OCN

Volunteers reporting on community issues in Monument, Palmer Lake, and the surrounding Tri-Lakes area

OCN > 2510 > Snapshots of Our Community

Snapshots of Our Community

TLWC blood drive, Aug. 25

Above: Tri-Lakes Women’s Club (TLWC) held its second blood drive on Aug. 25
at the Woodmoor Barn. In partnership with Vitalant, TLWC welcomed 38 donors
who came forward toim provide much-needed blood, aiding patients in overcoming
medical challenges and receiving critical care. Vitalant estimated that this drive’s
contributions can potentially save 114 lives. Summer is an especially critical time
for blood donations as the incidence of traumatic injuries rises and the number of
donors decreases. Additionally, large-scale emergencies and trauma events such
as floods, tornadoes, and wildfires create further demand for life-saving blood. In
the photo from left are Koko Pavich and Robbie Larson donating blood. Photo by
Steve Pate.

Lions Club book presentation

Above: The Tri-Lakes Lions Club monthly meeting on Sept. 3 featured a talk by John Howe and Michael Weinfeld, the co-authors of the book Shootouts, Killings, and War Heroes: The History Hidden in Monument Cemetery. About a dozen Lions Club members filled the back room at Calvert’s Mini-Market in Palmer Lake to hear the co-authors tell stories about the people buried in the cemetery and other facts about the graveyard. Howe spent 14 years and Weinfeld seven researching and updating the cemetery files located in Monument Town Hall. Photo by Gordon Reichal.

Monu-Palooza, Aug. 31

Above: On a sunny afternoon on Aug. 31, the ninth annual Monu-Palooza Music
Festival was held in Monument’s Limbach Park. The day-long festival band lineup
included Emily Hall, Cirkus, Sandy Wells, Mojo Filter, Matt Bloom Band, Ashtōnz,
and WireWood Station. Organizer and Ashtōnz band member Charlie Searle said it
was “actually the 11th annual pre-Labor Day music event. The first two events were
fundraisers, then we changed it to Monu-Palooza in year three.” Searle said over
200 tickets were pre-sold, and numerous walkups were entering throughout the
day. Searle said, “What makes this great is you can spend all day or just come for
your favorite band.” Searle said he appreciated the bands, vendor support, Mark
Daniels for sound engineering, and volunteers C.J. Luna, Morgan Hildebrand, and
his granddaughters Rowan and Salem for helping with the event. Matt Bloom from
Palmer Lake said, “Charlie does a great job promoting the concert, and it’s been a
terrific time each year we have performed here.” Photo by David Futey.

LPHS presents Clue, On Stage!

Above: Lewis-Palmer High School Theatre staged its fall production of Clue, On Stage! on Sept. 4-6. The production took the classic board game and movie and brought it to life on stage. Favorite characters like Miss Scarlet, Professor Plum, and Colonel Mustard were caught up in a hilarious whodunit full of twists and surprises. These talented students demonstrated how arts education builds creativity, confidence, collaboration, and a growth mindset—while boosting academic and emotional development. Our local schools have performances of music, theater, and sports that are open to the whole community at a reasonable price. Residents are encouraged to join the fun and bring the whole family. Stay up to date with D38 fine arts events at https://tinyurl.com/d3-fine-arts. Photo by Jackie Burhans.

Gleneagle Spirit 5K, Sept. 6

Above: On Sept. 6, the Gleneagle Spirit 5K Run/Walk returned after an 18-year hiatus. Mark Rudolph with ERA Shields Realty said, “I originally organized this race in 2005 and ran it by myself for three years, but it became too much for me. Then last year, I had six people show up at my front door, and they asked me to organize it again and would help.” Rudolph said, “We are looking for this to be a multi-year event and a legacy I want to leave with the community.” Blair Dinkins with EXP Realty co-organized it with Rudolph. The race events were a 5K walk, a children’s 1-mile race, and then the 5K runners’ race. The ages of the 183 total walkers and runners spanned from single digits to 85-year-old Jack Kiplinger. Volunteer team lead Bonnie Burckel said, “Scouting America Troop 194 helped with the course setup and were on the racecourse to guide the runners and walkers, and a number of Gleneagle residents helped with registration.” The top overall 5K male finisher was William Edwards (20:15.7) of Colorado Springs. The top overall 5K female finisher was Adaleigh Ross (24:12.9) of Colorado Springs. Photo by David Futey.

9-11 Remembrance

Above: Members of American Legion Post 9-11 and the Monument Police and Fire Departments, town officials, and citizens attended a remembrance of the 9/11 attacks at the Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Station. Among those attending from American Legion Post 9-11 were Commander Mike Christensen, Randy Fritz, Prayer Pastor Jim Bergeron, Mike Pietsch, Bill Miller, Ray Kinder, Chip Scharff, Yve Denison, Michael Keough, Anthony Trifuletti, Mark Tinkler, and Jim Wolf. The Fire Department members included Chief Andy Kovacs, Division Fire Chief Bumgarner, Division Fire Chief Bradley, Battalion Chief Coyle, Lt. Smith, Lt. Lance, Lt. Ragland, Engineer Rains, Engineer Schmidt, Firefighter Preedy, Firefighter Cox, and Firefighter Parker. Representing the Police Department were Chief Patrick Regan, Commander John Lupton, Commander Timothy Johnson, Lt. Mark Owens, Cpl. Hoeh, Officer Nyman, and Officer Leisberg. Also attending were Mayor Mitch LaKind, Town Manager Madeline VanDenHoek, and Town Council members Laura Kronick and Ken Kimple. Photo by Ray Kinder.

Rotary sponsors paddleboard race

Above: The Tri-Lakes Dynamic Rotary Club held its inaugural “Palmer Paddle” paddleboard race Sept. 7 at Palmer Lake to raise funds for community service projects. The 1.5-mile race featured youth and adult heats, with prizes and food trucks on site. Rock House Ice Cream donated 20% of race-day sales to support the club’s Warm Hugs initiative, which provides new winter coats to Tri-Lakes Cares clients. Sponsors included MVEA, The Mortgage Lady, Cutting Edge Realty, Local Landing, and Conexon Connect. Proceeds support Rotary programs such as free after-school math tutoring, scholarships, and coat giveaways. Rotary International has more than 1 million members in 45,000 clubs worldwide. Its mission includes promoting peace, fighting disease, supporting education, and protecting the environment. Learn more at www.tlrotary.com or facebook.com/TriLakesRotaryClub. Photo by Jackie Burhans.

Hatfield book signing, Sept. 20

Above: The book signing on Sept. 20 at Covered Treasures Bookstore featured Lisa Hatfield, author of To Ride a Storm Surge, a novel about a family riding out Hurricane Katrina in 2005. A family consisting of a young girl, her mother, and her grandmother fights to survive the worst hurricane in recent history. The third book in a series of Ready to Go? books, Hatfield strives to help families be prepared for any disaster. Hatfield brings the struggles of Hurricane Katrina to life. Pictured in photo are, from left, Lisa Hatfield, Caryl and Gordon Saunders, and Amy Curry. Go to lisahatfieldwriter.com for more information about this and the other books in the Ready to Go? series. Caption by Marlene Brown. Photo by Steve Pate.

D38 CIC Ribbon-Cutting, Sept. 17

Above: On Sept. 17, Lewis-Palmer School District 38 officially opened its Career and Innovation Center (CIC) with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Students have been learning in the facility since August, exploring welding and metalworking, skilled trades, robotics, engineering, aerospace, and the Transitions program. Phase 2 will add healthcare and computer science. The event marked the first public opportunity for community members, local leaders, state legislators, and partners to tour the building. Speakers included junior Dempsey Carnahan, Director of Communications Amy Matisek, Board of Education President Tiffiney Upchurch, and Superintendent Amber Whetstine. The Tri-Lakes Chamber of Commerce provided the ribbon and oversized scissors. After the ceremony, guests toured the facility, spoke with students and staff, and joined a scavenger hunt for CIC-branded prizes. Learn more at https://tinyurl.com/d38-cic-info. Photo by Jackie Burhans.

Monument Lake restrooms

Above: Bye-bye porta-potties, hello permanent restroom. The long-delayed restroom at Monument Lake was installed Sept. 19. The pre-fab building arrived on a flatbed truck and was lifted by a huge crane that gently lowered it into place. The project was supposed to be finished in June, but several equipment delays postponed completion. The facility has two unisex bathrooms that will be open year-round with heat in the winter. The existing porta-potties will be removed. About 75% of the project cost was picked up by a $117,000 grant from Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Photo by Michael Weinfeld.

Coffee with a Cop, Sept. 25

On Sept. 25, the Monument Police Department and Wesley Owens Coffee partnered up for Coffee with a Cop. This community-focused and law enforcement outreach event is designed to bring community members and local law enforcement officers together in a casual, welcoming environment. The goal is to give residents the opportunity to have meaningful conversations with police officers, ask questions about public safety, and discuss any concerns they might have and fostering mutual understanding. Photos by Erica Burt.

Above: Officer Leseberg and Sara Petrie discuss community issues.

Above: (L to R): Officer Reifel, Lieutenant Owens, Commander Johnson, Officer Leseberg, and Officer Regan.

Last 2025 Art Hop, Sept. 26

Above: Sept. 26 was the last Art Hop of the season, but local art events for the fall and holiday season are just beginning in our area for art lovers and artists, and our local art venues are happy to keep a gift registry on hand to make gift-giving and holiday giving easy. Here, owners of Bella Art and Frame Gallery, Joseph Jesse and Micaela Cimino are with the artist of the month, Jamie Wilke. Photo by Janet Sellers.

Donala Open House, Sept. 26

Above: The Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD), which serves Gleneagle and surrounding areas, held a community open house Sept. 26 in the parking lot of its Holbein Drive offices to share updates and thank customers for their support. Board members, staff, and consultants met with attendees. DWSD provided dinner from Kneaders while highlighting its 2025 projects, including the redrilling of Well 7D in the upper parking lot. Helen Malenda-Lawrence of LRE Water discussed the well’s role in the district’s infrastructure. Superintendent of Water Operations Ronny Wright led tours showing the original well site, the expanded parking lot, redrilled well, and the relocated electrical equipment designed for easier maintenance. The district offices have been closed since May due to drilling. DWSD thanked nearby customers for their patience and expects to reopen the offices soon. Photo by Jackie Burhans.

Skate Park mural, Sept. 27

Above: Town of Monument Planning and Public Works staff repainted a damaged community wall Sept. 27 at the Monument Skate Park, 500 Beacon Lite Road. Black Hills Energy sponsored the project. The team painted the wall black and used stencils of pine and aspen trees in fall colors. They applied mural paint and a protective coating to preserve the artwork and ease future cleanup. The original murals were created in October 2020 for Arts Month through a grant from the Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region. A local artist added additional murals in 2022. From left are volunteer Ginger Lewis, Parks and Trails Planner Cassie Olgren, Senior Mechanic Rod Enoch, Street Tech Gabriel Martinez, Planner Ray Medina, and Street Tech Shawn Farnham. Photo by Jackie Burhans.

Creek Week, Sept. 27

Above: Palmer Lake hosted its annual cleanup Sept. 27 as part of the Fountain Creek Watershed District’s 12th Creek Week, which runs Sept. 25-Oct. 5 across the 92-square-mile watershed from Palmer Lake to Pueblo. At its Sept. 25 meeting, the Board of Trustees read a proclamation recognizing Creek Week. Town staff, Parks and Trails Commission members, and community volunteers removed debris along Monument Creek, previously cut by Rocky Mountain Youth Corps volunteers. Public Works will collect the slash. Volunteers also refreshed paint in Glen Park’s play area. Learn more at fountain-crk.org and rockymountainyouthcorps.org. Photo by Jackie Burhans.

Palmer Lake new trustee reception

Above: Team members from Tri-Lakes Preservation put together a community reception on Sept. 26 at the Town Hall Gazebo on the Village Green ahead of the Palmer Lake Board of Trustees meeting swearing-in ceremony. Attendees welcomed Beth Harris and Roger Moseley with a live flute and piano performance by Joseph Liberti and Steve Draper along with homemade cookies and pastries by Chef Gene Kalesti. Non-alcoholic refreshments were served. Well-wishers included representatives from the Monument Town Council as well as friends and family. Photo by Jackie Burhans.

Palmer Lake 0.5K, Sept. 28

Above: Nearly 800 people, dogs, and assorted creatures turned out on a beautiful fall day for the annual .5 (Point 5) K “Race” in Palmer Lake Sept. 28. They began near the playground on the east side of the lake, proceeded down the Santa Fe Trail, then crossed the bridge over the railroad tracks to the finish line, with a Shipley Do-Nut break about halfway. The event is sponsored by Awake the Lake, and proceeds go toward maintaining outdoor facilities that make Palmer Lake a beautiful place. The Palmer Ridge Pep Band (inset) provided music to encourage participants just before crossing the bridge, and cheerleaders encouraged participants to make it across the finish line. Cash prizes were awarded for best costumes and other criteria, such as those who appeared to be having fun. Photo by Steve Pate.

Other Snapshots of Our Community articles

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *