Friends of Gilpin County Community Center

Supporting Our Parks & Rec Department

The Friends of Gilpin County Community Center (FGCCC) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation and Colorado Charitable Corporation made up of citizens of Gilpin County, Colorado. We volunteer our support for the Gilpin County Community Center and Parks & Recreation and salute its vital position in the life of our mountain community. We do this through the following actions:

  • Research and community feedback;
  • Support funding for activities and equipment through grants and donations;
  • Assistance to Gilpin neighbors who wish to access the center through Heart of the Community Fund;
  • providing volunteers for departmental events, such as the Gilpin County Fair;
  • Voter education about funding for the department.


First Responder’s Day

We were honored to attend the First Responder’s Day on September 10th as a supporter of the event. A number of Gilpinites turned out to salute our first responders and enjoy some rodeo activities.

Earlier this year, we helped the Center purchase a bouncy obstacle course. It provided a great time for all the young Gilpinites during the First Responder’s Day activities.

Look for us at the Spooky Stroll on October 20th. We’ll be volunteering to make it a great time for all the trick-or-treaters who attend.

Thanks to all Who Attended!

We have a link to a Zoom recording of the town hall at our Mill Levy Q&A page.

We are grateful to all who attended the Mill Levy town hall at the Community Center on Monday, August 21st. Special thanks to Commissioners Berumen, Hollingsworth, and Mornis, along with County Manager Rears, County Finance Director Allaire, and Parks & Recreation Director Chisholm, along with County Attorney Benning for their participation and presentations about the mill levy.

We had many good questions from attendees about the issues involved—and those issues are complex! We are happy to have made the forum accessible to people with a variety of viewpoints on the issue—and they were able to share their thoughts publicly. That’s the point of an open Town Hall, to hear viewpoints from both PRO and CON so that voters can make an informed choice when they go to vote.



Heart of the Community Fund

We operate the Heart of the Community Fund, providing community center access passes and activity registrations at free or reduced cost, subject to funds availability. Read more at:

Heart of the Community Fund.

Friends of Gilpin County Community Center is Hosting a Town Hall to Discuss the P&R Mill Levy Extension

We are honored to host an open Town Hall on August 21st, 2023 from 6-8 p.m. at the Gilpin County Community Center and via Zoom to discuss the proposed mill levy extension for Parks & Recreation. This is your chance to hear from and ask questions of a panel of County officials, including the  Board of County Commissioners Susan Berumen, Sandy Hollingsworth, and Marie Mornis, County Manager Ray Rears, County Finance Director Joe Allaire, and Parks & Recreation Director Gabrielle Chisholm.

This Town Hall format features each of the county officials talking about the proposed mill levy extension, after which we will open the event up to questions and comments from the public.

We have prepared a FAQ about the extended mill levy. We cordially invite you to read it to help understand the issues. We wrote it as a voter education aid and you are welcome to use it to prepare any further questions you might wish to pose at the Town Hall.

We urge you to attend in person, if at all possible. We will be working to make this available for those logging in via Zoom. You can enter starting at 6 p.m. on the 21st. Please wait to be admitted to the meeting. Note: our Zoom account limits us to 100 participants online.

The Town Hall will be moderated both on-site and via Zoom. We will welcome questions via the Chat feature in Zoom. The formal presentations will begin at 6:15 p.m.

We hope to see you there!


Community Center Resources

Hours

  • Monday | Wednesday| Thursday:
    8 am to 8 pm
  • Tuesday:
    After School Youth Programs Only
  • Friday:
    8 am to 6 pm
  • Saturday:
    9 am to 4 pm
  • Closed Sunday


Location

Intersection of Golden Gate Canyon & Norton Drive



Another Star Party!

Our president will be at Golden Gate State Park Reverend Ridge Amphitheater and Panorama Point for a star party on August 12th. Carolyn will start with a talk about meteor showers and general astronomy at 8 p.m. at Reverend Ridge. Then, weather permitting—around 9 p.m.—we’ll move over to Panorama Point for some informal stargazing. The famous Perseid Meteor Shower peaks on August 12-13, and we’re hoping to see a few meteors during our gazing session.

Admission to the Park requires a pass (if you have one) or $10.00 per carload. The star party will last til 11 p.m. Bring warm clothes and a red-filtered flashlight. If you want to bring a telescope, bring your own power supply. Binoculars are also very handy.

Thanks for Coming to the Fair!

Great to see so many friends and neighbors at the 30th Annual Gilpin County Fair! Here’s our President handing out bottles and candy at our table. Several of our members joined in both at our table and helping out with parking, volunteer, and fairgrounds coordination. It was a wonderful weekend filled with good food, good times, and great experiences!

Our Annual Meeting

The FGCCC annual meeting was held the evening of the Parks & Rec end-of-school year party, on Thursday, June 1st.

About Our Meeting

Our FGCCC open meeting started at 6 p.m. that day in the Multi-purpose room at the Community Center. We supplied light snacks (veggies, cheese, fruit, etc.) furnished by Arwen Ek and Holistic Homestead.

The meeting gave us a chance to update the public about our officers, board members, and advisors, as well as our activities.

Sponsorship Opportunities

Our new sponsorship opportunities allow local businesses to make an investment in their community while receiving recognition at multiple events throughout the year. Sponsorship donations will be used to:

  • Support Community Center events.
  • Host FGCCC events such as our Star Parties.
  • Fund FGCCC operations.
  • Support the Heart of the Community Fund.

Sponsors and their employees may engage in community events through volunteer opportunities.

Keep Up With Us!

FGCCC is also planning other activities in support of our community center. If you want to keep up with the latest news, you’re welcome to check out our Facebook page.

FGCCC Goals

  • Support and Promote Community Center Services
  • Provide Input to Improve Community Center Services
  • Strengthen the Financial Position of the Community Center
  • Research and Inform the Community and Decision Makers on Issues, Options and Opportunities

You Can Help

It takes a community working together to keep our community center vital and meet the needs of all residents. FGCCC is a volunteer organization. We can use your skills, time, and effort:

  • Keep informed. Bookmark this webpage for updates. Visit us at Facebook.
  • Volunteer to help with grant writing, sponsor solicitation, and research into community needs at the Center.
  • Donate to FGCCC. Buy and wear a logo shirt, hat, or other active wear. Or send in a donation via PayPal.
  • Spread the Word. Tell your neighbors about Community Center facilities, services and events.

Contact Us for information on joining FGCCC, volunteering, or other questions.

FGCCC Sponsors and Supporters

We are grateful to United Power for its gracious financial support for the Gilpin County Fair, Spooky Stroll, Winter Arts Festival, and stargazing events. In addition, we have received generous support from the Alan Green Memorial Foundation, and individual grants from Gilpinites who share our vision.