The Cortez Journal encourages people to submit announcements about upcoming events for the Community Calendar. Send announcements to news@cortezjournal.com. Items submitted less than two weeks in advance will be less likely to be published.
Calendar items are published as space allows. To see the current complete calendar, log on to www.CortezJournal.com, click on Community and, under it, Community Calendar.
Trail safety/trail etiquette
Everyone is welcome to a presentation by Susan Grabbe, DVM, "Trail Safety & Trail Etiquette," at the Mesa Verde Back Country Horsemen meeting on Tuesday, May 7, at the Elks Lodge, 2100 N. Dolores Rd., in Cortez. Arrive for dinner at 6:15 p.m. for buy-your-own Taco Tuesday; the presentation will start at 7 p.m. Grabbe, an equine and small animal veterinarian, has been a trail rider for 29 years. She moved to Cortez in 1999 from Illinois so she could experience the horseback riding of the "West." For more information, visit www.mesaverdehorsemen.com, or contact Nihla McCabe at 570-5036 or nihla45@hotmail.com.
South West Inter-Tribal Council
South West Inter-Tribal Council will meet at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 8, at the First National Bank meeting room. The agenda includes an update on grounds preparation for hogan construction, and a discussion of the group's purpose and direction with regard to human rights and the All Nations medicine lodges.
Battle Rock open house
Battle Rock Charter School will hold an open house on Thursday, May 9, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for anyone considering kindergarten enrollment at Battle Rock next year. Lunch will be provided. The event will include organized activities, games and time in the garden.
Battle Rock still has openings for enrollment in grades K-6 for the coming school year. School starts Aug. 5. Transportation is provided from Cortez.
For more information and to receive a copy of the school calendar for 2013-14, call (970) 759-1816.
Back Country Horsemen
The Four Corners Back Country Horsemen will hold their monthly meeting on Thursday, May 9 at the La Plata County Fairgrounds in Durango. Social time will begin at 6:30 p.m. and the meeting will start at 7. Guests are welcome.
After a short business meeting from 7 to 7:30, the group will gather under the pavilion, where Bob and Terri Beecher, owners of Out West Saddlery in Pagosa Springs, will provide a live saddle-fitting demonstration. The Four Corners Back Country Horsemen work to perpetuate commonsense enjoyment of public lands by horsemen and pack stock users. To learn more, go to www.4cbch.org or call Bob Volger, chapter president, at 883-4004 or email bobvolger@gmail.com.
Chamber luncheon
The Cortez Area Chamber of Commerce will hold a meeting at noon on Wednesday, May 10, at Fiesta Mexicana. Attending will be members of the Re-1 school board and Superintendent Alex Carter, who will share information about board function and guidelines, and answer questions. There will also be a brief update on progress with the new M-CHS building.
For more information, call Dena Guttridge at 565-3414.
Free computer classes
The Cortez Public Library, 202 N. Park St., and the Unlimited Learning Center, 640 E. 2nd St., will offer computer classes in May.
On Thursday, May 9, at 1 p.m., the library will be holding a computer class on Google Maps and Google Earth. The same class will be held at the Unlimited Learning Center at 10:30 a.m. on the same day.
Friday, May 10, at 1 p.m., staff from the Southwest Colorado Workforce Center will be teaching a computer class on finding a job. The class will be focus on various aspects of finding a job on the Internet and using the Workforce Center. This class will only be given at the library.
On Thursday, May 23, at 1 p.m., the Cortez Public Library will present a class on "Word." The same class will be held at the Unlimited Learning Center at 10:30 a.m. on the same day.
All classes at the library require advance registration, as space is limited. Sign up by calling the library at 565-8117 or by stopping by. To find out more about the classes at the Unlimited Learning Center, call 565-1601.
Kemper yard sale
Kemper Elementary School will hold a yard sale on May 11, beginning at 7 a.m.
Donations of sale items from the community will be accepted from now until Friday, May 10, during school hours at Kemper. Computers and electronics will not be accepted.
For Pets' Sake bake sale
For Pets' Sake Humane Society will hold a a bake sale from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 11, 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 pet 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 am the morning of the sale, or from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, May 10, at Let It Grow Nursery on Mildred across from the Colorado Welcome Center. For more information, contact Janet at 533-7402.
Film about Animas River
Dolores River Boating Advocates will host the filmmakers and a screening of a new locally produced documentary, "The Current," on Saturday, May 11, at 7 p.m. at the Dolores Library. The film describes the 10,000-foot descent of the Animas River from its headwaters to Lake Powell. A $5 donation is suggested at the door. For more information, visit www.doloresriverboating.org, or call (970) 799-1475.
A Cappella Chorus
to benefit Grace's Kitchen
The Rochester College A Cappella Chorus will perform on Monday, May 13, at 7:30 p.m. at St. Barnabas Church (corner of North and Elm). Now in its 53rd year, the Chorus has appeared regularly with the Rochester Symphony Orchestra in works such as Vivaldi's Gloria, Orff's Carmina Burana, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, and the Mozart and Verdi Requiems. They have also appeared with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in classical and pops concerts. There will be a free-will offering to benefit Grace's Kitchen and to help offset the costs of the Chorus' tour. Call 565-7865 for more information.
Montezuma Avenue historical buildings program
On Tuesday, May 14, Jill Seyfarth, of Cultural Resource Planning in Durango, will offer a colorful presentation of her latest research on historic structures along Montezuma Avenue, fourteen of which are newly listed on the Cortez Historic Register. Funded by a Colorado Certified Local Government grant to the City of Cortez, she will tell about the buildings and the people who built and lived in them. Hosted by the Montezuma County Historical Society, the free program will be at 7 p.m. at the Cortez Methodist Church, 15 N. Park Street.
Free programs on estate planning
Erin Johnson will present two free programs on estate planning at the Cortez Welcome Center on Tuesday, May 14.
The first session will cover common errors in estate planning efforts and will be presented at 1:30 p.m. and again at 6 p.m.
The second session will introduce succession planning tools for businesses, farms and ranches. This session will be presented at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
To register online, go to https://www.coloradosbdc.org and click on workshops. For more information, email Asano_L@fortlewis.edu or call (970) 247-7009.
Program on Hanging Flume
On Thursday, May 16, at the Cortez Cultural Center, 25 N. Market Street, Ron Anthony of Anthony & Associates will describe the history of the Hanging Flume, a world engineering marvel along the San Miguel and Dolores Rivers, and how a professional team has reconstructed a portion of the flume. Anthony is also involved in investigating the possibilities of preserving the McElmo Flume outside of Cortez.
Anthony and other consultants will be on the site at the McElmo Flume (adjacent to Highway 160, just before the fairgrounds) on Thursday and Friday, May 16 and 17, to further assess the condition of the structural components of the Flume. The public is welcome to stop by to see what is happening.
Blood drive
United Blood Services will hold a blood drive from 3 to 6:30 p.m. May 16 at the Cortez Middle School cafeteria, 450 W. Second, Cortez.
Southwest Singers Chamber Choir
The Southwest Singers' Chamber Choir invites the public to a "Celebration of Spring" on Friday, May 17, and Saturday, May 18, both at 7 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church, 515 n. Park, Cortez. Admission is free but an appreciation box will be available. Works include: The Blue of the Night, Beyond These Mountains Blue, My Funny Valentine, Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring. Choir accompanist is Joy Steffen. For more information,call Ruth Wilson Francisco at 882-3870.
FireWise Home Ignition Zone workshop
FireWise of Southwest Colorado is offering a Home Ignition Zone Workshops as part of Wildfire Prevention and Education Month in May. During the 12-hour workshop, attendees will learn risk factors around their home that could cause it to burn, how to conduct an assessment, review case studies of homes that have burned due to flying embers, and more. This is an ideal course for anyone interested in providing important wildfire risk information to residents. Attendees will get to practice the information they learned by conducting on-site assessments on Saturday.
The workshop will be held May 17-18 at the Mancos Public Library, from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. Registration is required, as space is limited. There is a $10 fee; dinner Friday night and lunch on Saturday will be provided. RSVP to Becca Samulski at 564-4007 or montezumafirewise@gmail.com.
Dairy Goat Information Day
The Four Corners Dairy Goat Breeders will hold a dairy goat information day on Saturday, May 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 23161 Rd. G.2 in Cortez.
Ask questions about raising dairy goats. See animals and get advice and demonstrations on care and maintenance. Multiple breeds will be represented. Some will be available for sale. Some equipment may be available for sale.
For more information call Jeanette at 565-9065 and leave a message.
Free Montezuma Avenue walking tours
In the fourth annual celebration of Historic Preservation Week in Cortez, four free walking tours of Montezuma Avenue, guided by volunteers steeped in local history, will be offered from the Cortez Cultural Center, 25 N. Market Street, on Saturday, May 18, beginning at 10 a.m. on the hour until 1 p.m.
Tours will celebrate 14 new additions to the Cortez Historic Register and will culminate in visits to the interiors of two additions, St. Margaret Mary Church and Rectory. Tours are limited to 12 people per tour; reservations are required and may be made by calling the Cortez Cultural Center, 565-1151. Some area businesses will offer discounts to tour participants who display their name badges. This event is sponsored by Cortez Historic Preservation, Cortez Cultural Center and the Montezuma County Historical Society.
Blood drive
United Blood Services will hold a blood drive in its Bloodmobile at the Fiesta Twin Theater, 23 W. Main, Cortez, from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on May 18.
Lakeview Harmony Club Centennial
The Lakeview Harmony Club, established in May 1913, will celebrate its 100th anniversary on Sunday, May 19, from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Lakeview Grange Hall, East of Highway 145 on Road M. The event will include music, refreshments and door prizes.
The Lakeview Harmony Club, organized by pioneer women, is a community fellowship and service group. Family and friends of past members are invited to attend.
For more information, call Jodi Foran at (970) 882-2401.
Blood drive
United Blood Services will hold a blood drive from 3 to 6 p.m. May 23, at the Pleasant View Fire Department conference room, 15529 Road CC, Pleasant View.
Blood drive
United Blood Services will hold a blood drive from 2 to 5 p.m. May 24 at the First Methodist Church, 515 N. Park, Cortez. Blood drive
Blood drive
United Blood Services will hold a blood drive May 29 from 4 to 6:30 p.m. in its Bloodmobile at the Cortez Fire Protection District, 30 N. Ash.
Blood drive
United Blood Services will hold a blood drive on May 30 from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Ute Mountain Casino Hotel Bingo Hall, 3 Weeminuche, Towaoc.
Babysitting class rescheduled
A babysitting class originally scheduled for May 4 will be held on Friday, May 31, from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Southwest Memorial Hospital Community Annex Room. The cost is $25 per participant, and all proceeds will go to the SWMH Relay for Life Team.
The course will cover how to stay safe, feeding, playtime, and how to start and safely advertise a babysitting business. Students will learn how to change diapers and identify age-appropriate toys and games, and will receive a basic first aid overview. Choking and what to do in an emergency is also covered.
To register, call Robin Bragg at 564-2243 or email rbragg@swhealth.org.
Dolores River Dialogue
There will be a full Dolores River Dialogue (DRD) meeting on Tuesday, July 2 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the offices of the Dolores Water Conservancy District. The topics of this meeting will be the "319 Watershed Plan" that the DRD Steering Committee has been working on since early 2012, updates on the next version of the Lower Dolores River Implementation, Monitoring, and Evaluation Plan for Native Fish, as well as other updates including drought forecasting.
