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FEATURING THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE OUR COMMUNITY GREAT! OurFaces LARAMIE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE: Maintaining law and order for over 150 years Th e Heritage Issue What’s inside: • Cheyenne SUBVETS: Submarine veterans united by shared experiences • Magic City Enterprises supporting individuals with disabilities for almost 50 years • Colorful cowboy C.B. Irwin’s legend lives on and much more! MORE THAN A NEWSPAPER 2 Wyoming Tribune Eagle DIGITAL CELEBRATION We would like to invite you to visit our website at www.wyomingnews.com and click on the “Celebrate the Class of 2020” link to see all Graduating Seniors from LCSD #1 and #2 81 9 June 2020 OUR FACES / HERITAGE 3 FEATURING THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE OUR COMMUNITY GREAT! OurFaces INSIDE THIS EDITION: HERITAGE Magic City helps those with disabilities fi nd value, equality, individual self-worth . .4 The outdoor legacy of Curt Gowdy . .6 Colorful cowboy: C.B. Irwin’s legend lives on . .8 Landmark Plains Hotel increases extended stay offerings . .9 Laramie County Sheriff’s Department: Maintaining law and order for over 150 years . .10 Old Cheyenne Grain Elevator: Elevating the West Edge . .14 Cheyenne SUBVETS: Submarine veterans united by shared experiences . .16 “TEACHERS AFFECT ETERNITY; NO ONE CAN TELL WHERE THEIR INFLUENCE STOPS.” NEXT ISSUE: —Henry Books Adams HEROES SeptemberFEATURING 2019 THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE OUR COMMUNITY GREAT! OUR FACES / HEROES Be a part of the Our 1 heroes issue Faces PULLING FOR THE COMMUNITY - Send in story ideas Cheyenne Detective Mike Fernandez dedicates his spare time - Advertise to helping Special Olympics The Heroes Issue What’s inside: THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN COLORADO IS THE PRIMARY • Melody Warren: The calm in any storm • Kiwanis: More than just pancakes Contact: • Civil Air Patrol: Their role when a INSTITUTION FOR TEACHER EDUCATION IN THE STATE OF COLORADO community is faced with the unthinkable 307-633-3161 and much more! [email protected] MORE THAN A NEWSPAPER EXTENDED.UNCO.EDU Look for it in Sept. 2020 4 Wyoming Tribune Eagle Magic City helps those with disabilities fi nd value, equality, in vidual self-wor Magic City Enterprises is a nonpro t agency that has supported people with disabilities to live successfully in the Cheyenne area since 1971. PHOTOS COURTESY OF MAGIC CITY By Rachel Girt am today without them.” disabilities do,” said Je Gardner, mistakes are made. “ ey make it For the Wyoming Tribune Eagle In 1971, the Cheyenne Kiwanis Magic City president and CEO. clear that you have to live with the Mark Rynes described himself Club Foundation established “We provide support in their consequences of your actions, but as “a little bit of a wild card” before Magic City primarily as a homes to carry out typical at the same time, they help you he started receiving services from vocational program for those activities of daily living, to develop out,” he added. Magic City Enterprises 13 years with disabilities, providing work and maintain friendships and “If you’ve had a bad time, ago. such as building wood stakes relationships, and to facilitate theyhave people to listen to you,” With Magic City’s assistance, and pallets and stripping wire for meaningful activities that add Rynes said. “ ey won’t judge you Rynes went from living in a group copper. quality to people’s lives,” Gardner or just try to give you pills, but just home to living independently on Today, the nonpro t Magic added. listen to you and help you learn his own and working. For the last City provides community living, Gardner explained that what from your experiences, rather eight years, Rynes has also been adult day, community support, living successfully means depends than just get through them.” working at the F.E. Warren Air companion, personal care, on each individual. “A short-term Magic City set Rynes up with Force Base Commissary, where supported employment and success could be cleaning the various jobs through its job he stocks shelves, does janitorial transportation services to 120 house or putting on clean clothes. coaching program. At rst, Magic work and recently trained for the clients. Sometimes, it is a long-term, life- City sta came to work with him, meat room. “Our organization strives to help changing success like developing but stopped a er realizing he “It’s been the most impactful people grow to live typical lives of and maintaining a healthy didn’t need assistance, Rynes said. thing in my life to date,” Rynes quality within their communities, relationship, getting a driver’s Now he receives transportation said. “If it wasn’t for Magic City, I as well as to have access to and license or buying a home.” services to and from work. would be in an entirely di erent engage in community services Rynes called Magic City’s Rynes added that Magic City situation and wouldn’t be where I the same way those without support a “safety net,” even if has taught him budgeting skills, June 2020 OUR FACES / HERITAGE 5 Je Gardner, CEO and president of Magic City Enterprises, poses for photo. PHOTOS BY RACHEL GIRT & MAGIC CITY various skills in a group home setting, and “We are committed to growing and adapting and derogatory terms. “We call it disability cooking and cleaning. all of our services to continue meeting the now,” he stressed. For parents like Susan and Tim Kirk, just emerging needs of people of disabilities in the As a former member of the Wyoming knowing that Magic City sta members are Laramie County area, which we have served Governor’s Council on Developmental watching out for their son has been a big relief. for almost 50 years,” Gardner said. “We are Disabilities, he has spoken with U.S. Sens. Seventeen years ago, Kirk’s son became currently in the process of expanding into Mike Enzi and John Barrasso, as well as involved with Magic City right a er high Carbon and Platte counties, too.” presenting ideas to Wyoming legislators about school. e Kirks provided joint comments for “We continually assess the kinds of supports direct support professionals being paid more. this article. eir son, who is now 35, was not and services that we o er to ensure that we On the Wyoming Institute for Disabilities available to be interviewed. meet people’s needs and facilitate the best (WIND) Advisory Council, Garcia helped In addition to job coaching, Magic City opportunity for success,” Gardner explained. develop coloring books about people with “helped him be more independent, been there For George Garcia, Magic City has been disabilities. for him and guided him through di erent life a place where he has built friendships and “George has always liked to speak up skills,” the Kirks said. received services for more than 20 years. about people with disabilities, their needs e Kirks explained that their son was able to Before he retired two years ago, Garcia worked and how they can improve the waiver, move out of their house about a year a er high at Wendy’s for 10 years making chili and at things like that,” said Richard Leslie, a direct school due to Magic City. Today, he also receives Godfather’s Pizza as a dishwasher. Garcia said support professional who works at Magic transportation services and help paying his bills. a Magic City job coach came with him. City with Garcia. Magic City has connected their son with Magic City sta also helps Garcia in his Gardner, who started with Magic City in resources that have “helped him with everything home. “It’s pretty good,” Garcia added. 2017, has worked with and for people with from eyeglasses to appropriate work clothes,” “ ey’re nice people.” intellectual disabilities for more than 30 the Kirks said. Nowadays, Garcia volunteers to clean the years. He is very passionate about his career “We feel very strongly about Magic City and church at the senior center. He is the president choice. really appreciate all the wonderful services it of the Aktion Club, which is a Kiwanis “ e reality is that people with disabilities provides,” the Kirks added. “We hope Magic program for adults with disabilities. He is also are much more similar to people without City receives all the funding it needs to go very passionate about watching wrestling and disabilities than di erent,” Gardner said. forward.” football, o en sporting a Denver Broncos “ ey have the same hopes, dreams, joys Magic City’s primary source of revenue is jacket. “I like football – Denver,” he explained, and sorrows,” he added. “ ese are things the Medicaid Home and Community Based smiling. that transcend any di erences that we may Waiver, but, as a nonpro t organization, private Garcia is a strong advocate for people with have and make us people.” fundraising plays a critical role in its ability disabilities, especially for the use of more If anyone is interested in Magic City’s to continue to support the mission, Gardner appropriate terms to describe people with services, Gardner encouraged them to visit explained. disabilities and the elimination of o ensive the website mcewyo.org. 6 Wyoming Tribune Eagle The out or legacy of Curt Gowdy Curt Gowdy State Park is located just 24 miles west of Cheyenne. e park has seven sections of richly varied landscape, miles of biking and hiking trails, and excellent shing. Daily use and camping fees required. Visit wyoparks.wyo.gov. PHOTOS BY RACHEL GIRT By Rachel Girt generated for Wyoming. Gowdy campground in honor of Gowdy’s ‘ e American Sportsman’ series, For the Wyoming Tribune Eagle died in 2006. wife named Jerre’s Haven. e let alone his constant reminder National sportscaster and “ e park today continues new campground has sweeping that he was from Wyoming outdoorsman Curt Gowdy to re ect the legacy of Curt views of the reservoir and when he was doing his national brought his love for hunting Gowdy in its rugged outdoor and features 13 new campsites with telecasts,” Bryan explained.