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.
March Storytime theme at Cortez Public Library
In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb is the March theme of Storytime at the Cortez Public Library, located at 202 N. Park Street. Storytime is held every Thursday and Friday at 10:30 a.m. for preschool-aged children. Both days will follow the same theme. On Thursday there will be no craft. Older children are welcome to join in for the craft at 11:15 a.m. on Fridays.
St. Patricks Day will be presented on Thursday, March 15 and Friday, March 16. Just Ducky will be the focal point of Thursday, March 22 and Friday, March 23. Storytime will wrap up the month with Pizza Party! on Thursday, March 29 and Friday, March 30.
Storytime offers songs, stories, crafts and silliness and uses the Early Childhood Literacy Initiative program.
For more information, contact the library at 565-8117.
Business After Hours event at Four States Ag Expo
The Four States Ag Expo is holding a social extravaganza that business professionals in our area will not want to miss. Business After Hours, the premier networking event for the Cortez Area Chamber of Commerce is Thursday, March 15 at the Montezuma County Fairgrounds in the Main Pavilion from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in conjunction with the Ag Expo Vendor, Sponsor and Volunteer appreciation dinner.
In this busy age of emails and texting, the Chambers Business After Hours events provide a great opportunity to visit with friends, clients and colleagues in a relaxed environment. Meet men and women from all over the four states area and enjoy local foods and tasty beverages. You never know who you will see at Business After Hours, but you know that it will be a fun evening. There are no gate or parking fees for this unique event.
Call the Chamber at 565-3414 for more information.
Four Corners Fling is festival of square dancing, round dancing
The Four Corners Dancers will host their annual Four Corners Fling, a festival of square and round dancing, from 7:30 to 10 p.m., Friday, March 16, and 1 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, March 17, at Cortez Middle School, 450 W. Second St., Cortez.
Dale Dockery of Apache Junction, Ariz., will call the square dances, and Maxine and Dale Springer from Grand Junction will be the cuers for round dances. The annual Four Corners Fling in Cortez can draw up to a hundred dancers from all around the Rocky Mountain West. Women will be attired in frills and petticoats, and men will be in traditional Western wear. The music styles for Square Dancing are as diverse as dancers and callers. Spectators are welcome and encouraged.
For more information about Four Corners Dancers, the Fling, or lessons, please call Don and Judy Morris at 565-9836 or Ronnie and Vonnie Robinson at 749-9682.
Community Theater performs
one-act originals
Local theater troupe Out of Pocket Community Theater, led by Don Kirk, will perform three free one-act originals. The first two showings will take place at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 17 and Sunday, March 18 at Mary Blake Hall (corner of Elm and North St. in Cortez). A third showing will take place Saturday, March 24 at 2 p.m. in the main gallery at the Cortez Cultural Center, 24 N. Market St.
For more information, contact Don Kirk at 739-4064.
St. Patricks Day food, music will benefit Hawkins Preserve
Enjoy family fun, food, and music (from the best Celtic band on the Rez!) at a St. Patricks Day benefit for Hawkins Preserve on Saturday, March 17 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., in the Cortez Cultural Centers main gallery, 25 N. Market in Cortez. $18 for members, $20 for non-members. Call 565-1151 for details.
Area active duty invited to free St. Patricks Dinner
Join us for our Annual St. Patricks Dinner, at the Montezuma County VFW Post 5231 and Historic Mancos Opera House, 136 W. Grand, on Saturday, March 17, from 5 to 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are $8 per plate, with proceeds to benefit veterans assistance projects. Any area active duty service men and women, or recent veterans of Iraq, Afghanistan and the Gulf War Conflicts, are invited as free guests of VFW Post 5231.
For more information, please call 564-9550.
County Clerk Tullis will discuss election dates, procedures
The League of Women Voters of Montezuma County will sponsor a presentation from Carol Tullis, Montezuma County Clerk and Recorder on Saturday, March 17 at 9 a.m. at the Ponderosa Restaurant, 8th St. and Hwy. 145 in Dolores.
Carol Tullis will discuss 2012 election dates, voter registration deadlines and election procedures, as well as answer questions about voting in the County. This event is free and open to the public.
For more information, please call Jodi Foran 882-2401.
M-CHS Theater presents comedy The Foreigner
Montezuma-Cortez High School Theater Department presents the comedy, The Foreigner on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, March 15, 16, and 17 at 7 p.m., with a matinee on Saturday, March 17 at 2 p.m., at the high school auditorium. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for students.
For reservations, call 565-3722 ext 198.
For Pets Sake Bake Sale will benefit local pets
For Pets Sake Humane Society will hold a St. Patricks Day Bake Sale beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday, March 17 at the north entrance to City Market in Cortez.
As usual, 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 program, 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 groups members and supporters can be dropped off at City Market starting at 8:30 a.m. the morning of the sale. Baked goods can also be dropped off from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, March 16 at Let It Grow Nursery on Mildred, across from the Colorado Welcome Center.
For more information, contact Janet at 533-7402.
Kelly brings Irish and Americana music for St. Patricks
Greg Kelly brings Irish and Americana songs to the Hollywood Bar for Saint Patricks Day, at 8 p.m. Saturday, March 17. The Hollywood is at 417 Central Ave. in Dolores. There is no cover charge.
For more information, call 882-9998.
DJs present Lusher *Franker Dance Night in Dolores
Sideshow Emporium & Gallery presents the Lusher *Franker Dance Night on Saturday, March 17 from 8 p.m. to midnight. Sideshow is at 411 Central in Dolores.
Modern grooves and rump-bumpin dance beats are brought to you by DJ Cannonball and DJ Needlz. There is a $5 cover charge.
Call 739-4646 for details.
St. Patrickss Day Dinner will raise funds for youth group
Trinity Lutheran Church Youth Group will hold their 3rd Annual St. Patricks Day Dinner at 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 17. The church is at 208 N. Dolores Rd.
The menu includes corned beef, cabbage, roasted potatoes, Irish soda bread and dessert.There is no charge for the dinner, but there will be an offering basket for those who would like to donate funds to support our youth groups travel to the 2013 LCMS National Youth Gathering in San Antonio, Texas.
For more information, call 565-9346.
Native American author Hopkins will read from latest novel
Author John Christian Hopkins will appear at the Spruce Tree Coffee House, 318 E. Main St. in Cortez on Wednesday, March 21 from 5 to 7 p.m.
He will read from his newest book, Twilight of the Gods, and take audience questions. Twilight of the Gods is a sci-fi/mystery hybrid involving a mysterious murder and the Mayan Long Count Calendar that may predict the end of the world on Dec. 21, 2012. Hopkins book was featured on the national Native America Calling radio program in December, when he was selected as that months Native in the Spotlight. Hopkins is a member of Rhode Islands Narragansett Indian Tribe; he is an award-winning journalist and former nationally syndicated columnist.
For more information, call the Spruce Tree at 565-6789.
Historical Society will present local history symposium
The Montezuma County Historical Society will sponsor a History Symposium on Thursday, March 22 at 7 p.m. at Hampton Hall of the United Methodist Church, 515 N. Park St., Cortez.
Presenters will be Chuck and Marilyn Wilson Haley, speaking about the Wilson and McEwen family connection. Two generations of Wilson Pharmacists served local residents from their drug store, which was once located at the southeast corner of the Stone Block on Main and Market Streets. The McEwen family was well-known in the area. We welcome and encourage the public to attend our free informational programs as we work to preserve local history in order to enhance the future of this remarkable area. We invite interested persons to share our efforts and become members of the Historical Society.
For more information, contact Vivienne or Phil Kenyon, Program Coordinators, at 565-7714.
Benefit for Mancos resident Tami Graham
Join us for the benefit event Steers, Queers and Everything Inbetween (Tamis slogan for her resident town of Mancos) for Tami Graham on Saturday, March 24, from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the Mancos Opera House, 136 W. Grand Ave. There will be music and entertainment with numerous bands, food, beer and wine, a roast, and a silent auction.
In September, Tami was diagnosed with uterine cancer, and had surgery in mid-December. Her prognosis is excellent; however, she is still incurring medical expenses. This is an effort to give back to Tami in a way that she has given to our community over 25 years of living in Southwest Colorado. Art Goodtimes will emcee this event and a roast of Tami. Musical acts include ASA Fire Tribe, The Lindells, John Thomas band, Salt Fire Circus, Diabolic Sound Platoon w/Dub Rock, Afrobeat Minions, and DJ Dr. Doom. The cost will be $25 for General Admission, or $75 VIP. Tickets are available at Animas Trading Company in Durango, Kaleidoscope Wellness in Mancos or at the door.
For more information on this event, contact Ryan Dennis at 394-9077 or wolfofnight22@hotmail.com.
