Mile High Magazine Podcast

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: 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: 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: 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

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: 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: Matthew Fritz-Mauer Executive Director

Denver’s minimum wage will rise to $19.29 per hour on January 1, and all employers must update their payroll systems to comply with the new rate, which increases annually based on the cost of living. Wage theft occurs when workers are not paid what they are legally owed—whether proper hourly wages, overtime, or paid sick leave—and Denver Labor offers free assistance to anyone who believes their rights have been violated, recovering $2.3 million for 7,200 workers in 2025 alone. As more people turn to gig apps for extra income, many are misclassified as independent contractors, leaving them without minimum wage protections, overtime, paid sick leave, or employer tax contributions, since workplace rights apply only to employees. Staying informed and speaking up ensures every worker receives the fair treatment they deserve.

denverwages.org

Guest: Paula Schriefer CEO

The immigration crackdown is having a devastating effect upon legal immigrants doing translation services for companies and government agencies. The Spring Institute provides these services while also assisting refugees with career pathways and assisting medical professionals to also become certified in America.

https://springinstitute.org/

AgeWise Colorado is a statewide nonprofit dedicated to supporting older adults and addressing key aging‑related issues such as housing, transportation, healthcare, and caregiving. Serving adults ages 40 to 100, the organization offers more than 160 categories of resources, including emerging age‑tech tools like fall‑detection systems. The need for support is significant: 70% of people over 65 will require some form of care. Financial insecurity is also common—14% of Coloradans over 65 live below the federal poverty line, one in five households in this age group are renters, and assisted living often exceeds $7,000 per month. Community involvement makes a meaningful difference. Even simple volunteer efforts, such as providing transportation, can help older adults navigate the challenges of aging—because aging doesn’t come with an instruction manual.

Guest: Paula Schriefer CEO

The immigration crackdown is having a devastating effect upon legal immigrants doing translation services for companies and government agencies. The Spring Institute provides these services while also assisting refugees with career pathways and assisting medical professionals to also become certified in America.

https://springinstitute.org/

Guest: Nancy McKay Founder

Nancy supports women in their healing journeys using horse‑assisted therapy. Many women feel pressure to be strong and handle everything, which becomes exhausting—especially during the holidays when perfection feels expected. Setting boundaries is healthy and helps protect your well‑being. Signs of overwhelm can show up as irritability with loved ones. The first step is recognizing you’re overloaded and can’t do it all. Even strong women need support, and asking for help is a sign of being human, not weak.

https://www.womenempoweredrecovery.com/

Guest: Nadine Cornish, Family Caregiving Consultant and Certified Senior Advisor

An estimated 600-870,000 persons in Colorado are presently performing an estimated 560 million hours of challenging work as unpaid caregivers. Between 2010 and 2020 Colorado’s aging 65+ population grew by over 58% on a pace to create a shortfall of caregivers by 115,000 by 2030. This program covered support for present caregivers and how to meet the caregiving shortfall.

Guest: Major Nesan Kistan, Divisional Commander of The Salvation Army Intermountain Division

For 160 years, The Salvation Army has supported vulnerable communities across the U.S. through food pantries, shelters, financial aid, and youth programs. In Denver, its addiction recovery program helps 150 men every six months, while nationwide the organization has provided more than two million meals and 1.5 million shelter nights. On December 21, it will host a Christmas dinner from 4–6 p.m. at the Convention Center, welcoming anyone in need of holiday fellowship. Community members can also support the mission by donating to the iconic Red Kettles, where even small contributions make a big impact. Importantly, all donations remain within the donor’s local zip code, ensuring that neighbors directly benefit from the generosity of their community.

https://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usa-western-territory/intermountain/

Guest: Nadine Cornish, Family Caregiving Consultant and Certified Senior Advisor

An estimated 600-870,000 persons in Colorado are presently performing an estimated 560 million hours of challenging work as unpaid caregivers. Between 2010 and 2020 Colorado’s aging 65+ population grew by over 58% on a pace to create a shortfall of caregivers by 115,000 by 2030. This program covered support for present caregivers and how to meet the caregiving shortfall.

Guest: Michael Rush Media Outreach Lead

The Giving Machines have been a Denver tradition since 2017, returning for the third year to the Cherry Creek North Shopping Center. These bright red vending machines offer a unique way to give back, allowing people to purchase donation items that benefit five local nonprofits—the African Community Center, Colorado National Guard Foundation, Project Cure, The Action Center, and Weecycle—as well as two global charities. Open 24/7 from November 19, 2025, through January 4, 2026, at 2nd and Fillmore next to the Winter Wonderland holiday market, the machines feature 30 items ranging from $5 to $250, such as food and clothing for families, Wi-Fi access for Guard members, hero dolls for children, and funeral funding. Sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which covers all operating costs, the Giving Machines provide a tangible, inspiring way to support those in need both locally and globally.

https://givingmachinedenver.org/

Guest: Eileen Doherty Executive Director

The Medicare and healthcare open enrollment period ends in a couple of weeks. This year the push by companies for Medicare Advantage versus traditional Medicare is causing a higher level of confusion. Add to this, information on cuts to health care out of Washington, DC and what people can do to protect themselves into this level of concern.

https://www.senioranswers.org/

Guest: Janine Jackson Sr. Advisor, Area Development – Rocky Mountain States

Country cares for St. Jude Radiothon is the largest fundraising event for St. Jude.  When St. Jude opened childhood cancer was largely considered incurable, but since then the survival rate has increased from 20% to more than 80%.  The money raised goes to life saving research and they share the research freely with doctors and hospitals.  The children who are seen at St. Jude, their diagnosis is often so rare that they're not able to get care where they live and St. Jude provides children cutting edge treatments not covered by insurance.  Families who are at St. Jude never receive a bill for travel, treatment, housing and even food.  December 10^th and 11^th is the annual Country cares for St. Jude Radiothon.  KYGO has been a partner for the event for over 30 years.  By donating just $19.00 a month you become a Partner in Hope and you help to fund the research and help the kids that are in their hospital, plus you also get a This Shirt Saves Lives shirts.  

stjude.org/radio/kygo

Guest: Tanya Davis, Director, Butterfly Rising Adrienne Moore, Director ENCANA cancer action network for African American women

Endometrial cancer takes the lives of over 13,000 women annually with an estimated 66,200 new cases being diagnosed each year in the U.S. Akin to uterine, endometrial affects the lining of the uterus. Incidents of this form of cancer has been increasing among Hispanic/Latino and African American women.

Guest: Jonna Busack Director, Marketing & Corporate Partnerships 

Ronald McDonald House provides temporary housing for families who've traveled to Denver to get medical treatment for their kids and no family is ever charged to stay there.  The families can stay at the Ronald McDonald House for as long as their child is receiving treatment.  The Ronald McDonald House is similar to a hotel room but they also provide free meals and even laundry.  Coming up on December 10^th is the annual Light the House Radiothon.  All the money raised that day goes directly to the Ronald McDonald House.  It starts at 6a and goes until the final total is revealed at 6p.

rmch-denver.org.

Guest: Joanna Wise Press Relations Manager

Bonneville stations are partnering with Food Bank of the Rockies—the largest hunger-relief organization in the Rocky Mountain region—to collect donations at the Walmart Supercenter in Highlands Ranch, supporting food distribution across 33 Colorado counties where demand has risen by 40%. The Food Bank urgently needs canned protein, peanut butter, vegetables, fruit, soup, stuffing, and baking mixes, and welcomes both monetary and food donations. Those wishing to make a greater impact can also volunteer to help distribute food directly to families in need.

foodbankrockies.org

Guest: Corinna Comer Executive Director

For over 12 years the Healing Warriors program has been providing non-narcotic therapy and support at no-cost to veterans, service members and families through offices in Denver, Ft. Collins and Colorado Springs. The support includes anxiety and stress, PTSD, sleep disturbance, suicide prevention and wellness.

https://www.healingwarriorsprogram.org/

Guest: Dale Emme Executive Director and Co-Founder

The Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program was founded 31 years ago after the loss of the founders’ youngest son, Mike, to suicide. From this tragedy came the phrase “It’s okay to ask for help,” printed on cards with crisis resources. One such card reached Wyoming, where a young woman in distress handed it to a counselor and received immediate support. The program stresses that in moments of crisis, people need simple, direct guidance. Research highlights three key steps: stay with the person, listen with compassion, and seek professional help right away. This straightforward approach continues to make it easier for individuals to reach out when they need it most.

yellowribbon.org