COLORADO

COLORADO – Homecoming, September 5-9

For those of you who might not know, Venita grew up in Denver.  So when the Colorado Elks asked us to come in one day early, her eyes lit up.  A chance to show Tom her old stomping grounds, let’s go!

We arrived on Wednesday morning and were greeted by State President and Chairman of the Committee on Judiciary John Amen and Marcia, SDGER Ray Ross and Amy and State Sponsor PGER Dwayne Rumney and Sandy.  Our first stop was lunch in downtown Denver at the historic Brown Palace Hotel.  Built in 1892, the Brown Palace has been in continuous operation ever since and has been visited by presidents and kings alike. 

After lunch, we headed out for some site seeing.  What Venita did not know is that Marcia Amen had arranged for a private tour of her alma mater, East Denver High School by one of her former teachers and current historian, Mr. Nelson.  When we arrived to “take a couple of pictures,” Venita was thrilled when we went inside and were met for our tour.  As a former “Angel” she was welcomed warmly and had a wonderful time showing off her history.

Wednesday evening, we went up to the foothills to see a natural amphitheater, Red Rocks.  Many famous entertainers have performed here and it is renowned for its excellent acoustics.  After exploring the museum, we headed for dinner at a restaurant called “The Fort.”  Specializing in wild game dishes, The Fort features buffalo, rattlesnake and other interesting options for dining and drinking, including a whiskey that contains gun powder.  We opted for some more traditional fare as we watched the lights of Denver begin to glow as the sun went down.

 

Thursday morning we went to Laradon, the major project for the Colorado Elks.  Laradon is a school where children and adults with developmental disabilities are offered support, guidance and training. It was founded in 1948 by Joe and Elizabeth Calabrese when their two sons, Larry and Don were denied education due to their mental disabilities.  We had breakfast with the Executive Director, Dr. Frank Lucero and then were given a detailed tour of the entire campus.  We were not only impressed by what is being done at this center, but touched to our hearts at the caring of the staff for the students.  Because of this school and the Colorado Elks, over 600 individuals are receiving help annually to achieve their full potential and maximize their self-sufficiency.

After leaving Laradon, we stopped at the Forney Museum of Transportation which contains over 500 exhibits of transportation history ranging from motorcycles to trains.  Several pieces of note included Amelia Earhart’s 1923 Kissell Goldbug and the world’s largest steam locomotive, “Big Boy.”  After finishing at Forney Museum, we had some lunch and then visited Denver Elks Lodge #17.  Of special note in the Denver Lodge are many, many stained glass windows made of Tiffany glass.  It was an amazing site and we very much appreciated our tour of the facility.

After the opening session on Thursday evening, the Colorado Elks began their business sessions which Tom attended throughout the day.  Tom noted that Colorado is very active in ENF, having already achieved a per capita of $2.76 with donations of over $65,000 so far this year.  Last year they had a per capita of $7.60 and placed 18^th in the nation for donations.  He commended them on all of their hard work and told them that the ENF grants are the keys to keeping us visible in the community.

While Tom was in the business meetings, Venita attended a ladies luncheon and that evening we all headed over to the Lakewood Elks Lodge #1777 for a BBQ dinner. The weather was beautiful, the food delicious and we certainly enjoyed dining out on the bocce courts!

Saturday, the business sessions continued and then all attended the Memorial Service.  That evening was the closing banquet where we were presented with a beautiful St. Nicholas that had been personally decorated for us with motorcycles and Disney characters.  It was breathtaking and will more than likely stay on display in our home year round.

Many thanks go to John, Marcia, Ray, Amy, Dwayne, Sandy and all of the Colorado Elks for making our visit so special.  Your generous hospitality made us truly feel at home.  As the song goes, “Rocky Mountain high, Colorado!”