Wednesday, July 31, 2013

50 Years, 50 Stories - Leona Stoecker

We’ve had many great stories in this series so far, but we’ve also realized that there are some people who have stories that should be told, but probably won’t share them on their own because they are too humble.

So Susan LaHoda, Executive Director of the Imagine! Foundation, has taken it upon herself to write up a couple of stories of folks who have stories that simply cannot be ignored. In that spirit, please enjoy the story below about Leona Stoecker, who is an Imagine! supporter extraordinaire. The story also provides some insight into the fantastic support Imagine! has throughout the communites we serve. That support is vital to our success.

Bringing Imagine!’s Message To Longmont
By Susan LaHoda

Leona Stoecker

About six years after the Imagine! Foundation was founded by Boulder entrepreneur Bob Charles, the Foundation board was feeling that it needed to expand its fundraising and awareness in Longmont, where Imagine! served nearly 1,000 individuals but was still relatively unknown. Much research and discussion with Longmont residents led the board to believe that Leona Stoecker, former mayor of Longmont, would be the key. Foundation board members met with Leona in January, 2007, and she attended the Imagine! Celebration event later that month, followed by a board meeting in March. She was immediately enthusiastic and truly moved by the work Imagine! does in the community. The Imagine! Foundation signed her up then and there, and she jumped right in!

Leona has gone above and beyond even the Foundation’s greatest hopes in bringing the Imagine! message to Longmont. She has spoken to every local Rotary Club, the Philanthropic Educational Organization, grandparent groups of children with developmental disabilities, and many other community organizations. She has talked with senior management and reporters at the Longmont Times-Call and has been able to interest them in developing many stories about Imagine! and its services and clients. She has also invited a large number of people to the Imagine! Celebration, has secured auction items for the event, and has even donated her famous “Year of Baked Bread” (which has sold for up to $2,500!). In her fundraising role, Leona has developed a Prospect List of 172 names of individuals and businesses whom she wants to educate about Imagine! and offer the opportunity to support our organization and the individuals we serve. This is by far the largest Prospect List of any board member. She has contacted all of these prospects personally and has been highly effective in generating community support.

Within two years of joining the board of directors, Leona rose to the role of president where her leadership style was to listen, to be accessible, to share her passion, and to propose thoughtful suggestions for improving the organization. She took the board through a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis, and acted on the results by engaging board members in small break-out sessions at meetings, bringing in outside fundraising specialists, having Imagine! staff members present client stories at every board meeting, involving every board member in the nominating process for new members, and developing new tools, such as “Elevator Speeches” and tri-fold business-sized cards to hand to people to help board members tell the Imagine! story. She also oversaw the first-ever survey of the Imagine! Celebration in order to strengthen the event’s outreach and success. Thanks to her talent and tireless efforts, the Foundation as an organization is stronger for her efforts.

Leona has also been particularly effective in acquainting Longmont individuals with Imagine!’s SmartHomes Project. She was even instrumental in persuading the Charles Family to name a second SmartHome. As Bob Charles conceded, “Leona is hard to say no to!” Leona has developed a very personal relationship with the Charles Family SmartHome residents and staff. She often rides her bike over to the SmartHome with home baked cookies to share, and when she heard that the Charles Family SmartHome needed a dining room table, she found a beautiful table top at a consignment store, got it donated for free, and then found someone to make the table legs! Because of the deep connection she has, she has played an integral part in both getting the word out and raising funds for the Longmont home. A perfect example is the day she spent at the Charity Hole of the Longmont Area Chamber of Commerce’s Commerce Cup Golf Tournament in 2009. As each cart rolled up to the hole – for five hours straight – Leona greeted each foursome with a brochure and a story about Imagine! and the Charles Family SmartHome. Because almost every person already knew and respected Leona, she was able to gently but enthusiastically encourage each person’s support. That event and countless other meetings with potential donors, talks to groups, and scores of SmartHome tours that she has set up, accompanied, and often led have resulted in critical funding being raised – even in a very tight economy. Thanks in great measure to her efforts, more than $1,166,000 has been secured for the Longmont SmartHome to date.

Leona has had a pervasive impact on Imagine!, the Imagine! Foundation, and the clients Imagine! serves, but she is not finished yet! Even though she recently completed her six-year term on the board, she asked if she could continue engaging people from her giant Prospect List! Therefore, the Imagine! Foundation board of directors awarded her Emeritus status at its June Annual Meeting (an honor not extended since the Foundation granted it to the original five board member) and rejoices in the knowledge that she will continue to answer the needs of our clients, improve our organization, and instill the passion she carries for Imagine! in others.

Are you interested in sharing your story for “50 Years, 50 Stories?” If so, contact Caroline Siegfried at caroline@imaginecolorado.org or 303-926-6405. We’d love to hear from you!

Friday, July 26, 2013

Good News Friday!

This past Monday, a trio of businesses put some big smiles on the faces of Imagine! employees and those we serve.

Teleflora, Denver Wholesale Florist, and Lafayette Florist presented Imagine! with 470 “Make Someone Smile” floral bouquets for Imagine! staff members and clients.

Teleflora donated its popular Be Happy Mugs, the flowers were donated by Denver Wholesale Florist, and volunteers from local florists help arrange the bouquets. The donations were part of "Make Someone Smile Week," the floral industry's leading benevolent program, running from July 21- July 27.

Locally, two non-profit organizations received the generous donation of flowers. Sandi Yosihara-Sniff, General Manager of Layfayette Florist, is an executive Board Member of the Regional Teleflora Board and recommended Imagine! as one of the two agencies to receive the flowers.

And if that isn’t enough, Sandi and her team helped to deliver the bouquets!

The bouquets were delivered to clients and staff members at Imagine!’s group homes, three-person homes, our CORE/Labor Source offices in Boulder and Longmont, and our two administrative office buildings.

Pictured below is Terri, who receives services from Imagine!, proving that “Make Someone Smile Week" really works!


Many, many thanks for this support from Teleflora, Denver Wholesale Florists, and Lafayette Florist!

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

50 Years, 50 Stories - Tom Miller

We’ve had many great stories in this series so far, but we’ve also realized that there are some people who have stories that should be told, but probably won’t share them on their own because they are too humble.

So Susan LaHoda, Executive Director of the Imagine! Foundation, has taken it upon herself to write up a couple of stories of folks who have stories that simply cannot be ignored. In that spirit, please enjoy the story below about Tom Miller, better known to some people served by Imagine! as “The Pie Man.”

The Pie Man
By Susan LaHoda

Tom Miller, a.k.a. "The Pie Man," hangs out with Aneta
at Imagine!'s Foothills Group Home.
 

Tom Miller, PhD, CEO of the National Research Center, Inc. in Boulder, also answers to another name – The Pie Man. Every Tuesday for the past ten years, Tom has been delivering a pie or another dessert to the eight residents of Imagine!’s Foothills Home, and then staying to chat with the residents.

When Tom’s children became adults and moved on, he was looking for something to contribute to the community that would be more hands-on than just sending a check. He was talking with a good friend about options, and she had a child with cerebral palsy so was very familiar with the disability community. She suggested Imagine!’s Foothills Home because it was close to his own home. So Tom called Foothills and said he would like to come by and see how he might be able to become involved. Tom says, “I wasn’t sure what I was going to do because I don’t have any special certification or training, and I really had nothing to offer but a willingness to help out. Then I thought, ‘Why don’t I just bring over a pie after work and after their dinner and stay and talk with them about what’s going on in their lives?’” As this continued, week in and week out, one of the residents began calling Tom “The Pie Man,” and a wonderful tradition was born!

Tom quickly adds that his repertoire is not limited to pies (he doesn’t make the desserts but does select and purchase them), but asks residents at each visit what they would like to have the following week. He has discovered that though they may not remember some of the things they talked about over dessert, they do remember what dessert they requested the week before, so he needs to remember to bring what was promised!

Sean Bradley, Site Supervisor at Foothills says, “When I joined the staff at Foothills I had no idea who The Pie Man was. Upon meeting him I was amazed at his heart. Tom has no agenda and no reason to be there other than to want to spend time with the residents, be friends with them, and chat with them. It brings a sense of normalcy to their lives. He knows all about each of them, and they ask about his wife and daughters, too. In fact, they like to have staff stand off to the side because their friend is coming to see THEM.”

Bradley continues, “Tom receives no compensation other than spending 45 minutes to an hour hanging out with the residents. He also travels all around the world and brings souvenirs for the residents. It warms my heart to think that he is thinking about them when he is on his business trips.”

Tom says that he gets gratification from being with the residents. He says, “Sometimes I’m not sure how much they care if I’m there or not, but there is evidence that they do when I ring the doorbell. Someone on the other side always yells, “It’s the Pie Man!” I think they appreciate having a change of pace with my coming.”

Tom notes that he has also benefited from engaging with the staff, and he comments how impressed he is with the individuals who serve the residents at the Foothills Home. He says, “To a person, each individual has demonstrated a significant connection to the residents, with a real affection going both ways. The staff members aren’t doing this job for the money. They have been drawn to this work because they have an interest and a real human concern for the people who need their support.” He notes that one of the Foothills residents recently celebrated her 89th birthday, which demonstrates that, as he says, “The kind of care and help that these folks get is amazing! If you just look at the age of the people, it proves that they are well taken care of.”

In addition to his weekly visits, The Pie Man has also taken residents to the YWCA’s annual fundraiser, “Dancing with the Stars.” Tom’s daughter, Lindsay, helps train the contestants, and Tom thought the residents might enjoy attending. He has provided the tickets, but is quick to praise the counselors who, he says, “are generous and excited about helping facilitate the trips and probably do much of that on their own time.”

Tom and his wife, Barbara, were also responsible for a $10,000 gift to Imagine! a few years ago through the Collins Arsenault Family Foundation. In fact, it was this gift that first brought The Pie Man to the attention of the broader Imagine! staff. Prior to that, Tom had been quietly making his weekly visits, dessert in hand, for years without anyone outside of the residential staff really being aware of his involvement. Tom explains, “Cynda and Marcel Collins Arsenault offered the opportunity to a few friends to choose a charitable organization to receive $10,000, and we were very pleased to be able to select Imagine! as a recipient. The Collins Arsenaults donated a meaningful amount of money to many organizations, but their connection to Imagine!, was uniquely personal, as it came through their well-loved daughter, Erin, who had many friends cared for by Imagine!.”

Sean Bradley sums up Tom’s impact by saying, “We feel that at Foothills Group Home we are a family, and The Pie Man is like the uncle of the family who brings fun and happiness.”

Are you interested in sharing your story for “50 Years, 50 Stories?” If so, contact Caroline Siegfried at caroline@imaginecolorado.org or 303-926-6405. We’d love to hear from you!

Friday, July 19, 2013

Good News Friday!

Today I’d like to offer a hearty “job well done” to the 2012-2013 Imagine! Leadership Development Group (LDG).

Imagine!’s Leadership Development program identifies important processes, skills, and opportunities to develop and promote leadership skills. The purpose of Imagine!’s Leadership Development program is to provide a coordinated platform that strategically develops talent within Imagine! to address the company’s leadership needs for the future. The program is designed to educate employees (participants) about the complexities of the organization and to assist management in learning about people with talent that may be good matches for leadership roles.

This most recent class consisted of members (pictured here, from the left): Molly Beyer, Claire Findlay, Nicole Bernard, Kim Holman, John Ripley, and Lindsay Hourigan. This intrepid sextet spent the last year meeting with members of Imagine!’s administrative team, attending conferences and leadership courses, and reading books on leadership styles and approaches.

Most significant, the members separated into two groups of three to present case studies on some difficult challenges facing Imagine!. Nicole, John, and Lindsey did a study on what it would take to build a more robust “learning culture” at Imagine! – how we could shift our culture to be focused on the outcomes of what individuals we serve learn instead of focusing on how much time a caregiver spends with a client. Molly, Claire, and Kim did a case study on “encouraging a cultural technological evolution at Imagine!.”

Both teams worked diligently at their projects and presented their findings, along with some ideas and proposed solutions, to Imagine!’s administrative in late spring. The fresh ideas and approaches presented by the teams served as great jumping off points for all of us at Imagine! as we continue to look for innovative ways to master seemingly intractable challenges.

The participants benefitted from the program greatly as well. Claire told us, “Between the one on one coaching sessions with my mentor, leadership trainings, and internal Imagine! meetings, my understanding of the company and what it takes to be a leader in the 21st century greatly expanded. Thanks to this experience, I come to work now feeling better equipped and more confident.” John added that the program “. . . made me a much better communicator with team members and increased the quality of care of the individuals I serve.”

Imagine! is already in the process of selecting the next LDG class, and I am looking forward to seeing what new and innovative ideas they can bring to our organization. In the meantime, congratulations and many thanks to Molly, Claire, Kim, John, Lindsey, and Nicole.

Great work!

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Silos? … We Don’t Need No Stinking Silos!

Over the past few years, many of us at Imagine! have teamed up to recognize that we would benefit from fewer silos.



Can’t see the video? Click here.

Of course, I’m not speaking of literal silos such as in the video above. I’m talking about the tendencies among the various groups to develop silos around their work duties, focusing only on what they do and missing opportunity available from a larger perspective. In a company as big and diverse as Imagine!, it is not surprising that a silo mentality creeps in. After all, when people are working closely with others, focused on personal outcomes, small teams can produce remarkable results.

On the other hand, keeping a balanced perspective, and a shared larger vision, we can learn a great deal from one another. We can avoid redundancies, realize greater influence, and discover solutions that we might otherwise miss. By integrating IT knowledge, communication and collaboration, public relations, and shared human resources, we collectively gain strength.

I am pleased to report cross departmental cooperation at Imagine! has eliminated duplicate efforts, improved communication, and enhanced our ability to serve individuals with a variety of intellectual and developmental disabilities. Employees at every level of Imagine! have recognized that greater understanding and collaboration between departments is good for those we serve, and have taken action to build bridges instead of silos so expertise can be shared company-wide.

I’m proud of the fact that the landscape at Imagine! is changing . You never know what you might discover behind a silo after it tumbles.

Then again, what do I know?

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

50 Years, 50 Stories - Chris Kozak

Today’s “50 Years, 50 Stories” installment comes from Chris Kozak, who worked for Imagine!’s Labor Source department back in the 1990s. One thing that really sticks out for me here is Chris's story about the reaction from one of the clients he worked with when he announced he was leaving. So many of the stories in this series have employees discussing the powerful impact the experience of working at Imagine! has had on them personally. Those are great to read, but it is important to remember that DSPs like Chris also have a tremendous and positive impact on those we serve. The relationships that develop are genuine; the changes that can occur are substantial; and the pain that can be felt upon a DSP leaving is very real. It can’t be avoided, unfortunately, but it shouldn’t be dismissed or diminished. So thank you Chris, for reminding us of that lesson so eloquently.

Two of My Best Years
By Chris Kozak
 
Chris Kozak
 
I came to Boulder in 1996 from New Jersey after a few post college years of dull jobs and looking at the same scenery since I was in third grade. I had gone out West with my Dad for the first time a few years before and immediately fell in love with Colorado, so I packed as much as possible into my beat-up car and drove to Boulder with enough in savings to pay for a security deposit and one month’s rent in an apartment and absolutely no job set up. After a few days of "investigating" the local watering holes and hiking around the foothills I realized I needed to get serious. I bought a copy of the Daily Camera and poured through the employment section. I saw a listing for Labor Source at the Developmental Disability Center for a position of Employment Specialist. From the description I knew I would be working with adults that had a spectrum of different developmental disabilities, assisting them to integrate into the community and have jobs that would enrich their lives and provide new experiences. But as I learned, there would never be a short, adequate description for all the things I did there and everything I gained.

I was interviewed by Scarlett Joy and Jon Tuschman. I had majored in Psychology and Philosophy but had only one bullet point on my hastily printed resume about working on a communication program for people with autism during college. As the interview moved forward, I sensed they were no longer focused on what I was saying but how I was behaving. Was I calm and centered? Did I seem patient and focused? Suddenly I realized it was all about behavior, and I learned more about behavior, my own and those around me, from Mark Emery and all my other mentors and peers in one month at Labor Source than 4 years (okay, four years and two semesters) at college. I also learned how close-knit all the employees were. Whenever someone was having a difficult day there was also someone willing to let you vent and then laugh with. It was a real family.

Regretfully, I left two years later, in 1998. One of the young women I helped to create a communication program for who lived in Longmont spoke only a few words and then only in a shy whisper. I had mentioned to her in the car as I was driving her back home at the end of a work day that I was moving back east. She was in the back seat of the car and remained silent. After about five minutes I heard a soft, trembling cry, and looked up in the rear view mirror to see tears streaming down her face. "Please don't go!" she suddenly shouted, surprising everyone in the car. I pulled over and talked to her awhile, eventually cheering her up while trying to keep my own emotions in check, and then dropped her off at home with a smile.

As I'm sure many others feel, I gained so much more than I could ever hope to have given at Labor Source. It was, and most likely will always remain, the best place I have ever worked in my life.

Are you interested in sharing your story for “50 Years, 50 Stories?” If so, contact Caroline Siegfried at caroline@imaginecolorado.org or 303-926-6405. We’d love to hear from you!

Friday, July 12, 2013

Good News Friday!


Turning the dirt in the photo are, from left to right: Elaine Chavez, US Department of Housing and Urban Development; Jodi Walters, Imagine! Director of Innovations; Mark Emery, Imagine! CEO; Sam Taylor, Broomfield City Council Member; Dianne Primavera, Colorado State Representative; and Chris Mirto, PEH Architects.
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of attending the groundbreaking ceremony for Imagine!’s Next Step Group Home in Broomfield, CO.

The Next Step Group Home will provide safe and affordable housing for six people who have developmental disabilities as well as the multifaceted issues that come with aging. Individuals with developmental disabilities are living longer than ever, and as they age, their needs may become increasingly complex. In addition, with the “sliver tsunami” of retiring and aging baby boomers approaching, the demand for services for seniors is increasing rapidly. Imagine! is poised to be a leader in services for both the population of elders with developmental disabilities and the larger elder population. This home represents another step forward for Imagine! in developing the skills and tools needed to serve these populations.

The wide variety of attendees at the groundbreaking provided a clear demonstration of how an undertaking like this can truly only succeed with the support of the community. Attendees included: Trent Gustafson and Chuck Wellman, members of Imagine!’s Board of Directors; Mark Feilmeier, Dennis Thacker, and Elaine Chavez, from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (which is providing $633,700 in funding for the home); Broomfield City Council Member Sam Taylor; Colorado State Representative Dianne Primavera; Michele Craig, from the Colorado Department of Human Services Division for Developmental Disabilities; John McMillen from FRIENDS of Broomfield; and Michelle LaFluer, a neighbor to the West of the property who is also the owner of 2BG Equestrian School.

If it takes a village to build this home, then I am really impressed with the citizens of this particular village, and the group gives me great confidence about the future success of the project.

To learn more about this home and our groundbreaking, check out this story from yesterday’s edition of The Broomfield Enterprise.

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

50 Years, 50 Stories - CORE/Labor Source Creative Writing Class

This week’s installment of “50 Years, 50 Stories” comes from several students in an Imagine! CORE/Labor Source creative writing class. The students were asked to write stories about their Imagine! experiences to contribute to this series, and were prompted in their writing by open–ended statements such as “At CORE, my favorite class is . . .”;”I like working with staff member _______________ because . . . “; I enjoy Supported Employment because . . .” ; “I remember a funny time at CORE when we . . .” ; and, “During my time at Imagine!, I have learned . . .”.

The results are below, and offer a nice glimpse into how so many of the individuals we serve are active and involved in their communities.

Thanks to class instructor Ian Rummell for leading the way in encouraging his students to be part of this project.


Imagine! Experiences
By Anthony, Crystal, Dani Sue, Mandy, and Wes

Anthony
 
I enjoy Creative Writing because we play games like Change One and Apples to Apples to warm up our brains. I like Supported Employment because I get to make money and hang out with the guys. One time, we laughed with Jeff Near at EcoCycle because he tipped over the book containers. I have learned how to work at different Job Sites like EcoCycle and Amcon.

Crystal

I like Job Club and Creative Writing because I can practice my interview and writing skills. I like Cooking Class on Mondays because we cook foods from different countries around the world. Carrie and Jeff are nice because they help me pick my classes and reach my goals of getting a job. I like class with Ian because he is a nice and funny teacher that keeps things interesting with technology. It is fun to work with new people—whether they are staff or peers—because everyone has a different personality, and it is helpful to share new ideas. I appreciate my caseworkers and DVR (Division for Vocational Rehabilitation) because they help me fill out Supported Employment paperwork.

Dani Sue

Everyone at CORE is nice and kind. We laugh at jokes during lunch. In Art Class, I am getting better at drawing, and I am learning how to paint on a canvas. In Computer Class, we play spelling and reading games and work on our social skills.

Mandy

I enjoy everything at Longmont CORE. I specifically like Cooking Class, Creative Writing, and Photography.

I like Cooking Class because it’s fun to prepare food with my friends. I enjoyed our New York City unit when we made pizza and cheesecake cupcakes. I appreciate our teacher Cass and her consideration of my gluten-free diet.

Creative Writing is fun because I get to write stories about whatever is on my mind. We are able to experiment with different tools and techniques in our projects.

Photography is interesting and exciting because we drive to many adventurous, unknown places. My favorite experience was a spooky trip to a graveyard where we shot and created an ongoing Photo Class in-joke.

Wes

I like working with all the staff at CORE because they help us and hang out with us. In Computer Class, I have been researching World War II. I have also learned how to cut and paste and better use my email and Facebook accounts. Supported Employment is fun, too, because we get out of the C.O.R.E. headquarters to make money and spend it on whatever we want. Sometimes we have fun walking the line between appropriate and inappropriate topics.

Are you interested in sharing your story for “50 Years, 50 Stories?” If so, contact Caroline Siegfried at caroline@imaginecolorado.org or 303-926-6405. We’d love to hear from you!

Friday, July 5, 2013

Good News Friday!

Is there a better way to celebrate an important anniversary than with a locally brewed beer? I don’t think so.

That is why I am pleased to share the news that Boulder-based Twisted Pine Brewery, which partners with Imagine!’s CORE/Labor Source department to employ people served by Imagine!, is packaging up a 50th Imagine! Anniversary brew.


Twisted Pine’s popular “Hoppy Boy” will be produced with the label above in honor of our 50 years. The best part? It is available for purchase for only $20 per case. So stock your fridge and impress your friends by buying Imagine! 50th Anniversary Ale. As our friends at Twisted Pine Brewery say: "A fine beer may be judged with only one sip, but it's better to be thoroughly sure."

To place your order, send an email to Caroline Siegfried at caroline@imaginecolorado.org.

The fine print:
  • All beer must be preordered by Wednesday, July 10, 2013.
  • All beer must be prepaid by Wednesday, July 10, 2013. Cash or check made out to Twisted Pine Brewery.
  • You or a designee must be present to pick up your beer from Twisted Pine on Wednesday, July 24 between 4:00 and 6:30PM. You will receive a voucher for each case you order. The voucher will be turned in for beer at Twisted Pine Brewery.
  • Twisted Pine Brewery is located at 3201 Walnut St Boulder, CO 80301.
  • You must be 21 years of age and able to prove it to have anything to do with beer.

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

50 Years, 50 Stories - James Haislett

Today’s installment of “50 Years, 50 Stories” comes from James Haislett, a longtime client of Imagine!. Imagine! employees who worked at our Dixon Avenue or Coal Creek Drive buildings a few years ago may remember James pedaling his three-wheeled bike back and forth between buildings, delivering mail and other important items. Ultimately, health issues forced him to stop doing deliveries, but he still visits often and the fond memories linger.

Thanks for sharing, James!
 
Brave Since I Was a Kid
By James Haislett

James taking pictures and looking dapper back in the day.

I was born in Akron, Colorado and rode horses bareback with my brother David on my family’s ranch. We went really fast. When I was six or seven years old I moved to Grand Junction State Home and Training School. It was OK. I made a lot of friends and went to school there. They had a garden and a dairy farm. We got to go out for ice cream and movies.

In about 1975 I moved to Carmel on The Hill in Boulder. A lot of my friends moved there, too. I worked at the workshop, but I wanted my own job so I started working at Boulder Community Hospital doing cleaning.

I moved to Kelwood and worked washing dishes at the Hilltop Building on The Hill. They had a belly dancer. I told Dunkin’ Doughnuts that their parking lot was dirty and they should pay me to clean it and they did. I worked there until they closed a few years ago. I delivered the Rocky Mountain News on my bike, too.

One time I rode the bus to Nederland with my bike and rode down Boulder Canyon all the way back to Manhattan. It was really fun. There was a lot less traffic then. I like to travel and camp and ski, and I am working on my ham radio certification. My friend Julie says I was brave ever since I was a little kid.


James in the mountains.

James on the slopes.

James' skiing medals.

Are you interested in sharing your story for “50 Years, 50 Stories?” If so, contact Caroline Siegfried at caroline@imaginecolorado.org or 303-926-6405. We’d love to hear from you!