March 31, 2016
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Horses help veterans chart courses Ranch in Elizabeth uses animals as a form of therapy By Geraldine Smith Special to Colorado Community Media Suzy MacKenzie became involved in the care and ownership of horses as a young girl, fashioning a lifelong passion. “As a child, I always wanted to be a horse,” said MacKenzie, founder and executive director of the Eagle’s Nest Ranch in Elizabeth. As a missionary in South America, she discovered an equally compelling desire to help people. Eagle’s Nest is the marriage of her love of people and horses, coupled with an enduring concern for their welfare. The name of the ranch was the
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Residents forced inside by snowstorm
Blizzard tests rescue workers
County offices, schools, businesses close as harsh weather moves in By Rick Gustafson Special to Colorado Community Media
With winds gusting to over 40 mph and visibility down to less than 50 feet, area schools canceled classes, many local businesses shut their doors and county offices closed, turning employees loose early so they could make it home before the worst of the blizzard hit March 23. The Elbert County News caught up with some folks in Kiowa the day after the blizzard to see how they weathered the storm and spent their snow day. Rhonda Braun, elections manager for Elbert County, arrived home safely only to
Abandoned vehicles make the mission tougher in Elbert County By Rick Gustafson Special to Colorado Community Media It was a tale of two storms in the days leading up to Easter — the first storm a lion, the second a lamb. “The visibility, I’ve never seen anything like it out here,” said Elizabeth Fire Chief T.J. Steck about the fast-moving blizzard that ripped through the state on March 23, forcing multiple closures and creating treacherous driving conditions along the Front Range and Eastern Plains. The visibility In Elbert County was so bad that when a family of five from St. Louis went off the road, they called 911 and were rescued by the Elbert County Sherriff’s Office snow cat, a truck-like vehicle that moves on tracks, much like a tank. It was only the next day when Elizabeth fire crews returned the Storm continues on Page 5
Suzy MacKenzie, founder and executive director of Eagle’s Nest Ranch in Elizabeth, with Blue, who was rescued from an abusive home and adopted by the boys and girls from the Denver Youth Center. Photo by Geraldine Smith
natural choice when she was inspired by an eagle’s nest atop a pole as she was searching for the perfect name for her project. MacKenzie knew she wanted to offer her services to military families, and not only was the eagle the symbol of the U.S. military, but a nest represents a haven for nurturing and a place from which to soar when the time was right. The phrase “Soaring Above Adversity” is the ultimate goal for her clients, and that sentiment is peppered throughout the literature advertising the ranch. Above all, MacKenzie says the message of Eagle’s Nest is, “There is always hope.” Eagle’s Nest’s mission is to connect people in need of support with horses and to inspire those facing adversity,
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John Pimental, of Kiowa, piles snow from the edge of his lawn to a nearby tree as part of his winter watering plan. Photo by Rick Gustafson
“We had these big drifts in front of our house, and my 18-year-old just threw me in,” Rhonda Braun said with a laugh. Photo by Rick Gustafson
ELBERT COUNTY NEWS (USPS 171-100) OFFICE: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 | PHONE: 303-566-4100 A legal newspaper of general circulation in Elizabeth, Colorado, the Elbert County News is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media, 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT ELIZABETH, COLORADO and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 DEADLINES: Display: Thurs. 12 p.m. | Classifieds: Mon. 10 a.m. | Obits: Mon. 10 a.m. | Legals: Thurs. 11 a.m.