News-Press DCCR 6-6-13
Castle Rock
Douglas County, Colorado • Volume 11, Issue 11
June 6, 2013
Free
A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourcastlerocknews.com
Armed officers to patrol schools Security program will start this fall By Jane Reuter
jreuter@ourcoloradonews.com
The Elephant Rock Cycling Festival provides everything from a short eight-mile ride — perfect for young cyclists and families — up to a 24-hour ride. Photos by Ryan Boldrey
Cyclists roam county roads, paths Elephant Rock boosts economy, nonprofits By Ryan Boldrey
rboldrey@ourcoloradonews.com Seven thousand cycling enthusiasts descended upon Douglas County this past weekend for the 26th Annual Elephant Rock Cycling Festival. The festival, which features a Sunday afternoon children’s race, as well as a 24-hour race that spanned May 31-June 1 on an 8.2-mile course at Greenland Open Space, also boasts rides of eight, 27, 32, 62 and 100 miles starting and finishing at the Douglas County Fairgrounds throughout the day June 2. Many people use the longer rides as training for bigger races such as Ride the Rockies and various Iron Man competitions, said Pat Smith, Elephant Rock spokeswoman, adding that the shorter rides are great ways to boost the confidence of beginning and younger riders to get them on the courses and help them build to longer rides. A traditional ride for many each year, Smith said the gorgeous scenery, rolling hills and picturesque view of Pikes Peak keeps cyclists coming back year after year. “We were a little bit down this year in numbers,” she said. “It was a tough season to train because of all the weather variability, but we have got a pretty loyal following.” That loyal following helped bring a $650,000 economic boon into Doug-
elephant roCk CyCling festival Years of festival: 26 Races and rides: 7 Partnering law agencies: 6 2013 participants: 7,000
Volunteers and staff: 700 Economic boost to county: $650,000 Money raised for nonprofits: $450,000
Beginning with the 2013-14 school year, armed officers will circulate through all Douglas County School District elementary and middle schools and early childhood centers. Armed officers are already present in the district’s high schools. Flanked by Douglas County law enforcement officers, with about 20 Soaring Hawk Elementary fifth-graders seated in front of her, Superintendent Elizabeth Fagen announced the new security program during a May 30 press conference at the Castle Rock school. The partnership among DCSD, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, and the Parker, Castle Rock and Lone Tree police departments was created in response to December’s mass shooting in a Newtown, Conn., elementary school. “Our whole school district was brokenhearted over that event,” Fagen said. “We were committed to taking that brokenheartedness and turning it into something better.” Modeled after the airline marshal program, Douglas County deputies and police officers in plain clothes will circulate among schools in close geographic proximity to ensure daily visits to all DCSD schools. It “will create safety and security like we’ve never had before,” Fagen said. “We’re not aware of any other program like this in the country.” Security continues on Page 14
Team Transplant had 165 riders June 2, the most ever for a nonprofit organization at the Elephant Rock Cycling Festival. The riders included 36 transplant recipients or donors. From left, Micah Current, brother of 18-year-old bone marrow transplant recipient and leukemia survivor Olivia Current; kidney donor Steve Crider; executive director Anastasia Darwish; Olivia Current, and founder and chairman of the organization, as well as kidney transplant recipient, Steve Farber. las County over the weekend, according to Smith, who added that an additional $450,000 was raised by a variety of nonprofit organizations riding for pledges. One of those organizations, the 74-person Team Zimbabwe, rode to raise funds for orphanages in Zimbabwe. Riding with them was Erin Hap, 35, who came down for the weekend with her family to do the 8-mile course with her 1-year-old daughter Beatrix in tow. It was Hap’s second time doing the race and first with her daughter. Showing up with the largest team in the 26-year history of Elephant Rock was Team Transplant, who hit the five different courses with 165 riders, 36 of whom were either transplant recipients or living donors. Founded by Denver attorney and author
Steve Farber nine years ago after receiving a kidney transplant from his son, the organization helps people learn where to go when they are in need of a transplant and also works to help create matches. Olivia Current, 18, came down from Longmont to cheer on the team and take in the race with her brother, Micah. She didn’t ride, but said it was the first time she had ventured out to an event like this since being diagnosed with leukemia two years ago. Olivia received a bone marrow transplant on Nov. 11, 2011. Currently on dialysis, she is now on the wait list for a kidney transplant. “I didn’t realize that there were this many people that supported me,” she said. “It’s nice. They don’t even know me.”
Douglas County Schools Superintendent Elizabeth Fagen, surrounded by local law officers and Soaring Hawk Elementary fifth-graders, talks to reporters about the Douglas County School District’s new armed marshal program. Photo by Jane Reuter