WEEK OF MAY 11, 2023
VOLUME 18 | ISSUE 47
FREE
Arvada Man and Woman of the Year: Randy and Christi Michaelis
Kingham elected, Terranova keeps seat in AFPD Board election BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Arvada Vineyard Church. While the couple usually serves the community together, they also pursue their own special interests as well. Christi is a volunteer with the local Optimists Club, and Randy has given his time to Apex as a tennis pro and to residents of a local apartment complex who faced eviction. “By recognizing the unsung heroes in our community through the Man and Woman of the Year award, we celebrate the often-overlooked individuals who make a significant difference in the lives of others,” Kami Welch, President & CEO of the Arvada Chamber of Commerce said. “Christi and Randy Michaelis are the epitome of this award. “It is through their selflessness and dedication that our community thrives and grows, and it is an honor to recognize them for their
Ted Terranova was reelected to the Arvada Fire Protection District Board and Joel Kingham was elected to fill the seat vacated by the departure of longtime board member Mark McGoff, who did not seek reelection to pursue a project with the Colorado Historical Society. Terranova and Kingham will both serve four-year terms. Voter turnout was considerably lower compared to last year’s board election — only 2,500 votes were cast this year, while over 4,000 were cast last year. Kingham paced the five candidates with 925 votes, while Terranova earned 718 votes. Kingham was a volunteer firefighter at AFPD in the 1990s and decided to run because he wanted his voice to be heard. “All of the nonsense that’s going on in the world today, politically, within our society, and the normal average person has their one vote every couple of years — I was dissatisfied with not being able to have a voice and be able to enact some change,” Kingham said. Kingham said that his priorities are better communication between the board and Arvada residents, the merge with Fairmount Fire District, building the new Station 1 and addressing egress concerns of residents of Leyden Rock. Lynn Emrick — who notably ran as the Republican candidate in last November’s House District 27 election, placed third, earning 581 votes. Madison Stelley and Roman Bodnar placed fourth and fifth, respectively. Terranova could not be reached for comment by press time. McGoff — a former city councilmember — said that he will serve on the advisory committee to the state commission for the Colorado Historical Society’s celebration of the Centennial State’s 150 years of
SEE HONORED, P2
SEE ELECTED, P4
Randy and Christi Michaelis, Arvada’s 2022 Man and Woman of the Year.
Philanthropic couple honored for service to Arvada’s underserved communities BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
When Christi and Randy Michaelis moved to Arvada in 2010, they simply wanted to help people. The at-the-time recently retired couple had just moved from Michigan and stopped by the Apex Center for the volunteer fair. Before long, the Michaelis’ next chapter began to take shape. “We didn’t know a soul, not one single person (when we moved to town),” Christi said. “And so, we went to a volunteer fair to try to
figure out how we could plug in at Apex. And I’m like ‘Let’s sign up here, let’s sign up here.’” “I look back and I’m seeing Christi putting her name down on every volunteer list all the way up and down,” Randy said. “And I was like, ‘I’m going to be painting fingernails.’” Thirteen years and many thousands of volunteer hours later, Randy and Christi have been named the 2022 Arvada Man and Woman of the Year by the Arvada Chamber of Commerce for their invaluable service to the community. The Michaelis’ philanthropic resume could likely fill the Press’ pages, but highlights include work with Community Table to serve the Elevado Estates Mobile Home Park, working with Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), volunteering with Whiz Kids and helping out at multiple programs at their church;
VOICES: 12 | LIFE: 14 | CALENDAR: 17 | SPORTS: 24
COURTESY PHOTO
ARVADAPRESS.COM • A PUBLICATION OF COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA