Mold Remediation in Lakewood, CO

Celebrate Giving Tuesday all season long by donating, volunteering and spreading the word about these amazing local organizations.

Patch Holiday, Patch Staff

Giving Tuesday is a global movement that encourages people to give back to their communities, typically through charitable donations, volunteer work or acts of kindness. It takes place annually on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving in the U.S., right after Black Friday and Cyber Monday. While it's celebrated widely, the real impact happens when we do good right at home by supporting local businesses, causes and organizations working to uplift our own communities.

We've rounded up a list of some great organizations, causes and initiatives in the Lakewood area. Please keep in mind, this is by no means an exhaustive list — just a starting point for discovering amazing local opportunities to give back, not only on Giving Tuesday but year-round! Be sure to contact each organization directly to find out about their hours or the best ways you can contribute.

Benefits in Action is a Lakewood-based nonprofit dedicated to improving healthcare benefit literacy and access across the state. Volunteers play a crucial role in their mission by helping individuals navigate and apply for social benefit programs, providing food delivery and supporting mental wellness and educational initiatives. Since its founding in 2015, the organization has served over 12,000 individuals, significantly impacting the community through its dedicated efforts.Learn more: benefitsinaction.org

Feel the Beat is a nonprofit dedicated to making dance accessible for all, particularly those with hearing or visual impairments. With locations in Lakewood and Westminster, the organization offers various dance programs that enhance balance, coordination, strength and emotional regulation. Volunteering here helps transform lives, fostering self-confidence and community through the universal language of dance.Learn more: feelthebeat.dance

Mi Casa Resource Center has served the Denver area since 1976, focusing on advancing economic self-sufficiency for Latinos, women and low-income participants through programs in career and business pathways, financial wellness and more. Volunteers play a crucial role in delivering these services and supporting the community.Learn more: micasaresourcecenter.org

Find out what's happening in Lakewoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Reading Partners Colorado offers flexible volunteer opportunities both online and in person, requiring just over an hour per week. Volunteers receive training and support and use an easy-to-follow curriculum to tutor students. With no prior experience necessary, this program is perfect for those who want to make a meaningful impact on children's literacy.Learn more: readingpartners.org

The Women’s Bean Project is a nonprofit dedicated to empowering women through employment and self-sufficiency. Volunteers are vital to the project’s success, providing help in areas such as the front desk, retail store, production, shipping and program classes.Learn more: womensbeanproject.com

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The first case of Emerald Ash Borer beetles has been found in central Lakewood. The invasive species infects and kills ash trees, and there’s nothing that can be done to save a tree once the bug bores into it.

EAB detection can be about three years behind, meaning it could be destroying ash trees for years before city forestry officials are even aware of its presence.

According to a press release from Lakewood Community Resources, about 15 percent of urban trees are ash trees.

“The easiest sign to look for is a D-shaped exit hole on the trunk,” said Luke Killorian, the forestry supervisor for the city of Lakewood. “It’s when a borer exits a tree. It’s got a distinctive shape.”

Other signs also include “bark splits and S-shaped tunnels called galleries underneath the bark, gradual canopy thinning and dieback, abnormal shoots of growth, smaller than normal leaves, and heavy woodpecker activity.”

The bug itself is metallic green and shiny.

As for best practices, Killrorain urges people not to move firewood around.

“The bug itself only moves a mile or two a year naturally. We’ve seen it spread incredibly fast because people load up firewood and transport it across the state,” he said.

He “highly” suggests that people contact a licensed tree contractor to work with when discovering a beetle.

The pest’s unwelcome Colorado debut occurred in 2013 in Boulder County.

That prompted a quarantine that blocked the movement of firewood or other wood supplies across Boulder County borders. The mountains also acted as a natural barrier to the spread of the pest. But when the quarantine was lifted, the Emerald Ash Borer could find a ride over the Rockies in firewood.

By 2019 the insect had infested its way into Broomfield, Westminster and Berthoud with a 2020 case in Arvada.

An international group that spans through Canada, called The Emerald Ash Borer Network, works to map out the locations of the bug and offers resources for people to join the fight to protect ash trees.

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Emerald ash borers, which destroy North American species of ash trees, were first spotted in Colorado in 2013.

LAKEWOOD, Colo. — Emerald ash borers, a type of invasive beetle that infests and destroys Native American species of ash trees, have been found in Lakewood for the first time, the city said on Thursday.

Emerald ash borers were discovered in a small area in central Lakewood, and the findings were later confirmed by Colorado State University Extension in Jefferson County, the city said in a news release. These beetles invade certain species of ash trees, which reportedly make up 15% of all urban trees.

"Emerald ash borer beetles target, and eventually kill, ash tree species of the green and white varieties including the 'autumn purple ash,' a popular white ash variety in Colorado," the city said.

Although this discovery is new for Lakewood, emerald ash borers are not new to Colorado. The first time these insects were spotted in the state was in 2013 in Boulder County. There have since been findings in parts of Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield and Larimer counties.

> Click here to view a map of emerald ash borer findings in Colorado

Lakewood Forestry Supervisor Luke Killoran said that inspecting trees is a good way to identify the invasive insect.

“Look for the distinctive D-shaped exit holes, bark splits and S-shaped tunnels called galleries underneath the bark, gradual canopy thinning and dieback, abnormal shoots of growth, smaller than normal leaves, and heavy woodpecker activity,” Killoran said in the release.

Credit: City of Lakewood

Insecticide treatments are a way to protect ash trees from these beetles, but whether a tree can be treated depends on its size and health.

Trees that are large and of high value warrant early treatment more than those that are younger, unhealthy or poorly located. Trees that are not candidates for pesticide treatments will need to be removed eventually, and people should follow guidelines when disposing of infested wood.

The city reminded residents to make sure that whoever they hire to treat their trees is a certified arborist licensed by the Colorado Department of Agriculture as a commercial pesticide applicator.

Lakewood residents can find resources for tree evaluations and treatments here. More information about emerald ash borers can be found on the CSU Extension website.

The City of Lakewood has identified its first case of emerald ash borer beetles, an invasive insect that infests and kills North American species of ash trees. The case was detected in a small area in central Lakewood and was confirmed by CSU Extension in Jefferson County.

Emerald ash borers were first detected in Colorado in Boulder County in 2013. Since then, the destructive wood-boring beetles have been found in several areas of Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield and Larimer counties. In 2020, a case was reported in Arvada.

Emerald ash borer beetles target, and eventually kill, ash tree species of the green and white varieties including the "autumn purple ash," a popular white ash variety in Colorado. On average, 15 percent of urban trees are ash trees.

“Look for the distinctive D-shaped exit holes, bark splits and S-shaped tunnels called galleries underneath the bark, gradual canopy thinning and dieback, abnormal shoots of growth, smaller than normal leaves, and heavy woodpecker activity,” Lakewood Forestry Supervisor Luke Killoran explained as the ways to identify the insect.

Residents can take steps to protect healthy ash trees, but certain options such as insecticide treatments depend on the size and health of each tree. Large, high-value healthy trees might warrant early treatment as “insurance” much more than young, unhealthy or poorly located trees. When hiring someone to evaluate or apply pesticide treatments to protect ash trees, make sure the individual is a certified arborist and the applicator is licensed by the Colorado Department of Agriculture as a commercial pesticide applicator.

Because emerald ash borers kill trees over a period of several years, trees that are not candidates for insecticide treatments will eventually need to be removed. Residents should follow available guidelines for properly disposing of any infested wood.

Lakewood has been prioritizing ash tree insecticide treatment and removal for several years. Learn about emerald ash borers and find a licensed tree contractor by visiting Lakewood.org/Invasive-Insects. For more resources visit the CSU Extension website.

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To view this release in another language, visit Lakewood.org/News and select a language from the drop-down menu above the search bar.

Para ver este comunicado en otro idioma, lea la publicación en Lakewood.org y seleccione un idioma en el menú desplegable encima de la barra de búsqueda.