The 416 Fire didn’t keep the grill teams from showing up for the Women’s Resource Center’s 15th annual Men Who Grill on June 9 in Buckley Park! The teams’ creative and delicious bits were incredible, Steamworks Brewing Co. provided beer to quench our thirst and the Kirk James Blues Band provided a nice blend of music for us.
We are filled with sincere gratitude for the teams that made it this year: 99X Radio; Honeyville and Bank of Colorado; Backcountry Experience; Wagon Wheel Liquors; Crossfire; and Atmos Energy. We couldn’t have had the event without you and your food creations.
Our heartfelt thank you to sponsors who supported Men Who Grill this year: Presenting sponsor: Bank of Colorado; gold sponsors: Advanced Concrete Solutions and AGM Radio 99X; silver sponsors: Steamworks Brewing Co. and The Durango Herald; bronze sponsors: Southwest Appliance, La Plata Electric Association, Title Durango, AMCAT Roofing, Durango Party Rental and BCI Media Services; and friends sponsors: Durango Plastering and Drywall, El Rancho Tavern and the Hydration Station. Additionally, we’d like to thank Honeyville for its grand slam win of the People’s Choice and Judge’s Choice awards and for donating the proceeds back to us.
Another shout out goes to: 2018 judges Greg Behn, Brian McEachron and Jennifer Bassignani; our creative artist who designed, painted and put together our team awards; our stellar emcee Hal Lott; and those on the Men Who Grill committee who worked to make the event happen.
It was a pleasure to work with the city of Durango, Bob’s Johns Inc. and all of our volunteers who helped keep us organized during the day.
The event wouldn’t be possible without the teams, sponsors, volunteers and those of you who attended. We managed to provide more than $6,600 to support women and girls in La Plata County, although attendance was down due to local fires.
See you on June 15 next year.
The Women’s Resource Center
The Durango Bridge Club held its 20th annual Four Corners Duplicate Bridge Tournament, June 15-17 at Durango/La Plata Senior Center. Attendance was down 20 percent due to the fire. About 60 players joined in the fun.
We would like to thank our sponsoring motels: Hampton Inn, Adventure Inn, Days Inn, Best Western Mountain Shadows, Spanish Trails Inn and Suites and Adobe Inn.
One highlight the 60 players enjoyed was drawing for 18 door prizes that were given by these restaurants: Tequila’s, East by Southwest, Seasons of Durango, Mutu’s Italian Kitchen, Gazpacho Restaurant and Himalayan Kitchen.
Our thanks also to the senior center for providing a roomy environment at a reasonable cost.
Barry Hillmer, Durango Bridge Club president
The Southwestern Colorado Area Health Education Center expresses sincere thanks and overwhelming gratitude to everyone who participated in the fifth annual Health Careers Camp. Our health community came together to inspire young people to pursue health careers. We could not have had such a successful camp without you! Because of hard work and dedication from staff and community volunteers, 28 high school students from Southwest Colorado were introduced to various health career opportunities and were able to set their sights on a future in health care.
First and foremost, thank you to our generous financial sponsors: Colorado Area Health Education Center, Daniels Fund, Enterprise Foundation, Southwestern Colorado Area Health Education Center, Mercy Regional Medical Center, Flexible Flyers Rafting, Southwest Health System, Pediatric Partners of the Southwest, Animas Surgical Hospital, Alpine Bank and Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc.
A big thank you to our Adopt-a-Camper sponsors for giving area teens the opportunity to attend this year’s camp: Kristen Hartje, Karen and Steve Rider, Denese Brisbin, Robert Genuauldi and Kevin Griffith.
With months of planning and preparation, this year’s camp would not have been possible without support from: Kathleen McInnis, Ke Zhang, Jeanette Abella, Rebekah Ford, Aris Bougas, Trevor Janus and Taylor Marshall.
Thanks to our camp counselors for their amazing commitment, leadership and guidance: Cedra Etesam, Lillian Rodriguez, Margaret Deaver and Kris Bajgier, and to volunteer driver Kohler McInnis, who transported the campers to site visits.
Thank you to our speed interviewers and hands-on career expo volunteers: Joe Theine, Laura Wenger, Alyssa Maynard, Kari Plante, Kimberlee Yeargin, Mandy Morford, Marianne Ball, Anne Webster, Michelle Hayo, Anne Jensen, Meghan Higman, Adeline Bryant, Sue Smith, Lisa Eckert, Nicholas Mclaughlin, Stephanie Clements, Christie Williams, Nora Flucke, Annie Mombourquette, Justin Possner, Lisa Giovanniello, Wayne Barger, Joel Claus, Aristotle Bougas, Taylor Marshall, Rusty Connor, Kristen Keedy, Ginny Fabiano, Ke Zhang, Kris Bajgier, Kathleen McInnis, Lily Rodriguez and Robert Marks.
Thank you to the many health-related businesses, organizations and clinics for shadowing, training and site visits: Mercy Regional Medical Center, Pediatric Partners of the Southwest, San Juan Basin Public Health, Riverview Animal Hospital, Durango Animal Hospital, Hood Mortuary, Southwest Retina Consultants, Whole Health Family Medicine Clinic, Tomsic Physical Therapy, Four Corners Eye Clinic, Rivergate Physical Therapy, Southwest Women’s Health Associates and Rivergate Pharmacy. Cortez businesses: Eric Ikenouye with Cortez Public Library and the Discover Health Exhibit, Amanda Gilliland with Vista Mesa Assisted Living and Meghan Higman with Southwest Health System. Thank you for sharing your passion with our campers!
Thank you to those who put on special activities: Rafting and swift-water safety demonstration and training by Flexible Flyers Rafting; not-prescribed presentation by AmeriCorps member Arianna Sherman; helicopter demonstration by Flight for Life base manager Travis McGrath, pilot Jim Thompson, nurse Caitlin Fleege and medic Matt Sullivan; Kerri Cardin for helping wherever needed, keeping staff calm and taking care of details; Question, Persuade and Refer training by Harlene Russell; water testing by Brian Devine with San Juan Basin Public Health; Human Resources presentation by Alison Williams with Mercy Regional Medical Center; Connie Vigil with Colorado Workforce Center; Iron Chef judges Barbara McLachlan, Karen Barger and Marianne Ball; and chef Liv and Gina Rios with Sodexo for organizing the event.
We are confident that, because of this career camp opportunity, many of the students are encouraged to explore the possibility of a career in the health care field. Our future is bright!
SWCAHEC staff: Kathleen McInnis, executive director; Ke Zhang, education liaison; Jeanette Abella, program assistant; Mary Frey, regional health connector; Rusty Conner, nurse programs manager; and Kerri Cardin, community outreach coordinator
IHelp Prepare would like to thank the contributors of the June 21 emergency preparedness presentation: IHelp Prepare, La Plata County Senior Services, Caregiver Learning Academy, Comfort Keepers, community volunteers and the American Association of University Women Community Action Grant.
About 80 individuals attended and engaged in conversations to promote emergency preparedness in their homes.
IHelp Prepare
Durango Friends of the Arts sends a huge thank you to Marcia Baxter and Joanie Peterson for hosting their annual May event at Marcia’s beautiful home at Destination Ranch. The day began with an invigorating hike, followed with a fun day of mah jongg and a luncheon with an array of delicious dishes made by Marcia and Joanie. As always, it was a day filled with laughter and friends. All proceeds from the event went to the Durango Friends of the Arts fund to benefit individuals and groups chosen to receive grants this year.
Durango Friends of the Arts
On May 24, Community Connections, Inc. participated in the Sky Ute Casino Resort and Southern Ute Tribe’s 19th annual Money Booth. CCI was among a handful of area not-for-profit organizations to benefit this year. Matt Payne, the adult services program director, raced the clock to capture more than $700 in 45 seconds.
On behalf of the CCI board, staff and clients, we’d like to thank the casino and tribe for the ongoing support of the event and Community Connections’ mission to create opportunities for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities so they can lead healthy and fulfilling lives in Southwest Colorado communities.
Money booth funds support community integration activities for adults with intellectual disabilities in La Plata County, including the opportunity for several adult clients to join a bowling league at the casino.
Tara Kiene, Community Connections CEO, president
