Hop on the hayride to catch a short movie at Santa’s Cinema or walk under the magical light displays. Stop at...
Nancy passed away December 2, 2019 at her home in Castle Rock, Colorado. She was the daughter of Mark and Marg...
BY CLAUDIA CARBONE The Gaylord Rockies opened the holiday season with a giant jingle last weekend. Its headlin...
Restoration scheduled to begin Spring of 2020 Denver Academy announced that the school has been awarded a gran...
BY FREDA MIKLINGOVERNMENTAL REPORTER When he retires as city manager of Cherry Hills Village on May 1, 2020, J...
Restoration Scheduled to Begin Spring 2020 Denver Academy announced that the school has been awarded a grant t...
When God Says No . . . When the Heart Listens . . . Two brand new books that couldn’t be more different. And y...
BY FREDA MIKLINGOVERNMENTAL REPORTER In the days following the Nov. 5 election, questions were raised about so...
The Cherry Creek Presbyterian Church Sanctuary Choir will be presenting “Winter Alleluia” Christmas Concert De...
Art conservators are the professionals tasked with the care and restoration of tangible objects of historic or...
Hop on the hayride to catch a short movie at Santa’s Cinema or walk under the magical light displays.
Stop at Elf Boulevard to drop off your letters to Santa. Included with your admission will be taking photos with Santa – kids will get to make a holiday keepsake to take home. Also meet Santa’s live reindeer and get photos with them. Or greet Santa’s friend, the Snowman.
Enjoy story time and sing-alongs with Mrs. Claus or catch Holiday lights Hayrides. Santa’s Cinema will show the movie “Elf.”
NEW – Enter a giant snow globe to play in the snow and get pictures of it.
Holiday treats and warm drinks will be available for purchase.
Buy tickets online or at the ticket booth in the Chatfield Farms parking lot during the event (if available). Advance tickets may also be purchased at the York Street Bonfils- Stanton Visitor Center or Chatfield Farms Earl J. Sinnamon Visitor Center during public hours. More info: www.botanicgardens.org. For more information contact Erin Bird at erin.bird@botanicgardens.org or call 720.865.3552.
Denver Botanic Gardens Chatfield Farms is located at 8500 W. Deer Creek Canyon Rd. in Littleton.
Open Fridays-Sundays: Nov. 29 – Dec. 15, 4:30-8:30 p.m. (last entry 7:30 p.m.)Open nightly: Dec. 16-22, 4:30-8:30 p.m. (last entry 7:30 p.m.)
$20 adult or child (ages 3-15); $15 member adult or child; $15 senior and military, free for children two and under; $60 for a 4-Pack.
Nancy passed away December 2, 2019 at her home in Castle Rock, Colorado. She was the daughter of Mark and Margaret Seacrest of Lincoln, Nebraska. Born June 3, 1943 in Greenville, South Carolina, Nancy saw her father train to be an Army Aircorp pilot, eventually assigned to fight in Southeast Asia during World War II.
Growing up in Lincoln, Nebraska she attended public schools and graduated high school from Monticello Preparatory School in Alton, Illinois. While attending University of Nebraska she met her husband, Earl. They married while in college and started a 57-year adventure.
Nancy was active in the Junior Leagues of Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Long Beach and Denver. She held various committee positions and chairs in each League. While in Philadelphia, she was on the Executive Committee of the Wharton Wife’s Club. In Columbus, Indiana she co-founded the Columbus Service League, started Reading Is Fundamental for rural youth, and was on the Columbus Library Board.
While living in Palos Verdes, California, Nancy volunteered for the Los Angeles Symphony, joined PEO and was on the Board of the Switzer Education Center for challenged children. In those years, she became an avid tennis player.
Coming to Littleton, Colorado in 1978, she continued her League and PEO activities. She had fond memories of her transfer committees and welcoming new League members into the Denver Junior League. She rose through the ranks of PEO always being inspired by their faith and friendship.
Her last intense commitment to the community occurred in Denver’s ARCS Chapter (Achievement Rewards for College Scientists). Before her aneurysm in 1995 she rose to President and was a National ARCS Board member. This organization was the largest privately funded scholarship funding organization in the United States for STEM undergraduate and graduate students and only has female membership.
Her unwavering support allowed her and Earl to create a successful business with their partner of close to 50 years. Even in the most difficult economic times, her faith and dedication were the steel in the foundation of their entrepreneurial success.
Despite her commitment to the community, Nancy’s priority was always her family. She had 3 sons, James (deceased) married to Julie, Michael married to Crissy, and David married to Kelly Lynne. Her 8 grandchildren range from 34 to 1. They are; James married to Claire, Jacob married to Lindsey, Nicole, Trevor, Abby, Christian, Savannah and Gus. Nancy was recently blessed with 2 great grandchildren, Charlotte and Colette. She is also survived by her brothers, Mark and John.
Nancy’s life was dedicated to her family and giving of herself. Her faith was private but strong.
BY CLAUDIA CARBONE
The Gaylord Rockies opened the holiday season with a giant jingle last weekend. Its headliner is Cirque Dreams Holidaze, a sparkly, shimmery, shiny extravaganza of outrageous costumes and daring feats performed in the round at the hotel’s bubly™ theater. Prepare to be wowed!
Not to be confused with Montreal-based Cirque du Soleil, the critically-acclaimed franchise Cirque Dreams produced and founded by Broadway Director Neil Goldberg is similar in concept but smaller in scope than the Canadian troupe. The incredible talent, dare-devil acts, extravagant costumes and theatrical innovation are no less astonishing.
The show starts with a parade of actors wearing costumes designed as walking pieces of art. Dazzling illuminated chandelier headwear, a wearable 15-foot tall Christmas tree, angels, bells and everything Christmas are embellished with more than 10,000 Swarovski crystals and rhinestones; thousands of imported yards of glittered fabrics; 5,000 pearls, beads and baubles; hundreds of feathers; sequins and whatever else glitters as gold. Eight-foot gingerbread men, a ten-foot polar bear and a giant snowman are among the larger than life figures rounding out the on-going spectacle with a holiday theme.
“The fusion of fashion and costume has been symbolic of couture for centuries,” says Goldberg. “We wanted the look of this new holiday show to be as equally compelling in costume design as it is distinctive in artistry in order to combine and exemplify ultimate imagination.”
About 16 different circus acts take place on center stage and in the air. A slack-wire athlete rides a unicycle on the line, a roller-skating couple defying G-forces on a tiny platform, and a couple performing acrobatic feats on a high swing will take your breath away. Ballet moves on aerial silks display elegance and athleticism at the same time. The artists and athletes from around the world are first-class and will amaze you.
The show lasts 75 minutes with no intermission. It will run through January 4, 2020. Tickets start at $29. For more information and tickets, visit GaylordRockiesChristmas.com. The Gaylord Rockies is at 6700 N. Gaylord Rockies Blvd., in Aurora.
Denver Academy announced that the school has been awarded a grant totaling $118,591 by History Colorado’s State Historical Fund (SHF) for the continued preservation of Denver Academy’s historic Chapel Library.
“We are delighted to see Denver Academy and History Colorado’s State Historical Fund continue their partnership to preserve and rehabilitate the historic Bethesda Chapel,” said District 4 Councilwoman Kendra Black. “It’s the perfect setting for a library for Lower School students. Denver Academy’s historic campus stands out as a gem as one of the historically designated landmark structures in our diverse southeast Denver district.”
This is the second grant received from the SHF for restoration and rehabilitation of DA’s Chapel Library. The first grant received in 2017 helped to restore the building’s original stained-glass windows, copper cupola and front doors to their former splendor with work completed in early 2018. This next phase of work is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2020 and will address additional areas of need including deteriorating concrete entry stairs and wrought iron railings, damaged bricks and mortar and outdated electrical systems.
DA is one of 31 recipients statewide to have been awarded a grant from the SHF as part of their April 2019 cycle. SHF grants are awarded through a competitive process. The 2019 grant is primarily for the exterior restoration of the building and covers 70% of the cost of the project with the remaining 30 percent being provided by Denver Academy. This grant and the continued support from the State Historical Fund signifies that DA values high-quality historic preservation and demonstrates strong public and community support.
BY FREDA MIKLINGOVERNMENTAL REPORTER
When he retires as city manager of Cherry Hills Village on May 1, 2020, Jim Thorsen will wind up a 35-year career in municipal government very close to where he started it.
Thorsen told us, “The CHV staff is amazing. It’s been very rewarding. There were three major projects on the horizon when I got here in 2016. Today, the public works department is situated in a great space in Sheridan, the new city hall is finished and working well, and the John Meade Park and Alan Hutto Gardens are well on their way to completion.” Thorsen commended his city council for being “willing to take the leap” to get those things accomplished. It was done without raising taxes for CHV citizens.
Thorsen began his government career as an engineer in the Greenwood Village public works department in 1984. From there he moved on to Commerce City and then to California. After stints in Simi Valley and Agoura Hills, Thorsen accepted the position of city manager for Malibu, where he stayed for ten years. He returned to Colorado in 2016 to accept the position of city manager for Cherry Hills Village.
Mayor Russell Stewart said, “Jim Thorsen has served as city manager during what has been the most eventful period of construction and change in the Village’s 74-year history. Jim brought municipal experience, financial acumen, and engineering expertise to the development and construction of the new city hall, the public works facility, and John Meade park. It was a happy and fortuitous circumstance that connected Jim and his experience with the Village’s need for a strong and professional leadership. Jim made the Village a better place, and for that we offer a sincere thank you for all he has done and wish him the very best in retirement.”
CHV city council member Dan Sheldon sent Thorsen this message, which he shared with The Villager: “Your leadership and experience provided me with great comfort as Cherry Hills embarked on a number of historic capital projects within the city. You were able to implement a vision that had been more than a decade in the making. I thank you for leading us through these exciting times. You will be sorely missed, and I wish you well in all your future endeavors.”
Council member Randy Weil said of his experience with Thorsen, “It has been a pleasure working with Jim. A true professional in every sense, with a strong streak of creativity and “can do” that helps Cherry Hills Village continue to progress. His presence will be missed. I wish his the very best in his new endeavors.” From the newest member of the CHV city council, Afshin Safavi, we heard, “It has been an honor and a privilege to work with Jim. I have come to know Jim as a man of high integrity. He is all about working as a team to tackle issues and making sure his staff always gets credit for a job well done before any credit goes to him. I know I will miss working with Jim and I wish him the best.”
The job of CHV city manager has been posted on the city’s website for the acceptance of applications for the position.
Fmiklin.villager@gmail.com
Denver Academy’s Historic Chapel Library
The Chapel Library was built in 1926 and served as the chapel for the Bethesda Sanatorium, which was known worldwide for its treatment of tuberculosis patients, until the late 1990s when the hospital closed its doors. The property was purchased in 2000 by DA and converted into the school’s library becoming known among the DA community as the Chapel Library. That same year, the Chapel Library was designated a historical landmark by the Denver Landmark Commission. The 90-year-old building was designed by award-winning Denver architect Harry James Manning as an expression of the property owners’ Dutch heritage. The building showcases a traditional stepped gable, a common application of Dutch Renaissance Architecture found mostly in Amsterdam.
The Chapel Library’s main entrance is marked by a tower with an elaborately detailed copper cupola cap, an iconic structure that DA has incorporated into its school logo. Other character-defining features include the solid brick masonry walls, tall, narrow windows with multi-pane diagonal and uncommon zinc-camed glazing and the heavy, tongue-and-groove wood plank entry door in the shape of a pointed arch. It is DA’s goal to preserve the historic architectural features of the former chapel while allowing it to continue to function as a 21st century library.
“The Chapel has always been a building of reverence and reflection, and as a library, it continues to be that,” DA Historic Chapel Library Preservation Committee member and DA Librarian Jolene Gutierrez said. “Through these grants from the State Historical Fund, we are able to conserve our past through the preservation of the historic building while also preparing our students for the future. By repairing the entry to our library, updating our cooling and electrical systems, and refinishing the interior doors, we will be maintaining the beauty of this building and increasing safety and comfort.”
When God Says No . . . When the Heart Listens . . . Two brand new books that couldn’t be more different. And yet they include a surprising synchronicity because both were written from the heart. And both were celebrated at a “Heart Book Brunch” on Sunday in the Heritage Eagle Bend Community.
Judith Briles and Mara Purl, well-known local authors, and long-time friends and colleagues, joined forces to share their latest books with friends and followers at a sumptuous Sunday brunch at Briles’ lovely home. The authors shared “stories from the heart” from their latest works—one non-fiction and one fiction, but both including experiences from their rich, expansive lives.
Briles, a best-selling author and nationally known book shepherd, and her husband moved to the Heritage Eagle Bend community three years ago. Since then, they’ve become a mainstay of their neighborhood, hosting both personal and author celebration events.
Judith’s latest book—her 37th—is the memoir that friends and followers requested, and even demanded. The adversities she has overcome—including the untimely death of two of her children—are recounted with an honesty that is tinged with a depth of compassion first for herself, and then for anyone who hears her story. “I have an incredible life,” the author said. “I’m doing what I love. So, life is very good. But adversity will come.” Rather than being resigned fatalistically, however, Briles embraces life in all its complexity. “Life is a rose,” the author said at her Sunday brunch. “Incredible colors, delightful fragrances, but these come with thorns.” Thorns have never stopped her from the joy of living, nor from creating a stunningly successful career.
Mara Purl’s latest book When the Heart Listens adds to her best-selling Milford-Haven Novels series, based on her hit BBC radio drama Milford-Haven USA. Her new book tells the story of a young woman whose career was going well in the big city, but whose heart tells her a move to a small town will heal nurture her heart and unwind her snarls. To make the move, she must deal with sibling rivalry, parental disapproval, and a professional crisis. Is it autobiographical? “Everything we write is about our own lives to some extent,” the author confirmed. “That’s how we write authentically, from our own insights and experiences.”
Purl, who lives with her husband in Colorado Springs and in Los Angeles, is a board member of two Briles-founded organizations: Author You (www.AuthorYou.org) and the Colorado Authors Hall of Fame (www.ColoradoAuthorsHallOfFame.org) both in Denver. Mara, still recognized by many from her role on Days of Our Lives, started her own soap opera after spending a summer performing in the small coastal town of Cambria, California. When the show became a hit on the BBC, the original town of Milford Haven—a real place in Wales—gave her a parade and the keys to the town. “It was an astonishing experience,” Purl recalled, “And it showed me the heart of generosity and possibility of small towns.”
Follow Judith at www.TheBookShepherd.com, @MyBookShepherd, Pinterest.com/JudithBriles
Follow Mara at www.MaraPurl.com, @MaraPurl, Facebook.com/Mara.Purl
In the days following the Nov. 5 election, questions were raised about some of the actions of Joan Lopez, who was elected county clerk last year in a Democratic wave in Arapahoe County.
Arapahoe County Republicans, through their chair Dorothy Gottlieb, have called on Lopez to “resign immediately” in order to “restore the faith of Arapahoe County voters in the integrity, credibility, and fairness of the election process,” as a result of issues they have with how this election was run.
.A flyer that was distributed prior to the election by the clerk’s office encouraging residents to register and vote was titled, “VOTE. Your vote is your voice.” It contained the statement, “Registered? Great! Vote early and vote often. Check the reverse side for important dates regarding upcoming elections.” The phrase, “vote early and vote often,” is a tongue-in-cheek political motto of Chicago (where I grew up). It sarcastically refers to the reputation of illegal activity in that city decades ago that supposedly allowed people to vote more than once. No one knows for sure if it ever really happened.
In response to our question about what the clerk’s office actually intended in using that turn of phrase, Winna MacLaren, the public information officer, told us that it was she who created the flyer and that she “was unaware the phrase had negative associations. The intention was to encourage voters to vote in all of the upcoming elections listed on the flyer and to do so prior to each Election Day, if possible.” Lopez has previously apologized for the error, noting that her staff was young.
On the issue of delays in counting votes, for which the clerk’s office was also criticized, MacLaren told us that of the total 163.594 ballots received in Arapahoe County, 33,738 or 21 percent were received on November 4, the day before the election, and 61,150 or 37 percent were received on election day, November 5. The ballots received on those two days constituted 58 percent of the total, which explains why preliminary vote totals available on the night of the election were subsequently revised.
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