At first blush, this past week's stories have little in common. But if you look more closely, there's a common thread — not only this week but in most of the stories about mountain residents and events I'm lucky enough to write.

People are giving back, serving others and showing they care — in ways small and silly, as well as big and deeply painful. Read on and I'll show you.

But first, sometimes you just need to look at a puppy …

That moment of zen was made possible by the Evergreen Animal Protective League, whose fosters are caring for three-month-old Madison (half cattle dog, half best friend) until she can find her forever home.

Madison’s picture popped up in the middle of a very long work day yesterday and made me smile. I hope she did you, too.

And if you’ve got room in your home and heart for her, give EAPL a shout.

Small & silly

Fundraising doesn’t have as dry, dull and tasteless as a butter braid (sorry, not a fan.) Last weekend’s Long Dog Derby in Conifer proved it can be downright hilarious, and a great way to not only bring the community together but let them show off their finery. Let’s face it, mountain residents get far too few chances to dress up, so when they find one, most revel in it.

Women, many in derby hats so stunning they surely qualified as works of art, and men in bright sport jackets sipped mint juleps as they watched the “races.”

Short-legged dogs are hard to find in mountain towns where most dogs are equipped with long legs and thick fur to easily handle deep snow and cold temperatures. But the area’s smallest canines emerged from the shadows for the derby, including a slew of dachshunds — one a miniature — several Corgis and Yorkies, two bassets, and a runt Australian Shepherd.

While a few of the contenders ran straight down the race course, others were either overwhelmed by the crowd and cheering — or just not feeling it. One set of dachshunds amiably gathered partway down the course to introduce themselves and engage in a round of sniffing. That getting-to-know-you pause might have been polite at another time, but their frantically calling owners didn’t approve.

At least one Corgi simply walked off the course when the race began, no doubt hoping her absence would not be noticed. But Honey’s owner dressed her for the day in a bright yellow bee costume, making it impossible for even a short-legged canine to make an unnoticed getaway.

Despite such incidents, the day was a huge success, drawing twice as many people as its organizers had planned.

And it made money.

Those funds will be used to support mental health support for those who can’t afford it through a Conifer program called All Access Wellness.

Big & painful

The lasting scars of domestic violence: PeaceWorks executive director Sabrina Fritts, once a victim herself who left her ex-husband when her son was 3, spent years in therapy before realizing her experiences made her a valuable resource for others. But all her hard-earned knowledge and determination could not prevent what happened to her son, who was also abused by her ex.

Davin died last year at 31 in what was classified as an accidental overdose. Fentanyl was found in his system. It was a loss she called a “soft suicide” resulting from experimenting with illegal drugs and a lifetime of mental health struggles.

Fritts is not asking why he died; she knows he was a victim of the cycle of violence. Instead, she’s asking how she can use his death to help other juvenile victims so they have a different outcome.

Helping one another

If and when a wildland fire happens in Evergreen, it will require a strange kind of teamwork between officials and residents to evacuate people safely. Saturday’s multi-agency evacuation exercise, which included residents and emergency officials from both Clear Creek and Jefferson counties, showed that many of Evergreen’s residents made the cut.

Final numbers aren’t yet available, but about 200 cars were evacuated, many with more than one person. The threat of fire is a daily risk in the foothills and at least these residents are aware and ready with their own plans, go bags (prepacked bags with essentials for at least 72 hours) and calm deameanors.

They were also grateful to Evergreen Fire/Rescue and the other agencies for hosting the practice. The sentiment was similar from local officials, who were grateful for the community’s participation in what was an event that surpassed their expectations.

Whether due to processes, history in the community or personalities, Evergreen has a popular fire agency with strong resident support. That’s not something all small-town fire agencies have, and the reason for it is something I hope to write about someday.

No doubt part of the reason is that EFR staff have that same respect for its community.

What next: EFR and Clear Creek will crunch the data to see what it tells them and where they might need to take further steps to help prepare for safer evacuations. But the agencies also plan to do more.

So if yours wasn’t a neighborhood on Saturday’s list, your turn may be coming.

This one may seem like a stretch. But I believe new Morrison Inn owner Gabriel Cristerns is in the business of helping people, too. He speaks with a ring of truth when he says he wants to provide a good experience for diners who are “tired of mediocre quality and overpriced” food.

Protecting people from fire and domestic violence are vital services, but a good margarita on the Morrison Inn deck ranks for many among the sweet things in life.

With a history of nearly 50 years, thousands of people have good memories of The Morrison Inn. I think they’re all rooting for Cristerna to be successful so they can add a few more.

Our planned profile on Cory Vander Veen has been delayed just a bit due to a time-consuming investigation into this recent dual community award winner. Our team just completed an exhaustive search for flaws and found … nothing.

The most scandalous finding came from his wife, who confessed he sometimes leaves his socks on the floor and needs to be reminded that “hampers exist.” We’ll have the full story on this real-life nice guy in just a few days.

The Mountain Club’s annual Memorial Day sale is happening again this year at the club, 12795 US Highway 285 in Conifer. The sale is on May 23 and 24, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. They’re accepting donations starting this Sunday.

Not only are there great finds at the annual event, but it’s a fundraiser for The Mountain Club, a 36-year-old nonprofit that has helped thousands of foothills residents stay free from alcohol and find community.

Expect to hear more about the Mountain Club in the future. The club is in an anonymous white building and members have heard repeatedly from people who have no idea what it is, or that the Mountain Club exists.

Now, its board is partnering with the Conifer Chamber of Commerce to let the business community know who they are and how they can help.

Here’s a story we did on the club in 2024: Read More ➡

Lastly, it’s time to admit to something publicly: I do not have stellar night vision.

I went out to the backyard last night to cover my new flowers. It was darker than I expected. but I didn’t want to go back in for a flashlight. So I let my eyes adjust to the dark and then quite confidently covered them.

This morning, I discovered that I saved a patch of weed barrier, some pea gravel and a weed. I also managed to cover three flowers.

Your gardening and yard light recommendations are most welcome.

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