Welcome to the
2023 Greenway Current
Dive into our digital review of The Greenway Foundation’s (TGF) year to get a glimpse of the tangible environmental improvements we’ve made through community events and water projects, see how we brought students to the river, and discover what hard-fought victories we won when it comes to protecting our rivers. We have a lot to share, and we’re excited for you to see how 2023 was a year for the books.
Our Proudest Moments from 2023
of federal funding for the City and County of Denver, along with local match funding, has created the single largest financial commitment to the South Platte River ever.
were completed in riverside parks and green spaces as part of The Greenway Foundation’s stewardship projects.
attended South Platte River Environmental Education (SPREE) camps, excursions, and events to make lasting connections to the river.
attended our summer river festival, CROSSCURRENTS.
chose to support our work through over $700,000 in grants and sponsorships.
gave to our monthly giving program, Friends of Greenway.
We are pleased to present The Greenway Foundation’s 2023 Greenway Current
As the Executive Director of The Greenway Foundation, I remain honored to lead an amazing team of talented, motivated, and passionate stewards of our waterways. 2024 marks the 50th anniversary of The Greenway Foundation and as we enter into this important milestone, we want to reflect on our accomplishments last year.
- Advocated for more than 6.5-miles of the South Platte River for it to be restored in Denver and Adams Counties, creating more inviting spaces for plants, animals and people, and reducing flood risks for lower-income residents.
- Championed policies that safeguard the river’s future, like supporting work on the Waterway Resiliency Program, or the Grassroots Leadership Opportunities (GLO) Ambassadors Program, which facilitates youth ambassadors driving community input for local projects.
- Facilitated critical habitat preservation efforts along the South Platte River, protecting its unique ecosystem. In 2023, we hosted over 550 hours of trash pick ups along the river, ensuring over 6,000 gallons of trash didn’t enter our waterways.
- 21% of our programs were taught in Spanish, and we were able to fulfill nearly 100% of Spanish-instruction requests.
- Funded and coordinated public restroom facilities in 3 different Denver parks for over 6 months – because parks should always be clean and accessible public spaces where you can spend lots of time.
- 43% of students in the spring of this year attended their field trip for free in our efforts to ensure cost is never a barrier for students to experience learning outdoors.
We hope to see you on the river in 2024 as we celebrate 50 years of The Greenway Foundation!
Kip Stastny
Board Chairman
Ryan Aids
Executive Director
The Greenway Team
It takes a village (and then some) to steward the river—but day-to-day, it takes the hard work of a small but mighty team. Meet the talented and passionate people of The Greenway Foundation.
Creating extraordinary experiences for all kids
For over 40 years, The Greenway Foundation has introduced tens of thousands of children to the South Platte River through its SPREE program. SPREE aims to develop a positive relationship between the South Platte River and Denver area youth through school excursions, day camps, weekend events, internships, and summer employment.
Educating students through SPREE
Look at all we’ve accomplished in 2023.
Excursions
Our SPREE excursions took place in six different parks along the river! These field trips provide invaluable hands-on, experiential learning opportunities for Denver students. Researchers have found a number of trends demonstrating the positive impact environmental education has on learning, motivation, skill-building, and empowerment.
SPREE’s field trip program served nearly 5,000 children in 2023, from many different backgrounds. 100% of these students receive subsidized pricing to ensure cost is never a barrier to this place-based learning.
Camps
When Denver Public Schools are out… SPREE camps are in session! SPREE Day Camps were in full swing in 2023. We served over 450 campers by the river in Johnson Habitat park over 10 weeks of summer camp and 11 days of school break camp. With unique themes like Extreme Animals, Plantapalooza, and Can You Dig It?, there was no shortage of fun while learning about the environment and the South Platte River. Campers had a blast completing nature-based missions from our beaver boss, Chompers!
River Rangers
To start off the year, SPREE hired 3 River Ranger Interns from Kipp Denver Collegiate High School and partnered with 6 Groundwork Denver high schoolers to teach at our in-person field trips- the first time since the pandemic started! Over the summer, we hired 3 high school River Rangers and 1 college River Ranger to teach full time at our summer camp! All 3 high school River Rangers submitted their Environmental Educator portfolios through The Colorado Alliance of Environmental Education! TGF also awarded four $1,000 Joe Shoemaker Memorial scholarships to current and past Summer River Rangers to help with college tuition!
Greenway Leadership Corps
GLC had over 180 high school students from the Denver Metro Area participate in stewardship and outdoor adventures with GLC in 2023! Some of our favorite experiences included trail building & exploring at The Nature Conservancy’s Phantom Canyon Preserve, practicing survival skills & nature mindfulness at Cal-wood Education Center, stand up paddle boarding at Cherry Creek State Park, and climbing around on Denver Parks & Rec’s Genesee Challenge Course!
Family Events
SPREE led and participated in ~20 community family events this year. These events were free, and all encouraged families to get outside and create connections with nature, whether it be through an arts and crafts project, going fishing, or cleaning up a local park.
SPREE in the Community
SPREE consistently showed up for our community in 2023. With a particular focus on historically marginalized-Denver communities, SPREE participated in events like HarvestSHARE in the Cole neighborhood and Westwood Family Nature Club meetings. We held our annual Family Camp Out in Johnson Habitat Park, where we made dinner – and s’mores – over the fire, and taught families how to set up tents before sleeping under the stars. The Family CookOut was just as successful, with games and crafts and critter crawl – and of course more s’mores!
Stewardship
Taking care of the watershed that takes care of us is not only rewarding, it’s necessary to our future. There are so many ways to be good stewards. Whether you volunteer time, share your knowledge, donate resources, or all of the above—the good news is that every effort counts. Take a look at some of our stewardship projects from 2023.
Volunteering
TGF hosts two large Stewardship Days- one in the spring and one in the fall- plus numerous smaller volunteer events each year! During these programs, hundreds of volunteers work in riverside projects to collect trash, spread mulch, protect park fixtures, and more! This year, volunteers donated 980 hours protecting and cleaning our riverside parks!
Clean Water Challenge
This spring The Greenway Foundation partnered with two teams from Colorado School of Mines for the Clean Water Challenge. Both teams spent two semesters researching and designing a solution for elevated E. coli levels in our creeks. Check out the solutions the teams presented in April 2023! In the fall 2023, TGF partnered with a new team from Colorado School of Mines to brainstorm ways to reduce/remove road salts from our local waterways. Check back in spring 2024 to see what they designed!
Grassroots Leadership Opportunities (GLO) Ambassadors Program
This year, The Greenway Foundation assisted in the evolution of the Grassroots Leadership Opportunities (GLO) Ambassadors Program. The aim of the program is to recruit traditionally underrepresented youth to lead community outreach efforts on projects in their community. In 2023, GLO Ambassadors worked on two projects: Riverdale Regional Park and a section of the High Line Canal in Green Valley Ranch.
Celebrate the South Platte River
The river is for everyone! From galas and festivals to family fishing and stewardship opportunities. Gather with The Greenway Foundation and enjoy all your river has to offer.
CROSSCURRENTS
TGF had its most successful CROSSCURRENTS to date welcoming over 7,500 attendees to Confluence Park for a day of rafting, tubing, SPREE activities, and so much more. Bands and deejays rocked out all day, leading to an electric performance by DRAMA. We look forward to building on this success when the event returns to Confluence Park on Saturday, July 13th 2024.
Gala on The Bridge
2023’s Gala on the Bridge saw the highest attendance for this event ever! Over 500 attendees enjoyed a night of amazing food from Michelin Star Chef Hosea Rosenberg, great music, and an opportunity to enjoy being on the river with other generous supporters of The Greenway Foundation’s work. TGF was proud to present Jeff Shoemaker with the Hero of the River award for his passionate work advocating for the South Platte River over the past 40+ years. This event remains TGF’s largest fundraiser of the year and we look to continue that success in 2024.
Reception on the River
TGF hosts the Mile High Flood District Reception on the River, an annual networking and celebration event for all things water! This outdoor event features heavy hors d’oeuvres, drinks, and live music! In 2023, TGF hosted 300+ attendees from all facets of the local water community, and were honored to have Joshua Laipply, Chief Projects Office for the City and County of Denver, as our featured speaker.
Revitalization Projects
The Greenway Foundation is honored to be engaged in several revitalization projects, all of which have four benefits- environmental, recreational, water quality, and flood control.
The Waterway Resiliency Program brings $350 million of federal funding to the City and County of Denver. This, along with local match funding, creates the single largest financial commitment to the South Platte River ever! This project aims not only to restore the South Platte River, Weir Gulch, and Harvard Gulch but to revolutionize these waterways for future generations to enjoy while providing critical habitat and flood protection.
Our Supporters
Thank you so much to our generous sponsors and grant providers.
We couldn’t do what we do without their incredible support and we’re honored to serve our local community and environment with the help of these dedicated entities and individuals.
Individual Donors
3Degrees Group Inc
Emily A Grant
Thomas Abbott
Liz Adams
Christine Adams
AECOM
Ashlie Aids
Brenda Aids
Ryan Aids
Allen Vellone Wolf Helfrich & Factor P.C.
Alpine Bank
Anchor QEA, LLC
Andrew Schmidt LLC
Anthem Structural Engineers
Linda Appel Lipsius
Alice and Marc Applebaum
Brent Applebaum
APTIM
Arbor Force
Architerra Group Inc
Argo Holdings
Wendy Arkesteijn
Asana Partners
Dan Aschkinasi
Luke Askew
Tyler Atkinson
Aurora Water
AvalonBay Communities
Karen Aviles
Denelle Ayers
Lindsey Ayers
Daniel Bailey
Baird Foundation
Madeleine Balchan
Kimberly Ball
Carrie Baron
Wayne Barrett
Gail Barry
William Battaglin
Megan Beal
Amy Beatie
Belay Development
Luke Bell
Anne Bensard
Courtney Benson
Lauren Berent Burgess
Amy Berlin
Meredith Berlin
Daniel Bettinger
William Bianco
Nancy Birge
Autumn Bjugstad
Susan Bjugstad
Councilwoman Kendra Black
Troy Blessing
Andrea Bobotis
Stacey Borstad
Kelly Bossley
BPX Energy Inc.
Kate Brenan
Jon Bridges
Julia Brooks
Ryan Brown
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck
Anna Cafaro
Calibre Engineering
Capitol Representatives
Carollo Engineering
James Carr
Castle Rock Water Dept.
CDM
Smith Central Colorado Water Conservancy District
CFC Construction
Bar Chadwick Chatfield Reservoir Mitigation Company, Inc.
Kate Cihon
Joe Clark
Emily Clark
Steve Cohen
Rebecca Colbert
Jennifer Cole
Debra Colias
Collegiate Peaks Bank
Colorado Academy
Amy Conklin
Corona Research Inc,
DBA Corona Insights
Crescent Real Estate
Todd Crimmel
Gina Cristiano
Kristine Csavina
CSU Spur
Cypress 16
Katie Dake
Margaret Danuser
David J. Cole & Associates, Inc
Cristin Davis
Joyzelle Davis
DDPHE – City & County of Denver
Chrissy Deal
Jeremy Deischer
Delta Dental
Delta Dental Colorado Foundation
Helena DeMarie
Denver Broncos Foundation
Denver Foundation
Denver Jewish Day School
Melissa Dickard
Dig Studio
Claire Dolphin Rice
Sarah Dominick
Dominion Water & Sanitation District
Mary Donachy
Paul Dorsa
Beth Dorsa
Sandy &Tim Drago
E-Squared Communications Group Inc
East West Partners
ECI Site Construction Management, Inc
Marcia Eldridge
Elitch Gardens
Kitty Elkins
Lawrence Elrod
Michelle Elsasser
Stacey Eriksen
ERO Resources Corporation
EXDO Group
Jack Fahres
Fantastic Frank
Richard Farley
Beth Ferguson
First American Title Insurance Company
FirstBank Flatiron Construction
Simon Foot
Melissa Ford
Joseph Fowler
Kristi Franko
Sigrid Freese
Matt Gacioch
Anthea Gagnon
Joe Gagnon
Julianne Gagnon
Kim Gagnon
Paul & Rose Gagnon
Richard Galaty
Declan Galvin
Garden Club of Denver
GE Johnson Construction Company
Michael Gefell
GEI Consultants
Kate Gillette
Patrick Gillette
Rachel Gillette
Ada Gillis
Allison Gleichman
Anthony Gonzalez
Graland Country Day School
Jeffrey Grana
Grand American, Inc.
Julia Gray
David Grutze
GSSG Solar
Sasha Gubser
Kyle Gustafson
Katie Hale
Burgundy Hanna
Megan Harrington
Robert Harris
Elizabeth Harty
Elisabeth Hawksbee
Hazen & Sawyer HDR, Inc.
Laurie Helmick
Betsy Henderson
Curtis Henderson
Allie Hennessy
Kelly Heppe
Laurie Herivel
Kelly Hersh
Harold Heuer
Fabby Hillyard
Hirsch & Gibney, Inc.
Barry Hirschfeld
HNTB
Robert Hodges
Martha Hoffman
HPM Contracting
Ryan Hull
Brian Hunt
Ramsay Huntley
Jaquita Hurst
Husch Blackwell
Mai-lan Huynh-Smith
Eileen Hyatt
Emily Hypnarowski
Independent Financial
Iron Woman Construction
Jacobs JE Dunn Construction
David Jegen
Shelley Jewell
Jeffrey Johnsen
Sara Johnson
Ted Johnson
Suzanna Jones
JM Jones
JV Denargo LLC
Emily Kachergis
Jonathan Kahn
Kate Kalstein
Daphna Kapnik
Cassie Kaslon
KeyBank
Andy Killinger
Mira Killmeyer
Claudia Kim
Julie Koehler
Christy Koerth
Kong Company LLC
Laura Kroeger
Amy Krosky
R Kent Landmark
Kristin Lang
Joseph Lara
Betsy Larson
Jake Larson
Scott Law
Kate Law
Nicole Lee
Blair Lichtenfels
Livable Cities Studio
Lester Lockspeiser
Gary Looper
James Lovejoy
LRE Water
Larraine Lucero
Shannon Lucio
Christina Mahoney
Donielle Markel
Andrea Martin
Martin/Martin Consulting Engineers
Mary Norris Preyer Fund
Jana Mathieson
Matrix Design Group
McGeady Becher, P.C.
Kathleen McGlynn
Meow Wolf
MEP Engineering, Inc.
Merrick Metro Water Recovery
Michael Baker International
Milender White LLC
Molson Coors
John Moran
Moran & Long, LLC
Suzanne Morgan
Linda Morrison
Nathaniel Morrison
Lawrence Moskow
Barbara Moskow
MSH & Associates
Muller Engineering
Holly Murtaugh
Jenna Neeley
Joanna Negler
John Niemann
Roseann Niemeyer
NorthMarq Gayle
Nosek
Number 38
Amy & Bill O’Connor
Katie Oakes
Olsson
Omaha Community Foundation
Christopher Oneil
Open Flow
Orvis
Elise Osenga
Otak
Otten Johnson Robinson Neff & Ragonetti PC
Sara Overby
Oz Architecture, Inc.
Mary Palmer
Jentien Pan
Pando Holdings
Parkwell LLC
Roger Parrino Jr
PCL Construction
Trent Peaker
Rob Pell
Pericord Foundation
John Pflaum
Brooke Pike
Pioneer Ventures
Platte River Recovery Implementation Program
Megan Post
Susan Powers
Christopher Price
Q Factor
Emily Ragan
Ramble Hotel
Ramboll
Aaron Ray
Randy Ray
Judi Recht
Redmond Construction
Barry Reed
REI Cooperative Action Fund
Retrievr Revesco USA Properties LLLP
Sara Reynolds
Richardson Agency
Heather Rinehart
River Collective Co.
Riverbank Commercial Real Estate LLC
Riverfront Park Community Foundation
Francine Roby
Melissa Rodriguez
Jeff Rollins
Joyce Roper
Lesley Roper & Jill PItcher
Geoff Roth
Roxborough Water & Sanitation District
Curtis & Ruth Rueter
Ana Ruiz
Phil Russell
Haley Sammen
Rachel Samudovsky
Paula Sandoval
Ronda Sandquist
Sasaki Associates Inc.
Gregg Saunders
Schlessman Family Foundation
Stacy Schmidt
Joan Schneider
Brian Schroder
Rosemary Shanley
Shaw Construction
Shears Adkins
Rockmore
Mimi Shim
Jeff Shoemaker
Shopworks Architecture
Shrewsberry
SideCar PR
Sachith
Siriwardane
Slalom Consulting
Eliza Slayman
Tracy L Smith
Brandon Smith
Lauren Snee
South Denver VFW Post 2461
Mary Stanfield
Stantec
Kip Stastny
Tiana Stastny
Gary & Leslie Stiefler
Cyndi Stovall
STRADA
Stream Landscape Architecture and Planning
Steve Stretz
Summit Street Group
Kris Sun
Grant Swanson
Tanteo Spirits
Michelle Taracido
Robert Taylor
Melinda Teiken
The Beacon Fund
The Children’s Museum of Denver
The Jolon Clark Fund
The MacMeier Foundation
The Mayor’s Office of National Western Center
The Nature Conservancy
The Thomas Edwin Greenbaum Charitable Foundation, Inc.
Andrew Thomas
Dave Thomas
Joan Thomas
David Thorpe
James Tolbert
Jack Tone
Kathleen Travis
Molly Trujillo
Tryba Architects
Turner Construction
Scott Tye
Urban Villages
Usaj Realty
Valerian
Isabel Vera
Visit Denver
Carrie Wack
Peter Wall
Kacie Warner
Dominic Weilminster
Tanya Weinberg
Bradley Weinig
Eric Weisman
Steve Welchert
Wenk Associates, Inc.
Mike and Etta West
Pete West
Colin White
Whiting-Turner
Jennifer Williams
Stefanie Winfield
Mike Winn
Charlotte Winzenburg
Donna Witonsky
Alexandra Witonsky
Dita Wohlauer
Natalie Wood
Nicole Woods
Ben Woolf
Workplace Elements, LLC
Xcel Energy
Xcel Energy Foundation
Julie Yang
Kim Yuan-Farrell
Kathryn Zahra
ZF Capital
Rick Zieser
ZipSprout LLC