COS Town Tidings #26-203

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🤣 Today's Chuckle

🌟 Local Feature: 🚪 Behind This Unassuming Door on Colorado Ave…

📰 Prepare Before The Next Emergency 🔥

📰 Funding Dispute Hits El Paso County ⚖️

🛍️ Bargain Box Deals

📢 Special Event Tomorrow

📆 Local Events + Concerts, Farmers Markets & Activities

🌤️ COS Weather - Hot with isolated Storms possible

🌟 Let's Feature YOUR business!

Every Wednesday, we shine a light on the local entrepreneurs who make Colorado Springs vibrant and unique. When you support these featured businesses, you're investing in our neighbors' dreams and helping build a stronger community by creating jobs and keeping our city thriving. 🤗

I open it not quite knowing what I'll find. Old Colorado City behind me, something unfamiliar in front. I want you here with me, because what's on the other side isn't what any of us expect.

Three coaches. Kyle, Sam, and Sean. On paper, some of the most decorated fighters in our town, offering their premier martial arts training at OCC Fight House, right here in our own backyard. In person, the quietest room I've walked into in a long time. Their handshake is firm. Their demeanor is gentle. They ask about you before they say a word about themselves, and that is the first thing that lands for me.

The longer I stay, the more I understand this place isn't really about fighting. It's about what fighting reveals. Coach Sean speaks about staying calm when everything inside you wants to panic. Coach Kyle describes how ego softens in here into something more honest. And Coach Sam says the line that follows me home, “The obstacle is the way.” On the mat there are always obstacles. Your body, your breath, your mind…yourself. Just like life. Under their coaching, you push a little further than you thought you could, and in that pushing you meet a version of yourself you haven't been introduced to yet.

I don't just watch. I strap on the pads. I take a few strikes. I throw kicks. I grapple. I work moves with Coach Kyle, who has size and skill on me by a mile, and I still find a way to take him down. My mind is racing and quiet at the same time. I'm not thinking about bills or emails or the ten things I walked in carrying. I'm thinking about my own strength, my agility, where to place my hands, my next breath. There's a kind of stillness that shows up when you're fully present in your body, and I didn't know how much I'd been missing it until I felt it here.

Brandy paired up with me on day one like we'd known each other for years. The next class I was working with the guys, more experienced, more seasoned, and every one of them met me where I was. Kurt stands out. He'd just come off his own fight, still marked up from it, and he was already back on the mat helping the rest of us sharpen our craft. That's who they are here at OCC Fight House. Nobody performed. Nobody postured. Everyone just showed up for each other.

So whoever you're picturing as you read this, your friend, partner, son or daughter, grandkid who needs something real, or the YOU who's been quietly looking for something, this door is open. Walk through it once. See what it shows you.

Their handshake is firm. Their demeanor is gentle. They are tough enough to push you and human enough to walk with you, on the mat and long after you leave it.

If something in this article spoke to you, go see for yourself. Tell them Sandy sent you. 😉

OCC Fight House

Wildfires, flash floods, power outages, and extreme heat are all part of living in Colorado. The good news is that a little preparation can go a long way.

Tomorrow, Thurs, July 23, 11am-12:30pm AARP Colorado is partnering with the Colorado Springs Fire Department, Age Friendly Pikes Peak, and SBP to offer a free virtual disaster preparedness seminar for residents of the Pikes Peak region. During the Zoom session, you'll learn practical steps to create an emergency plan, prepare important documents, understand your insurance coverage, reduce risks around your home, and get answers to your preparedness questions from local experts. Registration is free, and an AARP membership is not required.

If you've been wanting to work with our community's beloved Body, Brain & Balance trainer Kristen Nielsen founder of TogetherWON, here's your chance, completely FREE thanks to Care Patrol!

The 3 Keys to Aging at Home: Body, Balance, and Brain
Thurs, July 23rd • 1:00-3:00 PM
Pikes Peak Area Agency on Aging (14 S Chestnut St)

🌟Spotlight: 😲 Why Colorado Springs Seniors Are Refusing Their Walkers

🌟 Spotlight: 🧭 The Proactive Step Colorado Springs Families Wish They Took Sooner

A funding dispute between El Paso County and the State of Colorado is spilling over into other county programs, prompting county commissioners to take action to keep essential services running.

This week, the El Paso County Board of County Commissioners approved the temporary use of money from the County's Self-Insurance Fund after the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment began withholding unrelated county grant funding tied to an ongoing dispute involving the Pikes Peak Workforce Center. County leaders say the move is intended to protect services residents depend on, including programs within the Department of Human Services, while the legal case continues. They also plan to strengthen financial oversight of the Workforce Center and pursue reimbursement through legal and insurance channels.

A new week means new treasures! We're giving you a first look at the incredible finds and amazing sales hitting the floor for July 22-25 (New deals) Watch now to see what's waiting for you!

👉 Remember, you can donate items here too!

Location: 405 S Nevada Ave, Open Tues - Sat 10am-2pm. (719) 475-1029

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Still a work in progress but they are now open for business at:

📍 4935 Centennial Blvd, Suite A, Colorado Springs, CO 80919
⏰ Hours: M-Sat 7am - 6pm, closed Sunday

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