Ribbon Cutting and Opening of Colorado Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC)

Ribbon Cutting and Opening of Colorado Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC)

Mark your calendar! This announcement is to invite you to attend the opening of the Colorado PTAC.

When: 9:30 to 10:30 am, November 9, 2009 (Monday)

Where: Pikes Peak Center, 190 South Cascade Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO 80903, Main Lobby www.pikespeakcenter.com Telephone (719) 520-7453

Who will be there: Don Marostica (Director, State Office of Economic Development and International Trade), representatives from our Congressional Offices, the PTAC Director Tom Elam and the PTAC staff, and numerous other stakeholders in this important new statewide enterprise.

Why be there: This is an opportunity to get a first look at the new Colorado PTAC and meet the PTAC staff and many other stakeholders.

The mission of a Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) is to help businesses throughout the state to land government contracts and increase economic opportunities.

The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Defense, the State Economic Development Commission, and local contributions from throughout the State. This will assist Colorados small and middle market businesses to obtain contracts with federal, state, county and local governments. It will be based out of Colorado Springs with satellite workers providing additional coverage throughout the state.

Colorado's small businesses form the backbone of our economy, Gov. Ritter has said. Bringing a PTAC to Colorado is critical for our small business community, especially since Colorado has such a significant federal government and military presence. This center will allow for all of Colorado's small businesses to get fair and equal access to do business with the government, at a time when there is much work to do to get our economy moving again.

The Procurement Technical Assistance Program was authorized by Congress in 1985 in an effort to expand the number of businesses capable of participating in the Government Marketplace. There are now 93 PTACs in states around the country. Nationwide, businesses working through a PTAC were awarded contracts totaling $14 billion during the most recent procurement cycle, creating or retaining 334,000 jobs nationwide.

We hope you will find it worthwhile to participate in this inaugural event.

Free Eats at Applebees for Military and Vets, November 11th

MILITARY INVITED TO EAT FREE AT APPLEBEE’S® ON VETERANS DAY

Vets and Active Duty Saluted with Free Entrée and Neighborhood Support on
Veterans Day at All Colorado Area Applebee’s

DENVER, COLORADO – October 30, 2009 – Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar ® restaurants throughout Colorado are inviting all U.S. veterans and active duty military personnel to come in and pull up a chair at their favorite neighborhood restaurant for a delicious entree and heartfelt “thanks” this Veterans Day. With gratitude for their service and sacrifice, warm wishes and hot food will flow freely for these local heroes from lunchtime through the dinner hours for dine-in guests at all Applebee’s locations in Colorado. Family and friends are also invited to come join the celebration and gather to tell stories, share laughter and raise a glass in salute to these local heroes.

On Veterans Day (November 11), veterans and those on active duty with proof of United States military service will be able to select one complimentary entrée from a selection of delicious favorites:

o 7-ounce House Sirloin
o Three-Cheese Chicken Penne
o Fiesta Lime Chicken®
o Fire Pit Bacon Burger
o Chicken Tenders Platter
o Oriental Chicken Salad

Not only will these heroes receive a delicious entrée for free, but also the traditional sides that come with each entrée will be served “on the house.”

“It’s an honor to host an event that helps the neighborhood come together and say ‘thanks’ to our veterans and active servicemen and women,” said Mike Muldoon, President, AmRest Applebee’s. “We feel a special connection to everyone who wears or has worn our nation’s uniform to protect our freedoms. We’re proud of their courage and happy to have this opportunity to offer a mouth-watering meal free of charge.”

For more information and to locate the nearest Applebee’s restaurant visit www.applebees.com.

Coat the Community

Once again this year, Harris Group Realty, Inc. is teaming with the Springs Rescue Mission for its’ annual Coat the Community Drive. We’ll be collecting new or gently used coats, mittens, sweaters, etc. until November 13, 2009 at our office at 2950 Professional Pl, Ste. 205 in the Kissing Camels Office Park. Or come out and see us at either Sam’s Club on Saturday, November 14th between 11:00 and 3:00 p.m. when we will be working with the Rescue Mission to ‘Stuff the Truck’ for our community, with winter apparel and canned goods. We need your support and look forward to seeing you! For more information, please call us at 227-9900.

Easy Street Designs now carries MacVan maps

Easy Street Designs at 109 Kiva Rd in Security, CO is pleased to announce we now carry MacVan street maps of Colorado Springs, as well as their Colorado map book.

Regular maps retail for just $4.95, the laminated version is $7.95 and the big map book is just $24.85. Other MacVan maps also available upon request.

Pikes Peak Workforce Center November Workshops

Colorado Springs, CO – The Pikes Peak Workforce Center encourages job seekers to learn new job search tips and techniques by attending one of its November workshops. There is no charge to attend workshops but attendees must register with Connecting Colorado, the state job search database. (www.connectingcolorado.com).

Please note that PPWFC will be closed Wednesday, November 11 for Veterans Day and Thursday and Friday, November 26 and 27 in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.

NETWORK GROUPS: Ongoing job search and support on trends and leads! No registration necessary.

Job Search Group: Mondays, 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon;

50+ Job Seekers Group: Thursdays, 11:00 a.m. to 12 noon. PPWFC will be closed November 11, 26 and 27.

Veterans: November 4, 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.

Live Orientation: Overview of PPWFC services with Q&A

Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 9:00 or 10:30 a.m. No registration necessary. PPWFC will be closed November 11, 26 and 27.

Online Job Search and Basic Resume

Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:30 a.m. to noon

Beginners will learn how to write a resume, complete online job applications and set up a free email account. No registration necessary. Walk-ins welcome. PPWFC will be closed November 11, 26 and 27.

Managing Stress

Tuesdays, 1:30 to 3:00 p.m.

Learn tips and techniques for dealing with stress. No registration necessary. Walk-ins welcome.

Job Shop: Interview Skills and Network Techniques

Tuesdays, 9:00 a.m. to Noon.

Learn to mine and network for leads; prepare to interview, negotiate salary and more! Register online at www.ppwfc.org or call 719.667.3790.

Résumé ‘Righting!’ – Résumé and Portfolio Design

Mondays, 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Wednesdays, 10:00 to noon. No registration necessary. PPWFC will be closed November 11, 26 and 27.

Resumes often are a report of past accomplishments when they should be an advertisement of future potential. Job seekers who are over or under-qualified struggle with how best to present themselves. Attendees will learn the latest trends in resume design and content. No registration necessary, but please arrive on time.

There is no charge to attend these workshops; however, registration is required for most. Register at www.ppwfc.org, click on the workshops under Employment and Careers or call 667-3790. All workshops are held at the main office, 2306 East Pikes Peak Avenue, Colorado Springs, 80909.

About PPWFC

The Pikes Peak Workforce Center supports business and promotes employment by providing connecting employers and job seekers. PPWFC helps businesses solve their workforce-related business problems and helps residents with career transition. More information about the Pikes Peak Workforce Center can be found online at www.ppwfc.org.

Customer Appreciation Day at Michael Garman Museum

Colorado Springs, CO (Seiko Tran) —Michael Garman Galleries is proud to announce a Customer Appreciation Day at their Museum located at 2418 W. Colorado Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO 80904.

“We would like to thank all our loyal customers by offering complimentary coffee, hot cider and free popcorn on Saturday, November 7, 2009 from 12 noon to 5:00 p.m.,” said Barb Hodges, Michael Garman Museum Manager. “Free pre-selected Michael Garman Miniatures will be offered to the first 20 customers who purchase $50.00 or more during the event hours from Noon to 5:00 p.m. Also, Magic Town admission will be reduced by $2.00 per admission ALL DAY LONG (does not apply in addition to our group rates.)”

Hodges continues, “We have recently found molds for some Michael Garman sculptures, including his Nautical Series and a few of his early western pieces that we thought had been lost or damaged. We want to take this time to invite our customers and collectors to come in and see what we have found.”

The new Michael Garman Museum pays tribute to Michael Garman’s fifty-year career. The museum continues to offer a limited line of sculptures for sale in the museum. In addition, they have expanded their personalization department so that every customer can personalize a unique scene of their own.

Other museum features include:

· Expanded Magic Town
· Deluxe Scavenger Hunts
· Guided tours
· Displays of Michael’s early work including one-of-a-kind clay pieces and sketches
· Expanded personalization department to design your own Shadowbox Street Scene
· Video biography of Michael’s life and work

For more information, please contact Barb at 719-471-9391.

Alegria Living/Cronkite Wealth Strategies Open House Fund Raiser

ALEGRIA LIVING MAGAZINE JOINS CRONKHITE WEALTH STRATEGIES TO GIVE BACK
TO THE TROOPS DURING OPEN HOUSE

Colorado Springs, CO (Seiko Tran)— Alegria Living Magazine is giving back to the military Troops during their Open House on October 29th from 11am to 7pm. Alegria Living Magazine is collecting items for our troops and making Care Packages and will send all the items after the open house directly to our military troops. The items they are collecting include: candy, gum, chips, condiments, hand warmers, beef jerky, non-white pillow cases, energy bars, powdered drink mixes, plastic baggies, Oreos, note cards and pens.

“We are looking forward to a great Open House on the 29th to solicit donations and share our desire to help provide care packages for our men & women in the military who are serving our country, “said Cinnamon Bird, Publisher of Alegria Living Magazine. “We all have so much to be thankful for and all of us at Alegria Living Magazine are doing our part and invite you to stop by and have some fun.”

Sponsorship of the Open House is from Cronkhite Wealth Strategies with Paravicini's Italian Bistro providing food for the event.

Alegria Living Magazine covers Chaffee, Custer, Fremont and El Paso Counties with stories that focus on giving back to the communities (civic responsibility, as it is known is some circles), unique individuals and their equally unique talents, exploring the outdoors beyond our backdoors, the fascinating history of our region, tantalizing recipes from local chefs, book reviews of local authors, and much more.

“Welcome to Alegria Living, Colorado Style! We are a regional lifestyle magazine, representing what’s great about living in our piece of Colorado heaven,” said Bird. “People tell us we seem to always have smiles on our faces, and it’s probably true: what is there not to be thankful for? We’re the ‘glass is half full’ kind of writers and photographers and graphic designers who believe that sharing a cup of joy with your neighbor causes a ripple effect of well-being that can be felt across communities.

Please contact Cinnamon Bird, at 719-250-0345 or go online at www.alegrialivingonline.com for more info

BBB Alert, Online Home Rental Scams

BBB Warns Renters to Be Wary of Bogus Home Rentals Online

Consumers who wish to rent an apartment or home using Craigslist or other online classifieds need to use caution according to your Better Business Bureau.

The BBB’s national office has received reports from the public that some ads are false and are being placed with the intent of stealing money from potential renters.

According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, about 36 million households in the U.S. are made up of renters -- which make this a large segment of the population that could potentially be scammed.

Although finding rental properties online is very convenient and millions of people have done so successfully, there are scammers who capitalize on this new way of finding a place to live.

Here’s how many of the scams unfold. The renter responds to an online ad and is told by the supposed landlord that they must wire money as a deposit. The potential renter is then promised they will receive the keys. When the renter asks to check out the property first, the landlords claim to be out of the country and can not show the house.

As a result, some shocked homeowners have received knocks at their doors by people who were planning to move into their new rental home. Often the real homeowners have their house up for sale – not rent - and had pictures posted online that the scammers could steal for their bogus listings.

Here are some red flags:

• The deal sounds too good to be true. Scammers will often list a rental for a very low price to lure in victims. Find out how comparable listings are priced, and if the rental you are considering is considerably lower, walk away.
• The landlord is located elsewhere and prefers to communicate via e-mail. Scammers often claim they have just been relocated out of the country for a job or missionary work - don’t believe it.
• The landlord requires a substantial deposit before handing over the keys or even showing the home. Don’t pay any money before inspecting the home, inside and out.
• The landlord asks the renter to wire money through wire transfer services such as Western Union or MoneyGram. Money sent via wire transfer service is extremely difficult to retrieve and once the scammers have picked it up; there is little recourse—if any—for getting your money back.

Cinematic Tea Party, October 18th

Commencing a full blown attack on the hypocrisy and ill-conceived policies of the modern environmental movement, while simultaneously countering years of slanted, Hollywood political productions from he likes of Michael Moore and Al Gore, the public is invited to the DVD "premiere party" of the film Not Evil, Just Wrong.

Sunday October 18, 2009
6pm (doors open at 5pm
The Pikes Peak Center

For more information visit www.NotEvilJustWrong.com


Tickets are FREE but required.

Pick up at the Pikes Peak Center Box Office
190 South Cascade Ave
Box office is open Monday – Friday: 10am – 4pm
Concessions will be available & parking is FREE

Peak Vista expands shelter offerings in Colorado Springs

Peak Vista Community Health Centers Opens New Homeless Health Center and
Receives Grant for Mobile Health Center

Colorado Springs, CO - Peak Vista Community Health Centers is pleased to announce the opening of its new Homeless Health Center adjacent to the Salvation Army’s New Hope Shelter at 117 West Rio Grande. Peak Vista has also received a Community Development Block Grant, administered by El Paso County, for a Mobile Health Center. Outreach services through the Mobile Health Center will resemble what Peak Vista provides at its new Homeless Health Center, allowing Peak Vista to serve many more who fall into this patient population, with emphasis on rural homeless in El Paso County.

The new Homeless Health Center, which provided care for over 1000 patients in 2008, will provide medical, dental and behavioral healthcare for homeless people of all ages. Limited laboratory services and pharmaceuticals, as well as breast health information, are also available at the Center. A special tribute to former board member Elizabeth Fineron is housed at the center to honor her advocacy efforts on behalf of the homeless.

It is anticipated that the new Mobile Health Center will be able to accommodate 500 patients annually. Peak Vista will partner with Catholic Charities during visits to migrant camps, rural areas and other areas in El Paso County to provide comprehensive medical care to the homeless and to those at risk of becoming homeless.

Greg Morris, longtime Director of Homeless Services for Peak Vista and a nationally recognized subject matter expert and advocate for the homeless, is responsible for both the Homeless Health Center and the Mobile Health Center.

About Peak Vista

Peak Vista Community Health Centers is a non profit, multi-specialty primary healthcare organization whose mission is to provide exceptional healthcare for people facing access barriers. Established in 1971, Peak Vista today offers outpatient medical, dental and behavioral health care to more than 55,000 residents, mostly from working families, of the Pikes Peak region. Fifteen centers at twelve sites support care. In 2006, Peak Vista established its Foundation to sustain healthcare services for those without access. To learn more about Peak Vista or to support financially, visit www.peakvista.org or call 344-6606.

Free, Anonymous Testing for Depression Available

COLORADO SPRINGS – In recognition of National Depression Screening Day and Mental Illness Awareness Week, Pikes Peak Behavioral Health Group is offering and promoting free and anonymous depression screening on its Web site: www.ppbhg.org.

The screenings coincide with the organization’s Heroes of Mental Health Luncheon on Oct. 8 at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort.

An estimated 15 million people will suffer from major depression this year, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. The condition can take effect due to several factors, which can be psychological, biological, environmental and genetic.

National Depression Screening Day (Oct. 8) is held every year on the Thursday of Mental Illness Awareness Week. Hundreds of organizations throughout the United States provide both in-person screening events and online screening tools to help patients identify the services they need and promote positive mental health.

The online screening tool will continue to be available on the organization’s Web site after October 8.

“Our community should participate in this effort,” said Morris L. Roth, president and CEO of Pikes Peak Behavioral Health Group. “It’s been a tough year and we know many people aren’t ‘themselves.’ We hope this tool will help those who need it, while encouraging them to recovery.”

The online screening tool consists of 10 simple questions and is completed in a couple of minutes. Participants who score high are given a local, 24-hour telephone number to speak to a medical professional to get further information about depression and treatment options.

Award-winning journalist Eric Weiner is the keynote at the Heroes of Mental Health Luncheon, which runs from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. He traveled to the world’s happiest countries before penning The New York Times-bestseller “The Geography of Bliss: One Grump’s Search for the Happiest Places in the World.”

Tickets ($35 each) are still available by calling (719) 314-4305.

For 134 years, Pikes Peak Behavioral Health Group has created help and hope for Southern Colorado residents. Its organizations provide a broad range of services to meet adult and family needs, substance abuse, acute treatment and managed care. We also provide vocational skills training and affirmative employment in catering, design/build/construction services as well as facilities management services.

SERVICESOURCE HIRING EVENT, Oct 15 + 16, Colorado Springs

Contractor Seeking Persons with Disabilities for Positions at Fort Carson

Colorado Springs, CO – The Pikes Peak Workforce Center is hosting a hiring event for ServiceSource Inc. on October 15 and 16, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

ServiceSource is seeking Shift Leaders for food service and Dining Facility Attendants for positions at Fort Carson. The Dining Facility Attendants must have a documented medical disability which makes it impossible for the individual to be competitively employed over an extended period of time.

Applicants should pre-register in Connectingcolorado.com, the state database and then come to the Pikes Peak Workforce Center prepared to interview and able to pass a criminal background check and drug screening. The dining facility attendant positions require medical documentation.

ServiceSource offers benefits, educational and training opportunities.

For more information or to register for the hiring event, job seekers should go to www.ppwfc.org and click on hiring events, under the employment and careers tab.

About PPWFC

The Pikes Peak Workforce Center supports business and promotes employment by connecting employers and job seekers. PPWFC helps businesses solve their workforce-related business problems and helps residents with career transition. More information about the Pikes Peak Workforce Center can be found online at www.ppwfc.org.

RESULTS OF GIANT PUMPKIN WEIGH-OFF IN OLD COLORADO CITY

Colorado Springs, CO —The merchants of Old Colorado City would like to announce the results of the GIANT PUMPKIN WEIGH-OFF. The event was held from 10 AM to 4 PM in the Old Town Plaza on the corner of 25th Street and West Colorado Avenue.

Under the supervision of judges from the Giant Pumpkin Commonwealth, there were growers with Giant Pumpkins competing for the Heaviest Pumpkin and the Howard Dill Award (The Prettiest Pumpkin). Judging began at Noon and awards were presented at 1 PM.

The Winner of this year’s Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off was Doug Minix from Pueblo West with a pumpkin weighing exactly 1,000 lbs. Second Place went to Marc Sawtelle of Colorado Springs with a pumpkin weighing 954 lbs. Third Place went to Jim Grande of Littleton with a pumpkin weighing 766 lbs. The winner of the Howard Dill award for the Prettiest Pumpkin went to Ron Franzen of Colorado Springs.

“This year’s contest went off without a hitch with a huge crowd and beautiful weather,” said Charles Irwin, President of Old Colorado City Associates. “This event is always so amazing because there are lots of activities and fun for the entire family.”

For more info on Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off, please contact Charles Irwin, President of Old Colorado City Association, at 719-302-2962 or go online at www.shopoldcoloradocity.com.

Trendy boutiques, classic jewelry, gourmet restaurants, exquisite art and a lovely, tree-lined avenue invite the children and their families to come and see what Old Colorado City has to offer visitors and guests.