On a beautiful Fall morning Vice-President Tom Kramis called the meeting to order at 7:02 a.m. Tom reported that Present Dan was in Telluride, but was joining us as a member of the Zoom contingent, which numbered 24. The fourteen members present at the Back-Street Tavern enjoyed a breakfast of French toast, bacon, sausage and assorted fruits. Ed Collins read the invocation, reminding us that respect for law was one of the principles of Optimism and led us in the pledge to our flag.
Greg Hurd, who was attending via Zoom, gave us an update on the fire which caused the evacuation of the towns of Estes Park and Grand Lake. Greg said that no one is allowed to enter the town and that both Highway 7 and US Highway 34 were being used only for exiting. Greg said that Estes is, essentially, a ghost town.
Photo by Greg Hurd
Update on Estes Park Sunday 7:43 Greg Hurd
I came to Denver on the 17th in a hurry as my eyes were burning and watering, my throat was soar and my headaches were getting worse – all from smoke and I was only outside for less than 1 minute. You know you need to bring things to Denver that you don’t want to lose. The first thing I did was to take a quick photo inventory of each room of the house. Then I started packing. Your mind goes to a place that is totally unfamiliar. It constantly keeps telling you different things and conflicting things every minute. Get this and then no get this instead. As you see different things memories come alive and distract you.
The smoke was so heavy that I could only see about 500 feet across the street from our front window. The wind was 35 to 45 mph on our weather station readout with higher gusts.
I filled empty boxes with trains and 3 candlesticks my grandfather made. I took one last look around the house and drove down the driveway giving the house perhaps my last look. I was planning to come back the 27th to get more antiques and trains.
2 hours after getting home I learned of Highway 36 was closed between Lyons and Boulder that I had just driven down. Then highway 7 was closed between Allenspark and Lyons. I got on the nocoalert.org website to see what was going on. The fire map showed fires about to cross highway 7, 36 and 34. Then I saw highway 72 south of Allenspark closed.
We saw the fire at Grand Lake. An hour later the map showed where it had passed only for us to see that our friends only home, barn and historic cabin were in the center of the path of the fire and gone. Our son Andrew has a friend who lives next to Tim Allen’s house in Grand Lake and emailed him. He said his house camera was still working. Hey some good news. We have two families Cathy plays tennis with in Estes Park who live in the Glen Haven, who got out but we do not know the fate of their properties.
On Thursday in Denver we get an email and 3 phone calls to evacuate Estes Park as a new mandatory evacuation has occurred. The Estes Park News website showed the traffic jam as they opened up highway 34 for evacuees to leave. This was the only way out of Estes Park. I checked the fire map and the fire was heading straight for Estes Park and feeding off all the beetle kill in Rocky Mtn Nat’l Park. Then we learned of over 160 structures being damaged or totaled in Grand Lake. Ground speed of the fire was estimated at 12-14 mph passing through Grand Lake. Estes Park is a ghost town.
The crew that is defending Estes Park is from the Cameron Peak fire and are staying at Estes Park hotels. The fire was going up to tree line and then around the peaks to cross the Continental Divide and jumping across large areas.
Saturday at 6AM we get another emergency call from Ft Collin’s Sheriff’s Dept. We knew this could be a bad day. Watching the fire and wind maps we can see the fire on its run to Estes Park. At 3PM the map showed the fire at Deer Ridge junction where the road from Fall River entrance and Beaver Meadows entrance join and become Trail Ridge Road. The wind map shows 50mph there with higher gusts. At 4PM the winds begin to lighten and the temperature is dropping. Back fires are begun. This is good news. At 2:30PM Estes Park had its first structure fire off highway 7 on Ponderosa Drive. Ponderosa Drive is east of the hospital and just to the south a tat and west of highway 7. Structure appears lost.
NEW MEMBER -NEW MEMBER- NEW MEMBER
Let's all give a big Monaco South welcome to Jeff Wilson, our newest member who was sponsored by Phil Perington and Tom Kramis.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Dues
Dues are DUE! Please send in your dues payments as soon as possible. Discount is available if paid by check soon. If you have not received your dues invoice, please contact Greg Young at 303-759-3921 or gndyoung@comcast.net and he will send you another one. You can also pay by credit card at https://optimist-club-of-monaco-south.square.site/ . Credit card payments don’t allow for discounts
Tree Lot
Tom Kramis announced that the tree lost was in search of Day Managers who would volunteer to be responsible for a particular day of the week, i.e., Monday, Tuesday, etc. The manager would be responsible for ensuring that the lot was properly staffed, open up the trailer and be sure the proceeds from tree sales were secure. Please call Tom (303-917-5299) or Frank Middleton (303-903-716) if you can help. Set up of the tree lot will be the day after Thanksgiving – November 27.
Thanksgiving Dinner
Michael Chavez, whom we haven’t seen for a while, was on Zoom and reported that, while he had been attempting to put together the traditional Thanksgiving Dinner for the Boys Club, he was not having much luck, because of a number of restrictions due to Covid-19. Possible alternatives, including food baskets, a food truck, which could handle hot food and boxed meals were discussed. Michael was pretty sure we will not be able to serve a hot meal to the kids, but will continue to research alternatives.
Holiday Food Baskets
Don Thomsen said that he has been working with the social workers of some of our “Super Citizen” schools, to identify some needy families for Thanksgiving food baskets and suggested that other school reps contact their schools also. Baskets could probably be delivered to the doorstep, with no contact.
Junior Golf
Joe Marci and Bob Meyer thanked the volunteers who came out to help wrangle the 125 young golfers representing seven states who participated in the tournament last week at Green Valley Ranch. Joe said that, on Sunday morning, it was 20 degrees at tee-off in the morning, but got all the way to 48 degrees in the afternoon.
Respect for Law
Today, Prez Dan presented one more Respect for Law Award to a Denver Police officer. Today’s award went to DPD Detective William Bohn of District 2 in East Denver.
Detective Bohn was involved in a foot pursuit with a suspect who had a felony warrant for his arrest. While attempting to take the suspect into custody, Bohm sustained a significant head injury that required several surgeries to repair. Following months of rehabilitation, coupled with a true display of determination and fortitude, officer Bohm returned to duty and was promoted to the rank of Detective as a result of the exceptional work product he continued to demonstrate following his miraculous recovery.
It should be noted that during his hospital stay, his wife, Kentrena gave birth to their 3rd child Emerson. They have two other children, Lilah age 11, and Odin age 10.
Denver Police Sergeant Brian Conover, is the District 6 Denver Police Depart Respect for Law award winner and was presented his plaque by President Dan Rodriguez.
Sgt. Conover oversees the DPD Homeless Outreach Team. He is responsible for monitoring the activity of the un-housed and will deploy his team whenever needed to connect with those indeed of housing, food or mental health councilors. COVID 19 has created an additional challenge for the homeless. Sgt. Conover has set a positive tone for others to follow.
Div Chief Ron Thomas, Chris Dunphy, Officer Myron Anderson and Dist 5 Commander Marcus Fountain.
VICE President Chris Dunphy presented our Respect for Law award to District 5
Officer Myron Alexander. District 5 covers far northeast Denver. Stolen Motor Vehicles has become a growing trend in Denver, particularly in the far northeast. Quick recovery of these stolen vehicles is critical to those who have been victimized and is vital to eventual suspect identification as well. Officer Alexander has shown exceptional diligence, awareness, and dedication with regard to stolen motor vehicles, recovering more than 70 so far this year and a total of 18 just in the month of April.
Paul Stratton 303-366-6375 Pat Bush 720-254-3741 Craig Eley 303-758-9499 Greg Young 303-759-3921
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T H E O P T I M I S T C R E E D — Promise Yourself . . . To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet. To make all your friends feel that there is something in them. To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true. To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best. To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own. To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future. To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile. To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others. To be too large for worry, too noble for
anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
We meet each Friday at 6:45 a.m.
Back Street Tavern
1150 S. Galena St.
Aurora, CO 80247
United States of America
