Events

Concrete Couch is a Colorado Springs nonprofit dedicated to building community through creative projects. Our mission is To work with kids and community groups to create public art, to build community, and to create environments and experiences that humanize our world…  During this presentation, attendees will learn how Concrete Couch has transformed an abandoned concrete dump and former homeless encampment into the vibrant Concrete Coyote Community Park, where we now host youth programs, festivals, cultural events, workshops, and community gatherings.

Furthermore, the program will dive into the Sam Dunlap Wall of Inspiration, a community-built mosaic celebrating unsung community heroes in Colorado Springs. This project was made possible in part through the support of the Rotary Club of Colorado Springs, whose grant helped advance this meaningful community collaboration. Together, we’ll explore how creativity, service, and partnerships can beautify our city, teach valuable skills, foster belonging, and inspire communities to work together toward a shared vision. (Public Art Archive)

Presenter Bio

Thomas Pantoja is a lifelong Colorado Springs resident, raised in the Mill Street neighborhood and now residing in the Hillside neighborhood. A graduate of UCCS, Thomas has dedicated his career to strengthening the local community. Before joining Concrete Couch as Community Integration Manager, he worked with youth experiencing homelessness at Urban Peak Colorado Springs (now The PLACE). At Concrete Couch, Thomas builds partnerships, connects people with programs and volunteer opportunities, and helps advance the organization’s mission of building community through creative projects. Thomas is also an official member of the Men of Influence group in Colorado Springs  whose mission is to bring local gangs together to open the lines of communication between all factions, to help prevent violence in our community, foster open communication, prevent minor issues from escalating into street violence, and to safeguard our children and community from gun violence. Outside of work, he enjoys being a father, hiking, camping, fishing, exploring Colorado’s outdoors, and playing dominoes with his friend Coach T.

Come join us! 

Friday, October 9th at Noon

Location: The Antlers Hotel at 4 South Cascade Ave,

Colorado Springs.

RSVPs:  Due Monday, 5 pm for all members and guests. 

***Change***

• Invoiced Members - please RSVP to ensure an accurate count for seating and accomadations. 

Guest RSVP

• Members, please register your guest via your invitation link.  
• If your guest has dietary restrictions, please email me separately to ensure I let the venue know.  

Lunch Meal Charge:

• Guests and non-invoiced members have a $35 meal charge. 
• Pay via Club Runner, the invitation link, or at the door with cash, credit card, or check. 

Join the Rotary Club of Colorado Springs at our Impact Meeting! 

The Impact Meeting is held on Wednesday, October 14th, at Black Bear Diner (1340 Garden of the Gods Rd. 80907) from 7:30 am to 8:30 am. The Impact Meeting is focused on service projects throughout the community while providing fellowship to one another. 

Registration: There is no need to register in advance for the Impact Meeting - simply join us if you are able to attend.  

*Please Note: While there is no need to register ahead of time, Black Bear Diner does request that anyone attending the meeting place a food order during their visit. 

With the November 2026 General Election approaching, El Paso County Clerk and Recorder, Steve Schleiker will take attendees behind the scenes of Colorado’s largest election jurisdiction.  Learn how voter rolls are maintained, ballots are protected and verified, election equipment is secured, and bipartisan teams oversee each critical step.  Steve will also highlight El Paso County’s nationally and statewide recognized innovations – including air-gapped election systems, livestreamed ballot-box cameras, and new voter-information tools – designed to strengthen election integrity, security, transparency, and public confidence.  Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of what happens to their ballot, how election results are verified, and the safeguards protecting every eligible voter’s voice.

Come join us! 

Friday, October 16th at Noon

Location: The Antlers Hotel, 

4 S. Cascade Ave, Colorado Springs.

RSVPs:  Due Tuesday by 5 pm for all members and guests. 

• Invoiced Members - please RSVP to ensure an accurate count for seating and accomadations. 

Guest RSVP

• Members, please register your guest via your invitation link.  
• If your guest has dietary restrictions, please email me separately so I can let the venue know.  

Lunch Meal Charge:

• Guests and non-invoiced members have a $35 meal charge. 
• Pay via Club Runner, the invitation link, or at the door with cash, credit card, or check. 

Following up on our inspiring Friday lunch presentation by Thomas Pantoja on October 9th (“Building Community Through Creative Projects”), it’s time to go see the project and enjoy lunch!

Join your fellow Rotarians on Saturday, October 17th, from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM for an exclusive 30 minute guided tour by Thomas Pantoja of one of Colorado Springs’ most vibrant public art achievements: the Sam Dunlap Wall of Inspiration. Afterward, we will gather nearby for a social lunch at a new neighborhood spot by Memorial Park, Perriteaux’s Cajun Restaurant.

Event Details

• When: Saturday, October 17^th 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM+
• Where:
  • Tour Location (11:00 AM): Below the MLK Bridge (at the intersection of Fountain Blvd. and S. Circle Dr., across from Amy's Donuts)
  • Lunch Location (12:00 PM): Perriteaux's Cajun Restaurant (604 S. Union Blvd., just east of Memorial Park)
• Parking

• For the Tour: You can park directly under the bridge near the Wall of Inspiration site.
• For the Lunch: Please park in the dedicated restaurant lot at Perriteaux's.

Phase 1: The Tour (11:00 AM – 11:45 AM)

We’ll start our morning at the Sam Dunlap Wall of Inspiration (Sam Dunlap Wall of Inspiration | Concretecouch).

This community-built mosaic honors the legacy of Sam Dunlap—a trailblazing local advocate who dedicated his life to mentoring youth and championing civic leadership in Colorado Springs. Developed over several years by the team at Concrete Couch alongside local school kids and volunteers, this project showcases how hands-on art programs can transform public spaces into vibrant landmarks of community pride.

Phase 2: Cajun Lunch & Social (12:00 PM – 12:30+ PM)

After the tour we will head over to Memorial Park’s newest restaurant: Perriteaux's Cajun Restaurant.

Owned by Louisiana native Perry Sanders Jr. (owner of The Famous Steakhouse), Perriteaux's brings incredible, scratch-made Bayou flavor to the neighborhood.

• Check out the menu here: the Perriteaux's Menu and pick out your gumbo, po' boy, or beignets!
• Lunch is individual self-pay.

RSVP requested, but not required: Please let us know if you plan to attend by Thursday, October 15th so we can have a rough guess on an accurate reservation count for lunch.

Family, partners, and prospective Rotary members are more than welcome to join!

Claire Ami - Social Committee

Kelly Peterschmidt is the Founder and Executive Director of Porchlight Friends and the Director
of the PEARLS Program of Colorado, two organizations dedicated to helping older adults remain
healthy, connected, and independent throughout the Pikes Peak region.

Kelly has spent more than 17 years serving older adults in a variety of leadership roles. She and
her husband previously founded, operated, and successfully sold a medical home healthcare
agency, where she gained firsthand experience supporting older adults and their families. She
later worked in hospice care before joining Silver Key, where she developed and launched its
companionship program to address the growing challenges of loneliness and social isolation
among older adults.

Inspired by the increasing need for meaningful social connection, Kelly founded Porchlight
Friends in 2023, a nonprofit organization providing companionship, transportation, and
caregiver respite to older adults and their families across El Paso County.

Kelly also leads the PEARLS Program of Colorado, an evidence-based behavioral health program
developed by the University of Washington that helps older adults experiencing mild
depression, anxiety, loneliness.

Kelly is passionate about developing innovative, community-based solutions that promote
healthy aging, emotional wellness, and meaningful human connection.

Come join us! 

Friday, October 23rd at Noon

Location: The Antlers Hotel at 4 South Cascade Ave,

Colorado Springs.

RSVPs:  Due Monday, 5 pm for all members and guests. 

***Change***

• Invoiced Members - please RSVP to ensure an accurate count for seating and accomadations. 

Guest RSVP

• Members, please register your guest via your invitation link.  
• If your guest has dietary restrictions, please email me separately to ensure I let the venue know.  

Lunch Meal Charge:

• Guests and non-invoiced members have a $35 meal charge. 
• Pay via Club Runner, the invitation link, or at the door with cash, credit card, or check. 

Global Observation Details

• Date: Saturday, October 24, 2026
• Purpose: Highlight progress toward a polio-free world and promote vaccination.
• Significance: Marks the birth anniversary of Dr. Jonas Salk, who led the team that developed the first safe and effective polio vaccine.
• Organizers: Supported globally by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative partners, including the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and Rotary International.
• Purpose: Highlight progress toward a polio-free world and promote vaccination.
• Significance: Marks the birth anniversary of Dr. Jonas Salk, who led the team that developed the first safe and effective polio vaccine.
• Organizers: Supported globally by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative partners, including the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and Rotary International.

Join the Rotary Club of Colorado Springs at our Impact Meeting! 

The Impact Meeting is held on Wednesday, October 28th, at Black Bear Diner (1340 Garden of the Gods Rd. 80907) from 7:30 am to 8:30 am. The Impact Meeting is focused on service projects throughout the community while providing fellowship to one another. 

Registration: There is no need to register in advance for the Impact Meeting - simply join us if you are able to attend.  

*Please Note: While there is no need to register ahead of time, Black Bear Diner does request that anyone attending the meeting place a food order during their visit. 

Join the Rotary Club of Colorado Springs at our Impact Meeting! 

The Impact Meeting is held on Wednesday, November 11th, at Black Bear Diner (1340 Garden of the Gods Rd. 80907) from 7:30 am to 8:30 am. The Impact Meeting is focused on service projects throughout the community while providing fellowship to one another. 

Registration: There is no need to register in advance for the Impact Meeting - simply join us if you are able to attend.  

*Please Note: While there is no need to register ahead of time, Black Bear Diner does request that anyone attending the meeting place a food order during their visit. 

Join the Rotary Club of Colorado Springs at our Impact Meeting! 

The Impact Meeting is held on Wednesday, November 25th, at Black Bear Diner (1340 Garden of the Gods Rd. 80907) from 7:30 am to 8:30 am. The Impact Meeting is focused on service projects throughout the community while providing fellowship to one another. 

Registration: There is no need to register in advance for the Impact Meeting - simply join us if you are able to attend.  

*Please Note: While there is no need to register ahead of time, Black Bear Diner does request that anyone attending the meeting place a food order during their visit. 

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