Chronicle Parker
Parker 3.28.13
Douglas County, Colorado • Volume 11, Issue 22
March 29, 2013
A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourparkernews.com
Voucher dispute moving forward Colorado Supreme Court will decide whether to take up contentious issue By Jane reuter
jreuter@ourcoloradonews.com
Lynda Edwards, who created the Edwards Foundation for Rescued Animals with her husband, John, leans down to kiss Millie, a llama who has found a home at the facility just outside of Parker. Photos by Chris Michlewicz
Abandoned animals find friends Parker-area couple opens home, hearts By Chris Michlewicz
cmichlewicz@ourcoloradonews.com When animals are no longer wanted or cared for, Lynda and John Edwards give them a loving home. Every animal in their barnyard has a heartbreaking story. There is Molly the zebu, a sacred cow from India that, despite being perfectly healthy, was going to be euthanized when the Denver Zoo closed its Krall exhibit. There is Fudgie, a plump, 15-year-old Chihuahua that was among 15 rescued “bait dogs” used to rile up pit bulls before a fight. There are the three roosters that were dumped over the fence and into the barnyard a month ago. Countless others have been abused or neglected. There are so many creatures at the Edwards Foundation for Rescued Animals just east of Parker that its proprietor is unable to say exactly how many are on the 5-acre property. Regardless, the animals have gotten a second chance at life and even found some unlikely companions. It’s a common theme in the Edwards household, where foster children were raised before the animals took over. The Edwardses continue to help those in need, as long as they donate some of their time and effort. The large-animal rescue is run entirely by volunteers, including high school students who perform community service, referrals from the juvenile courts and special-needs adults looking for a project. Most of the volunteers come
to the rescue in the rural-residential Sierra Vista subdivision without knowing a thing about how to take care of farm animals. By the time they leave, they are skilled at cleaning, brushing and feeding a variety of animals. “We couldn’t do it without volunteers,” Lynda Edwards says. One volunteer, in particular, has dedicated herself to the no-kill shelter. Diane Ham, known to Edwards as “the fowl lady,” arrived two years ago and has since come nearly every morning to pitch in where she is needed. Ham didn’t know anything about taking care of birds, but learned how to nurse the ducks, turkeys, hens and roosters back to health through research and hands-on experience. Ham has become part of the extended family. “I feel at home here,” she said. Of course, the volunteers are quickly introduced to the colorful cast of characters in the barnyard. Millie, an overly friendly llama, likes to dole out lip-smacking smooches. Goldie and Dealer, two aging horses, sniff wildly at visitors and tag along out of sheer curiosity. And Pancake, an ornery and authoritative goat, runs the yard by welcoming people with repeated head butts. Edwards even gives out certificates to victims who survive Pancake’s “special loving.” The Edwards Foundation for Rescued Animals was created about six years ago after John Edwards, a retiree seeking to spend his added free time wisely, began volunteering at different animal-related venues each day. He eventually brought his work home with him and the nonprofit rescue quickly grew. The Edwardses planned to
A plaintiff in the Douglas County School District voucher case says the state appeals court erred in several area Feb. 28 in upholding the voucher program. The process to take the case to the Colorado Supreme Court is under way. An attorney on the other side, representing families who had originally received vouchers, says the program’s design keeps private schools and government separate, ensuring its constitutionality. The two sides likely will get a chance to argue those points again, though the case doesn’t automatically move to the higher court. It first must be approved for review by a certiorari, an order from a higher court that directs the lower court to send the case to it. The Colorado Supreme Court receives more than 900 certiorari petitions annually stemming from Court of Appeals decisions, and agrees on average to hear one of every 14 petitioned cases. Director of Taxpayers for Public Education Anne Kleinkopf, among the plaintiffs in the lawsuit against DCSD and the Colorado Department of Education, has no doubt this petition will be granted. “The issues are of such great public imVoucher continues on Page 23
Golf tourney to bring bucks
Women’s event, the Solheim Cup, expected to generate millions By Chris Michlewicz
cmichlewicz@ourcoloradonews.com
Molly, a zebu that was rescued when the Denver Zoo closed an exhibit, is among the animals that have retired at Edwards Foundation for Rescued Animals. focus on large animals, but couldn’t say no to the smaller ones. “We don’t like to take in cats or dogs,” Lynda Edwards says with a wry laugh as Sam, a pup from the Dumb Friends League, scurries around her feet. Three feet from Sam is a black kitten comfortably bathing himself on a cushioned chair. Just a few weeks before, he was found abandoned underneath a trash bin at a local Starbucks and was brought in with open arms. Edwards and Ham
then attempt to count how many cats are kept in the house, on top of the three outdoor cats. Things aren’t always easy. The poor economy caused many volunteers to find paying jobs and the price of hay has skyrocketed, leading to more abandoned horses and higher costs for the rescue. And in an effort to find permanent homes for as many animals as possible, the foundation doesn’t charge an adoption fee. It relies heavily on donations. For more information, visit www.edwardsanimals.com.
Enthusiastic crowds will converge on Parker in the hopes of driving their team to victory in the Solheim Cup. The business community is banking on those same crowds to drive an increase in sales. An estimated 125,000 spectators will attend the bi-annual event — one of the most prestigious women’s golf tournaments — this August at the Colorado Golf Club southeast of South Parker Road and Stroh Road. Of those spectators, approximately 60 percent are expected to come from out of state, and a good portion will come from abroad. Tournament director Becky Newell said the LPGA has worked closely with tourism information bureau Visit Denver to find travel accommodations. However, there is a Solheim continues on Page 22
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