Dear Colorado Springs Town Tidings family,

Today marks one year since we embarked on this journey together. From zero to 6,577 strong (and growing every day), you've made our dream of connecting our community a beautiful reality. Your daily support, kind words, and enthusiastic engagement have warmed our hearts 🥰 and fueled our passion.

This isn't just our newsletter—it's yours. Your stories, your feedback, and your spirit make Colorado Springs Town Tidings what it is. As we celebrate this milestone, we'd love to hear how we can make your daily read even better. After all, every word is written with YOU in mind.

Thank you for being part of our story. Here's to many more years of sharing, caring, and bringing a little sunshine to each of our days! 🤗

With heartfelt gratitude,
Sandy Zuniga, your COS TT founder

COS Town Tidings #24-283

Gmail will truncate, READ ONLINE

🤣Today’s Chuckle

🌟Local Feature: 🍽️The Dinner Dilemma: One Colorado Springs Mom's Delicious Solution

📰 Community Saves the Veterans Parade!🎖️

📰 Funding Cuts Impact Local Traditions🚫

📰 Combatting Human Trafficking Locally👀

📆 Local Events | 📅 SAVE THE DATE

🌤 COS Weather - Mostly sunny and higher than avg temps again

Why did the chef take some meat to the doctors?

👉 To get it cured 🤣

🍽️ The Dinner Dilemma: One Colorado Springs Mom's Delicious Solution

🤤 Connect Over Meals: Tastefully Simple Moments with Elisha!

As a busy working mom of two, Elisha Symanski understands the nightly struggle of getting a hot meal on the table. Between kids' activities, her husband's job, and life's curveballs, for some, dinnertime often feels more like a crisis than quality family time. Determined to find a better way, she started "Eat with Ease with Elisha," her Tastefully Simple business, in 2009.

For 15 years, she's been helping families reclaim their evenings through personalized meal solutions. Elisha offers one-on-one consultations to create customized plans tailored to each family's cooking skills, dietary needs, and schedules. Using Tastefully Simple's easy-to-prepare dishes and quality ingredients, she simplifies mealtimes without sacrificing flavor. 🥘

Beyond meal planning, Elisha hosts a variety of engaging, in-person and virtual cooking events, including kids' classes, couples' date nights, and themed parties. 🎉 These events foster creativity, confidence, and fun while bringing people together through the joy of cooking. Whether you're cooking solo, as a couple, with friends, or with family, there's an event to suit everyone.

Exclusive Reader Gift: Spice Up Your Dinner!

🎁 Receive a complimentary seasoning packet and a delicious printed recipe with every purchase when you let her know you came from COS TT at checkout. Let Elisha add a touch of Tastefully Simple magic to your next meal! 🍴 

Elisha believes shared meals create lasting memories. Connect with her at [email protected], (719) 377-0343, website, or on Facebook

Exciting Event
(deadline looming!)

Elisha’s virtual "Cooking with Kids" class (8-18 yr olds) on Oct 17 offers a fun, spooky culinary experience for children creating a Halloween feast. This is a fantastic way to get your kids or grandkids, whether local or long-distance, involved in cooking together while building family bonds. 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

To ensure participation, order the special product bundle by tomorrow, Oct 10 so she can ship in time!

OR

For local Colorado Springs special arrangements, contact Elisha directly by Oct 14. 📞

🎖️ Community Saves the Veterans Parade!

After we reported the initial cancellation due to dwindling participation, the Colorado Springs Veterans Day Parade is back on, thanks to an incredible show of community support. With over 90,000 veterans calling the city home, residents and local organizations rallied to ensure that honoring those who have served wouldn’t be forgotten. The city’s military culture is deeply rooted, and the response to save this important tradition shows just how much we value our veterans. Now under new management, the parade will take place on Nov 9th, offering a sincere tribute to those who have sacrificed for our country.

🍞 Nature’s Start Bread Company

Fresh Baked Sourdough breads, pastries!

Oct 15 @5:30pm - Sourdough Bread Bowls & Chowder Baking Class

🚫 Funding Cuts Impact Local Traditions

Now, on the other side of the coin…Colorado Springs City Council has voted to reduce or eliminate LART (Lodgers and Automobile Rental Tax) funding for several cherished community events in 2025, citing the overwhelming number of applicants. The Festival of Lights Parade and Western Street Breakfast, two mainstays in the city’s cultural calendar, received no funding, while the Fiestas Patrias festival had its budget cut in half. Despite these setbacks, organizers remain committed to hosting these events, though likely on a smaller scale. Meanwhile, the Pikes Peak Pride Festival secured additional funding for 2025. The council is already considering putting forward a measure to increase the LART tax for 2026, as the current 3% rate does not meet the growing demand. Full Story

👀 Combatting Human Trafficking Locally

Colorado Springs nonprofit The Exodus Road has been leading efforts against human trafficking for 14 years, rescuing nearly 3,000 survivors globally. Colorado, which ranks sixth in the nation for human trafficking reports, sees over 100 calls each month to the National Human Trafficking Hotline. The state's trafficking issues are concentrated along the I-25 corridor and in agriculture, with fast fashion contributing to global labor trafficking. To address these issues, Exodus Road not only conducts rescues but also educates the public through quick training sessions. Local events like FOX21's "Fashion with a Purpose" aim to raise awareness and promote ethical consumerism. The community is urged to stay vigilant and report suspicious activity, as human trafficking often occurs in plain sight. Human Trafficking Hotline, 1-888-373-7888 or text 233-733 Full Story

 👩‍🍳Chef Abigail, CoS Eats LLC

Spice up your culinary skills with Chef Abigail!

Will you do us a favor and spread the word? Please share Colorado Springs Town Tidings 👉Are you on Nextdoor? Get your link to share our newsletter there too!

🖼️ Showcase Your Nature Art at Fountain Creek!

Fountain Creek Nature Center is seeking local artists and photographers to feature in its monthly rotating art exhibit. Submissions for Jan to June 2025 are now open! This exhibit offers a platform for creatives to display and sell their nature-themed works. A portion of the sales will benefit the Nature Centers. Artists are required to provide at least ten unique pieces that are inspired by Colorado’s natural beauty. The submission deadline is Oct 19, 2024. This initiative not only supports local talent but also contributes to educational programs at the Center. Questions? Contact Victoria Dinkel, CIG, Interpretive Program Specialist at 719-520-6767.

📆 Local Events

• Oct 9, 10-11 AM (Every Wed): Gentle Somatic Yoga @Yoga Studio Satya 1581 York Rd $15

• Oct 9, 11-13, 1-4 PM: 3-Hour Original Colorado Springs Food Tour @1 Tejon St $69-$87

• Oct 9 (every Wed), 3-7pm: Colorado Farm and Art Market @Pioneers Museum, 215 S Tejon (Last One For the Season)

• Oct 10, 7-9pm: BINGO @Lebowski’s Taproom, 3240 Centennial Blvd FREE to attend

• Oct 10-11 (7:30pm), 12 (2pm), Oct 13 (4pm), Henry IV and V @ENT CENTER FOR THE ARTS at UCCS $21-$45

• Oct 11-27 (Fri's 9:30am-2:30pm; Sat-Sun 9:30am-4pm): Pumpkin Fest @ Venetucci Farm $9.11

• Oct 11-27 (Fri-Sun) 10am-5pm: Longneck Pumpkin Farm @7595 California Dr $18 (Registration required)

• Oct 11-12, 7pm: The Rocket Man Show | Tribute to Elton John @Boot Barn Hall at Bourbon Brothers, 13071 Bass Pro Dr $39-$79

• Oct 12, 9am-3pm: Free RV Winterization Class @Pikes Peak RV, 4815 E Platte (Few Spots Left)

• Oct 12, 10am-Noon: Tamale Making Class with Monica @Lebowski’s Taproom, 3240 Centennial Blvd $45

• Oct 12, 1-3:30: Forest Bathing Walk @Bear Creek $25-$30 (Prepaid registration required)

  • —>🌟Spotlight: 🍂 The Healing Power You've Been Overlooking

• Oct 12 (7pm) (Limited Tickets left), 13 (2:30pm) (6 Tickets left): Odyssey of Sound: A Musical Journey of Loneliness and Love @Ent Center for the Arts, 5225 N Nevada $13-$41

• Oct 14, 2-4pm: Sunflower Love Benefiting The COS Lotus Foundation @Painting With A Twist, N Powers Blvd $39-49

• Oct 14, 3:30-5:30pm: Beginners Crochet Class @Who Gives A SCRAP, 810 Arcturus Dr $25 (1 Spots Left)

• Oct 18-20, 25-27, 31, 4-8:30pm: Boo at the Zoo @Cheyenne Mountain Zoo $23-$25 Family Friendly

• Oct 19, Noon-2pm: Spooky Charcuterie Class with Charcuterie @Goat Patch Brewing, 2727 N Cascade $60.54 - Get $5 discount (10 Seats Left)

• Oct 19, 6-9pm: Murder Mystery, A Noteworthy Crime @Great Wolf Lodge, 9494 Federal Dr $72.95 (9 Tickets Left)

• Oct 20, 11am-1:30pm: Chunky Blanket Workshop | Mimosa Included! @Painting With A Twist (downtown) $75 (5 Seats Left)

• Nov 10, 7-8:30pm: Cave of the Winds Soundbath @Cave of the Winds $65 (Limited Tickets Available)

• Nov 22-24: Vintage Market Days of Colorado Springs @Norris Penrose Ctr, 1045 Lower Gold Camp Rd $13.30-$18.42

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