October 2016
Resources

October is 
Youth Justice Awareness Month! 

Click here for details
Thank You!

Recent Donor Update:

The Aspen  Community Foundation
$25,000

Dixon Fund with Western Colorado Community Foundation
$10,000

Thank you for your continued support!
Upcoming Events

Substance Education

Rifle
970.625.3141
December 1
4 to 8 p.m.

Glenwood
970.945.9300
November 17
4 to 8 p.m.

Aspen
970.945.9300
December 15
4 to 8 p.m.
Program Spotlight

TITANS
Trained Involved Teens Assisting Non-profits

YouthZone recruits, trains, and matches high school aged youth as board members to local non-profit and public organizations.

Have a Safe and Happy Halloween!
YouthZone: 2012-2015

As we wrap up our reflection of the past 40 years, we look at 2012 through 2015, the most recent four-year period in our memory.   It's safe to say that the Earth uttered a sigh of relief that the world did not come to an end when the Mayan calendar stopped in 2012.  Although devastation was still plentiful in Colorado and the nation, as the Aurora Theater shooting yielded 12 deaths and the shooting at Sandy Hook elementary school took 26 lives.  Hurricane Sandy also took the lives of nearly 300 and cost more than $50 billion in damages.  Gun deaths, as of 2015, have become as equally as common as traffic death in the United States.  In 2015, the United States Supreme Court affirmed same-sex marriage and millennials surpassed baby boomers as the largest generation in the U.S. population.
 
Here in Colorado, voters in 2012 allowed recreational marijuana to be legalized and soon after "pot shops" opened throughout the state. YouthZone, along with many other organizations, continue to see an increase in youth dabbling in pot - some "experimenting" and others with significant addiction issues.
 
On a more uplifting note, in 2012 longtime YouthZone supporter Dorothy Snearly was presented with the prestigious Athena Award from the Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association.  The Athena Award recognizes women in Glenwood Springs who are dedicated to serving their communities. YouthZone's own Patty Schaffner also received the Athena Award earlier this year, in addition to the Garfield County Humanitarian Award in 2012.
 
Leadership changes are rare at YouthZone.  However, in 2012, Executive Director Debbie Wilde stepped down from her position (after more than 20 years) in order to become the CEO of "Insight to Impact."  Lori Mueller assumed the Executive Director role in April of 2013 and continues to lead the organization today.
 
The past 40 years have been an amazing time of growth and development for YouthZone, and we're looking forward to continuing to help kids and families for 40 more!
YouthZone Ascent Raises $167,000
Thank you to all of our teams, volunteers, sponsors, and donors who helped make the first annual YouthZone Ascent such a great success!  This year, more than $167,000 was raised!  

On the day of the event, 53 competitors climbed their way to the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park!  The overall winner was Brian Johnson, who ran to the top with a finish time of 25:18!  (Brian even beat the cyclists!)
YouthZone Named Best SB94 Program 
in the State!

On November 3, YouthZone will receive recognition at the SB94 conference for having the best program in Colorado!

YouthZone's SB94 program consists of direct referrals made by District Court and Probation to YouthZone for case management services, including intensive daily supervision through electronic home monitoring (EHM) and home detention (HD) as an alternative to a detention facility.  
Three Amazing YouthZone Directors!
Current Executive Director Lori Mueller (left) pictured with former Directors Debbie Wilde - 1989-2012 (center) and Patti Phelps - 1979-1989 (right)
 
Lori Mueller, Executive Director
970.945.9300