Features

Matilda, a hearing assistance dog, knows what to do when people call Evergreen resident Kyle Walpole’s name or knock on his door at home or at work.

Matilda “alerts” to the sound, then nudges Walpole in the leg and leads him to the source, he said. Walpole was diagnosed with Meniere’s disease in the 1990s and is hearing impaired. If someone is at the door, the black Labrador retriever leads Walpole there. If Walpole drops his keys, Matilda can lead him to them as well.

“For a community to survive, it needs a gathering place,” said Bob Cardwell, recipient of the Leader of the Year award from Leadership Evergreen.

During his years in the mountain community, Cardwell has been directly involved in creating recreational opportunities and facilities for residents.

Working with the Evergreen Park and Recreation District, Cardwell helped acquire property to create Buchanan Park and Rec Center. 

A small sea of homemade pinwheels adorned the lawn outside Wilmot Elementary School on Friday, a silent tribute to peace and kindness.

The pinwheels, created by students, teachers and parents, were part of the school’s celebration of the annual Day Without Hate. The day is set aside to promote nonviolence, unity and respect in schools.

Reaching the summit of a high mountain peak is secondary to maintaining good relationships with fellow climbers, said George Lowe, a mountaineer with more than 50 years experience.

“The brotherhood of the rope is incredibly important to me,” Lowe said during his presentation at Mount Vernon Country Club on April 16. “The most critical message I want to leave is the companionship.”

Shelby Foley and Brandon Bianco have learned many life lessons in the five weeks since their 10-month-old son, Kai, was bitten by the family dog.

They learned firsthand that life can change in an instant.

They witnessed the kindness of paramedics, sheriff’s deputies and medical professionals, plus the outpouring of support that is typical for Evergreen.

And, above all, they learned to trust that their son will recover, and they will weather the medical bills and the uncertainty of Kai’s future.

The sounds of groans and bodies hitting the floor emanated from Colorado Children’s Theatre on Sunday — along with a lot of laughter — as 20 young actors learned the art of stage combat.

They learned how to fall – theatrically, of course – and how to throw a punch that looks realistic but doesn’t hurt the recipient. They also used swimming “noodles” as mock swords to learn how to perform a choreographed sword fight.

Bill Yearsley talks about his house with a sense of pride.

It’s more than simple ownership. He designed his home off Kerr Gulch Road, and it's about as green as a home can get.

“This house came out of my passion for sustainable design,” said Yearsley, who was in the engineering and construction industry for 30 years. “It’s built using materials that will last. I’d like to think there’s nothing else like it in the Jeffco community.”

Highway 73 just north of Marshdale has its gnome back, though this time it’s a ladies-only situation.

Maminka the female gnome now sits proudly outside the house that has been famous over the years for its iconic gnomes. The male gnome, Gnomie, was stolen more than a year ago, much to the dismay of owner Andre Yerkes, neighbors and motorists who drive up and down the highway.

The authors who attended the inaugural Authors Fair at Bergen Valley Elementary School on Friday didn’t simply read their books to the students; they inspired the children to write about their passions and to dream.

“It was 10 years before I showed (my book) to anyone,” children’s author Suzanne Brown, a Bergens parent, told a class of third-graders, “and they asked when was I going to get it published. And if you don’t try, you don’t succeed, right?” she asked the students.