The Connection

By Lynne Marsala Basche; photos courtesy of Anna Spitzer Timber Trail Elementary (TTE) staff and Castle Pines resident Anna Spitzer believe that children should be introduced to helping others early. Last year, when Spitzer saw an opportunity at TTE to encourage giving throughout the school, she was eager to get started. Since then, TTE has…

Team Stutler has been participating in the annual JBR Denver for more than ten years. Michelle Stutler of Cerney Circle, who battles rheumatoid arthritis, brings friends and family from Castle Pines and the surrounding area together each year but had a record turnout this year with 20 people and seven dogs! Article and photos by…

For the purposes of this publication, the entire 80108 ZIP code (pictured in yellow to the right) is considered “Castle Pines” and is part of our saturation mailing for all single family homes and businesses. Because the U.S. Postal Service periodically reconfigures the courier routes for area ZIP codes, our distribution sometimes changes unexpectedly. If…

Information provided by IREA Intermountain Rural Electric Association’s (IREA) board of directors has approved a rate refund totaling $8.4 million that appeared as credits on most customers’ electricity bills in December. The board’s action passes through to customers a wholesale rate refund received by the cooperative this year. The average residential customer will see a…

Article and photo by Lisa Nicklanovich Womenade, a group of women “making lemonade out of life’s lemons,” celebrated the season December 5 and raised more than $2,000 for families in need. Leslie Beauchamp of Bell Mountain Ranch hosted the well-attended event, and everyone enjoyed the holiday decorations and themed trees throughout Beauchamp’s home. Womenade holds…

The Connection staff enjoyed a festive holiday party at Maggiano’s Little Italy – top row, left to right: Nancy Koontz, writer; Lynne Marsala Basche, managing editor; Joe Gschwendtner, writer; Heidi Lewellyn, proofreader; Terri Wiebold, publisher; Liz Rector, writer; Sandy Gamble, account manager; Kathy Fallert, writer and proofreader, John Basche, writer, Laura Gooding, account manager and…

Photo by Terri Wiebold Castle Rock Bank has officially merged with Guaranty Bank, and the new signage at the Castle Pines branch makes it official! Pictured left to right: Marilyn, Caroline, Jayne, Sara and Terry – one bank, one community!

By Amanda Merriman It is embarrassing to admit that despite living in Colorado for most of the past 25 years, I still cannot name a majority of the mountains that make up our western skyline. I can point out Pikes Peak, so all is not lost, I suppose. I recently made it my goal to…

The Breakfast Club, which is for single men and woman who are 50 and older, meets monthly at The Ridge at Castle Pines. By John Basche; photo courtesy of Barbara Auty For those of us who grew up in a certain era, “The Breakfast Club” conjures up a cinematic coming-of-age story where seemingly unconnected characters…

The Green Gals, from top left to bottom right Piper Landon, Hailey Van Auken, Sadie Rowe, Charleigh Gibson, Devon Wilkins and Kaitlin Hicks. The team’s Lexus Eco Challenge project focused around the use of reusable versus nonreusable bags. By Kira Zizzo, RCHS intern writer; photo courtesy of Rachel Cook In a nationwide contest sponsored by…

By Lynn Zahorak; photo courtesy of The Castle Pines Arts and Cultural Foundation The Castle Pines Arts and Cultural Foundation (CPACF) once again hosted “An Evening with John Fielder” in early December at the Castle Pines Community Center. Residents enjoyed “A Colorado Winter” slideshow, which showcased Fielder’s magnificent winter photography. Thirty percent of book sales…

BRE kindergartners showed off their vocal chords when 7News stopped by the school on December 5 to video the kids for later holiday broadcasts. By Kathy Fallert; photo courtesy of Corin Meibos 7News popped into Buffalo Ridge Elementary (BRE) on Tuesday, December 5 to video Sherri Rumminger’s kindergarten class as they sang with the school’s…

Article and cutline by Lisa Nicklanovich Rina Castanon’s (pictured in center in red) annual ornament exchange luncheon is looked forward to by many in the Forest Park neighborhood and surrounding area. One guest purchased her ornament the day after the event last year in anticipation! On December 8, long-time and new neighborhood friends came together…

Members of the Green Raptors pose with the Air Force Academy mascot. From Left to right: Sofia Bonnstetter, Luke Armstrong, Maddex McKinzie, Jack Sutherland, Charlie Abner, Alex Huser, Connor Wolff, Davis Moon, Brandon Pillsbury and Luke O’Brien. By Daniel Williams; photo courtesy of Andrea Moon When Air Force played Division II Western State Colorado in…

Information provided by DCS Montessori An experiment by DCSM students ended with success aboard a sub-orbital rocket. DCS Montessori partnered with DreamUp, a leading provider of space-based educational opportunities, to develop a custom curriculum. They used the flight opportunity as a teaching moment and engaged as many students as possible with elements of the payload…

By Michelle Post Do you know the saying, “failing to plan, is planning to fail?” Not writing goals for one’s business each year is planning to fail. Goals produce confidence, focus and increase productivity. Goals can also motivate you and empower you to keep moving forward, no matter the obstacles you face. Step-1: Write SMART…

RCHS students Zoë Zizzo, Hannah Stephenson, and Isabella Broome distributed paper pinwheels to the school to raise awareness of child abuse during Kindness Week Article and photo by Sarah Bermingham, RCHS intern writer To celebrate the holiday season and give back to the community, Rock Canyon High School (RCHS) Random Acts of Positivity club (RAP)…

Brooke Boyles credits her dog Phoebe with helping her manage the day-to-day challenges of Lyme disease.  By Lynne Marsala Basche; photos courtesy of the Boyles family When Brooke Boyles was six years old and her family was living in Texas, she noticed a spider bite with a bull’s eye around it on her right knee.…

Information provided by Douglas County A 14 percent increase in Douglas County’s registered voters has triggered the need to adjust voter precinct boundaries. The increase required, by state law, that precinct boundaries be redrawn prior to the 2018 Caucus, Primary and General Election. The precinct changes will be effective February 1, with precinct numbers updated…

On December 16, more than 60 people, including Jim Nikkel, district manager for the Castle Pines North Metropolitan District, Mayor elect Tera Radloff, Timber Trail Elementary students and the community, participated in a ribbon-cutting celebration for several new pieces of playground equipment at Coyote Ridge Park, which were recommended by the students. By Lynne Marsala…

The new RCHS wrestling coach, Reid Heller, who was a wrestler in high school and in college, and also has been a coach for more than 10 years. Article and photo by Jack Hibbett, RCHS intern writer Earlier in the year, Rock Canyon High School (RCHS) officially invited its wrestlers to an open mat where…

By Lynne Marsala Basche; photos courtesy of DCS Montessori School DCS Montessori School (DCSM) continued its annual tradition of hosting a Holiday Gift Shop. Ryoko Futasani’s fourth through sixth grade classrooms ran the Holiday Gift Shop, which featured handmade gifts by the students. Items were available for purchase by other students, DCSM staff and parents.…

Article and photo by Lisa Crockett A new year has arrived, and that means it is time to get back on track. More than a month of butter, cream, flour and sugar are again on the books. As always, it was a lot of fun. As always, I’m ready for the clean slate that January…

Seventh-grader Sarah Tepsic, who played Anne, received her famed diary from her father Mr. Frank, played by eighth-grader Jared Engerman. By Liz Rector; photos courtesy of American Academy There were moments during the play, “The Diary of Anne Frank,” where it was easy to forget you were sitting in a school in Colorado rather than…

By Lynne Marsala Basche; photo courtesy of Julie Dean Lamb On Tuesday, November 28, 2017, the Douglas County School District (DCSD) officially welcomed its newly-elected school board members as they were sworn into office at the Board of Education meeting. Pictured left to right are Anthony Graziano, Kevin Leung, Christina Ciancio-Schor, Krista Holtzmann, David Ray,…

Aven A. and Kate H. sold vanilla steamers with the support of big brother Matt H. to earn money for their adopted family’s gifts. Buffalo Ridge Elementary (BRE) second graders took a field trip in December. It was not your typical field trip; the students went to Target to shop for the families their classes…

By Daniel Williams; photo by Terri Wiebold By now you have probably heard that In-N-Out Burger, the California burger joint with the cult following, is expanding to Colorado. But if your mouth begins to water upon hearing that news, you might want to temper your enthusiasm. According to Denny Warnick, vice president of operations for…

  By Susan Helton; photos courtesy of DMNS Have a passion for nature, culture and science? Indulge that passion with a visit to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science (DMNS). Whether for just a couple of hours, or for the whole day, the museum is an excellent place to explore, especially when the weather…

Castle Pines Boy Scout Troop 316 recently honored three new Eagle Scouts at a Court of Honor ceremony held at Kirk Hall at the Douglas County Fairgrounds. The honorees were Dylan Armstrong of Castle Pines, Joshua Bullock of Castle Pines Village, and William Gray of Highlands Ranch, and they join an elite club. By Daniel…

Photos courtesy of Sierra The Connection staff was thrilled to join Sierra in Lone Tree for its ribbon cutting ceremony and soft opening on December 14. The upscale wood fired kitchen served up amazing cuisine in addition to some stunning views. The interior decor was as beautiful as the exterior architecture, and the much-anticipated opening…

By Lynn Zahorik; photos courtesy of Katie Abner and Lindsay Matthews Who would have thought entering a pet photo contest could lead to adding a new member to the family? Last December, the Abner family’s 10-year-old son, Andrew, entered his guinea pig Cosmo into The Connection’s Cutest Pet in the Pines photo contest. To their…

CPVGC members Renee Newfield, Beth Hernandez, Liz Lively and Linda Preston. A view of Cherokee Ranch & Castle’s festive dining room from loft during the annual CPVGC’s annual holiday party. By Lynne Marsala Basche; photos courtesy of Elizabeth Lively On Friday, December 1, the Castle Pines Village Garden Club (CPVGC) held its annual holiday party…

Information provided by the City of Castle Pines The City of Castle Pines cordially invites you to attend the final City Council meeting for outgoing members, and the inauguration of new members, on Monday, January 8, 2018, at 6:00 p.m. at 360 Village Square Lane. Immediately following the 6:00 p.m. meeting, stick around for a…

By Lisa Crockett It is the time of year when a lot of us are thinking about ways to improve our health, save money and decrease the amount of waste we contribute to the world. Planning meals ahead of time is a great way to accomplish all three of these goals. As an added bonus,…

By Lynne Marsala Basche; photos courtesy of Karin Miller and Whitney Shank Santa may not have brought his reindeer when he visited The Ridge at Castle Pines North on December 9, but he and Mrs. Claus continued the Castle Pines Chamber of Commerce annual Holly Jolly Breakfast with Santa tradition with an abundance of holiday…

Students work virtually with a scientist from the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. By Susan Helton; photos courtesy of eDCSD Because students learn in different ways and can need different environments to thrive academically, the Douglas County School District (DCSD) offers options to help families find the educational program best fitting their child. One…

A number of people from the 80108 ZIP code and surrounding area are turning to flight clubs in effort to earn their private pilots license. Some are learning to fly as a career choice while others are seeking an adventurous new hobby. Pictured above is 2017 Rock Canyon High School graduate Grace Beall, who began…

The Ms. Colorado Senior America Pageant is coming to the Lone Tree Art Center on May 26, 2018. Information provided by Shari Ortiz, MCSA vice president The Ms. Colorado Senior America (MCSA) Pageant is coming to Douglas County, and applications for contestants are now being accepted. The pageant will be held on Saturday, May 26…

By Patte Smith Clever and fun event ideas never seem to cease at Douglas County Libraries – Castle Pines. For 2018, a few of the very enthusiastic staff members joined together and designed a monthly, year-long program that will be launched in January – The Great Outdoors. Thought about keeping chickens? In February, learn how…

By Lynne Marsala Basche; photos courtesy of Anna Mallinson On November 15, the annual fifth-grade Thanksgiving lunch took place at Timber Trail Elementary (TTE). Approximately 200 parents and grandparents participated in the traditional feast with the students. Courtesy of the number of diners, the festivities expanded into the library and the central area of the…

Amie Chitwood of Castle Pines at the Adventure Unlimited Ranches in Buena Vista, CO. The organization operates summer youth camps, adult and family programs and a secular program called 100 Elk Outdoor Center. Chitwood shares stories about experiences participants have had in the programs as part of marketing for the organization’s Foundation. By Lisa Nicklanovich;…

Article and photos by Patte Smith Buffalo Ridge Elementary School fourth and fifth graders bopped, rocked and twisted the night away on Friday, November 10 at the annual BRE Sock Hop. With a flashy light show provided by the DJ and great oldies and new mixes of songs, the kids bopped and grooved while several…

By Lynne Marsala Basche For the past eight years, the Community First Foundation and FirstBank have teamed up to promote online giving and philanthropy in Colorado. Colorado Gives Day, which begins at 12 a.m. on December 5, is targeted to increase donations to local nonprofit organizations. On this one day, people throughout Colorado are encouraged…

By Lisa Crockett Friends, neighbors and co-workers. We’ve all got ‘em, and this time of year is the season when we all wonder what to give them. Here are some tasty ideas – many of which can be assembled with little or no time in the kitchen– to say “Happy Holidays” to the people on…

Article and photos by Kathy Fallert Buffalo Ridge Elementary fifth-graders and parents enjoyed a fabulous Thanksgiving feast at the school on Wednesday, November 15. Served up by Principal John Veit and Assistant Principal Jen Murdock, there was plenty of turkey, gravy, and fixings to be enjoyed by all.

Information provided by the Douglas County School District Leaders from the Douglas County School District (DCSD) and the City of Lone Tree unveiled the newly purchased Douglas County Opportunities Center in November. The renovated building will now be home to DCSD’s evening high school, Eagle Academy, as well as DCSD’s Child Find and Bridge programs.…

By Amanda Merriman Christmas is such a magical time of year, especially when you have children in the house. Portable North Pole (PNP) has an app that can be incorporated into your family holiday traditions to enrich that experience. What makes PNP so special is that Santa and his elves use it to send messages…

Article and photo by Lisa Crockett I’ve never known exactly what a sugarplum is, but if I were to invent one, it would look something like this month’s dessert. This simple and sweet meringue Christmas wreath, topped in snowy drifts of whipped cream and sugar-frosted cranberries is practically torn from the pages of a Dickens…

Shreya Behera, Juliana Neufeld and Allison McDonald utilize art supplies to make cards for Jacob Thompson, a young boy who is fighting a rare form of cancer. By Liz Rector; photos courtesy of Eric Ptolemy and the Thompson family Maine residents Roger Thompson and Michelle Thompson Simard are the proud parents of nine-year-old Jacob Thompson,…

Our last year’s winner – Marley Thompson (taking a selfie) The Castle Pines Connection has teamed up with The Pet Stuff Place, As You Wish Pet Sitters and Happy Tails to bring you the fifth annual Cutest Pet in the Pines contest! We invite you to share your digitally-captured pet adventures with us. Send in…

Castle Pines resident Lynda Hernandez helped to pass out 6,000 pairs of socks at the Toy Shop Event on December 3, 2016. The Sock It To ‘Em campaign collects new socks for those experiencing homelessness. By Lisa Nicklanovich; photo courtesy of Susan Elizabeth Lee Temperatures are dropping, and did you know the number one clothing…

Grandkids enjoying swinging in the snow on Christmas day 2015. Article and photo by Patte Smith Being part of “The Next Chapter” generation so to speak, I get to interact with my Colorado grandchildren quite a bit. As grandparents, aunts and uncles of kids and teens, we “olderish” folks might feel we cannot connect with…

By Daniel Williams For most people, the month of December will be a whirlwind of activity with days and nights filled with shopping, feasting, traveling and maybe even a little caroling thrown in for good measure. With all the frenetic activity going on around the holiday season, do not get distracted from your financial goals.…

“No ocean no worries;” that’s the motto of the Stoic & Genuine seafood and oyster bar in Denver’s Union Station. With Santa Claus shortly on his way for the annual parade of lights and the beautiful lighting that adorns the Denver Courthouse building, why not treat the family to a fabulous seafood meal at Stoic…

By Susan Helton Many places of worship in the Castle Pines community offer celebrations this holiday season: Canyons Community Church 4825 Crowfoot Valley Road, Castle Rockwww.canyonscc.org Christmas Eve worship services: December 24 at 2p.m. and 4 p.m. Castle Oaks Covenant Church 826 Park Street, Castle Rockwww.castleoaks.org Christmas Eve candle lighting service: December 24 at 5…

Retired U.S. Marine Corps Colonel Roger Ryman is passionate about supporting the Toys for Tots program and he is working to keep efforts alive in the Castle Pines community. Article and photo by Joe Gschwendtner Castle Pines Village resident Roger Ryman is a retired colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps who, along with other community…

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, my neighborhood book club chose Margaret Atwood’s thought-provoking novel, “The…

Castle Pines resident Jeannine Bernardi, with the help of neighbor Rob Hay, recently released “A Friendship Forever,” a children’s book in honor of Trey McCleery (below) who passed away in 2014 at the age of 6. Bernardi and Hay will be signing copies of the book at Trey’s Annual Toy Drive on December 7 (see…

Information provided by CDOT The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is hosting two open houses focused on the I-25 South corridor, specifically the 18-mile stretch between Castle Rock and Monument known as “The Gap.” Since January, CDOT has been on an aggressive track to improve the road and develop a project to improve safety, mobility…

Information provided by the Douglas/Elbert Task Force Christmas morning can be especially sad for children when their parents are unable to buy them a gift. The Douglas/Elbert Task Force Adopt-A-Family program “Santa’s Sharing” helps by organizing sponsors for families in need. Individuals, businesses and groups willing to share the joy of the holidays are urged…

Article and photos by Kathy Fallert and courtesy of the Castle Pines Chamber of Commerce Top Golf in Centennial was the venue for the fun-filled Birdies, Bogies and Business golf event hosted by the Castle Pines Chamber of Commerce. The networking event, which had chamber members showing off their driving, hitting, and chipping skills, was…