Mile High Magazine Podcast

Guest: Melissa Hellmuth Executive Director

April is recognized as Child Abuse Prevention Month, underscoring the vital work of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), a program that trains volunteers to advocate in court for the safety and well‑being of children who have experienced abuse or neglect. CASA volunteers—who must be at least 21, pass a background check, and complete 35 hours of initial training along with ongoing education—meet weekly with the children on their cases to understand their needs, ensure their environments are safe, and build supportive relationships, whether at home, at the zoo, or even at a child’s sporting events. The annual Champions for Children Breakfast, held this year on May 14 at the Denver Marriott West, raises awareness about Child Abuse Prevention Month and offers attendees the opportunity to learn more about CASA’s impact. This year’s keynote speaker is a former CASA youth who now serves as a volunteer, highlighting the program’s powerful, long‑term influence.

https://www.casajeffcogilpin.com/

Guest: Bill Ryan CEO and Andrew Menard kidney recipient and the manager of Team Rocky Mountain

The Transplant Games, held every two years, are the world’s largest celebration of life, uniting organ donors, recipients, donor families, healthcare professionals, and supporters to honor the life‑saving impact of organ donation. This year’s event is expected to be the largest yet, drawing more than 10,000 participants representing 43 teams from all 50 states. Over six days, attendees will take part in 20 Olympic‑style competitions for gold, silver, and bronze medals, showcasing the strength and resilience of living donors and transplant recipients. In Colorado alone, nearly 1,000 transplants were performed last year, yet more than 1,300 individuals remain on the waiting list. Andrew shared his personal story and his experience participating in the Games, which will be held June 18–23 at the Colorado Convention Center.

https://www.transplantgamesofamerica.org/2026-transplant-games

Guest: Suzanne Jones CEO

Summary: In Colorado residential recycling now involves 16-16.4% of homes. 67% of the materials recycled encompasses cardboard, paper, cans, etc. It is the harder to recycle materials such as mattresses, styrofoams, plastic bags, and electronics requiring special processes that prevents the rate from being higher. Eco-Cycle in partnership with the City of Boulder works to handle these hard to recycle materials.

Guest: Katherine Ruark Board Member

Runs4ALS is dedicated to raising funds that support the care, treatment, and essential expenses of individuals living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Their mission extends beyond those diagnosed, offering meaningful assistance to families and contributing to ongoing research efforts. SHIFTRUNS is an all-day community event built around a 20‑run challenge that can take place on any mountain, anywhere. In Vail, the tradition brings people together to ski and snowboard in honor and in memory of those who no longer can. After a day on the mountain, participants gather for an evening celebration featuring food, drinks, music, giveaways, and a silent auction. ALS is a progressive disease that affects the nerve cells responsible for movement, gradually impacting mobility, speech, and breathing, and currently has no cure. This year’s SHIFTRUNS event will take place on March 31st in partnership with Discover Vail.

https://runs4als.org/

Guest: Eileen Doherty Senior Answers Executive Director

An estimated 2.7 million children reside in households where grandparents are the primary caregivers being called “grandfamiles” or “kinship families.” Grandparents, family, friends, if you provided care for a child age five or under in Colorado, you could qualify for the new care worker tax credit – up to $1,200 filing single or $2,400 filing joint.

Guest: Michelle Sie Whitten Co-Founder, President, and the CEO

Down syndrome occurs when a person is born with three copies of chromosome 21, which is why World Down Syndrome Day is celebrated on March 21. The Global Down Syndrome Foundation was created to ensure better health and longer lives for people with Down syndrome and has invested over $32 million to establish the first Down Syndrome Research Institute, supporting hundreds of scientists and thousands of patients. Despite progress, significant stigma, health disparities, and a shorter average lifespan—especially among Black and Hispanic individuals—remain. Although the DeOndra Dixon Include Project Act did not pass this year, advocacy continues. The Foundation will also host the free “I Love You” dance party on March 20 at Cherry Creek Mall for ages 16 and older, with optional donations encouraged.

https://www.globaldownsyndrome.org/

Guest:  Sarah Beth Geber Presenter At The American Society On Aging National Conference

Summary: In Colorado, the poverty rate for older adult senior women is 10.8%. Much of this is due to economic disparities through their lives, caregiving responsibilities as more grandparents are caring for their grandchildren and senior women receive 69% less in Social Security benefits than men and 65% less retirement savings. 

Guest: Flavia Light, Vice President, Chief Tourism Development Officer at Visit Denver

Denver Restaurant Week runs March 6–15 and celebrates its 22nd year of showcasing Denver’s vibrant dining scene. With more than 330 participating restaurants, diners can enjoy multi‑course menus at fixed price points of $25, $35, $45, or $55. The event is held each March to support local restaurants during a slower tourism period, and early dinner times—around 4:30 or 5:00 p.m.—tend to have the best reservation availability. Guests are encouraged to book early and sign up for the Diner Portal to easily track past Restaurant Week visits.

DenverRestaurantWeek.com

Guest: Aman Ali Fazal Coordinator

Many older men have a challenge with staying socially connected as they age. This has led to a higher number experiencing isolation and suicides. Growing in Canada and in America, with a group in Colorado, the Men’s Sheds movement is becoming an important tool where men can positively strengthen their social connections while also doing community service.

https://usmenssheds.org/

Guest: Major Nesan Kistan

The Salvation Army provides year‑round support to individuals and families across the community, responding to nearly 300 daily calls to Denver’s Connection Center from people facing urgent financial, emotional, and housing challenges. Many of those seeking assistance are employed full‑time yet still struggle to meet essential living expenses. The organization also operates the Denver Harbor Light Center, a free six‑month residential addiction treatment program with an 85% success rate of participants remaining drug‑ and alcohol‑free after 90 days. In addition to crisis services, The Salvation Army invests in youth through a six‑week summer camp that welcomes children with diverse interests, offering a safe and enriching environment during the summer months.

salvationarmyusa.org

Guest: Terri Gentry

February is Black History Month. This program recognizes this with an insightful tour of the Black American West Museum. Centered in the home of the Denver’s first African American woman doctor the program touches upon a selection of the notable people and significant events involving African Americans in the history of Colorado.

https://www.bawmhc.org/

Guest: Kevin Kuharic Executive Director

Hotel de Paris, opened in 1875 by Louis Dupuy, was one of the most elegant hotels west of the Mississippi and remains one of Colorado’s most complete historic sites, preserving about 7,000 original artifacts. Dupuy’s life was marked by dramatic reinvention—before age 30 he had been an excommunicated priest, a journalist accused of plagiarism, a U.S. military deserter, and a miner nearly killed in an explosion—before turning his life around and creating the renowned hotel and restaurant. Built largely by Chinese laborers who had first come to America for mining and railroad work.  The property was later sold in 1949 with the stipulation that it become a public museum. Today, Hotel de Paris welcomes visitors Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., offering $10 admission, guided or self‑guided tours, and occasional food and drink experiences inspired by Dupuy’s original menu.  

https://hoteldeparismuseum.org/

Guest: Dr. Evie Dennis

The U.S. has the largest delegation with 232 athletes competing at the Winter Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina, Italy. Supporting these competitors are specialized team staff, trainers, sports-specific personnel and administrators. From 1981 to 1988 Ms. Evie Dennis served as Vice-President of the U.S. Olympic Committee, the first woman Char de Mission for the 1988 games in Seoul, South Korea, and she was the first African-American in these leadership positions. As we recognize black history month we touch base with her again.

Guest: Stacey Vanhoy Executive Director

The Nathan Yip Foundation was created after the tragic loss of Nathan Yip at age 19, transforming his parents’ grief into a mission rooted in Nathan’s belief in the power of education. While the foundation began its work in China, its focus over the past decade has centered on rural Colorado, where it has invested approximately $1.4 million in local schools. This year, the foundation is launching multi‑year grants, supporting five rural school districts with up to $75,000 each over three years. In celebration of the 2026 Year of the Horse—a symbol of momentum, strength, and purposeful action—the foundation will host its annual gala on Saturday, February 21, 2026, at the Denver Marriott Tech Center. The event will feature traditional lion dancers, live and silent auctions, an Asian-inspired dinner, and a vibrant Chinese Night Market offering cultural goods to help raise funds for rural education initiatives.

nathanyipfoundation.org  

Guest: Yolanda Webb Executive Director

Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities(IDD) are conditions that arise in some people diagnosed before the age of 22. Such disabilities involve significant limitations to learning, reasoning, and adaptive behaviors as social and life skills. Colorado through a network of regional centers and specialized organizations assist those with IDD 24hours daily. One of the centers with 15 additional locations includes The Arc of Adams County.

https://arcadams.org/

Guest: Sarah Finke Director

Colorado Miss Amazing empowers girls and women with disabilities across Colorado by providing a safe, supportive space to build confidence, share their stories, and develop self‑advocacy skills. Each year, participants shine on stage during a live ticketed event—this year on March 1st at the Rialto Theater in Loveland—where each individual is celebrated with a crown and trophy. Throughout the year, participants engage in community service, self‑advocacy appearances, and inclusive events such as a sensory‑friendly Easter egg hunt, with the additional opportunity to attend Nationals in Chicago.

co.missamazing.org

Guest: Yolanda Webb Executive Director

Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities(IDD) are conditions that arise in some people diagnosed before the age of 22. Such disabilities involve significant limitations to learning, reasoning, and adaptive behaviors as social and life skills. Colorado through a network of regional centers and specialized organizations assist those with IDD 24hours daily. One of the centers with 15 additional locations includes The Arc of Adams County.

https://arcadams.org/

Guest: Chris Sneed Consumer Economic Specialist Assistant Professor University of Tennessee Extension

The most recent study, the Competition Conundrum by the Colorado Health Institute, it indicates the highest healthcare premiums in the state are in rural and western counties. The baseline for the study was the insurance premium for a 40-year-old man on the Connect for Health Colorado Insurance Exchange. One key problem cited in the study was the lack of competition among the hospitals and insurers. Rectifying a key element of this could drastically lower rural healthcare costs, and it would be done by increasing competition on the insurance market. This is because the smaller population of rural areas don't allow hospitals to spread costs as effectively across numerous patients as in rural areas.

Guest: Shelby Mattingly CEO

The Women’s Bean Project was founded by Jossie Ayer after recognizing a need for long‑term solutions to help women break the cycle of poverty. Starting with $500 and two women from a local shelter, the organization has grown into a nonprofit social enterprise that employs women facing significant barriers to employment. While producing and packaging more than 50 products, participants also receive comprehensive wraparound services, case management, and education to support their transition into stable jobs. Many women find the program through word of mouth, the justice system, or sober‑living environments.  There can be a real sense of shame and isolation in having come out of the variety of circumstances or still dealing with the circumstances women in their program are dealing with, a core component of what they do is treating people with deep respect and belief in their worth and their value as a person and all of the things that they're capable of.

 womensbeanproject.com

With construction along Colfax the Dr. MLK Marade and other events recognizing the holiday for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. will be changing this year. This program updates these changes along with a number of new events taking place for this year’s recognition. The program also program also reflects upon the important visits of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to Denver and Littleton with insightful comments from Dr. King.

Guest: Pos Ryant Co-founder 

Apprentice of Peace Youth Organization is a wellness‑focused nonprofit that uses Tai Chi to help individuals connect with their bodies, calm their minds, and choose peace. Its umbrella program, Connected in Motion, blends Tai Chi with meaningful conversations to create a peer‑support model that strengthens community connections and combats loneliness. The organization also offers Laws of Life, a STEM‑informed program emphasizing Leadership, Arts, Wellness, and Skilled Trades, providing youth with hands‑on learning and leadership opportunities. All programs are offered free of charge to ensure accessible, community‑based support for young people.

AOPYO.org

Guest: Daryl Vigil, Executive Director

With 8 offices in six key communities including the western slope, the Colorado Health Network offers its clients, medical and oral health care, behavorial health services, nutrition support, housing assistance and emergency financial assistance. They work to prevent the spread of HIV through testing, treatment as prevention, pre-exposure prevention, and counseling to make good choices for healthier lives.

https://coloradohealthnetwork.org/

Guest: Wes Allison President and CEO

Wes Allison is beginning his first year as President and CEO of the National Western Stock Show. He grew up in agriculture, showed livestock in Denver as a kid, and has spent 25 years working in stock shows. This year’s event will debut new facilities and continue expanding in the coming years. The Stock Show will award $650,000 in scholarships to students from Colorado and Wyoming. It remains the only major show that still features the historic yards, honoring its roots in beef cattle. The event runs January 10–25, with Pete Coors serving as Grand Marshal of the parade. With everything from dog and horse shows to the rodeo, the Stock Show offers something for everyone.

nationalwestern.com

Guest: Daryl Vigil, Executive Director

With 8 offices in six key communities including the western slope, the Colorado Health Network offers its clients, medical and oral health care, behavorial health services, nutrition support, housing assistance and emergency financial assistance. They work to prevent the spread of HIV through testing, treatment as prevention, pre-exposure prevention, and counseling to make good choices for healthier lives.

https://coloradohealthnetwork.org/