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.





Elks Christmas Bazaar



The Cortez Elks Lodge, 2100 N. Dolores Rd., is offering table rentals for their upcoming 17th annual Christmas Bazaar, to be held on Sunday, Dec. 9. Tables are now available for rent at $25 each; we will provide the table. The deadline to reserve a table is Nov. 20. The Bazaar begins at 10 a.m. and goes until 5 p.m. Entertainment will be at 2 p.m. with the arrival of Santa at 3 p.m. He will visit with all the children who attend. There will be door prizes at least every hour, and food will be available for purchase. For more information call Sally at 739-0616.





Annual Turkey Trot Fun Run/Walk



For Pets’ Sake Humane Society will hold its ninth annual Cortez Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day. Registration starts at 9 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 22 at the Parque de Vida Pavilion near the Cortez Recreation Center, 425 Roger Smith Avenue. The 1 mile fun run/walk starts at 10 a.m., regardless of the weather. This is probably For Pets’ Sake’s most enjoyable event of the year! The entry fee is $20 and includes a cool serene green commemorative T-shirt. Costumes for all are encouraged! Prizes will be awarded for fastest people and pets, best and best-coordinated costumes, best pet trick, most unusual pet to cross the finish line, and lots of other categories. All proceeds benefit For Pets’ Sake Humane Society and their work for the dogs and cats of Montezuma and Dolores counties. For more information call 565-PETS (565-7387).





Thanksgiving Day Boot Camp Workout



DNR Fitness will offer a Thanksgiving Day workout — Boot Camp style — at 8:30 a.m. on Thanksgiving, Thursday, Nov. 22, outside at the Cortez Recreation Center. The $4 fee will be donated to the For Pets’ Sake Turkey Trot that begins at 10 a.m. DNR Fitness will be also do a Trot warm-up animal style, including downward dogs and bunny hops for those who are serious about trotting! Come join the fun and support For Pets’ Sake, and work it off before it happens! For more information, call Rayna at 560-3916.





Community Thanksgiving Dinner



Grace’s Soup Kitchen, at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, will serve its annual traditional Community Thanksgiving Dinner on Thursday, Nov. 22 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. for anyone who is hungry or needs some company on the holiday. Deliveries will also be made for the homebound and take-out meals available after 12:30 p.m. (those interested should call ahead and give their name and phone number by Tuesday, Nov. 20). The dinner is free but a $20 gift will help feed a family of 3 or 4. Send contributions to Grace’s Soup Kitchen, 110 West North St., Cortez, CO 81321. For more information, or to donate frozen turkeys or your time, please call 565-7865.





28th Annual Holiday Craft Fair



Come by the Cortez Cultural Center’s annual Holiday Craft Fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 24, at the Montezuma County Annex, 107 N. Chestnut St., Cortez. Enjoy handmade items, franchise products, and door prizes while supporting the Cortez Cultural Center. For more information, call the Center at 565-1151.





Surgeon presents ‘Non-Operative Treatments for Arthritis’



Cortez orthopedic surgeon Doug Bagge, MD, will present “Non-Operative Treatments for Arthritis” on Tuesday, Nov. 27 from 7 to 8:15 p.m. at the Southwest Memorial Hospital Annex conference room, 20 S. Market St. This free, informative lecture will cover osteoarthritis, injectable therapy, non-traditional treatments, and the benefits of physical therapy and exercise. Light refreshments will be served. No RSVP necessary. Call Susan Thomas at 564-2156 with questions.



FCBA presentation on beam/structural calculations from contractors



Four Corners Builders Association will offer a presentation at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 27 to attend a presentation, “Beam and Structural Member Calculations: Information Needed from the Contractor and Sample Calculations.” The presenter will be Jeff Greve from ProBuild-Contractors Sales of Cortez. He will provide a summary of what is needed to get the correct finished product when ordering your beams and for your building structures. The public is invited to this free presentation at First National Bank, 2258 E. Main St., Cortez. For more information, call FCBA at 565-1771.





Dolores Rotary Club Bingo Night



The Dolores Rotary Club will continue their bingo season with a Bingo Night on Tuesday, Nov. 27, with all proceeds to benefit the Cortez Cultural Center. Bingo Night will be at the Dolores Community Center, 400 Riverside Avenue. A light supper and dessert will be served starting at 6:30 p.m. for $5, with bingo following at 7 p.m. Cards are $1 per game or $10 for the evening. All proceeds will benefit the Cortez Cultural Center. For more information, call Dave Sanford at 882-7428.





‘Sights and Sounds of Christmas’ theme of Parade of Lights



The 23rd annual Four Corners Board of Realtors Parade of Lights will be held Saturday, Dec. 1 at 6 p.m. The theme for this year’s Parade of Lights is “Sights and Sounds of Christmas.” This year’s Grand Marshal for the Parade is the Slavens family, in recognition of their longtime support and involvement in our community. There is no fee to enter a float in the parade, but an entry form must be submitted by Thursday, Nov. 29 to Terry McCabe at Century 21 West Slope Realty. Cash prizes are awarded for the best float in each of 3 categories. The Parade of Lights is held each year on the first Saturday in December, with all prizes supplied by the Four Corners Board of Realtors as their gift back to the community. For more information, call Terry McCabe at 799-4459.





Local author Nealson gives book reading



Local author Christina Nealson will read from her recently released “Drive Me Wild: A Western Odyssey” on Friday, Nov. 30 at 5 p.m., at Spruce Tree Coffeehouse, 318 E. Main St., Cortez. More information about the author and the book can be found at christinanealson.com, or call 565-6789.





Annual Dolores Community Center Christmas Bazaar



The annual Dolores Community Center Christmas Bazaar will be held this year on Saturday, Dec. 1 at the Dolores Community Center, 400 Riverside Ave. from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The bazaar already has 40 vendors signed up to display various crafts such as Christmas wreaths, scarves, candles, homemade breads, pies and pumpkin rolls. There will also be handmade aprons, ornaments, quilts, afghans, leather items, toys, artwork and jewelry of all kinds. Come and do your special Christmas shopping. Refreshments are being provided by the Dolores Booster Club and all proceeds will go to the Dolores Community Center. Contact Ruby Gonzales for more information at 882-7717.





Catholic Daughters’ Christmas Bazaar



The Catholic Daughters’ Christmas Bazaar will be held on Saturday, Dec. 1 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 2 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church Hall, 28 E. Montezuma Ave., Cortez. Breakfast burritos will be served on Saturday from 8 to 11 a.m. and Navajo tacos will be served from noon to 3 p.m. The Junior Catholic Daughters will serve soup for lunch on Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Craft items, gift baskets, baked goods, stocking stuffers, wreaths, Christmas items, and homemade gifts are some of the items that will be available for purchase. All proceeds benefit our organization, which in turn supports local, national and global charities. For more information, call Elva at 565-8741 or Lucy at 564-1468.





Science cartoon art show opening reception, dance



Sideshow Emporium & Gallery presents “Adventures in a Blue World,” a science cartoon show for all ages written and illustrated by Cathrine Fox, local educator and NOAA Teacher at Sea. The opening reception is Saturday, Dec. 1, from 6 to 11 p.m., with refreshments, dance music from DJ Cannonball, NOAA give-aways, and real scientists! The show will be up through December. Sideshow is at 411 Central in Dolores, call 739-4646 for more details.





Veterans Christmas Bazaar



The American Legion, 320 N. Harrison St. in Cortez, invites all to the upcoming first Veterans Christmas Bazaar on Sunday, Dec. 2 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. We are offering $20 table rentals for crafters and vendors for the event; tables will be provided. The bazaar will also have food available for purchase. All table rental proceeds raised will go to the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) van fund to help transport veterans to and from medical appointments in the Four Corners area. For more information, or if interested in renting a table, contact Dale Wilson at 882-4531.





Mancos Valley Chorus Christmas concerts



Very soon the snow will be flying, and it’ll be time to celebrate the season with a Mancos Valley Chorus Christmas concert! This year, in addition to new songs, we’ll bring back some of our favorite Christmas songs from the past 10 years, including “Sleigh Ride,” “I’m Gonna Email Santa,” and “Prayer of the Children.” Please join us for a “Christmas Past” concert on one of the following dates: Sunday, Dec. 2 at 3:30 p.m. at the Mancos United Methodist Church on 470 W. Grand Ave. in Mancos; Tuesday, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church, 515 N. Park in Cortez; Friday, Dec. 7 at 7 p.m.; or Saturday, Dec. 8 at 3:30 p.m., both at Mancos United Methodist Church on 470 W. Grand Ave., Mancos. Hope to see you there! For questions call Carol at 882-0120 or visit www.mancosvalleychorus.org.





Series of Christian conversations



“How You Can Be Part of a Christian Community With Integrity and Not Believe All Those Things You Thought You Had to Believe.” On Tuesday, Dec. 3 at 6:30 p.m., this series of conversations will continue at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, 110 W. North Street (corner of North and Elm). The topic for the evening is “What/who is God for You?” Everyone is welcomed. These gatherings are for folks who can’t reconcile what they believe the church requires with their life experience; who don’t want to check their minds at a church door; or who just don’t want to live in a world they think the Christian church espouses but who might value being part of a community of faith. Questions are required. No answers are promised. Call 565-7865 for information.





For Pets’ Sake Holiday Bake Sale to benefit local pets



For Pets’ Sake Humane Society will hold a Holiday Bake Sale from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 8 at the north entrance to City Market in Cortez. There will be lots of cookies, cakes, pies, breads, and homemade dog treats! Proceeds from the fundraiser will aid the population of Montezuma and Dolores counties. In addition to running a spay/neuter assistance programs, For Pets’ Sake provides foster homes for animals awaiting adoption and helps local people pay for emergency veterinary care for their pets.

Donations of baked goods from the group’s members and supporters can be dropped off at City Market starting at 9:30 a.m. the morning of the sale. Baked goods can also be dropped off from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 7 at Let It Grow Nursery on Mildred across from the Colorado Welcome Center. For more information, contact Janet at 533-7402.