Welcome Back Neighbors

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Happy New Year 2017! WeCAN is excited to get back to work this year. We will once again be holding our neighborhood clean-up days in May and October, tree planting in April, the WeCAN Running Club meets every Monday evening to run Sloan’s Lake, and more events to come. As West Colfax continues to grow and develop, WeCAN hopes to keep pace. One goal for WeCAN in 2017 is to expand our outreach efforts to neighborhood businesses. If you’ve been looking for a way to get involved with WeCAN, please see the ‘Get Involved In Your Community in 2017’ section below. We’d love to hear about your ideas for the organization.

Kind Regards,

Nadia Hafeez Patrick & Leah Rounds
WeCAN Co-Presidents

At the Next General Membership Meeting on January 10th

Shannon McGinty from the Denver Urban Renewal Authority will be at our General Meeting to present on their Housing Assistance Programs. The Housing Programs offered assist many low to moderate homeowners with repairs and renovations that they may not be able to afford otherwise. Click here to view the flyer or come to the meeting on January 10th to get more information on these programs.

Dan Shah, the Director of the West Colfax Business Improvement District, has news to share on the Re-Imagine West Colfax project and recent efforts to bring wayfinding signage to the Lakewood Gulch Trail. Come to the meeting on January 10th to see signage designs and give your feedback. Dan will also be available to answer any questions on business development coming into the neighborhood. Learn more about what the BID does at www.westcolfaxbid.org.

And as always, WeCAN will share neighborhood events and Community Resource Officer Bob Anderson will be at the meeting to share crime statistics and answer your questions and concerns.

Get Involved In Your Community in 2017

WeCAN is hoping to grow and include even more neighbors in its projects and leadership in 2017. If you’re looking for a way to get involved and give back in your own community, we’d love to hear from you!

Business Outreach: West Colfax is growing and WeCAN wants to connect to even more businesses (established and new) in the neighborhood. Our goal is to introduce WeCAN to businesses in West Colfax and to establish and grow relations with our local business partners. Contact Leah@wecandenver.org if you’d like to help.

Fundraising Committee: WeCAN needs help planning and executing fundraising events throughout the year to have the funds to keep the organization running smoothly. If you have ideas on raising funds or want to help organize fundraising events please contact us! Contact Leah@wecandenver.org if you’d like to help.

Sustainable Neighborhood Network Committee: West Colfax has been a part of Denver’s Sustainable Neighborhood Network since 2014. WeCAN hosts various events and workshops throughout the year to bring more sustainability projects to the neighborhood. Learn more about the program at https://www.sustainableneighborhoodnetwork.org and contact Josh at jpatrick0611@gmail.com if you’d like to help expand this committee.

WeCAN Running Club @Seedstock Brewery

The WeCAN Running Club has been going strong all winter long and we’re continuing into the new year! The WeCAN Running Club meets every Monday at Seedstock Brewery (3610 W Colfax Ave) at 6:20pm for a run around Sloan’s Lake, then returns for a 2 for 1 beer! This is a fun run and all ability levels are welcome; contact us if you have any questions at info@wecandenver.org. Come by this Monday for a chance to meet some neighbors, get in shape, and have a beer!

FREE Women’s Self Defense Class

Please join Denver Police District 1 for the first FREE Women's Self Defense Class for 2017. It will be held on Saturday, January 28th - 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, at the Sun Valley Kitchen located at 1260 Decatur St. See the flyer for more details.

This location is only able to adequately handle approximately 40 participants. Please act fast and RSVP to Community Resource Officer Robert Gibbs robert.gibbs@denvergov.org to reserve your spot today.

What to Know About Snow Removal in Denver

Denver requires property owners to clear their sidewalks so that everyone has safe access through the city. Seniors, those with disabilities, parents with strollers, and mail carriers are a few citizens that struggle to get by on snowy and icy sidewalks. We all need to do our part to make West Colfax a safe and accessible neighborhood.
 

• Timing: Once snow has stopped, businesses have four hours and residents have 24 hours to remove snow and ice from sidewalks adjacent to their property.

• Report A Problem: Call 311 and provide the address of the uncleared sidewalk. Or use pocketgov.org to provide the address and upload a photo of the uncleared sidewalk.

• Enforcement: Citizen complaints help Denver identify businesses and property owners who need to be educated on the sidewalk safety requirements.

• Visit Denver Health's Snow Removal Injury Prevention for tips on how to properly shovel snow.

Volunteer to be a Snow Buddy

Snow Buddies is a partnership between Denver and Volunteers of America. The program connects healthy volunteers with anyone 60+ in the metro area who cannot shovel their own walk. Volunteers are paired with seniors and help clear their walkways after two or more inches of snow has fallen.

Learn more about the program and fill out a volunteer application at http://www.denversnowplan.com/help-your-community.