Welcome to BeaconFest: a bounty of senior fun!
By Kevin VanGundy
BeaconFest is a celebration of age and everything boomer and senior related, and it just happens to be the biggest boomer and senior fair in the area. If you’re reading this before the show, mark your calendars for this year’s Montrose-Delta BeaconFest Boomer and Senior Fair from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Thursday, September 19 at the Montrose Pavilion.
WHY ATTEND BEACONFEST?
Admission is free! This year’s BeaconFest features great food, informative seminars and an exciting lineup of entertainment, including area favorites like Yaz and Beth Williams. Free seminars will be offered on topics ranging from Medicare to housing assistance programs.
FEELING LUCKY?
Thousands of dollars worth of door prizes will be given away in free drawings throughout the day. Simply fill out the official door prize entry form to the right and drop it in the bucket at the BEACON’s booth. You must be present to win, so walk around or sit back and wait as names are called from the stage.
With dozens of prizes to hand out, we’ll be calling winners every 30 minutes or so. That’s a lot of winning— better odds than the lottery, that’s for sure!
LET’S MAKE A SQUEAL PRIZE GIVEAWAY
All unclaimed door prizes and those that were not given away will be given to the audience at the end of the day in a madcap rendition of Monty Hall’s “Let’s Make a Deal.” Stick around! This giveaway starts at 1:40 p.m.
VENDORS GALORE!
Representatives from over 60 senior-related agencies and businesses will be available to talk with attendees directly about products and services available to help them successfully navigate the aging process. We have home improvement folks, medical professionals,
health and nutrition experts, representatives from many of our local assisted living facilities, government officials, real estate professionals and more.
FREE FLU SHOTS
Haven’t had your flu shot yet? Walgreens’ certified staff members will be administering FREE flu shots on a first-come, first-served basis and while supplies last—so hurry in!
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
Three outstanding volunteers were nominated, you voted and we listened! Find out who readers voted as the BEACON’s Volunteer of the Year at a special mid-day ceremony at 12:45 p.m.
SENIOR’S CHOICE AWARDS
We’re always impressed with the wide variety of exhibitors at BeaconFest and the way they market themselves. Some bring just themselves, along with a handful of
brochures. Others have booth displays that look like Disney Imagineers made them. What’s important is what you think.
Please take a moment to let us know who you think has the best overall booth, the friendliest people, or the best “swag” (free stuff) by filling out the Senior’s Choice Awards ballot in this program. The exhibitors with the most votes will win a prize. Your choices will be announced in October’s BEACON.
THANK YOU!
BeaconFest is also our way of saying thank you for reading the BEACON Senior News. Let us give you a hug or a hearty handshake. And please thank our vendors and sponsors. BeaconFest would not be possible without their support. ■
Register to Win
Thousands of dollars in door prizes given away every 30 minutes. Must be present to win. Please fill out completely. (You won’t be called or spammed.)
MONTROSE-DELTA
Senior Choice Ballot
Please vote for one exhibitor in each category, and return ballots to the BEACON booth by 1 p.m.
FREE FLU SHOTS ENTERTAINMENT SCHEDULE
9:00 am ............ Robin Freed & Harps in Motion
10:00 am ................................................................... Yaz 11:00 am Beth Williams
12:00 pm ............................................ Loose Cannon 12:45 pm ................................. Volunteer of the Year 1:00 pm Ron Koss 1:40 pm ................................... Lets Make a Squeal! All remaining and unclaimed door prizes will be given away in a fun flurry of giving.
9:00 am
Robin Freed & Harps in Motion Harps
ENTERTAINERS
Robin Freed has been playing harps for over 15 years and she currently operates the Harps and Hammers Music Studio in Montrose. The majority of her students are over 60 years old—the oldest is 87—and together, they play at area assisted living facilities, weddings and private events. Don’t miss this opportunity to see Robin and her talented students. For more information, including their upcoming concert dates, call 275-8996.
10:00 am
Yaz , Saxophone
Alto and tenor saxophonist Yasuo “Yaz” Ishikawa delivers the best jazz performances for studio recordings and live events on the Western Slope. Yaz studied jazz saxophone and theory under Denver jazz legend George Keith for more than 10 years, and performed with a few ensembles around the Denver area under the direction of Justin Adams. He recorded his first CD of original tunes, “The G.K. Story,” with The SoBo Four jazz quartet in June 2013. His second CD, “Resurrection,” was also recorded with The SoBo Four and released in October 2015. Yaz is a founding member of Little Giant, an eight-member world music band. Their performances from Telluride to Montrose have filled venues and kept the audience dancing and swaying to the beat.
11:00 am
Beth Williams, Folk/Pop/Country
Beth Williams is a singer songwriter, storyteller, entertainer, yodeler and Academy of Country Music nominee for Best New Female Vocalist of the Year. Not only does she sing original songs, but she also sings tunes from the ’40s-’80s. She’s the owner of HC Recording Studio in Cedaredge, where clients can sing to music tracks, tell a story or play
piano while Beth records them as part of their lasting legacy for friends and loved ones. Williams is also the producer and host of an internationally syndicated radio show that airs on over 45 stations worldwide. Beth has nine CDs available, which are available for sale at all of her shows. Contact Beth at 856-4498 or email www.bethwilliamsmusic.com.
12:00 pm
Loose Cannon Rock ‘n’ Roll
These musicians and songwriters like to rock out to classics as well as originals on stages around the Grand Valley. Although the band has only been performing since 2018, each of its members boasts musical careers spanning decades and has performed on stages around the country and even the world. The members enjoy playing songs they know while adding their own individual twists, staying true to their name. In addition to jamming out to golden oldies, Loose Cannon will be releasing their first album featuring eight original songs in 2020. You can read more about the band’s musical journey at www.BeaconSeniorNews.com or follow their Facebook page.
1:00 pm
Ron Koss, Guitar
Equipped with his trusty guitar, Ron Koss is dynamic. Whether he’s entertaining with Americana rock favorites, country melodies or swing tunes, just about anything he plays has audiences singing along and brings them to their feet. He has played music professionally for over 30 years. He is BeaconFest’s sound manager and has performed at numerous events across the Western Slope for over a decade.
MEGA giveaway at 1:40 pm
All unclaimed door prizes and those that were not given away will be given to the audience at the end of the day in a madcap rendition of Monty Hall’s “Let’s Make a Deal.”
ENTERTAINMENT
9:00 am ............... Robin Freed & Harps in Motion
10:00 am Yaz
11:00 am ............. Beth Williams
12:00 pm ............ Loose Cannon
12:45 pm Volunteer of the Year
1:00 pm .......................... Ron Koss
1:40 pm Lets Make a Squeal!
GRAND PRIZE GIVE AWAY
1:40 pm
Must be present to WIN!
SCHEDULE OF SEMINARS
SEMINAR ROOM
9:30 am
How to handle neuropathy and joint disease naturally Compass Medical Center
10:30 am Is it time for revision surgery? Pioneers Medical Center
11:30 am
Don’t let your finances or housing situation get you down. There’s a FREE resource here to help you!
Housing Resources of Western Colorado
12:30 pm Medicare 101 Humana
9:30 am
How to handle neuropathy and joint disease naturally
Compass Medical Center
10:30 am Is it time for revision surgery? Pioneers Medical Center 11:30 am Don’t let your finances or housing situation get you down. There’s a
Housing Resources of Western Colorado 12:30 pm
SEMINARS
9:30 am
How to handle neuropathy and joint disease naturally
Natasha Saavedra, Compass Medical Center
Do your joints feel stiff and painful? Is there grinding in your joints, or are you finding it more difficult to bend and move? You may have joint disease. Do you have numbness, tingling or change in sensation in your feet or hands? These may be early signs of neuropathy. Come learn about the most cutting edge technology that Compass Medical Center is offering as an alternative to joint replacement, as well as natural treatment options for neuropathy.
10:30 am
Is it time for revision surgery?
Kevin Borchard, MD, Pioneers Medical Center
Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Kevin Borchard will explain what revision surgery is and give an overview of the signs and symptoms to indicate that it might be time to consider revision surgery. He will discuss the pros and cons of replacing an implant from previous surgery and how to make the decision that’s right for you. Dr. Borchard will also present information about the latest technologies available in joint replacement and the benefits they can bring to patients that were unheard of just a few years ago. Dr. Borchard is a highly regarded orthopedic surgeon with extensive experience in joint replacement and revision surgeries for knees and hips. A U.S. Air Force veteran, he completed a Total Joint Fellowship in Adult Reconstructive Surgery at New England Baptist Hospital in Boston where he performed over 1,000 joint replacement procedures. He now practices at Pioneers Medical Center in Meeker, Colorado.
11:30 am
Don’t let your finances or housing situation get you down. There’s a FREE resource here to help you!
Danielle Sterle, Housing Resources of Western Colorado
Learn how you can work one on one, for free, with a counselor that can coach, advocate and guide you through financial and housing issues. Housing Resources is a HUD-approved housing counseling agency with a new program called the Home Solutions Center (HSC). HSC clients can take advantage of rental counseling, financial coaching on budgeting and credit issues, pre-purchase counseling for those seeking to purchase a home, homebuyer education workshops to learn the key facts when purchasing a home, post-purchase coaching to be a successful homeowner, foreclosure prevention, and student loan coaching. These services are free to individuals and families of all income levels in 14 counties in Western Colorado.
12:30 pm
Medicare 101 Patricia Zapf, Humana
How much does Medicare cost and what are my benefits? Do I need to do anything to apply for Medicare? How does Medicare work when I’m still working? Can I keep my doctor on Medicare? We can help you answer these questions in this free seminar. At Humana, we want you to plan for life and enjoy the great things ahead of you. We can help educate you on Medicare basics so you can choose your Medicare coverage with knowledge and confidence. Our Medicare 101 class will cover who is eligible for Medicare, what Medicare is, your different options and important dates to keep in mind.
