, he eventually worked his way up to installing tile in area homes.

Galarza injured himself a few times, and it forced him to retire about 10 years ago. He and Maria now make their home in a small apartment at Longmont senior housing.

Maria suffers from Alzheimer’s disease, so Galarza wakes up ever y day at 4 a.m. to take care of her, with help from professionals. She has a tendency to wander off, so he often

sleeps in front of the door to keep her inside and safe.

The two have been married 50 years. Galarza knows his wife’s health is failing, and he says that he “just wants another year with her.”

Galarza spends a lot of his time at the Longmont Senior Center and sings Rancheras — such as “Cielito Lindo” — in a chorale. A group of women also do Mexican folk dancing as part of the group.

“We are like a family,” he said, referring to his group of friends at the senior center.

“We help each other out.”

He has made many friends locally and even gotten help from the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office Consumer Protection Division. A bill collector had been harassing him for someone else’s debt, and the division helped him write a cease and desist letter.

Galarza said he wants people in Longmont to know that, although he is from Mexico, he considers the city his home.

“Me encanta Longmont (I’m enchanted by Longmont),” he said in Spanish. “A mi gusto.”

Story by John Bear • Photo by Lewis Geyer • Longmont Times-Call

COMMUNITY REVIEW • MARCH 29, 2015 • 27

Cheryl Hammond Age: Does a woman ever tell her age?

Occupation: I do behavioral strength assessments and coaching How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 22 What brought you here? What has kept you here? Our family relocated to Colorado for my husband’s career. St. Vrain Valley has been a wonderful place to live and to raise our five children. We chose this area because it was a small bedroom community, family oriented, beautiful and safe. Those same qualities have kept us here.

What is something that fascinates you about language or communication? I have always

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been fascinated by language. In fact, I majored in Spanish and French, and I speak five different languages. For me, communication is everything, almost as essential as breathing air. Done well, it allows connection with another human being and has the potential to transcend barriers.

What mistake do you see others in leadership positions make most often? Perhaps one of the biggest mistakes leaders make is the failure to listen to those they lead or represent. It is in truly listening to others that we have the opportunity to learn from them, to encourage their growth and to synergize.

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Age: North of 50 Occupation: Leadership coach and organizational development consultant How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? More than 20 What brought you here? What has kept you here? We moved to Colorado to be closer to my parents and for a corporate relocation to Colorado as a human resources director/VP. I love the Front Range and the beauty of the Rockies.

What is the best piece of advice on leadership you’ve ever received, and who did it come from? Being a student of leadership, there are too many things I’ve learned over the years to just choose one. Leadership equals influence. Anyone can be an influencer of leaders and organizations if you have the integrity, trust and a strong work ethic to support

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COMMUNITY REVIEW • MARCH 29, 2015 • 29

Jalali Hartman, with one of his robot creations, is pictured at his home in Four Mile Canyon.

30 • MARCH 29, 2015 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

A builder of robots Engineer on unique path toward helping those on autism spectrum

S

erial entrepreneur Jalali Hartman is making his mark in Longmont with robots.

But in order to do so, he has had to also contend with far more elemental concerns while settling into his new Colorado home.

Arriving in state in December 2013, Hartman moved into a rented cabin in the rustic foothills community of Wall Street along Fourmile Creek in May 2014.

“I had Florida plates, and people were like, ‘This guy’s never going to make it,’” recalled Hartman, 39, who came here from Atlantic Beach, Fla. “I was looking for a temporary place to get established, and it was a neat little situation,” he said, but added, “It has been quite a winter — eight or nine bears (sightings) and a couple of lions.

“It’s a hard life up there, just in terms of anything, from digging out from the storms to the roads being closed to the phones not working to the wildlife. But everybody has been so supportive. It’s really a great place to sit and program.”

There is no Mrs. Hartman, and he has no children, but he has two chocolate Labradors, Grace and Bear, keep him company. Having been raised in northern Vermont has probably helped Hartman in his adaptation to mountain life in winter.

Hartman in conversation reveals a unique perspective on problems and solutions. And his name, Jalali, perhaps offers one hint about the source of his innate ability to think outside the usual parameters.

“It’s hippie-an,” Hartman said of

tion of this technology,” he said. “I actually like robots better for education than a tablet or computer, because they get people away Age: 39 from the endless screens and keyOccupation: Engineer/ boards.” entrepreneur He has made believers out of Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 1½ many in Longmont and beyond.

“I would describe him as the real deal,” said Katherine Weadley his name. “I’m a product of the early ’70s. I was born in a little hut (Page 56), a disabilities librarian who has worked closely with Hartdown in Mexico. My parents, man and has a child on the autism we’re not sure what they were spectrum. “Not only is he an doing down there. My sister’s entrepreneur of some stature, but name is Radiance.” he really cares about people. He Jalali is a common surname in Persian cultures meaning “glory” truly subscribes to the edict that you can make money and help or exalted,” and Hartman said people, and it doesn’t have to be Jalali means “the glory of God.” one or the other. You can do both.”

He added, “I was like ‘A Boy Weadley is not alone among his Named Sue,’ growing up in Veradmirers. Hartman was a recipimont with a name like that.” ent of the U.S. Chamber of ComAnd perhaps fittingly, the piomerce’s 2014 Intellectual Property neering civil engineer is now Champions award for his work in engaged in a unique path toward helping those on the autism spec- treating autism with robots.

Hartman had originally been trum, people who sometimes paired with the Longmont library experience difficulty in meshing easily with others. He has dubbed through the Autism Society of Boulder County, which referred it the “Autism BiblioBot.” him.

Aided by the 10-member Inno“He called and said, ‘Hey, I’m an vation Team assembled by his company, Robauto, he has teamed entrepreneur, and I would like to with the Longmont Public Library make a robot,’” Weadley recalled.

“I said, ‘Hey, that sounds enterto create a robot capable of helping children with autism spectrum taining. Sure, I’ll meet with you. disorder break down barriers that This sounds very entertaining.’”

Weadley said, “It was the some experience with communilibrary’s introduction to entreprecation and social interaction. neurship at that level, and it was Why are robots effective in his introduction to libraries, and building such youngsters’ confineither of us were what we expectdence and sense of acceptance?

“Technology seems to help cre- ed. I was expecting maybe some ate a social bridge — look around short guy with pocket protectors, at all the people on their phones at and he’s like this mountain man in the next tech meet-up — and I a flannel shirt. And he hadn’t read think robotics are the next evolua book in ages.”

Jalali Hartman

“Longmont is the first place we’re piloting this robot,” said Hartman. “I have been going down there quite a bit, and that’s how I got exposed to the town. I think Longmont has, first of all, an exceptional team at the library there.

Hartman, who is always quick to emphasize how much he has benefitted from the work of outstanding people around him, has big plans for the coming year.

He’ll be bringing his robot to Comic-Con in Denver later this year. And by the end of the year, Hartman hopes to roll out a robot commercially — developed through working with children from the community he hopes they’ll serve — carrying a price tag in the vicinity of $300 to $500.

He knows of one would-be competitor whose product will retail closer to $8,000.

Few would bet against the future success of a man who has already co-founded or served as the driving force behind four technology startups, generating more than $1 billion in revenue and creating hundreds of jobs in multiple states.

Not bad for a guy who claims his favorite job ever was serving as “Mogul Moose,” the skiing mascot of the Canyons Ski Resort in Park City, Utah.

And if Hartman ever has time again to read, Weadley, the librarian, has also helped reintroduce him to books by setting him up with a title that could help him out at his new home, “The Beast in the Garden.”

It’s about living in close proximity to mountain lions.

Story by Charlie Brennan • Photo by Cliff Grassmick • Longmont Times-Call

COMMUNITY REVIEW • MARCH 29, 2015 • 31

Barbara Hau

Age: 65 Occupation: Public access coordinator, Longmont Channel 8 How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? Four What brought you here? What has kept you here? My husband and I lived in Colorado Springs for 20 years and Taos, N.M., for the past 15 years.

Longmont was a return to Colorado and a nice “in between” size and attitude community. What’s not to like? Cultural diversity, artists, makers, musicians, craft beer, farms, greenways, symphony, lakes, mountains, rivers, museums and ... did I mention craft beer? I belong in Longmont!

Tell me a little about Eyes on Longmont, how you got involved and its benefits for the Senior Center? I had wanted to learn video production for the past 20 years. Rich Lukon started the Eyes on Longmont video production club at the Longmont Senior Center in February 2010, just after we arrived. The club, which meets at the Senior Center from 9 to 11 a.m. every Monday morning, has members with no previous video experience, like me,

Jane Hill and others who have worked on award­ winning video projects as producers, sound engineers and special effects engineers. Most club members also become members of Longmont Channel 8 Pubic Access, which provides audio visual equipment, as well as training on video production, camera, sound, lighting, etc. Group members work together on video projects that are viewed on Longmont Comcast Channel 8, at the Senior Center “Big Picture” on the first Thursday of every month, and through check­out at the Longmont Public Library. The best benefit of Eyes on Longmont participation is the unique opportunity it offers to learn about the amazing residents, events and history of our community through talking pictures.

What was the first job you ever had and something you learned there you still use today? I worked as an aid in a nursing home during high school. It started me thinking about how one’s lifestyle affected aging. The most vibrant residents led adventuresome lives. So I have always tried to be open to new opportunities, people, places and experiences. It is my anti­aging remedy!

Megan Herron Age: 29 Occupation: Glass artist; owner of Magic in the Glass, in Mead How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 22 What brought you here? What has kept you here? I grew up in the St. Vrain Valley, and I love living in northern Colorado for the outdoor life.

The mountains are captivating.

At what age did you first start working with glass? I began working with glass at 21.

What would you be doing if you weren’t doing this? If I wasn’t an artist, I would enjoy a job working at the zoo or a small farm.

What is your favorite magic trick? There is a little bit of magic in everything. My favorite magic trick is turning rods of glass into flowers and glass dragon sculptures!

32 • MARCH 29, 2015 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

Age: 71 Occupation: Retired How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? More than 20 What brought you here? What has kept you here?

My husband’s work.

What does your button club, Lark But’ning Club, do?

We meet once a month for about four hours, and what we do is learn how to

preserve buttons, identify them and learn their history. We’ll discuss some particular type of button or some material that buttons are made out of.

Everybody brings some of their own buttons to show.

What’s the best part of being involved in the Lark But’ning Club? The friends. The laughter. The other people who do it. The camaraderie. The friendship.

Vivienne Jannatpour Age: 51 Occupation: Boulder County Parks and Open Space Department public communications How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 25 What brought you here? What has kept you here? I first visited Colorado on a group ski trip from New Jersey in 1989. I was so moved by the beautiful landscape and wholesome lifestyle here — and the snowboarding!

— that I moved here a year later and never left!

What are some things you’ve found that people living in Boulder County may not know about their parks and open space areas? While most county open space properties require dogs to be on leash, two properties have off­leash areas that offer very different outdoor experiences. Twin Lakes Open Space in the heart of Gunbarrel has an off­leash fenced­in area around the West Lake and provides a lovely outdoor experience right in town. And Reynolds Ranch Open Space just east of Nederland, which lies amidst a network

of U.S. Forest Service trails, allows dogs off leash in a more remote and mountainous environment.

What are some of your hobbies or activities outside your job, and how or why did you get involved in them? I’ve gravitated toward hobbies that take me away from the computer, since my work is so technology­ and computer­based. I’ve always enjoyed hiking and spending time in the outdoors, which led me to the career I have — there’s nothing better than applying business and communications skills to promote something you believe in and love!

More recently, I’ve taken up quilting. I’d always heard Lyons had one of the best quilt shops around, so when I moved there, I took some classes and started working on my first quilt. It’s a great indoor hobby that’s tactile and creative and doesn’t involve sitting at the computer. My other great love is spending time with our two new puppies. My husband and I have been taking them to agility training, which involves a lot of coordination and communication. It’s a lot of fun and teaches the pups focus and self­control.

Robbin Jeri

(Editor’s note: This interview has been translated from Spanish) Age: 54 Occupation: Technical maintenance employee, social photographer, musician, poet How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 30ish You were born in Peru. What brought you here? What has kept you here? I come from a social work background in Peru, working with our communities and in the neighborhoods. Due to contradictory social political actions many years ago in Peru, in 1990, regrettably there was the government corruption of (former Peruvian President Alberto) Fujimori.

At that time, I worked as a photojournalist, and that generated a very bad problem with the state. With the dictatorship of Fujimori and also the corrupt soldiers in the country, I was going to leave for another place, and I decided to leave to this country, to the U.S., in 1999. Also because I

Lucy Kelly have a sister living here, so I had the warmth of family and a stability with her here.

What is the biggest difference you perceive between Peruvian and U.S. culture? I think that in our culture in Peru, really Peru doesn’t have an independent culture.

When I speak about a culture, I mean an ancestral culture, an indigenous culture. I don’t consider myself Hispanic. I consider myself indigenous, because my cultural root is my identity — genetics included.

Although I’m a mestizo (of mixed race) ... I define myself as an indio cobrizo (a copper­colored indigenous person). ...

We have a completely different cultural conception. For example, a lot of people (in the United States) think the land and nature belongs to man. ...

No. The man belongs to the land. It’s not the other way around. That way of thinking — thinking that the land belongs to the man — has led him to believe that he can do whatever he wants with nature, with life, with friends, water, even with us humans.

figured out how to organize in a way that makes sense for me. I’ve learned there’s no one system that works for everyone.

What is one possession you would never part with? I keep a box I call my “sentiment box,” which has a few letters from my grandmother, my kids’ notes to me when they were just learning to write, some cartoons that still make me laugh, a handful of really special photographs and cards.

Although I know I don’t need to keep those things to keep the love I share with those people, I enjoy the tangible reminders. I think those things are so special to me because they’re the highlights. If I’d kept every letter, every scribble, every piece of schoolwork from my kids, every article I found interesting, every recipe I wanted to try one day, every photograph we’d ever taken, it would be completely overwhelming. As it is, I have something wonderful that reminds me of the people and places of my life, and it weighs less than a newborn baby.

Kaleb Kircher

Faye Kelley

Age: 71 Occupation: Property manager at Victoria Inn Apartments and Executive Suites How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 26 What brought you here? What has kept you here? Job transfer from Colorado Springs. Driving into town the very first time, I was impressed with all the trees. When I drove onto the property at 2400 17th Ave., I knew I would stay as long as the company would have me. The property was in receivership when I came. It was purchased by Victoria Inn Partners in 1996, and here I still am.

With more hotels coming on­line in Boulder in the coming years, how does that affect your property in Longmont? Our short­term stay accommodations are a cross between a bed­and­breakfast and a hotel. We have a 20­unit mix of one­ and two­

Age: 49 Occupation: I help overwhelmed people get out from under the clutter so they can focus on doing what they love. I’m the owner of Joyful Surroundings LLC decluttering and organizing.

How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? Five What brought you here? What has kept you here? We came here for the schools, and we stay for the mountains.

Did you ever have a messy room when you were a kid? I wasn’t one of those people who were organizing their toys in their crib. In fact, I had no idea how to manage my things. I can remember being told by my parents to clean up my room when I was about 7 years old. The floor was completely covered in clothes and books and toys and who knows what else, but I had no idea what they wanted me to do. I had this big table in my room, and I just took everything off the floor and piled it all on the table. Over time, I’ve

bedroom suites that rent by the day, night or month. In 1990, when I came here, we were the only long­term furnished facility in Longmont. We have, to this day, a good relationship with many local companies. We also have couples who come for a month or two every summer.

Word of mouth also continues to bring us new guests.

About how many tamales do you think you make a year for your fund­raising efforts? Definitely 15 dozen at Christmas and, most years, another 15 to 20 dozen sometime in the summer. The proceeds always go to missionary families from Calvary Church serving around the world.

There are several good friends from church who are available to help now and then. One of them was in high school when she started helping. She did two summer mission trips herself and is now a registered nurse, married and a mother — Emily Boynton.

Age: 30 Occupation: Software engineer and founder at Kircher Electronics How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? Eight What brought you here? What has kept you here? I came to Colorado to attend Regis University. I moved to Longmont because it is safe and quiet with affordable housing. I like that Longmont is a smaller city with close proximity to the mountains. Being able to see the mountains and have easy access to them is important to me.

How have your personal passions and education played into the shaping of your software development firm? I have loved cars and computers since I was a kid. I worked as a mechanic when I was a teenager and learned how to methodically take apart and rebuild car parts using an old manual. Learning how to parse through and understand complex systems that I have never seen

before is probably the most important skill I have. I started getting into software program­ ming in high school and, at some point, started reprogramming the computers in cars to better fit my require­ ments. Eventually, this turned into getting a degree in computer science. My software firm focuses on developing applications that work with cars, so in a way, my personal passions and education entirely shaped the firm and our Android­based mobile application Force OBDII and Performance.

What mathematician in history inspired you the most? Carl Friedrich Gauss is the most inspiring mathematician to me. Gauss helped to lay the foundations of signal processing, geometry, statistics, magnetism and even general relativity. Almost every piece of technology we use on a daily basis has some roots in Gauss. It is rare for me to have a day where I don’t work directly with some mathematical concept contributed by Gauss.

COMMUNITY REVIEW • MARCH 29, 2015 • 33

Niwot Grange President Bruce Johnson is pictured at the grange.

34 • MARCH 29, 2015 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

Preserving the Grange Retired history buff works to maintain agricultural history in Boulder County

T

he tall old building on the west side of Second Avenue in Niwot has its history in agriculture, and as its president, Bruce Johnson plans to preserve that history.

“I joined the Grange about six years ago,” Johnson said as he sat in the second floor meeting room the Left Hand Grange No. 9 in Niwot. “I wanted to see the building maintained and preserved because it functions as a community center for Niwot. I’m also interested in agriculture and agricultural history.”

Johnson has a history with Niwot, and the Grange remains his link to the community, where he lived from 1994 to 2002, before moving to Longmont. He said he likes Niwot’s small-town atmosphere “and the focus on community spirit and involvement, and of course, the people.”

He lived in Boulder County continuously from 1978 to 2010 — in Louisville, Lafayette, Boul-

Bruce Johnson Age: 62 Occupation: Retired civil engineer and current president of Left Hand Grange No. 9 Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 35 der, Niwot and Longmont. Now the former civil engineer divides his time between his rural property north of Longmont and the Boulder home of his wife, Marcia. They married in 2011.

Both are active in the Grange.

Last year, Bruce and Marcia — an elementary school music teacher in Boulder — started a monthly open stage music event at the hall — “usually the first Sunday of the month from 4 to 6 in the afternoon,” Bruce Johnson said.

The Grange also hosts a knitting group and bridge clubs and

sponsors Boys Scouts and Cub Scouts.

Niwot’s Grange is part of a larger network of 3,600 Grange units in 37 states, with more than 300,000 members. In Colorado, there are 58 active Grange units. The Grange is the nation’s oldest national agricultural organization, created to provide farm families opportunities for social interaction and education as well as strong political advocacy for farm and ranch issues.

“I enjoy the community aspects of it, being in a position to help facilitate community involvement,” Bruce Johnson said. “The (Niwot) Grange is a focal point. When we have parades, there is always something happening outside of the Grange.”

Johnson said he wants to try to help generate more contemporary interest in the Left Hand Grange organization, even though the Niwot community

and the county overall has seen a decline in farming and agriculture.

“Currently, we are primarily a community-service organization whose roots and heritage are in farming and agriculture,” he said.

Agriculture is not foreign to Johnson. Prior to his retirement 2007, he worked for the Colorado Water Conservation Board in Denver for six years, helping farmers, irrigation companies and small towns get low-interest state loans to repair their reservoirs, dams and other raw water supply facilities.

In addition to being a proud grandfather, Johnson takes pride and satisfaction in working for the Grange.

“I enjoy being part of the small-town spirit and small-town community,” he explained. “The Grange is a part of Boulder County’s history and heritage that needs to be preserved.”

Story by Vince Winkel • Photo by Lewis Geyer • Longmont Times-Call

COMMUNITY REVIEW • MARCH 29, 2015 • 35

John Koehler

Age: 47 Occupation: District wildlife manager/wildlife officer for Colorado Parks and Wildlife How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? I’ve been in the St. Vrain Valley since 2005.

What brought you here? What has kept you here? I was born and raised in Colorado. I moved to this area as it is a little quieter than the Denver metro area.

What are some of the law enforcement aspects of your job?

Non­law enforcement? As district wildlife managers/wildlife officers, we are P.O.S.T. Certified, Level 1 Peace officers with the ability to enforce all laws of the state of Colorado. Our primary focus, however, is wildlife law enforcement. In addition to being state officers, we are also deputy federal agents for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and thus are capable of conducting wildlife law enforcement nationwide. It is our job to enforce laws and regulations related to hunting, fishing, trapping, land use and other areas related to natural resources in the interest of human safety and wildlife conservation. In addition to law

Patrick Kramer enforcement, district wildlife managers conduct a wide variety of work related to wildlife management, wildlife education, and the assessment and preservation of wildlife habitat. We play a significant role in setting hunting license numbers, assisting staff on natural resource issues and concerns. We provide education on topics like coexisting with wildlife, hunting and fishing, wildlife watching, ecology and the life histories of Colorado’s numerous wildlife species. District wildlife managers serve the public in providing customer service on all matters relating to wildlife, including management and handling of nuisance and/or injured wildlife.

What are the most rewarding things about your work? I love my job because I get to work with a wide variety of people and animals. I enjoy helping people and doing what I can to preserve and enhance our state’s remarkable wildlife resources. Wildlife management and law enforcement have always been and will continue to be a challenge, and for me, no two days are ever the same. I really look forward to getting up and going to work every day.

Linda Kozloff­Turner Age: 59 Occupation: Jewelry designer How long have you been here?

Since 1975.

What brought you here? What has kept you here? A 1939 Pontiac businessman’s coupe from Massachusetts. I am home here. I will never leave.

What was your favorite piece of jewelry to design? The most

beautiful piece of jewelry I have created is the one on my hand 20 years ago. It was my own wedding band with my husband’s band.

When did you start designing jewelry? I started making jewelry with a cloisonne artist for the Boston Museum of Fine Art in 1972.

How long have you owned your own store? I have owned Christine Marguerite Designs since 2002.

36 • MARCH 29, 2015 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

Age: 44 Occupation: Longmont firefighter/engineer How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 21 years What brought you here? What has kept you here? I moved here in 1994 right out of college at Colorado State University to work as a photographer for the Times­Call.

Raising a family has kept me here as well as working for the Longmont Fire Department.

What prompted you to become a firefighter? I had several friends who worked as firefighters. They encouraged me to try out the

profession. I enrolled in an EMT emergency medical technician class and fell in love with it. I also went through a fire academy and loved that as well. After that, I decided to try to get hired full time and still do photography on the side, which is what I continue to do today.

Are there any similarities in your present profession to your former profession as a newspaper photographer? The rush of adrenaline is similar when covering a major fire, accident or news event. The difference now is that before I was photographing these events, now I am part of the crews involved in mitigating them.

Lee Lawson Age: 85 Occupation: Retired U.S. Navy officer; civil engineer; former Longmont city engineer; former manager, St. Vrain Sanitation District How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? Off and on, more than 35 years What brought you here? What has kept you here? I grew up in Denver and moved here when my father bought the Oldsmobile agency in 1947. After college and the Navy, I moved back to Longmont in 1980.

As Longmont’s water and sewer director and city engineer during the 1980s, then the owner of a consulting firm and then the manager of the St. Vrain Sanitation District, you were involved in many of the public works projects that accompanied the area’s growth for more than 20 years.

Comment on those experiences.

Looking back, I am amazed at the rate of growth and the amount of growth that’s occurred. But by and large, I think it’s been done very well. There were only about 8,000 people living in Longmont

when we first moved here in 1947, I think.

When I was with the city, it was a continuation of what had been done very well by the people before. The main thing needed for Southwest Weld development was a wastewater treatment system, and the St. Vrain Sanitation District and its sewage collection and treatment plant were the keys. I think we’ve done better than a lot of communities in planning and providing the infrastructure for growth.

What other ways have you been active in the community? I was chairman of the Special Transit board, chairman of the Longmont United Hospital Board, served on the OUR Center board, was president of the University of Colorado Alumni Association. Even when I was in the Navy, I served on local groups’ boards.

I’ve always believed in community service. I think we should avoid expecting government to do everything for us. A community should help itself, and volunteering is what makes this work. It’s important for people to serve in their communities.

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Diane T. Levy

Age: 54 Occupation: Wife, mother, volunteer Years in St. Vrain Valley (or Years in this area): 4½ What brought you here? What has kept you here? For most of my life, I was a misfit California girl who truly belonged in the country. It wasn’t until my husband’s job required him to commute to clients across the U.S. instead of to a local office that we (my husband, our two teenagers and I) were able to relocate.

We started to hunt for the typical two­story home, on a tree­lined street, close to a good school. But then we realized we had an opportunity to break the mold and really begin anew. We found a farmhouse on 36 acres south of Berthoud that became our dream­ come­true home. We couldn’t be happier!

As a newer resident of the area, how did you become involved with the Berthoud Historical Society? It was easy to become involved with the Berthoud Historical Society when our down­the­road neighbor is the

Nate Lord society’s president!

Like any good neighbor, Mark French invited our family to Historical Society events when we first moved in.

Soon after, he asked if I might care to be a docent on Home Tour day the following June. The next year, I served on the Home Tour planning committee, and my involvement grew from there.

Presently, I help plan, execute and publicize events throughout the year.

What is your favorite summer event that takes place in Berthoud and why? I must admit that I am biased! Since I help plan events for the Historical Society, these events are some of my favorite activities in the summer. On the third Saturday in June, the society hosts a Historic Home tour that first drew me in. This year, the Historical Society plans to have two concerts to be held on the third Saturday of July and August. I’m looking forward to the July event, which will be a garden party held at the McCarty­Fickel Home Museum with wine tasting, live music and a fun, “high society” atmosphere.

Jan Lewis, ‘AKA, LOL, Jan the Barber’ Age: 64 Occupation: Barber How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 42½ What brought you here? What has kept you here? I moved here Aug. 1, 1972.

After cutting hair with my husband, who was a barber, for three years, I came to visit my mom and brother who had moved here. That was a Fourth of July weekend, and less than a month later, I moved here.

What have been the rewarding aspects of being a barber here? It has been a very good business town for me.

I have been here long enough to know a lot of the old farmers and families and longtime business people here. It was a small community when I moved here, and almost everyone knew each other.

I have done three and four generations of kids and families. I still have several of my guys that have been with me

since 1972, believe it or not. There sure have been a lot of changes, and I miss our small town. I have had several shops and moved to my new location at 515 Main St. last June. It is a perfect little place to come to work, and my customers love it here.

I am a little tucked away, but it has amazed me the new people finding me. Hopefully, I can last four more years and get 50 years in.

You help with Veterans Stand Down events. What are some of the needs you’ve seen among Longmont’s military veterans? I have cut hair for the homeless vets and help supply them and get them ready for the winter. It is rewarding, and they have some interesting stories as to why they are the way they are. So we just do our best to make them feel good about themselves for a day. And we give them things to help them through the winter.

38 • MARCH 29, 2015 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

Age: 60 Occupation: Chairman of English department at the Dawson School, varsity coach for Dawson School canoe and kayak team, and president of Team Colorado Whitewater Racing Club.

How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 26 What brought you here?

What has kept you here? I came to Colorado to teach English and Latin and to head up the outdoor program at the Dawson School. I have stayed because the Dawson School and I have grown together. It is fair to say that the school and I challenge each other to be our best. I am hugely proud of my students, my athletes and my colleagues. At the end of the day, it is the people that

keep me here.

What’s the best part of being the varsity coach for the canoe and kayak team at the Dawson School? I love helping students discover that they are athletes with huge potential, then helping them achieve that potential. There are many valuable lessons my student athletes learn outside of the classroom on the river that they cannot learn inside the classroom. I have been able to travel from Kaua’i, all over the continental United States, and around Europe with my athletes.

This is a lifetime sport. Pursuing it keeps me young.

What’s one memorable lesson you’ve learned from your students while working as a teacher and coach? The most important lesson is to be relentlessly positive.

Michael Loukonen Age: 61 Occupation: General manager, vice president and owner of Loukonen Bros. Stone Company How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley?

61 What brought you here? What has kept you here? Whiskers are what brought us here. Our great­ grandfather, a tanner by trade, had a disagreement with a constable in Finland in the late 1880s, and he pulled the constable’s whiskers, which got him in trouble. So to solve the problem, he sailed to America. He went to work in the Colorado quarries in 1890, brought other family members over from Finland, and in 1892 purchased the quarries we presently use for $10,000. We have enough stone in these quarries for another 100 generations of Loukonens.

How was your business affected by the flood? The flood of Sept. 12, 2013, totally wiped out our business.

Everything we had was under water.

We lost 6 acres of our property to the river; a maintenance building; 1,500 tons of crushed rock; 800 tons of moss rock, strip stone, boulders; and all of our pick­through area materials for our

customers. Totally gone. Where it did not wash away, it left 3 to 4 feet of the mud, fines, trees and trash.

We were out of business for six months; luckily we still had our fantastic crews here to dig out more than 2,000 tons of mud and muck that was the consistency of pudding for three months.

Can you describe how your family business has evolved over the more than a century it has been in business, and where you see it heading in the future? The stone business in the late 1800s was booming because it was used for foundations and walkways. In the 1920s, concrete came in and almost destroyed the stone business, so our family went into farming along the foothills. There was a revival of the stone business in the 1940s, and our father, Leonard, and his brother Reino started the yard we presently use under the name of Loukonen Bros. In 2000, generation four (myself and my five siblings) purchased the stone company and are operating it today.

We are hopeful to get generation five into the business and coming up with new products to carry the business into the future.

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Sophia Manning Age: 11 Occupation: Student at Westview Middle School, Girl Scout.

How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley?

11 What brought you here? What has kept you here? My parents.

How did you get involved in Girl Scouts? Before me, my sister was a

Sharmaine Martinez Girl Scout for a few years, so when I came into kindergarten, I wanted to join.

What’s the best thing about Girl Scouts? I really enjoy connecting with all the other girls, and I love doing all the community service that our troop does.

Last year, we painted a map of the United States on the blacktop for our school’s playground.

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Age: 47 Occupation: Library associate at the Carbon Valley Regional Library in Firestone How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 22 What brought you here? What has kept you here? My parents moved to Dacono when I was 3 years old, in February of 1971. I went to school in Frederick — kindergarten all the way through 12th grade. I lived out of the St. Vrain Valley area for five years. During that time, I married my high school sweetheart who also went to Frederick schools K­ 12. We moved to Firestone in July of 1992 when our first daughter was 1 year old and have lived here ever since.

We love it here where we grew up and plan to stay. It’s a great place to raise a family.

What is the first book you

remember reading and what do you remember most about it? The first book I read that stuck with me and I really enjoyed was “The Outsiders,” by S. E. Hinton. It’s a great story, and it was when I read it that I really appreciated where I live and was very happy that I didn’t live in the city.

Growing up in a small town can be boring, and as a kid you might not value it, but after I read “The Outsiders,” I sure did!

Where is your favorite place that you have been on vacation and why?

Galveston Island, Texas. We took a family trip there when my eldest daughter graduated from high school. I had never been to the beach, and it was a nice beach vacation without having to get a passport. The water was warm and people were friendly.

Joseph (Joe) D. Meckle, DC Age: 55 Occupation: Doctor of Chiropractic (chiropractor) How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 30­ plus. I opened my practice, Lyons Chiropractic Clinic during Thanksgiving week of 1984. I’ve been practicing continuously here since.

What brought you here? What has kept you here? Beautiful Colorado is where we wanted to raise our family. I realized very soon that I was drawn to a small­town setting. We were just a young couple at that time. We opened the doors in Lyons and have been here ever since. Lyons is the coolest town with great people. It has outdoor activities, and it is just home.

What’s your office’s particular approach? At our office, we practice traditional hands­on chiropractic care.

We treat the spine and extremities. If it’s a moveable joint, I am glad to evaluate the area. Also, we see the issues spinal problems have on the nervous system — radiating symptoms in arms and legs, headaches. If we find your problem isn’t one we can help with, we will refer you out

immediately. I say we because the assistants I work with are just great professionals.

They take really good care of people. I make it a point to new patients that if we can help you and you’re in the right place, you will know in one to three visits. Most patients seek out a doctor because they have a problem — something hurts, isn’t functioning well.

You were one of many impacted by the flood of 2013. How’s the recovery coming? Certainly this past year and a half has been a test. My home/office was on Park Street in the river confluence neighborhood. It took a big hit. It’s in the midst of a total rebuild but coming along thanks to the awesome people of Lyons and along the whole Front Range who are such dedicated volunteers out there every week helping anyone who is still trying to get back in their homes. One realizes how super lucky they are to be part of such a community when tough times hit. So I think I got a cool job in a great community. Or is it a great job in a cool community? Works either way.

Just lucky.

David Merrill Age: 44 Occupation: Director of bands, Longmont High School How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 14 What brought you here? What has kept you here? I was born in Colorado, but I’ve lived in many other places.

The St. Vrain Valley is such a well­kept secret. The beautiful scenery, great schools and great people make this the perfect place to raise a family.

How do you keep students motivated? The greatest source of motivation for students is a teacher who is passionate about the content. And it’s easy to be passionate about music. Band is such a collaborative activity, and my students bring so much to the

Iria Isabel Montanes Paz experience. They constantly amaze me and motivate me to be a better teacher.

Why did you want to be a band director?

When I was in college, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, but I knew I wanted to do something that made a difference to people. In my late 20s, I took a job as the band director at Fort Lupton High School. Four years later, I became the band director at Longmont High School.

Those poor students early on had to be patient with me because it took me a while before I really knew what I was doing. Now I love it and I can’t wait to get to school every morning.

Favorite musician? Oh, there are so many that I love. If I could pick two, I’d pick Miles Davis and The Beatles.

Skip Miller Age: 67 Occupation: Founder and CEO of Unmanned Aircraft Systems USA (UASUSA) How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 46 What brought you here? What has kept you here? As an avid outdoorsman, the skiing and outdoor environment inspired me to move to Colorado. I have been a lifelong model aircraft enthusiast and have become a World Champion Gold Medalist and seven­time U.S. National Champion. My WC model resides in the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum. I live in Boulder, where I started my business out of the shop of my home. Recently, I relocated UASUSA to Longmont’s Vance Brand Airport to accommodate expansion and self­ integrate into the aviation setting and the national airspace.

What growth has UASUSA experienced since its launch and, especially, during the past year? We grew from one employee to four in the first year. Year two, we grew to eight employees and relocated to our current

“east hangar” at the Longmont Airport.

UASUSA has a five­year head start in the exciting field of commercial Unmanned Aircraft Systems (drones). The Tempest UAS aircraft has a proven track record and was specifically designed for the University of Colorado’s tornado/thunderstorm scientific research. There are over 60 Tempest aircraft flying nationally and internationally.

As the craft beer industry has developed and boomed, where do you think that industry is headed? As former vice president and president of Boulder Brewing Company, responsible for building the first free­standing microbrewery in the U.S., I have witnessed a tremendous change in the market.

When I began, no equipment was available and we fabricated everything from the ground up to make Boulder Brewing Company (now Boulder Beer) the success it is today. Now, all the equipment and systems are readily available to anyone wishing to produce craft beer.

Age: 16 Occupation: Foreign exchange student at Silver Creek High School How long have you been in the St. Vrain Valley: Seven months What brought you here? Two of my cousins came to America, and they had a great experience, so I wanted to come as well.

Why did you decide to study abroad in America? Because American schools have better opportunities.

They have a lot of different classes and options that I don’t have in Spain.

What has been your favorite part of Colorado? I really like to ski in the mountains.

Mike Monticello Age: 48 Occupation: Senior system administrator, University of Colorado at Boulder campus How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 22 What brought you here? What has kept you here? I was living in the Chicago area and had a chance to move here with my company. I decided to stay because I love the weather and the mountains.

What organizations do you volunteer for and why? St. John the Baptist Food Bank: The food bank is staffed by wonderful volunteers. The food bank also offers delivery service for those who cannot come to the food bank.

Homeless Outreach Providing Encouragement: HOPE is a great organization with great volunteers and staff. I like that HOPE helps those in the most need every day of the year.

Knights of Columbus: I joined the Knights to meet people and give

back to the community. I have met a lot of great guys in the process.

Many of the Knights volunteer at HOPE and the food bank.

What do you find most rewarding about volunteering? I enjoy giving my time to help those in need. I like the variety of work, and every day is a new experience. There is always something new to learn and new people to meet. Everyone I meet is very appreciative of the help they receive. You can make someone’s day by giving them a pair of socks, a meal, or just talking to them for a few minutes. I have met a lot of great people, and all the volunteers make the system work. I want to thank all the volunteers out there for taking the time to volunteer. If you have been thinking about volunteering, now is the time to get started. There are a lot of organizations out there that could use your help, and you won’t regret it.

COMMUNITY REVIEW • MARCH 29, 2015 • 41

omen W In BusIness BusIn ness

Coffee Clatch

Marj Sater and Vicky Andrew

Stacy Kliner & Ashlyn Bishop / Owners

Co-owners, Front Range Mercantile

Stacy Kliner and Ashlyn Bishop had an idea; a coffee shop that was about more than just coffee. “We wanted to open a shop and community center— a place to connect,” explained Kliner. And, after three years of establishing an impeccable reputation through their catering, they brought that idea home to Longmont.

Marj and Vicky met when their sons played baseball together in Hygiene. For over 25 years, they have been a family-owned and operated business. What started as a hobby, became Front Range Indoor Flea Market.

This January, Coffee Clatch opened its doors with the same quality and service that made their catering company so successful. They provide the same locally sourced desserts and gelato, as well as direct-trade coffee beans, which are then roasted themselves. Call it a cup with a conscience.

They operate on traditional values: customer service, satisfaction and hard work and they attribute their success to their great customers.

Many feel they are a part of the Front Range Flea Market family.

The store and the 90+ vendors repurpose, re-use and recycle. You’ll find an incredible high quality selection of antiques, vintage, retro, mid-century, gift items as well as new products and a great line of chocolates and candy.

As co-owners, Marj and Vicky thank you for voting them winners in the Reader’s Choice Best of the Best contest for 8 years!! Quality, variety, excellent service and value for your dollar are just a few of the reasons for this accolade and why Marj and Vicky will celebrate 26 years in business this year.

1201 S. Sunset, Longmont 303-776-6605

Clarissa EdElEn, Owner

Cindy Miller

Fabulous Finds, Upscale Consignment Fabulous Finds is a first stop for savvy fashionistas looking for the best in Guilt-free Retail Therapy! The passion Clarissa has is evident the moment you walk into Fabulous Finds. The store offers both clothing & accessories as well as furniture and home décor. Clarissa’s excitement about sharing her “finds” is seen in the way the store is appointed—it definitely is “upscale”! And her enthusiastic and knowledgeable staff will help you consign or put together the perfect ensemble.

Active in the community, she stages fashion shows and silent auctions for worthy causes.

Opened in 2011, Fabuloous Finds won Rookie Business of the Yeaar and is now excited to announce the opening of her newest store just 2 doors down on the West side: Fabulouss Finds Full Figure Boutique. This lovvely french themed boutique speciaalizes in clothing and accessories for women who are size 16 1 and up. Stop by as there arre fabulous shoes, jewelry, and accessories for all sizes!

Cindy Miller is proud to say that she has called Longmont home for the last 38 years, and she has been insuring it for 15. She knows the community and she knows her customers.

Since 1999, she has been working to insurance Longmont residents and businesses against the mishaps of life through the insurance offerings of Farmers Insurance.

She has earned the industry designations of Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter and Accredited Advisor of Insurance. This shows she works hard to be well equipped to assist her customers.

Whether someone walks in her doors looking for first time auto insurance or the full package of auto, home and life insurance, she will find the best fit for that individual or family.

Your business is also her business. Ask her about Farmers business liability and workers compensation policies. And please, don’t leave your family or business financial future to chance - Talk to her about life insurance today.

For a friendly - and local - face for your personal or business insurance needs, stop by 601 S. Bowen Street, Longmont and chat with Cindy Miller.

600 South Airport Rd., Longmont 720-340-4152 info@fabfindsconsign.com www.fabfindsconsign.com

Cindy Miller, CPCU, AAI

303-774-2637

601 S. Bowen Street, Longmont CO 80501 Email: cmiller1@farmersagent.com

42 • MARCH 29, 2015 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

Things you won’t find - high fructose corn syrups and preservatives.

“We try to keep everything as natural and local as possible,” Kliner said.

With space for you and a friend or an entire book club, it truly is a unique gathering place brought to you by the ladies at Coffee Clatch.

1515 Main St., Longmont

970-599-1359

www.thecoffeeclatch.com

Olivia Neill

Co-Owner, Happy Hounds Dog Care Center Dog Tested, Owner Approved

Olivia Neill, co-owns Happy Hounds Dog Care Center with her husband Brian Neill, where a very hands-on approach is taken with staff and clients. Olivia’s passion for animals spans a lifetime, from pet setting in her youth, spending college summers working at a vet hospital, volunteering to help rehab rescue and shelter dogs, and over nine years working as a professional dog trainer. Drawing on these experiences helps Olivia daily as a small business owner and drives her support of local charitable organizations. Happy Hounds provides super fun daycare r fforr dogs of all ages and sizes, luuxury boarding, basic and professional grooming services, and is proud p to have won first place foor the past Reader’s three years in the R Choice Pet Daycare & Pet Boarding categories. Come on by and check us out!

303 774-8158 1822 Sunset Pl. #2 Longmont, CO www.happyhoundscolorado.com

Dr. Jamie GilGren Board Certified Audiologist

Dr. Jamie Gilgren has been practicing audiology and fitting hearing aids since 2002.

She is board certified by the American Board of Audiology. She has extensive experience fitting and programming today’s latest hearing aid technology, Bluetooth technology, and assistive listening devices. She also has extensive knowledge in the diagnosis and treatment of hearing disorders. Dr. Gilgren takes pride in doing the best job for her patients and enjoys helping people of all ages to hear and communicate better. Dr. Gilgren spends her free time four-wheeling and camping with her family.

2318 17th Ave, Unit H Longmont 303.532.4956 www.hearingrehabcenter.com

omen W In BusIness BusIn ness Co-Owner with husband Robertino

Raluca loan, who co-owns Romana Cake House Bakery and Coffee House with her husband, Robertino, has always had a lifetime passion for baking. Recognizing her highly creative and artistic baking and decorating skills, husband Robertino encouraged and supported the opening of this bakery that brings a profound commitment to quality, flavor, presentation and customer service.

All their pastries and cakes are made from scratch using only the highest quality, fresh natural ingredients, no artificial sweeteners and preservvatives. They create a wide variety of products from warm, out of the oven moorning pastries to individual desserts, all celebrations cakes, but what reaally sets them apart are their amazingly delicious and eleg nt wedding cakes that could make a bride and groom’s wedding day a dream come true!

It’s certainly not easy trying to raise two young sons, ge 5 and 8 ½ and supporting a busy, ever-changing businesss, but the second you step into the relaxed atmosphere of their European bakery and are welcomed by their smiling faces, you know that their dream of creating a friendly, family oriented business came true. Have a taste of one of their desserts, cakes and pastries, and you’ll never want to go elsewhere!

TAWNA IRVINE AND TAMMY ORR SAVING SHOES ONE SOLE AT A TIME

You may ask, How did two women get into this maledominated business? Owner Tawna Irvine and her colleague Tammy Orr worked for Phelps Shoes for 25 years, until the family wanted to retire. Tawna bought the business from them in 2009.

She got started in shoe repair in Boulder during a recession; a friend taught her the craft. It was on-the-job training in several shops where she learned multiple ways to get the best results.

Tammy sews expertly. Put their talents together and expect excellence.

“We have such good customers,” Tawna says. “They like us being women. We get really good feedback.” Tawna had training as a pedorthist – “like a pharmacist for the foot.” She takes over-the-counter orthotics, tweaks and fits them and makes Tammy Orr and Tawna Irvine them work for the customer. That service makes Phelps different from other shoe repair businesses. If she can’t make them work, she recommends getting a diagnosis from a podiatrist. Phelps also carries sandals and slippers from Vionic, one of the few brands with arch supports.

When it comes to saving old shoes from the trash heap, Tawna is persuasive: “There is a lot of footwear that people think is not repairable – but it is. If you’re not sure, ask us. Even less-expensive footwear can be repaired, like the boots made of man-made materials with rubber soles. You can get another year out of them; don’t send them to the landfill.” They also rejuvenate purses, zippers, leather coats and belts.

Want stunning proof of how these two superb women excel at their craft? Visit the fascinating Facebook page of Phelps Shoe Repair and see how they transformed a battered pair of loafers into the pride of any country club habitué!

Phelps Shoe Repair, 2255 Main Street, Suite 103, Longmont, 303.776.9762

Merry Ann Webb Co-Owner, The Rib House

Merry Ann Webb studied at the Bailey Automotive School graduating with honors in 1980. By doing this she became one of the first female automotive technicians leading the way in a male dominated profession. She professionally worked for Datsun and Cadillac using her unique skills to move up the ladder into upper management. Merry Ann once again broke the stigma of this male dominated field prior to leaving Mc Caddon Cadillac as the service manager in 2001. Finally inspired to be her own boss Merry Ann took up the reigns of opening “The Rib House” here in Longmont with her husband Tracy Webb. “The Rib House’ has become an overnight success and now 14 years later is her legacy to Longgmont and to the sires of her success.

303-485-6988 1920 S. Coffman St., Longmont, CO 80504

Linda Snyder

Linda HeiL

Owner, Snyder Jewelers

Owner - In Home Pet Sitting Linda Heil, is a Longmont native and owner of Paw Au Pair. Linda truly loves what she does and is loved by all her furry four legged clients. We provide top-quality care for your pets in the secure familiar environment of their own home. We understand how important it is to find high quality service as well as professionalism. Linda prides herself in providing such a service. Whether you need our services for dog walking, pett sitting, trip to the groomers or vet’s office, we can meet your needs..

For your peace of mind, Paw Au Pair is bonded and insured, veterinarian recommended and a member of PSI. Linda truly loves what she does and is loved by all her furry four legged clients.

Paw Au Pair

In Home Pet Sitting and Dog Walking Service

303-485-8498 • www.pawaupair.com pawaupair@msn.com

Linda Snyder was honored to learn she is being inducted into the Boulder County Business Hall of Fame on April 29, 2015. Over the years, grandparents - Hobart & Audrey, parents - John and Barbara, Linda and her sisters worked together to build the business while always serving the community.

As the Third Generation owner of Snyder Jewelers, Linda has continued her family’s legacy of service and contribution to many community charities and organizations. She is most proud of her work as a co-founder of A Woman’s Work, and service on the Board of Directors of TRU Community Care Hospice.

Snyder Jewelers specializes in custom design, jewelry repair & restoration as well as watch repair & appraisals.

Linda believes building relationships is more important than “closing the sale”.. Her team will take the time to educate and inform all guests. You will be treated like friends and family, and the staff will provide the opportunity to select from a large collection of unique, high quality, beautiful and competitively priced jewelry!

303 776-2992 2201 Ken Pratt Blvd., Longmont, CO www.snyderjewelers.com

COMMUNITY REVIEW • MARCH 29, 2015 • 43

Marta Valenzuela Moreno Age: 69 Occupation: Executive director of El Comité de Longmont How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley?

42 What brought you here? What has kept you here? I came because my husband got a job with IBM. We stayed because IBM kept us here. They were actively recruiting Hispanics in the area.

What has been the biggest change for the Latino community in your lifetime? More educated, more self­empowerment, less oppression and more activism than when I was a child. We’re not quiet anymore. We are speaking out, we are voting, though we could do a better job of voting.

We’re more vocal about social justice and equality, and we participate more.

What accomplishment of El Comité are you most proud of?

Getting adult ed as one of our great programs. You know, they closed it, and we said, “No! It has to continue!”

I say, “We help the young, the old, the restless, the in­between and even the dead!” We work with a diverse population with a big variety of problems: wage theft, unemployment,

immigration, housing, domestic abuse, health, legal problems, landlord­ tenant disputes, wrongful termination, end­of­ life issues and navigating the funeral system. We can even marry people here!

We have great partnerships with (Boulder County District Attorney) Stan Garnett, Sheriff (Joe) Pelle, the Department of Justice and politicians like Jonathan Singer.

Our foundation is based on four pillars: legal assistance and referrals, addressing basic needs, community bridge building, and advocacy and empowerment. There is a comfort and trust level when people come here.

We help them if we can, and if we can’t, we know where to send them in the community to get help. It empowers people when they understand how our system works.

I’m also proud of our citizenship application workshops. Four times a year, we help people fill out their application and send it in. Now that we have the adult ed program, people can study and prepare for the interview and fill out their application.

It’s like one­stop shopping.

Steve Moskal

Age: I never tell anyone.

Occupation: Plumber, owner of Steve’s Plumbing How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley?

37 What brought you here? What has kept you here? The weather brought me here, and then I started my family here.

What is the weirdest call you’ve ever gotten? I was going to somebody’s house — this happened recently — and the guy was panicking and thought he heard water running behind the wall. I was on the way to his house in Firestone. He called back and said, “You’re not going to believe

this, but it was the bathroom fan.”

What is the most common mistake homeowners make with their plumbing? It’s them trying to fix something. A lot of homeowners think they can do it, and they find out they’re way over their head.

Especially if they try to solder pipes.

And then it’s an emergency because they have no water, and if they try to turn it on, they have water coming out everywhere. Some people charge extra for that, but I don’t. I don’t even charge extra on the weekend. I figure if I come out on a weekend and help you fix something, most likely you’re going to call me back with something else.

44 • MARCH 29, 2015 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

Bronwyn Muldoon Age: 46 Occupation: Physical therapist How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 16 What brought you here? What has kept you here? My husband and I first came to Lyons in 1998 for the Folks Festival at Planet Bluegrass. We were living in Denver at that time. We fell in love with the town and its surroundings and dreamed of moving to Lyons. A year later, we were able to fulfill our dream, as I opened Lyons Physical Therapy and we moved to Lyons. I am very fortunate to be able to work and live in this great town.

How does being a physical therapist affect how you see the

human body? The human body has always amazed me.

Working on people with different lifestyles, injuries and activity levels makes me appreciate the human body even more for its diversity, capabilities and adaptability.

What kinds of injuries have you seen more frequently since the flood?

Initially, after the flood, our business saw patients having symptoms related to high stress: headaches, tight muscles and sleeplessness. Then as the cleanup began, there was an increase in shoulder and back pain. Lyons Physical Therapy is very grateful to be a part of this wonderful community and is proud to be able to help those in need.

Wendi Nafziger Age: 50 Occupation: Economic developer How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 48 What brought you here? What has kept you here? I moved to Longmont when I was 2 years old. I am a product of the St. Vrain Valley School system and actually got my job at the Economic Council through my education at the Career Development Center. We raised our children here and have always enjoyed the “hometown” feel of the community, while enjoying the amenities of a larger community.

What is your role with the Longmont Area Economic Council?

Vice president — just coming off of interim president for the last 18 months.

Have you always been involved in the economic development field?

Yes. I started at the Economic Council fresh out of high school as the secretary.

I got promoted to vice president in the mid­ ’90s and went on to earn my Certified Economic Developer certification and continue with specific economic development education.

What are the things you like most about Longmont? The people and small community feeling of pride, while enjoying the amenities of a larger community. I also like the familiarity of the area and the relationships that we have built over the years. For most anything I am looking for, I know someone that can help me or someone that knows someone who can help.

Cary Nickolls

Age: 60 Occupation: Police officer How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 39 What brought you here? What has kept you here? I moved to Longmont in 1976 from Fairfax, Va., after getting married. I moved from Longmont to Berthoud in early 2000.

The mountains, the weather, and thus, the ability to play golf almost year round have kept me in the area.

What is it you like about being a patrol officer? I’ve been a patrol officer for 36 plus years. It’ll be 36½ years when I retire on March 29th. The patrol officer is the “face” of the department.

It’s up to us to put our best face on. We also have the most day­to­day contact with the public and, therefore, have the most opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life. I’ve always enjoyed these contacts and my chance to help someone out.

What are you planning on doing when you retire next month? I’ve got some household projects planned, the biggest being cleaning out the garage

John Norling and resurfacing the garage floor. Then (or probably while) I’ll work on my golf game or lack thereof!

Do you have any advice for officers who are new to police work? Do the job to the best of your ability. Whatever happens after a case reaches the prosecutor and the courts is not your worry. If you lose a case or it gets tossed out for one reason or another, you have to be able to leave it alone. You did your job, and if you let it bother you, you’ll never last.

Have outside interests, hobbies and friends. So many new officers don’t do anything except, and unless, it’s with other cops. This is a sure way to get burned out. You have to be able to get away from it, even if only for a little while. For your own and for your family’s sake, don’t take the job home with you.

If you’re not already a good listener, practice to become one.

More times than not, your ability to listen and talk with people is going to keep most (but not all) incidents from becoming confrontational.

Jim Nordhougen

Age: 58 Occupation: CEO of Colorado National Speedway How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? Since 1976 What brought you here? What has kept you here? The great weather and beautiful mountains. In the spring of 1976, I moved from Fargo, N.D., to Colorado Springs to work for Ampex.

Six months later, I moved to Longmont and have been here ever since!

You have “Figure­8” racing out at CNS. Whose idea was that? Colorado National Speedway went from being a dirt track to paved in 1982. At that time, they put the X in the middle and started racing Figure­8’s.

You once were a Nitro Coupe drag­ racing driver. On May 20, 2001, your car caught fire. Can you briefly describe what that was like? Flying down the track at over 200 miles per hour engulfed in flames, smoke filling the cockpit, knowing (the) parachutes

Age: 26 Occupation: Skydiving instructor at Mile­Hi Skydiving Center How many years have you been in the area? Nearly four years in Boulder County; one year in Longmont What brought you here? What has kept you here? I moved to Longmont for multiple reasons.

Having easy access to the mountains and a relaxed atmosphere are the two biggest. I’m originally from Santa Barbara, Calif., and fell in love with this area after visiting a friend and fellow skydiver who also instructs for Mile­Hi. After my first jump at Mile­Hi, I knew this place was for me. As soon as I had an opportunity to get a house in Old Town, I jumped at the chance and have never regretted it.

Where and when was your most exhilarating jump? My most exhilarating jump was at the Chicks Rock Boogie in Lake Elsinore, Calif., in 2006. I had the opportunity to jump a Bell Ranger helicopter from 5,000 feet with several of my good friends. It’s a

day I’ll never forget.

Describe your most terrifying jump. Two of us had planned a two­way linked night jump with a third jumper shooting pictures and video. The jump was going great until breakoff, as I let go of the formation and turned 180 degrees I was blinded by the camera’s external flash. The next 10 seconds were terrifying as I waited for my eyesight to return, not knowing if I was floating too close to one of the other two jumpers. Luckily, both jumpers were experienced and were able to get good separation, so it was not an issue.

Can just anybody jump out of a perfectly good airplane? With the great instruction and instructors that are out there, just about anybody can jump out of an airplane. (There are some medical restrictions that affect some people.) There are two options for a first­time jumper: a tandem jump or Accelerated Free Fall, where you learn how to safely skydive by yourself.

A tandem skydive is a great introduction into the sport.

Bill Nugent were melted and unable to stop you; All you are thinking is how to get the car stopped and get out of the car before you have to take a breath of toxic smoke. (Editor’s note: Nordhougen walked away from the crash.)

What’s your personal record for land speed, and when did you set it? In 2001, at Bandimere Speedway in Denver while racing at the Super Chevy Show, I went 6.23 elapsed time (ET) at 227 miles per hour (MPH).

This run became the Bandimere Speedway’s track record for both ET and MPH for the “Door Car” class. I held that record until 2011. 2001 was a great race year for us. We won the 2001 Nitro Coupe Championship. At the Route 66 Raceway quarter­mile drag strip in Chicago in 2002, we went 6.20 ET at 232 MPH. Interesting fact: I would go from 0 to 100 mph in 100 feet all in 1.2 seconds. It was like being shot out of a cannon. You’d better be lined up straight, or you’re in trouble.

Age: 60 Occupation: Auto salesman, Valley Subaru How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley?

25 What brought you here? What has kept you here? My younger brother used to live here, and I came out to visit and made this my new home. Ohio is a great place to be from, as I tell my customers.

How did you get into the automobile business? I applied for a sales job here 25 years ago at Valley and have been in the business ever

since.

It must be a tough business. How does one become a successful sales consultant? I am a people person, as I grew up in a family of 10 children, so I always had someone to talk to. Also being a good listener, because most people will tell you their wants and needs when it comes to a car purchase.

Do you think 2015 will be a strong year for the auto industry?

Yes. Every year, it seems to get even better. I look forward to a great year of sales.

COMMUNITY REVIEW • MARCH 29, 2015 • 45

Join host Quentin Young as he turns the spotlight on diverse musical acts from Colorado – and those just passing through. Watch bands take over our compact studio. Soak up the banter. Find out what makes them tick. Sign up for the Second Story newsletter and immerse yourself in the scene.

Live Music Interviews The Inside Track

46 • MARCH 29, 2015 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

SecondStoryGarage.com

A Special Tribute to

Volunteers To Our Caring Community From homelessness to self-sufficiency, thank you for bringing a brighter future and a better today for those in need.

In 2014: 306 people volunteered 3100 hours!

to volunteer: 303.684.0810 innbetween.org 250 Kimbark St

To OUR volunteers from the OUR Center Board of Directors and staff, thank you for helping us grow!

Buy 3 Sessions Get 4th FREE! June-August View current calendar at www.dabblepaintandsip.com For dates and class times.

2330 Main St. #E, Longmont • (303) 827-3523

View Current Calendar at www.dabblepaintandsip.com

COMMUNITY REVIEW • MARCH 29, 2015 • 47

Nick O’Connor Age: 26 Occupation: Singer/songwriter at Nick O’Connor Productions and day program professional at Sample Supports.

How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? All in all, it has been around about 12. I grew up here from age 10­20, then moved to Denver for a few years, and came back at age 24.

What brought you here? What has kept you here? The support of the community brought me back. I really believe that I could not do what I am doing here in Longmont anywhere else. There are a lot of people here working very hard to make this community thrive in the arts and in small business. People are very into locally made products here, and it has been an honor to watch

Lea Peshock people become interested in what I have to offer.

How did you get into music? I moved to Longmont in ’98 and didn’t have many friends. I was more into the Colorado Avalanche and the Denver Broncos than I was into music. My parents went to a home church group, and I remember being attracted to the vibrations of the man’s guitar who played there.

What are your thoughts on the Longmont music scene? I don’t want to be anywhere else. I believe that we have a lot of work to do, but that’s what makes it exciting. It will be interesting to see how it grows in the next five years. A lot of people are releasing records to wide acclaim.

I find it amazing that this is happening here. The right people are here, making this thing go.

Stephanie O’Connor

Age: 32 Occupation: Delivery driver for Blackjack Pizza How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? We moved here 20 years ago.

I spent three years in Las Vegas in my mid­20s, so I’ve been in the area 17 of the past 20 years.

What brought you here? What has kept you here? I moved here with family when I was a kid. These days, most of my friends and family live in Boulder County, or nearby counties, so Longmont is a pretty good place to live where I can be within close distance to everyone. I like living in a smaller community that is within easy driving distance of bigger cities like Denver and Fort Collins.

Tell me about the biggest tip you’ve ever received for a pizza delivery. It was actually at one of my first pizza jobs when I was younger.

The order was close to 100 pizzas, and it took three drivers to deliver it.

We each got a $50 tip. Orders that big are pretty rare. That is, after all, A LOT of pizza! At Blackjack, we frequently see 20­ to 30­pizza orders,

and drivers often get $20 to $30 for orders of that size.

Have you ever delivered pizza in a blizzard or flood? I drive in big snowstorms all the time. That’s pretty much routine in Colorado during the winter. During the flooding in 2013, we delivered anywhere we could get to that wasn’t blocked off. I think I spent that whole week perpetually soaked to the bone! People were very appreciative that we were coming out.

You drive all over town for your job. Where does the city of Longmont need to focus on street improvements? It seems like in the past couple of years, a lot of repaving has been going on, which is nice. The biggest thing I would like to see is the bridge on Sunset Street getting rebuilt sometime soon. I’m surprised it has been out this long. Also, the stretch of Highway 119 heading to Interstate 25. Potholes seem to spring up here and there after heavy rain or snowfall. They took care of one particularly bad spot this year.

Hopefully, they will continue with that in the future.

48 • MARCH 29, 2015 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

Age: A very young 57 Occupation: Animal care supervisor at Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.

I have been at Greenwood for five years.

How many years have you been in the area? I have lived in Boulder since 1985. I moved to Colorado in 1979.

What brought you here? What has kept you here? What brought me here to Colorado was the love of four seasons, exploring the land west of the Mississippi (I had never been west of the Mississippi before), the mountains and a job as a radiologic technologist in Denver. What keeps me here is the beautiful vistas, the people and the wildlife. I do miss the ocean quite a bit, so I go back East every so often to get my ocean fix.

What led you to care for injured wildlife? I applied for a job at Greenwood helping with fundraising and also decided to volunteer in animal care. Well, the fundraising part didn’t last long. From the first day of volunteering in animal care, I was hooked. I have always been intrigued

and enamored with wildlife. To see wildlife up close and personal is truly a gift. I am able to use my human medicine skills in a new way, helping care for injured and orphaned wildlife.

You never know what will walk through the door, but whatever it is sure makes the day worthwhile. Every day

is an adventure.

If a person touches a baby animal, will its mother reject it? This is a common misconception, especially with birds. We have had success reuniting moms with their babies, both mammals and birds, after the babies have been handled. Mothers love their babies and, most of the time, if given the chance, they will take them back. Bunnies can be a bit tricky, but there have been successes there, too.

Of the animals that you have handled, which has the worst bite? I think the worst bite was from an adult squirrel. It bit right through the leather gloves and got my finger pretty good.

Raccoons are a very close second.

Dawn Quintana Age: 45 Occupation: Deputy city clerk, city of Longmont How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? I’ve been here all of my life!

I was born in Denver and lived in Fort Collins, Raymond and Allenspark as a kid. In 1980, my mom re­ married, and we moved to Lyons. I graduated from Lyons High School in 1987 and then from the University of Northern Colorado in 1991. I was married in Meadow Park in Lyons in 1994, and we have lived in Longmont ever since.

What brought you here? What has kept you here? Connections have kept me here. Not just family connections but, for example, connections with outstanding educators who have supported, advocated for and helped my two kids (Zenia, 20, and Ignacio,17) grow into who they are today, connections with business people that have helped me to open doors that may otherwise have been closed, and connections with nature. This is such a beautiful area, and if I ever feel disconnected or untethered, I head up Colo. 7 and sit by the river to reconnect and recharge.

What’s the hardest part of your job? When I started with the city in 2006, the hardest part was just understanding the structure of the organization and who did what. Now in my ninth year, probably the hardest part for me is being patient and waiting for processes to play out instead of just jumping in and fixing things. I’m a person who likes to problem solve, so I have to remind myself that change is more effective and sustainable when all voices share in the conversation and decision making. This is a large organization, so it does take time to see things through from beginning to end, and I have learned to trust the process and enjoy the outcomes!

Do you keep anything special on your desk to remind you of where you come from? When I moved into my new office space in December, I inherited a beautiful watercolor painting of Mount Meeker by local artist Becky Everitt. I love it because my mom was an artist and a friend of Becky’s, so every day, I am not only reminded of my mom, who passed away in 2000, but of my roots in the community and the Front Range.

Dawn Reiter

Age: 36 Occupation: Veterinarian How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley?

I have been in business in Firestone since April 2013 What brought you here? What has kept you here? The opportunity to purchase my own veterinary clinic brought me to the area. The clients and patients that we have at our clinic is what has kept me here.

How does your clinic use lasers to improve animals lives? Laser therapy is a sterile, pain­free, surgery­free, drug­free treatment. Whether our client’s pet is rehabilitating from trauma or injury, healing from wounds, or simply suffering from painful

John Rogers arthritis issues, our Companion therapy laser system has been shown to provide relief and speed healing. It is used to treat a variety of conditions in our patients to help decrease pain and increase quality of life.

What’s the funniest thing you’ve ever seen at a vet clinic? I would say there are more things that amaze us than things that are necessarily funny at our vet clinic. The things that seem to amaze us the most are the objects that animals will eat.

We have taken objects out of the gastrointestinal tract of cats and dogs including diamond rings, baby bottle nipples, plastic spiders, bouncy balls, cassette tapes, rope toys and even women’s underwear.

Bobby L. Ridnour

Age: 74 years young Occupation: Freddy’s Steakburgers employee How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley?

45 (born in Fort Collins) What brought you here? What has kept you here? I moved to Longmont in 1970 to open another restaurant of our own, which we sold in 1983. I went to work at Longmont United Hospital in the surgery department. I retired in 2007. I tried a lot of volunteer work and still do a lot of volunteer work.

Tell me about your restaurant.

What did you like/dislike about the restaurant business? It was called the Running Board Restaurant, named after my 1930 Model A, which we still own. My wife, Barbara; two daughters,

Debby and Tina; and our son Nile all as a great family team along with 20 to 30 great employees ran this restaurant for 13 great successful years.

We all knew how to work and have fun at the same time. With teamwork, it all comes together. It was a family­style restaurant. Everything was made from scratch. I just enjoy being with and helping people. I really enjoy being at Freddy’s. It is a great place with good people to work with. It is just part time, but I like it.

What kind of work did you do in the surgery department? I worked at Longmont United Hospital in the surgery department for 17 years, getting patients ready for their procedure and anything and everything that needed to be done.

Age: 53 Occupation: Territory manager for Adamson Police Products How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley?

23 What brought you here? What has kept you here? What keeps us here is the beautiful state of Colorado. Though my wife, Kathy, and I miss the ocean (in California), we cannot imagine a better place to live.

What is the most interesting thing about dealing in police products? I have the opportunity to work with people that protect and serve our communities. From our office in Frederick, we service the police, sheriff and state agencies in an eight­state region. You get to see firsthand what it takes for the men and women in uniform to do their job.

How many items does the average police officer have to pick up from your business? We sell and

distribute uniforms, duty gear, ballistic vests, ammunition, firearms and everything else in between. We have contracts with many agencies on specific items that the officers come in to get. But they also purchase things for themselves for their job. That might be a new holster, a ticket book or a new set of boots.

Some of our most popular items are things like ear pieces for their radios, badge holders or handcuff keys.

Do you ever feel like “Q” from the James Bond movies? We sell to agencies some very high­tech equipment. From thermal imaging devices to surveillance equipment and even robots. It can make for very interesting demonstrations. There seems to be more and more high tech coming into the law enforcement.

One of the big things now is personally worn cameras. We work with a couple of manufacturers for those.

D’Anne Rudden Age: 45 Occupation: Doctor of audiology How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 17 What brought you here? What has kept you here? I was invited to join Longmont Hearing & Tinnitus Center in 1997, and I fell in love with the community of Longmont.

Why did you pursue audiology?

Growing up, I was in school with many hearing­impaired students that were mainstreamed into my elementary school classes. I was taught sign

language early on, so when I started college and had the chance to take classes in communication disorders, I naturally gravitated to audiology. After 21 years in the profession, I still find no greater gift than being able to connect people of all ages to the sounds of their world.

Who is your favorite fictional doctor? Dr. Beverly Crusher from Star Trek Next Generation. I love all the medical technologies. I’m still waiting for an “ear tricorder”!

COMMUNITY REVIEW • MARCH 29, 2015 • 49

Lorynda Sampson

Age: 52 Occupation: Principal of Northridge Elementary School How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? I’ve lived or worked in Longmont since 1995. I have had the privilege of serving students and families in St. Vrain for 16 of those years.

What brought you here? What has kept you here? I started my education career at age 20 in Greeley and relocated to St. Vrain in 1995. St. Vrain’s outstanding commitment to education, the sense of community and beauty in Longmont are why I came to Longmont.

What’s the best part of being an

Traude Schneider elementary principal?

The best part of being a principal is seeing the “light bulb” go on for students, teachers and parents alike. The most challenging part of being an elementary principal is being able to meet the depth and breadth of needs of students in poverty.

What’s the best thing schools can do for students in poverty? The best things schools can do for students in poverty is to enthusiastically believe that all students can and will learn, have high expectations and do whatever it takes to help all students succeed in spite of the odds.

Monique Sawyer­Lang

Age: 56 Occupation: Self­ employed, chair of the Lyons Community Foundation How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 23 What brought you here? What has kept you here? What has kept me here was finding a place I could call “home.” Growing up as the daughter of a Navy officer and a career as an archaeologist meant frequent moves.

Specifically, it has to be the people in Lyons, from the neighbor who brought us brownies and welcomed us to the neighborhood on our first day, to those who say hello as they pass by on the sidewalk.

What was your first volunteer experience like? I began volunteering in the Lyons community when my children started at Lyons Elementary School. It was very rewarding working alongside other parents creating extracurricular educational programs and co­chairing the playground renovation project knowing that we were doing it not only for our children

but for children for years to come. Later, I turned my focus to community volunteering through the Lyons Community Foundation and the Lyons Food Pantry.

Tell us about a time you knew you made a difference. For me, volunteering has always been a team effort and the difference that effort makes. I see those differences every day in Lyons, from the person who no longer needs the services of the food pantry because they got a job, to all the wonderful work that the recipients of Lyons Community Foundation grants have accomplished over the past seven years. Most recently, I am very proud of Rebuild Lyons: One Life at a Time, the collaborative effort between Lyons Community Foundation and Lyons Emergency Assistance Fund.

This program distributed just under $1 million to 300 families impacted by the September 2013 flood. The program continues to this day as Rebuild Lyons, accepting donations and granting those funds to local organizations actively working on flood­recovery projects.

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Age: 70 Occupation: I worked for Professional Home Health Care for 16 years until I finally retired two years ago.

How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 19 What brought you here? What has kept you here? My late husband and I bought a house in Longmont. After he passed away 10 years ago, I’m still here, 19 years total. I really like Longmont, better than Boulder where we used to live.

How do you like to spend your free time now that you are retired? I’m not used to being

retired yet. I have worked all my life, but I’m looking and thinking about what I would like to do. Right now, in the winter, I’m indoors, knitting a lot, making little throws for friends and relatives. In the summertime, I’m outdoors working in my yard.

What would you do if you won the lottery? First, I’d do a few things updating my house. Second, I still have some of my old patients; I would love to make their lives easier by giving them some money so they could spend what time they have left on getting some things they could never afford on Social Security.

Katie Schultz Age: 20 Occupation: Work at Robin Chocolates (Page 4) How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley?

I was born and raised in St. Vrain Valley/Longmont.

What has kept you here? I’ve stayed because I go to school and volunteer in Longmont.

And you are a member of the Longmont Police Explorers. Tell me about that. I was an Explorer for 3½ years with Longmont. Jan. 29 was my last day with them. Since then, I’ve become a Student Intern Officer with LPD. My end goal is to

work for LPD as an officer. Upon joining Explorers, I just had an interest in policing and was unsure if that’s what I wanted to do, but I wanted a way to test the waters. Now, I know it’s what I want to do. I’ve loved learning the job and the relationships I’ve made with the officers and other volunteers.

Where do you go to school, and what are you studying? I’m going to school at FRCC for nursing, my LPN. Going into policing, you should always have a backup plan/option, and that’s what nursing is for me.

Sean Scott

Age: 58 Occupation: Director of operations for Spring Creek Real Estate Investments How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley?

15 What brought you here? What has kept you here? I; my wife, Rhett; and my son Ian moved to Frederick to be closer to my work. We fell in love with the small­ town, unhurried atmosphere.

Involvement with the local community and government has kept us here.

There is no better place to live.

What surprised you about the Frederick area’s history as you did the research for your book, “Around Frederick”? I knew of Frederick’s mining history and the mining history of the Carbon Valley. I had thought that this would be the primary focus of my book. After I started my research, I became aware that water issues were a major factor in the development of

Ralph Silkensen Carbon Valley. Carbon Valley has a long history of flooding. In the mid 1950s, a huge flood destroyed Frederick’s water supply. The struggle to secure a reliable source of water consumed the politics and the development of Frederick government.

Why are local historic preservation advisory committees such as Frederick’s, on which you serve, important to their communities? It is common to think of history as a story of the past.

However, history is a living being, and every day it is dying. If we do not secure the memories of those who have made our history, it is to our cost.

Preservation commissions, such as Frederick’s, help preserve our community’s memories. Without the work of dedicated volunteers, the collective past memory of our residents would be lost. We cannot allow this to happen.

Vince Shryack Age: 91 Occupation: Retired petroleum engineer How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley?

41 What brought you here? What has kept you here? We lived in Denver, and we decided we’d like to live in a smaller town, so we moved to Longmont in 1974. It was really a nice small town then. It’s still nice, just not as small.

What were some of your U.S. Army infantry experiences in World War II? I was 19 when I went in, 22 when I got out. I was sent to Europe and was in major campaigns there. We were in combat quite a bit before the Battle of the Bulge, where they killed a lot of our people. But that didn’t work out too well for the Germans, when we put the pincers on. I went in as a corporal and ended up as a staff sergeant. The happiest day of my life was Jan. 19,

1946, when I walked out of Fort Logan with my discharge.

There was a recruiter there who wanted me to sign up for the reserves. I can’t repeat what I told him.

After having worked in the oil and gas industry since 1948, what do you think of the recent controversies over hydraulic fracturing to free up oil and gas deposits? There’s nothing new about it. It was first started in 1947. I supervised a fracturing job in 1950. I have fractured a lot of wells, over 200.

Every one of mine worked. It is a very safe thing. There’s no danger to it.

You’ve got to do it right, and we do. I can kind of understand some of the complaints about drilling. A drilling rig is pretty noisy. But it may only run for two weeks. A lot of the concerns, misunderstandings about contamination, come from not understanding the process.

Age: 81 Occupation: Retired chemical engineer from IBM (1966­1990), Storage Technology (1990­ 1996) How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley?

43 What brought you here? What has kept you here? In 1966, a job with IBM brought my family to Longmont from Denver, where I was raised. After a six­ year transfer to Tucson from 1978 to 1984, we returned to Longmont. We have always appreciated the beauty of the location and amenities that Longmont has offered.

How do you like to spend your free time? My free time has always included my wife and family, the outdoors, and volunteer activities. My outdoor activities include hiking, walking, golfing, skiing, bicycling, camping, and fishing trips with family and friends. Family free time includes travel and dining with my wife to

favorite spots, family visits and reunions. In addition, home repairs and upkeep, yard work, and reading good books.

Until the program ended, I really enjoyed volunteering once a week to tutor students in math at Adult Education. I have been a member of the Columbine Lions Club since 1968, excepting the years in Tucson.

One Lions Club project of considerable value to the community is called “Kidsight.” It involves eye screening of pre­school age children using a special camera which can detect vision problems that could turn into permanent vision loss if left undetected. The screening is free. We screen 500­600 children yearly.

What is your dream vacation destination? If I could take a vacation anywhere, I would go to New Zealand to enjoy the scenery, people, historical and interesting sites, restaurants, B&B’s and hiking trails.

Matthew B. Skaggs Age: 47 Occupation: Chief of police for Dacono How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 24 What brought you here? What has kept you here? I started with the Dacono Police Department as a Reserve Police Officer in December of 1991. I got hired full time in 1994 and made a career. What has kept me here was, as I saw it, that I was employed at a place that had tremendous potential to grow as a community, and from a career perspective, I wanted to be part of that growth.

What has been the most rewarding experience as a police officer? “Thank you” does not come our way very often, which I understand. The nature of police work does not often really allow for that. But when someone does take the time to send me a letter or email or communicate with me in some other fashion to say “thank you” when the actions and professional demeanor

of a Dacono police officer impacted them in a way that they made time to offer thanks, it is rewarding to me as a chief to see the people of this department doing their jobs in a manner that would inspire such a notion in a person, and the officers deserve the credit. Another example is when the criminal justice system, as a whole, works for people like it is designed to work, victims and defendants alike. The criminal justice system is very complex and can be very intimidating, and after all of that, in the end when it has worked like intended, there is a reward there, too.

What has been the hardest thing you’ve had to do? The first thing that comes to mind and sticks is dealing with children who are victims of crime, child death and children who are witnesses to criminal or tragic events.

That was difficult even before I became a dad and only increased in difficulty after I became a dad.

COMMUNITY REVIEW • MARCH 29, 2015 • 51

Lyons artist Ruth Wilson is pictured in her studio with Willy Wonka, her bichon. The painter’s East Coast eyes have responded to Mountain West vistas.

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Through new eyes

She came west to stay young and found that ‘this is the most glorious place to paint’

R

uth Wilson made her presence known in her adopted hometown of Lyons pretty soon after she arrived in 2013. An artist, she made the painting that Planet Bluegrass used on posters and printed material for its 2014 Folks Festival.

She was one of the residents who was forced out of town by floodwaters but came back to her home as soon as she could, even before running water and gas was restored. She’d been a Lyons resident less than half a year when the flood hit.

“I just needed to settle down,” she said. “I was tired of drifting around.”

She grew up in Montreal, where at 18 she met the young William Shatner, whom she dated and who once, to her puzzlement, took her to an adult entertainment club in New York City (the two remain friends and last saw each in 2012). She worked in the fashion field as a model, consultant and coordinator in Florida, California and New York. Her twin sister, Ann-Marie Haley, was a model, too.

“It was a very glamorous time,” she said.

Ruth Wilson Age: As old as my tongue and a little older than my teeth Occupation: Painter Years in the St. Vrain Valley: 1½ For many years, she lived in New Jersey, where she pursued a painting career and was an art instructor. Her husband, James, died in 2010. Her son, who lives with his family in the Boulder County town of Ward, said something to her that she took to heart — he told his mother in New Jersey, “You can stay here and grow old, or you can come west with us and stay forever young.”

She came west. At first, she lived in Ward, but then she bought her home in Lyons. A burst pipe flooded the place in the middle of a renovation project before she moved in, according to her neighbor, Dan Ballard. He’s the one who noticed the accident. He walked into the home after water had flowed into it for perhaps more than a month, he said. It was winter,

and the water had frozen.

“It was like going into a cave,” he said, adding, “Ruth bought a home that was flooded before the flood.”

Things are back to normal these days, Wilson said, and she has settled into her a Colorado lifestyle. She’s effusive about her new community.

“It’s just loaded with artists and music,” she said. “Something creative is happening here all the time. It’s an exciting town to belong to.”

Her East Coast eyes have responded to the Mountain West vistas, as comes through her recent work, especially landscapes. Her paintings have appeared on the cover of the The Mountain Pages, the phone directory for the Peak to Peak region.

“This is the most glorious place to paint,” she said.

She likes to paint scenes from the Brainard Lake area and up and down local canyons. Her typical method is to make a small sketch in the field and complete a painting in her home studio. The final product doesn’t always resemble the scene she saw.

“I change the coloring according to what I think it should be,” she said.

Wilson was a member of the New Jersey Watercolor Society and other artist associations in the East, and her work is part of several corporate and private collections, including that of a doctor who commissioned a series of paintings on the subject of his chateau in France.

She has exhibited her work in several local venues, and it’s currently displayed at Red Canyon Art Company on Main Street in Lyons. She also offers cards and prints of her work. If she has a complaint about the local scene, it’s that she’d like to see more places for art to be exhibited and more awareness of local artists.

Wilson’s creative talents extend to her voice. She sings in the choir at Lyons Community Church, where she’s known to be accompanied by Willy Wonka, her bichon, she said.

“He loves the music, and he never makes a sound,” she said.

Wilson thinks she’s in Lyons to stay.

“I love Lyons,” she said. “It has everything to offer.”

Story by Quentin Young • Photo by Lewis Geyer • Longmont Times-Call

COMMUNITY REVIEW • MARCH 29, 2015 • 53

Gretchen Skony

Una Stevenson

Age: 101 Occuation: Retired How long have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? For the later years of my life.

What brought you here? What has kept you here? I was living in Fremont, Neb., and my niece brought me here to be closer to my family.

What’s the secret to a long and happy life? Music is one of the most important things in the lives of people. You live each day, and then you wake up and it’s a new surprise.

What thoughts do you have of Longmont and Colorado? Colorado is awesome. I love the quietness and the stillness of Longmont.

Donna Smith Age: 51 Occupation: I’m a Longmont quilter How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? Almost 13 What brought you here? What has kept you here? My husband got a job down here, and we’ve pretty much stayed ever since.

We’ve raised our son here, and he’s graduating from high school here.

How did you get into quilting?

I first started doing it when we moved here from Houston. I kind of got the bug, and when we moved, my son was just getting ready to start kindergarten. I wasn’t going to be able to work

outside of the home. I bought my first quilting machine and have been working on it as a business for 11 or 12 years.

What’s the best part about quilting? It is relaxing. It’s very therapeutic in the sense that you have a project that you work on and when you finish, you’ve got something done that you can keep or give away. I kind of liken myself to a tattoo artist because I’m doing my art on somebody’s else’s quilt.

It’s a collaborative thing. When people are giving quilts for weddings and babies, I feel like I’m a part of it.

Archie Stevenson

Age: 85 Occupation: Graduated from high school at 16. In the U.K. at that time, you could graduate at 16 and start work or go on to 18 and go to university. I started work as a lab assistant with a company that made steel, copper and aluminum wire products. They made the steel wire used to protect PLUTO (Pipe Line Under The Ocean), which carried fuel from England to France after D­Day and before tankers could dock in France. I moved to a company making magnesium metal from seawater and stayed in the industry till I retired in 1993. Currently redirected.

How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley?: We have lived in Longmont for about 10 years, having moved here after 32 years in Salt Lake City, Utah, and almost six years in Selma, Ala. What brought you here? What has kept you here? Love the mountains. Age and health problems and desire to be near one of our sons.

When you came to the U.S. in 1967, you lived to Selma, Ala., during the Civil Rights movement.

What were your first impressions of the U.S. when you arrived at that time? Hot! Humid! We stayed in a hotel in Atlanta overnight and never heard of air conditioning, so we sweltered all night. Separation of races. The management at my company were all white, the laborers all black. Got on well with all those I came into contact with. Went to see our research laborer one night, Henry, who lived in an all­black

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area. The following morning, my co­ workers said; “You idiot. You don’t go into black areas at night, especially alone!” Living in the U.K., we were not really aware of conditions in the U.S., especially the deep South. We asked questions but did not get useful answers. If we had known, would we have come? Yes! Our three sons have done extremely well in their chosen professions, as did I. Being active in many causes, tell me about the one the organization you have been involved with the longest and why?

Born Easter Sunday and baptized in the Church of Scotland. Perhaps for those reasons, the church has been very important in my life. Grew up in a Baptist Sunday School. Joined the Christian Endeavor Society and learned to pray in public. Joined Presbyterian Church of England. Ordained a deacon, later an elder.

Became a commissioned lay preacher in the Presbyterian Church USA, later a commissioned lay pastor and more recently a commissioned ruling elder.

Served a small church for four years and another for six months. Learned about the Adjunct Chaplain program at Primary Children’s Medical Center in Salt Lake City. Took the training and served as volunteer chaplain for several years before moving to Longmont. Served as volunteer chaplain at Longmont United Hospital for eight­plus years and am now chapel volunteer leading a weekly worship service celebrating the Lord’s Supper/Communion/Eucharist. I visit with staff in all areas of the hospital.

Age: 83 Occupation: Retired/ redirected How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 10 What brought you here? What has kept you here? Retirement and we wanted to be close to one of our three boys.

When you came to the U.S. in 1867, you lived in Selma, Ala., during the Civil rights movement.

What were your first impressions of the U.S. when your arrived at that time? It was April, and it was hot! In August, we went to our first PTA meeting at the elementary school our two older boys attended. Selma was desegregating the schools. Black teachers for the first year. The parents spent a lot of time discussing, “What should our children call the black teacher? How safe are our children going to be?” After about 20 minutes, yours truly stood up and said, “Miss Kimball has a master’s degree in mathematics from Columbia University and she deserves Miss Kimball.” End of discussion. Archie, my husband, said watch for the knife. Miss Kimball was a delight.

The next year, black children attended the schools.

I taught phonics to black children and volunteered in the school library.

Tell me a little about the organization that you worked for in Salt Lake City and how you got involved? In 1988, I was elected chair of Utah Peacemaking Committee. Utah hosted its first International Peacemaker, Alison O’Grady from New Zealand. In 1990, Alison invited (my husband and I) to stay with them for a few days. Allison’s husband, the Rev. Ron O’Grady, was writing books on “Child Sex Tourism in Asia.” I read two of his books and knew what I needed to work on (and) continued to do so, both internationally and nationally. In August 1990, Rev. O’Grady and several Christian councils formed End Child Prostitution in Asian Tourism (ECPAT). In 1996, ECPAT, UNICEF and the Swedish government organized the “First World Congress against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children.” I represented Presbyterian Women. A total of 122 world governments and 83 (non­ governmental organizations) attended. On our first day, we were invited to attend a meeting with the 19 U.S. delegates. Laurie Robinson, assistant attorney general, chair of the U.S. delegation, asked,“What do you want us to do?” We discussed thirteen items. In 2000, the “Trafficking Victims Protection Act” was signed.

Wes Sugden, CRL, CST, CJS

Age: 63 Occupation: Locksmith & journeyman safe­cracker How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley?

24 What brought you here? What has kept you here? Work opportunity after I had been teaching my craft in a locksmithing school in California.

When in the U.S. Navy and Iraq, what were some of the most interesting or memorable experiences you had there?

Almost getting blown up by insurgents, standing in front of the very chair that Saddam Hussein sat in during his trials

(before his execution) and working on the vault which had previously belonged to Saddam Hussein.

How many different types of safes can you crack, and is there such a thing as an uncrackable safe?

Let’s just say that in my 35 years in this business, I have failed on less than a handful of safes. As for whether there is such a thing as an uncrackable safe, I would refer to something a very smart lady locksmith once said (and she was quite correct): “If man made it, man can defeat it.” The short version is, no, I do not believe so.

Cindy Sullivan

Age: 59 Occupation: Owner of Sullivan Septic LLC How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley?

I was born and raised in Boulder and have lived in the Longmont/Mead area since 1985.

What brought you here?

What has kept you here? I was very fortunate to be born and raised in such a beautiful place as Boulder, and I stayed in the Boulder County area because of family. My parents and family lived on Valmont Road, where my parents had a farm. I have three daughters, who were all born here. I wanted them to be raised near family. In 1994, we started the business and have done the majority of our work in the Boulder County area. I feel blessed to be able to work in the area I grew up in and have the childhood memories and see all the changes through the years.

What is the best part of the septic business? The best part of our business is that we are family owned and operated. I am able to work with my husband, two of my daughters and my son­in­law.

I am also a people person, and the business has given me the opportunity to meet a lot of amazing people through the years. I have become friends with many of my customers and business acquaintances. I also enjoy the everyday challenges that come with having a full­ service septic and sewer business.

The septic system installation process has become very technical due to the new statewide wastewater regulations.

We are the only installers with our own state­approved wastewater treatment system. It has become very challenging, but I enjoy the challenge.

Briefly describe your perfect day: My perfect day would consist of visiting my mom, who has Alzheimer’s, and then grabbing a cup of coffee with my other daughter, who does not work with the company, and oldest granddaughter. Then go to the office, where I enjoy working and spending time with my other two daughters and grand­ daughters. I feel my life is the perfect combination of work and family.

Meinte Veldhuis Age: 64 Occupation: President of the Little Thompson Science Foundation How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 37 What brought you here?

What has kept you here? An internship at Ball Aerospace in Boulder brought me here.

I worked for 27 years at Ball Aerospace in Boulder/ Broomfield on NASA’s great observatories (Hubble, Spitzer, Chandra), five years at Alliant Tech Systems in Lafayette working on Active Electronically Steered Arrays, and currently as an independent contractor designing and building astronomical observatories for nonprofits and private parties.

You and the rest of the Little Thompson Observatory staff are there on a volunteer basis. What keeps you all motivated?

We try to not be nerdy astronomers but try to educate K­12 students not to be intimidated by or be afraid of math, physics and science in school, and we use astronomy as the teaching tool. Most of our volunteers are in it for the education part more so than for the astronomy.

We stay motivated because we do have a positive impact on thousands of kids and adults each year, and we see that when even

the cockiest kid is awed by viewing the rings of Saturn, the cloud bands and moons of Jupiter, the crescent of Venus, the Orion nebula and other beautiful objects through our large telescopes.

Since our grand opening in June of 1999, we have hosted over 60,000 visitors, with about 70 percent in the K­12 age group.

Has your study of the universe over the years made you more or less open to the idea of humans living on a new planet? When one learns of the billions of stars in our own galaxy, and when one studies the Hubble Deep Field images with thousands of galaxies in a part of the sky as small as a grain of sand projected at arms’ length, the words from Carl Sagan come to mind, that there are “billions upon billions of galaxies” out there. Then the question arises: “Why would we be so different in our solar system from all the other solar systems in the universe?” The more we learn from our observations, the more plausible it becomes that there might other life forms around. But to actually communicate with them or even visit them is another matter altogether. With our current laws of physics, that might be impossible for the foreseeable future.

Francine Wahlgren Age: 54 Occupation: Multimedia consultant, Times­Call/Digital First Media How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 50 What brought you here?

What has kept you here?

I was born and raised here (and moved away for four years). My home, family and friends are here.

What’s the most positive change you’ve seen in Longmont­area business in the past five years? I think businesses are realizing they have to deliver their message in the way consumers want to receive it. They have to actively market themselves using new platforms and methods. It’s exciting to work, with many of our new and old businesses teaching them how they can do this.

Do you believe that it takes a certain number of exposures before a consumer responds to an advertisement? How many times does it take? It’s not just about the number of exposures anymore. The media landscape is constantly changing, and it’s more important than ever to expose your message to the right person at the right time.

Our print products continue to do that, but in addition we have an abundance of digital products that target consumers via Facebook, online advertising, digital direct email and

mobile. The most important thing is engaging consumers while they are in the decision­making process with a targeted message.

Beyond that, repetition reminds consumers you are available, consumers see your name and this helps them to know you before they need you.

If you were advertising the St. Vrain Valley, what would you do to attract customers? Nestled at the foothills of the majestic Rockies, our views rock! Longmont is a great place to raise a family, providing great schools and neighborhoods. Our library, museum, recreation centers, parks and trails offer something for everyone. There are many activities from shopping, music, dining and festivals. We will soon have a new mall to enjoy as well. Longmont also offers the traditional parades and fairs, places of worship, public services and farmers markets.

Our close proximity to other cities and the mountains opens up even more opportunities to fill your calendar with fun and interesting things to do every day! There are many great companies in the area for jobs. You will find the people here to be caring and friendly and very community­minded. You may enjoy going to other places, but you will always love coming home to Longmont.

COMMUNITY REVIEW • MARCH 29, 2015 • 55

Katherine Weadley Age: 49 Occupation: Librarian at Longmont Public Library How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley?

25 What brought you here? What has kept you here? While I loved the wild beauty of the Great Lakes in Michigan, I felt the call of the mountains, so I came to the Boulder area and eventually landed in Lyons. The people in Lyons and Longmont are so interesting. I am always surprised and amazed by everyone.

What makes the programs at the library for autistic children special?

Our entire staff at Longmont Public Library has been through trainings provided by the Autism Society of Colorado. Usually, it’s one or two dedicated people making a difference, but everyone at our library is eager and interested in providing the best service and materials possible to every population, including people and families affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). We are the only library

I know of that offers Special Access Browsing. This allows ASD families a time to come and use our library during off hours.

Our leadership at the library and at the city of Longmont has been spectacularly supportive of this effort.

Why do you think having those programs is important? Libraries are one of the last egalitarian places left.

Everyone is welcome at the library, and the ASD population should be no different. Spectrum families often feel unwelcomed, uncomfortable or judged when in public places as their loved ones may exhibit atypical behaviors such as rocking or verbal outbursts.

Special Access Browsing allows the library to welcome ASD families into the library and show them the resources we have available. This goes far beyond books and includes noise­canceling headphones, developmental toys, sensory­enhanced storytimes, therapy dog programs, Lego events and, of course, our welcoming staff. We also offer bilingual programs. The response has been positive and far­reaching!

Aidan Wegner Age: 12 Occupation: Student, robotics team member How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley? 12 What brought you here? What has kept you here? I was born here, and I really like it here.

If you could design a robot that could do anything, what would that robot do?

I would design a robot that could be a companion. Basically something that was intelligent like a human and could be treated as so. A robot that had a clever AI, enabling it to learn like a human, and a pleasing appearance, such as an animal. The robot could just be a basic companion, such as a dog,

but much smarter and made of artificial materials.

Who inspires you to work hard in school, and why? I am driven by my fellow classmates and teachers who help me achieve and succeed.

What’s the biggest worry or concern in your life right now?

My biggest concern is how I will really accomplish my goals. Not my academic or athletic goals, but peace of mind or social goals. I do not see how I can accomplish any of these goals in my current state.

What gives you joy? I get joy from being with my friends and doing things with them. I also get lots of joy from accomplishing my goals.

56 • MARCH 29, 2015 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

Greg Winger Age: 50 Occupation: Principal, Lyons Middle/Senior High School How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley?

39 What brought you here? What has kept you here? My family moved from western Kansas to Longmont in 1975, when my father was hired as a math teacher and basketball coach at Niwot High School. My wife, Tara, and I decided to raise our family here because we love it.

What’s the best part of being the principal at Lyons Middle/Senior?

I love being the principal at Lyons

Middle/Senior High because of our focus on excellence in academics, athletics and the fine arts. My unofficial motto is “Lyons Middle/Senior is a small school with big results.”

Best change at Lyons Middle/ Senior since the flood? We realized the need to expand our concurrent enrollment options in the high school. When students missed seven days of school, it caused us to think about offering online courses. We now have a partnership with Colorado State University to offer online college courses for our students.

Cheryl Witt Age: 50 Occupation: 7­Eleven franchise owner How many years have you been in the St. Vrain Valley?

Eight What brought you here? What has kept you here?

The idea of a smaller community that was a little off the beaten path was quite appealing to me. After living in Westminster for 10 years, I found Longmont had everything I needed all in one town! Owning a 7­Eleven in the heart of town has given me a great opportunity to meet the people of Longmont. It’s truly a great place to live and work!

What’s the No. 1 reason that people come into your 7­Eleven?

Most people who come in want something to drink! Whether it’s hot coffee in the morning, an ice­cold Slurpee on a hot day or something in between, most people include a drink with their purchases. With our vast selection, we have something for everyone!

How do you prepare for July 11

(free Slurpee day)?

And what’s your favorite flavor? Stock up on supplies, staff up to provide great customer service, and batten down the hatches! Thousands of people come through our store every July 11, deemed 7­Eleven’s Birthday, to enjoy a free Slurpee. We do our best to keep things stocked and moving so people can get in and out. Many of our guests stop in multiple 7­Elevens that day to take advantage of the offer! My favorite is cherry and banana mixed together.

It’s funny, when I was a kid, no one thought of mixing flavors. Now, everyone does it. We also didn’t stand there and tap the cup on the counter so there would be room to get more in.

Slurpee drinkers have really evolved!

You are at the store every weekday. What do you have for lunch? Yes, I am at the store every weekday and sometimes on weekends.

I’m usually so busy working that I don’t actually eat lunch, but I do grab a snack at some point to get me through the day.

Go ahead, ask around.

No one delivers Longmont better.

When City of Longmont residents were asked how likely they would be to use various sources to obtain information from the city, the Times-Call (in print or online) was the third most commonly reported source. We were top of mind for 82 percent of respondents. Our free weekly product delivered to non-subscribers, the Longmont Weekly, was top-of-mind with 55 percent or respondents.

Community newspapers continue to be the preferred source for local news, according to a study conducted for the National Newspaper Association. Seven-of-10 respondents read a community paper at least once a week. More than half have either clipped a story from their print newspaper or saved a link from the newspaper’s website in the past year.

No matter how you access our content - in print, online, via mobile devices and social media - you can count on us to deliver our community’s news better than any other source. Call 720.494.5445 to reach our active, affluent readers.

Source: City of Longmont Customer Satisfaction Survey, December 2014.. To ensure that survey findings were representative of Longmont’s entire adult population, results were weighted by respondent.

COMMUNITY REVIEW • MARCH 29, 2015 • 57

The next ‘100’

Do you have a nominee for the next edition of “100”?

If so, let us know. Send your nominee to tcnews@times-call.com and put “100” in the subject line. Let us know that person’s name, where he or she lives and a little about what makes that person interesting.

See you next year.

58 • MARCH 29, 2015 • COMMUNITY REVIEW

Why Are Warranties So Important?

At Family Carpet One we talk about the importance of our Warranties including our ‘Lifetime’ Labor Warranty because we hear many-many horror stories about problems created by having tradesmen in your home or installation of inferior products. Because of this, we try and make sure your job goes as smooth as possible.

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Our Family Serving Yours

We offer a Lifetime warranty on our installations. The details of this are openly posted on our website familycarpetonelongmont.com We run a background check on all our installers because we are inside your home and know your lifestyle.

We check all installer references to make sure we are using competent crews.

We respond to any and all online negative reviews. We challenge those that are anonymously posted by our competitors and acknowledge those that are real and respond, openly and on line.

We promptly schedule an inspection of any concerns; we do not say ‘We’ll take a look the next time we are in your neighborhood’.

We encourage you to check ‘Online’ any ratings by the Better Business Bureau and check online for any small claims court actions. Though we are not a member of the Better Business Bureau, we highly encourage that you read their complaints/reviews.

Though we try not to have any problems on a job, we know we are not perfect and try our best to make any issues go away. If the customers demand is unreasonable, we try to GENTLY let the customer know that, as well.

Dealing with labor problems that are out of warranty can cost you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars, this is why our ‘Lifetime’ labor warranty can protect you!

If a customer voices a concern about their product performance we promptly inspect it and, if we agree, we ask for a factory inspection.

Our product warranties are openly displayed and can be provided on all products we sell.

We keep your information on file for 7 years; you do not need to keep your receipts.

We only offer ‘Clean Air’ flooring and accessories like padding and underlayments.

We have been in Longmont for over 20 years serving the community.

Please visit our showroom and let us do our best to take care of your flooring and interior needs.

Jason Miloradovich

Operarations Manager

CARPET | HARDWOOD | VINYL | TILE | LAMINATES | AND MORE See our pictures on facebook and www.familycarpetonelongmont.com Rd. Ken Pratt Blvd

S. Sherman

Nelson

Sherman Village

FA M ILY 1401 Ken Pratt Blvd. Suite B • Longmont • 303-651-2011 Hours: Mon. - Fri. 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. | Sat. 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. | Sun. 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

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