Together We Can Make a Difference

For Jeff Sittner, community is everything. It’s been that way since the day he was born into the close-knit

town of Ovid, Colorado, where he’s chosen to spend most of his life. Home to roughly 200 people, Ovid

rests just minutes from the Colorado-Nebraska border and is the type of place where there are no

strangers. When Jeff was born with several heart defects the entire community stepped in to support his

family as they navigated trips to and from Children's Hospital Colorado in Denver. Now more than three

decades later the support hasn't wavered.

When Jeff was born there were no signs of heart issues. It wasn't until weeks later that he started to

turn blue and was rushed to the hospital. “They didn’t have the technology then that they do now,” Jeff

explained, “Now they would know about the heart defect before a child is born.”

At six weeks old he underwent his first of many heart surgeries. Five years later, doctors performed the

most serious surgery yet, telling Jeff's parents he had a thirty percent chance of making it off the

operating table. He was at the hospital for three months.

Over the years Jeff has undergone more than a dozen heart surgeries to reform his heart and

restructure his arteries. He's overcome more health battles in 37 years than most experience in a

lifetime, yet his outlook is one of gratefulness and a desire to give back.

Paying It Forward: The Ovid Days Color Run

After spending months of his life at Children's Hospital Colorado, Jeff has nothing but positive things to

say. While some may dread returning to a place where multiple hardships ensued, he loves the doctors

and nurses he’s treated by during his visits.

“The atmosphere is different, they really know how to connect with their patients,” said Jeff. "I still see

the same surgeon that operated on me as a child, no one knows me better."

It was for this reason, the Sittner family felt the need to give back. They all had been positively impacted

by the hospital's care and wanted to return the favor. They were sitting around chatting one day as they

often do when they had the idea to start a Color Run. The Sittners quickly started planning their first-

ever fundraiser and between requesting road closures with the local police department and gathering

donations, to securing t-shirt orders and volunteers, no need was left unmet.

"The community embraced it really well," said Jeff. "They've let us do whatever we need to do. Local

organizations volunteer, the store donates water, we close off the highway for runners. Someone even

drives around on a four-wheeler to bring the participants water."

The Ovid Days Color Run takes place every June  and along the way, volunteers douse participants from head-to-toe in different colored powder.

After the race participants and volunteers enjoy homemade breakfast burritos with ingredients donated

from the local grocery store and prepared by the Sittner family. As the day goes on residents and visitors

enjoy live music, food trucks, a softball tournament as a part of the town's annual Ovid Days.

At the end of it all, Jeff and his wife, Anne, hand deliver a check to Children's in Denver. Since it began in

2015, they've donated just over $41,000 to The Heart Institute at Children’s Hospital Colorado.

In addition to coordinating the race, Jeff donates his time and testimony to the hospital. He visits

children with heart conditions like his own and shares his experience. "It's nice to reassure their parents

that their child, while they'll go through struggles, can live a full life," Jeff shared. "I've had parents tell

me that they thought their child's life was over but seeing me gave them hope."

Looking at Jeff, you would never know what he's been through. Although he still has frequent visits to

the hospital, he's been able to live a normal life. He grew up playing baseball, went to college and is now

married with two children of his own. He loves to socialize and help around the community. He

volunteers on the town and cemetery boards, teaches high school Spanish, substitute teaches and

coaches the high school baseball team.

*Article originally wrote and printed by Highline Electric Association