Lynda Edwards – President
“I grew up around animals. I had a horse and used to live down by the Twilight Golf Course, had a little place and a little horse, a little Saddle Bred that came out of Poncha Springs. I would ride there and ride up and down the Highline Canal.
“My husband and I worked at the Zoo as volunteers, and they needed to place some animals. So they came and checked us out, and they gelded everything because you can’t reproduce the animals and you can’t sell them.”
Lynda has an MA from CSU and has taught school for 25 years as a retired moderate needs special education teacher. She has a son Robert, and a daughter Teri. Teri and her Husband Jim Allen run an Equestrian facility near Elizabeth, CO.
John Edwards – Vice President
I lived in San Antonio, in a suburban home with my half brother, Maynard Helmcamp, two step siblings, Thomas and Jane Edwards, and my parents, Viola Mildred and John Marion Edwards until I was three years old.
We moved to Benton County Arkansas, near Rogers, AK in 1952. My father, John Marion Edwards worked for the MKT Railroad since the early forties. Rogers was near the RR line. My Mother and siblings ran a small dairy and egg production facility in rural Benton County. We sold milk to local distributor and eggs to Tyson’s Inc. We lived on the farm until 1956 when my Mother and Father got a divorce. My stepbrother and sister went with my Father to live in Texas, and my half brother Maynard and I moved to Colorado with our Mother.
My half brother and I went to school in Adams County School district #14, in Commerce City from first through graduation from Adams City High School. I attended College from 1967 through 1971, earning a BA in education. Continuing to pursue my education, I also earned an MA degree in secondary science education in 1982 from the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley Colorado. I taught school for 22 years for School District #12 in Adams County. Science courses in Junior High were my main focus.
I retired from teaching in 1993 and continued to work with young people as a docent at the Denver Zoo. I conducted tours and other youth activities at the zoo for eight years. The Denver Museum was also an opportunity to use my educational skills as a guide for the Prehistoric Journey exhibit. I also helped with in the fossil laboratory at the Museum (6 years). I volunteered for the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Preserve (3 years), Ocean Journey (4 years), and the National Western Stock Show (16 years). May of these were concurrent volunteer positions.
I married Lynda Jacobsen in 2000. We met taking classes at the Colorado School of Mines, in Golden, Colorado. Together we have provided care for foster children, a total of 31 over the years from Douglas, Denver, Jefferson and Adams Counties through Douglas County for 5 years and Ariel Clinical services for 2 years. This has been a most rewarding endeavor for the two of us.
Vieta Minshall – Treasurer
Vieta Minshall grew up in a small town in eastern Colorado. She helped her mother run a business in Watkins, Colorado. Vieta has always loved animals. She had an old mare and a sorral gelding named Spotty who she loved to ride and explore on the great plains. Vieta is still very active. She has a self storage business in Centennial, Colorado. Much of her spare time is spent with the Foundation where she is very active overseeing the care and maintenance of the animals, brushing and helping with day to day chores. Back at home she has three beloved cats, Poosy, George (the general) and Ike, loved and treasured as you would expect. Vieta has many years of experience working with horses and is a long time contributor to animal rescue groups in Colorado.