The Children of Fallen Soldiers Relief Fund benefit July 25th

Miss & Master Patriotic Colorado Pageant 2009

The 3rd Annual Miss & Master Patriotic Colorado Pageant will be held on July 25, 2009
at Pikes Peak Community College – Centennial Campus Theatre in Colorado Springs.
The purpose of the Miss & Master Patriotic Colorado Pageant is to raise funds for the
Children of Fallen Soldiers Relief Fund, which provides college grants and financial
assistance to surviving children and spouses of our U.S. military service members who
have lost their lives in the conflicts after September 11th war as well as severely
disabled service members families.

Age groups range from 0-23 years old, and no make-up is allowed on
contestants ages 12 and under. Competitions include On-Stage Introductions
(ages 4 and up), Casual/Patriotic Wear, and Formal Attire. Optional competitions
include Most Photogenic, Coloring Contest, Creative Drawing Contest, Essay,
Ticket Sales, and Fundraiser Award. Active duty military families receive ½ off the $100 entry fee. If you are entering more than 1 child, take ½ off each additional entry fee.

Please turn in your entry form no later than July 11th. Additional information can be
found at www.misspatrioticcolorado.com or contact Tiffany Sawyer @ 719-650-2440.
The Children of Fallen Soldiers Relief Fund (EIN: 20-4526203) is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit
organization that provides financial and emotional support to U.S. military children and
spouses affected by the war on terrorism. The program has been further expanded to
include families of severely disabled veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and
Operation Enduring Freedom. CFSRF was founded in 2003 to honor our service men
and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our continued freedom. For more
information on the CFSRF please visit:
www.cfsrf.org or www.childrenoffallensoldiersrelieffund.org

Blirp-Vertising?

Company press release:

After several months of beta testing, consumer and business feedback, and subsequent improvements in Summit County, Colorado - blirp!, a "community oriented" FREE service that helps both small business owners and consumers via green "Shout Outs" - expands statewide.

What in the world is a “blirp!” "blirp! - a short alert or simple notification. A
hybrid word derived from blip and blurb." blirp! is a dynamic, green, Internet-based service that allows small business owners to effectively tap the power and low-cost aspects of the Internet to successfully reach a local audience in their neighborhood with special promotions and offers. blirp! removes the burden of email management and Internet marketing for the small business owner, while keeping the basic business package on blirp! FREE.

Consumers can always subscribe to blirp! for FREE to receive local, money-saving, green "Shout Outs." Shout Outs contain UNADVERTISED offers and specials for their zip code from their local businesses and are sent as a daily or weekly email; consumers decide the frequency. Shout Outs contain a few random offers listed in the email with a special link to the blirp! site with ALL the available offers for the zip code they have selected.

Why do this?
In this economic slump, both small businesses and consumers need a helping hand. Small businesses are the economic lifeblood of most of our communities, and the ability for them to communicate their message regularly to a local audience is of utmost importance. However, advertising is one of the first things reduced or eliminated by
a small business owner when cash flow decreases, sometimes creating an unfortunate downward spiral. That is why we offer a FREE basic business package, to try and help out businesses in each community.

Digital delivery via the Internet is a green way to greatly reduce the costs of getting a message out, and can help supplement a traditional advertising strategy. But that digital delivery needs to effectively and regularly reach a local audience, which has been the problem for most local businesses, until now. blirp! solves this problem by bringing the small business owner and local consumer together with our "community oriented" service. And blirp! is an inexpensive way for a business owner to test and gauge consumer response to an idea or offer, before making a larger investment in a traditional advertising campaign.

The School of Rock hits the Road

Denver’s “Paul Green School of Rock Music” proud to announce
4 local students selected for Northwest “Woodstock tribute” tour


Denver’s Classic Rock music scene is growing, and teens are leading the charge. The Denver branch of the internationally famous Paul Green School of Rock music has been teaching students to perform the classics since January of ’08 and the school’s performances have included tributes to funk, reggae, punk, The Who, Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd, The Beatles and many others.

This summer, 4 students from the local Denver branch have been selected by audition to join students from other School of Rock branches (Seattle, Portland, Salt Lake) to embark on a multi-city two-week tour of the Pacific Northwest playing a set of classic rock tunes in tribute to the 40th Anniversary of Woodstock. These students, all local teenagers, are Sam Beard (guitar), Nick Chancellor (drums), Jake Furgason (guitar), and Aaron Walters (drums).

“You cannot believe how great these kids are,” said the School of Rock music director Chris Soucy. “I’m proud of our Denver students. It feels great to be able to provide an opportunity for these kids to go out on a legitimate headlining tour with other great young musicians from around the country, and it is a testament to the power rock music and how relevant the music and themes of the Woodstock generation still are today.”

Students will play shows throughout the Pacific Northwest the first two-weeks in August (Yakima, Spokane, Seattle, Bend, etc), culminating in a Portland all-day concert at a theme park on August 15th, the actual anniversary of weekend of the original Woodstock event.

Denver’s School of Rock is a local branch of the internationally renowned Paul Green School of Rock Music, with 50 branches nationwide, and the inspiration for two popular films, A & E’s “Rock School” and the runaway hit, “School of Rock,” starring Jack Black. Most recently, Denver’s School of Rock bands have been featured in the Denver Post, Channel 4 news, Westword and other local press. Denver’s School of Rock offers instruction for young musicians of any ability using classic rock music as the core curriculum and featuring professional instruction in guitar, voice, keyboard, bass and drums. The school also offers scholarships and occasional free-workshops for Denver’s young rock music enthusiasts. Nationwide, School of Rock students have performed with Alice Cooper, Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam), Ann Wilson (Heart), Jon Anderson (YES), Earl Slick (David Bowie), Adrian Belew (Talking Heads, Frank Zappa), and scores of others.

Colorado Mountain Plein Air Festival - Call to Artists & Patrons

Press Release:

Who:
Colorado Mountain Plein Air Festival - Call to Artists & Patrons

What:
2nd Annual Colorado Mountain Plein Air Festival. Exhaust Your Palette!
Ranging from the peaks of the Fourteeners through the headwaters of the Arkansas to historic downtown Salida, this spectacular autumn painting festival promises to be the beginning of something big and beautiful. "Come paint the Rockies with us" will be the
call to all plein air painters for years to come.

Artist Registration:
Call 719-530-9175 or visit www.coloradomountainpleinairfestival.com
Pre-register by August 1: $25.00 and includes a raffle ticket.
Registration after August 1 and at the door: $30.00

Where:
Chaffee County, Colorado. (Salida, Buena Vista & Monarch)

When:
September 17 - 27, 2009

Why:
Something for all to enjoy during the Colorado fall colors! Eleven days filled with events from the Artist Welcome Reception, daily paint outs, “Quick Draws”, workshops & exhibits where you can purchase your favorite paintings & meet the artists!

Schroll expands offerings

Company press release

Schroll Cabinets Announces New Finishes and Door Styles. Custom Matching also Now Available!

Schroll Cabinets, the region’s premier custom cabinet builder, has developed a comprehensive new line of wood finishes and door styles. Customers may also now bring in color samples and door styles for custom matching.

An array of more than 65 stains and 19 solid-color finishes make up Schroll’s exciting new finish options. Customers can mix and match finish choices with over 50 different door fronts.

In addition, Schroll customers looking for a specific color or door style can now bring in a sample, and Schroll’s craftsmen will create a custom match.

Also new is Schroll’s plywood interior option. Customers may now choose from two interiors (plywood or melamine), two drawer boxes, and three drawer slides.

“Our cabinets have always been the highest quality,” said President John Schroll. “Now we also offer the most variety and customization available anywhere.”

Smashburger comes to Grand Junction, Colorado

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Areios, LLC, a partnership of franchise and restaurant operators Ron Chaulk and Jim Cagle, is opening the first franchise location of Smashburger, a new innovative better burger restaurant concept, on Colorado’s Western Slope. The new Smashburger will open on Monday, June 15, at First and Grand in Grand Junction. Areios is planning to open four additional Smashburgers in the Grand Valley within the next 15 months.

Areios signed on with Smashburger as a Founders Club franchisee in 2008. Founders Club members represent the first large franchise groups to sign on with the Smashburger team and will play a key roll in the development and expansion of Smashburger. Areios is a restaurant industry veteran with experience owning and operating some of the country’s most successful and recognized concepts. It has agreed to open 30 Smashburgers in Western Colorado, Kansas City and Eastern South Dakota over the next several years. The First and Grand location in Grand Junction is the first that Areios will open.

To celebrate the opening of Smashburger’s first Grand Junction restaurant, Areios is hosting a special invitation-only event on Saturday, June 13. The store will officially open for business on Monday, June 15 at 10 a.m.

“We’ve been successful at running quick-service and fast-casual franchise restaurants in Colorado and other Western regions, but we were looking for a new opportunity,” said Cagle, CEO of Areios. “We found Smashburger and immediately knew it was exactly what we and Grand Junction needed. It combines the best burger I’ve ever tasted with a fun, modern setting that’s perfect for almost any occasion. Besides, I love burgers and supporting Colorado companies.”

Named for the cooking method used to create the perfect burger, Smashburgers are either a one-third or half-pound ball of beef smashed on a flat grill to sear in the juices. The menu also includes grilled Smashchicken sandwiches, Smashdogs, Smashfries, Veggie Frites, haystack onions, entrée salads and kids’ selections. Haagen Daz shakes, wine or frosty mugs of beer round out the perfect burger meal.

“Our burgers start with always-fresh-never-frozen 100 percent Angus beef. Smashing our burgers seals in the flavor, creating a better-tasting, better-quality burger,” said Tom Ryan, Smashburger founder. “We’re excited to see Areios open Smashburger’s first franchise location and help us continue our pursuit of being Colorado’s favorite burger place.”

Smashburger was launched and funded with $15 million by Denver-based private equity and concept development firm Consumer Capital Partners (CCP) in mid-2007. The company is rapidly expanding through corporate, joint venture and franchise locations across the country. Smashburger has close to 16 locations currently open in Colorado, Kansas, Texas and Minnesota, with nearly a half dozen more expected to open this summer. By the end of 2009, Smashburger will have approximately 40 corporate, joint venture and franchise locations opened.

Colorado Home Values Holding up, Kitchen Remodels Still Make Sense

Press release provided by Linden Designs

While unfortunate homeowners in California and Florida experienced precipitous home price drops of up to 40 percent in 2008, home values up and down the front range have held steady, falling less than 2% in 2008 and showing solid appreciation in the past five years. Despite the rocky economy, homes remain a good investment in Colorado and Wyoming. (Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency. Data released February 24, 2009)

According to Remodel Magazine, return on investment for kitchen remodeling has dropped very little. What’s more, home mortgage and home equity loan rates are at historic lows right now & contractors are more available to create the perfect environment to remodel your kitchen.

Not all Kitchen remodels are created equal! Consumers should consider the quality of their remodeling choices to maximize their return on investment.

5 Cost-Conscious Kitchen Remodel Tips:

1. 1. Do it yourself

While bad DIY work is a bad investment and can actually devalue your home, competent do-it-yourself projects can save your budget. Tile work is a good example. In Colorado, average tile installation rates run about $10 per square foot, including underlayment and other prep. But if you choose inexpensive tile flooring, you may only pay $2 a square foot for the tile. Learning to lay tile yourself is a doable DIY task that adds value and saves cash.

2. 2. Low-cost countertops

Who doesn’t want granite or soapstone? In the past decade, we all grew accustomed to equating high-end kitchens with solid-surface countertops.

But low-cost laminate in a tasteful solid or mottled black can give a similar appearance and function at a much lower cost.

3. 3. Clearance appliances

Good old scratch-and-dent and floor model appliances are a good bet right now, as are overstock models. Just like car dealers, many appliance dealers in this economy have a surplus of appliances to move, so you might just get a great deal if you keep looking and are bold enough to haggle. While you’re at it, look for Energy Star ratings, which will also save on energy costs.

4. 4. Reused materials

Visit your local thrift shops to look for interesting lighting fixtures, sinks, and other remodeling treasures. Habitat for Humanity operates building materials thrift stores up and down the Front Range, and all the money you spend goes to help build Habitat homes.

5. 5. Efficient cabinet design

A good kitchen designer can save you hundreds—even thousands— of dollars on your kitchen cabinets. Drawers are more expensive than cabinets with doors, for example, so if your budget is tight, a good designer will use drawers judiciously. Wood and finish choices also radically affect cost. Don’t skimp where it counts, though. Make sure your new cabinets are built to last. Visit schrollcabinets.com/cabinets/craftsmanship/joint_types/ for a primer on what to look for in quality cabinet construction.