Providing a voice for community-based organizations and individuals that enrich the life of the Grand Valley FREE
Volume #2 Number 7
Mid-April / Mid-May 2010
Town of Parachute
Spring Clean Up time is here
It’s spring, which means now is your opportunity to dispose of your refuse at a nominal charge or for free, depending upon the material. As usual, the Town of Parachute is supplying a dumpster at the Town Maintenance Facility on Grand Valley Way from 8 a.m.-12 p.m. on May 1, and from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. from May 3-7, or until full. The town is offering curbside refuse collection this year from May 3-7. Please make sure your curbside refuse is stacked in an orderly manner on your property near the curb to help Parachute’s Public Works Crew with this operation. If you need assistance disposing of your refuse, please contact Parachute Town Hall at 285-7630 and volunteers will assist you. And, if you are unable to participate because of age or infirmity, please contact town hall at the number above to leave us your contact information. – Mark King, Parachute Public Works director
Grand Valley High School students Liz Favier and Karmen Steimel took this colorful shot. Read about how you can share your photographic talents with the Echo on page 2.
From the Chief
NO...
Sports & Rec pages 16-17
Grand Valley Energy page 6
BMMD candidates page 3
Everyone wants to live in a clean, healthy neighborhood. We don't want to see litter in the streets. We want clean parks and places for our children to play. We share our neighborhood with businesses and we expect them to operate responsibly. Shared pride and responsibility is what makes a community. Keeping a neighborhood livable is a lot easier than trying to clean up neglect. Getting involved in keeping your community clean is a great way to meet your neighbors and contribute to an effort that benefits everybody. We, the men and women of the Parachute Police Department, invite you, and you, and you to participate in this year's Spring Clean Up. (Please see the brief by Mark King, at right, with details about a dumpster being provided to Parachute residents to help clear junk and trash from yards and neighborhoods.) In accordance with the Public Nuisances Ordinance 11.11.030 for the Town of Parachute, officers will be handing out doorknockers on properties and businesses that are in violation of the ordinance. Any violation may be punishable by a fine of up to $500 per offense per day. For a full list of the Town of Parachute's Public Nuisances Ordinances, visit parachutecolorado.com or stop by Parachute Town Hall, 222 Grand Valley Way, Parachute. We will be glad to help you.
Fee schedule Auto tires: $5 Small truck tires (20"): $13 Medium truck tires (22"): $18 Large truck tires (24"): $25 Heavy equipment tires: $40 Appliances (non-Freon): $20 Appliances (Freon): $30
Please note: The Spring Clean Up is for Town of Parachute residents only. Battlement Mesa may participate with Parachute in Clean Up Our Neighborhood Day on April 24, see page 5 for more.
Pets are Wonderful Month Page 12
By Cary L. Parmenter, Parachute Chief of Police
Petroleum products Paints, stains, varnishes, removers Computers or electronic equipment Asbestos Ammunition Wastewater from treatment plants, car washes etc.
Our Schools pages 21-25
Keeping our community clean
Inside
No hazardous waste The following list includes items that will not be collected and fees for items that are specifically charged by the landfill. You will need to make payment arrangements with Parachute Town Hall for charged items prior to the collection.
Town of Parachute
ELECTION
Spring Clean Up
Page 2, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-April / Mid-May 2010
FROM THE EDITOR The eyes of the Echo
Springtime weather has come to the Grand Valley, and with it, lots of opportunities to get outside and enjoy it. While you’re out there, we’d like to ask you to get out your cameras and take some photos for the newspaper. The pictures we’re looking for are called, in newspaper-speak, “stand-alone photos.” That means they don’t have to have a story attached to them, but can simply be of people, places and things in the Parachute/Battlement area. We’d like you to be the eyes of the Echo. We have a few guidelines when shooting for the paper: • Shots should be of the general Parachute/Battlement area. • Readers love to see fellow readers. Include people in your photos when you can. • Please use a digital camera, and not a cell phone camera, since the quality usually isn’t clear enough with a cell phone camera to enlarge photos for newspaper use. • If people are in your shot, we need to have them identified. Be sure to ask first and last name, and ask for the correct spelling. Nobody likes to see his or her name spelled wrong, and you never know; even Lee Smith can be Leigh Smythe. • If you’re taking a group shot, and the people are far away and can’t be identified, then, well, that’s OK, but otherwise, get those names. The reason? A photo in the paper loses its impact without names. You may know who you’re taking a photo of, but if readers don’t, or if they know someone’s name but not their face – or vice versa – it excludes readers from appreciating the photo. • Describe what’s going on in the photo, if it isn’t obvious. For example, if you’re taking a photo of your kid’s baseball game, it’s a good idea to include who the teams are, when the game was, and who won. • If you’re taking scenery shots, be sure to give the location. • When sending us photos, they need to be at least 170 dots per inch (dpi), and at least six inches wide. If this makes no sense to you, contact us at gve@crystalvalleyecho.com, and we’ll explain. Use that email address to send us photos, and give us your name, so we can credit you properly. We can’t guarantee that all shots submitted will get in the paper – the paper’s only so big. So give it a go, and happy shooting…
Have a story idea? Contact the Echo gve@crystalvalleyecho.com
– Carrie Click
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 $25 annual fee.
PUBLISHER/ DESIGNER ALYSSA OHNMACHT EDITOR CARRIE CLICK COPY EDITOR DANA CAYTON 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
Cary L. Parmenter, Mark King, M.E. Denomy, Mike McKibbin, Anne Huber, Bill Baer, Grand Valley Historical Society, Susan B. Alvillar, Denise Van Hoorelbeke, Julie Lana, Sarah Tahvonen, Rob Martin, Scott Saunders, Hilarie Olson, Bill Cornelius, Frank Lancaster, Steve Rippy, Mary Anderson, Betsy Leonard, Barbara Barker, Sharon Temple, Grand River Hosptial District, Juanita Williams, Joline B. Gnatek, Debbie Crawford, Rebecca Ruland, Cheryl Carpenter, JJ Treadwell, Jessica Cornejo-Benites, Scott Pankow, Brian Berg, Veronica Duran, Jeanne Miles, Liz Favier, Karmen Steimel, Kaity Brown, Chelsae White, Bryanna Emmons, Shawnee Young, Marty Bassett, Brooke Whitman
GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-April / Mid-May 2010, Page 3
E L E C T I O N
May 4 election to determine BMMD Board of Directors Compiled by Carrie Click, Echo editor
In Battlement Mesa, six candidates for the Battlement Mesa Metro District (BMMD) board are vying for three seats. An election to decide who will join existing board members Lynn Shore and Fred Inman, will be held at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center on May 4. Frank Lancaster, who’s currently on the board, has been term limited so he will not be running. Neither will current board member Ray Barber. Bill Nelson, the current president of the BMMD, is running for re-election. Also running for board seats are Bob Arrington, Michelle Foster, Keith Lammey, Sara McCurdy, and Bruce Richards. Through BMMD Manager Steve Rippy, the six candidates for the BMMD board were asked to submit information regarding themselves and their candidacies. Each candidate statement has been edited to 300 words, and is published below.
The candidates (in alphabetical order):
Bob Arrington Bob graduated from the University of Colorado with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, and a minor in history. He has a background in management, business systems, computer and engineering sciences, and public utility regulatory studies, and is a registered professional engineer. Bob has worked with the Soil Conservation Service, U.S. Army, Colorado Public Utilities Commission, and the Denver Building Inspection Appeals Board. Corporate experience spans Union Carbide, Martin-Marietta, C. A. Norgren, Universal Oil Products, and Coors. Engineering work ranged from surveying and drafting, heavy industrial equipment design, utility systems design and installation, to corporate engineering management. Bob served as president and a board member of Rocky Mountain Sport Officials. He officiated recreational and school sport programs for more than 30 years, and was a member of the National Ski Patrol. He co-founded Project YES! for Denver South High and raised funds to increase academic excellence and decrease dropouts. Leaving Denver in 1994, he and wife Ann opened a bed and breakfast in Glenwood. The Arringtons moved to Battlement in 2008. He serves on the Architectural Committee, was elected delegate for Willow Creek and serves on the Battlement Mesa Service Association board, is an active member of the Kiwanis Club. Bob has actively participated with Battlement Concerned Citizens and has participated in getting the Garfield County Health Department to spearhead health and environmental studies here. It is to further serve, in community growth and movement to self governance with diligent consideration of health, safety, welfare and preservation of property values, that Bob seeks a seat on the Battlement Mesa Metropolitan District Board. The district employs a skilled staff to accomplish this planning, work, and vision; and, Bob Arrington is “Bringing to the Board Skill, Training and a Desire to Serve the Community” that will complement this team.
The candidates: • • • • • •
Bob Arrington Michelle Foster Keith Lammey Sara McCurdy Bill Nelson Bruce Richards, M.D.
Michelle Foster Michelle moved to Battlement Mesa in 1982. She was an EMT and firefighter for 35 years. Michelle recently retired from the Grand Valley Fire Protection District (GVFPD) after 17 years of service. Currently, Michelle is the president of the GVFPD Board of Directors and am term limited for the second time so her term will be up in May. She also served 12 years on the Garfield County Planning and Zoning Commission. Michelle worked for the Battlement Mesa Company in the property management division for 20 years, and retired in 2008 She is currently the president of the Parachute/Battlement Mesa Chamber of Commerce In addition, in March, Michelle received the chamber’s Volunteer of the Year award for her service to the community. She is a member of Friends of the Parachute Library, and reads aloud to Mesa Vista Assisted Living residents regularly. She also helps to coordinate the library’s book sales. Michelle says she enjoys having lots of time as a retiree to be involved in many volunteer activities from the historical society to the library.
Keith Lammey A Colorado native. Keith has lived in Battlement Mesa since January 2005. He grew up on ranches in Colorado and Wyoming, and received a bachelor’s in business administration from the University of Wyoming. He spent 31 years in treasury, finance and credit roles for Fortune 100 to Fortune 1000 firms, from assistant treasurer for Petro-Lewis Corporation to the national director of credit for Allegiance Healthcare Corporation. In 2002, Keith formed Elk Peaks Consulting Group, Ltd., which provides property and homeowner association management services. Elk Peaks currently manages homeowners associations for Canyon View, First Eagles Point, and Fairway Villas, and well as Knollridge Townhome Association, Mesa Ridge Townhome Association (where he just completed a three-year term on the board of directors; and two and a half years as president), and Valley View Village’s HOA, Townhomes and Condominium associations. Keith is president of the Battlement Mesa Service Association board. He is on the board of directors of the Grand Valley Fire Protection District, and is a member of the Citizens Advisory Council for the Garfield County Comprehensive Plan 2030. Keith and spouse, Susan, reside in Battlement Mesa’s Mesa Ridge Village and he has a daughter and two granddaughters. He’s a licensed private pilot, and has a passion for sports cars and photography. In 2008, Keith published “Flying Quick Reference,” a book popular with student pilots. Keith’s ownership
interest in Colorado’s largest registered quarter horse ranch keeps him connected with his agricultural roots. Keith’s outlook on life is based on his belief that the secret to making people think you can walk on water is to figure out where the rocks are, then you can give the illusion that you can walk on water and that’s almost as good. So, in life, what is really important is to figure out what is really important.
Sara McCurdy Sara’s community involvement includes: • Littleton, Colo. District 6 Parent Committee to implement K-5; 6-8; 9-12 plan 1983-84 • Chesterfield, Mo. Comprehensive Plan Committee member 1989-1991 • Girl Scout Council of St. Louis County 1987-90 • Salt Lake Organizing Committee for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games 1999-2000 • BMSA board, vice president • BMSA Architectural Review Committee • Joint Advisory Committee (BMSA & BMMD) • Mt. Callahan Community Fund, co-chair • Battlement Mesa Ladies Golf Club secretary • First Eagles Point HOA board Sara decided to run for the Battlement Mesa Metropolitan District Board of Directors, because “I want to help guide Battlement Mesa toward reaching its fullest potential as a diverse, productive Western Colorado community. Our chosen home is facing many challenges as it grapples with not only the nation and state-wide economic situation, but also with cuts at the local level...including reduced services at the activity center.” Sara received a Bachelor of Science degree in journalism from Ohio University. She is married to Robert “Mac” McCurdy, and they have five grown children. The McCurdys “retired” to Battlement Mesa in 2005.
Bill Nelson Bill is running for re-election. He and his wife Eleanor have been married for 38 years. He moved to the U.S. in 1967, and moved to Battlement Mesa in 1998. Bill has been active ever since, having devoted 12 years’ continuous service to his community. Bill was educated in Great Britain and is a lifetime member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and a Certified Internal Auditor. As a former business owner, he recognizes the necessity of being fiscally prudent, especially as a custodian of public funds. He has served as a member of the CMD/BMMD boards for seven years, and as its president for the past two years. He has served on the Battlement Mesa Service Association Board as its president from 19992003. He continues as a member of its budget committee , is the chairman of its oil and gas committee, and is a member of the Joint Advisory Committee. “The BMMD exists to provide service to residents without enforcing burdensome tax rates or spending money on wasteful or unnecessary projects,” says Bill. “The BMSA recently awarded management of the service association to the BMMD, which has increased the responsibilities for both the BMMD staff and its oversight directors.” “My goal is to make sure the BMMD continues to maintain and expand the infrastructure for quality delivery and distribution of the water,” Bill says. “We have added two oil and gas producers as customers
For Bruce Richards and continued Bill Nelson information see page 31
Page 4, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-April / Mid-May 2010
L E T T E R S
T O
T H E
E C H O
Send us a letter. Got something on your mind? We’re expanding 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.
Thank you from Park and Rec
Dear Echo: Thank you to Clark’s Market for sponsoring the U12 boys’ soccer team shirts. Thank you to the Valley Car Wash, Ted Anderson, Judith Hayward, Antero Resources, and David Strickland for sponsoring the U10 girls’ soccer uniforms. Thank you to our coaches: Eric Chenoweth, Burk Wynkoop, Bill Cornelius, Adam Lambrecht, and Lori Metcalf. We are looking forward to a great season! Mary Anderson Executive director Parachute/Battlement Mesa Park and Recreation District
Thank you for helping Dani Gonzales
Dear Echo: This letter was originally addressed “Dear Parachute/Battlement Mesa Community.” Our sincere thanks to PEO Chapter IW and Grand Valley High School’s Key Club for their fundraising events for Dani Gonzales. The spaghetti dinner was a major undertaking; the food was delicious, the silent auction was wonderful, and the huge attendance was overwhelming. There are so many to thank, we hope we don’t inadvertently miss someone. Thanks to Battlement Mesa Activity Center, Battlement Mesa Company, Clark’s Market, Alpine Bank, Anchor Drilling, Ted Anderson, Jerry and Mary Lee Mohrlang, Keri Jensen, Jane Chapman, Alison Teter, Eric Schmela, Dan Cohen, and all the people who donated items for the silent auction, the cooking crew, the set-up and cleanup crews and all the others. The Key Club also held bake sales and we thank the members for all their hard work. Thanks to everyone for your caring and concern for Dani. Dani is far from well, but at least she is not in a hospital. We are looking at some surgery later this year, after the blood clot dissolves. Thanks for keeping her in your positive thoughts and prayers. Dani Gonzales Warren Smith Mary Moore Parachute/Battlement Mesa
Take survey about Garfield County’s future
Dear Echo: This letter was originally addressed “Dear Neighbor.” Like you, I fell in love with this valley the day I arrived; most do. The beauty that sur-
rounds us, the environment in which we live, is so rare in this world. I figure just by living here I have a responsibility to keep it that way. That's why I asked to be on Garfield County Planning and Zoning. Kind of a "money where your mouth is" thing. Right now, we as a community, you as a resident, can decide what Garfield County will look and feel like in 20 years. What kind of place will it be for our kids? What will they see? The document under construction is called the Comprehensive Plan for 2030. It’s asking for your opinion on growth, business, oil and gas, open space, industry, recreation, and our environment. What do we value? What needs to change? Where will we grow? This plan drives the ship, eventually resulting in legal changes to our county rules and regulations. What we’re hearing now is that you want a change in course. You value open space and prefer development close to existing towns and infrastructure. Makes sense to me. One problem is, our current comprehensive plan doesn't reflect this opinion. In a world where so much seems beyond our control, your opinion on the future of Garfield County will make a difference. That’s another thing I love about this place. I would ask that you let us hear from you. The easiest way is to take the online survey at garfieldcomprehensiveplan2030.com. Thank you for your time. Michael Sullivan Spring Valley
Thank you for Mardi Gras Banquet and Auction Dear Echo: The Parachute/Battement Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors want to thank everyone involved in making the Mardi Gras Madness Award Banquet and Auction a success. We especially want to thank the individuals, businesses and service organizations who donated items for the auction, and to auctioneer, Jack Pretti from Keller-Williams Real Estate, who auctioned off all the donated items. We want to thank Anne Huber for providing the music, and Ken Siedel with his crew for the refreshments. Thanks also go to Margaret Cooke from the White Buffalo for the marvelous dinner. Thank you to the special Chamber Community Awards recipients, who give their time and energy to our community. (See more on these award winners on pages 14-15.) It was a joy to have the community come together to enjoy a night of fun and fellowship. Thanks, everyone! Bill Cornelius Parachute/Battlement Mesa Chamber of Commerce Board member
Battlement Mesa: The Community Speaks By Eric Schmela, President, Battlement Mesa Company In a joint effort with the BMSA Board, we have been working on better ways to communicate and encourage dialogue with the community. As the Board continues this effort, I, too, have begun my own avenues of communication. Recently, I hosted two “after hours” meetings with the Fairways and Mesa Ridge neighborhoods. These meetings were a chance for residents to discuss their concerns, and make comments and suggestions on any topic of their choosing. It was a great opportunity to discuss the issues of most importance to those in attendance. Both meetings were successes, and as a result, I have decided to add six additional monthly meetings with the community throughout the summer. Yes, I will still meet with each community HOA individually as scheduled by its community representative to the BMSA Board as the summer progresses, but my planned additional meetings will be for all to attend in between. Over the next few months, a series of meetings that I am calling, “The Community Speaks,” will be held in locations throughout Battlement Mesa to highlight amenities and community assets both current and forthcoming. I want to continue to hear from you and allow for continued dialogue among residents and businesses alike. The golf course is one of our most popular, visible and valuable amenities and with a fresh update of the pro shop interior, makes for a great location to host my first meeting at 5:30 p.m. on May 11. At the meeting, Johnny, our golf pro, and his team will be available to answer your questions as well. I will be providing beverages and appetizers. In addition, we will be holding a drawing to win one session of the new Saturday Golf School! The new Saturday Golf School program, valued at $99, includes four hours of instruction from 8 a.m. to noon, range balls and then an afternoon of golf. Instruction alternates between full swing and short game. I look forward to seeing you and to another opportunity to listen to the “Community Speak.” The next meeting time and location will be announced in next month’s Echo. PAID ADVERTISEMENT
GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-April / Mid-May 2010, Page 5
GO GRAND VALLEY
Your calendar for goings on in and around Parachute and Battlement Mesa 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.
• April 15: 12-1 p.m. Grand River Hospital and Medical Center in Rifle is holding an informational meeting about its Optifast weight-loss program. RSVP required. Call 625-6200.
April 15: 12 p.m. Parachute/Battlement Mesa Chamber of Commerce board meeting is at Alpine Bank.
April 15-17: The Grand Valley High School (GVHS) Theatre Company presents Pajama Game at Cardinal Hall at GVHS. April 15 only is a dinner theater with four courses catered by Vance Johnson’s Outlaw Ribbs. Seating at 5:45 p.m., dinner at 6:30 p.m., performance at 7 p.m. $25/dinner and show, and no show is $5/general admission and $3/seniors and District 16 students with ID. April 16 and 7 p.m. are just performances, no dinner. Call Mark Gregory to pre-purchase tickets at 285-5705, ext. 4121.
• May 1: 8 a.m.-12 p.m. Spring Clean Up for Parachute residents. Bring trash, junk and more to the Parachute Town Maintenance Facility on Grand Valley Way. Fee charged for some items. Contact Parachute Town Hall for more info at 285-7630, parachutecolorado.com. • May 1: Grand Valley High School senior girls: Today is the final day to apply for one of two P.E.O. Chapter IP $1,000 scholarships. Forms are available from the school office or call Sharon Orr at 285-2202 or Jean Proud at 285-1008 for more information. May 3-7: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Spring Clean Up for Parachute residents. Bring trash, junk and more to the Parachute Town Maintenance Facility on Grand Valley Way. Fee charged for some items. Curbside refuse collection available. Contact Parachute Town Hall for more info at 285-7630, parachutecolorado.com.
• April 17: 10 a.m. Friends of the Parachute Library hold a general meeting at Parachute Town Hall, and take a sneak peek at the “new” library. 210-7119.
• May 4: Election day in Battlement Mesa. Voting for the Battlement Mesa Metro District Board of Directors is at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center.
• April 17: 1-3 p.m. A Women’s Self-Defense class, with instructor Bob Haynes at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center is an introduction to self-defense techniques. Class covers awareness of surroundings, vulnerability and risk assessment. Participants will practice resistance methods including passive, verbal, attitudinal and physical. $20/person. Contact Bob at 285-0396.
• May 11: 5:30 p.m. The Community Speaks, a BMSA/BMC public meeting with Battlement Mesa community members, at Battlement Mesa Golf Course. Beverages and appetizers provided. 285-9740.
April 17: 2 p.m. The Grand Valley Historical Society (GVHS) presents a program on Colorado native plants with Linda Stoneman of the Bureau of Land Management, at its spring meeting at the historic Battlement Mesa Schoolhouse. Short meeting prior to presentation. No admission charge for GVHS members; $3/suggested donation for general public. • April 21: 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. Preschool and Kindergarten Round-Up at the Grand Valley Center for Family Learning, 100 E. Second St., Parachute. Meet teachers, learn about the school. Call 285-5702 for more info. • April 22: Earth Day.
• April 23-24: 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Summit Preschool & Childcare Center, 719 Garden Lane, Rifle, is holding a yard and bake sale to buy fire alarms and toys. 6252860, 456-7634. • April 24: Clean Up Our Neighborhood Day, in Parachute and Battlement Mesa. Dumpsters available in Parachute and Battlement for trash picked up by volunteers. Contact Kiwanis Club of Grand Valley/Parachute’s Barbara Barker at 285-9826. • April 24: 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Cake decorating class at Grand River Hospital and Medical Center’s cafeteria. Info/RSVP at 625-6211, eharvey@grhd.org.
• April 26: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Free health screening from Mountain Family Health Centers is at Rifle Public Health Department, 195 West 14th St. Sharla, 618-3159.
• April 27: 1 p.m. Village Artists meet at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center for a watercolor demonstration and a description of therapeutic instruction technique by Jane Seglem. 285-7642. • May 1: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Big Yard Sale Day, a community-wide event, sponsored by the Battlement Mesa Activity Center (BMAC). Cost is $2 to list the address of your yard sale and items for sale in the catalog, which is distributed widely. Call BMAC at 285-9840.
• May 13: 12 p.m. Parachute/Battlement Mesa Chamber of Commerce membership meeting, Parachute Town Hall with speaker, Cary Parmenter, Parachute Chief of Police.
ONGOING • 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 Battlement Mesa Activity Center has lots of classes and activities: swimming, dancing, personal training, water aerobics, yoga, kung fu, basketball, and more. Call 285-9480. • Remember that the Parachute Library has temporarily moved to the corner of Fisher and Hill next to the Grand Valley Center for Family Learning in downtown Parachute. The original library is being renovated. Call 285-9870 with questions or if you need directions. • 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.• Every Monday from 12:45-4 p.m., Party Bridge is held at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center. All levels welcome. • The first Tuesday of every month, at 7 p.m. the West Garfield Democrats meet at Mesa Vista Assisted Living, 285-7206. • Every Tuesday at 7 a.m., the Kiwanis Club of Grand Valley/Parachute meets at its new location, the Parachute Senior Center, 540 N. Parachute, in Parachute. Coffee is at 7 a.m., program begins at 7:30 a.m. • The second Tuesday of every month at 6 p.m., the Grand Valley Citizens Alliance meets at the Mesa Vista Assisted Living. Call Paul, 285-7791. • HEARTBEAT, for those who have lost a friend or loved one through suicide, meets the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Glenwood Springs. Therapists do not conduct this group; it is a safe place where others who share this
unique pain can provide and obtain mutual support. Use the Bethel Chapel entrance of the church located at 824 Cooper Street.
• The fourth Tuesday of the month at 1 p.m. the Village Artists meet at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center. Contact Elaine Warehime, Village Artists president, at 2857197.
• Every Wednesday at 11:30 a.m., the 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.
• The second Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m., the Parachute/Battlement Mesa Park and Recreation District Board of Directors meets at the recreation district office, which moves this month to the Wasson/McKay House under the I-70 overpass, Parachute, 285-0388, pbmparkandrec.org. • Every Wednesday at 6 p.m., "Through the Bible in One Year" Bible Study is at the Grand Valley Christian Church, 116 W. Second. Contact Pastor Lois Smith, 285-7957.
• Every Friday from 9-9:30 a.m. “Community Connections” interviews with community members on KSUN 103.9 FM.
• Every Friday at 10:30 a.m. Story Time is at the Parachute Library. 285-9870.
• Every Friday at 7 p.m. Al-Anon meets for those troubled by another’s drinking at Grand Valley Christian Church, 116 W. Second, main building. Strictly confidential. Contact Doris, 285-9836 or Bonnie, 984-2286.
• Every Saturday BINGO! Is held at the Valley Senor Center. Coffee, soft drinks, popcorn, snacks.
• Every Saturday, Mountain Family Health Center in Glenwood is now open from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on a walkin basis, providing a low-cost alternative to the ER for nonemergency care. No appointment necessary. 1905 Blake Ave. 945-2840.
UPCOMING:
• May 15: Parachute/Battlement Mesa Kiwanis Club’s 17th annual Colorado River Scramble golf tournament at the Battlement Mesa Golf Club. Individuals and companies interested in sponsoring this activity, which benefits area student programs, can call Roy Brubacher at 285-9678, or Bill Coelho at 285-0178.
• May 20: 11:30 a.m. Chapter IP P.E.O. members host their annual Elegant Luncheon and Card Party at All Saints Episcopal Church. $10. Contact B.J. Lindauer at 285-1112, Sara Orono at 285-1111, or Lee Allen at 2855628 for more information.
• May 20: 12 p.m. Parachute/Battlement Mesa Chamber of Commerce board meeting is at Alpine Bank.
• May 22: Neighborhood Watch Barbecue at South Second Court Park. Contact Parachute Town Hall, 2857630 for more information. • May 29: Grand Valley High School graduation.
Page 6, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-April / Mid-May 2010
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GRAND VALLEY ENERGY A monthly column by M.E. Denomy, CPA
All quiet on the western front Colorado House Bill 1365 could ramp up natural gas production
Full Throttle Tire & Auto We do brakes, exhaust, struts, shocks, front end & rear end work. We offer fleet management. – Owners, Bonnie & Bobby Hancock
Things have slowed down here in the number of rigs and activity on the western end of the county. Even still, we already have more than 7,000 active wells producing minerals in Garfield County. These wells are providing much-needed income to our county, schools and mineral owners, as well as many operators and investors in the wells. A well can produce for up to 30 years, so all the activity that has taken place over the last several years will continue to produce an income for our region for many years to come. There are also a little more than 400 permits approved in 2010, so we will still see some activity with new drilling. There is something brewing in our state legislature that may increase the drilling of new wells. It is House Bill 1365. This bill is promoting an increase in the use of natural gas for electrical production. This bill has been nicknamed the Clean Energy Clean Jobs bill and has gotten a lot of across-the-board support. If this bill passes, we could see some significant increases in the number of rigs that will be taken out of mothballs and put back to work. It is interesting to think that there is a dual use for natural gas. We use it to heat our homes and water heaters. There is also a great need for its use to be converted to electricity. This gives it a potential for year-round use and not just in the cold months, which makes natural gas a muchneeded product. Next time you turn on your computers or open your garage door, thank our natural gas producers for making these luxuries possible 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.
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GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-April / Mid-May 2010, Page 7
E D U C AT I O N
Biofuels research project provides real-life learning for CMC Rifle students By Mike McKibbin, Colorado Mountain College
Jon Prater, Colorado Mountain College's integrative energy technology program coordinator in Rifle, helps dual enrollment student Nick Speer work on a biofuels boiler. The college is part of a $5 million, four- to five-year research project to produce and process biofuels from grasses and help absorb carbon dioxide, a Photos by Mike McKibbin greenhouse gas.
Garfield County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event Saturday May 1, 2010 At the West Garfield County Landfill 0075 CR 246 (Anvil Points Road) Rifle, CO 81650
PLEASE MAKE AN APPOINTMENT BY Calling 970-625-2516 between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday – Friday
RIFLE – Slowly taking shape alongside natural gas equipment used to train industry workers at Colorado Mountain College’s West Garfield Campus is an effort to determine if certain grasses can help provide alternative fuels and reduce greenhouse gases. Colorado Mountain College (CMC), Colorado State University, the City of Rifle and the nonprofit Flux Farm Foundation in Carbondale have formed the Western Colorado Carbon Neutral Bioenergy Consortium. CMC’s Rifle campus is part of a $5 million, fourto five-year research project to study the region’s capacity to produce perennial bioenergy crops such as switch grass, timothy, alfalfa and prickly pear cactus. Jon Prater, coordinator of CMC’s integrative energy technology program in Rifle, said the college’s task is to convert the grasses to ethanol. Gas industry companies donated most of the equipment material, Prater said. “It’s really quite a neat project with a lot of educational opportunities for our students,” he said. Chemistry instructor Nephi Thompson said hands-on learning is a big plus for his students. “It helps connect them with things in their daily lives. And when you have that, they retain what they learn much better than just as a result of completing some small lab experiment,” he said. “This is a fabulous opportunity to see chemistry in action.” The project is one of the state’s first bioenergy processing facilities housed at a community college like CMC. “It’s somewhat rare for a two-year college to be involved in a real research project like this,” Prater said. “If everything goes right and we get a process that works and is economically viable, [Rifle] could then entice a company to put up a larger-scale commercial plant. Local farmers and ranchers could then supply the grasses to that company, and the biofuels could be sold locally.” Within the first year, the consortium should have a good idea of how economically feasible the project could be, Prater said. The project could also help the nation move from corn- or sugar-based biofuels to those produced from grasses, he said.
Appointments are scheduled every five minutes beginning at 9:00 a.m. and ending at 2:00 p.m. This event is open to residential households only. The ONLY wastes that will be accepted are the following: Paint (lead, latex and oil based), Varnishes, and Stains, Thinners, Anti-Freeze, Used Motor Oil, Transmission Fluid, Petroleum products, Pesticides, Herbicides, Solvents, Poisons, Batteries, Florescent Light Bulbs, and any questionable material.
Quantities of waste will be LIMITED • Please no commercial size loads. Bring all items in a sturdy box preferably in their original labeled containers. Please do not mix products together. We look forward to seeing you there!
Spring Clean Up activities CLEAN UP OUR NEIGHBORHOOD DAY April 24. See calendar on page 5. See front page stories. Garfield County Earth Day Every Day, page 8. Garfield County Hazardous Waste Collection, left. Garfield County Weed of the Month, page 15.
Page 8, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-April / Mid-May 2010
Echo Briefs Battlement Mesa/Parachute’s Big Yard Sale Day is on May 1 Each year, the Battlement Mesa Activity Center (BMAC) sponsors an annual community-wide Big Yard Sale Day for Battlement Mesa and Parachute. This year, that day is on May 1 from 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. The cost is $2 to list the address of your yard sale, and items you’ll be selling (no prices) in the Community Yard Sale Catalog. The catalog will list locations of all sales and items for sale. Increase traffic to your yard sale by participating with others. The catalog is free via e-mail or $2 for a print version. The catalog can be picked up for $2 or emailed for free the morning of April 30. Please send your request for a catalog to sneely@bmac-co.org. Questions? Call BMAC 285-9480. Entry forms can e-mailed or picked up at the BMAC front desk. – Battlement Mesa Activity Center
Grow your own food and flowers in a community garden A community garden for all Parachute and Battlement Mesa residents is being built on Parachute Avenue directly across the street from the Grand Valley United Methodist Church. I Initially, there will be 10 garden plots. The Town of Parachute has installed a water tap, and other organizations in the community have donated funds to build the garden. We encourage families and individuals to participate. Since the materials to set up the garden have been donated, the annual cost for each member will be minimal. Gardeners may grow anything they desire: vegetables, flowers, perennials, or any combination thereof. Each garden will be provided a drip irrigation system to minimize the amount of water used. Gardeners may use their own tools, or if necessary, a set of tools will be purchased. If you are interested in participating, please contact Bill Baer at 285-6353. We can use your help in setting up the facility. This is a great opportunity for you and your family to grow your own food. – Bill Baer
Historical society meeting focuses on Colorado native plants The Grand Valley Historical Society (GVHS) is holding its spring meeting on April 17 at 2 p.m. at the historic Battlement Mesa Schoolhouse. The featured speaker will be Linda Stoneman of the Bureau of Land Management who will present a program on Colorado native plants. Linda, a graduate of Northern Colorado and Abilene Christian universities, is a member of the Native Plant Society and a master gardener. She teaches the Native Plant Master course at Grizzly Creek for the BLM and is also a co-instructor of Introduction to Plant and Grasses Identification. There will be a short meeting prior to the presentation and refreshments will be served. There is no admission charge for this program for GVHS members. The presentation is also open to the public. A suggested donation of $3 is requested. – Grand Valley Historical Society
GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-April / Mid-May 2010, Page 9
Echo Briefs Williams preparing to drill 15 wells in Parachute town limits Williams has been making presentations to the Town of Parachute and others about a project the company is planning on private property in the Town of Parachute city limits. In the fall of 2011, Williams plans to drill 15 wells from a pad just east of the south Parachute business park (which contains the hardware store, gas station, etc.). The location is between the railroad tracks and the river. The schedule is subject to change, but construction of the pad could begin mid-summer of 2011. The project, including drilling and completion of the wells, should take approximately six months. Planning and permitting is in the preliminary stages, and Williams is open to public comments and discussion. Contact Susan Alvillar at 263-5315 for more information. – Susan B. Alvillar, Williams
Parachute has a new leash law A leash law is now in effect for all pet animals in Parachute. The law has been amended to read: "Physical Control" means control of a pet animal by means of a tether or a leash, not longer than ten feet (10'), attached to the animal, and held by the owner or responsible person, or confinement within a vehicle or secure animal enclosure. A pet animal intruding upon the private property of any person other than the owner, without consent of the property owner, shall be deemed to not be under physical control. This can be found in Subsection (T) of Section 10.02.010 of the Parachute Municipal Code, concerning definitions. The complete ordinance can be viewed at Parachute Town Hall. – Denise Van Hoorelbeke Town of Parachute
Take a peek at “new” Parachute Library on April 17 Friends of the Parachute Library (FOPL) will have a general meeting on April 17, at 10 a.m. at Parachute Town Hall. All FOPL members and those interested are encouraged to attend. The agenda includes a sneak peak of the new library building, opportunities for volunteering, the annual book sale, and plans for the grand opening of the new building. Amelia Shelley, executive director of the county libraries, will lead the sneak peak. Meeting participants will have the opportunity to take a quick tour of the building under construction. The Friends of the Parachute Library is an organization committed to creating public support and awareness of the library and its programs. It is an all-volunteer organization. Those interested in joining FOPL can call 210-7119 for more information or attend the meeting on April 17. – Julie Lana, Friends of the Parachute Library
Page 10, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-April / Mid-May 2010
H E A LT H
Grand River Hospital District: An award winner with local chambers By Sarah Tahvonen, Grand River Hospital District
Help managing diabetes
If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, you are far from alone. More than 23 million people in the United States have diabetes, but being diagnosed does not mean you can’t live a full, active, healthy life. There is no doubt that being diabetic means changing your lifestyle. You may have to carefully watch what you eat and monitor how active you are, as well as manage medications such as insulin. Having diabetes can seem daunting at first. There are things to remember, foods not to eat, and appointments to keep. Having a support system and resources to turn to when you have trouble can be great help along the way. For many, taking time to receive diabetes management education can help tremendously with day-to-day activities and future planning. Diabetes management is composed of two services, Diabetes Self Management Training (DSMT) and Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT). DSMT includes education on the disease process, healthy eating, blood glucose monitoring, and how to prevent complications. MNT usually consists of a review of an individual’s food, activity, and self-monitored blood glucose records, and patient planned interventions. Both services may be provided in an individual or group setting. Many people who have diabetes can benefit greatly from these programs. A person who is newly diagnosed with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes, metabolic syndrome, pre-diabetes, or impaired fasting glucose can be referred to and may want to take part in diabetes management education. Locally, Grand River Hospital and Medical Center in Rifle has begun offering diabetes management education within their Changing Lifestyles program. They have a registered nurse and a registered dietitian, who is also a certified diabetes educator, on staff to make sure participants are getting what they need. For more information about their program, call 625-6200. If you think receiving diabetes education would be helpful to you, don’t hesitate to talk to your healthcare provider. Sarah Tahvonen writes about health issues for the Echo from Rifle. If you have any comments or suggestions for a healthrelated topic you’d like to see covered, e-mail toyourhealth35@yahoo.com.
Do you have a public event you’d like to let people know about? Send your calendar listing to: gve@crystalvalleyeho.com
RIFLE – At the annual Rifle Chamber Event and Awards Dinner, held March 13, the Grand River Hospital District (GRHD) was named the 2009 Rifle Chamber Business of the Year. The hospital district serves a 1,500-square-mile region that includes Parachute/Battlement Mesa, Rifle and Silt. With the addition of this year’s award, GRHD has been honored as Business of the Year from every chamber in its district. The Silt Area Chamber of Commerce named Grand River the 2005 Business of the Year, and in 2006, the Parachute/Battlement Mesa Chamber of Commerce gave GRHD the same recognition. “It is truly an honor and a privilege for Grand River to serve . . . all of the communities in our service territory,” said Martie Wisdom, GRHD’s chief executive officer. “Grand River's employees, physicians and Board will continue to do everything we can to ensure that we remain worthy of this honor.” Grand River Hospital District is a special tax district that was formed in 1961 to ensure healthcare availability to the local area. Since then, GRHD has grown and changed immensely, moving from Claggett Memorial Hospital in downtown Rifle to the new Grand River Hospital and Medical Center in 2003. In June of 2009, the district opened a new addition to that facility, allowing for more services, programs, and staff. The district operates four facilities. Grand River Hospital and Medical Center, located in Rifle, offers hospital services, including 24/7 emergency, radiology, inpatient and outpatient surgery, and cardiopulmonary care. The district also operates its Physical Therapy Center with an aqua therapy pool and Activities of Daily Living unit, and offers family health, internal medicine, women’s health, and specialty care. The district also has two facilities in Battlement Mesa: the Battlement Mesa Medical Clinic, offering family health and specialty care, and the Grand River Health and Safety Center, which offers physical therapy and occupational health services. Also located in Rifle is E Dene Moore Care Center, a long-term care facility. Grand River operates the Meals on Wheels of Western Garfield County program, and offers low-cost health fairs, free sports physicals, a ski helmet giveaway, scholarships, and more throughout the year to local communities. For more information about Grand River, visit grhd.org.
GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-April / Mid-May 2010, Page 11
A R T S
&
E N T E R TA I N M E N T
It’s a “Pajama Game” at GVHS Spring musical runs April 15-17 By Julie Lana, Grand Valley High School
Gladys (Bryanna Emmons) and Sid (Ethan Hinkle) discuss office matters in Grand Valley’s spring musical, “Pajama Game.” Photo by Rob Martin
Support the GVHS TheatreCo. Individuals and organizations are encouraged support the GVHS TheatreCo. by becoming patrons. Patrons receive premier seats at each production, signed promotional posters, and their own production Tshirt. Patron levels start at Bronze with a donation of $100, Silver for $250, Gold for $500, and Platinum for $750. All donations are tax deductible. If you are interested in becoming a patron, please contact Mark Gregory at 285-5705, ext. 4121, mgregory@garcoschools.org.
FUEL Up Your FLEET!
One of the first signs of spring is the sight of Grand Valley High School (GVHS) athletes training for baseball, track, and soccer in all types of weather. One practice that is not as obvious is that of the people involved in this year’s spring musical, “Pajama Game.” Under the direction of GVHS drama teacher Mark Gregory, the cast, composed of both middle and high school students, has been working diligently for the past three months. “I’m excited for the production because of all the hard work that various people and students have put into it,” said Justin Yanowicz, “Pajama Game”’s music coordinator. “As in other productions, this one is an intra-building and intra-department show that has pulled on the strengths of students of Grand Valley Middle and High schools.” Justin added that the 10-member pit band consists of staff and community members. “It has been a pleasure to work with colleagues in a new light,” he said. “We have people from Rifle, Parachute and DeBeque participating.” The role of Sid is the first lead for junior Ethan Hinkle who has been performing with GVHS TheatreCo. since his freshman year. “It’s shown me how far I’ve come,” Ethan said. “It has been a wonderful experience to work with the same people for the past few years. Mr. Gregory is a wonderful director.” With music and lyrics by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, “Pajama Game” is a romantic comedy that explores the dangers of a workplace romance. Conditions at the Sleep-Tite Pajama Factory are anything but peaceful, as sparks fly between new superintendent Sid Sorokin (Ethan Hinkle) and Babe Williams (Alissa Germiller), leader of the union grievance committee. Their stormy relationship comes to a head when the workers strike for a seven and a half-cent pay increase, setting off, not only a conflict between management and labor, but a battle of the sexes as well. The cast, director and crew entertain their audiences on April 15, 16 and 17 in Cardinal Hall at Grand Valley High School. The performance on April 15, is dinner theatre consisting of four courses and beverages catered by VJ’s Outlaw Ribs. Tickets for this performance are $25/person. Seating begins at 5:45 p.m. with dinner at 6 p.m. and the show at 7 p.m. Reservations are required due to limited seating. The April 16 and 17 performances begin at 7 p.m. Doors open for seating at 6:30 p.m. Tickets for non-dinner theatre evenings are $5 for general admission and $3 for seniors and Garfield School District No. 16 students and staff with ID. Tickets are available at the door, or pre-purchased tickets can be arranged by contacting director Mark Gregory at 285-5705 ext. 4121 or mgregory@garcoschools.org.
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Ethan Hinkle takes note of suggestions from drama director Mark Gregory while rehearsing for the Grand Valley’s spring musicial, “Pajama Game.” Photo by Rob Martin
Page 12, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-April / Mid-May 2010
S E N I O R S
Mesa Vista News By Scott Saunders, Mesa Vista Assisted Living Residence
It's Pets are Wonderful Month and Volunteer Appreciation Month April is Pets are Wonderful Month, and Mesa Vista is celebrating. Many people assume that they would have to give up their pets when they move into assisted living, but at Mesa Vista, we are pet friendly. Most of the pets we have had over the years are small dogs and cats, but we’ve also had birds and fish as well. Despite the challenges, pet ownership can be a very rewarding experience. Hildred Landrum states, “That cat means the world to me… I can’t tell you what a joy he is to have around!” Wanda Shearer echoes that sentiment. “My little birdie brightens my day,” she says. “He sings to me all the time.” April is also Volunteer Appreciation Month. We are immensely appreciative of all the gracious folks who have donated their time and talents to help us over the years. If you’ve ever been up to see us, chances are the first smiling friendly face you see is one of our many volunteers at the reception desk. The longevity of their volunteerism is a testament to their generosity, but also an indication of how rewarding volunteering can be. Alice Billmeyer has been volunteering for four years now, and she’s the rookie! June Zacharias has been with us five years, and Mabel Sanders has been with
Hildred Landrum and her kitty.
Photo courtesy of Mesa Vista
us for nine years. Grace Gibson, Helen Smith, and Kathryn Stewart have been helping Mesa Vista for 10 years! We also have volunteers in other areas, like activities. Michelle Foster reads to the residents every week. Michelle also provides reminiscing about the Good Ol’ Days monthly, along with Judi Hayward and Charlotte White. My sincere and humble apologies to anyone I may have forgotten, but rest assured that the staff and residents of Mesa Vista are very thankful that you take time out of your busy lives to help make ours a little brighter. We couldn’t do what we do without your help. Thanks to all!
1.866.442.9034
• The Community Counts Hotline
www.communitycountscolorado.com NEWS FROM COMMUNITY COUNTS’ INDUSTRY MEMBERS… Williams has been making presentations to the Town of Parachute and others about a project the company is planning on private property in the Town of Parachute city limits. In the fall of 2011, Williams plans to drill 15 wells from a pad just east of the south Parachute business park (which contains the hardware store, gas station, etc.). The location is between the railroad tracks and the river. The schedule is subject to change, but construction of the pad could begin mid-summer of 2011. The project, including drilling and completion of the wells, should take about 6 months approximately. Planning and permitting is in the preliminary stages, and Williams is open to public comments and discussion. Contact Susan Alvillar at 263.5315 for more information. Marathon Oil Company currently has one drilling rig working on the mesa north of Parachute. Marathon has plans to complete 50-60 wells in 2010 and is just getting this program underway. Contact: Mike Suek, 970.244.5722 Encana managers met earlier this month with Mesa and Garfield County municipal and county community leaders and officials. Topics included EnCana’s commitment to the Piceance Basin, and efforts to promote local use of natural gas through power generation and natural gas fleet vehicles. A public/private partnership with several operators and a local gas station operator is on target to provide a fast-fill natural gas pump in Parachute later this year as a first step towards making I70 a natural gas corridor. IT’S BAAACCK! THE 8th ANNUAL ENCANA ENERGY EXPO IN RIFLE! • MAY 5, 2010 – NOON TO 5 P.M. This highly successful Expo draws over 2,000 people every year to visit with representatives from the energy industry (including Renewable and Alternative), local governments, regulators, higher education organizations, and more. Eighty booths will feature exhibitors ready to answer your questions and share the latest information and technologies. Stop by EnCana’s natural gas vehicle display spotlighting the natural gas Honda Civic and one of EnCana’s pickup conversions. Visit the Fuel Tek Conversion booth to learn about vehicle conversations to natural gas. Bring the kids for hands-on learning with the NREL bus! It’s a fun event and we guarantee you’ll leave with new knowledge about the energy industry that is vitally important to Western Colorado.
GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-April / Mid-May 2010, Page 13
B U S I N E S S
Mesa Vista receives chamber’s Business of the Year award The Colorado Heritage Group
New Name • New Location Same Great Service! NEW LISTINGS
RETIRE IN CAREFREE LUXURY View filled, awning, covered deck, tiled floors, granite counters, elegant master suite-Italian tile Battlement Mesa- $199,900
SIMPLY…THE BEST Beautiful kitchen-loads of cabinets, custom stone accents-smart office, den/playroom, covered patio Battlement Mesa- $399,900 A REAL GEM Investment or first time home buyers, all it needs is paint, offers off street parking Rifle- $189,900 MOTIVATED SELLERS Experience carefree living, pecan flooring & ceramic tile, beautiful kitchen breakfast nook Battlement Mesa- $279,900 TO LAY UP OR GO FOR IT? Now is the time to go for it…move up to this fabulous home, too many custom features to list Battlement Mesa- $459,900
RAISED GARDEN-ROCK WALL Textured dry wall-hall/living rm, two large patios-stamped concrete kitchen-loads of cabinets/counters Battlement Mesa- $169,900
THREE WALK-IN CLOSETS Kitchen breakfast bar-utility roomfenced yard with separate dog run-nice landscaping-wood deck-MF home Battlement Mesa- $169,000
By Hilarie Olson, Senior Housing Options community liaison
The Parachute/Battlement Mesa Chamber of Commerce presented Mesa Vista Assisted Living Residence with the chamber’s Business of the Year award at its awards banquet on March 20. Scott Saunders, administrator for Mesa Vista, accepted the award on behalf of the Battlement Mesa-based assisted living residence. Mesa Vista is a nonprofit, licensed assisted care facility, home to 45 seniors and older adults with disabilities. It has been providing care and services to local residents for more than 10 years. The residence is a unique five-acre community in Battlement Mesa, which combines the peace and Scott Saunders, administrator of Mesa Vista. Photo courtesy of Bill Cornelius beauty of a western Colorado mesa with urban amenities. Residents enjoy a private apartment, 24hour staff, spa and beauty salon, meals and activities, an emergency call system, walking paths, garden, and weekly van outings. Nature is all around at Mesa Vista and medical facilities are close by. It is a Medicaid-approved residence. Senior Housing Options (SHO), the owner of Mesa Vista, is a nonprofit charitable organization. Its mission is “to provide and promote quality, affordable housing and services in a caring environment for older adults in Colorado.” SHO owns and manages 14-assisted living and subsidized housing residences for 500 low- and moderate-income elderly and persons with disabilities Mesa Vista is located at 0072 Sipprelle Dr. For more information on Senior Housing Options, go to seniorhousingoptions.org. For more information on the Parachute/Battlement Mesa Chamber of Commerce’s 2010 awards, see pages 14-15.
EXCEPTIONALLY GOOD TASTE Large deck with hot tub/open views, awesome kitchen-granite tile, pantry, oversized garage-great landscaping Battlement Mesa- $349,900
INVESTORS DREAM! Many new enhancements inside & out, move in condition-fully fenced yard, attached two car garage, MF home Battlement Mesa- $139,900 QUIET ELEGANCE HERE Upper deck-lower patio-open viewshigh ceilings-two gas fireplaces-beautiful two level home Battlement Mesa- $279,900 COVERED DECK-OPEN VIEWS Hardwood interior doors throughout, oak cabinetry, tiled entry, outbuilding, large RV parking Battlement Mesa- $209,900 STYLE WITH UNIQUE APPEAL Must see this amazing picturesque property situated in convenient village, chef ’s kitchen, 3-car garage. Battlement Mesa- $396,000
UPSCALE ELEGANT TOWNHOME Solid oak interior doors and trim, hardwood floors/main living area, upper/lower decks-special views Battlement Mesa- $299,900 TURN KEY CONDITION Two story-master on main level-large fenced yard-corner lot-bonus room and three bedrooms up. Battlement Mesa- $264,900 TRULY AN EXCEPTIONAL HOME End unit-maintenance free townhome-upper deck-lower patio with views-walk to activity center, shopping Battlement Mesa- $230,000 THE PERFECT SETTING! Terrific location offers 9.88 ac., 40x30 heated shop, 40x30 barn, riding arena, round-pen, irrigation Parachute- $465,000 ONLY A FEW LOTS LEFT Water, sewer & rec. tap fees paid, a great spot for your dream home, covenants to protect your investment Battlement Mesa- Starting at $69,000
mohrlang • jones The NAMES that mean EXCELLENCE in Real Estate…
Karen Jones, 970-379-1353 Mary Lee Mohrlang, CRS, GRI 970-216-5058 73 Sipprelle Drive, Suite J-1, Batlement Mesa, CO 81635 Virtual Tours available at www.MohrlangJones.com
Mesa Vista Assisted Living Residence.
Photo courtesy of Hilarie Olson
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Page 14, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-April / Mid-May 2010
C H A M B E R N E W S Mardi Gras Madness - March 20
From top: Auctioneer, Jack Pretti, from Keller-Williams Real Estate; Chamber President Michelle Foster presented the Chamber Distinguished Service Award to Alain Senac, owner of Easy Cuisine; Nancy Jay presented the Chamber Person of the Year award to Ted Anderson; Michelle Foster accepted the Chamber Volunteer of the Year award from Mary Lee Mohrlang; Alain Senac presented Mesa Vista administrator Scott Saunders with the Chamber Business of the Year to Mesa Vista Assisted Living, Chamber Vice President Mary Anderson presented the Chamber Service Organization of the Year to Shepherd of the Mesa Lutheran Church with Pastor Bill Cornelius and his wife, Debra, and Staff Minister Adam Lambrecht and his wife, Sarah; attendees enjoy the evening.
Photos courtesy of Parachute/Battlement Mesa Chamber of Commerce
Chamber Briefs By Bill Cornelius, Parachute/Battlement Mesa Chamber of Commerce
Cabin volunteer breakfast at schoolhouse a hit The Cabin Volunteer Breakfast was held March 11 at the Battlement Mesa Schoolhouse to thank all last year’s volunteers. More than 20 folks came to enjoy a hearty breakfast and good fellowship. Chamber President Michelle Foster, Chamber Vice President Mary Anderson, and Chamber Secretary Mary Lee Mohrlang, visited with the folks about all the events planned this season for the Visitors Cabin. It will be a very special year as it marks the 25th year the cabin has been welcoming visitors to our community, and a celebration has been planned for the cabin in June. Thanks, volunteers for your great service to this community. The Chamber appreciates all of your work!
Williams and Battlement Mesa Metro District featured at meeting The chamber’s March member meeting was also held March 11 at the schoolhouse. The folks at VJ’s Outlaw Ribbs provided a delicious lunch. The chamber thanked VJ’s for hosting last month’s social. It was one of the best-attended socials in quite a while. At the meeting, Susan Alvillar and Brian Hotard gave an update on the planned drilling of Williams at their well site just off I-70. They showed us the well sites and visited with us about all the planning Williams is conducting in order to make the process go as smoothly as possible. Susan and Doug then fielded several questions from chamber members about Williams’ work in general in the area and specifically about the well sites that will be developed here in the next year. The guest for the chamber meeting was Steve Rippy, manager of the Battlement Mesa Metro District. Steve talked with chamber members about what the metro district does and whom people can contact with any questions. The next chamber member meeting will be at 12 p.m. on May 13 at Parachute Town Hall.
Businesses of the Month for April Alpine Bank Jason Fletcher is the branch manager of Alpine Bank in Battlement Mesa. Locally owned and operated, Alpine Bank has been a part of the Western Slope of Colorado for more than 36 years. With 37 convenient locations, the bank serves close to 100,000 customers with retail, business, trust, asset management, mortgage, and electronic banking services. Many employees and managers have been with Alpine Bank for 10 years or longer. This dedication allows Alpine Bank to build longterm customer relationships. In fact, many of the original board of directors are still with Alpine Bank, including Chairman Bob Young. Because Alpine Bank is not a national banking chain, they have the ability to be flexible in creating solutions for customers that do not fit typical approaches. Their size and streamlined organizational structure enables them to react quickly to the needs of their customers. They understand the important role they should play in the communities they serve. Alpine Bank’s financial commitment to these communities is substantial, and their employees give generously of their time and talent. Alpine Bank’s mission: To help Alpine Bank’s customers, employees, shareholders, and community members achieve their dreams.
R & S Sales and Welding Service Bob and Shirley Ackerman are owners of R & S Sales and Welding Service, located at 310 W. First St., in Parachute. Bob and Shirley have been anchors of the Parachute/Battlement Mesa community for many years. They were instrumental in getting the Visitors Cabin started. For all your welding supplies needs give Bob a call at 285-7743.
GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-April / Mid-May 2010, Page 15
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WOW! Simply . . . WOW! Chamber members enjoyed Mardi Gras Madness Awards Banquet and Auction
WEED OF THE MONTH Myrtle spurge (Euphorbia myrsinites) This is the first in a series of informational display ads that will appear once a month throughout the growing season in The Grand Valley Echo. These articles are intended to promote public awareness on Garfield County and State of Colorado listed noxious weeds. Landowners, both public and private, are obligated by state law to manage noxious weeds on their property. Garfield County, in cooperation with the local Conservation Districts, offers costshare programs that provide financial assistance for the management of listed noxious weeds.
Myrtle Spurge (Euphorbia myrsinites) Also known as Donkey Tail and Creeping Spurge. Low growing perennial reaching a height of 4”-6” and spread of 18”. Fleshy, trailing blue-green leaves. Yellowish green flower-like bracts appear in early spring. Reproduces by seeds that are capable of projecting up to 15’ away from the plant. Exudes toxic, milky latex that can cause burns and irritation to the skin. Keep young children away from this plant. All plant parts of the plant are considered poisonous. Highly invasive escaped ornamental common in many xeriscapes and rock gardens. Myrtle Spurge is expanding rapidly, displacing native vegetation and reducing forage for wildlife. • A major problem along the Front Range. • It is found locally in Battlement Mesa, Glenwood Springs, and New Castle. • • • • • • • • • •
Management Small infestations can be hand dug or pulled, however be sure to wear appropriate clothing and gloves since the sap secreted from Myrtle Spurge is capable of burning the skin. Eliminating the seed bank of this plant is necessary given that it is a prolific seed producer. For that reason remove the flower and seed head promptly. Also, eliminating new seedlings when the plant is young will aid in control. For larger infestations of Myrtle Spurge a herbicide is recommended. Please contact the Garfield County Vegetation Management for recommendations on an appropriate herbicide. As always a good ground cover will prevent noxious weeds from becoming a problem, so seeding bare ground after any ground disturbance is essential. This plant is on the State of Colorado’s A list of noxious weeds, meaning that the state wants it completely eradicated. If you see this plant in the area, please call the Garfield County Vegetation Management Department. For more information about this plant or any of the other weeds in Garfield County, contact the Vegetation Management Department at 625-8601 x 105, or by email: santhony@garfield-county.com
By Bill Cornelius, Parachute/Battlement Mesa Chamber of Commerce
WOW! Simply . . . Upcoming chamber events: WOW! That’s the general April 15 – Board meeting, consensus of the Alpine Bank, 12 p.m. Parachute/Battlement May 13 – Membership meeting, Mesa Board of Parachute Town Hall, 12 p.m. Directors as we ponder Speaker: Cary Parmenter, all that has been going Parachute Chief of Police on with the chamber May 20 – Board meeting, lately. Alpine Bank, 12 p.m. One of the highlights for all of that excitement this past month was the Chamber’s Award Banquet and Auction held March 20 at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center (BMAC). Mardi Gras Madness was in full swing throughout the evening. There were more than 100 guests at the event, who perused over the 100-plu items donated by area folks for the silent auction. And the silent auction selections were widely varied. Mardi Gras partiers could bid on items ranging from jewelry, to sports memorabilia, to gift baskets, dental checkups, gift certificates for area businesses, and more wonderful gifts. Everyone enjoyed the music provided by Anne Huber, and the libations offered by Ken Siedel. Margaret Cooke from the White Buffalo put out a marvelous dinner. And then the chamber’s community awards were presented. Shepherd of the Mesa Lutheran Church was awarded the Service Organization of the Year award for its many youth-oriented programs and community service events. Staff Minister Adam Lambrecht and his wife Sarah, along with Pastor Bill Cornelius and his wife Debra accepted the award. The chamber awarded Mesa Vista Assisted Living the Business of the Year Award. Scott Saunders, the administrator, accepted the award for Mesa Vista in recognition for their compassionate contributions to the community during the last 10 years. The Volunteer of the Year was awarded to Michelle Foster for her tireless work in many different organizations around our community. Michelle is someone who has been involved with this community as a volunteer for almost as long as the community has been here. The chamber awarded the Person of the Year to big-hearted Ted Anderson. Ted has a heart for kids and has always worked quietly in the background finding donations for youth programs, many times out of his own pocket. When Ted was asked for a “Speech! Speech!” by those in attendance, he simply said, “Ah thanks folks, let’s just continue with the celebration now.” And then a special award was presented by the chamber that is not given every year. But the chamber felt that the recipients were especially worthy. The Distinguished Service Award was presented to Alain and Jan Senac from Easy Cuisine. Alain and Jan have been ardent supporters of our community from the time they first set foot here. They have catered countless events. They have been supporters of many, if not all, of the different nonprofit organizations in our community. Jan and Alain’s tireless service will be missed as they started their much-deserved retirement at the end of 2009. After the awards were presented, auctioneer Jack Pretti, from Keller-Williams Real Estate, took over to auction off the live auction items. The support given to this community shown in the bid amounts was amazing. Included in the live auction were some of the high school wrestlers with Coach Rich Gallegos who were willing to work for the day for the high bidder. Williams’ representative Susan Alvillar ran the bidding up until she won with the bid of $1,250! The event raised more than $12,000 to be used by the chamber for scholarships, community events and promotion of our community. WOW! Simply . . . WOW!
Page 16, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-April / Mid-May 2010
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Technology makes exercise more fun
Battlement Mesa Men’s Golf League starts new season By Frank Lancaster, Battlement Mesa Men’s Golf League secretary-treasurer
Michelle McCurdy shows off her digital lap counter, left, and her waterproof MP3 player, right. Photo courtesy of BMAC
By Anne Huber, Battlement Mesa Activity Center executive director
Michelle McCurdy swims laps – lots of them – regularly at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center (BMAC) pool. Watching Michelle prepare for swimming caught my eye at she put on her swim cap, goggles, and then added what looked like very modern headphones. Next, she strapped a little device on her index finger. The headphones are a waterproof version of a regular MP3 player. The headset uses bone conduction technology, transmitting sound waves from the cheekbone to the inner ear. Nothing goes into the ear canal. Michelle’s brother gave her the headset as a Christmas present. “[It is] totally more fun to swim with the music of my choice playing into my head,” said Michelle. Although she swam for nearly four years without the headphones, Michelle said would not do without them now. “One day my batteries died and it was a bummer swimming without the music,” she said. The device on her finger is a digital lap counter. It looked like a little watch. She has used it for more than two years and the same battery is still working. Previously unknown to me, the lap lane divider ropes have circular discs that can be used as lap counters by sliding them over with each lap, but Michelle says the digital counter is easier and saves a second or two with each lap. Music is well known to be an exercise motivator or de-motivator if the wrong type of music is playing. With personal players, exercisers can tune out unwanted sounds and tune in their favorites. If you have been thinking about swimming laps and wondered how you would get through the workout, take a tip from Michelle and consider a waterproof headset MP3 player.
Refreshing... Evening water aerobics class members, with instructor Debbie Wolchek, use water weights to add fitness and burn calories. Water aerobics is a great way to end the workday and meet new people, plus it's an effective low-impact workout. New class members can join anytime. Class meets Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6 p.m. Call the Battlement Mesa Activity Center at 285-9480 for more information. Photo courtesy of BMAC
The Battlement Mesa Men’s Golf League held their opening day on April 7. The league’s seven board members have been meeting during the off-season to come up with new games and rules for the 2010 season. The board members include John Constine, president; John Prater, vice president; Frank Lancaster, secretary-treasurer; and Paul Bussone, Jack Elsea, Nate Robinson and Tom Gentilcore The 2010 season will be much like the 2009 season except a new wrinkle has been added called a variety game. Season play will include a season-long, nine-hole points game, Nassau, for both nine holes and 18 holes, skins for both nine holes and 18 holes, and the hole-in-one pot. This year, a variety game will be added once a month. The fee for membership is $55, which includes USGA membership and handicap, prizes, a year-end steak fry, and a hole-in-one pot. Weekly play will cost $6 for nine holes and $10 for 18 holes. When the monthly variety game is added, the cost will be $8 for nine holes and $12 for 18 holes. Players cannot reduce the number of games for a reduced cost. Therefore, a player must either play all of the nine-hole games and the once-a-month variety game, or the nine-hole season-long points game, the two 18-hole games, and the once-a- month variety game, each time he plays. Players must make their own starting time on Wednesday as long as they play with another men’s golf member. The club is looking forward to another fun season. Further information may be obtained by calling the golf course at 285-7274 or President John Constine at 285-6982.
GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-April / Mid-May 2010, Page 17
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Parachute/Battlement Mesa Park and Recreation District - “Where The Fun Begins”
Choose from soccer, wrestling, tee ball, softball and baseball By Mary Anderson, Parachute/Battlement Mesa Park and Recreation District executive director
The park and recreation board election that was to be held on May 4 has been cancelled since there were only two nomination petitions for three open seats. Jason Fletcher and Adam Lambrecht will continue serving on the board and there is one vacancy open. The district office has moved to 259 Cardinal Way into the Wasson-McKay House, which is owned by the Town of Parachute. Spring soccer: Four teams are participating. The games began on April 10. Practices are ongoing. There are three fields set up: one in Cottonwood Park and two at the adjacent ball fields. Youth wrestling: A tournament is scheduled for April 24 in Parachute at St John Elementary School. The practices are ongoing and are being held at Grand Valley High School. Tony Serna is the head coach and Amie Martin is team manager. There are 42 participants in this program. The first tournament was held in Rifle on March 27. Tee ball: Tee ball for 5-to-7-year-olds will be held two times a week in late April or May. This is a fun way for your little one to learn the fundamentals of the game of baseball or softball. The youngsters hit the ball off a tee or the older children can have a coach pitch the tee ball. Fee is $40 to participate. Please register by mid-April. Baseball and girls’ softball: Sign up by mid-May. The fee to participate is $55 with a $35 refundable uniform fee. This program is for youngsters 8- to-15-years-old, boys and girls. Practices are held at the ball fields in Parachute, next to the Colorado River. Games are held in various towns and Parachute. Adult coed softball: There will be coed softball in the summer. Please call 285-0388 for more information or to get on the coed softball list. Anyone 16-years-old or older can participate. There is no alcohol allowed at the ball fields! The fee per team will be at least $250. Cottonwood Park: To reserve the Cottonwood Park pavilion for company picnics, etc., please contact the Town of Parachute at 285-7630.
Parachute/Battlement Mesa Parks and Recreation, 285-0388, pbmparkandrec.org. Check out the website; it’s updated frequently.
Page 18, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-April / Mid-May 2010
L I V I N G
Take a Hint
Nature at Home and Afield by Betsy Leonard
Household How-to Hints
Deer and bubble wrap don’t mix By Barbara Barker • Deer and other animals do not like to walk on bubble wrap. Place around plants you want protected. Weigh the wrap down with rocks, heavy flowerpots, or stake it into the ground. • Mothballs will repel many unwanted animals (cats, dogs, squirrels and snakes) from munching on your garden greenery. Or use cayenne pepper on the soil and sprinkle some directly onto the plants. This will have to be redone after a rainstorm. • Other repellents to use in your garden: human hair, old CDs, deodorant soap, scented car fresheners. • When a marker has just about had it, dip the tip in distilled white vinegar for a few seconds. Instead of diluting the ink, the vinegar helps bring out the last drop of color. • Renew paper shredder blades by running two sheets of aluminum foil, 8 x 11, through, one sheet at a time. • If an indelible marker was used on a dry-use board, try cleaning it with some rubbing alcohol or a non-dairy powdered creamer, such as Coffee-Mate. Add a little of the dry powder on a damp cloth and wipe the board clean. • Keep polystyrene packing peanuts from attaching to you. Rub your hands with an unused fabric softener sheet and those peanuts will not cling to your fingers. • When packing a box to mail, use non-buttered airpopped popcorn to fill in the spaces. It is inexpensive and weighs practically nothing. Include a note, “This popcorn used for packing is safe for birds to eat.” • You can separate photos that are stuck together by working a piece of dental floss between them. There is no guarantee that one or both of the pictures won’t get damaged, but it is worth a try. • When making a cake that calls for nuts or dried fruit in the batter, try coating them with flour before stirring them in. This will keep them from sinking to the bottom. • If you suspect a leak somewhere in the toilet but can’t find it, to check if it is coming from the inside valves, dribble a few drops of food coloring in the tank. Do not flush the toilet; wait it out. If the coloring comes into the bowl without flushing, you’ve found the leak. • If you are not satisfied with the shade of your bouquet, you can tint cut flowers with food coloring. Just put a few drops of the desired color in the water in the vase, add cut flowers, and eventually the petals will turn color. • Pieces of an old garden hose can make it easier for little hands to grip the chains on a swing set. Just cut sections a few inches long, slit them lengthwise, and slip them over the chains. • Rope or wires won’t cut into the tree bark if you cover them with a section of old garden hose. • Baby walkers were a great invention but they leave mark on walls. Solve this problem with that old garden hose. Cut the desired length, split it down the middle, and slip it over the rim of the walker. • When cutting a bouquet of lilacs, they will last longer if you split the ends of the stems to increase water absorption. Choose clusters where the flowers are just starting to open. Cut early in the morning with a sharp, clean knife and fill the vase with lukewarm water. Keep them out of drafts and out of direct sunlight. Can vegetarians eat animal crackers? Barbara Barker of Battlement Mesa has lots more of these hints, which she’ll reveal in future issues of the Echo.
Reduce, reuse, recycle
If you are like most people, you don’t think much about garbage. But all of us create garbage. In fact, the average American family throws away about 10 pounds of garbage every day. Ten pounds! If all of the garbage of these families was combined, it would stretch more than halfway to the moon! Most garbage is either burned or buried. Currently, there are about 5,200 landfills in the United States and many of those are already full. Others will be full soon. That means we must continually find new places to put garbage. Nobody wants a landfill in their backyard. So, if you want to help solve the garbage problem, you need to know about the Three Rs: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Reducing means we cut down on the garbage before we buy. Can the item be recycled? Has excess packaging been eliminated? Can we use the item again, or give it to someone who can reuse it? Reusing an item means we use it over instead of throwing it out. That could mean passing a good book onto a friend or the library; or using an old soup can for a pencil repository; or perhaps taking an old toy to a garage sale or giving it to organizations that reuse old toys (like LIFT-UP in our area). Finally, there is recycling. Some things, like empty aluminum cans, last year’s phone book, or office paper, can’t be reused. But, the materials they’re made of can be used over and over again by recycling Them. In other words, recycling is like turning something old into something new. Reusing an item is actually more energy efficient and conserves more natural resources than recycling, because the item does not need to be shipped anywhere and manufactured into another product. For example, if a family goes to a local co-op and buys bulk pasta, but places it in a glass jar they already have; one fewer glass jar is made, which saves energy and materials needed to produce it. In addition, the family is using a 1 - PETE (polyethylene terephthalate): Plastic glass jar they already had; therefore, is soft, generally clear. This plastic is used for food and that jar stays out of the waste stream, beverage containers, such as soda bottles, cooking oil does not go to the landfill, does not bottles, and peanut butter jars. have to be collected by recycling 2 - HDPE (high density polyethylene): Plastic is crews, and does not use the energy it translucent or white or colored. This plastic is used for would have taken to remanufacture it milk, water, and juice bottles, bleach and detergent into a new product. bottles, margarine tubs, and some grocery bags. There are multiple ways that com3 - PVC VINYL (polyvinyl chloride): Color of mon discards can be reused. Many plastic varies. This plastic is used in glass cleaner botindividuals and organizations have tles, some cooking oil containers, and some detergent found creative ways to reuse items, powders. (PVC has properties of good chemical resistsuch as refinishing old doors for ance, which is important for holding household deterremodeling projects, using odds and gents and other harsh materials.) ends in sculptures and stage sets, and 4 - LDPE (low-density polyethylene): Color manufacturing used sails into cloth varies. This plastic is used in food packaging, shrinkbags and clothing. Also, items no wrap, carryout bags, and heavy-duty bags. longer wanted are given, shared or 5 - PP (polypropylene): Color or plastic varies. traded with others who can use them. This plastic is used in butter and margarine tubs, An important first step in recycling yogurt containers, screw-on caps and drinking straws. is to prevent waste in the first place. To 6 - PS (polystyrene): Plastic may be clear, hard, prevent waste, we need to purchase or in foamed form. This plastic is used in cutlery and only what we need, then try to reuse plates, foamed plastic coffee cups, egg cartons, meat items as many times as we can before trays, and yogurt cups. recycling them. We should try to 7 - OTHER: Color varies. Containers made of more throw out as little as possible. Some than one resin type. This plastic is used in squeezable materials, for example, wood, paper, syrup and condiment bottles and in some microwave food scraps, leaves, fruits, vegetables, food trays. cotton, and other plant materials, Adapted from National Polystyrene Recycling decompose easily when placed on top Company, How-to-Recycle Polystyrene, 25 Tri-State of or in the soil. These materials are International, Lincolnshire, Ill., 60069; 707-945-2139. considered to be biodegradable. However, many human-made materials, such as plastics, metals, and glass, do not break down easily or they remain unchanged in soil for many years. Therefore, it is these products that are most needed to be recycled. To help consumers identify more easily the different types of plastic, the industry has developed a numbered coding system. These code numbers are embossed on the bottom of containers and other plastic items or printed on plastic bags. Number 1 and the unpigmented Number 2 types of plastics are most commonly recycled (and the receptacle in Battlement Mesa can accommodate these two types of plastic). Recycling is something that can be part of your life wherever you are. It will take all of us to reduce our consumption and change our behavior to solve our garbage problem once and for all.
Plastics coding system
Betsy Leonard is an environmental education specialist who lives in Parachute.
GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-April / Mid-May 2010, Page 19
L I V I N G
Echo Briefs News from Parachute and Battlement’s Philanthropic Educational Organization (P.E.O.) Chapter IP
Kiwanis Korner By Barbara Barker, Kiwanis Club of Grand Valley/Parachute
P.E.O. members plan luncheon P.E.O. Chapter IP members are once again planning their annual Elegant Luncheon and Card Party. The party will be held on May 20 at All Saints Episcopal Church beginning at 11:30 a.m. Tickets are $10. This luncheon has proven to be a gourmet treat and an enjoyable afternoon. Please call B.J. Lindauer at 285-1112, Sara Orono at 285-1111, or Lee Allen at 285-5628 for more information.
Attention, Grand Valley High School Senior Girls: P.E.O. Chapter IP is again offering $1,000 scholarships to two graduating senior girls from Grand Valley High School. Any Grand Valley senior girl wishing to continue her education in any field is eligible to apply. The deadline for applications is May 1 and forms are available from the school office or call Scholarship Chairman Sharon Orr at 285-2202 or Jean Proud at 285-1008 for more information.
Officers installed For P.E.O. Chapter IP P.E.O. Chapter IP is pleased to announce tofficers for the 2010–11 year. These members were installed in March and will serve until March 2011. President: Dottie Scott, Vice President: Sharon Orr, Recording Secretary: Sarah Oliver, Corresponding Secretary: Wendy Mello, Treasurer: Nancy Leonard, Chaplain: Carolyn Stott and Guard: Betty Letson. – Sharon Temple P.E.O. is a Philanthropic Educational Organization. Its purpose is to promote education for women. Scholarships for local girls are just one of the many charities the chapter supports.
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The Winter Ecology snowshoe trip for all fourth graders was a resounding success. But Kiwanians never sit still for long. There are several projects ongoing. In March, 76 sixth graders were taken to the Western Colorado Math and Science Center in Grand Junction accompanied by four teachers: Ms. Krill, Ms. Wise, Mr. Krueger, and Ms. Angel, and four Kiwanians: Dan Temple, Bob Arrington, Scott Pankow, and Don Chance. And we held our annual Easter Egg Hunt at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center on April 3. On April 22, Earth Day, Grand Valley Middle School kids will clean up the Parachute Pond and Park area. All kids participating will be treated to a lunch with food and drinks furnished by Parachute Town Administrator Bob Knight. Many of our members will be involved in the Clean Up Our Neighborhood Day April 24. Chairman Tom Barbata has arranged for dumpsters to be located in Parachute and Battlement Mesa to handle the trash picked up by all volunteers. Bruce Knuth’s Bring-A-Book project will be highlighted next month. The numbers of books he has supplied to the various school libraries is amazing. And last, but not least, is the big golf scramble coming in May. Chairman Roy Brubacher has been attempting to give $50 to anyone taking over his job as chairperson. However, no one has accepted this deal as yet, so he has upped the offer to $75, what a deal. But who can do a better job? You’re the best Roy, so deal with it. We had some very interesting programs in March. Kaaren Peck introduced us to the Meals on Wheels program. David Andrews from Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission explained their responsibilities. Susan Alvillar gave us Williams’ drilling activity update. Harlan Hansen, a former resident and president of the club, came up from Montrose and told of his experience in the gas industry. He is now an author of a book entitled, “The Gas Trend Conspiracy.” A lot of gas this month. Once a month, Ann Arrington and her kitchen angels treat us with a delicious breakfast, which only costs $5, and that is a real bargain. This past month, we had biscuits and gravy, fresh fruit, orange juice and coffee. The Kiwanis Club of Grand Valley/Parachute meets every Tuesday morning at the Parachute Senior Center, 540 N. Parachute, at 7 a.m. for coffee with the program beginning at 7:30 a.m. Please come join us some Tuesday morning.
Happy Mother’s Day
Get Bonuses and Profit Sharing For more information contact Barbara Pavlin 970-285-7634 • 970-309-1354
May 9th
Page 20, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-April / Mid-May 2010
Echo Briefs Across from Family Dollar on Cardinal Way in Parachute.
Grand River offers Optifast for weight loss RIFLE – Grand River Hospital and Medical Center in Rifle has begun offering a weightloss program with proven results through its new Changing Lifestyles program. Optifast is a program that combines support and counseling, comprehensive lifestyle education, and medical monitoring with meal replacement to help people lose weight and health risks. An informational Lunch & Learn session is on April 15 from 12-1 p.m. at Grand River Hospital and Medical Center’s Rifle Creek Conference Room. Mickie Hosack, registered dietitian for Grand River, Is giving the presentation. It is free, and a light lunch will be served, but you must RSVP at 625-6200 to attend, as space is limited. For more information about Optifast, Changing Lifestyles, or to register for the April 15 presentation, call 625-6200. – Grand River Hosptial District
Now serving Breakfast & Lunch
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Sat & Sun 8 am-2 pm Homemade daily specials & soup Weekdays 6am-2pm FREE shuttle Fri. & Sat.
OPEN 7 DAYS Dinner 5-9pm
Bar Open Daily
Best Food in Town Lady’s night Saturday from 8-10:30 FREE wells & drafts for women only LIVE music on weekends Call 285-9616 for information
11 am
Optimal Nutrition & Wellness
Neighborhood Watch plans spring/summer events Neighborhood Watch is planning neighborhood barbecues for this spring and summer. These events are free and open to the public. The first barbecue will be held at the South Second Court Park on May 22. June 26’s event will be at Beasley Park, July 24 will be at Cottonwood Park, and Aug. 28 will be at Tells Meadows. More information is available at Parachute Town Hall at 285-7630. In addition, Neighborhood Watch meets the second Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at Parachute Town Hall, 222 Grand Valley Way, Parachute. The meetings always have a presentation with valuable information designed to help citizens protect themselves, their families and their neighborhoods. Everyone is welcome, so please come and bring others with you. – Juanita Williams, Parachute Neighborhood Watch
NOW OFFERING • Nutritional Assessment Questionaire’s • Functional Evaluations • Individualized Nutrition Plans & Supplements.
Sue McKinstry NTP, CMT, PTA
618-6056 Call to schedule an appointment
Village Artists hosts watercolor demonstration
73 Sipprelle Drive, STE N, Parachute CO 81635
Village Artists at Battlement Mesa will be meeting April 27 at 1 p.m. at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center (BMAC) for a watercolor demonstration presented by one of our members, Jane Seglem. This will also include a description by Jane of therapeutic instruction technique. Jane lives in New Castle and is well known for her artistic abilities, especially around western Colorado. She also teaches in the school system. We've tentatively scheduled May 24 for a meeting at the BMAC at 1 p.m. One of our former presidents, Maggie Cook, will take us into “pastel territory.” Maggie now hails from Grand Junction. All are invited to join us. We are fortunate to receive instruction from such talented artists. And finally, we heard raves from participants about artist and instructor Robert Harper who recently shared his talent at classes at the Grand Valley Methodist Church in Parachute. – Joline B. Gnatek
Local businesses: Donate to Meals On Wheels and treat employees to lunch Local businesses can support Meals on Wheels of Western Garfield County while improving employee morale with a free lunch. This year, the local Meals on Wheels is coordinating the Box Lunches for Meals fundraiser, giving businesses a chance to support the cause while getting lunches in return. Businesses can arrange to have any number of box lunches delivered to any local location, on the day they choose for only a minimum donation. This means that they can treat their own employees to a delicious lunch or have them delivered to another organization they would like to thank. Minimum donations begin at $125 for less than 25 lunches delivered, $250 for 25 to 50 lunches, $500 for 51 to 100 lunches, $750 for 100 to 150 lunches, and $1,000 for 150 to 200 lunches. Please call to discuss higher quantities. Box Lunches for Meals is part of March for Meals, an annual fundraising campaign for Meals on Wheels of Western Garfield County. Operated by Grand River Hospital District since 1976, the program delivers more than 800 meals a month to homebound senior, disabled, or recovering citizens in New Castle, Silt, Rifle, Parachute, and Battlement Mesa. Meals on Wheels of Western Garfield County needs funds to continue to offer free or low cost meals to individuals who cannot afford it and to keep the volunteer-based program running. For more information or to sign up for Box Lunches for Meals, call 625-6423. – Sarah Tahvonen
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GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-April / Mid-May 2010, Page 21
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CMC one step closer to offering bachelor’s degrees By Debbie Crawford, Colorado Mountain College public information officer
On April 5, the Colorado House of Representatives Voted 55-9 (with one absence) to pass Senate Bill 10-101. The bill would permit Colorado Mountain College (CMC) to offer up to five bachelor’s degrees. CMC’s nearest campus to Parachute and Battlement Mesa is the West Garfield Campus in Rifle. The bill had previously been passed the state Senate, 33-1-1. “We are so grateful for the legislators, community members and business leaders who have supported the passage of this bill,” says Stan Jensen, CMC’s president. The bill now goes to Gov. Bill Ritter’s desk, for his veto or approval. If signs the bill, possibly later in April, the college would then need the official approval of its accrediting body, the Higher Learning Commission. The college has been conducting surveys to determine the level of demand and the types of degrees residents would like to see offered. Eighty-three percent of employers surveyed in the college’s district said they would like to see CMC offer bachelor’s degrees. Preliminary survey results show high demand for degrees in resort-related business and teacher education. “If we receive all of the necessary approvals and accreditation, we hope to be able to offer some baccalaureate degrees by the fall of 2011,” says Jensen. “We are also pursuing the possibility of offering several upper-level classes next fall, but that is still preliminary.” In other CMC news, several rates and fees have been approved for the 2010-11 academic year, including a 3.8 percent cost-of-living increase for room and board. “Even with this modest increase, our cost for room and board keeps us among the more affordable options in the state,” says Brad Bankhead, CMC’s vice president of student affairs. In addition, CMC’s Board of Trustees approved program fees of $100 for the nurse aide certificate program and $250 for the emergency medical technician program for the 2010-11 academic year. These program-specific course fees help to cover the increasing costs of providing clinical internships, which are required by the state of Colorado and national accrediting agencies. During the next several months, the college’s trustees will be considering the budget for the college’s 2010-11 academic year, and considering ways to mitigate the effects of what is expected to be a large decrease in state funding.
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Grand Valley Center for Family Learning
Preschool and Kindergarten Round-Up is April 21
Students and grandparents enjoyed March's Grandparents’ Day at the Grand Valley Center for Family Learning in Parachute. More than 50 grandparents came from as far away as Park City, Utah to spend the day with their grandchildren.
The Grand Valley Center for Family Learning, 100 E. Second St., Parachute, is having its Preschool and Kindergarten Round-Up on April 21 from 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. Next year's kindergartners need to be 5 years old by Aug. 15 to enroll, and preschoolers need to be 3 years old by Aug. 15. Parents are invited to meet teachers, see classrooms, learn about full and half day options, as well as possible scholarships. Bring a copy of your child's birth certificate and immunization records. Call 285-5702 for more info.
Photos courtesy of Rebecca Ruland
St John Elementary: Examples of our students’ work The use of Exemplars* to promote problem solving at St John Elementary By St John fifth-grade students and staff If you’ve been inclined to lend an ear to what is happening in education, there is no doubt you’ve heard the call that we must bring our students beyond basic skills and into the realm of higher order thinking and efficient problem solving. These, combined with effective communication skills, are what will allow our students clear advantages in an ever-changing world. The application of these skills will be needed to succeed in the 21st century. To this end, St John Elementary School has been incorporating a program of problem solving math practice called Exemplars® (exemplars.com). This program of supplemental math problem solving practice allows our students to work through the components of the math process standards, as set forth by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). Each of these components requires that students not only apply the basic skills but that they show their thinking in clear and organized ways.
* A program of, in this case, math problem-solving practices
Congratulations to JJ Treadwell, a fifth grader in Mr. Nipper’s math class, for his excellent execution of this Exemplar. Filling The Pool – A rope ladder with eight rungs that are nine inches apart is hanging over the side of a pool. The first rung is nine inches from the bottom of the empty pool. If we fill the pool at a rate of one foot per hour, how long JJ Treadwell will it take to reach the top rung of the ladder? As you can see, JJ chose the “draw a picture or diagram” strategy to help represent and solve the problem. Pictures and diagrams offer a clear visual representation of his understandings of the problem and how the problem was solved.
Congratulations to Jessica Cornejo-Benites for creating an outstanding Exemplar. After examining some actual pattern blocks, she chose to use the “make a table” strategy to show her thinking and solve the problem. She understands the concept of probability, as is evident when she justifies her thinking by explaining her answer using math language.
Pattern Block Thinking – The third and fourth graders really like working with pattern blocks pieces. Their teacher, in this case Ms. Newlin, put a blue, red, orange, tan, green, and yellow piece in a bag. She told her students that she was going to pull one pattern block piece out of the bag. She wanted to know how many sides it most likely would have. What do you think her students said to her? Explain all of your thinking.
The NCTM Process Standards are: • Problem Solving: Choosing a strategy appropriate to the task • Reasoning and Proof: Reasoning or justification of the strategy to solve the problem • Communication: Using math language to communicate the process and purpose of the strategy • Connections: Relating the task to other subjects, interests or experiences and relating the math required of the task to other math knowledge • Representation: Constructing models, plans, or mathematical ways to help solve and explain the problem Here are two examples of such problem solving tasks. Each task has a title and is set within a reallife scenario, which requires thinking beyond a one-step problem. We ask that the students identify the question, record important information, follow a strategy to solve the problem, and communicate their answers clearly.
Jessica Cornejo-Benites
The mission of St John Elementary School is “To educate every child, helping them become life-long learners and responsible citizens in the 21st Century.” The staff at SJE believes effective problem solving is a life-long skill. People who are effective problem solvers often become responsible and contributing members of their community in humanitarian and entrepreneurial ways. We are proud to start our students on this path, which we hope will not only enrich their lives, but in turn the lives of those they touch as they grow into adulthood. – Cheryl Carpenter, instructional coach, Bea Underwood Elementary and St John Elementary
SPONSORED BY:
Bob Schwartz Enterprises
Grand Valley Middle School
A Message From the Principal By Scott C. Pankow
Welcome back from Spring Break! Hope it was restful for everyone because in April, the calendar is filled! For the fifth consecutive year in a row, we have Teen Link presented to all our students, April 15–21. Teen Link is a suicide prevention program that is presented by the Garfield County Suicide Prevention Coalition. These one-hour sessions for three days will give students either coping strategies or identifying strategies and resources to have for various situations. Grand Valley Middle School has been accepted so well by the surrounding community, from our neighbors to the east, to the Mesa Vista Assisted Living Center, to all the wonderful donations we have acquired this year, so we would like to give back to the community. In doing so we will participate in an Earth Day clean-up project in association with the local Kiwanis Club and the Town of Parachute. On April 22, we will bus our students down to Cottonwood Park for a clean-up project and planting of new trees. The town has graciously invited us to a barbecue that same day and we would like to thank the Parachute Mayor Judy Beasley as well as Parachute Town Administrator Bob Knight for this generous offer. April 29 is double booked. We have our Honor Band leaving to Steamboat Springs to perform, and we also will be celebrating Social Studies Night. Cultural awareness is the theme, which begins at 6 p.m. Come enjoy dance and food! Now that CSAP testing is over, the instructional focus is on preparing youngsters for next year’s content. The fourth quarter, as we align our curriculum, will cover content that will be needed to “hit the ground running” for next year. Project-based learning is becoming the norm, so support your child by having them talk to you about “new learning concepts” and what they are learning in each content area.
Bea Underwood Elementary
GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-April / Mid-May 2010, Page 23
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Terrific Kids Terrific Kids for March 2010
The Parachute/Battlement Mesa Kiwanis Club sponsors Bea Underwood and St John elementary schools’ Terrific Kids. The program promotes character development and self-esteem. “TERRIFIC” is an acronym meaning Thoughtful, Enthusiastic, Respectful, Inclusive, Friendly, Inquisitive and Capable.
St John Elementary School March’s Terrific Kids from St John are, from left, first row, Principal Jory Sorensen, Kaylee Tucker, Stephanie Garcia, Alex Letson, Kiwanis representative Opal Morgenthaler; second row, Fabian Garcia, Rabecca Sirotek, Taylor Mills; third row, Racee O’Dell, Tyler Dove, Angel Cruz, Jennifer Cervantes. (Not pictured: JJ Treadwell.) Photo courtesy of Veronica Duran
A Message From the Principal By Bea Underwood Elementary School Principal Brian Berg
Reading is everything! Every student needs to read at grade level by the end of third grade. Together, the school, parents and the community can achieve this goal. Reading is contagious and you never know when a child really begins to love reading. Just the other day I saw a student who found the joy of reading. As he walked from the cafeteria to the playground after breakfast he would stop to read for a few seconds then walk a few feet, then read again. About five minutes later he made it to the playground. Since reading and walking is difficult to do at the same time, he came up with a plan to do both. Now this student is a reader! As for me, I didn’t really enjoy reading until sixth grade. I remember my teacher reading aloud the book, “The Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe.” The love of reading, modeled by another person, is what did it for me. In short, we never give up in helping students fall in love with reading because you never know when it will happen. Be a part of creating readers. We are in need of an army of volunteers who would love to sit and listen to children read in the library and in classrooms. If you are interested, please e-mail me at bberg@garcoschools.org and I can give you details on how you can help. I want to personally invite families to our upcoming Family Reading Night on April 15 from 5:30-7 p.m. This is an evening filled with students showing and celebrating their reading progress with their families. Also, we will have stories being read by adults in the gym at scheduled times. The Book Exchange and Scholastic Book Fair will also be taking place. Mark your calendars and we hope to see you there.
Bea Underwood Elementary School
March’s Terrific Kids from Bea Underwood are, from left, first row, Kiwanis representative Bill Coelho, Isaac Letson, Jerry Stagg, Kaiden Kump, Alondra Sierra Campos, Kiwanis representative Opal Morgenthaler; second row, Jordyn Pittman, Lindsey Wells, Kyle Thoe, Trenton Smith; third row, Eric Tabarez, AJ Egle, Gabe Magana, Jaydee Lynn Goodman, Ismael Pantaleon. (Not pictured: Ryleigh Fannin, Adrian Mancinas.) Photo courtesy of Jeanne Miles
Congratulations to all of March’s Terrific Kids!
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Grand Valley High School News Your new Key Club lieutenant governor is… By Kaity Brown, Grand Valley High School
Grand Valley freshman Tarriana Lawrence shows control during a soccer game at GVHS.
Girls Soccer ready for more By Liz Favier, Grand Valley High School
This season, the Grand Valley High School (GVHS) girls’ soccer team has had quit a lot of games and has been pushed to the limit by all of their competitors. Two recent games were Basalt on March 23 and Vail Mountain on March 25. The Basalt game was pretty tough and one of Grand Valley’s rivals. Even though GVHS girls played tough, they walked away with a loss. The varsity game score was 8 to 0. Then on March 25, the true story begins. The girls’ soccer team headed to Vail Mountain prepared and ready for the game. A few weeks ago, Grand Valley played the same team and lost 3 to 0 and they wanted to gain back the power and go for the win. “We really wanted this one,” said team member Amber Greeson. “We knew how they played from the last game and we were going to take them down.” Grand Valley kept Vail Mountain from scoring all the way through the game so they started to go into overtime. “The team did great keeping the score to zero the whole game and I knew that we could do this all over again and get the win,” says Coach Kelly Clark. The whistle blew and the game started off again. Even though they were ready, Vail Mountain got a lucky goal and won the game. Even though the Cardinals walked away with a loss, they played their best game yet. The girls were really happy with the outcome of this game and were ready to go play another game.
The time has come to re-elect a new Key Club lieutenant governor for Division 8 in the great Rocky Mountain District. A lieutenant governor has to inform schools in Division 8 about important upcoming events. Division 8 includes Glenwood Springs, Moffat County, Basalt, and of course Grand Valley. Each lieutenant governor has to keep in close contact with each president in his or her individual club. He or she also must attend board meetings, where each lieutenant governor from Colorado, Wyoming, and the panhandle of Nebraska, come together to discuss goals and strategies to better each Key Club. Maritza Arizaga has been our lieutenant governor for the past year, and she couldn’t have done a better job. She has contacted everyone in our district and has only made our Grand Valley Key Club stronger. She will be greatly missed. “Key Club has been part of my soul,” said Maritza. “I will miss it deeply but I can’t wait for all the extra free time I will now have.” Luckily, she is passing the torch to an amazing person, Amanda Jablonsky. She is also a student here at Grand Valley. She is dedicated and motivated. Amanda is our current secretary for Key Club, and has been a part of Key Club for the last three years. “During my recent training at District Convention,” said Amanda, “a fellow friend of mine quoted Gandhi in his speech and this quote is what I want to model in our Key Club 2010-2011 year: ‘Be the change that you want to see in the world.’” Grand Valley is looking forward to another successful leader in Key Club.
Key Club District Convention By Chelsae White, Grand Valley High School
“DCON was one of the best times of my senior year!” said senior Taylor Dillon, Key Club member and the 2009-2010 Grand Valley Key Club president. March 26-28, the Grand Valley Key Club made its way over the mountain to Denver to attend the 59th annual Rocky Mountain District Key Club Convention (DCON). The convention is where clubs from across Colorado, Wyoming, and the panhandle of Nebraska gather to elect new district board members, share community service ideas, and have lots of fun. The Key Club sponsors Alison Teter and Julie Lana and Key Club members Tiffany Waugh, Kaity Brown, Maritza Arizaga, Amanda Jablonsky, Hunter Metcalf, Jordanne Williams, and Zeydi Duran all attended. DCON kicked off with opening speaker Jane Ericson, who spoke about “leaving your handprint on the world!” The next day, former Key Club board members did a presentation on their trip to SaPa, Vietnam and the positive impact Rocky Mountain Key Clubbers have had on the children in Vietnam. They also spoke of Key Club’s new service project called Project Uruguay. Annual awards were also rewarded. Grand Valley took home the Single Service award, Distinguished Club award, Major Emphasis award, Best Poster award, Best Traditional Scrapbook award, and Best Non-Traditional Scrapbook award. Later that night, there was a “Night in the City” themed dance. Sunday was the final day of convention. New district board members were elected and announced at the closing brunch. Amanda Jablonsky from Grand Valley is the new Division 8 lieutenant governor. Kaity Brown, also from Grand Valley, won the all-expenses paid trip to the Key Club International Convention in Memphis, Tenn. on July 5. Additional members from Grand Valley will most likely be attending.
Proud members of the GVHS Key Club take some time to get a group picture.
THIS PAGE SPONSORED BY:
GARFIELD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 16 www.garcoschools.org
GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-April / Mid-May 2010, Page 25
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GVHS students Doodle 4 Google By Bryanna Emmons, Grand Valley High School Need some information? Then Google is only a click away. Everyone knows that Google is one of the most well-known websites in the world. However, you will notice on the website that the Google logo changes almost every day. Many people log on to the website just to look at what today's Google logo is. Few people know that artists can submit their artwork to Google. If their artwork is good enough, it can be one of the Google logos and artists will be paid for their work. This year, the art teacher at the Grand Valley High School, Mr. Senteney, decided to enter our school district in an art competition called Doodle for Google. Doodle for Google is a competition hosted by Google where students K-12 can design a Google logo based on the theme for that year. The theme for this year is "If I could do anything, I would …" The guidelines for the competition are as follows: • Each student's doodle should be presented on a white, landscape sheet of 8.5" x 11" inch paper. • They should download the Google logo template from the website • The Google logo in the student's doodle should be clearly visible and recognizable. • The student's doodle could be done in pencil, crayons, felt tip or paint or by using computer drawing or design software. "I think that the Google competition is very informative because we learned what Google is like for submitting artwork to the website,” said Mr. Senteney. The students from the high school whose artwork made it to the competition were Bryanna Emmons, Erin Vanderpool, Tyler Cartwright, Tamara Lopez, and Alexis Drueckhammer. Bryanna submitted two ideas of “If I could do anything I would…” – one being a super hero and another being a dinosaur. Next, Tyler created the theme, “If I could do anything I would…connect the dots.” Then Erin created, “If I could do anything I would…not worry and be happy.” Tamara created, “If I could do anything I would…have world peace” with graffiti, and finally Alexis created “If I could do anything I would…be a gardener.” Good luck to all competitors and hopefully, one of you will win the competition.
FCCLA Spring Kick Off Week By Shawnee Young
The week after Spring Break, Family Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) decided to have dress-up days because they are getting ready to head off to state. Due to the fact they decided to do it after Spring Break and that it is a new activity, participation from students is still growing. The week looked like this: • Monday: Show Your Spring Spirit Day • Tuesday: Backwards Day • Wednesday: Hat and Sunglasses Day • Thursday: Beach Day • Friday: School Spirit Day It only cost one dollar to wear a Hat and Sunglasses on Wednesday. All the benefits this club raised is going to Haiti. This is the first event like this that FCCLA has done for the school. They may not have accomplished what they wanted their first time doing it, but they will continue to succeed in the years to come. FCCLA is a group or club that goes One of the many posters decorating and informing GVHS of out and helps make the community bet- Spring Kick Off Week. ter. These members go out, earn money or just do it to make it a better place. In FCCLA, there are not many students who are in this club, but it is one of the best clubs to be in if you want to help out and be recognized for it. The leader of this club is Ms. Gomez. She has been in charge of this club for as long as they first started it.
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District 16 Corner Submitted by Marty Bassett, Assistant Superintendent of Schools Garfield School District 16
Summer school plans, and financial hurdles ahead We are well into the fourth quarter of the school year with only a few weeks left in this school year. The school year culminates with the Grand Valley High School graduation on May 29. District No. 16 recently learned that we have been awarded a grant from the Colorado Department of Education to support our summer school program. This grant, along with a generous grant from the Grand Valley Educational Foundation, will help support targeted students continued academic progress during the summer months. Please speak to your school principal for more information as we are in the planning stages of developing summer learning opportunities for our students. The preliminary dates for summer school are Monday through Thursday, June 14-July 1 and July 12-July 29. As you know, the district is facing some very large financial hurdles for the upcoming school years. During the course of the past few months, we have been working to assess our own fiscal situation, and that of the state’s and how those two mesh. As we finish this school year, budget planning for next year has been taking place during the last several months to meet the fiscal challenges we face. A preliminary budget will be presented to the school board in May, with approval prior to the end of June. Many budget-saving ideas have been considered to enable the district to weather the upcoming storm. This school year, with a drop in student enrollment of 184 students through October 2009 and an additional loss of 75 students since October, the district’s revenues were greatly impacted. The 2010-11 budget will need to reflect this drop in students and the consequences this has financially. The state legislature has indicated that next year’s school funding will include a 6.23 percent reduction. We must combine the state funding reduction with our reduced student population to develop the budget. Garfield No. 16 has been prudent with funding and budget reductions in anticipation of state funding cuts. We will be able to continue to withstand the reductions with careful budgeting projections and a variety of cost-saving considerations to be recommended for approval by the school board. Potential budget cuts include: • Reduction of district curriculum materials budget • Reduction of district professional development budget • Reduction of instructional supply budgets • Reduction of athletic/activity budgets • Reduction of transportation budget (two less bus routes for 2010-11) • Student/teacher ratios at 20-1 • Reduction and combination of classified positions • Salary freezes Potential revenue: • Increase athletic/activity fees • Increase building use fees • Obtain grant funding • Renegotiate employee health insurance costs We believe that by keeping our community informed, you will understand the impact of the economy on our school system, as well as how the state economy compounds the difficult financial position that we find our district facing. We have no plans, in the short term, to ask voters to pass any type of mill levy override, but that option might need to be looked at more closely if the state moves beyond the anticipated budget reductions for the 2010-11 or 2011-12 school years.
Photos courtesy of GVHS.
THIS PAGE SPONSORED BY:
GARFIELD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 16 www.garcoschools.org
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• 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 to help offset the cost of producing this page.
All Saints' Episcopal Church 150 Sipprelle Dr. Battlement Mesa 285-7908 Pastor's mobile: 985-5797 The Reverend Edmond-Joseph Rivet, Priest-incharge 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.
Grace Bible Church
Shepherd of the Mesa
755 Spencer Parkway, P.O. Box 6248 Battlement Mesa 285-9862 Charlie Hornick, Pastor Lance Easterling, Youth Pastor
Lutheran Church (WELS) Worship Location: Historical Society Schoolhouse on County Road 300 Battlement Mesa
Sunday Blessing Up for Church Broadcast 103.9 FM Sunday School: 9:30-10:15am Morning Worship: 10:30am Evening Service: 5:30pm
Pastor, Bill Cornelius: 987-3093 Staff Minister of Youth, Outreach and Worship Adam Lambrecht: 987-1992 Worship Coordinator Sarah Lambrecht: 285-7255
Youth / Children’s Activities Grace Bible Church Child Care: Mon – Fri. Awana: Tues. 7:00pm (Sept. – April) High School Youth: Sun. 5:00-7:00pm Middle School Youth: Thurs 5:00-7:00pm *Bible Studies, Special Activities (Call for times and places)
Crown Peak Baptist Church 101 W. Battlement Parkway Parachute, CO 81635 970-285-7946 crownpeakbaptist.com
24-Hour Prayer Line: 384-7999
Rick Van Vleet, Senior Pastor Dan LaRue, Associate Pastor Matt Loftin, Youth Pastor Brian Jarrett, Minister of Music
2nd Street & Parachute Avenue Parachute, CO 81635
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. 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 Christian Church
Richard Counts, Pastor 285-9223 e-mail: keeperoffaith@aol.com Church Office 285-7597
Worship Time: Sunday morning 10 a.m. Family Bible Classes: Call for locations Monday: 3:30 p.m. (west side of town) Tuesday: 6 p.m. (Glenwood Springs) Wednesday: 7 p.m. (east side of town) Thursday: 7:30 p.m. Starting Soon! Call for location Confirmation/Catechism (Kids in sixth grade-high school): Wednesday 7 p.m.
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28
Sunday worship 10:00 am
Wellspring of Life Church Daily Prayer Tuesday thru Friday 9:30 a.m.
Grand Valley United Methodist Church 132 N. Parachute Ave., P.O. Box 125, Parachute 285-9892, 285-6582 E-mail: grndvalumc@sopris.net David Amrie, Pastor Sunday Worship Service: 9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. Faith Journey Sunday School same as Worship Service hour Seekers Sunday School 10:45 a.m.-11:45 a.m. Contact church for more info: 285-9892
at Grand Valley High School Cafeteria 800 Cardinal Way Parachute, CO. 81635 Pastor David Bartlett Sunday Service Time: 10:00 am Youth and Childrens Sunday School (970) 210-5795 (970) 210-5849
GRAND VALLEY SPELLBINDERS is looking for volunteers. Call 285-7175 for more information.
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FA I T H
Grand Valley Echo Phone Directory
As I See It Respectfully believe
Animal Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .625-8095 Battlement Mesa Activity Center (BMAC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .285-9480
By Pastor Bill Cornelius, Shepherd of the Mesa Lutheran Church
Battlement Mesa Company (Property management) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .285-9740
The first Cornelius from my family tree came to this country before it was a country. In 1670, Rowland Cornelius landed on these shores. Since his landing, my family has been involved in every military conflict, with a couple of exceptions, which this country has been involved in over the years. My son Ben continues this family legacy with his deployment later this spring overseas. To say that I am proud of this legacy would be an understatement. But what makes me even more proud is that they served, willingly and yes probably sometimes not so willingly, for the freedoms that we have in this country. One of the most important freedoms we have is the freedom to pursue whatever religious beliefs we choose. What a freedom that is! And not only do I have the freedom to pursue whatever religious beliefs I choose, but you also have that freedom. That is a freedom we all share, which we all need to respect. I need to respect the religious beliefs that you have, even though they may be different from mine in varying degrees. That does not mean I agree to disagree. It means that I respect the choices you make. And by respecting yours, hopefully you will respect mine. And by respecting, we will not ask each other to compromise our own individual beliefs. That does not mean I will not, and hopefully you will not, proclaim those beliefs with all the freedom we have in this country. But it will mean that I will proclaim them with respect. One of those beliefs that I hold more dearly than the pride I have for my family’s legacy of military service is that my family has been and always will be in need of something that we cannot obtain on our own. I believe this need came because, as a family, we all pass on from one generation to the next a curse that began at the creation of the world with our first parents’ fall into sin. That need is forgiveness. It’s a need I have had from the time I was conceived in my mother’s womb. And because we are completely helpless on our own to procure it or even to make the choice for that forgiveness, I am grateful for what God has done for my family and for me. I believe through His Son’s life, death and resurrection, He procured that forgiveness for me. And then through His work alone, in His Word alone, he gave me the faith that I need to believe in all that He did for all people, my family included. That is the comfort that only He can work and only He can give. This comfort is mine not by my work, my choice, or by benefit of my family tree. This comfort is by His work, His choice, and His family tree. That belief is one that you may or may not share. And just like I have the right not to agree with your beliefs, you may not agree with mine. But may we respect each other’s right to believe. And may we be respectful of our own beliefs that we make sure of what we believe and why. For there will come a time, I believe, that we will be accountable for what we believe.
Battlement Mesa Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .285-9174 Battlement Mesa Medical Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .285-7046 Battlement Mesa Metro District (Water/sewer, BMAC) . . .285-9050 Battlement Mesa Service Association (Government) . . . . .285-9432 Dispatch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .625-8095 Emergencies (Fire, law enforcement, medical) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .911 Fire Department (Grand Valley Fire Protection District) . .285-9119 Garfield County Commissioners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .945-5004 Garfield County Courthouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .945-0453 Garfield County Sheriff (Non-emergency) . . . . . . . . . . . . .945-0453 Garfield County Sheriff Auxiliary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .285-9261 Golf Club (Battlement Mesa) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .285-7274 Grand River Medical Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .625-1510 Grand Valley Echo
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 963-2373
Holy Cross Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .945-5491 KSUN Radio Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .285-2246 Mesa Vista Assisted Living Residence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .285-1844 Parachute Branch Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .285-9870 Parachute Town Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .285-7630 Park and Recreation Department . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .285-0388 Police Department (Parachute) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .285-7630 Post Office (Parachute) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285-7677 Road Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 877-315-7623 Schools Bea Underwood Elementary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .285-5703 District 16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .285-5700 Grand Valley Center for Family Learning . . . . . . . . . . . .285-5702 Grand Valley High School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .285-5705 Grand Valley Middle School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .285-5707 St John Elementary School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .285-5704 Senior Center (Parachute) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .285-7216 Visitor Center (Parachute) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .285-7934
Carrie Click Writer + Proofer + Editor Help for any writing project 970-963-1009 clickintoplace@yahoo.com
If you have something to contribute to The Grand Valley Echo, let us know gve@crystalvalleyecho.com
GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-April / Mid-May 2010, Page 29
Where’s Redstone?
PUBLISHER’S NOTE: Where’s Redstone – and why should you care? The Grand Valley Echo’s sixyear 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.
By Carrie Click, Echo editor
It’s hard to believe, but the snow is still piled high in Redstone. As of press time, nearing the middle of April, snow is everywhere – but it’s melting fast. Walk through town, and you can hear the drip-drip-drip as the white stuff liquefies and runs off rooftops. And you can see the runoff coursing down Redstone Boulevard, the village’s main street, as it finds the path of least resistance. This is a wonderful time to visit Redstone, for a day’s drive, or for a stay at the historic Redstone Inn. It’s open year-round and serves meals in its bar and grill, and restaurant. You can also try the other lodges and bed and breakfasts in the area, like Avalanche Ranch, which is just down the road. On Redstone Boulevard, visit Bob’s Tiffany antique store, Cary’s Hightower Café and Trading Post, Bev’s Redstone Art Center, or Michael and Lisa’s Redstone General Store. Cafes and shops are starting to open on the weekends now as the weather warms. Meanwhile, check out the green blades of grass and flowers just starting to peek out from the spring snow. True springtime in the Rockies will be here soon enough. Just getting to Redstone is a pleasant experience, as you leave the busy highways and cruise along the West Elk Scenic Byway starting in Carbondale. The two-lane road winds along the Crystal River and is soon surrounded by the towering cliffs of red sandstone that give the town its name. 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! Echo file photos
The Redstone General Store WE HAVE SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE! Open Daily
963-3126 292 Redstone Blvd. Redstone Across from the park
Avalanche Ranch Cabins & Antiques 12863 Hwy 133 • Redstone, CO 81623 info@avalancheranch.com www.avalancheranch.com 1-877-963-9339
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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
redstonecolorado.com
REDSTONE CASTLE TOURS SATURDAY & SUNDAY 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 and The Redstone General Store. CASH OR CHECK ONLY.
www.redstonecastle.us
Page 30, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-April / Mid-May 2010
THE GRAND VALLEY ECHO CLASSIFIED ADS FOR RENT BATTLEMENT MESA: 3 bedroom (1 large master bedroom and bath with large walk-in closet), 2 bath condo. Separate laundry room with washer and dryer, AC, 1 car garage with large storage room. The Rec Center is within walking distance and dues are included. $1,100 mo. plus security deposit. Beautiful views of the Roan Peaks - NS, pets considered. 704-0373 (H), 404-2346 (cell). BATTLEMENT MESA – New and late model manufactured homes for rent, both Singlewides and Doublewides. They range in size from 1,065 to 2,400 sq. ft. 3 Bedrooms and 2 baths, the largest one is 4 BR/3 BA. Furnished and unfurnished. All are immaculately clean, freshly painted and excellently maintained. They all have air conditioning or swamp coolers, washer and dryer, sheds and most have decks. Rents range from $1,100 to $1,675 and include Activity center membership, lot rent and trash pick-up. One year lease. 1st; last and security. Call for availability. 948-5883. pd4/10
FOR RENT FOR RENT – DEBEQUE: READY FOR YOU – RENT JUST REDUCED IN DEBEQUE! 3 BD/2 BA, all appliances including w/d and gas fireplace. N/S, pet negotiable. Lots of parking. Asking $1,000/mo., 1st + SD. Call CHRIS – 970-285-9700 or 319-7754. Keller Williams Realty, Colorado Heritage Group FOR RENT– DEBEQUE: LOTS OF ROOM – RENT JUST REDUCED IN DEBEQUE! 1,600 SF, 3 BD/2 BA and family room. All appliances included; N/S, N/P; $950 mo. 1ST + SD Call CHRIS 970-2859700 or 970-319-7754, Keller Realty, Colorado Williams Heritage Grou FOR RENT – RIFLE: RENT REDUCED – COMFORTABLE HOME IN RIFLE! 1,300 SF, 3 BD/2 BA. All appliances included. N/S, Pet considered. Wood stove to add ambiance. $1,000/mo. 1st + SD. Call CHRIS 970-285-9700 or 970-319-7754, Keller Williams Realty, Colorado Heritage Group
FOR RENT MAINTENANCE FREE, EASY LIVING, in this beautiful townhome in Battlement Mesa. 1,600 sq. ft., 2BD/2BA/2CAR Gar. & extra storage. W&D, DW, Prof. cleaned. Front/back yard, deck, swamp cooler, great views. Activity ctr included: pool, cardio, weights, N/S, A STEAL at $975/mo, 1st+SD. Cal Greg 413-626-7098. pd1x FOR RENT – BATTLEMENT MESA: RENT REDUCED – GREAT CONDO IN BATTLEMENT MESA! 1,224 SF, 2 BD/2 BA. Large kitchen. All appliances except microwave. N/S, pet considered. $800 mo. 1st + SD. Call CHRIS 970-285-9700 or 970-319-7754 Keller Williams Realty, Colorado Heritage Group FOR RENT – BATTLEMENT MESA: MAINTENANCE-FREE LIVING in BATTLEMENT MESA! 2 BD/2 BA Patio Home; all appliances included. Two-car garage. N/S, N/P – Available end of May. $1,100/mo. 1st + SD. Rec. center included. Call CHRIS 970-285-9700 or 970319-7754 Keller Williams Realty, Colorado Heritage Group
FOR RENT FOR RENT – BATTLEMENT MESA: AVAILABLE END OF APRIL IN BATTLEMENT MESA! 3 BD/2 BA; 2car garage; all appliances included. N/S, pet considered. $1,000/mo., 1st + SD. Rec. center included. Call CHRIS 970-2859700 or 970-319-7754 Keller Williams Realty, Colorado Heritage Group HORSE RANCH FOR RENT RIFLE – Seven acre horse facility. Two houses, 4-stall barn, hay shed, paddocks, outdoor arena, fruit trees, Government Creek, water rights, mineral rights, two ponds, hundreds of trees. $1,950/mo. Contact Carrie at 963-1009. cc FOR SALE PERFECT WATER: A system to turn dead water into LIVING, VIBRANT, VORTEXED STRUCTURED PERFECT WATER for pennies per gallon. Call Patrick 970-285-7059. bl HELP WANTED: Marketing rep wanted for fast growing health & wellness co. Commissions + bonuses + profit sharing. Full or part time. Contact Barbara 309-1354 or 285-7634.
THE GRAND VALLEY ECHO IS AVAILABLE FOR FREE PICK UP AT THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS RACKS OUTSIDE: Outlaw Ribbs • Wendy’s • Clark’s Market • Southgate Plaza/Grand Valley Pub INSIDE AT: Kum & Go Stations • The Battlement Mesa Activity Center and at MANY local businesses!
IF YOU ENJOY READING THIS PAPER, PLEASE SUBSCRIBE!
SERVICES The Echo Classified Ads - an inexpensive way to advertise... Do you have something for sale, a home for rent or services you offer... let your neighbors know with a classified ad in the Echo. Only $10 for up to 40 words - a bargain that can’t be beat!
Do you have a great story idea? If you have something to contribute to The Grand Valley Echo, let us know 963-2373 • gve@ crystalvalleyecho.com
THE GRAND VALLEY ECHO CLASSIFIED ADS PHOTO CLASSIFIED AD–Run an photo and 25 words for $15/month* LISTING CLASSIFIED AD–Run up to 40 words for $10/month* *25¢ per word extra. These ads must be prepaid.
Name:__ _______________ Phone Number:___________ Ad:
The Echo is available at many valley locations for free pick up (see box Above)… AND WILL BE 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 subscriptions are available for readers outside our area.
Name: ____________________________________________________________________________
Submit this form and payment by the 1st of the month to:
Address: __________________________________________________________________________ City: _______________________________________________________ State: ________ Zip: ___________ Please complete this form & submit $25 per year to:
THE GRAND VALLEY ECHO 274 Redstone Blvd., Redstone, CO 81623 We appreciate your support!
The Grand Valley Echo 274 Redstone Blvd., Redstone, CO 81623 IF YOU ARE RUNNING A PHOTO CLASSIFIED, SEND PHOTO TO gve@crystalvalleyecho.com
GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-April / Mid-May 2010, Page 31
SERVICE DIRECTORY LET YOUR POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS KNOW YOU ARE HERE… Place an ad in The Grand Valley Echo Service Directory.
Writer + Proofer + Editor
OUTSI DE STOR AGE
Help for any writing project
NEW TO THE PARACHUTE / BATTLEMENT MESA AREA
Carrie Click
Contact Alyssa for more information or to reserve your Service Directory Space!
970-963-1009 clickintoplace@yahoo.com
gve@crystalvalleyecho.com 963-2373
LOCATED IN PARACHUTE
Travel Trailers, RV's, Boats, Trucks, etc. CALL JOHN - 970-986-1820 OR SHERRY - 970-640-3115
NOW SERVICING PARACHUTE AND BATTLEMENT MESA • Commercial dumpsters, full time service • Commercial roll-offs 10, 20, 30, & 40 cubic yards available
#1 IN A #2 BUSINESS
ROCKY MOUNTAIN DISPOSAL
24 HOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE! DEBEQUE TO ASPEN
947-0990
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
Canyon Cleaners • Basic and Full Service Oil Changes • Automatic Transmission Flushes • Tire Sales • ASE Certified Mechanic on duty full-time
For all your laundry & dry cleaning needs. • Open 9-5 – Mon - Fri •
In the Battlement Mesa Plaza
970-930-0124
285-9217
down the hall from Farmer’s Insurance.
P.O. BOX 1349 • RIFLE, CO 81650
120 S. Columbine Ct. • Parachute
285-9947 • 876-5020office
TO RUN YOUR AD IN THE GRAND VALLEY ECHO SERVICE DIRECTORY CALL 963-2373 TODAY!
Candidates .................................................... from page 3 for the water distribution operation, thereby eliminating over 10,000 water truck trips through the community. “Battlement Mesa has been a thriving, growing community,” Bill says. “I fully expect that the post-recession years will see a continuation of that growth, where the residents are fully in control of their own destiny.”
Bruce Richards, M.D. As a potential board member, Bruce says his regular visits to the Battlement Mesa Activity Center for the last 12 years would be a great asset, as over that time it brought him excellent awareness of the activity center’s strength and weaknesses. His board experience has been wide ranging with local, state, and national connections, some including: • Past president of the Colorado Gynecologic/Obstetric Society. • Former board member of the malpractice insurance company for the state of Colorado that insures 90 percent of the physicians in the state. He also reviewed all the malpractice claims of the state serving on the claims committee for 12 years.
• Former board member of Colorado Physicians Health Program, which monitors and oversees physician’s health problems. • Former president and director of the Central Association of Obstetrics and Gynecology, a national organization. • Other national organizations he served as president and director: Central Travel Club and the Humanistic Society. • Locally he is a member of the Ethics Committee at St. Mary's. He was a board member of Grand River Hospital District, and Bruce served as a consultant to Rocky Mountain Health Plans. He has authored and published several scientific papers in national journals He founded and leads a speaker forum that, without charge for the last 10 years, has addressed more than 2,000 Colorado citizens on the necessity of advance directives. Dr. Richards is actively practicing gynecologic surgery at St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction, only on Tuesdays. Bruce has also climbed Kilimanjaro and sailed across the Atlantic.
Page 32, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-April / Mid-May 2010