Denver, CO — April 29, 2025 — The Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. is proud to announce the return of its annual Holmes Omega Scholarship Foundation Golf Tournament, taking place on Friday, May 30, 2025, at the scenic Greg Mastriano Golf Courses at Hyland Hills Golf Club in Westminster, Colorado.
This cherished event raises critical scholarship funds for high school students in the Denver area, continuing the Fraternity’s longstanding commitment to uplifting youth through education and opportunity. Since 1965, the scholarship foundation has provided more than $250K in scholarships to Denver, Aurora, and Lakewood, Colorado, metro-area students.
This year, the Foundation is thrilled to partner with First Tee – Colorado, a nonprofit dedicated to introducing young people to the game of golf while also supporting their academic growth and personal development.
The 2025 tournament will feature a 2-person Best Ball Scramble, open to golfers of all skill levels. Participants can expect a day filled with camaraderie, competition, and community impact. Registration is $300 per twosome or $150 per individual, which includes golf carts, practice balls, and a delicious lunch.
“We invite the community to come out, play a round of golf, and support our mission to invest in the future of our young people,” said James Sykes, Jr., a representative of the Holmes Omega Scholarship Foundation.
As Roger Wendell prepares to retire in May 2025 after decades of dedicated service to the Colorado Mountain Club (CMC), it’s fitting to recognize his remarkable contributions and the indelible impact he has made on both the organization and its members.
A CHRONICLE OF DISTINGUISHED SERVICE
Roger’s journey with the CMC began in 1981 when he joined as an enthusiastic member eager to explore Colorado’s magnificent landscapes. By 1983, he had already stepped into a leadership role, becoming a certified trip leader guiding fellow outdoor enthusiasts on countless adventures through Colorado’s backcountry.
In 1991, Roger took on the significant responsibility of serving on the Denver Group Council, where he helped shape policies and initiatives that strengthened the organization’s largest chapter until 1994. His administrative acumen and passion for the club’s mission made him a natural fit for these leadership roles.
One of Roger’s most notable achievements came in 1998 when he authored a series of influential articles on backcountry survival for the club’s publications. These educational pieces, including one titled “Survival is Your Own Responsibility,” highlighted essential wilderness safety principles and encouraged members to practice self-sufficiency in the backcountry. His expertise in this area has helped countless hikers and climbers stay safe in Colorado’s sometimes treacherous mountain environments.
CONSERVATION ADVOCACY AND EDUCATION
Roger’s commitment to conservation has been exemplary throughout his tenure. In 2003, he organized the highly successful “Preserve Our Peaks” campaign, which mobilized over 500 CMC members to advocate for the protection of sensitive alpine environments in the Front Range. This initiative played a crucial role in securing additional protections for several threatened wilderness areas.
As an instructor for the CMC’s Wilderness Trekking School since 1989, Roger has personally trained more than 2,000 students in wilderness navigation, Leave No Trace principles, and mountain safety. His dedication to trail conservation is evident in his educational efforts, where he emphasizes the importance of staying on established paths to minimize environmental impact, noting that properly maintained trails “really do help the landscape by keeping us two-leggeds in a narrow little corridor so the rest of nature can flourish around us unmolested.”
At long last the date for the Lakewood Planning Commission to hear the review of the major site plan of 777 S. Yarrow St has been set. MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR MAY 7. We will need everyone available to pack council chambers. You can:
Sign up to STAND UP and SPEAK! If only a few people speak, it will look like there is more support for the project!
Comment on the lack of buffer between the development and the park that fee-in-lieu made possible!
Comment on the environmental degradation due to noise from construction and the potential for bird window strikes.
Comment that 65 mature trees will be cut down
Comment on the traffic and parking during festivals and concerts that will become worse with 412 additional apartments
OR Donate your time to a speaker who would need more than 3 minutes
It would be beneficial to tie your comments to a section of the zoning code. For example,
Article 17.2.7.2: Review Criteria states that:
Recommendations and decisions regarding site plan applications shall be based on the following criteria:
A. Major site plans shall comply with standards outlined in Articles 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 10 of this Zoning Ordinance.
B. The Director shall evaluate how well the proposed modifications contribute to the overall performance of the site and how well the proposed changes meet the standards in Articles 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 10 of this Zoning Ordinance.
Let’s see how well these standards are met:
under Article 17.3.1.1: Purpose and Intent
This Article describes each zone district established within the City of Lakewood. The purpose of the various districts is to:
A. Ensure compatibility of land uses
Is this requirement met with a 5-6 story apt complex directly adjacent to the lake?
Article 17.3.4.1: Purpose and Intent
The mixed-use (M) zone districts are specifically intended to:
C. Maintain the integrity and viability of the adjacent residential neighborhoods
Is this requirement met with a 5-6 story apt complex adjacent to the 1 and 2-story townhomes at Belmar Commons?
Article 17.4.1.3: Determination of Use
B., the Director shall consider, among other relevant factors, traffic generation, density of population, and hours of operation of the proposed use as compared to:
3. The goals and policies set forth in the Comprehensive Plan.
The Comprehensive Plan states “Through the site plan review process and design guidelines, ensure that new multifamily, mixed-use, and commercial developments adjacent to single-family neighborhoods are compatible by incorporating appropriate design, scale, height transition, and connectivity to seamlessly integrate with the neighborhood.”
Is this requirement met with the 5-6 story apt complex?
Page 196 of the Comprehensive Plan reads
Lakewood Sustains
Guiding Principle
Lakewood will be a leader in sustainability principles, practices, and education. Lakewood is committed to the well-being and health of its citizens and environment. The city will reduce its impact on natural systems
It is the goal of sustainability to achieve balance between the economy, the natural environment, and social values; however, human society depends on the environment first and foremost in order to achieve social and economic sustainability. In other words, without a healthy environment, a community would be unable to achieve economic success and social well-being.
Are we promoting sustainability and a healthy environment by cutting down 65 trees and degrading the environment?Declining bird populations will now have to endure noise pollution from construction, window strikes from 6 stories of apartment units, and reduced habitat from tree removal.
Article 17.4.1.4 : City Owned Open-Space and Parks
City-owned land which is used or held for open-space or park purposes shall not be permitted to be used for any purpose other than open-space or park purposes.
Is the developer staging equipment and/or regrading part of the park adjacent to the site?
Article 17.6.5.8, 17.7.7.7: Existing Tree Preservation
A. Existing trees with trunks greater than 8-inch caliper, measured 1 foot above grade, within a development shall be preserved to the extent reasonably feasible and will help satisfy the landscaping requirements of this Section. Such trees shall be considered “protected” trees within the meaning of this Section. Streets, buildings, and lot layouts shall be designed to minimize the disturbance to protected trees.
B. The Director shall determine through consultation with the City Forester when it is not feasible to preserve and retain protected tree(s) or to transplant them to another on site location. If it is determined that it is not feasible to preserve or transplant protected tree(s), the applicant shall replace such tree(s) according to this section. Replacement trees shall be used to satisfy the tree planting standards of this Section.
Has this requirement been met? Was the site plan designed to preserve mature trees? Not if the plan is to remove 65 mature trees.
Article 17.13.1.1: Purpose and Intent
This Article establishes standards for sustainable development in the City of Lakewood. The purpose of these standards is to ensure that development implements the goals articulated in the community’s adopted plans for resilient and efficient development that is adaptable to infrastructure changes in the face of climate change, minimizes its impact on limited resources, contributes to communitywide greenhouse gas emissions targets, and becomes a positive asset within the community.
Does extensive tree removal and consequent habitat removal satisfy sustainability standards?
Use one or more of these articles in the zoning code to frame your concerns about the 777 S. Yarrow St development.
Belmar Park is NOT an amenity for 777 S. Yarrow St!
