Thanks from Charlie’s Place
Editor:
Friends of Charlie’s Place and the Clear Creek Gilpin County Animal Shelter would like to thank the people of Clear Creek and Gilpin counties for participating in the seventh annual Westmuttster Dog Day afternoon. This annual fun event raised a couple of thousand dollars this year for medical expenses for the shelter animals.
We’d like to thank Greg Markle and KYGT, Clear Creek Radio for making this event possible. Without Greg, the event would not happen.
The following sponsors gave money and/or retails items for giveaways: Mark Schoenfeld from the town of Silver Plume, Intimate Pet Portraits by Susan Becker, Simply Hair, Colorado Mountain Mushers, Becky’s Housekeeping, Clear Creek Recreation District, Clear Creek County, city of Idaho Springs, Husky Realty, the Bowlands, Spay Colorado/SpayToday, Clear Creek Veterinary Clinic, Rocky Mountain Dog Ranch, Animal Awakenings, Kneisel and Anderson and Hope for Animals, Clear Creek Jewelry, Petco, Clear Creek County Administration Department, Clear Creek County Assessor’s Department, Clear Creek County Clerk’s Department, Clear Creek County Combined Court, Clear Creek County Land Use Department, Clear Creek County Ambulance Department, Grand County Pet Pals, Elaine Marlier at DNJ Books, and the wonderful treats donated from Purina.
Thanks to all of the silent auction winners, Mary Johnson and her crew at the kitchen were awesome. And she also won a fun date with Marty Gitlin. The amazing staff and boys at the Mount Evans Qualifying House were a blessing en masse. Tammy and Mike Foley flipped a mean burger, and Jimy Murphy, our emcee, was terrific … and so were the judges: Harry Dale, Claire Mootz and John Howard. Of course, Kim Steele and Beth Luther were indispensable, as were all of the amazing Friends of Charlie’s Place volunteers, including Scott McWain, Josey and Andrew Beins and friends, Debora Johnson, Jennifer Armstrong, Carolyn Gingrich, Mike Clifford and more.
Thanks to all of the local businesses that supported us by hanging posters in their windows, passing out pamphlets, etc.
It’s fun to see the community support and everyone rallying for the animals in these rough economic times. We look forward to seeing you next year at the eighth annual Westmuttster Dog Show.
Sue Peterson, Charlie’s Place
Laurie Phenix, Friends of Charlie’s Place
Thanks for medical response
Editor:
Thank you to all those who came into our lives on the evening of June 7 responding to a medical emergency. From the dispatcher who took the initial call and was so helpful in setting up a meeting location with the ambulance, to the volunteer and policemen who met us and immediately attended my husband and comforted my daughters, to the ambulance crew of Mark and Stephanie, who took charge so professionally and reassuredly.
My family said a prayer together as we came down the mountain to connect with medical assistance, and I’m positive that all these people were specifically heaven-sent. Thank you, thank you, thank you all for your quick, efficient and skillful attention. We will never forget you.
Bob and Linda Rahorst
and family
Scholarship started
in Cary Stiff’s name
Editor:
To the friends of Cary Stiff and Carol Wilcox:The family of Cary Stiff, a journalist who began his career as a printer’s devil at 15, has established a $5,000 print journalism scholarship for a graduate student at Columbia University in New York. Cary earned an M.A. degree in journalism from Columbia — with high honors — in 1964. After that, he went to Denver to use a grant to explore capital punishment in Colorado. He interviewed prisoners on death row, witnessed an execution and became knowledgeable about capital punishment in many parts of America. This series, and other articles about cleaning up the South Platte River and a historical survey about blacks in Colorado led to journalism awards and other recognition. Some of Cary’s articles and photographs for The Denver Post are now on file in the Western history section of the Denver Public Library.
In 1973, Cary and I founded The Clear Creek Courant in Georgetown, later moving the office to Idaho Springs. Although the newspaper has changed ownership, he and I were pleased that it continued to publish. Cary loved the warp and woof of journalism in the tightly knit communities of Clear Creek County. Cary’s family hopes that the scholarship, which will begin in the fall of 2009, is a fitting tribute for a journalist who spent 50 years serving the communities where he lived.
To contribute to the scholarship, send a check to “Trustees of Columbia University.” On the memo line, write, “In memory of Cary Stiff, Class of ’64.” The scholarship fund will close June 25, and I will make up any shortfall. To donate online, visit https://giving.columbia.edu/giveonline, choose “Journalism, Graduate School of,” then “Alumni Annual Fund.” On the next page, after you have entered the gift amount and clicked “Next”, there will be an option to make the gift in honor or in memory of someone, and then write, “Cary Stiff ’64.” Thank you so much for your help.
Carol Wilcox for the family
Chicago is the place to be
Editor:
In response to Ms. Kruger’s Vox article, if you are going to slander Chicago, be ready for a showdown. Many people from Chicago have made this county their home.
One cannot compare apples to plums — Clear Creek County being the plum, of course. Cook County is the second most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles County. Cook County has 5,285,107 residents, which is larger that the populations of 29 individual U.S. states. As for schools, we have some of the country’s best. There are a lot better colleges in Cook County than in this whole state full of trade schools and two medium-size colleges. In addition, Cook County has the second largest county law library in the nation. Does Clear Creek County have the first? A library is a great source of old-fashioned learning, if you ask me. These days parents let their kids turn on the computer while they get the answers to the next test, and, meanwhile, the parents are involved in their own world, oblivious to what their child is doing.
As for the comment that Colorado has a better unemployment rate than Chicago: Denver, Pueblo, Colorado Springs and Greeley are experiencing an unemployment rate higher than 7.9 percent for the first time in 20 years. Pretty close to 8.1 percent, wouldn’t you say?
Basically, a child born in Cook County has more opportunities than a child born in a small mining town in the mountains. He/she who lives up here may be able to kill a cougar or bear, but that doesn’t do them much good in the real world. Yet many residents in this very city wonder why the young people are leaving? Because there is nothing for them to do here. There’s the rec center, skateboard rink or skiing. They also know there is more out there than panning for gold flakes. Why settle for flakes when you can have the whole nugget! Clear Creek County isn’t where you’re going to build dreams. And if you do find that nugget, some policeman will come along quickly to take it from you for not properly filing it. That’s their law.
Diane Brandon
Clear Creek County
Thanks to the Alternative School
Editor:
To the class of 2009 Alternative School:
The parents of the Alternative School would like to congratulate the class of 2009 for all the hard work put forth to graduate. Even when they gave you more assignments the last week of school, you all made it. You showed them that anything is possible. Good job. Once again, congratulations to the class of 2009 Alternative School.
the Meldrum Family
and parents of the Alternative School