NHS Education Foundation Achieves Record Funding

 

By Lisa Whitehead

 

Folks boogied and dined and opened their wallets with enthusiasm at the Niwot High School Education Foundation’s (NHSEF) annual gala in February. 

Susan Warren played Vanna White while Scott Forke’s auctioneer patter coaxed willing donors into uproarious bidding wars on finds such as a float fishing trip with Dennis Daly and homemade cinnamon rolls by Christine Stubbs, rumored to be well worth their exorbitant price.  The biggest money-maker was a trip to Maui donated by Ron and Mary Beth Laughery.

 

Attendees also pushed each other to generous expenditures at the silent portion of the auction.  Local crafts such as a necklace by Michelle Henzel and lap quilts by Joyce Clark and Mary Beam attracted lots of attention.  

 

The Niwot Optimist Club donated a wine basket with lovely, hand-painted crystal glasses by Sheryl Shuminski.  And the local business community was extremely generous with gift certificates and items ranging from practical to elegant.   A Lovesac from the Flatirons Mall attracted lots of attention, some of it vertical!

 

Many of the books decorating the tables were bought for the Niwot High library, and media specialist Dottie Martin-Stewart’s book club suggestions were well received.

 

Due to the generosity of sponsors and attendees, NHSEF funded all major grants this year.  The science department will get a second Power Point projector.  Counseling will note deadlines on a continuous LED display.  The math department will receive Interactive Math Program textbooks.  Keith Ellison can blast his History of Rockand Roll students with new CDs.  And new computer software and printers will enhance English as a Second Language.

 

In addition, Student Council gave the Eli Buzas Excellence in Education award to the special education department, enriching their budget by over $1100.

 

Thank you to the local businesses and parents who donated the auction’s many items.  And special thanks to the gala’s five sponsors: Community First Bank of Niwot, 1st Main Street Bank, FlatIrons Bank, Wells Fargo and TSN Industries, a local distributing company.

 

Library books are still available for purchase. 

 

For additional donations or to join the NHSEF board, contact current president Dennis Daly at 303-652-2550 or Daly_Dennis@stvrain.k12.co.us.  NHSEF is a non-profit organization supporting programs to enhance and enrich student learning.  

 

 

Photo by Bruce Warren

 

Michael Brandemuhl delivers a winning silent auction bid to Bunny McClave at the Niwot High School Education Foundation Gala.

 

 

 

Gunbarrel Plan Amended, Approved By City Council

New Height Language Now Returns to Planning Board

 

By Thomas George                                     

 

By a vote of six to three, the Boulder City Council adopted an amended Gunbarrel Community Center Plan at a council meeting Feb. 3.  Council members Robin Bohannan, Shaun McGrath, Andy Schultheiss, Mark Ruzzin, Jack Stoakes and Mayor Will Toor voted for the plan as amended.  Tom Eldridge, Crystal Gray and Gordon Riggle dissented.

 

The Gunbarrel Community Center Plan, known as an area plan, is intended to steer future growth and development in the Gunbarrel area and to fill in between the generalized Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan and the individual site review process.  The Community Center Plan has as its focus the creation of a downtown retail hub for Gunbarrel.  The plan, created with the input of many constituent groups, has created controversy on its journey toward approval.

 

Primarily at issue has been the allowable height for buildings in Gunbarrel’s proposed retail core.  Gunbarrel residents, who packed the council chambers, were opposed to language proposing buildings up to four stories high. 

While the council did not eliminate the possibility of four-story buildings, it did place limitations on the nature of allowable four-story proposals.

 

The council, having already taken part in a January study session on the topic, listened to further presentations by city consultants and staff, and heard public testimony before beginning its discussion.  Councilman Riggle, himself a Gunbarrel resident, quickly introduced a motion limiting all Gunbarrel buildings to three stories.  “In the end it comes down to who should decide the community’s character,” he said, noting, “The neighbors’ unity on this issue is really remarkable.”

 

Ultimately, Riggle’s amendment was rejected in the name of flexibility.  Instead, a second motion, put forth by Ruzzin with additions from Toor and McGrath, was adopted.  Under Ruzzin’s amendment, any fourth story will have to be set back 20 feet from the front face of the third story, and may occupy no more than 25 percent of the building’s footprint.  Furthermore, four-story proposals will be allowed only if they include significant public amenities, and the residential density of such developments will not make them eligible for a reduction in required open space.

 

The council also agreed to send any four-story proposal to the Boulder County Planning Commission and County Commissioners for comment.

 

In allowing four stories, the council heeded the advice of Marilee Utter, a consultant to the city who presented a study of Gunbarrel’s retail and real estate markets.  According to Utter, a number of factors (such as retail revenue per square feet) make the Gunbarrel retail market less hospitable than that of Boulder in general.  Even with an area plan in place, she said, Gunbarrel will still be an unproven market.  Because the risk is greater, Utter said, the potential yields must be greater for developers, or they will invest elsewhere, leaving the area plan unrealized.

 

With limited land available for re-development, city planners say greater returns require greater density, and a high-density development, replete with streets, open areas and amenities, requires taller buildings.

 

“I think it would be imprudent for the city to place barriers on projects that will achieve the goals of the plan,” Ruzzin said.

Since the Commercial Area Plan is purposefully general, the City of Boulder Planning Board, through the site review process, will still be responsible for determining whether a developer’s plans are consistent with the character of the community.  One such development, the Gunbarrel Town Center, is already in the site review process and will be among the first tests for the new plan.

The Gunbarrel Town Center does include a four-story building in its plans, and its developer, Terry O’Connor, hinted at the February council meeting that he might pull the project if four stories were not allowed.

 

One small step remains for the Gunbarrel Community Center Plan before it becomes official.  Since the city council and the city planning board must jointly adopt an area plan, the changes made by the city council must now return to the planning board for a review and vote. 

 

Planning Board chair Tom Krueger, present at the city council meeting, indicated that his board would probably not hesitate to adopt the new language.

 

 

 

 

Left Hand Laurel

 

Jim Martinsen And Margaret Wilson Pitch For Unified Softball League

 

By Julie Fowler            

 

You’d be hard pressed to get many of the volunteers who work with the City of Longmont’s Unified Softball League to take credit for their work.  Most of them are quick to name a handful of people who they feel are more deserving. That’s why this month’s Left Hand Laurel goes to all of the people involved in Unified Softball.

Two volunteers are Margaret Wilson, resource teacher at Niwot Elementary School, who coaches the Niwot Nightmares team, and Jim Martinsen, a 28-year resident of Niwot.

 

Martinsen, who has been a volunteer with the program for about eight years, got involved at the encouragement of his long-time friend Wilson, who had been working with Special Olympics for 30 years and the unified softball program since it began about 15 years ago.

 

The unified team started in Longmont when some people were not allowed to play with the Special Olympics program because of the severity or type of their disability. Each unified team includes “players,” who may or may not be able to hit the ball or run to base on their own, and “partners,” volunteers who help players learn these skills.

 

Both of Wilson’s children - Brian, 25, and Stephanie, 18 - play on her team. Gunbarrel resident Garrett Stelzer, 23, has played on Wilson’s team since he was a seventh grader at Sunset Middle School and loves it. Stelzer, who is the Niwot Nightmares pitcher, has also served as an on-field coach for the team for the past four years.

 

Martinsen said that skill levels vary widely within the league.  “There are people who don’t need much help and people who need a lot of help.”

 

For him, volunteering with this program is all about seeing the friendships form and the skills develop. Wilson said that in the 15 years she’s been coaching her team - which is comprised of many of the original members – she’s seen players make awesome strides.

 

“Every person on our team,” she said, “has made incredible growth - from the beginning when almost everyone was paired with a partner to now when almost everyone is independent.”

 

Wilson said her team wouldn’t be what it is today without the inspiration of Melinda Cairns, who passed away two years ago. Cairns and her husband, Tim, sponsored the Niwot Nightmares since the team began.  Their daughter Miller, who is now 25, also is one of the original members.

 

According to Wilson, “Melinda was the heart and soul of the team.  Her daughter, Miller … now runs independently, she wears a glove and she’s taking balls from the pitcher (instead of hitting them off a tee). Those are the dreams Melinda had for her when Miller started in the seventh grade.”

 

Wilson explained that it is the positive team interaction that is the heart of the program.  “We really focus on everybody getting the same number of turns. There are no ‘stars’ on the team. It doesn’t matter what the quality of play is as long as the attitude is right and the participation is right. It’s all about building skills and self-esteem.”

 

This year the program is changing and will include three levels of play:

For information on how to participate, call Debbie MacDonald at 303-651-8394. You also can form your own team with schoolmates and friends. Because the program is expanding this year, coaches and sponsors also are needed.

 

 

 

Photo by Julie Fowler

 

Softball Volunteers are Unified: From left, Margaret Wilson, Garrett Stelzer and Jim Martinsen, all members of the Niwot Nightmares unified softball team, are just a few of the people involved in a special City of Longmont recreation program.

 

 

 

Local Tours And Museums – Culture And Fun For Vacation Doldrums

 

By Claire Chase                                                             

 

“Mom, I’m bored!”

 

How many times have you heard it? Spending spring break at home with bored children can be painful. In between ski days this year, take your kids on a tour or to a museum. These local places have what it takes to beat the B-word, and they are all free.

 

Tasty Teas

 

In Gunbarrel, Celestial Seasonings offers daily tours. “It is very much a sensory tour,” said Steve Spencer, guest relations manager. It’s great for children because there are things to see, taste, smell and hear.

 

The tour starts in a gallery of paintings specially commissioned by Celestial for use on tea boxes. The paintings immediately draw the attention of youngsters with colorful designs and fantastic imagery.

 

“The tour includes a video and a walk through the country’s largest specialty tea manufacturing plant. The highlight of the tour is the mint room. It’s not just looking at the machines making the tea. It engages the senses,” Spencer said. 

 

Celestial Seasonings has a café and gift shop and invites visitors to enjoy a taste sample from a selection of 70 different flavors of tea.

 

Celestial Seasonings is located at 4600 Sleepytime Dr. Boulder, CO 80301.  For information call 303-581-1202 or see their website at www.celestialseasonings.com.

 

Tours are Monday thru Saturday, hourly from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday, hourly from 11 a.m, to 3 p.m. They are closed major holidays.  Tours are on a first arrival basis. Children under 5 are not permitted on the factory portion of the tour.

 

Western Art At Its Best

 

Also in Gunbarrel is the Leanin’ Tree Museum of Western Art. The museum houses the private collection of Edward P. Trumble, who amassed post-1950s art from the American West while establishing Leanin’ Tree greeting card company.

 

Leanin’ Tree has the only private collection of American Western art that is free and open to the public. “It is a terrific family museum,” said Sara Sheldon, associate museum director.

 

Families are welcome any time during museum hours for the self-guided tour. Younger children can play a scavenger hunt game in the gallery.

 

It is well worth it to call ahead to schedule a guided tour. “A walking tour highlights various works of art that illustrate some of the little-known aspects of Western history,” Sheldon said.

 

Bronze sculptures at Leanin’ Tree depict the precision of a buffalo kill or a blinding snowstorm so disorienting that a cowboy could fall off his horse. Paintings detail the glorious landscapes of western mountains and plains or help to explain the spiritual beliefs and rituals of Native American tribes. The works of art show the important relationships forged between man, animal and nature.

 

According to Sheldon, it is important to teach children the true history of the west. Television and movies misrepresent life in the early American West.  “It’s wonderful to get kids in here to show them the real thing. And wonderful to see how they get into it when they hear the stories,” said Sheldon.

 

The Leanin’ Tree Museum of Western Art is at 6055 Longbow Drive Boulder, CO 80301. 

 

For information call 303-530-1442 ext. 299 or visit their website at www.leanintreemuseum.com.  Open to the public Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed holidays.

 

 Don’t Forget Longmont

 

The Longmont Museum and Cultural Center (LMCC) has settled into its new location next to the Longmont Rec Center on Quail Road. The building opened in summer 2002 and is a city-funded museum. There are four different galleries, two with permanent displays and two with changing exhibits.

 

Curator of Research and Information Erik Mason said, “The museum is very much oriented towards hands-on exploration.” An observation tower on the third floor allows a panoramic view of Longmont and the Front Range. It also has games and activities pertaining to the history and development of Longmont.

 

On the first floor, the History Under Construction exhibit displays historic artifacts, industrial tools, machinery and objects from everyday life. It tells the story of Longmont from when the town was founded by a group of Chicagoans in 1871 to the present.

“There are pieces of furniture brought west to Colorado with settlers, tools from their daily life and local businesses and some more modern things,” said Mason.

 

Things like a hat steamer, a hay stacker, 1920s kitchen appliances and an old-fashioned surrey fill the gallery and give observers a taste of what things were like in the early days of Longmont. There is an air traffic console from the 1970s, donated by the FAA in Longmont. An interactive history lab gives children another opportunity for hands-on activity.

 

One of the temporary galleries is now showing photographs taken from 1900 to 1926 by Charles Boynton.  “Made from negatives in our collections, many are new that have just been discovered,” said Mason.

 

The museum was aware of approximately 800 negatives that had been donated by Boynton’s son-in-law in the 1950s. When the museum moved into its new space, another 1200 negatives were uncovered in a mislabeled box.  “It’s a pretty remarkable find,” said Mason.

 

Surf the Wind, the other temporary exhibit, deals with kites and kite making. Visitors can learn how kites work and how they are made, then make their own kite and fly it in front of a wall of wind inside or if weather permits, go fly their new kite outside.

Pack up the family and head to any one of these wonderful museums.  No one will be bored and everyone will learn something, even if it is spring break.

 

The Longmont Museum and Cultural Center is located at 400 Quail Road Longmont, CO 80501.  For information call 303-651-8374 or go to www.ci.longmont.co.us/museum.

 

Open to the public Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Wednesday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Monday and holidays.

 

 

Out and About in Niwot

By Ron Goodman   

                                           

Watch For That Bolt

 

Not a lightning bolt, but a bus service named the Bolt that will increase the service frequency along the Highway 119 between the Boulder and Longmont.  “This is part of a $2 million Transportation Improvement Program in the new county budget,” according to Clark Meisner, transportation division planning manager for the county. 

 

            Presently bus service is scheduled hourly, with additional frequency during morning and afternoon rush hours.  The new schedule should provide half hour service during the daytime.  The bikeway gaps along the Highway 119 will be completed as part of DRCOG’s Federal Aid Package.  This is a $4.8 million five-year plan, from 2005 to 2010, that also is partially funded by sales tax revenue.

 

 

Going, Going… It’s Baaaaack

 

            Remember the old Niwot Auction house on the corner of Franklin Street and Second Avenue?  During two Sundays a month downtown was filled with visitors, buying and selling antiques.  That activity appears to be returning.

 

            Diane Atwood of Niwot Antiques is going to hold the first Sunday antique auction in Niwot in several years.  “It is scheduled for the first Sunday of every month, except July,” Atwood explained when I questioned her about all the mysterious stuff going on in the back half of her shop at 136 Second Ave. 

 

            “I get so many calls to dispose of estates, antiques and the usual household stuff, but I don’t have the room in the shop.”  Atwood has been doing on site estate sales for four years.  “It just makes sense to do an auction every month.”

            The first auction will be held on March 7.  Preview is 10 a.m. to noon.  The auction will start at noon.  Call Niwot Antiques at 303-652-2587.

 

 

Election Time

            The Left Hand Water District will hold elections for two positions on the board, representing Districts 5 and 6.  Board President Brian Burnett and Vice President Craig Anderson are term limited.

 

            Voting is open to anyone living or owning property in the entire water district.  Call the district at 303-530-4200 for additional information.

 

            Boulder County Commissioners Paul Danish and Ron Stewart are term limited this year. 

 

            Boulder Mayor Will Toor announced that he is entering the race for Danish’s seat. He offered the following statement:

            “After six years on the Boulder City Council, five of them as mayor, I believe that I bring a level of experience that will be crucial in this time of transition in the make-up of the Boulder County Commission.  I want to ensure that Boulder County continues to be a special place - one that respects the environment, helps people who are in need, and has a progressive, open government. …”

 

            Boulder County Open Space Manager Ben Pearlman has announced that he is running for Stewart’s northern district seat. His campaign literature stated; “Boulder County has been my home since I was two years old.  I love it here and care about what happens in the county.  I have actively supported Democratic causes… and have been involved in number of community organizations.  I’m running because I want to protect what’s working… and improve what’s not.”

 

            Libertarian Paul Tiger is also planning to run for Stewart’s position. Tiger is a member of the Boulder County Land Use Coalition and works as a technologist for the Boulder County Clerk’s office.

 

 

The Election That Was

 

            On Feb. 11, the Niwot Community Association (NCA) held its annual elections in the Grange Hall.  The dozen or so board members were matched by an equal number of voters.

 

            President Neil Anderson reviewed NCA activities during 2003.  The highlights were Nostalgia Days – which produced a profit of $5,610 - and the USA Fund, which raised $5,911 for personal care and morale boosting items for our service men and women overseas.

 

            Gary Zarlengo presented a detailed treasurer’s report.  The NCA has a healthy cash balance of over $15,000.  Some of these funds are restricted for special purposes, like the USA Fund.

 

            There were no nominations from the floor.  Neal Anderson was re-elected president, Yogi Schaffner assumed the position of secretary and Bonnie Nelson and Bill Buchloz will represent areas 2 and 4, respectively.  Each candidate needed 48 votes for election and each received a total of 56 votes, when all the ballots and proxies were counted.  There are presently 240 members of the NCA. There were no hanging chads and relief from the Supreme Court was not required. 

 

            On March 11, the NCA will host Niwot Connections.  Leaders from local groups, such as the Caboose Bandstand project, the Girl Scouts, the Optimists and various homeowners associations have been invited.  And you are welcome too. The event will be held at the Niwot Inn at 7 p.m.

 

            It was a cold evening, I took another cup of coffee and a tasty homemade pastry and made my way home, content that the NCA was in good hands and working well for and with our community.

 

Another Chapeau In The Ring

 

            Boulder architect Vija Handley is running for the Boulder County Commissioner’s office being vacated by Paul Danish. Handley has worked on the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan and served on the Boulder County Open Space and the Planning Commissions. She is a proponent of open space, trails and the emerging issue of wildlife/human interface. Look for an interview with Handley, along with the other candidates, in future issues.

 

 

 

 

A Little Sharing Goes a Long Way       

 

By Claire Chase

 

Community Food Share’s mission is to ensure that people of Boulder and Broomfield Counties are food secure. In order to do that, CFS plans to distribute four million pounds of food each year by 2006.  It breaks down to two one-pound meals per day for each person who would otherwise go hungry.  “Four million pounds not being met by other sources,” said CEO Jim Baldwin.

Non-profit human service agencies distribute most of the stock donated to or purchased by CFS. The warehouse now has a shopping floor where representatives of area agencies can obtain for food for their centers.

 

“Agency reps can pick up a cart or flat, however they want to do it, and they can go ahead and shop,” said Mike StaffordCrane, Operations Director.

 

The shopping floor has evolved in the last 3 years. People used to have to dig through unsorted boxes and crates in the warehouse. Now, part of the warehouse is set up like grocery store aisles, according to categories in the food pyramid.

 

Food is on easily accessible shelves and counters, and in coolers. One of the volunteers built a tilted display shelf to make items easy to see and reach. The re-organization of the warehouse improved efficiency and minimized waste.

 

StaffordCrane said that he challenges his team to “think outside the box.” Each new idea helps create a more efficient cycle of distribution. This spring, the cooler will be expanded to double in size. CFS now re-packages large bulk donations like rice or broccoli with a machine donated by the Larimer County operation. The small cost of repackaging saves more than the cost of tossing out bad produce.

 

Farmers in the area have collaborated with CFS to donate fresh produce. To extend the life of the fruits and vegetables, volunteers preserve some of the crops. “We deliver a lot of our produce now,” said StaffordCrane.

Sixty-five percent of the Elder Share initiative recipients have food delivered. A recent addition includes delivering pet food to the seniors.

 

The newest program, Feeding Families, launched in March. It helps working families and individuals, who may be undocumented or who do not qualify for food stamps but are in need of assistance, make ends meet.

 

Baldwin explained that a new initiative would allow low-income families with children who are participating in the I Have a Dream or Resource School programs to shop in the CFS warehouse for free groceries.

 

Another successful program is Feed the Future. According to Baldwin, they realized there was a gap in distribution on weekends when most agencies are closed. Every Friday, Feed the Future volunteers give bags of groceries to needy students at Longmont’s Columbine Elementary School, where 80 percent of students qualify for school lunch assistance.

 

Students take the food home for their family over the weekend. Attendance during the week is a pre-requisite for receiving the supplemental groceries, and school authorities have reported better attendance since its start. “Kids are proud to be taking home a ‘paycheck’ for their families,” said Baldwin.

 

These programs and others such as the Mobile Food Pantry and Emergency Food Boxes are helping make nutritious food available to those who need it every day of the year. Innovative initiatives and a dedicated volunteer staff continue to work toward food security as a reality.

 

To volunteer, call Sue Ericson, Volunteer Coordinator, at 303-652-3663 ext. 202, or e-mail her at

sericson@commun tyfoodshare.org. Community Food Share is at 6363 Horizon Lane in Longmont. The website is www.communityfoodshare .org.

 

 

 

 

Photo by Claire Chase

 

Community Food Share's shopping floor, where agency representatives can choose a nutritious mix of foods for clients.