CSYP is 8 years old this month…..this makes us not only the longest running group in Colorado by almost 3 years, but in the whole time zone! Since then we’ve been the inspiration for the creation of groups in Denver (now one of biggest in country), Pueblo, Charlotte North Carolina, and soon Boulder, Summit County, and Grand Junction here in Colorado.

We welcome ALL of Colorado Spring’s business, non-profit, and other professional industries to come out for this event. As well as all ages. If you are a YP who’d like to grow stronger roots and possibly even make a difference…this is for you. If you are a seasoned business owner, come meet the future of Colorado Springs.

Reaching over 3000 YP’s in Colorado Springs. We have possibilities. And we’re looking to strengthen the bond between YP’s in Colorado Springs as well as along the whole Front Range.

Follow us on:
Twitter: @COSYoungPros
Facebook: /COSYoungPros
AsmallWorld
Google+

Our first Social of the year is always a great one. New year, new goals, and a fresh start!

We’re happy to announce that we have the American Heart Association as our featured non-profit and they’ll be on hand to talk about the upcoming Young Hearts Ball…a new event aimed at YP’s and brought to you in part by DYP.

Jet Hotel is helping us kick the new year off right. Always a favorite amongst Denver YP’s as well as YP’s from other cities with the hotel right upstairs.

Wendy will be there to provide the group with a map of some homes of Adults with Disabilities that could use a little holiday cheer.

The Volunteers may want to choose a couple of songs that everyone knows to sing.  And we can print out some song lyrics.

Dress warm, Santa Claus hats or other such festive clothing encouraged.

Interested? Contact Brad Askren at: brad@thrivewithconfidence.com

For some a toy drive is a great little bit of publicity, so they hold one. Or they needed something to do for the holidays in the office, so they hold one. Neither are bad reasons really, end result is still the same, but there is a bit more to why our YP groups do toy drives.

Growing up, things weren’t too bad by the time I hit college in our family. Our family business was/is oil distribution, and in our hometown alone we had 3 gas stations. When I finished college I took over the marketing, and one day our radio sales rep came in with an idea…to do a Wish Tree.

The Wish Tree was an idea that we’d collect gift ideas to put on a tree for kids who didn’t have a bright Christmas in their future. Tags on the tree had the age, sex, and gift request that went like this “5 Year old boy, baseball glove”. I was in our stores almost all day, my office was literally a closet back at the main office, and I really got to see the magic of all of this. The most touching would be seeing the kids ask parents “What is this tree for?” and parents would say “It’s a chance to get a child like you a present who may otherwise not get one for Christmas”.

Always, without hesitation, a child would ask if he/she could pick one out.

Each year I saw this grow. By the time I left our family business I would be taking a load of toys from each store almost daily to the radio station for distribution so we’d have room for more. By the last year we actually were scrambling to find more requests for gifts to hang on the tree to keep up with the demand. And without fail, the day before the last day to do so…someone would buy up whatever was left on the tree. To see that from people was just amazing. Probably one of my favorite things I ever did then.

When I started CSYP in Colorado Springs we did nothing for the first year, but the second year a well connected woman by the name of Jennifer Wyrick (now Leaver, and now owns the Beaumont in Ouray, CO) suggested we do a toy drive…I said yes immediately and she introduced me to a man named Bob Trethway at Christmas Unlimited…founded in 1923 it’s one of the oldest non-profits in the Rockies. We’re going on 7 years with him in COS now and he also introduced us to Denver Santa Claus Shop which is who we support in the Denver Young Professionals toy drive…now going on year 3.

It’s been fun to see what people will buy, and just as much fun as to hear them talk about it. The loud and outgoing guy who bought the thing that makes the most noise, the guys who chipped in to buy a box (like 50 in the box) of teddy bears because they thought every kids deserves one, or those who buy their favorite childhood toy or game so that some other child may enjoy what they once did.

Toy drives are tough. They are a pain in some ways. You are also at the mercy of the holiday schedule so some years you have amazing ones, others small due to bigger events or an unexpected freezing cold day. But we do them anyway because I believe no matter what we bring in, it’s more than these agencies had before. It’s a few more kids that can know the spirit of Christmas and not be left out of what I believe is an important childhood lesson….the act of giving.

Our toy drive in Denver this year is at Spill December 14th form 6pm-8pm…..or so.Bring one unwrapped toy. All are welcome to attend as all our DYP events are. They aren’t just “networking” events….they are community events to help bring YP’s together. Come to help out, come to hear what others bought and why, and come to be together with other YP’s.

Thanks for your support and we’ll see you on the 8th.

Sincerely,

Jon Severson

Founder, Denver Young Professionals

Founder, Colorado Young Professionals

It also helps we have a killer deal.

Tickets are way below what you normally will pay. Buy tickets a week in advance to be assured you’ll be sitting amongst other YP’s who’ve done the same. Week before, well, you’ll still be getting a sweet deal on tickets.

Denver Young Professionals

Offer available for employees, friends, family, and clients

-Monday, December 19^th 2011 7:00pm vs. Philadelphia Flyers

Ticket Information

v  Club Level Seats

$65 per seat

http://www.pepsicenter.com/groups/avalanche/dypclubdecember

v  Upper Level Corner

$27 per seat

http://www.pepsicenter.com/groups/avalanche/dypupper

*No Taxes or Ticket Fees*

*Tickets subject to availability*

*Offer not valid at box office*

Colorado Avalanche v. Phoenix Coyotes
Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011
7:30pm

100 Level and 200 Level – $45 (original price $94)
300 Level – $25 (original $58)

For questions, please call Eli Madden at 303.405.6145 or email emadden@pepsicenter.com

Link to Order: http://www.pepsicenter.com/groups/avalanche/dyp110211

We’ll also be announcing soon a post game party venue. Bring your ticket and get 1/2 off an app. Also if you can’t make the game, this will be the place to be.

These are SWEET deals on tickets you simply can’t find anywhere else but Denver Young Professionals.

www.DenverYoungProfessionals.com

Brad,

Thank you and the Denver Young Professionals so much for volunteering last weekend. The families in our shelter program were very happy to come back to a clean day center. Also, the food bank has not looked that good in a long time. Thank you all so much for your hard work. Also thank you Brad for planning the event and getting everyone together.

Your help is very much appreciated and doesn’t go unnoticed to our clients.

Thanks again,

Alyssa

Alyssa Mesich

Growing Home

Americorps VISTA Volunteer Coordinator

Housing the Homeless, Feeding Families, and Helping Children Succeed

www.growinghome.org

This is why we organize volunteer events. This is why we don’t make people pay or be a “paid” member to do these sort of things. The results pay for themselves. Congrads to all who participated in this and other volunteer days. Also big thanks to Brad Askren who’s helped make these possible and volunteered his time to make these happen.

After a number of years of considering this, we’re looking to open up Colorado Springs First Co-Work space geared towards young professionals.

We’re currently looking at 3 different spaces and due to the fun of such, we can’t say where as of yet. We’ll have the following options available:

-Dedicated Office (have your own door)

-Dedicated Desk (open space)

-Floater Space (for part time needs)

With it, we’ll have a dedicated office hours to be open to the public so people can walk in off the street to learn more about CSYP. We’ll have a once a month Open House event to draw attention to the space as well as a group lunch bike ride that anyone can come on.

Those renting space will also have the opprotunity for:

-Discounted Credit Card Procecessing.

-Virtual Office Solution (VM, Call processing, Call forwarding, etc..) at discount.

-Heavily discounted Print solutions

This is brand new and not all the details are set in place. This is the first space we’re looking to launch with 2 more in COS, 2 in Denver, and hopefully one in Pueblo in 2012. Ideal users will be:

-Self employed (sales reps, designers, contractors)

-Those who work remote, but have an office allowance.

-Anyone who currently works from home, but misses the “office” enviroment.

We will also have the following exclusive space offers will be available for:

-Realtors (limit 2)

-Mortgage broker (limit 1)

-Insurance Agent (Limit 1)

Questions? Interested? Please contact us through the contact form on the website or call Jon Severson direct at 719-387-1277.

Note: Any size toy will do. Any amount of toys will do. And if you forget, you can always donate cash at the event or bring a check. Make checks to: Denver Santa Claus Shop.

We’re once again partnered with the Denver Santa Claus Shop…one of the oldest non-profits in the state.