Steamboat Pilot & Today

Kealia Buschmann is seen in Yosemite in 2011. Kealia was diagnosed with Nonverbal Learning Disorder in May 2011, and her parents contacted the Yampa Valley Autism Program, a local nonprofit that provides services and support to local families with children suffering from an autism spectrum disorder. The nonprofit’s annual fundraising event is at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Steamboat Springs Community Center. Tiana Buschmann / Courtesy

Sharon Timmerman, left, and her husband, Doug, center, celebrate last year's Mardi Gras Masquerade Ball fundraiser for the Yampa Valley Autism Program with Babette Dickson, right. This year's fundraiser is from 6 to 11 p.m. Saturday at the Steamboat Springs Community Center. Yampa Valley Autism Program/ Courtesy

Strawberry Park Elementary School 7-year-old Will Cowman visits with 100-year-old Doak Walker Care Center resident Anna Wichern on Wednesday. Students from the school regularly visit the residents at the Doak. Photo by Matt Stensland

Strawberry Park Elementary School students visit with Doak Walker Care Center resident Mollie Mahony on Wednesday. Photo by Matt Stensland

The Steamboat Springs High School football team and coach Lonn Clementson are raising money to try to purchase new helmets. Photo by John F. Russell

Heritage Christian School student Justin Peretz learned Wednesday that he was the grand prize winner of the annual Steamboat Ski Area ski safety poster contest. His award was presented by Ski Patrol Director John Kohnke and ski patroller Deb Holloway. Peretz will receive a 2012-13 season pass and $50 for winning. The ski area also awarded prizes to the top three students from each area school. This year’s winners were: Heritage Christian School — Peretz, first, Katelyn Kline, second, and Kileigh Robinson, third; Strawberry Park Elementary School— Colin Kagan-Russell, first, Sam Schumacher, second, and Grace O’Reilly, third; Soda Creek Elementary School — Lauren Erhlich, first, Katy Floyd, second, and Caroline Gilchrist and Sage Zetzman, third; North Routt Community Charter School — Madison Cosgrove, first, Mitch Kucera, second, and Lance Johnson, third; Hayden Valley Elementary School — Allison Ingols-Irwin, first, Austin Day, second, and Noah Mortenson, third. Annika Belshaw, Mae Thorp and Tinsley Wilkinson were named as honorable mentions from Lowell Whiteman Primary School. Photo by John F. Russell

The Steamboat Springs hydrocephalus fundraiser in 2011 raised $42,000 to support research to find a cure for the condition, and event organizers hope to raise $55,000 this year. Courtesy photo

Meredith Herndon sits in the kitchen of her Steamboat Springs home Wednesday afternoon. Herndon suffers from atypical trigeminal neuralgia, an illness that sends near-constant waves of pain through the nerves and muscles in her face. Photo by John F. Russell

A picture postcard. Photo submitted by Peter Hinchcliffe Peter Hinchcliffe / Courtesy