Side Porch Stories

08/01/2025

Welcome to Fort Stories—a live storytelling event based in Old Town Fort Collins, where community, courage, and connection come together.

08/01/2025

Storytelling is back in Fort Collins. Fort Stories joins Story Swap The Lyric, DimeStories , and Sip & Tell at Horse & Dragon Brewing Company. Tell your RIVER story. Must be true and about you. Pair connection, hilarity, vulnerability, and community and you get an awesome and inspiring evening.

Welcome to Fort Stories—a live storytelling event based in Old Town Fort Collins, where community, courage, and connection come together.

08/16/2024

You now have the power to impact the sale of puppy mill dogs and cats to pet stores. All across the country, cities are banning the sale of dogs and cats at pet stores. Let's make Fort Collins part of the movement.

08/08/2024

Make Frida smile and vote for her as FOCO Top Dog! You'll also support Northern Colorado Wildlife Center. The top 15 fundraisers will get to compete on September 22 at Odells for an afternoon of dog games, contests, and beer. The winner gets their dog's mug on an Odell Brewing Co beer can.

Foco Topdog
Poudre Pet & Feed Supply

Go to my fundraising page and vote for Frida $1=1 Vote
https://go.rallyup.com/ab6d67/m/9450ac/Member/Details

Frida wrote her own bio on my fundraising page so check it out...

04/10/2024

Dog by Dog is a compelling documentary that exposes the reality of puppy mills by following the money trail across the U.S. and confronting those who support the puppy mill industry.

And it's coming to The Lyric Wednesday, May 1, 6:30 PM, $5
https://www.lyriccinema.com/movie/dog-by-dog-film-screening-

Haven't you always wanted to understand why we allow puppy mills to exist and pet stores to sell the dogs from those mills?
Help Sammy's Law pass a ban on the sale of puppy mill dogs and cats at retail pet stores in Fort Collins.

There will also be a dog & cat trivia contest with prizes!
Event is sponsored by Madd Style, Wagz Pet Market & Grooming and Flaming & Associates Tax Firm.

01/22/2024

Sammy's Law crew had a good night at January 16th Fort Collins City Council meeting. We advocated the implementation of a ban on the sales of dogs and cats at Fort Collins retail pet stores. It's called Sammy's Law. All dogs sold at retail pet stores are from puppy mills.

Let's just tell the truth.

Join us. Sammy's Law on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/sammyslaw

01/05/2024

Just in the past 10 days, three friends have sent me a photo of their new rescue pup! Is this a a sign for you--or me? I going to wait until I recover from my second knee surgery in March to get my dog Frida her own dog but what about you?

Meredith Mayer Vaught got Olive from a hoarding situation. She also volunteers with The Street Dog Coalition. Sharon Howard got Penny from the Montrose Animal Shelter and she heads up a local nonprofit that offers services to animals like spay/neuter Montrose Animal Protection Agency and Chris Bensko, owner of Madd Style just got Clementine from Riverdale Animal Shelter where she also volunteers every week.

Adopt Don't Shop and if you live in Fort Collins, CO, got to Sammy's Law on Facebook and see what we are doing to ban the sale of puppy mill dogs and cats in our city. That last photo is Frida judging me for binging The Clinic.

11/27/2023

Did you know that a pet store in Fort Collins sells dogs and cats from puppy mills and that the owner has her own puppy mill in Kansas? Are you okay with that? A group of us called Sammy's Law is organizing to ban the sale of puppy mill dogs and cats in Fort Collins. Please click the QR Code below and send an email to Fort Collins City Council. The owner of Pet City is already meeting with Council members to stop any action from happening. Hey, Fort Collins, you know what to do. If you would like to know more go to Sammy's Law page and ask questions, share our page, and be sure to click the QR Code below. Or just send me a message!!!!

03/20/2023

Not ready to tell a story yet? Come listen and cheer on the storytellers!

Storytelling heals. Me, you, the world. Come tell your story. You got 10 minutes tops and a kind and friendly audience. And stay tuned for the details on my upcoming workshop on nailing your story. You can also get my first memoir 14 Dogs and Me: One Woman’s Story of Never Saying No. check the link in my bio. You got a story to tell, tell it.

02/13/2023

Thinking of writing a memoir? Classes start in May.

Great turnout today at Poudre Libraries FOCO Book Fest memoir class. 30 people??? Didn’t remember to market my storytelling or memoir classes. Or to get emails. I need a wing person to remind me. But we had so much fun!!!! Tomorrow I teach personal storytelling to 80 + year-olds.

01/21/2023

https://conta.cc/3GXzL82

Upcoming Events Side Porch Stories news & updates January 2023 Upcoming Events Boulder Story Slam Grand Champiosnhip Theme: TWIST Sunday, January 29th 7-9 PM Dairy Arts Center, Boulder CO Past winners

12/19/2022

Zachy’s 1st Christmas with us. There would be many more. Click the link in my bio and get my book 14 Dogs and Me: One Woman’s Story of Never Saying No for your dog-loving friends. If you’re local to Fort Collins/Loveland area, contact me and I’ll deliver in time for Christmas!