PHOTOS: 2020 in Review by Forrest Czarnecki
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What a roller coaster. From start to finish, it only felt like there were about three normal days in the past 12 months. This year proved challenging for everyone, and working as a photojournalist in Colorado Springs gave me a little window into the lives of so many different people and the challenges they all faced. There was triumph and tragedy, and everything in between. One bright spot in the world, which I think overshadows all the loss and sorrow, was the resiliency of the people and communities I met while working in Colorado Springs and across the state. People persevered and tried their hardest to overcome incredible adversity in their lives and communities. There was passion, there loss, there was joy and there was uncertainty. But above all, there was resiliency.
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Lee Maxwell stands in one of his showrooms at his washing machine museum in Eaton, Colorado on Oct. 13, 2020. Maxwell has been collecting washing machines of all shapes, sizes and kinds for decades now and has built one of the largest and most unique collections in the world. Finding people and sharing their passions is the best part of being a community journalist, and to find people that are so passionate about something they hold the world record for it is truly special. Here, Lee Maxwell takes a quiet moment to reflect about his collection, and share some stories about how he got one machine, or a different one in the corner. This story provided another escape from the craziness of the world, and it's hard to forget the feeling of seeing someone be so proud and passionate about something many people take for granted. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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Erik Hooks takes a moment to reflect after attempting to land a varial kickflip at Memorial Park on Monday Aug. 31, 2020 while skating with his friends. Hooks said he tried to land the trick for nearly an hour, but couldn't get it. "I like skating because it teaches you to push yourself a lot...it shows you your mental strength and your physical strength as well," Hooks said. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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Rampart High School's Tarin Thomas is this week's Peak Performer. Thomas is one of the pitchers for Rampart's softball team and poses for a portrait at a practice on Monday Aug. 31, 2020. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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Bob Brenner holds up some tracing patterns for breast collars, head stalls and other tack in his shop in Black Forest on Sept. 1, 2020. Brenner owns Pikes Peak Saddlery and has been restoring and making custom saddles since the 1970s. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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Stevie Knight smokes a Macanudo Maduro, her favorite type of cigar, at a Holy Smokes meeting in Monument on Thursday Sept. 3, 2020. Holy Smokes is a social group where members meet up to smoke cigars together and talk about religion, life and anything else that's on their minds. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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Several Colorado Springs residents and their dog watch as hot air balloons pass over their home during the Labor Day Lift Off on Sept. 5, 2020. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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A pair of hot air balloons float across the sky over Colorado Springs during the Labor Day Lift Off on Sept. 5, 2020. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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OKC Energy's Christian Ibeagha (8) reacts to a referee's call during the match on Sept. 5, 2020 at Weidner Field in Colorado Springs. The match ended in a 0-0 tie. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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Mike Hernandez laughs at a joke one of her daughter's makes while she watches over the restaurant. Señor Manuel has been in business for just over 50 years in Colorado Springs, when Manuel Hernandez, Mika Hernandez's father, started the restaurant on North Nevada Avenue in August 1970. The pandemic has been devastating for the restaurant industry, so to find a restaurant that is celebrating its 50th anniversary –– which is amazing for any small business, especially a restaurant –– in the middle of the pandemic seemingly reflected all the good parts of the Colorado Springs community and was a very special occasion. Mika was so thrilled about the business turning 50, and she has such a connection with everyone she meets in the restaurant, both new and long-time patrons. It was a wonderful opportunity being able to document a special moment in her life, and show how certain parts of the community were able to overcome the challenges of the pandemic. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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Kuuipo Sterling, right, tugs on a branch to dump snow on herself and her friend, Michellé Kihei, left, while walking at Palmer Lake on Sept. 9, 2020. The Colorado Springs area woke up to a couple inches of snow in some places and temperatures in the mid-30s for most of the day on Wednesday. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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A mule deer reacts as a pile of snow drops on its face while eating on Sept. 9, 2020. The Colorado Springs area woke up to snow and temperatures in the mid-30s on Wednesday, only a couple of days after seeing temperatures in the low 90s. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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Misty Olson, who is homeless and 12 weeks pregnant, tries to take a quick nap while the Homeless Outreach Team conducts a cleanup in her camp underneath U.S. Highway 24 on Sept. 10, 2020. The HOT division of the Colorado Springs Police Department conducts outreach events and homeless camp cleanups on a daily basis. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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A homeless individual stands outside their tent in the riparian zone of Fountain Creek on Sept. 10, 2020. Camps in the riparian zone of Fountain Creek are illegal, and given a one hour notice by the Homeless Outreach Team to be cleaned up and moved before a Colorado Springs Police Department crew cleans up the camp. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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A runner crosses Bear Creek during the Cheyenne Mountain Stampede cross country meet at the Norris Penrose Event Center on Sept. 11, 2020. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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Rudolph looks to his owner, Jim Edwards, after shaking off during the 10th annual Dog Splash event at Fort Carson on Sept. 12, 2020. The event, which is put on by the military base for military personnel and their immediate family members, signals the end of the pool season at the base. After the event, the pool is drained and cleaned in preparation for Colorado's cold weather months. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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Naka Alexander lays out veil and gown materials before working on a bride’s wedding outfit at her home office. Alexander owns Gohagen-Alexander Design Den, a company that makes custom bridal attire including gowns, veils, shirts and more. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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Cheyenne Mountain players cheer on their teammates from the dugout during the game against Lewis Palmer on Sept. 16, 2020 at Cheyenne Mountain High School. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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Amy Walden and Paul Romero pose among an aspen grove as Tom Miles (not pictured) takes their wedding photos outside Rocky Mountain National Park on Sept. 22, 2020. Walden and Romero were married earlier that day and wanted to have some of their wedding photos taken in the yellow and golden aspens that the Estes Park area is famous for. A brief moment of happiness and bliss amid a year when everything seemed to be crashing down around us. To find this couple that had just been married not an hour before, in such a beautiful and peaceful setting, seemed like a wonderful escape from 2020 –– even if only for a few minutes. Quiet and emotionally meaningful moments like this one seem to have much more value when we are inundated with tragedy and chaos, and this was one of those very sensitive moments. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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A lone bull elk makes his way through Hidden Valley at Rocky Mountain National Park on Sept. 22, 2020 after losing a fight with another bull. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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A lone golden and red leaf stands out on a rock in Fountain Creek on Sept. 26, 2020. Peak fall colors are getting closer near the Colorado Springs area, with many deciduous trees and shrubs starting to show some color if they haven't already. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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Jeremy Smith holds up a sign for Breonna Taylor during the protest for justice for Taylor in Colorado Springs Sept. 27, 2020. About 100 protesters chanted and marched through downtown until a car drove through the tail end of the group in the street and police arrived to disperse the crowd. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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An aspen tree with bright yellow leaves is seen through a Forest Service sign that has been shot up on Old Stage Road on Sept. 30, 2020. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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Jovita Carranza, with the U.S. Small Business Administration, is reflected in a window looking into the brewery room at Reg Leg Brewing Company on Oct. 16, 2020. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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A lone one tree atop a rock formation is silhouetted against the sky, with the Kissing Camels rock formation in the background, after sunset at Garden of the Gods on Oct. 16, 2020. The park is currently open from 5 a.m. through 10 p.m. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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Lieutenant Stephen Gibson works at a road block and checkpoint, restricting access into the mandatory evacuation zone for the Cameron Peak Fire on Oct. 17, 2020. The Cameron Peak Fire has burned over 187,000 acres and is the largest wildfire in the state's history. The smoke just kept pouring over the ridge behind this road block, and at one point it got so think it was nearly impossible to even see across Horsetooth Reservoir. The fire was only a few ridges away at this point, and moving quickly. These first responders were put in a really tough situation here, having to turn back residents wanting to enter the fire zone, or warn them that if they left they wouldn't be allowed back in. I saw at least a couple people turn around and hear back to their homes. This was the year the state burned, and this day really brought that saying to life. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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Smoke from the Cameron Peak Fire drifts over Horsetooth Reservoir on Oct. 17, 2020. The Cameron Peak Fire has burned over 187,000 acres and is the largest wildfire in the state's history. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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A couple of women hug as they leave the evacuation zone for the Cameron Peak Fire on Oct. 17, 2020. The Cameron Peak Fire has burned over 187,000 acres and is the largest wildfire in the state's history. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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The Cal-Wood Fire burns north of Boulder on the evening of Oct. 17, 2020. As of 7 p.m. the fire was several thousand acres in size. For Colorado, this is what most of the summer and fall looked like. Almost nowhere was out of bounds for a wildfire this year, whether it was the remote stretches of northern Colorado, or just outside of Boulder in some of popular small mountain towns heading up to Estes Park. This day alone, two smaller wildfires started within hours of each other outside Boulder, and the Cameron Peak Fire became the largest in state history. It was a crazy day up and down the Front Range. History in the making. To document that and show the state what was happening was a surreal experience. On a day when I thought "What else can happen?" it didn't take long to find out, in true 2020 fashion. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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Eric Harker looks for a good spot to place Tabitha the turkey at the Boulder County Fairgrounds after evacuating from their home near the Cal-Wood Fire near Lyons on Oct. 17, 2020. The Harker family evacuated 35 animals total, 32 of those being barnyard animals, from their home near Lyons using two vehicles in one trip. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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Zachery Jacinto talks to his mom, an out of state healthcare professional, on the phone after crashing and injuring his shoulder at the Red Rock Canyon Open Space bike park Oct. 20, 2020. Jacinto, who moved to Colorado Springs with his girlfriend last week, was excited to check out what kind of riding opportunities were in the area. "I've just been riding [in Colorado] for two days and it's been a blast. I love the trails, I just sent it a little too hard on the jump, that's it," Jacinto said. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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Denver resident Haris Frack fills out his ballot at the McNichols Civic Center Building at Civic Center Park in downtown Denver, Colorado on Oct. 29, 2020. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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Colorado Governor Jared Polis searches for his face mask after a photo opportunity at the grand opening of Fisher's Peak State Park near Trinidad, Colorado on Oct. 30, 2020. The governor signed an executive order at the ceremony, and the park officially opened to the public. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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Several works of art, including some done by Andre "Dre" Eddens, stand in the gallery at Rocky Mountain Brewery on Oct. 31, 2020. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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Election judge Rebekah Symb, behind plastic barrier, helps a voter register at Vanguard Church in Colorado Springs Nov. 3, 2020. The church served as a location where voters could register, drop off completed ballots or fill out a ballot in person. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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Ben Hellem, center, receives a ballot from a voter while Cam Thornton, right, looks on at a drive-thru ballot drop off location in Colorado Springs Nov. 3, 2020. Thornton and Hellem are high school students in the Colorado Springs area and wanted to do whatever they could to be part of the democratic process. “If we can’t vote, we might as well help out,” Thornton said. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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A woman with a hat bedazzled in the pattern of an American flag walks across the lawn at City Hall during a pro-Trump rally in downtown Colorado Springs on Nov. 7, 2020. It's no secret that this was a contentious political year in the United States, and Colorado Springs was no stranger to marches, demonstrations and protests. Our job as journalists is to cover the community and show what people care about and why they are making their voices heard. This year, covering protests and marches in Colorado Springs truly felt like documenting history as it happens, because these protests were part of the national conversation, and are likely to play an important role in shaping the politics of tomorrow. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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A kid sits on the steps of a statue outside City Hall during a pro-Trump rally in downtown Colorado Springs on Nov. 7, 2020. About 200 or more people attended the rally. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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A man cheers in support of President Donald Trump and holds up a campaign sign during a pro-Trump rally in downtown Colorado Springs on Nov. 7, 2020. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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Tony Rosendo is the founder of Spur Philanthropy, an organization based in Colorado Springs that has a unique model of helping family foundations find the best nonprofits to donate money to, and to invest their money into funds that support their mission. Spur Philanthropy is trying to help nonprofits develop the core of downtown, and have previously worked on the City for Champions project. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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A lone person makes their way through the empty stands during the game against the New Mexico Lobos on Nov. 20, 2020. Cadets and fans from the general public were not allowed into the stadium for the game, making for an unusually quiet stadium during a Friday night home game for the Falcons. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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Seated at the table at left, Shauna Winslow (facing), Charles Newton (red flannel), Heather Jacobson (back to camera) and Alex Sciortino (green flannel), enjoy a meal and some drinks at Manitou Brewing Company on Nov. 27, 2020. On Friday, El Paso County moved to high-alert "red level" safety restrictions, which include a ban on indoor dine-in service and require outdoor diners be seated at least 6 feet apart. After learning of the new restrictions, the group ordered another round of beers. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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The last table with a dine-in order at Cerberus Brewing Company hosts a couple of empty glasses and a plate after the patrons left just after 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 27, 2020. On Friday night at 5 p.m., El Paso County moved to high-alert "red level" safety restrictions, which include a ban on indoor dine-in service and require outdoor diners be seated at least 6 feet apart. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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Colorado State House of Representatives members look through a goodie basket during a House session at the Colorado state capitol on Dec. 2, 2020. After Wednesday's session lawmakers do not reconvene until mid-January of 2021. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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Colorado State House of Representatives Majority Leader Alec Garnett reaches for a pen before speaking on the floor during a House session at the Colorado state capitol on Dec. 2, 2020. After Wednesday's session lawmakers do not reconvene until mid-January of 2021. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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Rev. Darlene very laughs with Jeff Chapman (not pictured) while Avery sits down in front of her new pulpit, a green screen and webcam, at the Church in the Wildwood in Green Mountain Falls on Dec. 4, 2020. Because of the pandemic, worship sessions and other church events have been moved online, so Avery has found a creative solution for hosting the services. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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Jeff Chapman stands in the blue light, cast from the stained glass inside the church's sanctuary, at the Church in the Wildwood in Green Mountain Falls. Chapman is the church's moderator and has played an important role in ensuring some major renovations happened at the church when it closed it's doors to the public during the pandemic. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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Michael Myers is reflected in the water on top of a whiskey barrel at the Distillery 291 shop in south Colorado Springs on Dec. 4, 2020. Myers is the founder of the company and has been making hand-crafted whiskey for over a decade now, earning national recognition for different batches of seasonal liquor. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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The Wetherill family, including Brett, with saw, Maddie (not pictured), Grady, recording with phone and Caiden, in black jacket, cut down their family Christmas tree in the Pike National Forest near Woodland Park on Dec. 12, 2020. Cutting trees in designated areas of the Pike and San Isabel National Forests is allowed through Dec. 16, with a proper permit. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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Denver Police Chief Paul Pazen stands for a portrait outside of the Denver Police Department headquarters in downtown Denver on Dec. 15, 2020. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
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Amy Niswonger, pushing wheelchair, shows Royce Gay, the great grandson of Crazy Horse, and Maddison Ketterer, the grounds of the Union Printers Home in Colorado Springs. With prospective buyers knocking on the door, organizers of the fledgling 202020 Movement want to return historic, 25-acre property east of downtown Colorado Springs to its original roots of healing people in need. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette)
