Allison Snyder

Renowned Broadway director Neil Goldberg has assembled an international cast of over 30 multi-talented artists performing astonishing feats of disbelief celebrating the holiday season. Gingerbread men flip mid-air, toy soldiers march on thin wires, snowmen balance, penguins spin, puppets dance and reindeer soar high above a holiday wonderland. Original music accompanies seasonal favorites with hundreds of spectacular costumes set in a lush world of colorful dreams.

Over 300 community residents attended a recent AARP celebration of the achievements of Colorado’s Chicano Movement through an event at the History Colorado Center. The event featured presentations by elected leaders including Lt. Governor Joseph Garcia and Denver Councilman Paul Lopez, Chicano community leaders, a short play by Su Teatro theater company, and live music by the Freddie Rodriguez Jr. quartet. Demand for tickets to the event far exceeded capacity and many community residents who wished to attend were not able to , we were able to tape the program and individual videos of each presentation are available for viewing.

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, the nation’s largest, free tax assistance and preparation program, and its dedicated corps of volunteers will help thousands of older, low- and middle-income Colorado State residents get help in filing their tax forms.

Important Information to help navigate the new health care law

Wouldn’t it be easier if age alone led to wisdom? We all know people who have proven that this is not necessarily the case. So what makes one wise? Here are some of my thoughts: wisdom increases exponentially for those who are willing to learn from life’s lessons, both pleasant and unpleasant. Coping skills critical to riding out life’s rough patches can happen when individuals of all ages are open and maintain a sense of humor. There are some people who believe the opposite, that practical wisdom is obtained up to age fifty. I don’t think so!

AARP Colorado invites you to enjoy a selection of films that will be screened as part of the 10 th Annual Indigenous Film & Arts Festival organized by the International Institute for Indigenous Resource Management. The festival provides a thought provoking cross section of films on the Native American experience. All films are free and open to the public (donations are accepted).

Colorado is a state filled with pet lovers. According to Forbes Magazine, Colorado Springs ranks in the Top 20 communities of pet owners and a walk through any Colorado Farmer’s Market provides plenty of anecdotal confirmation! Another bit of interesting trivia, according to a pet calculator provided by the American Veterinarian Medicine Association there are approximately 1.3 million pets in Colorado. When one looks at this data under the lens of a recently released AARP Foundation report that found 8.8 million Americans 50 and older are at risk of hunger, including 4.9 million 50- to 59-year-olds, one can see a correlation between a pet owner’s food insecurity and issues with attaining their pet supplies.

Greetings,

It is hard to believe that just a few weeks ago we were facing the worst flooding this state has ever seen. The state office reacted quickly, establishing contact with FEMA to see what we could do to support their efforts and inform our membership of relief services to those impacted and volunteer opportunities for those who want to assist. AARP also made a generous donation of $25,000.00 to the Red Cross to help with flood relief efforts. Although time has passed, clean up activities from an event like this takes a great deal of time, and the uncertainty can cause physical and emotional duress. There are some resources still at your disposal about which we wanted to make sure you were aware: Here are some groups highlighted by the Denver Post which are assisting flood victims:

Have you ever had a great idea for a business but lacked the knowledge of how to write the business plan, the mentorship to get you going, or the money to actually LAUNCH a business? Or, do have a business currently which would really benefit from a small additional financial commitment and a strategy to give you a springboard to that next level of success? If you have faced either of these situations you deserve congratulations on two fronts! First, you are a budding entrepreneur, and second, there is an organization that might be able to fulfill your burgeoning dreams, the Rocky Mountain Microfinance Institute. The Denver-based Rocky Mountain MicroFinance Institute, RMMFI, offers a Business Launch Boot Camps for prospective business owners on a sliding fee scale. In 12 weeks you’ll receive the information, the support, and the access to resources you need to propel your business to greater success. Entrepreneurs in the Boot Camp may be eligible for a loan up to $2,500 to start or enhance their businesses. RMMFI has graduated 7 classes of the Boot Camp, helped to launch 55 businesses, and disbursed over $65,000 in loans to individuals who otherwise would go without access to the necessary business capital.