The Connection

With materials and instructions provided by Paint-A-Sign, participants enjoyed a fun and informative evening creating message signs. Information and photos provided by Julie Matuszewski Moms, friends and neighbors of Timber Trail Elementary (TTE) attended a “mom’s night out” fundraiser on November 7 with locally-owned and operated Paint-A-Sign (www.paintasign.com). Paint-A-Sign provided an enjoyable evening of sign…

Castle Rock resident and Zumba instructor Van Oberly knows the importance of creating fun celebrations in the classes she teaches. Article and photos by Barbara Neff Rumor has it that the average American gains ten pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. Can this be true? According to multiple online sources, including nutrition magazine Real…

Congratulations to American Academy – Castle Pines elementary art teacher Kelsea Fischer for being named New Professional Art Educator of the Year for 2018 by the Colorado Art Education Association (CAEA). This award recognizes excellence in contributions, dedicated service, and professional achievements of outstanding CAEA members in the field of visual arts education. Award recipients…

By Nancy Koontz; photos courtesy of Carrie Brown The Village at Castle Pines Starbuck residents Shane and Carrie Burton met 20 years ago at a tire store in San Marcos, Texas while they were going to college, and sparks flew. Two decades later, they have finally “settled down” and tied the knot. It started when…

By Catalin Varela, photos courtesy of DCS Montessori Community lunch, an afternoon for students to gather and prepare a meal together, has been a DCS Montessori tradition for many years. This past community lunch brought an exciting change. For the first time since building a greenhouse, students were able to harvest the vegetables they grew…

By Catalin Varela Yes, absolutely! But cutting holiday trees kills the earth, right? Well, here are a few reasons why you should fall off the artificial tree bandwagon and consider a real tree this holiday season: First of all, they’re just so much fun to pick out! You can’t trade a trip to the tree…

By Terri Wiebold; photos courtesy of Jim Mandeville, The Nicklaus Companies After living a life of remarkable accomplishments, businessman and philanthropist Jack A. Vickers Jr. passed away on September 24 at the age of 93. A Castle Pines resident for more than three decades, Vickers was the founder of the Castle Pines Golf Club and…

Article and photos by Susan Helton; photos courtesy of Kimberly McCarthy On September 28, 46 first-graders from Timber Trail Elementary (TTE) visited Legacy Village of Castle Pines to meet and share with more than 20 residents there. “We’re hoping to develop a buddy reading program,” stated Julie Schade, TTE first-grade teacher. “We thought it would…

Pictured right: Rocky Heights Middle School yearbook staff brought home the All-Colorado Award from Journalism Day at Colorado State University. Students from left to right (back row): Kaderia Barela, Kennedy Vasquez, Kelsey Brown, Anna Porter, Hailey Taylor, Raegan Synk, Annabelle Girard, Alivia Ball, Nicole Flocco, Sophie LeGrande, Rachel Cook, Jessica Wang, Maia Vernetti, Sydnee Nach…

Jim Worley, interim CPNMD district manager Information and photo provided by the Castle Pines North Metropolitan District During its regularly scheduled October board meeting, the Castle Pines North Metro District (CPNMD) Board of Directors named Jim Worley as its interim district manager. “Mr. Worley brings a strong depth and diversity of water and wastewater utility…

By Amanda Merriman Connection writer Amanda Merriman admits she is hopelessly addicted to books. It has been this way nearly all her life. Every month she shares what she has been reading with the hope that others will share in the obsession too. This month I had the treat of reading the memoir of Castle…

The Rock Canyon High School boys basketball team came together to support the Warren Village First Step house for women, painting a new basketball key and cleaning up the outdoor area for the families who are staying there. By Lisa Nicklanovich; photo courtesy of Carin Kirkegaard When a project arose in September to paint a…

Erik Matoush performing jumps and tricks at Winter Park that he first perfects on an Olympic-sized trampoline. By Daniel Williams; photos courtesy of Linda Nyström Accounts vary on exactly when Erik Matoush began skiing. He says he was three years old. His mom, Linda Nyström, says he was four. What is not up for debate…

Residents interested in pursuing an appointment to fill a new vacancy on the Castle Pines North Metropolitan District (CPNMD) Board of Directors may email a letter of interest and resume to District Administrator Janet Burnham at Janet@cpnmd.org. Please reference BOARD VACANCY APPLICATION in the subject line of the email. The current Board will publicly discuss…

Information provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Are you a veteran enrolled in the Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare system who still has not received your flu shot? The cold and flu season is upon us and the Department of Veterans Affairs has once again teamed up with Walgreens pharmacies nationwide to allow all…

Information and photo provided by Wanda Ford Wanda Ford with LIV Sotheby’s International Realty hosted the 4th annual document shredding event in the marketplace at The Village at Castle Pines in October with great success. Cars lined up to drop off boxes and bags of personal documents and papers to be shredded. Guests were greeted…

By Daniel Williams In 2007, my wife and I were living in Los Angeles and looking for somewhere else to raise our three-year-old child. We got out a map of the country and pondered our options. “How about here?” my wife said, pointing to Seattle. Her parents are originally from England and the rain reminded…

RHMS cross-country runners ran the Castle Pines Run Wild five-mile/5K race (from left to right): Kayden Glauser, Luka Schymik, Cale Maguire, Jessica Derickson, Julie Olsen (coach), Nico Wood, Drew Lukowski, Kendall DeFord, Nate Bolin, Logan Scheichenost and Logan Heppe. By Ryan Miller, RHMS intern writer; photo courtesy of Jeffrey Smith The City of Castle Pines…

By Patte Smith The Santa’s Sharing adopt-a-family program, organized by the Help & Hope Center (formerly the Douglas/Elbert Task Force), is asking the community to support families that need assistance during the holidays. Client families who are struggling the most are selected by case managers to receive assistance. Perhaps it is a single mom or…

Walker excited to start his first day of school with DCS Montessori. Article and photos provided by DCS Montessori DCS Montessori has a new student!! Walker the yellow Labrador retriever is a service dog in-training and will be bringing a new dynamic to Chris Scovil’s classroom as their official mascot. Walker is a member of…

Information and photo provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Did you know you have choices in how you get Medicare hospital, medical, and prescription drug coverage? Medicare Open Enrollment (October 15 – December 7) is your chance to think about what matters most to you, and compare coverage options for 2019.…

By Michelle Post The 21st century is all about the customer, and we can say thank you to the internet and social media for this. Never has there been a time that a customer can express his or her emotions so easily and often. Therefore, the question then becomes, “Are you, aka your business, all…

Poles in hand, fifth-grade students at Sage Canyon Elementary learned proper techniques prior to trying their hands at fishing. Information and photos provided by Lance Schoenwald On October 18 and 19, a group of 120 fifth-grade students from Sage Canyon Elementary attended “Fishing in the Schools Program” hosted by Colorado Parks and Wildlife at Lehow…

Noah Kelley, culinary student at Johnson & Wales University, a private college. Kelley is working part time as a chef at Legacy Village of Castle Pines. By Catalin Varela, photos courtesy of Noah Kelley Noah Kelley, a student at Johnson & Wales University (JWU), knew that his educational path was going to look different than…

By Susan Helton; photos courtesy of Amy Ball, Julie Matuszewski and Pam Scheichenost Each year, Timber Trail Elementary (TTE) holds a move-a-thon to promote physical activity while raising money. This year, the sixth for the school’s primary fundraiser, the theme was “moving mountains.” September 20, students rotated through six outdoor stations: the obstacle course, agility…

Clyde Ullrich (left) and Gary Conder (right) enjoy a sunny day in The Village at Castle on the pickleball court. Article and photos by Barbara Neff Take a walk through a park on any sunny Colorado day and you will likely hear the echo of a ping and a pong. It is not quite the…

September 30th was the 9th annual Turweston Lane cul-de-sac Chili Cook-Off. “It’s a great way to meet new neighbors and catch up with everyone else,” stated Laurie Jacobs, organizer of the event. “The weather was perfect for chili – sunny and a bit chilly!” Congratulations to the winners: Chili/Main Dish: 1st Place: Laity family, “Green…

Retired U.S. Army Captain Michael Sennett now enjoys the peaceful feel of Castle Pines with his wife, Janet, and mini-Labradoodle named Teddy. By Elise Brassell; photo courtesy of Michael Sennett Michael Sennett recalls being part of the U.S. Army during one of the most tumultuous eras of American history; the Vietnam War. “I deployed to…

By Amanda Merriman Sometimes expenses come up with friends or family when we are woefully ill prepared. There are also situations when it is easier for one person to pay the bill, rather than splitting the check multiple ways. This is where the app Splitwise comes in. Splitwise is a free app available to Apple…

Patte Smith, map courtesy of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Tromping through the forest, whether snowy or dry, to get the family Christmas tree is a memorable occasion. Pack a picnic lunch or bring a pot of chili and hot chocolate – this is an exhilarating outing for friends and family, but do not forget…

By Lisa Crockett ‘Tis the season to share your meals with others. If you are sometimes (or possibly always) happy to have others roast the bird and host the traditional gatherings that happen this time of year, be sure to have a few tricks up your sleeve for lending a hand. Here are a few…

  Cherokee Ranch & Castle Executive Director James Holmes (center) pictured here with local artist Judy Bell (left) and Cherokee Ranch & Castle Special Events Coordinator Jane Hannen (right). By Terri Wiebold; photos by Nancy Koontz Fall is a glorious season, particularly in Colorado with the changing of the foliage and the ushering in of…

Turkey hand pies Article and photo by Lisa Crockett I love Thanksgiving. I love a day devoted to gratitude. I love a day devoted to national pride. I love a day devoted to eating delicious, once-a-year treats. After weeks of preparing, planning menus, stirring cranberries as they stew on the stove, reviewing seldom-used recipes, and…

By Daniel Williams Residents in the 80108 ZIP code are blessed to live in a beautiful natural surrounding, but a spree of recent incidents involving collisions between motorists and wildlife is a reminder of how close we live to many of our wilder, four-legged neighbors, including coyotes, deer, elk, bears and mountain lions. In light…

A beautiful hike up to Castle Rock on a sunny (albeit sometimes crisp) day is a great way to spend quality time with a loved one. Article and photo by Catalin Varela The leaves are turning, the snow is falling, and love is in the air. Don’t miss the opportunity to spend the most cozy…

Nine-year-old Nathan Fields (front row center), pictured alongside his friends Molly Terry (front row, left) and Jack Dodge (front row, right) and his family and support team at Timber Trail Elementary School, presented the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) with a giant check for $4,798.01 – the proceeds from The Castle Pines Connection’s Chalk It…

The yellow line above indicates the widening area of RidgeGate Parkway that is planned to begin in early 2019. The road will be widened from Havana to the east boundary of the City of Lone Tree (blue area). By Patte Smith; map courtesy of the City of Lone Tree Traffic under I-25 and RidgeGate Parkway…

After following the leader as they cross Daniels Park Road, camera-shy turkeys dash into the brush when passersby stop. Article and photograph by Barbara Neff On just about any given midday, lucky sightseers along Daniels Park Road or Happy Canyon Road in Castle Pines will be treated to the turkey trot. Flocks of wild turkeys…

By Barbara Neff We avoid making a plan, and figuring out why is easy. No one likes to contemplate the end of one’s life. Even accepting the inevitability of it all, and even having witnessed how lack of a plan can wreak havoc on the lives of survivors, we stall and procrastinate and avoid, and…

By Patte Smith; photo courtesy of Douglas County Office of Veterans Affairs This Veterans Day, we honor all the men and women, past and present, who have served our country in the armed services. On this day, we pay tribute to their strength and commitment to all of us and our country. Humbled by the…

The Berlin Wall, erected in 1961, fell in 1989. The Wall was actually two walls as depicted. Between them was a no-man’s land of mines, dogs, and machine guns. Article and photos by Joe Gschwendtner As discussed in part I of this series last month, Berlin is a favorite place; I go annually. The role…

By Terri Wiebold; photo courtesy of the Castle Pines Chamber of Commerce Lisa Storey (pictured above), affectionately known throughout Castle Pines as “Mama Lisa,” opened the doors of ROUX World Kitchen to family and friends last month for a ribbon cutting ceremony with the Castle Pines Chamber of Commerce. Formerly Mama Lisa’s Little Italy, ROUX…

Turning both valves (pictured here in blue) perpendicular to the direction of a pipe will ensure the water flow from the pipe is off. If the valve is in line with the direction of the pipe, water will be flowing. Information and photos provided by South Metro Fire Rescue While usually applying water as a…

Information and photos submitted by Corin Meibos Buffalo Ridge Elementary held its annual 5K Fun Run on Saturday, September 29. Awards for school spirit and speed were awarded to various students.  Ronda Gutierrez held Rock Slide Training on Tuesday mornings before school during the month of September to help train students, staff and families. Everyone…

James and Melissa Coudeyras at James’ retirement ceremony on Pearl Harbor Naval base in Oahu, Hawaii. James served for 20 years and one day with much of that time as an information warfare officer. He retired as a commander. By Daniel Williams; photos courtesy of Melissa Coudeyras After serving twenty years in the navy, James…

Information provided by DCSO The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) is holding its 14th annual Community Safety Volunteer (CSV) Academy to train citizens who have the time, talent and desire to volunteer by serving their community. The CSVs allow the DCSO to provide better service across the county. “We’re looking for individuals who actively want…

Article and photo by Lisa Crockett It’s that time of year when I stock up on candy for little ghosts and goblins, where there is sugar in every nook and cranny of my life. It’s one of my favorite times of year, except that my initial supply of goodies for the trick-or-treaters has never actually…

Pino’s Italian Kitchen & Bar was overflowing with pride and patriotism as Castle Pines came out to support Pino’s Eat for a Cause 9/11. The fundraiser was a heartwarming occasion which benefited the families of fallen first responders. Lives were remembered and celebrated, while an abundance of personal stories and of memories from September 11,…

By Daniel Williams, photos courtesy of Jessica Lovitt At a recent event held at Cherokee Ranch & Castle, professional and amateur astronomers alike gathered to stare into the vast night sky. Looking through high-powered telescopes, they were able to see the four moons of Jupiter and the rings of Saturn and pick out vivid details…

Catalin Varela pictured in front of the school’s library. Article and photos by Catalin Varela I am going to school, but I very rarely GO to school. I mean, it is 2018! Education, just like everything else, is rapidly evolving as our society changes. In the past, it has always been assumed that one would…

Caption and photos provided by BRE The fifth-grade class of Buffalo Ridge Elementary (BRE) took a student-wide favorite field trip to Young AmeriTowne. Before the trip, students learned about economics and the ins and outs of running a business. They all had a chosen “occupation” before arriving, and the students were in charge of running…

By Amanda Merriman Young adults everywhere are just starting their first semester at college, away from home. Umergency is an app that aims to ease the transition for students and their families. This app links students to critical resources as well as family and friends in the event of a medical or safety emergency. Umergency…

By Elise Brassell; map courtesy of Douglas County The Douglas County Board of County Commissioners (Board) is keeping busy evaluating proposals to continue growth within our county. In late September alone, the Board considered project plans for Sterling Ranch, Dransfeldt Road, The Pinery, Devil’s Head Metropolitan District, Rock Canyon, The Village at Castle Pines and…

Blind and adorable, this little black puppy (that does not look like it will be little when grown) went home with two loving older adults and their other dog, Frank Sinatra (pictured above left). Article and photos by Patte Smith In the July 2018 issue of The Connection, the article “Starting over with pets means…

By Lynn Zahorik The beautiful Charles Schwab conference center in Lone Tree was host to the second annual Senior Law and Safety Summit on September 15. Presented by the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office the event was designed to help older people and those who care for them be proactive in protecting themselves against those…

Caption by Lynn Zahorik; photo courtesy of Allen Chapman The Rock Canyon High School Fire Science program participated once again in the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb at Red Rocks Amphitheatre on September 11. The event served as an inspirational opportunity for the class to learn about the culture of the fire and emergency services and…

By Susan Helton; photos courtesy of Julie Matuszewski With blankets and folding chairs ready, new and returning Timber Trail Elementary (TTE) families gathered for TTE’s first family outdoor movie night Friday, August 17. The Timber Trail Education Alliance (TTEA) hosted this free event to thank and give back to the families of TTE who volunteer…

Caption and photos courtesy of Katie Abner Buffalo Ridge Elementary (BRE) hosted its annual Back-to-School Carnival on Friday, August 24. Bounce houses, dessert walk, K9 demonstration, tattoo artists, dessert trucks and lots of fun for our BRE community.

By Lisa Crockett A big part of eating healthy is thinking ahead. A long day combined with a fridge full of ingredients that need to be prepped and cooked, generally ends with a visit from the pizza delivery driver. Stock your fridge with good-for-you meal options (like the roasted sweet potatoes on previous page). Believe…

By Amanda Merriman Connection writer Amanda Merriman admits she is hopelessly addicted to books. It has been this way nearly all her life. Every month she shares what she has been reading with the hope that others will share in the obsession too. Shifting away from World War II and Paris, this month I bring…

Information provided by the Douglas County Kinship Navigator Program Are you caring for your grandchild, niece or nephew, cousin or other relative children in your home? The Douglas County Kinship Navigator Program works to support families who have taken in and are caring for a relative’s child. This collaborative program between Douglas County Department of…

Easy to whip up gluten-free/paleo sweet potato pancakes. Article and photo by Catalin Varela Gluten-free baking is both an art and a science, but definitely not impossible to master. With the chillier months upon us, don’t be afraid to experiment with the gluten-free world. If you aren’t gluten-free yourself, I’m sure your gluten-free friends/family/neighbors would…