ASK A VENDOR THIS COLUMN IS A PLACE FOR DENVER VOICE VENDORS TO RESPOND TO QUESTIONS FROM OUR READERS AND STAFF. THIS MONTH’S QUESTION WAS SUGGESTED BY DENVER VOICE VENDOR JASON MARTIN. Q A What is your most memorable moment of 2023? LANDO ALLEN The most memorable thing that happened to me was the illness that put me in the hospital. It made me think about everything I was doing. I felt helpless and I needed help to get things done. I couldn’t even sell the VOICE. I’m glad I got better. That illness showed me that I need to work harder, push for my goals, and get better. It showed me that I [need] to do more stuff. CONNIE GAITAN (DENVER VOICE PROGRAM COORDINATOR) The most memorable moment in the year 2023 for me was the day my great nephew Cyore Smith was born. I had been waiting & anticipating all night and day to finally meet and hold my precious boy. When I walked into the hospital room to greet my family, the nurse walked in with Cyore, and I cried. Writing this now, I get emotional thinking of all the worry I had for my baby boy to be healthy and strong - and then, there he was in my arms. He just melted my entire heart, and I knew at that moment he was going to be the most precious little “Sir Squishams” in my life and that I would do anything for him! JASON MARTIN My most memorable moment without a doubt is that on August 3rd, Ivy Jade Vincent was born into the Martin Family. She also looks identical to my daughter Meghan. This gives me more motivation to do the right thing and be a loving, knowledgeable grandfather to this wonderful child. JERRY ROSEN The most memorable moment was selling the Denver VOICE paper. I really enjoy working with the VOICE. LARMARQUES SMITH (“MISHA”) It was a very hot uneventful Saturday afternoon. Jason and I had just left the Aurora Day Resource Center and decided to go on a walk. This was not out of the ordinary for us. We were walking down Colfax Avenue when something caught our eye. I found a pack of cigarettes, but Jason found what would make our day… more than $800 cash on the side of the road. There was no one around, so we got to keep the money, free and clear. Needless to say, we used that money to improve our situation. Also, we each got new phones! ALYSSA WILL My most memorable moments of 2023 was seeing all of the beautiful parts of Denver for the first time, like Washington Park (which was my favorite), the river, the trails, and now, the Christmas lights! HOW TO HELP The money we take in from vendors helps us cover a portion of our printing costs, but we depend largely on donations from individuals, businesses, and foundations to help us pay our rent and keep the lights on. 1 4 GET THE WORD OUT We rely on grassroots marketing to get the word out about what we do. Talk to people about our organization and share us with your network. Support us on DONATE Donations to the Denver VOICE are tax-deductible. Go to denvervoice.org to give a one-time or recurring donation. You can also mail a check to: Denver VOICE | P.O. Box 1931 | Denver, CO 80201 3 VOLUNTEER We need volunteers to help with everything from newspaper distribution to event planning and management. Contact program@denvervoice.org for volunteering information. 5 SUBSCRIBE If you are unable to regularly purchase a newspaper from our vendors, please consider a subscription. We ask subscribers to support our program with a 12-month pledge to give $10 a month, or a one-time donation of $120. Subscriptions help us cover our costs AND provide an amazing opportunity to those who need it most. Go to denvervoice.org/subscriptions for more information. @denverVOICE 2 ADVERTISE Our readership is loyal, well-educated, and socially concerned. Readers view purchasing the paper as a way to immediately help a person who is poor or homeless while supporting long-term solutions to end poverty. If you are interested in placing an ad or sponsoring a section of the paper, please contact us about rates at ads@denvervoice.org. January 2024 DENVER VOICE 3
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