The Cortez Journal encourages people to submit announcements about upcoming events for the Community Calendar. Send announcements to news@cortezjournal.com. Items submitted at least two weeks in advance will have a better chance of getting published; items submitted several days before the event might not get published. For more information, call the Journal at 565-8527.
Mobile blood drive will take place in Cortez
United Blood Services will hold a mobile blood drive from noon to 4 p.m. Thursday, June 21, at the west campus of Southwest Colorado Community College, 33057 U.S. Hwy 160.
To set up an appointment or for more information, call 385-4601 or sign up online at www.bloodhero.com.
Opening reception for gallery artists at Cultural Center
Artist Kay Lang is joined by Brandon McKie and Sarah Kloster for a dynamic art exhibit ranging from landscapes to brilliant abstracts at the Cortez Cultural Center gallery, 25 N. Market St. You are invited to meet the artists at the opening reception that will take place on Friday, June 22 from 5 to 7 p.m. The art show will hang from now through Saturday, July 7. Admission is free; donations are welcome. For more information, call 565-1151.
Rockslide plays original music
Rockslide invites you to a live music event at Blondies Pub at 332 E. Main St. in Cortez on Friday, June 22 from 8 p.m. to midnight. Rockslide recently opened for the Josh Abbott Band at Echo Basin, and has been receiving critical acclaim for their original music. Rockslide will be releasing their second CD of original music late summer of 2012. The members of Rockslide include Leo Herrera, Dennis Knuckles, Jimmy McClain and Thomas Martin Scott. For more information, call 739-5920, or go to www.rockslidecolorado.com.
Wild Country will perform first show at the Hollywood
On Friday, June 22, 8 p.m., Wild Country plays the Hollywood Bar and Grill, 417 Central Ave. in Dolores. These Durango favorites have shared the stage with country music legends. Cover is $5. For more information, call 882-9998.
Lindells, Vera Chrome play outside western music show
The Lindells and Vera Chrome play live outside at Sideshow, 411 Central in Dolores, on Saturday, June 23 at 8 p.m. Join us for wide-open western music in a folk-noir mood. Listen to the bands at lindellsmusic.com and soundcloud.com/moltentome. Call 739-4646 for details.
Horseshoe pitching tournament offers prizes
The Hocus Pocus Magic Team Horse Shoe Pitching Tournament will be held on Saturday, June 23, at the American Legion horseshoe pits. Registration will begin at 9 a.m. and play begins at 10 a.m. The entry fee is $10 per person and the format is a blind draw for teams. Prizes are as follows: 50 percent of all entry fees go to benefit the American Cancer Society Relay for Life, with the other 50 percent going to the winning teams as follows: 50 percent to 1st Place team, 30 percent to 2nd Place team and 20 percent to 3rd Place team. You may contact Mindy Rosenbaugh at 560-1831 or Barbera Rosenbaugh at 560-1226 for more information.
Lions Club will hold 70-year celebration barbecue event
The Cortez Lions Club is celebrating 70 years as a community service club! We invite the public to share in our celebration from 1 to 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 24 at the Parque de Vida Park amphitheater, 400 N. Mildred. Come enjoy hamburgers, hot dogs and watermelon.
The Cortez Club became a chartered club on June 2, 1942. Lions Club members were local business owners who came together with a vision that promoted and supported the community needs well into the future. The Cortez Lions Club continues to sustain community involvement. For more information, call 564-9619.
Archaeologist and Assistant Professor presents dissertation research
Kelly Jenks, PhD, a historic archaeologist and Assistant Professor at Fort Lewis College, presents the results of her dissertation research at the Cortez Cultural Center, 25 N. Market Street on Monday, June 25, at 5 p.m. as part of the Four Corners Lecture Series. Admission is free; donations are welcome. For more information, call 565-1151.
Baptist Church to hold Vacation Bible School
Lifeway Baptist Church is having its Vacation Bible School from 9 a.m. to noon beginning Monday, June 25 to Friday, June 29. On the last Friday evening at 6 p.m. we will host a family night and hot dog dinner, so parents can come and see what their child has done. Lifeway is located at 601 N. Dolores Rd.
This years theme is Amazing Wonders. Children will have a great time of learning about other parts of the world. VBS is for all children from pre-K to those who have completed the 6th grade. You can register your child early by coming by the church from 9 a.m. untill noon Monday through Thursday or by calling the church office at 564-1239.
Marketing for Smarties for business owners
The first of the 3-session Marketing for Smarties Series will be offered in Cortez from 1 to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, June 26 at the Cortez Welcome Center, 928 East Main St. The next two sessions will take place on July 18 and August 15 at the same times.
These 3-part series break marketing down into a step-by-step process, and help to resolve a lot of the problems many small businesses encounter when trying to effectively promote their products and services. Recommended for new and existing businesses. The cost of $149 will cover all three sessions. Register now space is limited. To register for the Marketing for Smarties Series, contact the Small Business Development Center by phone at 247-7009, by email at Asano_l@fortlewis.edu, or register online at www.coloradosbdc.org/workshop.aspx?ekey=170320037.
Presentation on Colo. State asbestos requirements
Four Corners Builders Association invites you to a presentation at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 26 in the First National Bank. Join us for an overview of the Colorado State asbestos requirements for demo and remolding, presented by Doug Yearout of C.A.R.E. of Cortez. This is open to the public, so if you have any questions or concerns come and talk to the experts. For more information call the FCBA office at 565-1771.
Heavy Equipment Petting Zoo
The Mancos Public Library, located at 211 W. First St., has begun its 2012 Summer Reading Program Dream Big at Your Library. All students age 5-18 are invited to participate in the programs, which run on Wednesdays from 2 to 3:30 p.m. in June. These programs are drop in but all children attending must enroll. Dreaming big includes thinking about what you want to be when you grow up. Visit the library on Wednesday, June 27 for Heavy Equipment Petting Zoo and meet folks (and their big engines) that fight fires, track wildlife, do police work, dig enormous holes in the ground, etc. Wholesome snacks will be provided during each program. Younger children may attend if accompanied by an adult throughout the program. We will also conduct a reading contest bingo (for kids, teens and adults) with books of their choice as prizes for all who complete the bingo. All programs are free. For more information, call 533-7600.
Fade Left tour lands at Blondies
The Fade Left tour with Toki Wright, Burnell Washburn, Whiteowls, and more will be at Blondies, 45 E. Main St., Cortez, at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 27. This show is for ages 18 and older. For more information, call 739-4944.
Storyteller Penwell uses music, puppets at library
Laurel Penwell will perform at the Cortez Public Library, 202 N. Park St., on Wednesday, June 27, at 2 p.m. as part of the Summer Reading Program Family Entertainment Series. Laurels a librarian and storyteller based in Hesperus and uses humor, music, and puppets. Laurel has twelve years of library and school storytelling experience. Shes a perfect fit for the Dream Big, Read theme.
For more information, call the library at 564-4073.
Cortez Library offers educational Water Day
The Cortez Public Library will present Water Day 2012, an educational opportunity to learn more about our local water. The Dolores Water Conservancy District, Montezuma Valley Irrigation Company and the Cortez Water Plant will be joining us for the first ever Water Day in various area locations on Thursday, June 28. At 10 a.m., there will be a presentation by Mike Preston of the Dolores Water Conservancy District and Don Magnuson of Montezuma Valley Irrigation at the overlook at the end of the McPhee Campground. At 1 p.m., there will be a tour of the Cortez Water Plant hosted by Bruce Smart. For more information or directions, stop by the Cortez Public Library at 202 N. Park in Cortez, or call 565-8117.
Driver Safety Course offered by AARP
AARP will sponsor a driver safety course on Thursday, June 28 from 12:30 to 5 p.m. at the Calvin Denton Room in the Empire Electric Building, 801 N. Broadway, Cortez.
This four-hour course is authorized by the state of Colorado. It is designed to meet the needs of older drivers, and will review safe driving techniques as well as Colorado traffic laws. Completion of this course can qualify you for a discount on your automobile insurance. The course is available to all motorists whether or not they are members of AARP. A $12 fee for AARP members and a $14 fee for nonmembers is to be paid by check (no cash or credit cards), which covers materials. Please bring your drivers license and your AARP membership number (if you have one).
If interested, you are asked to register with Scott and Judy Aeschlimann at 565-3872. Please leave your name and phone number on the answering machine if were not available. Well return your call. The class number is limited.
Farmageddon screens at Conscious Movie Night
The Center of Lights will show Farmageddon at Conscious Movie Night on Friday, June 29, at 7 p.m. at the Sophia Peace Center, 19581 Road 31, Dolores. In Dolores turn left on 11th at the Riverside Gas Station, go 1.8 miles. Look for the large sign with the dove, on the left.
Americans right to access fresh, healthy foods of their choice is under attack. Farmageddon tells the story of small family farms that were providing safe, healthy foods to their communities and were forced to stop, sometimes through violent action, by agents of misguided government bureaucracies, and seeks to figure out why. Filmmaker Kristin Canty found policies that favor agribusiness and factory farms over small family-operated farms selling fresh foods to their communities. Farmageddon highlights the urgency of food freedom, encouraging farmers and consumers alike to take action to preserve individuals rights to access food of their choice and farmers rights to produce these foods safely and free from unreasonably burdensome regulations. For more information, contact Center of Light at 882-2123 or RevMeira@CentersOfLight.org.
Allegretto will perform and teach harmonica workshop
Learn to play the harmonica instantly! Best of the West award-winner, Gary Allegretto will perform and teach a unique harmonica workshop to folks of all ages at noon on Saturday, June 30, at the Cortez Cultural Center, 25 N. Market St. An internationally-touring musician, Allegretto is also the director of the award-winning nonprofit humanitarian organization Harmonikids that provides the joy of music to children worldwide. He will first perform a concert, and then will instruct audience members adults and kids aged 5 and older how to play harmonica immediately with his quick-learn method; no prior musical experience is needed. Allegrettos methods are guaranteed, and audience members will leave knowing how to play four songs. The cost is $20 and includes a top-quality Hohner harmonica and music booklet in addition to the expert instruction and performance.
This event will sell out. Call the Cultural Center at 565-1151 to register and reserve your seat.
Harmonicowboy will perform at Western Belles House Concert
Gary Allegretto, The Harmonicowboy will perform on Saturday, June 30 at Western Belles House Concert Series at 32229 Road P in Mancos. Come at 7 p.m. for a potluck (bring your favorite dish to share), and music begins at 8 p.m. Allegretto has received extensive honors for his music, including a Best of the West Award, two WMA nominations and two Grammy Award considerations. True West Magazine declares hes sure to impress the cowboy hat off your head! Dont miss a chance to see him while hes in the area. Tickets are $15. Call to reserve your seat at 882-1413 or 729-8408, or by email to bfboston@fone.net.