Chip Ambrose a few days after he was adopted
My kids wanted to adopt a dog, but they are very busy with school and work and visiting with friends. We relented under one rule: that this dog be THEIR dog, and that they take care of him. We then met Chip at a Pups n' Pints event, and fell in love with how he decides to pancake on the ground when not being immediately petted. After adopting him, our daughter started to refer to Chip as her son, because she is responsible for walking, feeding, training, and keeping him happy at home. Occasionally, I do babysit Chip while my kids go out. And the first time, it was quite a jolt to hear my daughter say "Be good to Grandma!" to Chip on her way out. I looked around for my mother, who is I think of these days as Grandma. Then it dawned on me. Grandma. That's...me? There are many joys and touchstone moments in parenting, and much sooner than I had thought, becoming a grandparent is in front of me. While it's with the family dog and tongue in cheek now, in 10 years or so, it's a real possibility. Which makes me think, what kind of Arvada will we have for our grandchildren? I got into this race for my children, and for all of our children and grand children. Our Arvadan future has many beautiful maintained parks and trails for Chip to enjoy his whole life; and a robust safety net through collaborating with multiple entities like non-profits, other municipalities and counties, and state and federal funds. The Arvada of the future should have a much higher proportion of people who live and work in Arvada as housing is affordable and more mid-size businesses are enmeshed in communities like Five Points. In the future, I see an Arvada that has built more 55+/65+ communities for seniors; that has a thriving local business core that has helped it weather national economic events; that is climate resilient and climate ready. This future Arvada has a great school system because the city supports strong public education with transportation, smart growth that ensures families can live near their school of choice, and a great local economy that attracts top talent. Our future Arvada has a commitment to diversity and inclusion and everyone who wants to live here is able to do so.
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