Mighty Dads News Letter 

Welcome Back!

I hope you had a wonderful holiday season. As we settle back into our routines, I am excited for what the year ahead will bring. There are many new initiatives underway, and I look forward to taking Mighty Dads to the next level together. 

Quick Dec Recap

• Light Up Denver: We participated in this festive event, bringing our community together in the holiday spirit. 

• Festive Parades: Attending the Southlands local parade gave us a chance to connect and celebrate as a group. We even made a new friend.

• Mighty Dads Christmas Party: Our own gathering offered meaningful opportunities for connection and fun. Including a white elephant gift exchange and a Christmas hat fashion show put on by the kids.  

• Dads Happy Hour: We wrapped up the season with laughter and thoughtful conversations, reinforcing the importance of community over perfection. 

Newsletter updates and a brief acknowledgment.

A heartfelt thank you to Nic Geman for his unwavering support and generous sponsorship his contributions continue to propel our mission forward with great momentum.

When I launched the Mighty Dads newsletter, my aim was to publish an issue each month. However, I encountered computer issues and spent about two weeks learning to repair the hardware and update the software on my own. Although it took longer than anticipated, I came to appreciate that family and life should always take priority. Now, with a newly upgraded office setup and the computer skills I’ve gained, I’m prepared to expand this project and continue the journey.

As you scroll down you will see it is not just me that contributed to this month’s newsletter. A much-appreciated thanks for to Jarrod Hood and Luke McDowell for providing content this month. Keep readding to see what they wrote.

/ I would like to introduce Nic Geman, an exceptional individual and devoted father, who has played a pioneering role as the driving force behind our inaugural advertising partner..

Looking Ahead: January Principles & Reflections 

In December, I went on a ski trip with my brothers. After days on the slopes and shared dinners, I missed my family, but I wasn’t eager to return to the chaos of home. Just two days in, I found myself craving peace and quiet. I realized that if I wanted that, I’d need to spend time with my family without screens. So, we pulled out the Legos and started building together. Abby made a Lego roller skate while Andrew and I worked on a Ninjago set. Watching Andrew follow each step carefully, sometimes starting over when a piece didn’t fit, reminded me that life works the same way: we’re constantly building, making mistakes, and learning. Mistakes aren’t failures they’re chances to slow down, check our steps, and try again. As the new year starts, it’s tempting to think we need a clean slate, but flipping the calendar doesn’t erase the past; we carry our lessons with us. Setting goals and learning new skills matter, but life will inevitably get in the way. Missing the gym or skipping writing isn’t starting over it’s about reframing and moving forward. This year, I’m creating a system to preserve the valuable pieces from the past and help us build character, skills, and achieve what matters as dads, husbands, leaders, and workers. I call it Life Terms and Conditions.

We all know the drill with device upgrades and the Terms and Conditions we should read but hurriedly scroll past and accept so that we can enjoy our purchase. Recently, I passed a car wash sign that read, “I’m going to need to see the Terms and Conditions for 2026.” It was meant as a joke, but it stuck with me. In life, no one else sets those terms we do, based on the Lego life pieces we already have. A new year isn’t about starting over; it’s about improving our systems and focusing on what matters.

For me, how I view progress and improvement matters. For example, when I miss a day at the gym or fall short of a goal, it’s hard for me to bounce back. My mind wants to call it failure, and I can beat myself up in ways that aren’t healthy. Mighty Dads Life Terms & Conditions exist for this very reason to create a system where goals, deadlines, and improvements are framed with the understanding that life will interrupt, but we don’t start over. We recalibrate. Next week, I’ll have a special edition on how Life Terms & Conditions works. If you already have goals set for the new year, don’t worry. This is a living document for yourself, and any goals you’ve made should slide right in.

Bourbon Corner

By Jared Hood

My Bourbon Journey: A Dad’s Path to Connection My bourbon journey started the same way many dad hobbies do, quietly, late at night, after the kids finally stopped asking for cereal or Mac & Cheese. I’d pour a small glass, swirl it like I knew what I was doing, and try to convince myself I could taste something more specific than just... bourbon. It was relaxing, sure, but honestly, sipping alone didn’t feel special. It felt like unwinding, but without the spark. That changed the night I invited a few fellow dads over for what we grandly called a “bourbon tasting.” In reality, it was just a bunch of exhausted fathers pretending to have refined palates while comparing notes like: “This one tastes like campfire pancakes.” or “I think I taste vanilla... or maybe I just want dessert.”

But something happened in that circle of dads. Bourbon became more than a drink, it became a reason to slow down, laugh, vent, and actually CONNECT. The same bottles I drank quietly at home suddenly tasted richer when shared with people who understood the chaos and comedy of fatherhood. And then came the night we reached the holy grail. The Pappy Moment Somehow, through luck, fate, or divine dad magic I was able to get my hands on a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle 20 Year. When I brought it to dad night, everyone froze like I had just set a newborn calf on the table for a sacrifice. They were amazed that I had it, but more so stunned that I was willing to share it. We poured it, toasted, and took that first sip. Silence. Then a collective, almost spiritual: “...oh wow.”

It was perfection, smooth, deep, unforgettable. Not just a bourbon, but a moment. One we’ll talk about long after our kids are grown. That’s when I realized: Bourbon is good alone. But with good friends, especially fellow fathers. it becomes something meaningful.

A Closing Toast So here’s to the pours that bring us together, the friendships strengthened sip by sip, the rare bottles discovered, and the even rarer moments when dads get to just be. May your nights be warm, your company great, and may you one day find your own Pappy moment. Cheers, gentlemen, to good bourbon and even better friends.

crooked digits

By Luke McDowell

On aluminum bleacher seats,
    my father and I compare our hands
in a conversation about aging.

The pinky on my left hand,
broken two different ways,
    leans in the direction
of my now errant index.

While it is his turn to show me,
arthritic bumps
have risen like
plate tectonics,
from a life of holding his palms open to others,
I try not to cry.

But he has always held mine,
    or made sure I understood
they were calloused, yet close,
and never closed.

I will be a father like him
    with imperfectly formed,
extended hands
made of
crooked digits.

January events.

Poker Night Jan 30th

As I was putting the finishing touches on the January newsletter, I got a text about organizing another poker night. After a busy December, I wasn’t planning any events, but who can say no to a poker night with my fellow dads? Right now, we’re looking at January 30th. If you’re interested in hosting, let me know.

Stay mighty!

Jason Townsend