2011 Grand Valley Echo November by Alyssa Onmach

• Serving the Grand Valley since 2008 •

Providing a voice for community-based organizations and individuals that enrich the life of the Grand Valley FREE

Volume 4 Number 2

INSIDE

Mid-November/Mid-December 2011

Parachute/Battlement Mesa golfers have impressive showing in Denver

KSUN’s gala page 3

Taekwon-Do page 12

Craft show page 13

The 12 men from Parachute and Battlement Mesa who traveled to Denver for the Colorado Golf Association’s finals are, front row, Mike Stiers, Jon Prater, John Santos, Doug Choate, Chuck Perrin and Chuck Hall. Back row are Al Tanner, Jack Elsea, Tom Gentilcore, Gordon Elliott, Ken Seidel and Frank Oakley.

Photo courtesy of Laurel Koning

By Laurel Koning, Echo contributor

Living Nativity page 24

Our schools page 21-23

A team of men golfers from Battlement Mesa and Parachute reached the finals of the second annual Colorado Golf Association (CGA) Team Interclub Championship on Oct. 22 in Aurora. Seeded No. 1, hopes were high for a swift defeat. But the Lone Tree Golf Club (seeded No. 3) beat them 24-12 in the finals. The road to this elite title began this summer. Competitions between Battlement’s team and Lincoln Park Golf Club, Book Cliff Country Club and the Redlands Mesa Golf Club landed them on top. The local team beat them all and became the No. 1 seed based on a season total of 74 points. Fifty-two teams participated in this event, with most clubs coming from the eastern side of the state. Since they were seeded No. 1, the first round gave them a bye. Their two vic-

tories against Desert Hawk Golf Club from Pueblo (23-13) and Foothills Golf Club from Denver (25-11) qualified them for the finals. Doug Choate, Tom Gentilcore and Mike Stiers defeated their opponents in the singles. The teams of Choate/Oakley and Gentilcore/Santos also won in the Four Ball finals. For reaching the finals, both Battlement Mesa and Lone Tree received $250 each for local golf programs from the CGA. All played their hardest considering that many were “years older” than their young competitors. Of the 12, four of our players are 70-plus, with another five players in their 60s. Huge thanks to the youngster of the group, Doug Choate, who won nearly every match throughout the season. Thanks also to Larry Moss, Jeff Bradley, Fred Inman, and Thom Hammick who played in earlier matches in the season.

Page 2, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2011

LETTERS TO THE ECHO Send us a letter. Got something on your mind? We’ve expanded our word-count limit to 500 words or less for Letters to the Echo to give you plenty of space to express yourselves. The Echo welcomes your input, opinions, thanks and whatever else you’d like to share with our readers, provided it’s written in a respectful, civil way. (Please, no unsubstantiated attacks, etc.) The Echo reserves the right to edit and proofread letters. Send your words to The Grand Valley Echo, gve@crystalvalleyecho.com, or 274 Redstone Blvd., Redstone, CO 81623. Please be sure to include your name, title if necessary, and where you live. Thanks.

Gratitude

Thank you for supporting my wrestling

Dear Echo:

On Saturday, Oct. 29, beginning at 6 p.m., the Grub n Scrub, Phillips 66 gas station and convenient store located at 26 Cardinal Way, Parachute, started filling up with ghosts, ghouls, vampires, princesses, lost boys, ninjas, and various children, youth, teenagers, and adults to join in a haunted house presented for the community free of charge. Shommy's Family Restaurant gave drinks and candy to all who came. Shanna and Lou Nolan held a raffle drawing for a grand prize giveaway and gave out gift certificates for various costume prize winners. Christina Willms, manager of Domino's Pizza gave out trick or treat candy to all those who exited out of the haunted house. It was a great night full of fun for our community. We appreciate the support of our community for joining the Grub n Scrub, Domino's, and Shommy's for the Halloween event. Manager Cherry Goff would like to give a special thank-you to Swallow Oil Company, all the employees of the Grub n Scrub, Domino's, and Shommy's Family Restaurant for their participation and effort to make the haunted house a successful, fun-filled event for everyone.

Thank you to all of the contributors that sponsored my wrestling, without whom I would not have been able to even consider traveling to Mexico and wrestling for Team USA. The contributions that I received will be going towards these future competitions: • Body Bar Nationals in Florida • Jesse Bethel Girls invitational in California • Menlo Open in California • and possibly the Olympic Team Trials in Iowa. Much thanks to Valley Automotive and Diesel, Inc., Sinclair, SD Hauling Company, Noble Energy, Alpine Bank, Grand Valley High School Wrestling Team, Parachute Park and Rec, Kari and Jason Fletcher, Amy Martin, Mark Cordova, Donna and Dan Lloyd, Ryan Frink and Coach Rick Gallegos.

We also want to give a special thank you to: • Clark's Market • Intermountain Distributors • and Pepsi for their donations. Congratulations, Jinnie Jemenez, the raffle prize winner. Hope to see all of you next year! Cherry Goff Manager of Grub n Scrub Parachute

Cody Pfau Wrestling Cadet National Champion Parachute

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echonewspapers.com Thank you to this month’s contributors: All copy submitted to The Grand Valley Echo will be edited and reviewed by our staff for style, grammar and content. The Grand Valley Echo reserves the right to refuse publication of any submitted material that does not meet the publisher’s standard for a positive, informative, educational community newspaper.

MISSION STATEMENT To provide a voice for local schools, nonprofit groups and civic organizations; to bring attention to the individuals and local businesses that are the fabric of the Grand Valley region; to contribute to the vitality of our small town life. The Grand Valley Echo is published monthly, and is distributed throughout Battlement Mesa and Parachute. Subscriptions are available for a $35 annual fee.

PUBLISHER/DESIGNER ALYSSA OHNMACHT EDITOR CARRIE CLICK ADVERTISING SALES BARBARA PAVLIN

285-7634 DISTRIBUTION/CIRCULATION STEVE PAVLIN Dawn Distribution • 963-0874

274 REDSTONE BLVD., REDSTONE, COLORADO 81623 970-963-2373 • gve@crystalvalleyecho.com

Laurel Koning, Jeannie Martin, KSUN, Mary Anderson, Charlie Hornick, ME Denomy, Bill Cornelius, Jennifer Kelly, Tanny McGinnis, Keith Lammey, Dick Ciprich, Dianne Haynes, Pam Szedelyi, Cherry Goff, Grand Junction VA Medical Center, Sue Chapman, Sharon Temple, Doug Straw, Gene Pickett, Melissa Wood, Betsy Leonard, Rob Ferguson, Dr. Carol Lybrook, Department of Veterans Affairs, Kathy Germano, Ken Haptonstall, Trish Braby, Jazmin McFarland, Dustin Weist, Kim Whelan, Jory Sorensen, Ryan Frink, Jeanne Miles, Veronica Duran, Sue McEvoy

GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2011, Page 3

A R T S

E N T E R TA I N M E N T

Dancers cut the rug at last year’s KSUN Dinner/Dance. This year’s event will be held on Dec. 3. See calendar, page 4, for more information.

Ceramics are just one of the crafts for sale at the Craft Fair on Nov. 19th. See page 13 for more information.

Photo courtesy of KSUN

Photo courtesy of Mary Anderson

Come chat with us over Coffee, Donuts or one of our breakfast items!

All Homemade! Donuts including: Cake and Raised, Fritters, Cinnamon Rolls and Twists.

Cooked to order breakfast including: Pancakes, Omelets and French Toast

PARACHUTE

Homestyle Catering also available!

970-285-9697 7 days a week • 5 am - 12 pm 124 E. 1st St., Parachute

RIFLE

970-625-1705 Tues-Sat. • 5:30 am - 12 pm 112 W. 3rd St., Rifle

Jeannie Martin’s sculpture, “No Trans Fats.”

Photo courtesy of Jeannie Martin

Jeannie Martin wins People’s Choice award

Jeannie Martin, a new member of the Village Artists, won the People's First Choice award for her soft sculpture, "No Trans Fats," a giant-sized fried chicken dinner, during the group’s October show at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center. “This giant sculpture is a parody on the commercials that consistently inundate us with the idea that fried foods are better because they haven't any trans fats,” said Jeannie. “One could say this fried chicken dinner not only doesn't have trans fats, but also is full of fiber.” Jeannie recently moved to Battlement Mesa from Grand Junction. She is known as The Fabric Chef because she transforms fabric into realistic food art. Read more at thefabricchef.com.

Page 4, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2011

G O G R A N D V ALLEY Help our calendar grow; let us know. Send public event items to gve@crystalvalleyecho.com. Be sure to include the five Ws (who, what, when, why and where), contact info, cost and anything else readers need to know. • Nov. 15: 9-10 a.m. Computer 101 is at the Parachute Branch Library. 285-9870.

• Dec. 8: 10 a.m. Bilingual Story Time at the Parachute Branch Library. 285-9870.

• Nov. 15: 12-2 p.m. Ladies Who Do Lunch Bunch feature “19th Wife” by David Ebershoff at the Parachute Branch Library. 285-9870.

• Dec. 9: 11 a.m. Ready to Read Story Time at the Parachute Branch Library. 285-9870.

• Nov. 16: 10 a.m. Toddler Time at the Parachute Branch Library. 285-9870.

• Nov. 17: 10 a.m. Bilingual Story Time at the Parachute Branch Library. 285-9870.

• Nov. 17: 5:30 p.m. Cabin volunteer dinner is at the Battlement Mesa Schoolhouse for all volunteers of the Visitors Cabin; parachutechamber.org.

• Nov. 18: 11 a.m. Ready to Read Story Time at the Parachute Branch Library. 285-9870.

• Nov. 19: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Home for the Holidays shopping event at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center featuring Scentsy, Avon, Pampered Chef and more. Tracy 285-6671.

• Nov. 19: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. 29th annual Craft Fair at Grand Valley High School. More than 133 booth spots, concession stand, and huge amounts of handcrafted holiday gift items; parachutebattlementparkandrecreation.org.

• Dec. 10: 1-3 p.m. Kids’ Christmas is at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center. Santa is coming; cookies from Grand Hospital and toys for the kids; River parachutechamber.org. • Dec. 10: 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Grand Valley United Methodist Cookie Sale is at 132 N. Parachute Ave, in Parachute. Cookies, candy, and crafts for sale. Come for the cookies, come for the fellowship; grandvalleyumc@qwestoffice.net. • Dec. 13: 7-9 p.m. Page Turners Book Club features “Redbird Christmas” by Fannie Flagg. • Dec. 14: 10 a.m. Toddler Time at the Parachute Branch Library. 285-9870. • Dec. 15: 10 a.m. Bilingual Story Time at the Parachute Branch Library. 285-9870.

ONGOING

• Nov. 19: Mesa Vista Assisted Living’s community open house, craft and bake sale. Kathy, kathygermano@gmail.com.

• The Battlement Mesa Activity Center has a variety of exercise classes for preschoolers to seniors. Call Anne, 285-9480.

• Nov. 19: 12 p.m. Parachute/Battlement Mesa Chamber of Commerce meeting features guest speakers Ed Green, Tom Jankovsky and Fred Jarman from the Economic Development Group of Garfield County at the Battlement Mesa Fire Station.

• Every Monday from 12:45-4 p.m., Party Bridge is held at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center. All levels welcome.

• Nov. 22: 2-3:30 p.m. “Techie” Tuesday for grades 5-8 at the Parachute Branch Library. 285-9870. • Nov. 23: 2:30-4 p.m. Anime Club for middle and high school students at the Parachute Branch Library. 2859870. • Nov. 24: Happy Thanksgiving. • Nov. 24-25: The Parachute Branch Library is closed for Thanksgiving Break.

• Dec. 1: 10 a.m. Bilingual Story Time at the Parachute Branch Library. 285-9870.

• Dec. 2: 11 a.m. Ready to Read Story Time at the Parachute Branch Library. 285-9870.

• Dec. 2: 7-8 p.m. Living Nativity is at Beasley Park in downtown Parachute. Scripture readings, refreshments, fellowship.

• Dec. 3: 1-4 p.m. Holiday Home Tour in Battlement Mesa, presented by the Philanthropic Educational Organization (PEO) Chapter IP. $10/person. Tickets are available from any PEO IP member or by calling 285-1111.

• Dec. 3: 7-10 p.m. KSUN Community Radio’s Dinner Dance Christmas Gala is at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center. Doors open at 6:45 p.m. $30/person. Tickets available at the activity center, Alpine Bank, Wells Fargo Bank, or Old Mountain Gift Shop. Contact Laurel Koning, 2851258, or Mary Lee Mohrlang, 216-5058, for more information.

• Dec. 7: 10 a.m. Toddler Time at the Parachute Branch Library. 285-9870.

• Dec. 7: 3-4 p.m. “The Good, the Bad, the Gross” at the Parachute Branch Library. 285-9870.

• The fourth Monday of every month, the Grand Valley Sew and Sew Quilters meet at 9:30 a.m. at the Battlement Mesa Schoolhouse. Call Ann Arrington at 2859757 or Mary Galterio at 285-0243 for more info. • The last Monday of the month, an Alzheimer’s caregiver support group meets from 10-11 a.m. at the Grand Valley United Methodist Church, 132 N. Parachute Ave. 285-9892. • The first Tuesday of every month at 6:30 p.m., the Grand Valley Citizens Alliance meets at the Rifle Branch Library community room. Leslie, 618-0890. • Every Tuesday at 7 a.m., the Kiwanis Club of Grand Valley/Parachute meets at the Community Room of the Parachute Branch Library, 244 Grand Valley Way, in Parachute. Coffee is at 7 a.m., program begins at 7:30 a.m. • Every Tuesday, seniors age 60 and older, or anyone with a disability, can take The Traveler to Rifle. The Traveler also goes to Grand Junction the second Tuesday of each month. Call 625-1366 for more info. • The second Tuesday of every month at 3:30 p.m. the Battlement Mesa Service Association’s Oil and Gas Committee meets at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center. • The second Tuesday of each month from 10 a.m.-12 p.m., Tips, Topics, Talks on Tuesday is at the Parachute Valley Senior Center; men and women of all ages welcome. 540 N. Parachute, Parachute. • Grand Mesa Chorus rehearses every Tuesday from 6:30-9:30 p.m., at the Redlands United Methodist Church, 527 Village Way, Grand Junction. All women age 16 and older are welcome to audition. Call Shirley at 255-9419, grandmesachorus.org. • Neighborhood Watch meets the second Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. at Parachute Town Hall, 222 Grand Valley Way, Parachute. 285-7630.

• The Glenwood Springs Chapter of HEARTBEAT – Support for Survivors After Suicide – is open to anyone who has suffered the loss of a loved one through suicide – no matter how long ago. This peer group meets the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Glenwood Springs. Use the Bethel Chapel entrance of the church, 824 Cooper Street. Call Pam Szedelyi, 945-1398, e-mail pamsz@sopris.net.

• The second Tuesday or Wednesday of every month at 6:30 p.m., the Parachute/Battlement Mesa Park and Recreation District Board of Directors meets at the recreation district office, 259 Cardinal Way, Parachute, 285-0388, parachutebattlementparkandrecreation.org.

• The third Tuesday of every month at 9 a.m., the Battlement Mesa Service Association meets at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center.

• Every Wednesday at 11 a.m. is Toddler Time, and every Friday at 11 a.m. is Story Time at the Parachute Library. Both open to young children. Call Michelle at 285-9870.

• Every Wednesday at 11:30 a.m., the Parachute Valley Senior Center hosts a luncheon prepared by the Rifle Senior Center. $2.50 for those over 60. Reservations taken Mondays from 9 a.m.-12 p.m.; call 285-7216.

• The first and third Wednesday of every month at 3 p.m., the Battlement Mesa Architectural Committee meets at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center. Open to the public. 285-9432. • Every last Wednesday of the month from 5-6 p.m., an Alzheimer’s caregiver support group meets at Alpine Hospice, 1517 Blake Ave., Suite 100B in Glenwood. Andrea, 303-704-6377. • Every Monday from 12-1 p.m. the Grand Valley United Methodist Church serves a free soup lunch at the church at 132 Parachute Ave. • Battlement Concerned Citizens meet the second and fourth Wednesdays of every month at 1:30 p.m. at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center to discuss issues of concern to the Battlement Mesa community. Open to the public. Dave, 285-2263 or Ron, 285-3085. • Weekly transportation on Thursdays from Parachute to Glenwood Springs and towns in between is available to seniors and disabled people on The Traveler minibus. Service is for door-to-door pick up and return for a fee of $8 round trip. Trips can be for doctor appointments, shopping, visiting, or personal needs. Call 625-1366, 48 hours in advance for reservations. • Every Thursday at 10 a.m. (except the first Thursday of the month), the Prayer Shawl Ministry meets at the Grand Valley United Methodist Church, 132 N. Parachute, Parachute. Call Sharon, 285-2318, or the church, 2859892, to join in. • Every Friday from 9-9:30 a.m. “Community Connections” hosts interviews with community members on KSUN 103.9 FM.

UPCOMING • Dec. 15: 10 a.m. Bilingual Story Time is at the Parachute Branch Library. 285-9870.

GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2011, Page 5

G O O D

D E E D S

The 23rd annual Kiwanis Food Drive – A huge LIFT-UP! By Charlie Hornick, Echo contributor The Grand Valley/Parachute Kiwanis Food Drive picked up loads of food for the holidays and for the coming year for LIFTUP, thanks to many in Battlement Mesa and Parachute. Hundreds of households gave food and more than 125 volunteers assisted in collecting and sorting the boxes, cans, and packages donated. Those who witnessed the diligent work of youth and adults at St John Elementary School on Oct. 29 came away encouraged. “To see a community coming together like this is truly amazing,” said one community member. Well over half of the volunteers were young people. The Builders Club from Grand Valley Middle School and the Key Club from Grand Valley High School along with volunteers from Grace Bible Church stuffed fliers into the plastic bags donated by Clark’s Market. More than 2,500 bags were then distributed a week before the food drive throughout the Battlement and Parachute area by these youth, along with Boy Scout Troop 255, Parachute Police cadets, Kiwanians, Town of Parachute employees, and other community volunteers. Residents were asked to fill the sacks with non-perishable items. The response was phenomenal. On the day of the food drive, volunteers filled the gym at St John Elementary and sorted the food, which was then transported to the LIFT-UP Food Bank in Parachute. It is estimated that more than three tons of food were donated. The LIFT-UP Food Bank serves local families in need. LIFTUP is an acronym for Life Interfaith Team on Unemployment and Poverty. Utilization of the food bank has increased more than 100 percent in the past couple years. This year’s food drive will make the holidays brighter and easier for many.

Kellen Jansen and Zach Kelty assist Kiwanian Mike Stiers during the LIFT-UP food drive.

Photo courtesy of Charlie Hornick

Page 6, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2011

GRAND VALLEY ENERGY A monthly column by M.E. Denomy, CPA

Playing in the dirt Every well that is drilled requires the use of water to aid in the drilling and the fracturing of the rocks underground to get the gas flowing. As part of the drilling operations, companies often dig a big pit for storage of the water and various chemicals that are used for the drilling and completion process. This pit contains various liquids including oil and oil products, water, wasted drilling mud, pieces of rock and some chemicals. If you have been watching the drilling site located in downtown Parachute lately, you can see that Williams has had a large number of trucks moving in and out of the site. The trucks are hauling off loads of dirt and just recently there have been truckloads of dirt being brought into the site. This work is being done to reclaim the earth that was in and around the pit that was used for the drilling of the wells that are located there. When the clean-up is done, the area should look even better than it did before the wells were drilled. This well site is only one example of the process that is done for disposal of the drilling and completion fluids. There are times that the liquids are put into tanks and hauled off as they are filled and then there are also instances that the liquids are allowed to evaporate and the pit is backfilled with the dirt that is located on the site. It might be interesting to ask if the folks that are doing the work on the Williams’ site enjoyed playing in a sandbox or making mud pies when they were children. This would certainly be a good background to help them work now on putting the well site in Parachute back together again. Happy Thanksgiving – and count those plusses! Mary Ellen Denomy, CPA, is a Battlement Mesa resident and an Accredited Petroleum Accountant She has been nationally recognized as an expert in oil and gas issues. Mary Ellen is the immediate past president of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the National Association of Royalty Owners. If you have questions, contact her at the naro-us.org website or through The Grand Valley Echo.

S P E C I A L S

Chef’s Choice Daily Specials

Weekday specials under $10!

Monday - Steak Nite - $300 off freshly cut steaks Friday - Catfish Day Saturday/Sunday from 1:30 Fresh Baked Prime Rib Dinner

Book your Holiday Party Now! 970-285-7091 Open 5:30 a.m. - 9 p.m. M-F • 6:30 a.m. - 9 p.m. Sat.-Sun. 315 E First Street • Parachute, Co. 81635 970-285-1917 • catering 970-285-7091

The Colorado Heritage Group FANTASTIC PRICE/CONDITION Battlement Mesa – $199,000 Unique courtyard villa- all stucco with tile roof. Gourmet kitchen, quality upgrades and finishes. BEGIN HOME OWNERSHIP HERE Battlement Mesa – $120,000 Master bath with garden tub plus a shower. Laminate wood floors, neat as a pin in and out of this MF home. A THREE CAR GARAGE Battlement Mesa – $325,000 Finished garden level with family room plus two bedrooms. Full stucco, back deck and patio with open views. A WONDERFUL FACELIFT Rifle – $149,900 Charming ranch with new carpet, fresh interior paint, “spic and span”. A friendly subdivision. ENJOY THE COZY FIREPLACE Battlement Mesa – $170,000 An array of windows- sunlit viewsoak cabinetry- move in conditionfenced storage and RV parking. NEED TIME FOR FUN AND PLAY Battlement Mesa – $115,000 Carefree townhome- walk to activity center and shopping. Cozy kitchen with center island open to living/dining. COMFORTABLE FAMILY HOME Battlement Mesa – $248,000 Oak hardwood trim, cabinets and interior doors. /lighted deco accents in living room. Neat and clean. THE SCENES CHANGE EVERYDAY Battlement Mesa – $415,000 This is the home for entertaining. Great room, dining kitchen and flex room blend for a wow effect. NESTLE IN BEFORE WINTER Battlement Mesa – $119,000 Nice MF home borders walking trail. Efficient kitchen with pass thru bar and eat-in area. BATTLEMENT MESA MAGIC Battlement Mesa – $245,000 Live on main- play on lower level. Lots of space- living, family, den, dining, eat in kitchen- Wow! ENERGY EFFICENT RANCH ESTATE Rifle – $649,900 Unique home- 40x60 shop with RV hook up. Dramatic living, dining and game room, 5.8 acres, borders BLM. LIKE NEW HOME FOR THE HOILDAYS Battlement Mesa – $175,000 Heated and finished garage, new paint and carpet, borders open space, upgraded appliances, easy care landscaping.

FINE FINISHES- UNIQUE PLAN Battlement Mesa – $390,000 Loft with skylights overlooking the spacious family room open to big kitchen- formal dining room. Acre lot with views. COUNTRY SUBDIVISION CLOSE TO RIFLE Rifle – $154,900 MF Home with cozy gas fireplace. All bedrooms have walk in closets. Textured drywall and upgrades throughout. OWN CHEAPER THAN RENT Battlement Mesa – $29,900 MF home on corner lease lot includes rec center. New carpet, split floor plan, great views. AWESOME PRICE REDUCTION Rifle – $139,000 Classic home beautifully remodeled. Huge storage/work space in basement. Big kitchen, enclosed front porch.

VACANT LAND OWN A PIECE OF COLORADO WILDERNESS 20 and 40 Acres North of Silt, $25,000. – 45,000 Surrounded by BLM, view of the Hogbacks and Harvey Gap. Steep terrain, landlocked, being sold as-is. READY TO BUILD 8.3 ACRES Battlement Mesa $249,900 Enjoy conveniences of town nearby. Mini ranchette subdivision, shop, well and utilitites in place. 160 VIEW FILLED ACRES De Beque $215,000 Unimproved acreage North of Debeque. Great for recreation or grazing, partially fenced. Borders some BLM. PLAN FOR YOUR FUTURE Eagles Point Lots Available, Battlement Mesa $72,500-98,000 Covenant controlled community, design and build your dream home. Impact fees paid/utilities on site. VIEW FILLED LOTS/ BUILDING PLANS AVALIBLE Monument Creek Lots, Battlement Mesa $69,000 Two to choose from. Nice views, quiet covenant protected subdivision. Impact fees have been paid/ utilities to property. COUNT THE WAYS… Only a few lots left in Battlement Creek and The Reserve, Battlement Mesa $74,900.-93,500 You will enjoy the amazing views and golf course living when you build your dream home here!

mohrlang • swanson The NAMES that mean EXCELLENCE in Real Estate…

Mary Lee Mohrlang, CRS, GRI 970-216-5058 Brandy Swanson, 970-319-3574 73 Sipprelle Drive, Suite J-1, Batlement Mesa, CO 81635

Virtual Tours www.MohrlangJones.com

GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2011, Page 7

O I L

G A S

Oil and Gas Updates Garco oil and gas reserves equal about $120 million

New emissions study planned

On Nov. 3, Lisa Dawson, director of Garfield County’s administrative services department reported that Garfield County has approximately $120 million in cash reserves, mostly due to energy industry activity in the county. The money comes from property taxes paid by the oil and gas industry, and through federal mitigation funds. Dawson made the report at the Garfield County Energy Advisory Board meeting, held each month in Rifle. The Glenwood Springs Post Independent reported that oil and gas is taxed at a property tax rate of 87.5 percent, compared to a rate of 29 percent for business and commercial property, and 7.96 percent for residential property.

A new emissions study to determine if potentially harmful toxic emissions are coming from gas drilling activities is in the preliminary planning stages. Colorado State University (CSU) representatives, industry partners, and additional government entities are discussing the breadth and scope of the study. Dave Devanney and Bob Arrington of Battlement Concerned Citizens (BCC) have met with some of the study planners, and a preliminary study proposal is expected from CSU professor Jeff Collett by the end of November, according to the Garfield County environmental health manager Jim Rada, according to the Glenwood Springs Post Independent. Rada said the new study will be much like the health impact assessment study that was begun earlier this year, but that it would include monitoring by CSU. BCC representatives are requesting that the study include monitoring the presence of hydrogen sulfide, though state and industry officials have said that the material does not pose a threat to human health.

ProPublica features western Garfield County in national story about health problems and gas industry activities The national news agency, ProPublica, recently featured western Colorado and the potential effects of fracking and drilling on residents living near gas industry activities. Besides reports of ill health coming from residents in Colorado, the story, titled “Science lags as health problems emerge near gas fields,” details the health issues of people in Pennsylvania, Texas, Wyoming and Louisiana, where gas drilling is occurring. Although residents complain of various health ailments, possibly stemming from water contamination and toxic fumes, the story quotes scientists and other industry representatives who claim there isn’t enough data to show that gas industry activities are causing these problems. "We do not have enough information on hand to be able to draw good solid conclusions about whether this is a public health risk as a whole,” said Christopher Portier, director of the U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry and the National Center for Environmental Health. To access the ProPublica story, go to http://www.propublica.org/article/sciencelags-as-health-problems-emerge-near-gas-fields.

More than 100 wells planned for the Grand Mesa GRAND JUNCTION — The Grand Mesa, which towers above Battlement Mesa and Parachute, may soon see up to 108 wells on 26,000 acres to tap oil beneath the mesa. The Daily Sentinel reports Fram Operating LLC revealed those numbers on Nov. 8 during a meeting that's part of federal land managers' preparation of an environmental analysis of the project. Fram originally sought up to 500 wells in the area that some residents worry could affect Grand Junction's watershed. Fram project manager David Cook says the company expects to drill about 25 wells over four years. A master development plan submitted by the company says oil had been discovered in the 1970s and 1980s but that was before the Trans-Colorado gas pipeline was built in 1996.

Page 8, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2011

Chamber News Cabin volunteer dinner is Nov. 17 By Bill Cornelius, Parachute/Battlement Mesa Chamber of Commerce The chamber’s membership drive will begin on Jan. 1. Contact Mary Lee Mohrlang marylee@kw.com or see the chamber website parachutechamber.org for a membership form. The Cabin Volunteer Appreciation Dinner will be held for all Visitor Cabin volunteers on Nov. 17 at 5:30 p.m. at the Battlement Mesa Schoolhouse. Thank-you, cabin volunteers, for all of your work this last year. Kids’ Christmas is on Dec. 10 at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center from 1-3 p.m. Santa is coming; cookies from Grand River Hospital and toys for the kids.

Vistor Center

Shop locally and support your local chamber businesses! PARACHUTE RADIO SHACK 316 E 1st street next to Napa Auto Parts M-F 9 am – 6 pm and Sat 9am -4 pm

970-285-2111

The Colorado Heritage Group 73 Sipprelle Drive Suite J-1 Battlement Mesa ,CO 81635

MARY LEE MOHRLANG Cell (970) 216-5058 MaryLee@KW.com BRANDY SWANSON Cell (970) 319-3574 BrandySwanson@KW.com

Happy Halloween

GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2011, Page 9

G O V E R N M E N T

Local law enforcement agencies uncover gang auto-theft ring By Jennifer Kelly, Garfield County Sheriffs Office A series of motor vehicle thefts in Denver and on the Western Slope that occurred between Oct. 25-30 have been identified as gang related. After further investigations, it was determined the crime spree was a product of three gang members living in Garfield County. All three juveniles are validated Sureño gang members. Jason Alexis Gamez-Banda, 14, is currently facing charges of aggravated motor vehicle theft (class 4 felony), theft (class 4 felony), carrying a concealed weapon (class 2 misdemeanor), possession of a handgun by a juvenile (class 2 misdemeanor) and first-degree criminal trespass (class 5 felony). Luis Jurado, 16, is currently facing the charge of aggravated motor vehicle theft (class 4 felony). The third juvenile is still under investigation and is not currently facing felony charges. I.C.E. Homeland Security Investigations is assisting in the investigation of the gang members involved. I.C.E. has placed a hold on Gamez-Banda. From what we know about the crime spree at this time, the three Sureño gang members are believed to have stolen seven cars total; five from the Pitkin/Garfield County jurisdictions, one from the Steamboat Springs area and one from the Denver area. They are also believed to have entered eight vehicles, stealing miscella-

neous electronics and one handgun. The handgun was recovered from Gamez-Banda while attempting to steal another vehicle in New Castle. He was apprehended and held at gunpoint by the vehicle’s owner until officers from the New Castle Police Department and deputies from the Garfield County Sheriff's Office arrived and took him into custody. During the initial stages of the investigation of Gamez-Banda by the Carbondale and New Castle police departments, the Carbondale officer recognized what he knew to be gang related information. The officer immediately notified the Garfield County Sheriff's Office T.A.G. Deputy, who used his resources, database and informants to help identify the other suspects. This resulted in a joint investigation, which involved T.A.G., Carbondale Police Department, Aspen Police Department, New Castle Police Department, Immigration Custom Enforcement and the Garfield County Sheriff's Office. The joint investigation has led to the recovery of the previously mentioned stolen vehicles. According to Garfield County Sheriff Lou Vallario, the outcome of this investigation demonstrates the importance of the cooperation between local and federal law enforcement agencies such as I.C.E. Homeland Security Investigations Operation Community Shield Task Force. It also demonstrates that dangerous criminal gang activity is present in our commu-

nities and how a cooperative law enforcement approach with our citizens is crucial to eradicate this criminal element. Law enforcement would like to remind its citizens to remove their keys and lock their car doors. Recently documented vehicle thefts, including the above, involved unlocked vehicles, and some with the vehicles keys inside. In an effort to prevent these types of crimes, please remember to remove valuables and secure your vehicle. Whenever possible, park your vehicle in a location that is well lit and has high visibility.

Government Briefs Fraudulent phone calls targeting Garfield County residents The Garfield County Sheriff’s Office has received concerns and reports about fraudulent phone calls from a private number claiming to be either the sheriff or an attorney. The fraudulent caller makes statements that residents “owe money,” “are guilty of check fraud” and they “might be arrested”. As always, the sheriff’s office is reminding citizens not to give any personal information over the phone. If you receive these types of calls or any others you feel might be fraudulent, hang up the phone immediately and contact either the Parachute Police or Garfield County Sheriff’s Office. – Jennifer Kelly Garfield County Sheriff's Office

Identity theft scam targets veterans by phone Veterans in the Grand Junction area and surrounding areas have recently reported identity theft attempts by phone. Veterans said they received the calls in the evening from someone claiming to be with the VA who needed to confirm their contact information, social security number and bank account. The VA Medical Center staff does not ask for this information when contacting a veteran. Veterans who believe they have been targeted for identify theft or a scam should report the attempt to the Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General (OIG) using the OIG hotline at 800-488-8244, faxing 202-5657936 or by e-mailing vaoighotline@va.gov. – Grand Junction Medical Center

y’s Restau m m r an o ICE COLD h S BUCKET OF BEER -$14.50 t • • COME TRY OUR FRACKEN SANDWICH • • IT'S FRACKEN AWESOME ! Chicken fried steak & eggs - $8.99 FULL MENU ALL DAY - 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

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Page 10, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2011

G O V E R N M E N T

Garfield County provides information about protecting your home from wildfire By Tanny McGinnis, Garfield County Sheriff’s Office Garfield County Emergency Management is developing a countywide Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). The CWPP has two purposes. First, it assesses wildfire risks and hazards to a particular community. Second, it helps communities and their local fire departments coordinate their preparation and response to a wildfire and synchronize with nearby communities for the best communication and fastest response to a wildfire. Communities with CWPPs are given priority for grant funding to implement vegetation-fuel management and other appropriate projects improve wildfire response capabilities. Based on up-to-date information provided in the CWPP, fire districts and communities will be able to organize projects such as building fuel breaks around communities, reducing vegetation-fuels in community spaces, and creating defensible space around structures. Information about this countywide CWPP project is posted on the Garfield County Emergency Management website at garfield-county.com/county-services/emergency-management.aspx. To learn more about what you can do on your own, take a look at the brochure that provides information on actions that you can and your family can do to protect your home in the event of a wildfire. Colorado State Forest Service, at 970-248-7325, is available to help homeowners devise a defensible-space plan for their homes. In an effort to collect the most current and accurate information about your community, we need your help. By participating in a 10-minute survey on wildfire risks and mitigation needs for your community. To find the survey, please visit the Emergency Management website and look for the CWPP Survey link. Walsh Scientists and Engineers, LLC will survey the communities of Garfield County and interview fire chiefs. The information gained will be used to assessing wildfire risks and to identify mitigation opportunities for communities. Data

and maps of these community assessments will be available to the public on the Garfield County Emergency Management website. For more information, please contact Chris Bornholdt, Garfield County Emergency Management at 945-0453, ext. 1012 or Danielle Cassidy, Walsh Environmental, at 303-443-3282.

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GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2011, 11

G O V E R N M E N T

The Battlement Mesa Service Association

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Logos • Brochures Advertising Book layout & design Alyssa Ohnmacht

• 963-2373

Battlement Mesa’s Community Park By Keith Lammey, President, Battlement Mesa Service Association Recently, I have attended several Village annual meetings. Judging from some of what I heard at these meetings, several residents are excited and curious about the new Community Park while others are confused and perhaps even concerned about it. Yes, it is true. We plan to build a new community park. About three years ago, the school district acquired 35 acres for the new Grand Valley Middle School, but they only needed about 29 acres for the school. Under Garfield County regulations, it is easier to transfer 35-acre-and-larger land tracts than it is to transfer tracts smaller than 35 acres. In order to avoid the more arduous land transfer process, the district acquired more land than they needed but “gave back” an easement on six acres. The easement is actually four, 25-year easements and, until 2108, limits the six acres to one use: a community park. As a community, we need to decide, do we want to have a pile of rocks, which is what is what we have now, or do we want to have park? Emotions seem to be fairly high on this issue. Although some residents are excited about the prospect of a new park and are eager to get it built, others seem to prefer a pile of rocks to a new park. Some residents simply want to understand what we are planning to do, how it will impact them financially and what will be included in the park. Unfortunately, at this point, we aren’t able to satisfactorily answer everyone’s questions. Nevertheless, doing nothing until we can answer all of the questions doesn’t seem like a good choice to me. It is my belief that progressive and vibrant communities need parks. I believe that if properly planned and built, parks have an appeal to all. I also believe that the day when a “great park” consisted of some nice turf grass, a few trees and a covered pavilion for a company picnic or family reunion is long gone. Today’s great parks are much different! Those who are against this park probably won’t be excited to learn that, according to most standards, even when the proposed new park is added to our existing parks, like the parks in Valley View Village, Saddleback and Tamarisk, we’ll still need more parks as our community grows. Our existing parks have a lot of turf grass but that is about all they have. I agree with those who say, we have enough grass to take care of. We’re thinking of an entirely different kind of park. The proposed park, and subsequent parks, must include one or more features that can be enjoyed by everyone. Unfortunately, this fact means that park creation is a complex and time-consuming process. Some have asked what will be in the park and who will pay for the cost of building and maintaining the park. Before we can answer, we need to know at least two things: What is going to be in the park and how much of each thing will be used? The recent Common Ground-sponsored effort to gather input on these issues will help us figure out these issues. From this preliminary survey information, we’ll propose a design concept for the new park and project not only construction costs, but future maintenance cost. Unfortunately, this process will likely take months, perhaps even years, to gather adequate information to design and complete projections for the new park. Until that phase is complete, it is impossible to tell you exactly how the park will be paid for and who is going to bear the cost. Nevertheless, I believe that we need a new park and when confronted with a choice between a pile of rocks and a new park, I’m voting for a new park. I’ve never liked rock piles all that much and I am confident that collectively, this community will figure out what features we want and need in a new park and what we’re willing and able to pay for. It won’t happen overnight, but, rest assured, it will happen.

FOR RENT Battlement School House owned by Grand Valley Historical Society. We are offering the building for single event rent.

The building consists of two rooms, parking, a complete kitchen and rest room plus 10 tables and 150 chairs. Complete serving of china, silverware, glass ware available for nice parties. Great dance floor, too. Capacity 75 For organization meetings & meals, holiday/birthday/anniversary parties, neighborhood gatherings and family reunions. For more information contact: Judith at 285-9696 or Michelle at 285-7828

Page 12, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2011

S P O R T S

R E C R E AT I O N

Hi-tech indoor golf now at BMAC By Dick Ciprich, Echo contributor

You can now hit real golf balls, and use your own clubs, all winter long at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center (BMAC). Wow, it’s about time. Now we can all stay in great golf shape without having to travel. It is not a game like the Wii or other toys. It gives you complete and accurate swing analysis of club head speed, the face angle at impact, your swing path, the face contact, and visual feedback of each shot. When we say accurate, it gives you the distance you hit the shot plus or minus two feet. And the driving range has multiple target greens and crystal-clear graphics displayed on a 55-inch LCD screen. It supports right- or left-handed players, and you can control the ball just like you would outdoors. You’ll know whether that shot in the right rough was a slice or a push and what in your swing made it happen. This makes practicing much more beneficial, helping you understand your golf whether you’re on the driving range in practice mode or you’re challenging yourself to a championship course in play mode. No matter what, you will get realistic and accurate feedback. The combination of shot analysis and shot tracer technology puts the information right in front of you so you can make the adjustments necessary to routinely hit better shots with every club in your bag. Long gone is the question “I wonder what I did wrong?” It is right in front of you on the screen. Until now, your only option to practice has been to hit into a net, or work out on the range. If you’re practicing into a net, you’re missing out on observing your ball's flight. On the range, you’re not getting the critical feedback needed to improve your

swing. You’re left guessing as to what’s actually happening to your golf shots and will end up practicing the wrong thing over and over again. Also available are 10 championship courses: The Golf Club Scottsdale in Scottsdale, Ariz. Bethpage Black in Long Island, N.Y. Torrey Pines Black (South) in La Jolla, Calif. Torrey Pines White (North) in La Jolla, Calif. Big Horn Mountains Course in Palm Desert, Calif. Big Horn Canyons Course in Palm Desert, Calif. Barseback Golf & Country Club in Skane, Sweden Black Mountain Golf Club in Hin Hua,Thailand Canadian Club Golf Course in St George, Canada Österåkers Golf Club in Stockholm, Sweden Play with up to four players. Hit all shots from tee to green. The computer is like your caddy. Its settings are specific to each club in your bag, so pick up a club registration form at the BMAC desk or from the Tin Cup Golf Club in the Mezzanine. Register by Dec. 31 and you get a free membership in the Tin Cup Golf Club, and discounts for play. It’s perfect for beginners, ladies, men, couples, or seniors. Leagues and tournaments will be held after Jan. 1. The Tin Cup Golf Club has very few nos: no wind, no rain, no carts, no cold, no snow, and no lost balls! Come on up and take a look. You’re invited to the Tin Cup’s free demo day on Nov. 26 at 1 p.m. Call 250-5154 for tee times or more information.

Taekwon-Do students medal at Broomfield tournament Submitted by Dianne Haynes

Top, from left to right, Senior Master Bob Hayes, Travis, Cayden, Sheila and Connor Sproles, Jamie Ramos, Caleb, Leah and Ryan Frink. Right, Tracy and Seth Morrick Photos courtesy of Dianne Haynes

Nine students from Battlement Mesa Taekwon-Do brought home medals in the sparring and pattern competitions at Grand Master Sereff’s Fall Championship on Oct. 16. The fall championship brings together students from all over the United States to compete in the areas of sparring, patterns and breaking. In the PeeWee boys division, Caleb Frink, high white belt, took third place sparring, and green belt Cayden Sproles took first place sparring in the junior lightweight division. Junior boys green belts Seth Morrick and Connor Sproles fought their way to second and first place finishes, respectively, in sparring. Not to be out done by the boys, Jamie Ramos, high yellow belt, took a third place medal in sparring in the junior girls division. In the women’s colored belt sparring, Leah Frink took third and Tracy Morrick won first. Sheila Sproles took third place in the adult (men’s and women’s) pattern competition. Husband Travis brought home third in the men’s sparring. First degree black belt Ryan Frink coached all the participants. Senior Master Bob Haynes, 8th Degree Black Belt, is their instructor.

Linda & Dave Devanney support The Grand Valley Echo

GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2011, 13

S P O R T S

R E C R E AT I O N

Parachute/Battlement Mesa Park and Recreation District - “Where The Fun Begins”

Craft Fair is Nov. 19 By Mary Anderson, Parachute/Battlement Mesa Park and Recreation District executive director

29th annual Craft Fair When: Nov. 19 Where: Grand Valley High School Time: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. This craft fair has 133 booth spots inside the school and there will be four vendors located outside of the school. The Grand Valley Kiwanis Club will be in charge of parking all the cars. Please be respectful to them. The Grand Valley Wrestling Team will be helping the vendors unload and load up their precious wares. There will be a good concession stand available with hot coffee, cold drinks, breakfast and lunch entrées and snacks. Beautiful poinsettias will be again offered for sale in the lobby. All proceeds from the concession stand and poinsettia sales and the help given to the vendors will go to high school youth groups. Some of the hand-created items available but not limited to will be: stained glass; art work; note cards; Christmas and holiday items; yummy baked goods; gourd art; an array of jewelry; lavender items; hand knit and crochet items; fleece wear; embroidered items; clothing; furniture; wooden home décor; candles; pottery and ceramics; personalized bread dough ornaments; gingerbread houses; guitar straps made to order; birdhouses; homegrown local honey; soaps; dips, salsas and soup mixes; aprons; baby items galore; photography; almond toffee and jams; glimmer and tiedyed T-shirts; tapestry luggage and bags; items crafted from antlers; lariat baskets; country items; metal art; quilts; gift baskets ready to take home; calendars; wreaths; crystal salt lamps; purses; hair bows; plus much, much more.

Adult Coed Volleyball: Six teams are playing against each other each Tuesday night at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center gym. Games are held at 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. Fun for everyone. There will be another league of adult coed volleyball beginning in January. Thank you to the senior class members who are doing the babysitting during the adult volleyball games as a fundraising activity. You are appreciated.

Youth Girls Basketball: There are two teams in each age division participating in girls basketball. Age divisions are third through sixth grades. League games are being played at area towns and at the St John Elementary School gymnasium. Practices are held two times per week at St John’s. Thank you to the coaches: Danny Manzanares, Susan Lang, Willie Williams, Cher and Danny Medina, and Michael Shepard. Our coaches volunteer their time and we appreciate each and every one of them.

Tiny Tot Basketball:Tiny Tot basketball for the little ones K through second grade has already started. Practices began on Nov. 7 at Bea Underwood Elementary School. Practices are held on Monday and Wednesday after school. There are no teams and no games; just the opportunity for the youngsters to learn and play basketball. Parents are encouraged to come watch the participation of the children.

Boys Youth Basketball: Youth basketball for boys will be held beginning in January and running through mid-March for third through sixth grade boys. Fee to play is $55 plus a $35 refundable uniform fee. This is a league with other area towns. Practices are held two times a week with the games to be held on Saturdays. Please pre-register your child by Jan. 4. Coaches are needed.

Youth Wrestling: K through six grades is held March through May annually. Open to both boys and girls. Serna will the head coach.

Parachute/Battlement Mesa Parks and Recreation is at 259 Cardinal Way, Parachute, 285-0388, parachutebattlementparkandrecreation.org. Check out the website; it’s updated frequently.

Sponsored by: Barbara Pavlin

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GRAND VALLEY ECHO â&#x20AC;˘ Mid-November / Mid-December 2011, Page 15

A R O U N D Haunted Halloween Clockwise from right: From left, Rebecca Gardner, and Tom, Timothy and TJ Boynton; Dustin Fowler, Dawn Ruelas, Angel Ruelas, Red M&M Cindy Break, Luigi Miguel Ruelas, Valerie Ruelas, Little Miss Ladybug Alexis Rush after making it through the haunted house and visiting Shommy's. Zombie assistant manager Sandra Dunning and hippie manager Cherry Goff.

From left, Cherry Goff, Zak and Majenna Dean, Halona Goff, Sarah McGee, and Raistlin Kemper at Shommy's costume contest drawing and raffle sign up. All here participated as haunted house actors. Photos courtesy of Cherry Goff

T H E

VA L L E Y

Page 16, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2011

Echo briefs Grand Junction VA Medical Center temporarily suspends some surgeries GRAND JUNCTION – The Grand Junction Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center has temporarily suspended certain types of intermediate complexity surgeries. These surgeries include such procedures as removing cancerous tumors from the intestines or lungs, though the medical center is continuing to perform other surgeries such as joint replacement, gall bladder removal, and appendectomies. The surgeries were first suspended after a report showed a few more surgical infections than normal. At that time the medical center leadership requested an outside review of the center’s procedures.The reviewers found no common source for the infections and determined they were an anomaly that required no further action and were not statistically significant. However, the reviews recommended that the suspension remain in place until a cardiologist and pulmonologist, heart and lung specialists, could be added to medical staff. This will bring the medical center in line with new standards of excellence in care. In the meantime, patients requiring one of the suspended surgeries will be treated at other facilities. There is no timeline to hire the new specialists, said Paul Sweeney, medical center spokesman. “We want to hire the best qualified specialists possible, and that takes time. We want our patients and their families to know we are committed to the highest standard of care and have full confidence in our providers. If a veteran has any questions about their care we encourage them to contact their care team.”

tour will be used for scholarships for Grand Valley High School senior girls. Tickets are $10 and may be purchased from any IP PEO member or by calling 285-1111. – Sharon Temple, publicity chairman Chapter IP, PEO

LIFT-UP receives $30,000 grant from Aspen Community Foundation Aspen Community Foundation awarded a $30,000 grant to LIFT-UP in October to assist their ongoing efforts to feed people in need in our local communities. "LIFT-UP greatly appreciates the strong support we've received from Aspen Community Foundation over the years," said Mike Powell, executive director of LIFT-UP. "As we move into the busy holiday season, this funding will help with our Thanksgiving and Christmas meal assistance." Requests for food assistance at LIFT-UP's seven area food pantries continues to be much higher than before the economic downturn in 2008. "Support from the community and caring organizations like Aspen Community Foundation has helped us keep up with the increased demand, which is how LIFT-UP is intended to work,” said Powell. “We're here to serve as a channel for the community's concern for their neighbors." For additional details please contact Mike Powell of LIFT-UP at 625-4496. – Doug Straw

Bluebird Project needs volunteers – Grand Junction VA Medical Center

Family Christmas concert to begin holiday family fun “Twas the night…” Do you know the rest of the story? Maybe. Grand Mesa Chorus Sweet Adelines will tell the rest of the story Dec. 4 at the recital hall at the Ross Performance Center at Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction. The chorus will be assisted by a special chorus of third grade students from Orchard Avenue Elementary School. The Christmas concert is especially written for folks to start off the holiday season with fun and music – and Santa. There is something for the everyone: kids, parents, grandparents, and everybody else. Performances are at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets may be purchased at Party Land, Mesa County City markets, from any Grand Mesa Chorus member, and at the door. If you would like to reserve your general seating tickets, call 245-1837. Ticket prices, are$10/adults, $8/seniors and students. Children age 5 and under will be admitted free. Santa and the Say Cheeeze Photo Booth will be available in the lobby for Santa photos with everyone. The cost per photo will be $10 at the booth. Photo times are 12-1:45 p.m. prior to the 2 p.m. show, and at one hour after the 2 p.m. show and at 5:45 to 6:45 p.m. prior to the 7 p.m. show Bring the whole family and enjoy a fun, light-hearted Christmas story and many of your favorite Christmas songs in wonderful barbershop a capella harmony! For more information, call Bobbie at 245-3480, grandmesachorus.org. – Sue Chapman

Holiday Home Tour tickets on sale now Tickets are available for the annual Holiday Home Tour sponsored by the Philanthropic Educational Organization (PEO) Chapter IP on Dec. 3. Four beautifully decorated homes are being featured in the villages of Willow Creek, Battlement Creek, Stone Ridge, and Monument Creek. Those taking the tour will be amazed at the beautiful art, traditional and southwest decorations, and crèches celebrating the birth of Jesus. The tour begins at 1 p.m. and will conclude at 4 p.m. Proceeds from the

The Grand Valley Bluebird Project is badly in need of volunteers for the coming year. We have lost a significant number of our volunteers to illness or people moving from the area. The Colorado Division of Wildlife and the Denver Audubon Society sponsors the project. The volunteers monitor from 10 to 15 bluebird nesting boxes once a week from April to early August. This takes no more than an hour and a half hours each time. We are currently monitoring 112 boxes. The boxes we monitor are at the golf course and on Battlement Mesa above Stone Quarry Road. If you like to walk, and would enjoy doing so in the beautiful ranch country where the boxes are located, then come join us. The only requirement is that you be tall enough to look into the boxes, which are four and a half feet off the ground. We have fledged an average of 190 bluebirds a year since 2005. We also fledge a number of tree swallows and fly catchers each year. If you are interested, give Gene Pickett a call at 285-1538. Leave a message if I am not at home and I will call you as soon as I can. This project will have to be cancelled if we cannot replace our volunteers. – Gene Pickett

Well Master Corporation opening a distribution center in Rifle RIFLE – Well Master Corporation, which manufactures patented plunger lift systems used to maximize oil and gas well production, is opening a distribution center in Rifle. Established in response to the growing needs of western Garfield County’s gas and oil industry, this location offers operators and production staff the convenience of finding the Well Master products and advice they trust close to where they work. Well Master is inviting the operator and production community to join them for breakfast and lunch on Nov. 15 between 7 a.m.-2 p.m. to celebrate their grand opening. The distribution center is located on 3161A Baron Lane, Rifle, just west of the Garfield County Airport. Well Master is a Colorado-based company, and is the exclusive manufacturer of the Viper™ and the Venturi Viper™ plunger lift products. All Well Master products are proudly manufactured in the U.S. and feature superior durability and quality. Well Master distribution center hours are Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m.-1 p.m. and the phone number is 970-573-8383. – Melissa Wood for Well Master

GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2011, Page 17

From the BBB Now is the time to safeguard your child’s identity Children are 51 times more likely than adults to have their identities stolen, according to a study conducted by Carnegie Mellon CyLab. Child IDs are used to purchase homes and automobiles, open credit card accounts, secure employment and obtain driver’s licenses. Children make good targets because most do not use their Social Security numbers until they become older. And identity thieves know that parents seldom – if ever – check their young child’s credit report. However, the CyLab report states that the youngest victim was 5 months old. The CyLab report also shared a story of a 17-year-old girl who is $725,000 in debt because her Social Security number was stolen and linked to eight different suspects. The suspects opened 42 accounts including mortgages, auto loans and credit cards. Several bills were in collections. Red flags that indicate your child’s identity has been compromised include unsolicited credit offers, letters from debt collectors addressed to your child, a letter from the IRS stating that your child’s Social Security number listed on your tax return is a duplicate number or, upon opening a bank account for your child, you’re told an account has already been opened with your child’s Social Security number. Your BBB offers the following tips to help on how to protect your child’s identity: Guard your child’s Social Security number. Don't carry your child's Social Security card in your wallet. Don't give out your child's number on the phone unless you trust the recipient and never send the number in an email. And don't give your kid his or her number until he or she is old enough to understand what it is. Be careful about posting information about your child. Scammers routinely scan social media posts to find information such as birth dates and ages that can help them steal identities. If you want to let your Facebook friends or Twitter followers know that it's your child's birthday, don't tell them the child's age. Educate your children about the importance of protecting personal information online. Check your child's credit report. Go to annualcreditreport.com, which lets you get a free report from each of the three credit bureaus once a year. If you enter your child's information and no report comes back, consider it a good sign. Start With Trust. For trustworthy consumer tips and information, visit wynco.bbb.org or call 970-484-1348 or 800-564-0371.

Nature at Home and Afield By Betsy Leonard

Reasons for the seasons

We can see signs of fall and the coming of winter all around us. The colder temperatures and shorter days trigger responses in plants. Deciduous trees and shrubs (of which we have several in our area) begin to undergo changes. One of the first changes occurs when the cells at the base of each leaf stem begin to die, forming a barrier that keeps water and nutrients from nourishing the plant. The green pigment (chlorophyll) in the leaves starts to break down and other pigments begin to show through. When the chlorophyll is strong in the summer months, the yellow and orange (carotenoid) pigments are masked, but as the chlorophyll decreases, these pigments become more obvious. Red (anthocyanin) pigments form as a result of chemical reactions that occur when the temperature drops and photosynthesis slows, especially in burning bush, hawthorn, serviceberry, and royal raindrop crabapple. While early cool temperatures bring about the vibrant fall colors, an early frost can diminish the beauty as it kills the leaves outright before the shift in color can occur. As the base cells die, the leaf’s attachment to the twig weakens. Once broken, the leaf falls to the ground. However, with the leaves gone, the tree is less likely to suffer damage from freezing. Without leaves, the tree cannot photosynthesize and so will remain dormant until longer days and warmer weather signal a new growth. Many people believe that seasonal variations are the result of our changing distance from the sun. This is a misconception. Initially, this seems to make sense. When you are close to the sun, it should be warm and summery; when you are far away, it should be cold and wintery – but this is not true. Earth travels around the sun in a slightly elliptical path, so it really doesn’t change by much how far we are from the sun. Besides, Earth is closest to the sun in early January of each year; and farthest from the sun in early July. And when it is summer in the Northern Hemisphere, it is winter in the Southern Hemisphere. Something else must cause the seasons. The seasons are the result of changes in the amount of solar energy, which is received at the earth’s surface. These energy changes happen because Earth’s axis is tilted in relation to its orbital plane, which is called the ecliptic. It is titled by 23.5 degrees and the axis always points in the same direction. During our summer, the Northern Hemisphere “leans” toward the sun in its revolution creating more daylight hours because the sun’s angle is more perpendicular to us than at other times of the year. The longer days and concentrated sunlight result in more heating. During the winter months, the Northern Hemisphere “leans” away from the sun. This causes fewer daylight hours with the sun hitting Earth at an angle; this makes it appear lower in the sky. There is less heating because the angled rays of the sun are spread out rather than direct. The result of a lower sun giving us indirect energy and a shorter day means that we are receiving much less energy, and temperatures must go down. Not all of the planets have the same kind of tilt as Earth. For example, Uranus has a tilt of almost 98 degrees! Its axis, then, lies almost on the plane of its orbit. Yet on the flip side, if Earth had no tilt (the axis would be zero degrees), our year-round climate would be rather boring and many places on Earth wouldn’t receive much light. There would be no difference in how the rays from the sun hit in different regions and there would be no seasons. So, it is fortunate Earth has a 23.5 degree tilt. The seasons help to make life more interesting! Betsy Leonard is an environmental education specialist who lives in Parachute.

Have a story idea? Contact the Echo gve@crystalvalleyecho.com

**Not valid on Valentine’s Day

Page 18, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2011

Grand Valley Fire Protection District

www.bmac-co.org 970-285-9480

Be safe during the holidays

Home for the Holidays Home-Based Business Fair, Saturday, November 19 starting at 9 AM Free Admission KSUN Christmas Gala, Saturday, December 3. Tickets available at BMAC in November Ladies Night Out, Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012

By Grand Valley Deputy Fire Chief Rob Ferguson Grand Valley Fire Protection District covers a wide area of residential, commercial and some very remote areas with fire suppression, emergency medical services, fire prevention, public education and training in cardiac pulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The district covers roughly 321 square miles. This is I-70 from mile marker 66.4 to mile marker 82.5, then all the way north to Rio Blanco County and south to Mesa County, including three-quarters of a square mile of Mesa County. For the month of October 2011, the fire district responded to 51 calls for service: 8 fire incidents 2 structure fires 5 fire alarms 1 brush fire 35 emergency medical calls If you should have 2 public assists an emergency, 1 hazmat assignment Training hours per Green Crew Black crew Red Crew

crew: 13 hours 15.5 hours 13.5 hours

please call 911 as soon as possible!

A pinochle group is forming. Call BMAC for more information. Get your art work ready for “Anything Goes” Art Show, February 2012 Drop in for: Zumba, Total Body Fitness, Advanced Step, Morning and Evening Water Aerobics, Taekwon Do, Kung Fu, Ballroom Dance (January), Belly Dance and Yoga Call for more information on these events and fitness classes at BMAC

Check out BATTLEMENT MESA METROPOLITAN DISTRICT'S new website for valuable information about water & wastewater operations, district management, documents, employment & association management.

www.bmmetrodistrict.com 970-285-9050 Office Hours: Monday - Friday 8 am - 5 pm

Safe tips for Thanksgiving We would like to remind the public that on Thanksgiving, the fire service sees three times more cooking fires than any other time of the year. Please remember to drive safe during the holidays and if you are deep-frying a turkey this year, remember to follow the instructions for the fryer and do the process outside away from your home. You should be at least 15 feet from any combustible materials. • Carefully decorating Christmas trees can help make your holidays safer. When decorating Christmas trees, always use safe tree lights. (Some lights are designed only for indoor or outdoor use, but not both.) Larger tree lights should also have some type of reflector rather than a bare bulb and all lights should be listed by a testing laboratory. • Never use electric lights on a metal tree. • Follow the manufacturer's instructions on how to use tree lights. Any string of lights with worn, frayed or broken cords or loose bulb connections should not be used. • Always unplug Christmas tree lights before leaving home or going to sleep. • Never use lit candles to decorate a tree, and place them well away from tree branches. • Try to keep live trees as moist as possible by giving them plenty of water daily. Do not purchase a tree that is dry or dropping needles. • Choose a sturdy tree stand designed not to tip over. • When purchasing an artificial tree, be sure it is labeled as fire-retardant. • Children are fascinated with Christmas trees. Keep a watchful eye on them when around the tree and do not let them play with the wiring or lights.

103.9 FM

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ksun christmas gala fundraiser december 3, 2011

• Store matches and lighters up high, out of the reach of children, preferably in a locked cabinet.

7 – 10 p.m. at the Activity Center $30 Donation in Advance/$35 Donation at Door

• Make sure the tree is at least three feet (one meter) away from any heat source and try to position it near an outlet so that cords are not running long distances.

Tickets available at the following locations:

• Do not place the tree where it may block exits. • Safely dispose of the tree when it begins dropping needles. Dried-out trees are highly flammable and should not be left in a house or garage, or placed against the house.

Have a great holiday and be SAFE!

Alpine Bank • Battlement Mesa Activity Center Wells Fargo Bank • Old Mountain Gift and Jewelry We would love to have you support our station!

KSUN COMMUNITY RADIO 398 Arroyo Drive, Battlement Mesa • 285-2246

www.ksunradio.org

GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2011, Page 19

H E A LT H

The Tooth of the Matter Are you prepared for a dental emergency? By Dr. Carol Lybrook, DDS Editor’s note: This is the second edition of “The Tooth of the Matter,” the Echo’s new column about dental health. Kids are prone to accidents and we as parents need to be prepared. Thousands of dental emergencies – from injuries to a painful, abscessed tooth – take place every day. Would you know what to do if your child broke a tooth or had a tooth knocked out while playing outdoors? What if you had a bad toothache in the middle of the night and couldn't get to the dentist until the next day? Knowing what to do can lessen the pain and save a tooth that might otherwise be lost. Keep your dental office phone number and an emergency number close at hand, where the dentist can be reached after hours with other emergency numbers, such as your family doctor, and fire and police departments. Some families post these numbers on the refrigerator or inside a kitchen cabinet door near the phone. Call the dentist immediately for instructions on how to handle a dental emergency. Toothache: Rinse the mouth with warm water to clean it out. Gently use dental floss or an interdental cleaner to remove any food or other debris that may be caught between the teeth. Never put aspirin or any other painkiller against the gums near the aching tooth. This could burn gum tissue. If the toothache persists, try to see the dentist. Don't rely on painkillers. They may temporarily relieve pain but your dentist should evaluate the condition. Knocked-out (avulsed) tooth: Try to find the tooth! This may not be as easy as you think if the injury took place on a playground, basketball court or while skateboarding, so try to stay calm. Hold the tooth by the crown and rinse the root in water if the tooth is dirty. Don't scrub it or remove any attached tissue fragments. If it's possible, gently insert and hold the tooth in its socket while you head to the dentist. If that's not possible, put the tooth in a cup of milk and bring it to the dentist. Time is critical for successful reimplantation, so try to get to your dentist immediately. Broken tooth: Rinse your mouth with warm water to clean the area. Use cold compresses on the outside of the cheek to help reduce the swelling. Sometimes a broken piece of the tooth can be bonded back into place. Make sure you bring it with you when you visit the dentist. Tongue or lip bites or wounds: Clean the area gently with a clean cloth and apply cold compresses to reduce any swelling. If the bleeding can't be controlled, go to a hospital emergency room or clinic. You may able to reduce bleeding from the tongue by pulling it forward and using gauze to put pressure on the wound. Objects caught between teeth: Try to gently remove the object with dental floss. Never use a sharp instrument to remove any object that is stuck between your teeth. If you can't dislodge the object with floss, contact your dentist. Possible broken jaw: Apply cold compresses to control swelling. Get to the hospital emergency room immediately. To learn more about the preparation of a dental emergency, talk to your dentist to define the plan that works for you and your family. Dr. Carol Lybrook and her husband, Dr. Scott Lybrook, operate Lybrook Dental Center in the Southgate Plaza in Parachute.

VA screening some Iraq, Afghanistan veterans for exposure to rabies

Veterans who have returned from Iraq, Afghanistan or other areas in Southeast Asia in the last 18 months are being contacted by the Grand Junction VA Medical Center to be screened for possible exposure to the rabies virus during their deployment. This screening is part of a nationwide preventative health program being conducted by the Veterans Health Administration in response to the recent death of a soldier who was bitten while deployed, but did not report the bite until after he developed active symptoms several months later. There is a safe and effective preventative treatment for those exposed to the rabies virus, which is transmitted through contact with the saliva of infected warm-blooded animals, such as dogs, cats, bats, foxes, skunks, raccoons, mongooses, and jackals. Mice, rats, and other small animals are rarely found to be infected with rabies. A person does not have to be bitten to develop rabies. Normally, rabies has an incubation period of one to three months; however, in some cases it can be as short as a few days or more than six months. In extremely rare cases, the incubation period has lasted several years. If not treated the disease is fatal. It is not always possible to tell if an animal has rabies. Not all animals infected with rabies appear sick or display abnormal behavior, such as foaming at the mouth or aggressive behavior. However, abnormal animal behavior, such as daytime activity by animals normally seen only at night can be an indication of rabies. Current estimates are that about 10 percent of the dogs in Afghanistan and Iraq are infected with the rabies virus. Many people avoid reporting possible exposure to the virus because they mistakenly believe the preventative treatment is highly painful. Today the vaccine is given as a series of four shots in the arm, similar to a flu vaccine. The shots are spread over a one-month period. Veterans who have returned from deployment in the last 18 months but have not enrolled for care with VA and those with questions can call Tom Ziemann at 970-263-5080 for more information. Veterans can also find more facts at cdc.gov/rabies/ or publichealth.va.gov/exposures/rabies/

– Department of Veterans Affairs

Secure Your Financial Future WORKING FROM HOME Earn monthly residual income with America's foremost green wellness company PLUS Get Bonuses and Profit Sharing For more information contact Barbara Pavlin 970-285-7634 • 970-309-1354

IF YOU ENJOY READING THIS PAPER, PLEASE SUBSCRIBE! The Echo is available at many valley locations for free pick up AND IS DELIVERED TO THE HOMES IN THE BATTLEMENT MESA AND PARACHUTE AREA FREE OF CHARGE You can help support the paper by becoming a paid subscriber. Mailed paid subscriptions are available for readers outside our area.

Name: ________________________________________________________________________ Address: ______________________________________________________________________ City: ___________________________________________ State: ________ Zip: ___________ Please complete this form & submit $35 per year to: THE GRAND VALLEY ECHO 274 Redstone Blvd., Redstone, CO 81623 We appreciate your support!

Page 20, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2011

Mesa Vista News Holiday parties and birthdays By Kathy Germano, Mesa Vista Assisted Living Residence activity director

Mesa Vista residents have been busy getting ready for their craft and bake sale on Nov. 19. We painted pumpkins with the honor roll students from the Grand Valley Middle School, which was a fun time for all and we had some very interesting pumpkins. We are celebrating three birthdays this month of November: Marge Koteskey on Nov. 10, CC Cervantes on Nov. 17, and Elizabeth Stephens on Nov. 23. Happy Birthday! On Nov. 4, we ate out at our local Chinese restaurant, Hong’s Garden. Our Thanksgiving feast on Nov. 24 is at 12:30 p.m. We are having a special saxophone performance by Jim Smith, “The Saxophone Guy,” on Nov. 22. December is bringing much hustle and bustle to Mesa Vista. The 4-H Club will decorate Mesa Vista again this year. I have heard rumors that some of the staff and friends of Mesa Vista will be decorating the outside of our building. Come by to see their decorations. Our annual Christmas party is on the evening of Dec. 16 with Ula the accordion player entertaining. We hope you all have a happy and safe holiday season. Come by and visit us anytime; we would love to see you! Mesa Vista Assisted Living Residence in Parachute/Battlement Mesa is part of the Senior Housing Options network of residences and apartments providing housing for older adults in Colorado.

Ruby Stout with Carolyn Thornton, then Yvonne Erickson her other friends at Mesa Vista.

Grand Mesa.

Photo by Rachel Bailey

GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2011, Page 21

O U R

From the Superintendent Garfield No. 16 School District By Ken Haptonstall Nov. 2 was a difficult day around Garfield 16. Uncertainty for the future of our staff and our students was evident around the district. With 40 percent of our voting public affirming our mill levy increase and 60 percent voicing their democratic right under the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR), the district and the community will have to make some hard decisions on what it values and how to deal with even more cutbacks in state funding. While there was certainly optimism for the mill levy passage, in the current political and economic climate, the administration of Garfield 16 has been working to identify those key practices that are mandated by the state and federal government, as well as those that might not be mandated, but certainly add tremendous value in meeting the district’s mission of preparing all students to be successful in life, in anticipation that the mill levy might not be successful. The timing of the governor’s budget release, on Nov. 1, was both timely and disappointing. With the state looking, at least at this point, to cut another $89 million from K-12 education, the certain increase in insurance costs, and other student enrollment cost increases, the district will be forced to cut between $550,000 and $600,000 in the 2012-13 school year. The multitude of cuts that have been enacted over the past three years have left the district with very little room in the budget to make any more without severely risking our ability to meet state and federal mandates, keep our schools in safe working order, and insure that we have adequate staff to provide a quality education. While it is easy to sit back and postulate the reasons for the negative vote, it also sends a very clear message that we have not communicated the needs and situation that the state cutbacks have created for our school system. That is completely our fault as a district and one that we hope to correct through stakeholder meetings, more frequent communication via our website, and articles posted to the Echo. It will be incumbent on the patrons of Garfield 16 to provide feedback on the types of cuts that will be made, and the school board to enact those cuts that will be necessary to meet the budgetary reality we must now face.

S C H O O L S

From Grand Valley Middle School’s Librarian

Birthday Book Club begins By Trish Braby

Let me start by saying “Happy Birthday” to everyone born in October. It is a great month to be born in. We were so excited to start our Birthday Book Club at Grand Valley Middle School (GVMS), in October. A letter will go home with your child during their birthday month reminding them of the opportunity to participate in the book club. After purchasing a book, they can present the book to the library in front of their class. I will then take your child's photo to add to the Birthday Book Club display and add the book to the library's collection, marking it with a special spine label and donation book plate inside the front cover that includes the student's name, and the year they donated the book. Students who participate in the Birthday Book Club will also receive recognition in the school newsletter. This is a great way to share the love of reading with the whole school. This program is totally optional. We appreciate your support but do not require participation. If you have questions about the Birthday Book Club, feel free to contact me, Trish Braby, at 285-5707, ext. 3111, tbraby@garfield16.org. Thanks and Happy Birthday!

GVHS

Fight like a girl By Jazmin McFarland, GVHS “Fight like a girl,” has been a commonly seen and heard phrase around Grand Valley High School and the community of Battlement Mesa and Parachute. During the month of October, the Grand Valley High School Music Department has worked to raise money to support Breast Cancer Awareness. They teamed up with Grand Valley Key Club, Booster Club, the Grand River Hospital District, and Headlines Salon in order to raise money and promote breast cancer awareness. The backbone behind the whole project to promote breast cancer awareness was the Grand Valley High School Music Department and music sponsor, Barbara Carroll. Carroll organized and put together ways to raise money by asking local businesses and clubs for assistance in her goal of raising money for breast cancer awareness. Carroll and her music students designed T-shirts to sell to students and community members that could be personalized with their own names on the back, and they also donated money from their 50/50 Giveaway Fundraiser. Key Club sold small breast cancer ribbons, bracelets and pins, and made pink cotton candy to sell at the home football game against Roaring Fork on Oct. 28. Key Club also did window painting around the high school and other community

businesses such as Alpine Bank, Clark’s Market, and Grand River Medical Center. Along with window painting and pin sales, Grand Valley Key Club challenged Grand Valley High School students to promote awareness by wearing pink on every Wednesday for the entire month of October, which was a huge success. Booster Club sold pink ribbons and hats at Clark’s Market as well as at home football games. They also donated half of all their proceeds from the home football game on Oct. 28. Headlines Salon contributed by selling pink hair extensions at the home game as well, and the Grand River Hospital District put together informational packets and had free giveaways at their booth during the home game. The Grand Valley Volleyball and Football teams also played roles in promoting breast cancer awareness. Students are used to supporting their teams in black-out or white-out attire, but on Oct. 28, they were asked to participate in a pink-out for the football game. At the football game, the cheerleaders worked with the younger girls of the community to put together a 1-12 cheerleading team. At half time the girls showed off their pink and performed their dance that they had been working on all month. In addition, the football team purchased wristbands that the boys wore in all of their October home and away games, and the volleyball team purchased pink shoelaces and ribbons to wear in their last games during the month of October. At the volleyball team’s last home game, each player presented one woman of their choice with a pink carnation in order to show their respect and thankfulness to all they have done to support or help them. The flower represented the gift of living, and the hopes that they will not be faced

with this common and deadly disease. Everyone's time, dedication, and efforts resulted in an estimated total of around $3,000 that was raised in order to support and promote breast cancer awareness. The proceeds will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Grand Valley High School has been striving to be more community-involved, and working to make a difference in other people’s lives. Many people are generous with donations among other things to help make sure that students are receiving the best school experience possible. Knowing this, students and staff have been more determined to give back in many different ways. This year’s National Breast Cancer Awareness Month has been a large leap in Grand Valley’s efforts of giving back. People can expect to see Grand Valley students working hard and being more involved in the community in order to express our gratitude to local businesses and community members for their support. With the efforts of all the businesses and clubs, this year’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month resulted in a very successful Breast Cancer Awareness Month. “Fight Like a Girl,” because it means not giving up, because it shows desire and drive, and most of all because we must fight for the ones we love and the people who surround us. “Fight Like a Girl,” because if we come out on top, maybe we will defeat this disease rather than let the disease defeat us. Maybe we will not have to see these women struggle. Maybe we will not have to see these women fall. Maybe we will not have to see these women in pain and in sickness. If we can fight this disease like a girl, then we are destined to be victorious in the end.

Students Korie Hurt and Megan Smith help paint the windows of the library for Breast Cancer Awareness Month at GVHS. Photo courtesy of GVHS

Page 22, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2011

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S C H O O L S

GVHS

And the crowd goes wild! By Dustin Weist, GVHS

The 2011 season for cross country finished with a bang of the gun in the state meet on October 29, 2011 for junior Isaiah Martinez. He made his way to state by receiving a new personal record at the regional meet in Delta on October 19 with a time of 17:56, which beat his previous best record of the season by 1:25. But he fell short of beating the junior record, set by Sam Whelan, by only one second Martinez was accompanied in the regional meet by seniors Dustin Weist and Kristen Schubert, junior Rocio Roman, sophomore Luis Pena, and freshman Jonathan Marbas. The boys’ team placed ninth as a team right behind Rifle’s team. Their accumulated time was a total time of 1:19:56.57 with their average time being 19:59.15. The girls did not have a full team which, so they did not place as a team. The girls ran first and showed impressive running with that being their third meet of the season. Both girls were involved with volleyball and had put in only a few practices with the team. Their determination proved worthwhile with Schubert receiving 22nd place with a time of 21:02.88 which was only 53.98 seconds off from making it The cross country team has a little fun at the regional meet in Delta at the end of their season together. Photo by Coach Kim Whelan to state, and Roman only two places behind Schubert received a time of 21:07.20, which was only 58.3 seconds off from making it to state. Schubert beat her previous best record of the season, up, stay close with the members on the team, and stay determined to be the best that you could possibly be,” Weist said. and Roman beat her record by about 40 seconds. Marbas had a great start to cross country as a freshman. He worked hard all Luis Pena, the lone sophomore, showed great running skills this year. He was also a part of soccer and was only able to run in four meets; he showed great season and was ready to the challenge that was ahead of him. He finished his seaimprovement though. In his first run, he ran an excellent time of 22:19.7. He was son with a personal record of 21:07. He placed 74th at regionals and was close to then able to run at Hotchkiss, which was one of the harder runs of the season his best with a 21:59 run. Although he did not receive the school’s junior record for cross country, Isaiah with the hills, but Pena was still able to run with a time of 22:34 where he placed 25th out of 54 and only two places behind senior Dustin Weist. Pena set a person- Martinez still ran impressively all season. He placed 14th and that made him elial record of 20:30.7 and placed 69th beating Marbas by five places but losing to gible for the state meet in Aurora. It was his first time making it to state in cross country and out of 128 athletes, Martinez beat his potential place by about 25 Weist by 15 places. Weist finished his season as a Cardinal cross country runner with a time of places by finishing in 60th place, with a time of 18:39.61. He beat people that he 19:30.10 at the regional meet, beating his previous record of 20:43, which he was trailing all season with this run. He had an amazing run and made Grand received at Rifle. He ran all season with Martinez and Marbas and showed great Valley High School very proud. Martinez said, “My favorite part of the season, was the end; when the season improvement throughout the season. “Some advice I’d give to future cross country runners is to try hard, never give was over.”

Just say yes By a GVHS Student “Live life like there is a tomorrow,” guest speaker Bobby Layman repeatedly urged. Bobby was a motivational speaker who visited Grand Valley High School (GVHS) in hopes of inspiring better decisions in life. Layman suffered a severe brain injury at the age of 17, but came to GVHS to speak about his experiences, and what he learned about life. This event was one of two motivational pieces that took place during Red Ribbon Week. The week was full of motivational messages concerning our personal life and things we do for fun. We have all heard the saying live like there is no tomorrow, but does living that way keep us from really reaching our full potential? Every year Red Ribbon Week is about saying no, but this year it was approached differently. It encouraged students to say yes to making a life change. When life gives you lemons make lemonade. Red Ribbon Week inspired many students to take advantage of having another day to live and living it to the fullest. Alcohol and drugs are so common amongst young people that it is slowly destroying today’s youth, and with Red Ribbon Week we are reminded there is much more to live for. Let this week be remembered forever and, “just say yes.”

THIS PAGE SPONSORED BY:

GARFIELD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 16 www.garcoschools.org

GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2011, Page 23

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Grand Valley Givers needs you By Principal Jory Sorensen, Grand Valley Middle School; and Principal Ryan Frink, Grand Valley High School What is Grand Valley Givers? Grand Valley Givers is a charitable organization meant for the support and well-being of Garfield 16 students and families. What does Grand Valley Givers do? Provides financial assistance for dental/medical, clothing, basic needs, school supplies, and school activity expenses for those students who need it. The Givers also provide needy families with food, as well as coordinating the Angel Tree (now called the Grand Valley Giving Tree) during the holidays. Part of the Givers mission is to involve and teach the youth of Garfield 16 the idea of servant leadership and helping others simply for the benefit of our community. How can I get involved or give to the Grand Valley Givers? You can make monetary donations to the Givers by contacting the office of Grand Valley Middle School. If you would like to get involved in any other capacity, contact one of the school administrators. There will also be Grand Valley Givers donation jars located around the community. This is a chance for you to help those students and families in our own community. Become a Giver today! What is the Grand Valley Giving Tree? The Grand Valley Giving Tree is replacing what was once called the Angel Tree in our community. Our local LIFT-UP is turning their focus to providing food for the community, therefore Grand Valley Givers will be taking over this program. This is a program to provide children of struggling families with Christmas gifts during the holidays. You will soon see Giving trees up around the community and in our schools. If you know of a child/family that needs to be part of the Giving Tree Program, contact one of the school head secretaries for sign-up (not LIFT-UP). We look forward to continuing to provide services to our community this year. We feel it serves multiple purposes; providing much-needed services and items for our needy students, while promoting servant leadership and giving among our youth. Please join us in promoting the Grand Valley Givers and make a difference for a child.

S C H O O L S

Terrific Kids for October 2011 The Parachute/Battlement Mesa Kiwanis Club sponsors Bea Underwood and St John elementary schools’ Terrific Kids. The program promotes character development and selfesteem. “TERRIFIC” is an acronym meaning Thoughtful, Enthusiastic, Respectful, Inclusive, Friendly, Inquisitive and Capable.

Bea Underwood Elementary School October’s Terrific Kids from Bea Underwood are, from left, first row, Opal Morganthaler (Kiwanis representative), Alexis Vicencio, Kaiden Kump, Peyton Nye, Alfredo Borja, Matt Piquette; second row, Evan Christman, Logan Wingfield, Lexi Norton, Adrian Mancinas. Not pictured: Kylee Dooley, Jacob Doyle, Enrique Garcia.

St John Elementary School October’s Terrific Kids from St John are, from left first row, Francisco Ruiz, Nelson Escolero, Marisol Isidoro, Jordyn Pittman, Rachael Brown, Kathryn Martinez; second row, Bill Coelho, Opal Morganthaler (Kiwanis representatives), Gage Price, Marco Rojas, Chase Lester, Baylee Perkins, Kathy Keeling (principal). Congratulations to all of October’s Terrific Kids!

THIS PAGE SPONSORED BY:

GARFIELD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 16 www.garcoschools.org

Page 24, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2011

FA I T H

Bethlehem scene to come alive in Parachute again The nativity scene, which is a vital part of the Christmas celebration, will come ‘alive’ again as Grand Valley area churches and the Parachute Ministerial Alliance hold their fourth annual Living Nativity at Beasley Park in downtown Parachute on Dec. 2 from 7-8 pm. Last year more than 40 people and several live animals participated directly in the program along with over 200 watching and singing Christmas carols. The program this year will again consist of Scripture readings and carols, and a time of refreshments and fellowship afterwards. All are invited! Admission is free. – Charlie Hornick

Faith Brief Jed Johnston new Family Life Pastor of Grace Bible Church Jed Johnston accepted the call from Grace Bible Church to be its Family Life Pastor and began his new ministry on Oct. 10. His goal is to minister to and strengthen the families in the church and community through Biblical teaching and personal encouragement. Jed graduated from Frontier School of the Bible in 2001 with a bachelor of arts in Biblical studies and is currently in the master’s program of Antioch School. He has ministered to youth, children, and families full time for the past nine years at Camp Id-Ra-He-Je in Bailey, Colo., a large Christian camp that has 10,000 campers each year. Jed has been the summer program supervisor, which has 2,500 summer campers. Jed was also active in the Christian Camp and Conference Association and served this past year as the president elect of the Rocky Mountain Section, which consists of more than 200 camps. He also served as volunteer firefighter/EMT with the Platte Canyon Fire Department. Jed and his wife Lisa have three children. – Charlie Hornick, Grace Bible Church

GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2011, Page 25

As I See It Thankful in tough times By Pastor Charlie Hornick, Grace Bible Church An elderly senior felt she had every reason to worry and to bemoan her present difficulties on Thanksgiving morn. Her grown daughters, desiring to comfort her, presented her with a multitude of reasons why she should feel blessed and encouraged. Their mother proved to be an expert at throwing back the grounds of her anxiety – at least she was satisfied with her answers. Finally, with warranted exasperation, one of the daughters exclaimed, “Mom, you’re just going to have to trust the Lord,” to which she quickly responded, “Oh dear, has it come to that?” Truth is, it always come to that. The God of the universe requires that his children trust him. Giving thanks when times are tough is an act that requires faith. Our forefathers demonstrated this as they celebrated what we deem the first Thanksgiving celebration in America in the fall of 1621. The year preceding that first Thanksgiving proved to be extremely perilous. On Dec. 26, 1620 the pilgrims landed in Massachusetts. Their insufficient provisions soon ran out and their makeshift shelters were inadequate for the harsh winter. Ten of 17 husbands and fathers died in what they termed the “first infection.” Fourteen of the 17 wives died within only three months. More than half of the band of pilgrims had starved to death or were overcome by disease by April. There were other tragedies that had plagued them along the way. William Bradford’s wife, Dorothy, drowned when she fell off the side of the Mayflower when her husband, along with other men, was scouting out the new land. On his return to the ship, he learned of her plight. He was left to care alone for their 1-year-old son. The roof of the common house caught fire, bringing fear and disappointment. While all were rescued safely from the fire, valuable warm clothing needed for the freezing chills was lost. However, the pilgrims had already cultivated times for demonstrating gratitude in their worship. Rather than choosing the natural response of despair, they trusted in God’s providential care and guidance in the midst of the hardships. Their regular readings of the Scriptures would inspire them to believe in God’s faithfulness. An attitude of gratitude would create a sense of hope that was vital for their day-to-day existence. There were obvious things they could be grateful for. The summer of 1621 turned out to be a welcome reprieve from many of the hardships. Two Indians, Samoset and Squanto who spoke English, came into their camp. Squanto especially would be considered “an instrument sent by God.” Also, the Wampanoag Indians became valuable friends who taught them how to plant corn. The rocky ground was unsuitable for growing wheat the pilgrims had brought from England. They learned how to hunt and fish in their new surroundings. Approximately 90 Wampanoag Indians joined the 50-some pilgrims for that first special feast. Expressing appreciation to each other enhanced the joys of the celebration. Still on that Thanksgiving of 1621 the colonists were aware of the hardships before them. Within a month after their feast, they would be restricted to half rations. Recurrent hunger would actually plague them for many more years to come. But the tough times were blessings in disguise. Painful trials have a way of forcing us to look beyond the surface of things to search for what really matters. Life, liberty, family, and good friends are priceless treasures. Most of all, we have a God we can trust. Even though the answers for many of our why questions seem beyond us, God’s presence is not. Neither is hope. The pilgrims experienced that it does come down to trusting the Lord in tough times. Faith expressed with deliberate giving of thanks to God keeps us focused and assists us in inspiring others to keep on keeping on. “Yes, Mom, you’re just going to have to trust the Lord. Enjoy your dinner.”

FA I T H

• The Echo Worship Directory • To be listed in The Echo Worship Directory, please contact gve@crystalvalleyecho.com to set up an account, there is a small monthly fee of $10.

All Saints' Episcopal Church 150 Sipprelle Dr. Battlement Mesa 285-7908 Pastor's mobile: 985-5797 The Reverend Edmond-Joseph Rivet, Priest-in-charge Website: allsaintsepiscopal.info Church e-mail: office@allsaintsepiscopal.info Pastor e-mail: frej@allsaintsepiscopal.info SUNDAY Sunday Eucharist: 10:30 a.m. Choir: 9:30 a.m. Children's Godly Play: 10 a.m. WOW: Worship On Wednesday Contemplative Eucharist: 6 p.m. Soup Social: 6:30 p.m. Episcopal Theology: 7 p.m.

••• Crown Peak Baptist Church 101 W. Battlement Parkway Parachute 285-7946 crownpeakbaptist.com Rick Van Vleet, Senior Pastor Dan LaRue, Associate Pastor Matt Loftin, Youth Pastor Brian Jarrett, Minister of Music Sunday Morning Worship – 8:30 a.m. & 11 a.m. Sunday Morning Bible Study for all ages – 9:45 a.m. (Children's Church offered during 11 a.m. service) Wed. Night Dinner 5:30 p.m. Wed. Night Programs 6:30 p.m. (Adult, Children & Youth Groups) Small groups meet throughout the week ... Visit our website for more information.

Grace Bible Church

The Lighthouse

755 Spencer Parkway P.O. Box 6248 Battlement Mesa 285-9862 Charlie Hornick, Pastor Jed Johnston, Family Life Pastor Chastity McGillivray, GBC Child Care Missionary Intern, Amy Hamilton

(Assembly of God) 1833 S. Battlement Parkway Battlement Mesa 285-7236 or 379-5947 (Pastor's cell) Pastor: Dr. Robert C. McNew

SUNDAY Blessing Up for Church Broadcast 8 a.m. - 103.9 FM Sunday School: 9:30-10:15 a.m. Morning Worship: 10:30 a.m. Evening Service: 5:30 p.m. Youth / Children’s Activities Grace Bible Church Child Care: Mon – Fri. Boy Scouts – Call for days/times Awana: Tuesdays 6:30pm (Sept. – April) High School Youth: Sundays 5:00-7:00 p.m. Middle School Youth: Wed. 7:00-8:30 p.m. *Bible Studies, Special Activities (Call for times and places) Website: grace-bible-church.com 24-Hour Prayer Line: 256-4693

••• Grand Valley Christian Church Second Street & Parachute Avenue Parachute Richard Counts, Pastor 285-7597, 260-1080 e-mail: office@mygvcc.info Church Office 285-7597 Sunday worship 10:00 a.m.

••• Come -- Experience God's Power for life & living Know -- Christ through a loving family for fellowship Grow -- In Christ through a foundation of discipleship Go -- With Christ in a ministry of service with a focus for evangelism

••• Faith Baptist Church 235 N. Railroad Ave. Parachute John Yadloski, Pastor 285-7424 Sunday Sunday School: 9:45 a.m. Morning Worship: 11 a.m. Children’s Church: 11:15 a.m. Wednesday Bible Study: 7 p.m.

•••

Grand Valley United Methodist Church 132 N. Parachute Ave. Parachute Dr. Bob Toll, Pastor Sunday Worship Service: 10 a.m.

SERVICES Sunday school: Sunday, 9:30 a.m. Worship service: Sunday, 10:30 a.m. (Children's Church & Nursery) Ladies’ Bible study and luncheon: Tuesday, 12-2 p.m.

••• Shepherd of the Mesa (WELS) Website: shepherdofthemesa.org Bill Cornelius, Pastor 987-3093 Youth Directors: Kristy and Rory Roder, Brandon Downing WORSHIP: Sunday at 10 a.m. Bible Information Class: Monday at 7 p.m. Family Bible Study: Wednesday at 7 p.m. Location: Historic Battlement Mesa Schoolhouse on County Road 300 Lutheran Catechism: Wednesday at 3 p.m. Women’s Bible Study Group: Monday at 9:30 a.m. Location: 12 Rosewood Way In Home Bible Study throughout the week. Call for times and locations in your area.

••• Wellspring of Life Church at Grand Valley High School Cafeteria 800 Cardinal Way Parachute Pastor David Bartlett Sunday Service Time: 10 a.m. Youth and Children’s Sunday School

•••

210-5795 210-5849

•••

Page 26, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2011

Where’s Redstone?

PUBLISHER’S NOTE: Where’s Redstone – and why should you care? The Grand Valley Echo’s nine-year old sister, The Crystal Valley Echo, is based in Redstone and is the monthly newspaper for the Crystal Valley. Besides, Redstone is a perfect, quick getaway for Grand Valleyites. Get to know your sister: Come visit.

Another Grand Illumination By Sue McEvoy One of Redstone’s more unique traditions is the annual Grand Illumination that takes place on the night after Thanksgiving in the parking lot of the Redstone Inn. Excess wood, logs and branches from surrounding neighbors and the inn piles up in the lower parking lot and awaits a torch. Businesses and residents all decorate their homes with lights and Christmas decorations. Each of the 17 street poles on the Boulevard is strung with garland and lights. Hundreds of luminarias – small paper bags carefully packed with sand and candles – line both sides of the mile-long residential neighborhood. Children from up and down the Crystal Valley eagerly wait in line to visit Santa Claus. To the sounds of carolers singing all the holiday classics and warm New this year…

Back by popular demand…

Winter Trail Rides

Winter Sliegh Rides

drinks and food served outside by the inn, hundreds of people gather around the fire to welcome the holiday season and spread the cheer. From the Redstone Inn to Crystal Dreams Bed and Breakfast, the shops and restaurants all stay open into the night to welcome old friends and new. It is a time to break from the hustle and bustle the holidays bring and enjoy the warmth of small-town hospitality. Bells are jingling and hooves are clapping as the team of Blondie and Ben from Avalanche Outfitters and Stables, clip-clop along the Boulevard, hauling people from one end of the road to the other just as they did a century ago. Take a step back in time and visit Redstone on Nov. 25 for some oldfashioned fun. The festivities begin at 4:30 p.m. For more information, contact the Redstone Inn at 963-2526, redstonecolorado.com. Redstone is located on Highway 133, 18 miles south of Carbondale. Take I-70 to Glenwood Springs and Highway 82 to the junction of Highway 133 at Carbondale. Hope to see you in Redstone!

Christmas Tree Rides Call for reservations…

Book your winter adventure by calling 963-1144 or 963-2526

i|á|à exwáàÉÇxVtáàÄx‹

redstonecolorado.com

THE HEART OF REDSTONE WITH A UNIQUE SELECTION OF CENTERPIECES FOR YOUR HOME! REDSTONE CASTLE TOUR TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE! OPEN YEAR ROUND • OPEN DAILY

970-963-1769 225 Redstone Blvd. • Redstone

Two Great Winter Deals… The Getaway Package - a two night stay, a four-course dinner for two with a bottle of wine, a carriage or sleigh ride and breakfast each morning. There is a 50.00 coupon option for any hotel services in place of the carriage or sleigh. Prices for 2 nights start at 390.00 - good any night of the week. The Date Night Package - a one night stay and a three-course dinner for two with a bottle of wine. The price is 150.00 plus tax and is good for any night of the week except holidays.

REDSTONE CASTLE TOURS Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday • 1:30 p.m. Tickets: $15 adults, $10 seniors, children 5-18 Children under 5: FREE (FOR GROUP TOURS CALL 970-963-9656) Tickets available at Tiffany of Redstone, the Redstone General Store and Crystal Club Cafe. CASH OR CHECK ONLY

www.redstonecastle.us

GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2011, Page 27

THE ECHO CLASSIFIEDS FOR RENT - PARACHUTE - Attractive and very clean newer condominium in pleasant neighborhood, opposite park. 3BD/2.5BA. One-car garage, fenced patio. Washer/Dryer plus all appliances. N/S. $850/mo. 948-5508. FOR RENT - BARGAIN HOUSE SHARING: Furnishhed bedroom and private bath in newer Battlement Mesa townhome. $380/mo. utilities included. N/S, N/P. Available mid-December. Call 285-2349.

THE GRAND VALLEY ECHO CLASSIFIED ADS Only $10 for up to 40 words! (25¢/word after that). Classified ads MUST be prepaid. Mail your check to: 274 Redstone Blvd., Redstone, CO 81623 and E-MAIL YOUR AD COPY TO: gve@crystalvalleyecho.com

SERVICE DIRECTORY Vacation Packages Cruises • Tours Weddings & Honeymoons

Rocky Mountain Pizza & Cones

Leisure • Group Corporate & Student Travel

Up to 3 topping family pizza $11.99 or 2 family flattops$19.99

SUSAN BREIER Travel Specialist (970) 285-9032 www.TravelFox.co • Susan@TravelFox.co Affiliated as an independent contractor with Montrose Travel CST #1018299-10

PICK UP / DELIVERY 970-285-2253 • 71 Tamarisk Trail

Steve’s Painting & Decorating Inc. New Construction, Commercial & Mold Prevention

#1 IN A #2 BUSINESS 24 HOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE! DEBEQUE TO ASPEN RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL • MUNICIPAL • Electronic locate • Rooter work • Unclog lines and drains • RootX Treatments • Hydro-jet of lines/grease traps • Septic tank inspections • Camera/Video inspection of lines 2” to 36” CALL RICK or SCOTT

Carrie Click Writer + Proofer + Editor • Basic and Full Service Oil Changes • Automatic Transmission Flushes • Tire Sales • ASE Certified Mechanic on duty full-time

970-930-0124

285-9217

P.O. BOX 1349 • RIFLE, CO 81650

120 S. Columbine Ct. • Parachute

Help for any writing project

970-930-0056 clickintoplace@yahoo.com

TO RUN YOUR AD IN THE GRAND VALLEY ECHO SERVICE DIRECTORY CALL 285-7634 TODAY!

Page 28, GRAND VALLEY ECHO â&#x20AC;˘ Mid-November / Mid-December 20110