Nonprofit seeks host families for students
ASSE International Student Exchange Programs (ASSE), in cooperation with your community high school, is looking for local families to host boys and girls between the ages of 15 to 18 from a variety of countries.
ASSE students are enthusiastic and excited to experience American culture while they practice their English. They also love to share their own culture and language with their host families. Host families welcome these students into their family, not as a guest, but as a family member, giving everyone involved a rich cultural experience.
The exchange students have pocket money for personal expenses and full health, accident and liability insurance. ASSE students are selected based on academics and personality, and host families can choose their student from a wide variety of backgrounds, countries and personal interests.
To become an ASSE Host Family or to find out how to become involved with ASSE in your community, call 1-800-733-2773 or visit www.host.asse.com to begin your host family application.
Habitat celebrating opportunities
Habitat For Humanity of Montezuma County announces its first annual Celebrate Habitat event to share the joy of recent achievements and the excitement of future opportunities. Everyone is welcome to this free community event at 6 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 20 at the Cortez Conference Center in Destination Grill building on East Main. Destination Grill will cater a light buffet for all. Homemade desserts and plenty of door prizes. For food planning, RSVP to 970-565-8312 or email office@habitatmontezuma.org.
Riding events scheduled
Registration is open for new competitive trail and arena obstacle course rides on the mesa above the Montezuma County Fairgrounds, 30100 U.S. 160.
Saturday’s CTR will be about six miles with six obstacles. Sunday’s AOC ride will be held in a full rodeo-size arena with covered grandstand and will include an “in hand division.” Awards will follow, with lunch each day.
Hookups available for trailers as well as covered stalls and outdoor pens are available for a fee. Breakfast, lunch and dinner also are available.
Ribbons and prizes for first through sixth places will be awarded, along with a cash jackpot.
For details, visit www.actha.us, Sandie at 970-565-4527 or Lynda at 970-565-4423.
Farmington hospital opens healing garden
San Juan Regional Rehabilitation Hospital will celebrate its newly completed Healing Garden from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday at 525 South Schwartz Ave. in Farmington.
San Juan Regional Medical Center welcomes previous patients and the community to attend. There will be facility tours, refreshments and the hospital will be thanking donors for their generosity.
The Healing Garden is designed to improve care and create a more comfortable, homier feel as well as an opportunity to practice mobility skills in a more natural environment.
The rehabilitation hospital is also home to a certified therapeutic pool for aqua therapy, staff to assist with all functions and specialized equipment such as the LiteGait, which helps patients regain their ability to walk sooner.
For more information, visit sanjuanregional.com.
Nature Studies offers training for teachers
Durango Nature Studies will offer the training titled “Teaching Outside the Classroom: Using the School Yard as a Learning Laboratory for Kindergarten to Fifth-graders” from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday at the Durango Nature Center.
The cost is $40 for 0.5 continuing education credits and materials. This learning experience is for teachers working with students in grades kindergarten to fifth-grade in traditional or nontraditional settings. The training will allow teachers to take any topic and develop a lesson that can be done outside. The training will be taught by Durango Nature Studies’ Program Director John Duwe. Duwe has a master’s degree in environmental education and a teaching license.
To register, call Sally Shuffield at 769-1800, email sally@durangonaturestudies.org or visit www.durangonaturestudies.org/creditcard.htm.
Bird club to offer August field trip
The Durango Bird Club’s August field trip to be held Saturday will take participants to Summit Reservoir, which is 7.6 miles from the town of Mancos in Montezuma County.
This site is designated as a pond, lake, reservoir and ponderosa forest. The group will meet at 7 a.m. at the Hesperus Post Office. The group will proceed to the site at 7:10 a.m. The group will arrive at the lake around 7:30 a.m. The directions are as follows: From Mancos head north on Colorado Highway 184 approximately 8 miles to the lake on the left. For people coming from Durango, take a right at Mancos on Colorado 184 and Summit Reservoir will be on the left. The surrounding land is private. Participants should follow the gravel road down to the parking area, which is adjacent to the water.
Admission is free.
Whack pesky weeds and cut costs
The La Plata Conservation District has been awarded a $25,000 grant to assist local landowners with weed removal.
Participants can recoup up to 50 percent of their herbicide costs with a maximum $300 payment.
To download an application, visit www.laplatacd.org.
The district and county will host informational sessions to help interested parties with their applications.
For more information on the program, call 382-6470 or 382-6462.
Nature Studies offers training for teachers
Durango Nature Studies will offer the training titled “Teaching Outside the Classroom: Using the School Yard as a Learning Laboratory for Kindergarten to Fifth-graders” from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday at the Durango Nature Center.
The cost is $40 for 0.5 continuing education credits and materials. This learning experience is for teachers working with students in grades kindergarten to fifth-grade in traditional or nontraditional settings. The training will allow teachers to take any topic and develop a lesson that can be done outside. The training will be taught by Durango Nature Studies’ Program Director John Duwe. Duwe has a master’s degree in environmental education and a teaching license.
To register, call Sally Shuffield at 769-1800, email sally@durangonaturestudies.org or visit www.durangonaturestudies.org/creditcard.htm.
Staff reports