by Natascha | Sep 28, 2015 | Broomfield Colorado Family Photography, Broomfield Community Spotlight, Community Spotlight, Dancers Dreamers & Make Believers, Featured Post, Philanthrophy, Photography
Community Series where we focused on locally-owned small businesses. I’m thrilled to expand that to include organizations that exist to better the lives of those around us. Now, that technically applies to all businesses – we are all trying to provide a service or product of value to improve the lives of others. But charitable and philanthropic organizations have that service-to-others as their main raison e’tre. Today I’m interviewing Desiree Jewell, a fabulous local Broomfield woman involved in a great local charity. And, she happens to have one of the cutest little redhead girls. Check it out:
I know, right? So very very cute! She was one of my models for a Little Ballerina photo shoot I did a while back. You can never have too too much tutu and tulle! Or glitter and sequins!
Desiree volunteers with a wonderful organization called , Denver Urban Scholars (DUS).
DUS provides a life of opportunity for high risk students in the Denver area. Their mission places tremendous value on fostering positive social and academic settings, increasing graduation rates, and ultimately creating individual pathways to college and career success. The long and short of it, they give local students the tools, time and attention they need to succeed in life.
Read on to learn more about Desiree, what she would do on a day off in Boulder and Lousiville (yes, it involves hiking, a small deli called Salvaggios, and ice cream!), more about how you can help DUS and most importantly, what superhero power she would pick. (BTW, the superhero power she picked is one that no one has ever selected before – and I’ve been asking the “What would be your superhero power” question for YEARS!)
And, don’t miss the YouTube video she mentions at the end of her interview – you could get to be a human foosball table. How cool is that!????
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Desiree, tell us about yourself and your family:
My name is Desiree Jewell and I live in Broomfield, Colorado with my wonderful husband, Todd, and our eight year old daughter, Eden. I am the Director of Marketing for Online & Blended Learning with Pearson North America. Each day I am able to combine my love for teaching/learning with my passion for marketing – there is never a dull moment and I know I am positively impacting the learning experience for someone each and every day!
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If you had a day off work and a $250 budget to spend in your town, what would you do and where would you go?
Wow! This is a tough one. Given the seasons are changing, I would head into Boulder and walk around Pearl Street, while taking in the gorgeous views throughout the area. I absolutely love the CU campus this time of year and it requires zero dollars, so money well spent! There are so many fantastic restaurants in Boulder, but our “go to” is a small deli named Salvaggios. They have the most amazing rolls and you can get the best prime rib sandwich for under $7. I might grab my kiddo on the way home and have a nice “girls day” getting our nails done somewhere around town. A pretty simple day honestly! I would definitely have to cap the day with some delicious ice cream from our favorite shop in Louisville, Sweet Cow. Any remaining funds would go to charity!
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How do you know Natascha Lee Studios?
We have known Natascha for years and have always loved her work! We had the pleasure of working with Natascha Lee Studios for a super fun dance model shoot and the pictures came out amazing. She and her team did a wonderful job of making the day extra fun for the girls, while still ensuring the work was professional and in line with their overall vision. Some of my favorite shots were totally candid and really captured the personalities of all of the girls – it takes a special gift to draw out the true spirit of your clients and Natascha nails it!
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Tell us about the charity you are involved in – what do they do, what makes them special.
For the last twenty years, Denver Urban Scholars (DUS) has been dedicated to providing a life of opportunity for high risk students in the Denver area. Their mission places tremendous value on fostering positive social and academic settings, increasing graduation rates, and ultimately creating individual pathways to college and career success. The long and short of it, they give local students the tools, time and attention they need to succeed in life.
DUS is incredibly special because the organization follows students from middle school into early college/career and empowers them via mentoring, case management and academic support. I have never seen an organization arm their students with so many resources, across so many areas of their life, for so many years. They truly provide the long-term stability these students need and are honestly some of the most generous, passionate, inspiring people I have ever met!
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How did you get involved with this charity? What do you do with them now?
I was introduced to the organization via a friend and the fit was instant. I have been working closely with DUS for the last year and currently serve on their Board of Directors, as well as Chair their Marketing Committee. It has been such a pleasure to get to know all of their amazing staff and volunteers.
One of my biggest goals this year is to build awareness around the great work happening within this organization, so I am very appreciative of this opportunity to share a bit about DUS with the Natascha Lee Studios audience!
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Where can someone go to learn more?
www.denverurbanscholars.org has a wealth of information about the organization! You can also follow the team @DenverScho via twitter or Denver Urban Scholars on Facebook.
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You have a special event coming up….
Yes, we are celebrating our 20th Anniversary this year and have a fantastic fundraising gala, The Class Act Dinner, planned Saturday, November 7 at the Seawell Ballroom within the Denver Performing Arts Center. Tickets and full tables are available for purchase and everyone is invited to attend! If you are unable to make the event, but would like to give in another way, we are actively seeking silent auction donation items, as well as volunteers to help with the evening events. The theme is “Hollywood Glam”, so I assure you it will be a night full of fun – you can learn more here.
You can also give to Denver Urban Scholars at any time via their website, or during Colorado Gives Day this December 8.
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If we can’t make the event, how else can people contribute and/or help out?
Financial assistance is always appreciated; however, we are also actively looking for new mentors to pair with our growing student list! If you or someone you may know is interested in learning more about our mentor opportunities, click here.
You can also plan ahead for our “Summer Games” in June 2016 (date TBD) which is the most incredibly fun, “adult” field day you will find in the Denver area! If you like videos, this YouTube video will give you a great overview of the event.
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And the most important question of all – if you could have any superpower, what would it be?
The power to heal!
Thanks Desiree – it was great to learn more about you and about Denver Urban Scholars!
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by Natascha | May 20, 2014 | Broomfield Children's Photography, Broomfield colorado Baby Photography, Broomfield Community Spotlight, Broomfield Companies for Mothers, Broomfield Newborn Photography, Colorado Baby Photography, Colorado Family Photography, Community, Community Spotlight, Resources for Mothers
Hello! Brittany here. I’m excited about our 8th Community Spotlight installment.
Here at Natascha Lee Studios, we love small, locally-owned stores that serve mothers. Especially because we focus (pun intended!) on maternity, newborn baby and children/family portraits!
This week we feature Bosom Buddies! A great small business and resource for expecting and new moms as well as women in general! While mainly focused on assisting and providing services for breast-feeding moms, Bosom Buddies has something for every woman. To learn a little more we spoke with co-owner, Sue Petracek.
Sue and her husband bought bosom Buddies in June of 1994 – At that time it was solely for pump rentals. Now, when you walk into one of Bosom Buddies locations you will be amazed at the variety of products: from lotions to bras, and of course (sticking to their roots), breast pumps and every accessory to go with them that a mother could want!
How did you decide to buy Bosom Buddies and become a lactation consultant?
Having my eldest daughter in the early 70’s my husband and I were drawn to breastfeeding. – at this time breastfeeding initiation rates were at an all time low and it was seen as a very counter-cultural ‘hippy’ thing to do, although we were not. Throughout the years we had owned other businesses and have done other things but this opportunity arose in 1994 and I saw it as a perfect venture to combine something that I had been very passionate about and the business experience I had accumulated over the years.
Bosom Buddies has two certified lactation consultants, Sue and her daughter Robyn who provide lactation consulting for mothers and babies who have questions or who are having problems. In addition Bosom Buddies also offers classes in basic breastfeeding, breastfeeding multiples, returning to work while breastfeeding and a recently added breast pumping class.
You do offer more than breast-feeding pumps and accessories? Can you tell me about those?
One product that we offer is sports bras for mothers who are nursing. Typical bras that have a S/M/L squish approach do not provide the support that is needed for breast with milk. Bosom buddies found that the sports bras that work best are those with band size and cup support. This is what we now carry and our sports bras now range in sizes and can be found up to a 48J.
Bosom Buddies services do not end when you stop breastfeeding they provide non-nursing bras in a wide variety of sizes. Bosom buddies associates are certified to measure you to help you purchase a quality bra that fits your body.
What is your mission at Bosom Buddies?
Providing good quality, helpful products to allow women to feel better about themselves while also being able to feel empowered in their abilities as women.
Feeling nervous about buying a nursing bra? Be assured that most the bras at Bosom Buddies are tested by a focus group of mothers before they hit the shelves to assure that they fit and are comfortable and practical.
What does Bosom Buddies do in the community?
Bosom Buddies is a strong supporter and referrer of the Mothers Milk Bank in Colorado. This wonderful organization collects, processes and dispenses human milk for babies who cannot receive milk from their mothers for various reasons. Often this can mean the difference between life and death for premature babies.
What a wonderful store. Thank you, Sue, for chatting with us.
Interested in learning more about Bosom Buddies?
Bosom Buddies has two locations – stop in!
Bosom Buddies – South Store
8331-C Willow Street – Lone Tree, CO 80124
Bosom Buddies – North Store
5684 W 88th Avenue – Westminster, CO 80031
Reach them online – You can also order off their website or on Facebook !!
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by Natascha | May 2, 2014 | Broomfield Community Spotlight, Broomfield Companies for Mothers, Community, Community Spotlight, Outdoors, Photography, Resources for Mothers, Uncategorized
Community Spotlight!This week we are featuring, Off the Wall Fitness owned by Kyle McGranahan located in Broomfield, Colorado.
Has the warmth come to stay? I hope so! At Natascha Lee Studios we have soaking it all up, and taking advantage to do some amazing outdoor sessions. Seriously check out this baby from a family session we did late April – so sweet!
Off the Wall Fitness is more than your average gym – offering exciting new ways to shake-up your current routine, or a great start for those who may not have been as diligent about their workouts and are ready to get back!
To learn a little more about OTW Fitness and what sets it apart we spoke with owner and trainer Kyle.
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Image provided by Off The Wall Fitness Owner Kyle[/caption]
Can you Tell me a little about yourself?
I’m originally from Arizona, and have always been active. I joined the Marine Corps right out of high school. The Marines instilled a number of great skills like leadership, communication, discipline, and a passion for fitness. I finished my 5 year enlistment and decided that I wanted to get into the fitness industry. I became a Certified Personal Trainer while in San Diego just before moving to Colorado. As soon as I got to Colorado I became a Personal Trainer and never stopped learning. I worked for a gym for a little over 5 years. Then I finally decided I wanted to get more involved and be able to see my clients more often. This meant coming up with a group fitness concept that allowed me to charge less, but see them consistently more times a week. This is where Off the Wall Fitness came into the picture. I decided to specialize in group fitness, but I wanted to use different training techniques to make it more enjoyable and safer than the competitors. I’ve been doing it a little over a year and I am extremely dedicated to what I do, and love seeing the results my clients get in return when they work hard at it.
What do you kind of classes and services do you offer at OTW Fitness?
Off the Wall Fitness is not your everyday run of the mill gym. We think outside the box and use off the wall techniques to combine all aspects of fitness to ensure a workout that is fun, safe, and extremely effective. If people are bored at their current gym or their workouts are getting stagnant they need to check us out to get beyond any plateau!
I offer Group Fitness classes that can be modified to many different fitness levels. I also offer 1-on-1 Personal Training for those that might be uncomfortable in a group setting or have very specific goals that cannot be addressed in the group fitness classes. Nutrition Consultations are also offered by Master Nutrition Therapist Desiree Schneider to include; nutrition consultations, meal planning, body wraps, and Detoxification programs.
What is your favorite “client success story”?
One of our members initially came in just to loose weight. You could tell she didn’t like to exercise, but committed to consistently coming to the group fitness classes. Over the course of year, her entire mentality changed about how she perceived exercise. Now she doesn’t like to miss a class, is one of the hardest and most dedicated people in my gym, and for that she has seen tremendous results. She has lost well over 30 pounds, dropped several clothes sizes, she looks and feels so much better. She has a completely positive attitude, and her diet is very healthy!
[caption id="attachment_3265" align="aligncenter" width="432"]
Photo provided by Off the Wall Fitness[/caption]
How does OTW Fitness unique?
I really focus on limiting my class sizes, creating camaraderie among the members, and going above and beyond what other gyms do like bringing healthy post workout snacks to select Saturday classes and teach all the classes myself.
In 2014, what do you see for OTW Fitness?
In 2014 I want to branch out and get my brand name out to enthusiastic people that enjoy working out and like to try new ways of doing that. I also want to tap into new markets that are not over flooded with gyms. I am always looking for new and fun ways to exercise and share that with my clients to constantly stimulate my mind and help them reach their fitness goals and beyond.
Great business. huh? To learn more you can visit them online or on Facebook
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by Natascha | Mar 20, 2014 | Ballet, Broomfield Children's Photography, Broomfield Colorado Family Photography, Broomfield Community Spotlight, Broomfield Companies for Mothers, Children, Community, Community Spotlight, Resources for Children, Resources for Mothers
th installment of Community Spotlight is here and this week we are featuring Danse Etoile Ballet located in Broomfield, Colorado
As previous ballet dancers ourselves, we at Natasha Lee Studios are beyond excited to feature a great local company, Danse Etoile Ballet, that puts on amazing performances that cater to both the art lover and families.
To get to know more about Danse Etoile Ballet we talked with founder and owner, Marie-Jose Payannet.
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Photo Credit: Photo provided by Marie Jose[/caption]
Can you tell us about Danse Etoile Ballet?
Danse Etoile Ballet is a non-profit dance organization founded by Marie-Jose Payannet. Dedicated to offering artists of all ages a place to refine their talent and an opportunity to perform. Since its first performance in January of 2005, Danse Etoile has produced original story ballets ranging from the classical to the contemporary and folk styles.
How did DanseEtoile Ballet get its start?
Incorporated in 2004 in service in 2005 for our first performances at the Dance is for everybody and the dairy center . We didn’t have a studio and rehearsed everywhere sometimes 9pm at night, Sundays, without heat…. Our first class was on an indoor soccer field.
When you were practicing on soccer fields and without heat did you think that you would ever be where you are today?
I had no idea. I was just focused on teaching and rehearsing the best I could for our first performance. One day at the time with a vision.
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Photo Credit: Macht[/caption]
How would you describe the mission of Danse Etoile Ballet?
Danse Etoile Ballet is dedicated to producing quality artistic performances, programs, and instruction, which will foster access to, and appreciation of dance and theater for new audiences.
What type of classes does Danse Etoile Ballet offer for different ages and skill sets?
By maintaining small class sizes, dancers of all ages are given individual attention and guidance tailored to their specific needs. The family atmosphere at Danse Etoile provides a healthy environment where dancers feel comfortable to push themselves out of their comfort zones and reach new levels of success.
The performance opportunities given to our dancers are un-paralleled to any other company. Dancers are not only expected to be technical in their art, but also be professional in their performance
Why is ballet an important skill to learn?
It is not ballet by itself. It is the all aspect of professional training in a safe, family like environment where students can strive to be their best, learn a hard physical discipline, learn a team effort as well as to be mentally strong when challenged, learn to perform in front of difference audiences and at different venues, volunteer, understand the importance of Arts in the community. Ballet is also a great way to stay in shape and not being bored as it gets challenging very quickly.
Interested in becoming a performer, or getting your children involved? Checkout their summer sessions that are now enrolling!
How does Danse Etoile Ballet positively affect the community?
Danse Etoile Ballet strives to produce three full-length performances every season. These performances are funded through local and national grants as well as local businesses.
Each performance consist of three to four shows, held over a period of two days. Each show attracts an audience ranging from 150 to 400 people from Boulder, Broomfield and Denver counties.
We feel that it is important for our community to be involved in the arts. Every performance we provide discounted and free tickets to organizations like the Girl Scouts, retirement communities, and other local non-profits. By sponsoring a performance, you enable us to continue allowing dance as well as the arts, to be accessible to our community.
As well as producing full-length performances, we participate in community events such as the Boulder Creek Festival, Dance is for Everybody and the Broomfield Days. The company also performs in several schools as part of our outreach program. By sponsoring a season you are aiding us in our effort to educate the community on the importance of the arts.
[caption id="attachment_3123" align="aligncenter" width="408"]
Photo Credit: Provided by Dance Etoile[/caption]
Can you tell us a little more about your kid-friendly/family performances? What should a family expect at a show?
All the performances we produced are fun to watch for everyone at different levels. They are colorful, unique, great music and choreography, often with a touch of humor, very lively. The theater is small and you can see well from everywhere, the kids can come and meet with the dancers and be inspired to dance. It is somewhat intimate and you get really caught up in the performance. And the ticket price is cheap so even low income families can enjoy it.
At Natascha Lee Studios we love that Danse Etoile Ballet has performances that are catered to families and young audiences – it is amazing to get to expose kids to the arts, especially in this capacity of talent and entertainment value!
To learn more about Danse Etoile Ballet, click here to visit them online
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by Natascha | Mar 10, 2014 | Boulder, Boulder Colorado Senior Photography, Broomfield Community Spotlight, Broomfield Companies for Mothers, Colorado, Community, Community Spotlight, Denver, Local Broomfield Business, Resources for Mothers
Community Spotlight! We are continuing to book spring sessions, and with the gorgeous weather lately we are really feeling the itch to get back outdoors and shoot!
This week we take a look at an exciting business in Boulder, The Tea Spot with CEO Maria Uspenski.
Maria describes herself as a mechanical engineer by background as well as a Cancer survivor. Cancer is actually what helped her discover the amazing health benefits of tea while in recovery. Through this experience being able to provide quality tea products and make them accessible became the inspiration behind The Tea Spot.
Maria’s story is truly so inspirational that I could go on for days but to learn more click here.
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“Loose leaf tea became an integral part of my own recovery and continues to be a key component of my daily health regimen. The simple act of preparing loose tea is likely just as therapeutic as the tea itself. It gives me great joy to be able to share this with others and I am continually inspired by the people who courageously and actively fight to survive.”
-Maria[/caption]
Can you tell me about The Tea Spot?
We are a for-profit philanthropic business whose mission is to foster wellness by making loose leaf tea an everyday luxury. That said, we approach the solution from 2 directions – by offering healthy, antioxidant-rich teas that people will find so delicious that they can’t HELP but keep drinking them; and by designing and manufacturing a line of housewares that make loose leaf tea EASY – this excited line is called STEEPWARE.
How did you decide to get into this business? – Any inspirations?
My inspiration is the drive to change American drinking habits (esp. those of young girls). I want to get them off unhealthy sugared, preserved beverages and on to healthy, fresh brewed teas.
Curious to what this loose and whole leaf tea is all about? Check out this amazing starter kit that really includes all you need to brew and steep your own tea! You can also purchase their tea in many locations in the area.
How does your business/product positively affect the community?
We benefit the community in two key ways – by introducing better teas, and through our 10% Pledge! The Tea Spot pledges 10% of all sales as in-kind donations to cancer wellness and community programs – predicting to give back $250,000 this year!
What is your favorite product that you offer at The Tea Spot?
It’s always the latest one I’ve been working on! The new NEW thing… but there are many really. The Steep & Go which debuted last year, is picking up lots of traction internationally, and we’re looking to get US distribution on it this year.
Also most recently, I’ve been working on a line of certified organic teas which we’re getting into tins this year, and they will be launching in Whole Foods in the Colorado region as well as in Canada this Spring. I’ve just loved working on that project.
Wondering about the difference between bagged tea and loose-leaf tea? Check out the explanation here!
What makes your business unique?
THE PEOPLE . Everything else is secondary. I know that good business practice always puts the customer first, and all my team does – with the 10% Pledge in mind – but for me, it’s ALL about the employees. Each of our amazing products, each of our wonderful customers – they are ALL a reflection of the people at The Tea Spot.
Here at Natascha Lee Studios, we have tried their tea and it is truly wonderful! So tasty! Our favorite is Boulder Blues!
To learn more about The Tea Spot you can visit them online!
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by Natascha | Mar 3, 2014 | Broomfield Colorado Family Photography, Broomfield Community Spotlight, Broomfield Companies for Mothers, Colorado, Community Spotlight, Resources for Children, Uncategorized
newborn and children sessions outside with our Broomfield Spring sessions starting to book now! While we all have a little cabin fever this week, let’s take a look at Game Only Sports. It’s the perfect spot to be active regardless of weather -which can be a challenge in our beautiful Colorado with the weather changing so much daily! Read on for the fourth installment in our Community Spotlight series. 🙂
Game Only Sports, located in Broomfield, Colorado is truly a one-of-a-kind place for children, parents, groups and parties to have an exciting and positive experience playing soccer and volleyball without any pressure. Taking practice and pressure out of the equation you are able to come together to play pick-up games- where the focus is having fun!
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Picture provided Ryan Aweida, Owner of GO Sports[/caption]
Q: How did you decide to open Game Only Sports? –Any inspirations?
A: I was providing traditional training sessions for kids from the time I was 13 years old. In March of 2010, I finished my last game of the winter with a deep breath. I pledged to never run another drill. I was sick of seeing kids get better, but see the body language screaming to me that they were going to be “burnt out” at way too young of an age. My mom asked me, if you don’t do traditional sessions, what would you do? The answer was simple. I would give the kids a chance to play! I wanted to give the kids a chance to scrimmage. That is what they wanted to do anyway. What was wrong with letting the kids enjoy playing the game in a controlled environment? We spent a couple months preparing to organize the logistics for the Perfect Pick Up Game.
Q: What is the most challenging thing about owning/running Game Only Sports?
A: The most challenging part about owning and running Game Only Sports is helping our customers understand why we do things in our unique manner. We are different from the norm since we don’t allow any coaching. It can be hard for parents to watch their kids make their own decisions. It is common for parents to want to prevent their kids from failing, but we create an environment where the kids can play without the fear of failure.
Q: What is the mission of Game Only Sports?
A: Game Only Sports is creating a new way to play sports. We give players the chance to play for FUN!
Q: What makes Game Only Sports standout?
A: Game Only Sports stands out because there are no other places in the country that does what we do. There are pick up games, but when you combine our flexible scheduling with our positive environment, we are truly one of a kind. We give our players a chance to play games when they want to without the big commitments and we put a staff member on the field to run the game from a player’s perspective.
Ryan commenting on his favorite moment at GO so far:
“I remember an Age 12-13 Game with some really good players. There was one young girl that had never played before. Every time the other players would pass her the ball, she would lose it. Anywhere else I had played soccer, this would lead to her never getting the opportunity again. But the other kids continued to feed her the ball. Not only did they keep passing to her, but when she finally kicked the ball in the right direction, two of her teammates told her “Good Job!” As you can imagine, she got really excited and her confidence was boosted. She ended up scoring goals having the hour of her life.”
What an inspirational story!
Q: Who can participate in Game Only Sports? Do you need to be a skilled player?
A: We believe it is important to have three characteristics to achieve our mission of FUN – Inclusiveness, empowerment and healthy competition. To achieve inclusion, we want to give anyone the chance to play sports. No skills or experience is necessary. We have the ability to make this happen because we pick the teams. Even though there will be players of different levels, we get to spread them out into relatively even teams. We have all ages and levels from Age 6-7 to Adults.
How fun would it be to participate in these pick-up games, host a party or a team-building event? Such a perfect place for an active and fun birthday party for your sports lover!
Q: Who is your average participant? Do they compete in sports outside of GO?
A: Our average participant is a soccer player with some experience coming from outside training like a local soccer club. However, we are looking for more players who don’t have that experience. We are the perfect environment and format for kids that play other sports or even no organized sports! We truly believe in our mission to give everyone a chance to have fun playing sports.
GO also has an awesome mentoring program for kids 10 and over to take on and help a younger players by motivating them and supporting them in their playing!
Q: How does Game Only Sports positively affect the community?
A: Game Only Sports has a GO Give Back Program. The goal of this program is to give back to the community in any way we can. We have a program to give any player a chance to play, regardless of their ability to pay. We also participate in a variety of community service projects, including adopt-an-area and helping a variety of non-profit organizations.
Looking to learn more about Game Only Sports? Visit them online, Save your spot for a pick-up game, or Email Ryan at ryan@gameonlysports.com
Do you have or know any small businesses that would like to be featured here? Email us at CommunitySpotlight @ NataschaLeeStudios.com
We offer newborn, children and family photography to families in Lafayette, Westminster, Highland, Denver, Golden, Louisville, Broomfield, and Boulder.
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