September 5, 2025 • 9 mins
THREE IMPORTANT PETITION DRIVES ARE TAKING OFF TODAY And there is a pop up petition event today at St. Thomas More Catholic Parish, located at 8035 S Quebec St., Centennial, CO from 5 to 8pm where you can pick up petitions to get them signed. What are we gathering signatures for? The initiatives are #108, #109, #110 and they concern increasing child human trafficking penalties, keeping boys out of girls sports, and forbidding child gender affirming medical treatments. I've got someone from Protect Kids Colorado on at 2:30 today to talk about it.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Let me go to the phones where Laurie.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Every time I try to say your name, I mess
up the last part. So please give me your last
name one more time on the air before we start
our interview.
Speaker 3 (00:11):
Hey, Amandy, it's Gimmelstein. Three syllables, Gimmelstein.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
I want to make it Gimmelstein, even though I know
how it's spelled, that that's not remotely how it's pronounced.
So I just wanted to let you do that so
I did not destroy it. Laurie is part of the
great team that is with Protect Kids Colorado, and they
are doing so much to do exactly what their name says,
and that is protect kids.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Laurie. This is a big, big, big.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Day, right, This is a huge day for three ballot
initiatives that are going to protect kids in Colorado if
they pass. Tell people what's happening this afternoon and why
we're doing it.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Yes, we're so excited, so I protect Kids Colorado. We
are bringing three initiatives to the ballot hopefully in twenty
twenty six. And tonight we are having a launch event
at Saint Thomas More Catholic Church in Centennial and we're
going to be showcasing our three valid initiatives to protect, prohibit,
(01:11):
and punish so protect women in girls' sports for males,
prohibit child mutilation from sex change surgeries on minor children,
and punish child sex trafficking with life in prison. And
listeners can go to our website at protect Kidscolorado dot
org and they can sign up to volunteer. We need
(01:32):
people to sign the petition to help us collect signatures,
to donate so that we can make sure that these
these initiatives make it to the voters in twenty twenty six.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Well, I love all of these, and you have some
pretty You got some heavy hitters that are joining with
you to help make this happen.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
You've got Jennifer Say from.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Xxxy sports former Levi's executive who has really just come
out guns a blazing rhetorically of course when it comes
to protect kids. And we also have the other gentleman's
name Mark. What is Mark's last name?
Speaker 3 (02:05):
Guys?
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Thank you Mark, guys. He has an incredible story as well.
How did he get connected with you, guys?
Speaker 3 (02:12):
Well, Oz Mark Geist many of your listeners may know
him from Operation BEng Ghazzi. They may have seen his
major motion picture thirteen hours based on his ordeal in
Libya and os when when he came back from the Marines,
he was actually a sheriff down in Teller County and
he was the lead child crime investigator, and he just
(02:38):
has a heart for protecting children, for protecting our country.
And so when we were discussing these ballad initiatives, Oz
just came to mind, is such a phenomenal person to
share this initiative, and so we got involved with Oz.
And then of course Jennifer Say, who everybody knows is
(03:01):
just a fantastic activist for protecting girls sports and she
is the chair on our Protect Girl Sports initiative. And
then of course Aaron Lee, who many of your listeners
I'm sure have heard, Yeah, her alarming story where her
daughter was transitioned at school in an after school art club,
(03:22):
and so she is the chair on our balid initiative
to prohibit chiled mutilation from sex change surgeries.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
So let me ask this question, is there any polling
data that you either have access to or have seen
that you would like to share the shows where the
average coloradin is on these issues. Because I know how
I feel, and I feel passionately that I also know
I live in somewhat of a bubble, right, So I
know that the people in my life look at everything
that you're talking about, all three of these, and go,
(03:51):
I can't believe.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
That's not already a thing.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Right, It's like it's such common sense that we would
all agree. But what does the bigger picture look like
for you?
Speaker 3 (04:00):
Yes, we're so grateful that we have the opportunity and
the funding to extensively pull. So we did focus groups
and we did pulling, and all three ballot initiatives pulled
incredibly well across the political spectrum from unaffiliated Democrats, Republicans,
and we had a threshold where we if we're going
(04:24):
to run these, they have to pull it up that
we know that if we get these on the ballot,
the people of Colorado are going to vote. Yes.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
That is so good to hear. So let's talk about
where we are. You just mentioned the event coming up
this afternoon five to eight pm at Sir Thomas Moore
in Centennial. I've got the address on the blog today
if people want to join you. But today begins the
active process of getting petitions, getting petitions signed, So this
(04:51):
would be a perfect way if somebody's listening and saying
how can I help? You can actually go to today's
event and get petitions to have signed.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
Correct.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
Yes. So the event starts at six pm at Saint
Thomas mar Church. All three of our chairs will be
there so people will get to meet Jennifer, se and
Oz and Aaron Lee. We will have petition packets ready
to go. If you circulated a petition last year for us,
we welcome you back. If you haven't, we're here to help.
(05:20):
We're here to help, get you equipped, get you everything
you need. And we're very excited this year because we
have thousands of volunteers across the state already signed up
and people can also sign up if they can't make
the event, you know, they could be somewhere else in
the state too far away. Got commitments this evening. Just
go to Protect Kidscolorado dot org and right on our
(05:42):
home page there's a volunteer button and we will get
in touch with you right away. We're very fortunate, extremely organized.
We have regional coordinators across the state. We have captains
in each county that are going to help you, and
we're ready to really make this to the ballot. And
we are so excited that this is a citizen led initiative.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
How many days do you have to get all the signatures?
Speaker 3 (06:09):
We have six months. We are very excited. We were
able to get all of these initiative paths that title
Board we were challenged but with the title board decision,
but we prevailed at that hearing as well, and so
we have the full six months to collect these signatures
(06:29):
and we are very optimistic that all three will make
it to the ballot.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Well, I have to tell you, I was extremely impressed
that you guys somehow managed to answer the incredible difficult
question of what is a woman.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
What is a boy? What is a girl?
Speaker 2 (06:45):
And what is a man fairly easily in these I mean,
they're very explicit, and I do think that the simple
definitions that you're giving sort of drive home the point
of how like common sensus really is. And I hate
the phrase common sense because my common sense may not
be common sense to other people, but in the history
of our world, these are all common sense definitions.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
So hats off to you guys.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
I'm super excited, and I'd love for you to stay
in touch Lorie and kind of keep me posted or
if you're having another big event where people can stop
by and sign or get petitions. I want to keep
this ball rolling in any way shape we can, So
if you have anything else to report, I mean, I
want to let people know how they can do this
because I guarantee you if my listeners see people standing
(07:31):
outside of a King super or a safe Way or
Walmart or whatever, they are going to sign these petitions.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
So I want them to be signed.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Make sure you're signing in the right district, you guys,
make sure that you're signing it with correct information, because
a bad signature is kind of weighted in a bad way.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
If they get too many.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
Bad signatures as they're certifying signatures, it can really create
a huge problem. So make sure you're signing in your
district to make sure you're signing with all your good
information when you do sign.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
Is there anything else my listeners can.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
Do for you, LORI, yeah, So you can sign anywhere
across the state of Colorado. These are all Colorado Revice
Statutes initiatives, and so that's exciting. We are asking people
to do three things. Sign the petition, get ten friends
and family to sign, and if you can give five, ten,
twenty dollars. This is a grassroots effort driven by volunteers,
(08:26):
and we would be grateful for donations. You're printing these
these petitions thousands of dollars and we just want everybody
to do their part to protect Colorado's children and go
to Protect Kids Colorado dot org.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
Protect Kids Colorado dot org. Lorie, I know the event
today is going to be outstanding.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
Again.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
The information about that event is it is this afternoon
for oh jeez, hang on one second. I literally just
my I've never in the last ten years not turn
my phone off until today and it actually just ran
because someone called me.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
Sorry about that.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
It's from six to eight pm tonight at Saint Thomas
Moore Catholic Parish that is at eighty thirty five South
Quebec Street in Centennial. You can stop by, meet Jennifer,
meet Oz, meet Aaron Lee, who has been on the
show many many times. Jennifer's been on the show as well.
And more importantly, get those petitions going and get take
them to church this weekend, take them to your coffee
(09:23):
club that you meet with, take it to your book club,
take it wherever you go, and let's get these petitions done. Laurie,
thanks so much for your time today.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
Thank you Mandy,
Let me go to the phones where Laurie.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Every time I try to say your name, I mess
up the last part. So please give me your last
name one more time on the air before we start
our interview.
Speaker 3 (00:11):
Hey, Amandy, it's Gimmelstein. Three syllables, Gimmelstein.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
I want to make it Gimmelstein, even though I know
how it's spelled, that that's not remotely how it's pronounced.
So I just wanted to let you do that so
I did not destroy it. Laurie is part of the
great team that is with Protect Kids Colorado, and they
are doing so much to do exactly what their name says,
and that is protect kids.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Laurie. This is a big, big, big.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Day, right, This is a huge day for three ballot
initiatives that are going to protect kids in Colorado if
they pass. Tell people what's happening this afternoon and why
we're doing it.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Yes, we're so excited, so I protect Kids Colorado. We
are bringing three initiatives to the ballot hopefully in twenty
twenty six. And tonight we are having a launch event
at Saint Thomas More Catholic Church in Centennial and we're
going to be showcasing our three valid initiatives to protect, prohibit,
(01:11):
and punish so protect women in girls' sports for males,
prohibit child mutilation from sex change surgeries on minor children,
and punish child sex trafficking with life in prison. And
listeners can go to our website at protect Kidscolorado dot
org and they can sign up to volunteer. We need
(01:32):
people to sign the petition to help us collect signatures,
to donate so that we can make sure that these
these initiatives make it to the voters in twenty twenty six.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Well, I love all of these, and you have some
pretty You got some heavy hitters that are joining with
you to help make this happen.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
You've got Jennifer Say from.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Xxxy sports former Levi's executive who has really just come
out guns a blazing rhetorically of course when it comes
to protect kids. And we also have the other gentleman's
name Mark. What is Mark's last name?
Speaker 3 (02:05):
Guys?
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Thank you Mark, guys. He has an incredible story as well.
How did he get connected with you, guys?
Speaker 3 (02:12):
Well, Oz Mark Geist many of your listeners may know
him from Operation BEng Ghazzi. They may have seen his
major motion picture thirteen hours based on his ordeal in
Libya and os when when he came back from the Marines,
he was actually a sheriff down in Teller County and
he was the lead child crime investigator, and he just
(02:38):
has a heart for protecting children, for protecting our country.
And so when we were discussing these ballad initiatives, Oz
just came to mind, is such a phenomenal person to
share this initiative, and so we got involved with Oz.
And then of course Jennifer Say, who everybody knows is
(03:01):
just a fantastic activist for protecting girls sports and she
is the chair on our Protect Girl Sports initiative. And
then of course Aaron Lee, who many of your listeners
I'm sure have heard, Yeah, her alarming story where her
daughter was transitioned at school in an after school art club,
(03:22):
and so she is the chair on our balid initiative
to prohibit chiled mutilation from sex change surgeries.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
So let me ask this question, is there any polling
data that you either have access to or have seen
that you would like to share the shows where the
average coloradin is on these issues. Because I know how
I feel, and I feel passionately that I also know
I live in somewhat of a bubble, right, So I
know that the people in my life look at everything
that you're talking about, all three of these, and go,
(03:51):
I can't believe.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
That's not already a thing.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Right, It's like it's such common sense that we would
all agree. But what does the bigger picture look like
for you?
Speaker 3 (04:00):
Yes, we're so grateful that we have the opportunity and
the funding to extensively pull. So we did focus groups
and we did pulling, and all three ballot initiatives pulled
incredibly well across the political spectrum from unaffiliated Democrats, Republicans,
and we had a threshold where we if we're going
(04:24):
to run these, they have to pull it up that
we know that if we get these on the ballot,
the people of Colorado are going to vote. Yes.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
That is so good to hear. So let's talk about
where we are. You just mentioned the event coming up
this afternoon five to eight pm at Sir Thomas Moore
in Centennial. I've got the address on the blog today
if people want to join you. But today begins the
active process of getting petitions, getting petitions signed, So this
(04:51):
would be a perfect way if somebody's listening and saying
how can I help? You can actually go to today's
event and get petitions to have signed.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
Correct.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
Yes. So the event starts at six pm at Saint
Thomas mar Church. All three of our chairs will be
there so people will get to meet Jennifer, se and
Oz and Aaron Lee. We will have petition packets ready
to go. If you circulated a petition last year for us,
we welcome you back. If you haven't, we're here to help.
(05:20):
We're here to help, get you equipped, get you everything
you need. And we're very excited this year because we
have thousands of volunteers across the state already signed up
and people can also sign up if they can't make
the event, you know, they could be somewhere else in
the state too far away. Got commitments this evening. Just
go to Protect Kidscolorado dot org and right on our
(05:42):
home page there's a volunteer button and we will get
in touch with you right away. We're very fortunate, extremely organized.
We have regional coordinators across the state. We have captains
in each county that are going to help you, and
we're ready to really make this to the ballot. And
we are so excited that this is a citizen led initiative.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
How many days do you have to get all the signatures?
Speaker 3 (06:09):
We have six months. We are very excited. We were
able to get all of these initiative paths that title
Board we were challenged but with the title board decision,
but we prevailed at that hearing as well, and so
we have the full six months to collect these signatures
(06:29):
and we are very optimistic that all three will make
it to the ballot.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Well, I have to tell you, I was extremely impressed
that you guys somehow managed to answer the incredible difficult
question of what is a woman.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
What is a boy? What is a girl?
Speaker 2 (06:45):
And what is a man fairly easily in these I mean,
they're very explicit, and I do think that the simple
definitions that you're giving sort of drive home the point
of how like common sensus really is. And I hate
the phrase common sense because my common sense may not
be common sense to other people, but in the history
of our world, these are all common sense definitions.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
So hats off to you guys.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
I'm super excited, and I'd love for you to stay
in touch Lorie and kind of keep me posted or
if you're having another big event where people can stop
by and sign or get petitions. I want to keep
this ball rolling in any way shape we can, So
if you have anything else to report, I mean, I
want to let people know how they can do this
because I guarantee you if my listeners see people standing
(07:31):
outside of a King super or a safe Way or
Walmart or whatever, they are going to sign these petitions.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
So I want them to be signed.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Make sure you're signing in the right district, you guys,
make sure that you're signing it with correct information, because
a bad signature is kind of weighted in a bad way.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
If they get too many.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
Bad signatures as they're certifying signatures, it can really create
a huge problem. So make sure you're signing in your
district to make sure you're signing with all your good
information when you do sign.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
Is there anything else my listeners can.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
Do for you, LORI, yeah, So you can sign anywhere
across the state of Colorado. These are all Colorado Revice
Statutes initiatives, and so that's exciting. We are asking people
to do three things. Sign the petition, get ten friends
and family to sign, and if you can give five, ten,
twenty dollars. This is a grassroots effort driven by volunteers,
(08:26):
and we would be grateful for donations. You're printing these
these petitions thousands of dollars and we just want everybody
to do their part to protect Colorado's children and go
to Protect Kids Colorado dot org.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
Protect Kids Colorado dot org. Lorie, I know the event
today is going to be outstanding.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
Again.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
The information about that event is it is this afternoon
for oh jeez, hang on one second. I literally just
my I've never in the last ten years not turn
my phone off until today and it actually just ran
because someone called me.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
Sorry about that.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
It's from six to eight pm tonight at Saint Thomas
Moore Catholic Parish that is at eighty thirty five South
Quebec Street in Centennial. You can stop by, meet Jennifer,
meet Oz, meet Aaron Lee, who has been on the
show many many times. Jennifer's been on the show as well.
And more importantly, get those petitions going and get take
them to church this weekend, take them to your coffee
(09:23):
club that you meet with, take it to your book club,
take it wherever you go, and let's get these petitions done. Laurie,
thanks so much for your time today.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
Thank you Mandy,
The Mandy Connell Podcast News
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