COMMITTEES
	Welcoming
		Why I Love Willow Creek

		From 2013 Willow Talk Newsletters
		Why I Love Living In Willow Creek by Sharon Rodgers As I recently walked the Y walking path to Willow Creek Elementary, an attractive little house caught my attention on the property of Jan and Ken Top. Upon further investigation I discovered it is a lending library for our neighborhood. The “Little Free Library” is a concept that started many years ago in Wisconsin and has spread throughout neighborhoods in the United States. Jan and Ken took it upon themselves to create one for Willow Creek. Thank you Ken and Jan for supporting literacy in Willow Creek. This is just another reason, “I love living in Willow Creek.” What I Love About Willow Creek by Heidi Parish It seems whatever street you are on in Willow Creek, you will know some friendly person. It has such a small town atmosphere. One day, I was taking a walk with my kids as they were riding their bikes. We had only gone a short distance when my son’s pedal fell off his bike. We were on a greenbelt close to Paul Pearson’s home and we walked up to his door to see if he had any tools. He came right out, stepped into his garage and took out an array of tools. He fixed the pedal, we thanked him and we went on our way. We often have experiences like this in Willow Creek! Why I Love Living in Willow Creek by Sharon Rodgers Why I love living in Willow Creek…. walks down the greenbelts on a cool summer morning. The sound in the distant on a Saturday morning of a swim meet in the neighborhood, reminding me of the fun the swimmers and families are having. Friends greeting each other as they walk the neighborhood. The care that is evident as so many neighbors tend to their flower gardens and lawns in this drought year. The July 4^th parade in the neighborhood is a chance to see smiles on the faces of all who attend, and is such a fun family tradition. Let’s not forget the Willow Creek Garden Show on Sunday, August 4^th. If you have lived here for years, or if you are new to the neighborhood…it is all of these summer events that make Willow Creek such a special place to live!

		From 2012 Willow Talk Newsletters

		Why I Love Living in Willow Creek by Adam and Luke Parish Being on the Willow Creek Wahoo swim team is a super fun part of living in Willow Creek. Our coaches are really great and we love being with our friends at the pool. We also love improving our times and getting awards.

		Why I Love Living in Willow Creek What I love about living in Willow Creek is the start of summer! Our neighbors are out working in their gardens and the streets are filled with young people on summer vacation. You cannot walk by the pools without hearing the familiar boing of the diving board and the laughter that follows. All of our favorite lifeguards come back year after year. Summer in Willow Creek means it's time get the sunscreen ready, it's time to play!

		Why I Love Living in Willow Creek I love seeing the camaraderie of the neighborhood when the snow falls! I noticed neighbors with snow blowers helping neighbors who have only shovels. I see homeowners helping others who are unable to clear their sidewalks and driveways because of age or medical limitations. Sometimes in the heaviest snows I even spot neighbors helping push stuck cars out of ruts! And then there are people like Tod McKercher who take it upon themselves to clear nearby greenbelt walkways, year after year to make sure that children & adults have a safe walk to WC Elementary School or to walk their dogs. Thank you to all these kind people who help lighten the burden of a ‘snow’ day! We all appreciate this thoughtfulness and dedication! This is one of the many things that makes our neighborhood so special.

		Why I Love Living in Willow Creek by Monica Huso I LOVE living in Willow Creek! Where else can you gather a group of ladies, pile into cars, stop at Starbucks on the way to the mountains to have a fantastic day of bonding on the ski slopes , set records for numbers of moguls attacked in one run, and still be home in time to pick up your kids from elementary school? The camaraderie that grows through the help of the Willow Creek Women’s Club programs like the Ski Club is non-paralleled in other communities. Now that the snow has finally started to fall in the mountains, it’s going to be another great season for the ladies!

		From 2011 WILLOW TALK Newsletters

		WHY I LOVE LIVING IN WILLOW CREEK Exceptional schools…convenient location…tree-filled lots…sure these describe Willow Creek but that’s not why I love living here. To me what sets Willow Creek apart from all the neighboring communities are the people. Willow Creekers are unique: we don’t just own houses here; we’ve made Willow Creek a way of life. If there’s an event in the neighborhood, hundreds show up. A July 4th parade and the streets are clogged with neighbors all decked in red, white and blue. If you need help, several will lend a hand. Willow Creekers are involved, caring and committed to the community. I love living in Willow Creek because when you’re here you know you’re among friends: you know you’re home.

		WHY I LOVE WILLOW CREEK By Carolyn Herman One of the reasons I love Willow Creek is summed up in one word…Harley. I have never lived anywhere where an animal has created such a bond with so many in one small neighborhood. For those of you who don’t know Harley, he is a beautiful orange tabby cat, who has at least 100 lives. He lives with our wonderful neighbors, but belongs to the neighborhood as a whole. Most of us have seen Harley around the school, around the pools or even in our own garages or houses. At times I think he thinks he is a dog and is quite upset at the reaction he gets from my dog when playing in our courtyard. Harley even has a facebook page where you can get info on what he’s up to and cries for help from his owners when he’s been missing for awhile! He’s the unofficial mascot of the Willow Creek Wahoos swim team and is even participating in the “Flat 14ers Challenge” at the school. I am able to tell people where I live in by telling them that I live in the same cul-de-sac as Harley. My children think it’s pretty cool to tell their friends at school that they live next to Harley and that his “sister” is their favorite babysitter. All in all, I think Harley exemplifies what living in Willow Creek is all about - friendship, adventure and looking out for each other in good times and bad. Thanks, Harley, for making Willow Creek an even better place!

		WHY I LOVE WILLOW CREEK by Sara Ebner Roberts I moved to Willow Creek 3 years ago this month! Living in Willow Creek has been nothing short of wonderful. The benefits reach way beyond just the pools and tennis courts, which are fabulous assets to any community! I take advantage almost daily of the miles of trails and open space that lies literally out my front door. My husband and I take our three kids to these parks often with baseball mitts, picnic lunches and frisbees for the dogs. I personally book some alone time on the trails with my iPod and a dog by my side. I encounter so many friendly people on every single one of my outings, which proves just once more that we have great neighbors. I am expecting a baby in June, and I know the munchkin and I will continue to discover more and more fantastic assets of our neighborhood. I know it is a great place to raise a family already, and I can't wait to learn what more Willow Creek has to offer!

		WHY I LOVE WILLOW CREEK Submitted by Carolyn Herman We have lived in Willow Creek for almost 9 years. When we first moved in, we didn't have children and can't believe our "luck" on moving into such a great neighborhood from a family perspective. One of my favorite things about Willow Creek 2 is the pools. As a mother of a young baby, it was a great place to go and meet other moms and feel connected to the community. As the mother of toddlers and preschoolers, it was an awesome place for my children to learn how to swim and to make friends. Lynn, the head lifeguard, and her staff of lifeguards are AMAZING swim instructors. Both of my children (my 2nd starting at 18 months!) learned how to swim and how to be comfortable and safe around the water in record time. Several of my non-Willow Creek friends would come here for swim lessons too, all of us agreeing that there was something "magic" in the water that got kids to swim well. Now both of my children are on the swim team and that has been a fun experience too. From the social aspect for both me and them to the great instruction and confidence that swimming in meets has built in both of them, it is an experience I would recommend to anyone. So if you haven't before, I encourage you to take advantage of the pools in whatever way works best for you! You won't regret it!

		WHY I LOVE WILLOW CREEK Submitted by Carolyn Herman I've written about cats, I've written about the pools, this article I want to write about the people of Willow Creek. There are lots of great things about my neighbors and friends throughout the 'hood, but one of the greatest characteristics I see is generosity. From buying Girl Scout cookies to signing petitions to borrowing tools or a cup of sugar, generosity is a trait shared by many in this neighborhood. I've been very impressed by the large hearts of people - supporting the mother of a son struck down at too young of an age and creating a beautiful memorial for him, helping Boy Scouts become Eagle scouts by supporting their projects financially, and most recently coming to the aid and support of a mother and daughter after the young girl had a massive stroke. It was so awesome to hear my children come home from school and talk about the hearts they were making for "Cara" - hearts to help pay for her medical bills - hearts to show her how much people care for her - hearts to teach these kids about generosity and giving at a young age. Thanks Willow Creek for being a place to live that not only encourages generosity, but models it.

		WHY I LOVE LIVING IN WILLOW CREEK Submitted by Heidi Parish The other day I went to get in my car that was parked in the garage and a border collie ran in the garage and greeted me like we were old friends. I recognized the dog from a house up the street so I leashed the very friendly dog and walked him home. He had escaped from an open gate. I put him back in the yard and secured the gate, at least I thought I did. About an hour later, I was on a ladder cleaning some debris from our gutter and my dog friend appeared again. This time he brought something I was sure to enjoy. He had his ball that he promptly tossed my way luring me into his game. He told me in his dog way, "Don't work, come play!" So I did. I threw the ball and he fetched it and flung it back at me. After playing this game for awhile, I walked him back home but I couldn't help but think, even the dogs in Willow Creek make this a really great place to live!

		WHY I LOVE WILLOW CREEK What I love about living in Willow Creek is the pools! In four short weeks my three year old has learned to swim. The teachers are excited, fun, and talented, and you sure can't beat the price! We spend our summer days beating the heat in Willow Creek. Then, on Friday afternoons my neighbors and I bring our kids and our dinners to the pool. We pack a cooler of beverages to share and unwind from a long, hot week. We had a "non-Willow Creeker" visiting us and when he experienced our Friday Afternoon Club he told his wife, "We're moving to Willow Creek, I can't believe there's a neighborhood like this." I often pinch myself too. The summer in Willow Creek may be the best time of all.

		Why I Love Living in Willow Creek Sharon Rodgers As you read this the holidays are over, but as I write it is a week before Christmas and a couple of days before Hanukah. The magic of the holidays seems to abound in Willow Creek. From neighborhood gatherings, to beautifully lit menorahs in windows, to twinkling Christmas lights gracing trees throughout the neighborhood; the magic is everywhere. Let’s not forget the neighborhood Santa delivery on Christmas Eve when ear-to-ear smiles greet Santa as he jumps off the fire engine. I also appreciate the welcome invitation to a friends’ Hanukah celebration with warm latkes and great food. The story “The Polar Express,” captures the magic of the Holiday season for me. Believing is the essence of the story. I believe we live in one of the best neighborhoods, I believe we are lucky to have such wonderful neighbors; I believe our Elementary School is one of the finest in Colorado and I believe our community is lucky to have a Scout Troop that has produced seven Eagle Scouts this past year. Belief keeps us young at heart and fills our souls. I love living in Willow Creek.

Why I Love Willow Creek