by Glendale Sports Center | Aug 26, 2022 | Glendale City News
by Elias Jacobson, for the YMCA of Metro Denver
Many people encounter times in their lives where things get really rough. My difficult period came about 10 years ago. I had lost my sister suddenly, and a short time later my brother was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer, so I decided to move my life from California to Denver to support my parents. To cope with the stress coming at me from everywhere, I developed some unhealthy habits and soon found that my health and well-being had been severely impacted. In 2018 my brother passed away, and my doctor told me a Type II Diabetes diagnosis was imminent unless I took immediate action.
I realized that I needed to make significant changes in order to reclaim my physical and mental health. I yearned to get back to being physically fit and mentally sharp. I was blessed with longevity genes, if and only if, I took care of them! As a kid, I attended summer baseball camps and swim programs at the University Hills YMCA. I had enjoyed the Y’s diverse offering of programs growing up, and I made many friends. Those positive memories led me to check-out the Y’s adult programs. I knew the Y would support me in developing a long-term wellness plan with a full array of classes and staff to ensure long-lasting, sustainable results.
When I was younger, I loved long-distance cycling, so it was a great place to begin my journey back to health. The off-street trails located near my home made it a safe, easy way to ride anywhere in town. I started seeing the health benefits almost immediately, and the more I rode, the more I was motivated to continue my cycling. I also began to meet like-minded fitness friends at the Y. The camaraderie further motivated me to continue this healthy lifestyle choice, leading to my first 50 lbs of weight loss! It became easier to keep myself motivated as time went on.
In 2021, I joined the Y’s year-long Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) where participants are supported by a Lifestyle Coach and peer group in losing weight, learning about diabetes-specific nutrition, becoming more active, managing stress, and staying motivated. This program was exactly what I needed to augment my return to bicycling. The program helped me get my A1C under control, and I have maintained a healthy A1C range ever since with the great tips I learned through the program.
I also joined the Y’s Power Your Potential (PYP) program, a 12-week small group training experience. I loved that the program included an outstanding fitness coach along with super supportive teammates who, like me, were older and struggling with similar health and wellness issues. There was a strong nutritional component with this program as well. The Y’s nutrition staff is conversant with every diet obstacle you could face. The healthy tips and tricks they provide help you safely navigate the ins and outs of fast-food restaurants and grocery stores. This comprehensive nutritional support helped me reeducate myself on how to shop, prepare, and consume a balanced healthy diet.
I am grateful for the Y’s health and wellness programs, because they helped me regain my physical strength, renewed my energy, and helped give me a positive mental outlook. Moreover, they provided an accepting and comfortable place to form a supportive community devoted to staying healthy. I found the home-away-from-home I had been searching for at the Y. My Y friends are great influences and motivators. We keep each other accountable to our goals, yet we’re there to support a teammate with helpful suggestions whenever they have a setback.
When I started my journey back to a healthier, happier me, I weighed 280 lbs. Through lifestyle changes and the Y’s diverse health and wellness offerings, I’m proud to have achieved a total weight loss of 90 lbs. There were other unexpected benefits too; my knee pain slowly diminished because I wasn’t hammering my knees with the extra 90 lbs. That was a huge WOW for me! My friends who had been through knee replacement and the strenuous post-surgery physical therapy said if they could do it over they would have tried a diet and fitness approach first.
With the Y’s multi-faceted wellness improvement programs, the Y will be my “go-to” resource for maintaining the goals I’ve accomplished to date. Between the state-of-the-art EGYM, DPP, and PYP, I now find myself at the Y four times a week. I haven’t felt this good in over 10 years, and I attribute this to the ongoing motivation achieved through self-reflection, connections with like-minded people, and a sense of belonging to a community committed to lifelong health and wellness.
Each goal I completed along my path had a cumulative effect on my overall motivation — it only got stronger. It’s wonderful to know that the Y has been there for me all these years — from summer camps as a kid to helping me regain my health as a 70-year-old adult. With a wide range of activities and programs, the YMCA of Metro Denver is truly a welcoming and transformative place where any person can discover their own unique path to health and wellbeing.
Interested in the YMCA’s Power Your Potential program? There’s still time to register — visit denverymca.org/programs /fitness-programs/power-your-potential.
by Mark Smiley | Jul 27, 2022 | Travel
Lady Bug: The Ladybug is big and strong (but doesn’t realize it) and full of life. Unlike all the other insects in the community she is not part of a family. She’s all alone and lonely, and she’s secretly waiting for something wonderful to happen in her life—something like love. When The Foreigner arrives carrying a strange egg she’s excited by the possibility that her life – and everyone else’s – could be about to change.
Triumphant Return: Cirque du Soleil returns to Denver for the first time in three years. Cirque Ovo will be at the ball Arena from September 8-11.
Ovo Show at Ball Arena Will Be First in Front of Denver Audiences Since Corteo in August 2019
By Mark Smiley
Cirque du Soleil returns to Colorado with its high-energy and high-acrobatic production OVO. Ovo is an exciting Cirque du Soleil experience, that features an intrusion into a new day in the life of insects; a non-stop show of energy and movement. Cirque du Solei shows are famous for their acrobatics and this show is no exception, highlighting the unique personalities and abilities of selected insect species. OVO explores the beauty of biodiversity in all its contrasts and vibrancy. From mighty crickets bouncing off trampolines to a hypnotic spider contorting inside her web, OVO exudes extraordinary showmanship.
“We’re very excited to be coming back especially after the last couple of years that we all had to experience around the world,” said Janie Mallet, Cirque OVO Publicist. “This show has a high acrobatic level and lots of variety. It really is a nice story about friendship, curiosity, exclusivity and love.”
Ovo has been out since 2009. It was first created for the big top and then in 2016, transformed for the arena shows. After what Cirque calls “Intermission” during the COVID-19 pandemic, the team of 100 artists, musicians, and backstage personnel which comprises 25 different nationalities, worked on the show for 3 months before hitting the road again. The artists especially had to find creative ways to stay in top physical shape during the pandemic and the three months of preparation allowed for them to get in that top form. Since its opening in Montreal in 2009, OVO has performed in fr
High Wire Act: Through show-stopping acrobatics highlighting the unique personalities and abilities of selected insect species, OVO explores the beauty of biodiversity in all its contrasts and vibrancy.
ont of more than 7 million people in 155 cities in 26 different countries.
Cirque began performing in front of live audiences in June 2021 in Las Vegas. The shows under the big top re-launched last Fall and how the arena shows are back. “People have been craving live entertainment,” said Mallet. “They’re so supportive and so vocal and so present with us. It’s been amazing coming back and performing live.”
OVO will perform in Colorado at: Budweiser Events Center in Loveland from August 26 to 28, 2022, Broadmoor World Arena in Colorado Springs from September 1 to 4, 2022 and the Ball Arena in Denver from September 8 to 11, 2022. Visit cirquedusoleil.com/ovo for more information and to purchase tickets. Follow #OVOCirque and #cirquedusoleil on social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.
Photo Credit : Pat Beaudry, Max Bocanegra, Randy Cremean & Vlad Lorenzo
by Mark Smiley | Jul 22, 2022 | General Featured
by Mark Smiley
Durable: The Carl Friedrik Carry-on Pro’s wheels move 360 degrees and are silent and durable. Its hard-shell makes it a nearly indestructible piece of luggage without sacrificing style.
Inside The Suitcase: Each side is an open compartment equipped with compression straps.
The Carl Friedrik Carry-on Pro, a polycarbonate carry-on suitcase, is intended for professional travelers and even the casual one that is spending a few nights away from home. This carry-on bag is one of the sturdiest on the market with its hard-shell exterior. Even with its sturdy construction, it is a stylish piece of luggage.
It features a rugged metal frame to create a sturdy and robust structure but with soft, premium Italian leather detailing. The wheels move 360 degrees, are silent and durable, and are made by Hinomoto, a company which, according to obsessive fliers, is a standard-bearer of quality caster-making.
On the outside of the bag, travelers will find a convenient pocket, making it easy to access electronics and travel documents. On a quick trip to a local resort, we used the outside pocket for a tablet but that slot is also large enough to fit a laptop computer. The bag is secured by combination locks, intended to keep valuables safe and protected when traveling.
Outside The Suitcase: On the outside of the bag, travelers will find a convenient pocket, making it easy to access electronics and travel documents.
Small in size, the Carl Friedrik Carry-on Pro meets the standard cabin restrictions for most U.S. and European carry-on dimensions. The bag also features a removable compression pad which can be used with the provided compression straps. There is a separate laptop compartment, a smaller pocket, and an area to store pens and chargers. The bag even features an optional outside USB charging port and battery to keep mobile phones and laptops running throughout the day.
Internally, each side is an open compartment equipped with compression straps. It includes one removable compression pad with a pocket, to be used in tandem with the compression straps.
For those in the market for a small carry-on suitcase that will stand the test of time and is made from quality materials, consider the Carl Friedrik Carry-on Pro. Visit www.carlfriedrik.com for more information or to purchase one of their suitcases.
by Charles Bonniwell | Jul 22, 2022 | Editorials
Phil Anschutz
The extraordinary party primary season wrapped up on June 28, 2022. In Colorado, practically only the Republican Party continues to hold contested primaries. When a political seat opens many Democrats will enter but by the time of the primary only one candidate runs in the final primary. There are exceptions of course. In Congressional District 3 there was a battle to take on Republican and current Congresswoman Lauren Boebert, which was won by Adam Frisch, and in State House District 6 radically progressive Elizabeth Epps nosed out run of the mill progressive Katie March.
But the Republican primary is the only contested game in town for many positions, so everyone plays in it from Republicans to Democrats to unaffiliated voters and donors. If you are an unaffiliated voter in Colorado, you get both Republican and Democratic primary ballots but can only vote one.
The unaffiliated voters are the biggest group in the state, dwarfing Republicans and Democrats. It used to be that the unaffiliated voted more often in the Democrat primary but in 2022, with few actual choices in the Democrat primary, they flooded into the Republican primary. In some counties there were more unaffiliated voters in the Republican primary than Republicans. In the 3rd Congressional District over 3,000 Democrats re-registered as unaffiliated so they could vote against Congresswoman Lauren Boebert, and for teacher union’s favorite Republican, State Sen. Don Coram.
Earlier in the primary season at the assembly level, grassroots Republicans routed the establishment Republicans funded by Colorado’s richest man, billionaire Phil Anschutz. Republican leaders like Congressman Ken Buck and State House leader Hugh McKean almost didn’t make the ballot. Other leading establishment Republicans simply paid canvassing firms to petition to get on the final primary ballot as allowed by Colorado law.
The Republican grassroots candidates seldom have any money while the establishment candidates have the millions of dollars Phil Anschutz is willing to contribute. But this year, money poured in for grassroots Republicans from national Democratic groups on the theory that the Republican grassroots candidates would be easier to beat in the general. Never in the history of Colorado politics had so much money been spent for primaries.
On primary day with unaffiliated voters flooding into the Republicans, it was a Phil Anschutz wave. Virtually every establishment candidate won, and every grassroots candidate lost, often by narrow margins. Congresswoman Lauren Boebert who was endorsed by Former President Donald Trump won but she had long made peace with the establishment when she went to Washington.
Normally Republicans must depend on their volunteers to help get out the message and the vote, but many of those people are grassroots. For Anschutz no problem. He has indirectly gotten Victor’s Canvassing out of Colorado Springs to hire people at $15 to $30 an hour to go door to door this election cycle.
Where does that leave grassroots Republicans? Up the creek without a paddle as usual since Phil Anschutz started playing in Colorado politics decades ago and probably well before. In the general election you can vote Democrat or Anschutz Democrat light or go third party. The choice is yours.
by Glendale Sports Center | Jul 22, 2022 | Glendale City News
by Marlana Krulish, State Director, Youth in Government, YMCA of Metro Denver
For nearly 75 years, the YMCA of Metro Denver Youth in Government program has offered local teens a transformative opportunity to learn more about our democracy and how government shapes the lives of everyone around us.
Over the course of three days, 60 kids from middle schools and high schools across the state of Colorado gather at the State Capitol to take part in a mock legislative program. Participants get to experience what it is like to be a legislator, lobbyist, judge, or journalist while gaining the skills, confidence, and connections to become the future leaders of our community.
The Youth in Government program kicks off with a pre-legislative session where attendees collaborate with their peers with similar assigned roles and meet their nominated presiding officers, including — Governor, Lt. Governor, Speaker of the House, President of the Senate, Attorney General, Chief Justice, and Editor-in-Chief. A local judge then makes it official as each member is sworn in at the start of the first official day of the General Assembly.
Over the course of the next three days, students debate the bills and vote on their respective committees before going in front of the full voting bodies of the mock legislature. Participants learn about the Colorado State Constitution first-hand as they apply it to every decision and aspect of the process while meeting the professional standards expected of real-life lawmakers and stakeholders.
Each year, one of the highlights of the program is the YMCA National Youth Assembly held in Washington, D.C. Hosted by the Student Governors elected in each state, the event provides a platform for connection as participants from across America meet other youth leaders, share knowledge, and adopt new ideas to take back to their respective home states.
The return of the in-person National Youth Assembly in June offered a unique opportunity to Colorado students Robert Erickson and Marcus Centeno from Gold Crown Clubhouse in Edgewater. Recognized for designing a tool for Colorado Children’s Hospital to better serve special needs patients with distance learning, Robert and Marcus became the first Denver YMCA beneficiaries to receive the Changemakers Grant from Amazon, which gave them the opportunity to attend this year’s event.
Although the practical knowledge that Youth in Government provides is invaluable, what makes the program so impactful is the community that it creates. Despite being too young to vote, teens that have a passion for making a difference in their community have a place where they can come together and connect with other future changemakers.
To learn more about the YMCA Youth in Government program and the upcoming session on November 20-23, 2022, at the Colorado State Capitol, visit www.denver ymca.org/yig.
by Glendale Sports Center | Jun 26, 2022 | Glendale City News
by Sue Glass, President & CEO, YMCA of Metropolitan Denver
body, mind and spirit word abstract in letterpress wood type against grained wood
This spring, I marked my 50th birthday, and I declared to the world my intention to complete an IRONMAN to commemorate my milestone birthday. It has been a couple of months now, and my training is in full gear. In the last 30 days, I completed 2,160 exercise minutes (36 hours!). My longest distance ride was 41 miles, run 9 miles, and swim .71 of a mile.
Why would I subject myself to such insanity, you might ask? The answer is simple, yet complex.
Throughout my life I have faced many hardships and life-altering circumstances. Looking back, I never expected to be where I am today, leading a committed team at one of the most inspiring organizations in the world. Those grueling, painful, lonely, and harrowing circumstances I endured produced in myself grit and determination to overcome obstacles. They taught me how to push through pain and discomfort, to rise above the challenges, and to not be defined by my circumstances but be defined by my God-given purpose. It was a long faith journey — filled with pain and forgiveness, perseverance and resilience, healing and self-acceptance.
Reflecting back, my journey was incumbent on three interdependent critical factors: my faith, my mindset, and my physical health. My spiritual journey led to my physical and mental transformation. That is why I’m passionate about the mission of the YMCA, which is all about developing healthy spirit, mind, and body.
Wellness is a full integration of physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Today, we are in the middle of a mental health crisis. Over the past 10 years and during the COVID-19 pandemic, people have experienced high levels of isolation, grief, and a shift in their normal routines. The Y can be a transformative place where we can learn and practice resilience, as well as adapt and cope despite tough and stressful times. We can practice connecting with ourselves and others, and learn new coping skills that help us thrive.
To support the mental health of people in the Denver metro area, the Y is investing in programs and creating caring spaces to help our community spend time together, have fun, and feel connected to something greater than themselves. These “third places,” a place to belong in addition to home and work, are so essential when navigating the ups and downs of life!
So, what does all of this have to do with IRONMAN? The journey to the IRONMAN parallels our life’s journey: it is grueling, painful, and in some respects lonely. Yet going through the training, we learn skills to push ourselves out of our comfort zone, face our own insecurities, overcome failures, test our resilience, push our limits, and test our physical and mental state. And when the race is complete, we emerge triumphant, stronger, more confident, and limitless. The key is caring for our spirit, mind, and body. The Y is there to support your journey.
I encourage you to check-out the YMCA Metro Denver’s offerings (denverymca.org) to see how our programs can benefit you both physically and mentally. Beyond our numerous fitness class offerings, the Y also provides many programs to help individuals develop and maintain positive mental health, helping to enable individuals to cope with stress, be productive, and contribute in a meaningful way to their families, workplaces, and communities. The Y is here for you!
