Congrats to the volunteer of the year
By Margaret Melloy Guziak -
Family Health West’s Nursing Home had its annual outdoor “Thank You Volunteers BBQ” Aug. 24. One of the many volunteers is selected by the staff to be honored at this picnic dinner as Volunteer of the Year. This year, my husband Ray was awarded the framed certificate and title “Volunteer of the Year 2012” for his dedicated service in playing his button box accordion, entertaining the patients weekly for more than 20 years. (He also plays for the Willows and Senior Daybreak in Grand Junction). The award was a complete surprise to him (Hey, can I keep a secret or what?) and now everybody else knows what a good guy he is.
Christmas is on the horizon
Oh, no. Not Christmas already. We know it is only September, but due to the little time left before the deadline of Oct. 5 to deliver handcrafted ornaments from Colorado’s children and youth groups, art councils and others for America’s Christmas tree, we have to mention it now. The tree selected from the White River National Forest will be cut, wrapped and trucked 2,300 miles from Meeker to Washington, D.C. for the annual lighting celebration. It is an honor for Colorado to be selected. Theme for 2012 is “Celebrating the Great Outdoors.” What better place to do it, than in Colorado.
We read that former Colorado Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell will be driving the truck and it will take 23 days, pausing in various cities along the way, including Grand Junction. There’s a good photo opportunity for you. Take your kids to see the tree before it leaves Colorado and winds through various states on its way to Washington, D.C. Look up the tour cities at the website given below. If you have relatives or friends in any of those states, you may want to alert them to look for it in their hometown.
Tip: Here’s another way to get your kids interested in geography. Pick up a U.S. map. Give them a marker, and let them follow it online as it progresses across the country. They will give the number of miles it travels each day. It is something “real” that will be happening and it will show them the relevance of learning math (mileage) and geography (what cities are in what states) in school.
Attention: Teachers, students, scouting troops, parents of home schoolers. Get your children involved. They need 5,000 for the big tree and another 1,000 for the smaller Colorado trees which will be placed in other selected Government places in our nation’s Capitol. Go to www.capitolchristmastree2012.com for specifics on crafting the decorations and where to deliver the completed ones.
You can call Mary Cunningham at the Blanco Ranger District 878-6015 for more information or Ken Coffin at kcoffin@fs.fed.us (878-6001). The Meeker Chamber of Commerce also has lots of information about the tree and the celebration there when the tree is brought into town. See www.meekerchamber.com.
Sign your kids up
to soar like Young Eagles
There are so many things going on at the same time in the same area that you have to choose which is right for you or if you can do both. Mack Mesa Airport and the local Chapter of the EAA, Chapter 800, are hosting another Young Eagles Day on Saturday, Sept. 29. Their last “Young Eagles Day” was in April when they took 50 kids up for a free plane ride from Mack Airport.
If you have a child between the ages of 8 and 17, free airplane flights are available Sept. 29 for both boys and girls with certified pilots in their own planes at Mack Mesa airport. Go online to read about the Young Eagles Program and register your child to fly that day. The pilots volunteer their time and their planes for this event because they, like the international organization, Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), want children to know about general aviation and experience the adventure of flight. The Young Eagles coordinator is Syndi Jochums (970-858-4261) or email her at syndi13@gmail.com if you have more questions.
Bring: Camera, sunglasses, parent or guardian. Release signed by parent or guardian is also needed. You can find it on page 5 of Info Brochure online.
Other information: T-shirts and snacks will be available for purchase.
Websites: www.eaa800org and www.youngeagles.org.
Stories coming up…
• Prairie Lane Quilting, a new, home-based business
• Ella Moon and Moon Farm’s annual church picnic
• Make plans for October Halloween parties at Moon Farm
• Kessler Canyon Lodge in Debeque. A prime, luxurious lodge in our area featured in the latest issues of “Cowboys & Indians” and “American Cowboy” magazines.