Community Announcements
SAVE THE DATE:
2nd Annual Park Hill
Community Garage Sale
A community-wide garage sale will be held in the Park Hill neighborhood on Saturday, May 3 from 8 a.m. to noon. This event is sponsored by the Greater Park Hill Community and by Cherry Creek Properties. This will be a great way for homeowners to go green by selling household items, clothing, records, furniture, artwork, etc. Don’t have anything to sell? Then enjoy a Saturday morning exploring Park Hill while shopping for some great deals. Last year more than 95 households and business participated. Call 303-913-5858 with any questions. Details on how to sign-up will be in future issues of the newspaper.
2040 ANNUAL COMMUNITY HEALTH SUMMIT
Join 2040’s Fifth Annual Community Health Summit on Saturday, Feb. 22. Each year, 2040 Partners for Health gathers community members, healthcare professionals, researchers, teachers, and community organizations to discuss health issues and ways to improve health in neighborhoods across Denver. Meet and network with other community leaders. The Summit is Saturday, Feb. 22 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Denver School of the Arts, 7111 Montview Blvd. Space is limited so register today at www.2040partnersforhealth.org/
LOW-COST TREES FROM DENVER DIGS
The Park People’s Denver Digs Trees annual tree distribution and sale is just around the corner. During the past 25 years more than 46,000 trees have been planted in our City. With the recent discovery of Emerald Ash Borer in Boulder, protecting and enhancing Denver’s urban forest is more important now than ever. Help Improve Air/Water Quality and Property Values. Applications are available now for free and reduced cost trees ($10-$35). The deadline to apply is Feb. 15. For application information or to see a list of the target neighborhoods that face particularly low canopy cover, visit www.TheParkPeople.org, or call 303-722-6262.
DENVER SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION WORKSHOPS
The Denver Scholarship Foundation is hosting Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) workshops throughout Denver. The workshops provide Denver Public Schools students and their parents an opportunity for one-on-one assistance completing the FAFSA application, which is due April 1. DPS seniors are encouraged to attend the workshops as many scholarships, including the DSF scholarship, require students to be eligible for federal financial aid. For more information, go to denverscholarship.org/events. Upcoming workshops in Park Hill area include the following:
East High School: Thursday, Feb. 20, 5:00 – 7:30 p.m.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Early College: Thursday, February 6, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. and Thursday, Feb. 20, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Manual High School: Tuesday, Feb. 11, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
HELP WITH CHORES FOR SENIORS
The Senior Resource Center has a new “Free of Charge” Chore Service Program available to residents 60 years of age and older. There are no testing or income requirements for this free service. Assistance is for a variety of chores in any home or apartment – up to three (3) times a year. Services include: organization and clean-out of house or apartment, packing and unpacking items for moving, deep cleaning of bathrooms, kitchens, etc., first floor window washing inside and out, cleaning closets, seasonal yard clean up, and more. For more information or to schedule an appointment call Loretta Trujillo at 303-235-6952 or email ltrujillo@SRCAging.org
BE A SNOW BUDDY
The Snow Buddy Program connects seniors with volunteers. If you are interested in assisting seniors who are unable to complete the difficult task of snow removal consider becoming a Snow Buddy. Volunteers and seniors interested in snow removal assistance can get more information at Volunteers of America, by calling 720-264-3379, or sending an email to snowbuddies@voacolorado.org.
COLORFUL PROGRAMS AT HISTORY COLORADO
The programs are held at History Colorado, 1200 Broadway. To register call 303-866-2394 and mention Active Minds to get member pricing for programs (museum admission not included).
Turbulence Before Takeoff: The Life and Times of Aviation Pioneer Marlon DeWitt Green, Friday, Feb. 7, 1 to 2 p.m. Unbelievable as it seems today, prior to the mid-1960s no African American pilots flew for major U.S. airlines. It took the indomitable will of Air Force pilot Marlon Green, sacrifice from his family, the efforts of a tireless attorney, and a Supreme Court decision to end segregation in the nation’s cockpits. Historian and author Flint Whitlock explores this compelling figure in modern aviation and civil rights history.
Love for the Ages: An Object Adventure, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 1 to 2. p.m. Love is in the air! History Colorado’s collections embrace dozens of love stories from Coloradans throughout time. Join our library staff for a hands-on look at romantic items from our archives and artifacts, including love letters to Baby Doe Tabor, handmade Valentines, marriage proposals, and war letters home. (RSVP required.)
POLAR PLUNGE SPLASH AND DASH AT CITY PARK
On Feb. 22, the Polar Plunge Splash & Dash will celebrate winter, attracting runners, beer enthusiasts, music lovers and Polar Plungers. The 5K run/walk around City Park kicks off the event, followed by a Polar Plunge into an icy pool of water. Stick around after for a free beer from one of Denver’s craft breweries. There will also be a free chili tasting and cook-off. Proceeds benefit Special Olympics Colorado and its Project UNIFY program. The 5K run requires a $35 registration fee ($40 day-of registration) and participants will receive a beanie. For more information and to register, visit SpecialOlympicsCO.org.
WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT THE PRAIRIE DOGS?
Bluff Lake Nature Center is home to approximately 100 prairie dogs. They are loved by many and provide an important link in our food chain. However, in growing numbers, they threaten to negatively impact much of what makes BLNC special for other wildlife – and our human visitors – by eating high value prairie plants and leaving behind only weeds. We want to find the right balance between our prairie dogs and all of our other wildlife. To do that, we need to initiate some management techniques that will encourage prairie dogs to stay in areas that are good for the overall health of BLNC. This will require some help from volunteers. Training instruction and operating procedures will be provided, and you won’t need to trap or handle prairie dogs. If you can commit to helping for 60-90 minutes one day a week, please contact Jeff Lamontagne at jlamontagne@blufflake.org or 303-517-6368.
CALLING ALL WRITERS: GET FAMOUS, WIN CASH
The Unknown Writers’ Contest of 2014, sponsored by the Denver Woman’s Press Club, offers cash and comments to writers who have never before been published. Welcoming entries in three categories, nonfiction, fiction, and poetry, the contest is open to men and women who are Colorado residents, age 18 and over, whose writing has never appeared with a paid byline. Deadline for submissions is Feb. 17. Entrants may submit one entry in each category with a 2,000-word limit for fiction and nonfiction and a 40-line limit for poetry. A fee of $25 is required for fiction and nonfiction, $15 for poetry. For complete rules and to enter online, visit the club’s web site at www.dwpconline.org/writing-contests.
SPECIAL ART SALE AT THRIFT MART
Feb. 8 through Feb. 22, Thrift Mart will be offering for sale a large collection of art work donated from members and supporters of the Assistance League of Denver. Included are original oils, pastels, and signed prints, as well as many decorator pieces. This selection has something for the discerning collector and those just looking to spruce up their new digs. Thrift Mart is a major source of funding for the philanthropic programs of Assistance League of Denver. Last year the organization returned more than $425,000 in direct goods and services to people in the metropolitan area. The Art Sale runs from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. at 1331 E. Colfax Ave.
Get Help Signing Up For Health Insurance
In-person help is available at no cost to get signed up for health insurance through Connect for Health Colorado. Central Presbyterian Church at 1660 Sherman St. is an official Health Assistance Site staffed by certified Health Coverage Guides who can help you determine the type of insurance coverage for which you are eligible. They will explore with you the options that are available and assist you in getting enrolled. The guides do not sell insurance, but simply provide un-biased support throughout the process. There is no cost for this service. One-on-one assistance is available on Wednesdays from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., Fridays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on the third Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. You can drop by or call to schedule an appointment by calling 720-891-6994. The Open Enrollment period to purchase health insurance and, thus, avoid paying a penalty, ends on March 31.
Learn How To Respond To Emergencies
Denver Community Emergency Response Training (Denver CERT) is holding an emergency/disaster preparedness and response training course to teach basic response skills such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and emergency/disaster medical operations. The training is free and open to the first 40 people who sign up. There are three days of classes, and students must attend all three days to complete the course. Classes will be held:
Feb. 6, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Feb. 8, from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Feb. 15 from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
A class exercise will be March, 2014 (Date, time and location to be announced)
Classes will be held at University of Denver
2/6/2014 will be Sturm Hall room 134, 2000 E. Asbury Ave., Denver
2/8/2014 and 2/15/2014 University Hall room 306, 2197 S. University Blvd., Denver
At the end of the training, participants are encouraged to support emergency response agencies by taking a more active role in emergency preparedness projects in our community.
The training is sponsored by Denver’s Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (OEMHS); University of Denver; Denver Fire Department; Denver Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) and the Colorado North Central Region, To register, go to http://www.denvergov.org/oem. For More Information: email DenverCERT@denvergov.org or call 303.725.3084