Vox

Thanks to Q House
for helping the community
Editor:
Please allow me to take a moment to very publicly thank the young men of Right of Passage’s Q House for the volunteer work they perform for the entire Clear Creek County community. When the Idaho Springs water system lost pressure last Thursday, requiring customers to go to our three drinking water distribution points or boil their drinking water, we requested Q House assistance in taking informational fliers door to door.
Within 15 minutes of a phone call that I made, I had a crew of these young men and a counselor at the ready at City Hall. To be expeditious, they ran house to house; they did not walk.
Many of us do not realize how deeply these fine young men are involved in active community volunteerism and how they support many, many facets throughout Clear Creek County. Under the direction, encouragement and community dedication of Q House director Troy Erickson and the ROP counselors, these well-mannered, compassionate and energetic young men have provided exemplary service at fund-raisers and benefits, including the CC Victims Advocates Follies, Elks Lodge, the American Legion, Volunteers of America/Project Support and others.
These young men decorate and make memorable special events for Veterans Day, Memorial Day and other national-pride events. They volunteer at the library and hang out with our area senior citizens.  
Now they have provided invaluable assistance to both the city of Idaho Springs and Georgetown when both have had water emergencies in the past year.
I believe it is important that our Clear Creek community knows and understands what these gentlemen have done and continue to do for all of us.  
Through the dedicated efforts of Erickson, the Q House staff and numerous folks throughout our community, the young men of Q House are enhancing themselves by enhancing our collective communities.
On behalf of the city of Idaho Springs, thank you, Q House gentlemen, for your quick assistance and for continuing to be an integral part of the fabric of the Clear Creek County community.
Jim Vogt
city of Idaho Springs

Bennhoff the best candidate
for commissioner
Editor:
Early voting for the upcoming primary election will be this week at the county courthouse between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. each day through Friday. It’s a convenient way to vote in this important primary. If you are an independent, you may still vote in the Democratic primary race by switching your party affiliation that day. Election day is June 26.
Because I feel that the county commissioners are so important, I’d like to add that I believe our best choice in the Democratic primary is Tom Bennhoff. He has demonstrated his willingness to listen to voters and has put in many hours over several years to fully understand the issues to make the most sensible decisions on behalf of local government.
He is approachable and competent, and will arrive at the job with a very solid understanding of our communities.
With his many years of local government experience and volunteer service, I think Tom Bennhoff is the right choice in this primary election.
Dana Abrahamson
Georgetown

Vote for Wheelock
to invest in county’s future
Editor:
Clear Creek County is at a crossroads. Most citizens realize that the county must jump-start economic development to minimize the impacts of: 1) the disruption that will be caused by revising Interstate 70 to relieve congestion, and 2) the loss of tax base when the Henderson Mine starts reducing production.
So what kind of growth? Big-box retail, low-margin strip malls and other similar ugly, low-value-created, low-paying businesses? Or innovation-based, high-value-creating businesses that present and preserve the best of Clear Creek County? 
Randy Wheelock has had the vision for developing Clear Creek County’s mountain recreation resources (rafting, kayaking, fly-fishing, hiking, climbing, bicycling, mountain biking, skiing, snow boarding, cross-country skiing, etc.) to a world-class level that will rival or beat anything on the west side of the Divide.
Denver residents will be able to experience authentic Rocky Mountain recreation activities 40 minutes from home. Example: the Guanella Pass Hill Climb for cyclists conducted on Sunday, June 17. This tremendously successful event, envisioned by Randy and sponsored by his company, Wheelock Construction, brought much-needed recognition and credibility to Clear Creek County as a serious bicycling venue. The Hill Climb is just the start.
Elect Randy Wheelock to continue development of additional high-value mountain recreation resources.
Jim Leonard
Evergreen

Wheelock’s commitment to
Clear Creek has earned our votes  
Editor:
This past Sunday, Father’s Day, Clear Creek County hosted a new bike race in Georgetown. Many people in one of the communities that our county has said we really want to reach out to do know. That is the cycling community.
The first-ever Guanella Pass Hill Climb took place. More than 400 riders participated, and many of their family members, while waiting for a racer to finish, checked out the shops and restaurants in town, and followed up the race at the Alpine Restaurant, where the awards were presented.
The overwhelming consensus from riders and their families was that this inaugural event was a rip-roaring success!
A driving force behind this exciting outdoor activity was Randy Wheelock. As promoter and chief financial donor, he took time from his very busy primary campaigning obligations for county commissioner and his construction business to bring important attention to our county. This race is sure to be held for years to come.
Clear Creek County does have another race that, in recent history, has brought not just national but international attention to our community. That is the Bob Cook Memorial Hill Climb. People from all over fly into Denver and head right up to Idaho Springs.
Some spend as much as a week training at altitude for the event, using our local hotels, restaurants and other businesses. The Guanella Pass Hill Climb has the same potential. These types of events, and others not even yet thought of, hopefully will lead to a cultural transition that can mesh with our county’s direction.
Randy has many other areas where he has contributed to our county. He was on the early I-70 coalition and I-70 task force when many important decisions were made for our county.
He was very active in getting the Heritage Center up and running. He was on the Idaho Springs city council that helped to defeat the bringing of gaming to Idaho Springs. Randy was also a member of the Clear Creek County school board. He has already done so many positive things for our county.
The commitment and focus exemplified over many decades demonstrates why Randy Wheelock Should be a Clear Creek commissioner.
Bill and Jane Coffin
Georgetown