WEEK OF DECEMBER 26, 2024
VOLUME 129 | ISSUE 43
Seniors celebrate holiday season with catered lunch Event in Elizabeth Town Hall is part of series that aims to provide education, resources
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A look back at 2024: In photos
BY NICKY QUINBY SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
A week before Christmas at the Elizabeth Town Hall, a group of local senior citizens met to celebrate the holidays and enjoy a catered spread from El Pinitos. Every attendee left with a Christmas gift — a poinsettia and a gift bag, plus the intangible boon of good company. The event, the December Senior Educational Luncheon, was a departure from the usual educational content and instead provided an opportunity for a fun holiday lunch. The luncheons are a new event this year and take place once a month at the Elizabeth Town Hall. Each luncheon is focused on a different topic. Every month the Elizabedth Fire Protection District stops by to do free blood pressure checks and a hearing aid company does hearing tests. Past topics have included nutrition, Alzheimer’s and dementia, home care services, end-of-life services and financial confidence. Marjorie Engle, a local real estate broker, originally started a senior resources group after hosting estate planning classes. The classes were an effort to help educate people on simple things to do to ensure a smooth process after someone passes. She saw many people struggle with selling a home after a loved one died because their affairs weren’t quite in order. Once she started hosting classes, Engle realized that attendees had questions above and beyond estate planning. She decided to start Elbert County Senior Resources. “I realized that most of the people that were attending were seniors and that they needed more help than just the estate planning … I started reaching out to outside companies, seeing if they would service Elbert County,” Engle said. She wanted to be the point person if SEE SENIORS, P12
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Monty Gaddy performs his song “That’s Why We’re Here” at the Elbert County Song Contest on Jan. 26, where the composition won first place on its way to being designated Elbert County’s official song. A portion of the lyrics goes: “Usually when we go to Wal-Mart / we run into somebody we know / and folks around here are PHOTO BY NICKY QUINBY friendly / they are happy to say hello.” BY COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA’S ELBERT AND DOUGLAS COUNTY REPORTERS
From cheering on a local Olympian to approving a school-construction bond in Douglas County and hearing Elbert County’s first-ever official song, the news from 2024 is something to remember. With new elected officials taking office and new land developments getting underway throughout the south metro area, here is a look back at some of Douglas and Elbert counties’ most memorable stories.
VOICES: 10 | LIFE: 14 | CALENDAR: 17 | PUZZLES: 18
Highlands Ranch mom and sheriff call for stricter laws, more traffic safety after funeral for Alex Mackiewicz
In March, Alexander Mackiewicz,13, was hit and killed by a vehicle while crossing Highlands Ranch Parkway. Two weeks later, his mother Victoria Cegielski and stepfather, Owen Cegielski, were joined by Douglas County Sheriff ’ Darren Weekly at the Highlands Ranch substation to talk about Alex’s character. In addition to establishing a permanent memorial at the intersection where Alex was killed, the family and Weekly called
for tougher traffic safety laws. In Lone Tree, mayor’s race sparks excitement for first time in a generation
For the first time in 16 years, the City of Lone Tree had a contested mayoral race between two experienced city council members, Wynne Shaw and Marissa Harmon. With their campaigns revealing similar values, the candidates received varying levels of support from residents and other elected officials, SEE LOOK BACK, P8
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