We all know that shopping locally is the best way to support your community's small businesses who are run by your neighbors and who give back to our schools and area nonprofits, but what if you need something you can't find and have to order online? You can still "give back" to your community if you shop through AmazonSmile!
Bailey MOPS is a mothers' support group that embraces the journey of motherhood and recognizes the challenges faced with raising children. Come connect with other moms, be inspired and mentored, engage in honest conversation and relevant teaching, enjoy delicious food and savor a break while your children are in good hands having fun!
I personally know that being a new mom in the mountains can get lonely and was so excited when I heard about this group. Co-Coordinators Michelle Peiffer and Fressia Alexander welcome you with open arms and encourage you to try your first meeting for free!
Even if you're nervous about coming into a group of women, just come as you are. We have people waiting at the door to greet you and to show you around. I was scared the first time I came. I didn't know what to expect with this huge group of women or if I would fit in. But this group is awesome. We are loving, and you have a place, and we are saving your seat.
Michelle Peiffer, Co-Coordinator of Bailey MOPS
Click "continue reading" for the full video interview!
As part of Governor Hickenlooper's "Colorado the Beautiful 16" Trail Connectivity Initiative, and thanks in part to Great Outdoors Colorado - GOCO and many caring volunteers, a new trail segment has been built connecting Staunton State Park to Cub Creek Trail in the Arapahoe National Forest. The ceremony commemorating the opening of this new segment was Monday, October 8, 2018 at the park, attended by John W. Hickenlooper, representatives from Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Colorado Department of Transportation, The Bailey HUNDO, and more!
What is the "Colorado the Beautiful 16?"
The initiative is a key component of Colorado the Beautiful's broader goal to ensure, within a generation, every Coloradan will live within 10 minutes of a park, trail or vibrant green space.
Read on below!
Park County, Colorado has a vibrant railroad history and they celebrate this each year with the Boreas Pass Railroad Day. Part of that storied history includes the Como Depot which has painstakingly been restored over the past few years to show its former glory and the steam engine once again whistles down the track - come see all that the South Park Rail Society and Denver, South Park & Pacific Historical Society have accomplished! On Saturday, August 18th, you can take a ride on Klondike Kate, tour the roundhouse, view Como's Historic School House and Painted houses, enjoy Living History Demonstrations, listen to the Denver Brass, head over Boreas Pass to visit the Breckenridge Highline Railroad Park, Roberts Cabin and Sawmill Museum, and then have dinner offered by the Como Civic Association.
Explore more in our previous blog, The Rich History of the 285 Corridor, and check out the South Park National Heritage website, tour the South Park Museum, and delve into the Park County Historical Society and Park County Local History Archives' treasure troves of photos and information!
Below you will find several YouTube videos that showcase the history of railroads in South Park and the restoration of the Como Depot. Enjoy!
"A house, where a woman is not safe, is not a home." -Woman, Liberia
Small towns. A place where everyone knows your name and your business. The good and bad of small town living is embracing a close-knit community that supports one another but can end up being a bit nosey. Which, in the case of domestic violence, can provide a valuable safety net.
For me, service is a way of life. That's why I ended up as a volunteer for Mountain Peace Shelter (MPS). I'd been itching for a way to give back to the community for the last 6 months, and after talking with Donna, a friend who works at Mountain Peace Shelter, she provided a great option. It not only provided a much needed service, but provided nourishment and peace to my busy life, as well. Using the flexibility of their crisis line volunteer schedule, I could do it in the comfort of my own home, or wherever I happened to be. A few weeks later found myself at my first volunteer training course.
Over the span of two days I learned a lot about domestic violence that I hadn't known before, and I left the training determined to do two things:
I planned my interviews with Lori Cuno, the Executive Director of MPS, Donna Thornton, the Crisis Line Coordinator and Crisis Advocate, and Curt Robinson, the President of MPS Board. Kathy Mastroianni, former Executive Director of MPS, was available as well, to share more about what MPS was all about.
After meeting with the staff at MPS, I knew that sharing their stories would tell you all you needed to know about why I fulfilled my desire to give back to the community. It also tells you why it matters to you.
The passion and warmth in their voices communicated the importance of what was happening at the shelter, as well as the love they are already receiving from the mountain town communities. Each person's commitment told a story before saying a word.
Festivals are like family reunions, a time when we see our friends and neighbors and all are gathered for the same purpose: to enjoy a spirit of camaraderie. ~Curt Kovener
Frozen Dead Guy Days. Telluride Blues & Brews Festival. Burro Days in Fairplay. Evergreen Fine Arts Festival. Conifer Christmas Parade. Pine Grove Rhubarb Festival. Georgetown Bighorn Sheep Festival. Buffalo Bill Days. When you think of these events, you feel an essence of what makes those communities unique, what captures the flavor of that town, the personality of its residents, and its history. Of course there are many more events in each place, and each provides us an opportunity to gather, partake in a shared experience, connect with neighbors, make new memories, and deepen bonds of friendship and community camaraderie.
Without further ado, here is the list of community events happening in the Foothills this year (bear in mind, this is a work in progress as not everything is confirmed yet). You'll find details on these events on our Community Calendar - search by date, category, or keywords. Please feel free to share with friends and family, and invite them to come have some fun!
It can be hard to imagine life along the 285 corridor before cars, shopping centers, restaurants, and businesses, but this was the landscape of the area as little as 100 years ago. The pioneers of Conifer, Pine, and Bailey are the founders of these beautiful places where we reside and run our businesses. Those brave souls faced the harsh Colorado winters without snow plows and 4WD vehicles. They braved the elements (and wildlife) before indoor plumbing. They farmed the land and spent a day and a half in their wagons to take crops to The Brown Palace in Downtown Denver for sale. They built the railroad that opened commerce to the Bailey area and beyond. And they are the ones who laid the cobblestones of the towns we love.
From the collection of the Littleton Museum. May not be reproduced in any form without permission of the Littleton Museum.
Today, we are fortunate to have the ancestors of these strong and resilient pioneers give us the stories and memories of their family members. With careful preservation, those stories continue to be passed down long after they have departed. A sense of community brought the pioneers of the corridor together, just the same as it does today.
It's this story of friendship that opened the door of history for me.
Did you know that with just the click of a couple of buttons, you can have Amazon send money to your favorite nonprofit organizations? It costs you nothing extra, you still get the same deals and service you expect from Amazon, and you help raise a little more money for our local nonprofits with your purchases. Pretty sweet, isn't it?! It's called AmazonSmile, and we've got the list of eligible nonprofits below from which you can choose.
"What's the difference between reading a resource document and finding a reason for getting involved?" I asked Heather Galaska when we spoke of Fire Mitigation in her childhood home of Evergreen, Colorado. Here's how my time with her went.
PEACE - "It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart."
When I got the heads up that September was a special month for the mountain community of Bailey, Colorado, I had to ask why. Turns out it's a month of remembrance for Emily Keyes, the catalyst for the "I Love U Guys" Foundation. This, friends, is a big deal. Here's why:
"On September 27th, 2006, a gunman entered Platte Canyon High School in Bailey, Colorado, held seven girl's hostage and ultimately shot and killed Emily Keyes. During the time she was held hostage, Emily sent her parents text messages… 'I love you guys' and 'I love u guys, k?' Emily's kindness, spirit, fierce joy, and the dignity and grace that followed this tragic event define the core of the 'I Love U Guys' Foundation - The Standard Response Protocol PK-2 Manual, I love U Guys Foundation Curriculum Toolkit.
I had the opportunity to meet with Emily's parents and get a feel for the dignity and grace that followed. Although the tragedy was real and is still keenly felt, this story is about what happened AFTER the tragedy hit. And friends, this is where the community​ that My Mountain Town is so incredibly proud to be a part of stepped up.
