Features

Olympic cross-country skier Noah Hoffman has fond memories of playing behind the Hiwan Homestead Museum and at Bergen Meadow Elementary School as a youngster.

Hoffman, 24, who lived in Indian Hills and then in Evergreen until he was 7, is a member of the U.S. Nordic ski team and is competing in three events in Sochi, Russia. So far, he has placed 35th in the cross-country men’s skiathlon and 31st in the cross-country men’s classic. 

A family new to Evergreen is overwhelmed by the outpouring of support they’ve received in the wake of a fire that severely damaged their home — including efforts to keep a son’s impending wedding on track.

The Bruce family moved to Evergreen last summer and into a home on Armadillo Trail off Highway 73 — the house that caught fire last month when wood framing around the chimney ignited and sent the Bruces fleeing into a chilly evening with only the clothes they were wearing.

Evergreen resident Judy Berna travels, skis, works at the Wulf and Buchanan rec centers, and has written a book. She is also missing a foot — and looking for others who might be missing limbs, too.

Berna was born with a mild form of spina bifida, caused when some vertebrae don’t fully form and leave the spinal cord vulnerable to damage. A series of operations left Berna’s spinal cord unable to send signals to her left foot, which became deformed over time.

As a child, she would dream of having a foot transplant.

Evergreen Lake put another notch in its resume last week when the BBC program “Horizons”filmed figure skaters gliding in a planetary dance on the frozen waters.

A BBC crew was at the lake Jan. 21 to shoot interviews and other footage for an episode tentatively called “Cosmic Pinball.”BBC researcher Jenna Lane said the “Horizons”episode will air on BBC Two in the United Kingdom later this year, then on the Science Channel in the U.S. on a future date.

Evergreen is known for being a home to a variety of characters, and Mt. Evans Hospice hopes to bring a lot of colorful types out for its annual formal fund-raiser.

At the Bookworm Ball, scheduled for Feb. 22 at Mount Vernon Country Club, locals can come as their favorite characters — the ones that populate literature, that is.

An unusual twist complicated placement of the barrel for the eighth annual Evergreen Ice Melt Contest when a chainsaw wouldn’t start — but a local fisherman’s auger came to the rescue with a twist of its own.

The hero fisherman (who wished to remain anonymous) saved more than just the day. The person who accurately predicts the exact time the barrel will fall into Evergreen Lake come springtime stands to win $1,000. Second place gets $500, third place $250, and fourth place $125.

The gym at Wulf Rec Center exploded with the sound of applause and cheers Dec. 16 when Garrett Kelty made the winning basket in a hard-fought game between the red and white teams.

Garrett, a Conifer High School senior, is also a member of the Special Olympics Wildcats basketball team through the Evergreen Park and Recreation District. Special Olympics is a worldwide sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.

This is the story of a local woman who lost almost everything. But more than that, it's the story of how a local organization saved one of the few joys she had left: her dog, Tilly.

Lisa Larson went in for routine surgery on a pancreatic cyst, and left the hospital with a chronic disability: pancreatitis.

Hanukkah is not among the most prominent holidays on the Jewish calendar, but it's local importance was obvious last Wednesday evening when scores of residents turned out for the annual menorah lighting at Evergreen Lake.