Tag: Colby Bauer

_{By Charles Gordon Pratt}

What started as a personal journey of struggle and recovery has turned into a creative mission to help kids across the country. Local mother and son team Cindy and Colby Bauer have launched Struck, an illustrated magazine and activity book designed to help young readers explore mental wellness through humor, adventure, and heart.

Struck follows nine middle-schoolers from diverse backgrounds who come together to rekindle joy in their struggling town of Brightwood. With the help of a mysterious “Stoke-ometer” they discover in an old hydro plant, the friends use creativity, compassion, and teamwork to spread hope throughout their community.

At the center of the story is Stormy, a character inspired by the Bauers’ own experiences. For Cindy, the project is deeply personal. After battling alcoholism for decades, she says creating Struck became both a lifeline and a source of healing.

“This story saved my life,” Cindy said. “I’d been through rehab before and it didn’t work, but this time I had hope. Hope is what people need most when they’re low… I found hope knowing I could create something that brings healing.”

Colby, who grew up inspired by shows like Rocket Power and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, says the goal was to combine that same sense of fun and creativity with conversations about mental health and emotional resilience.

“We realized storytelling could be the vehicle for teaching valuable life skills,” Colby shares. “Just as shows like Rocket Power and games like Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater inspired me as a kid, Struck aims to do that for a new generation – combining fun, art, and action with real emotional depth.”

Colby Bauer is also the founder of Thread Wallets and the non-profit organization Carry On – both headquartered on Center Street in downtown Provo across from the Utah Valley Convention Center. Struck is yet another way Bauer is helping put Provo on the map.

Through Struck, the Bauers hope to equip young readers with tools for life, blending storytelling with action sports and hands-on activities. They’re currently running a Kickstarter campaign to raise $12,000 to expand the project and bring Struck into schools and homes nationwide.

The Struck Kickstarter campaign is now live. Supporters can pre-order the first issue and help the Bauers bring their message of hope to kids everywhere.