By Lynn Constan
Special to The PREVIEW

Photo courtesy Lynn Constan
The Sarah Platt Decker Chapter honored Sandy Howe with a special award for Outstanding Service to Veterans at their Awards Tea in Durango on Feb. 16. From left: Jeannine Dobbins, Chapter Regent, Sarah Platt Decker Chapter; Sandy Howe.

Sandy Howe has always had special interest in the welfare of veterans.  Her husband is a retired career Navy officer and her son currently serves in the Coast Guard.

So, it was not unusual that when she joined the Daughters of the American Revolution in 2005 that she would immediately become involved in the activities of the DAR Service for Veterans Committee.

The Homelake Veterans Center is a state veterans’ retirement home in Monte Vista.  It was established in 1889 as a retirement center for Civil War veterans from both sides of the conflict.

Homelake is unique in Colorado, offering both skilled nursing care and individual cottages similar to assisted living for veterans and their spouses.

Sandy made Homelake her special project.  She spearheaded the efforts of the Sarah Platt Decker Chapter to improve the lives of the veterans living at Homelake.  She organized quilting groups, collected gifts, sorted through chapter donations of clothing, books and other items, went on shopping trips for other needed items, and made innumerable trips across Wolf Creek Pass to deliver car loads of gifts and supplies in all kinds of weather.

The Sarah Platt Decker Chapter honored Sandy Howe with a special award for Outstanding Service to Veterans at their Awards Tea in Durango on Feb. 16.

By Mara Koch
Special to The SUN

Jacob Miskimens will compete in the Arnold Amateur World Strongman Championships in Columbus, Ohio, March 1-3.

The event will feature more than 50 of the world’s top amateur strongman athletes from as many as 20 countries. This event will offer Miskimens his first opportunity to compete against European strongman athletes.

The full version of this story is available in the print edition of the Pagosa Springs SUN. Subscribe today by calling (970)264-2100. 

Pagosa Springs quilter Jeanie Lemmo has been selected as a semifinalist for the 2013 AQS QuiltWeek, March 13-16, at the Lancaster County Convention Center in Lancaster, Penn.

Jeanie Lemmo has been chosen to display the quilt “Birdie,” along with 201 others in the annual contest, now in its fourth year.

Three quilting authorities will judge this elite group in Lancaster, awarding first, second and third place prizes in five categories, along with five overall awards.

Winners will be announced prior to the opening of the show on Wednesday, March 13. Cash awards totaling more than $44,000 will be granted, as well as prizes including $10,000 for the Best of Show, and $5,000 each for the Best Hand, Machine and Longarm Workmanship.

Regardless of how “Birdie” places in the final judging, all semifinalists’ quilts will be displayed at the show, which is expected to draw more than 15,000 people. Quilts were entered in this international contest from 43 U.S. states, and seven other countries.

The American Quilter’s Society hosts four shows annually, each with its own quilt contest. In addition to the Lancaster show, AQS hosts other prestigious shows in Paducah, Ken., Grand Rapids, Mich., and Des Moines, Iowa.

For more information, go to www.americanquilter.com.

Wesley R. Royston was named to the Virginia Tech Dean’s List for the fall 2012 semester. To qualify for the Dean’s List, students must attempt at least 12 credit hours graded on the A-F option and earn a 3.4 grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) during the semester.

Royston is a junior majoring in engineering science and mechanics in the College of Engineering.

Leslie Baughman and Zoe Fulco have been recognized as First-Year Scholars for the fall 2012 semester at the University of Northern Colorado. To be named a First-Year Scholar, students must achieve a grade point average of 3.5 or higher for their first semester at UNC.

Special to The PREVIEW

Photo courtesy St. Patrick’s
St. Patrick, aka Fr. Doug Neel, is ready to celebrate St. Paddy’s Day at St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church, Sunday, March 17, beginning at 2 p.m.  The church will host a parking lot party, complete with refreshments, music, dancing and other fun activities.  The public is invited to bring canned food to donate to the church’s food pantry and enjoy the festivities.

This year, St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Sunday. While this would be a cause for a more subdued celebration for some, the folks at St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church see things a little differently.

“This is our patron feast day,” says Fr. Doug Neel, rector of St. Patrick’s. “Since our Chamber has chosen not to have a parade, we decided to kiss the Blarney Stone and do our own celebration!”

Traditionally, St. Patrick’s float has led the downtown parade, with Fr. Doug portraying St. Patrick, wearing a green bishop’s mitre and cope. Last year, one of his parishioners made a beautiful new cope and mitre for the occasion. When the parishioners were told this year that the town would not have its annual St. Patrick’s parade, they took matters into their own hands.

“We are Episcopalians,” said Fr. Doug. “We stand on tradition!”

Jim Dorian, the town’s bagpiper, and his wife, Becky, gathered the troops and came up with a new plan. “We are going to have our own St. Patrick’s Day celebration,” said Dorian. “We don’t have time to put together a full blown parade, but we can have a heck of a party.”

On Sunday, March 17, beginning at 2 p.m., St. Patrick’s is going to have a parking lot party, complete with its own St. Patrick’s float, and St. Patrick himself piped in with bagpipes and dancers. There will be music, dancing, food, drinks and lots of fun. Nonprofits are invited to come and set up booths to hand out information, and invite the public to come and enjoy the fun.

“We are asking participants to bring a few canned goods to contribute to the food pantry at the church. Beyond that, come and have a great time!” Dorian said.

For more information, call St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church at 731-5801. The public is invited to join the festivities!

The following Pagosa Springs students have been named to the University of Dallas Honor Roll for the fall 2012 semester for earning a semester grade point average of 3.0-3.49.

Danielle Pajak, a sophomore, and Crystal Purcell, a sophomore biochemistry major.

Sydney and Brian Packard are proud to announce the births of their daughters, Anneliese Grey Packard and Lila James Packard. They were born on Saturday, Feb. 16, 2013, at 7:29 p.m., 30 seconds apart. Lila weighed 5 pounds, 12 ounces, and Annie weighed 6 pounds, 8 ounces. They were 18 inches and 19.3 inches in length, respectively. The girls are welcomed by their brothers Rider, J.D. and Trey.

Their maternal grandparents are Carolyn Paschal, and Jerry and Kathy Jackson of Pagosa Springs. Their paternal grandparents are Don and Pat Packard of Winchester, Va., and Olivia and Walter Car of York, Pa. Their maternal great-grandparents are Bill and Mickey Paschal of Pagosa Springs. They are also welcomed into the family by many aunts, uncles and cousins.

Magan Kraetsch (daughter of Mike and Lisa Kraetsch and granddaughter to Judd and Diane Cooney) and a team of interns from the organization she works with called I.Dignify, are headed to Southeast Asia to work with survivors of sex trafficking. I.Dignify is an organization committed to ending injustice as a whole, worldwide. They will be training and equipping organizations in how to better help survivors of sex trafficking. On their 20-day trip, they will work in Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia. They will also work with kids in the dumps and landfills of Cambodia, visiting several medically fragile orphanages and bringing 60 water filters to remote villages in Vietnam. These water filters will supply 100 impoverished people with clean, pure drinking water for life. Thank you to all who have supported Magan financially and made this life changing experience possible. If you would like more information, or have comments, e-mail Magan at m.kraetsch92@gmail.com.

By Laurel Epps
Special to The PREVIEW

Join the fun and activities for Earth Day 2013 at Town Park all afternoon on Saturday, April 20.

The Southwest Organization for Sustainability (SOS) is facilitating this event in partnership with the Pagosa Chamber of Commerce and Pagosa Mountain Morning Rotary Club from noon to 6 p.m.  It will be an event for all ages.

Local music and events on the gazebo will take place all afternoon, beginning with local musicians Los Mitotitos at 12:15 p.m. and Aikido of the San Juans giving a demonstration at 1:30.  Other local groups include Faculty X at 2 p.m., Barr Bentley at 3, Reintento Norteno at 4 and finishing with The Brooks-i Band at 5.

The park will be filled with local vendors, booths provided by non-profits, and outlets offering delicious food, beer, wine, coffee and sweets.

Local vendors who would like to have a booth at this event should contact Laurel Epps at 903-2776 or send an e-mail to pathfinderlaurel@gmail.com.  Deadline to confirm participation is April 8, so act quickly.

In case of inclement weather, this event will move to the Archuleta County Fairgrounds Extension Building.

By Sally High
Special to The SUN

Photo courtesy Julia Hampton
Pagosa Springs High School graduating seniors Dean Hampton and Gabby Pajak each received a Destination ImagiNation scholarship at the DI Colorado Affiliate Tournament last weekend in Denver.

Pagosa DI students continued a tradition of success at the state tournament.

The Pagosa Destination ImagiNation’s Nerds qualified for the Global Finals Tournament with their performance at the state tournament last Saturday, April 13.

The Nerds placed third in the Fine Arts Challenge, “In Disguise,” against a field of nine secondary teams. The Nerds, eighth- and ninth-graders, competed at the high school level for the first time.

The Nerds will return to the University of Tennessee for the global competition for the second year in a row. The international tournament is always held the week before Memorial Day.

Three Pagosa Springs school teams and one homeschool team competed in the Destination ImagiNation Colorado Tournament. DI teams from around the state gathered at the Auraria Campus in downtown Denver for a full day of rehearsed performances and instant challenges.

The elementary level D-I-of-D-Tiger placed fifth in the Scientific Challenge, “Wind Visible.” The middle level WinDI and Smartalecs teams placed 10th and 12th respectively in the Scientific Challenge.

The Pagosa Imaginators, a veteran DI team that did not compete this year, was remembered at the state tournament when two Imaginators were awarded Destination ImagiNation scholarships. Dean Hampton received the Board of Directors Scholarship for his seven years of DI dedication. Gabby Pajak, who co-managed the WinDI team, was honored with the IDODI Appraiser’s Scholarship. This concludes Gabby’s eighth year of Destination ImagiNation.

The Pagosa DI Nerds now begin raising funds to travel to the Global Finals Tournament in late May. The four students and their managers, Cheryl and Matt Bowdridge, can be reached by calling 903-9147.

By Laurel Epps
Special to The PREVIEW

Photo courtesy Laurel Epps
Faculty X is one of several musical acts that will perform during the Earth Day 2013 celebration at Town Park this Saturday, April 20, from noon to 6 p.m. Los Mitotitos plays at 12:15 p.m.  Faculty X shares their brand of rock, funk and jazz at 2 Barr Bentley will sing and play melodic tunes on his guitar at 3, Reintento Norteño will rock out beginning at 4 and The Brooks-i Band will finish out the afternoon starting at 5.

Come to Town Park to celebrate Earth Day 2013 this Saturday, April 20, from noon to 6 p.m.

The park will be filled with local vendors, booths manned by representatives of local non-profits, and booths offering delicious food, local beer, wine and sweets.

Local music and events at the gazebo will take place all afternoon, starting with youth musicians Los Mitotitos at 12:15 p.m.  Aikido of the San Juans will give a demonstration at 1:30.  The rest of the entertainment begins at 2 p.m. and will feature local musicians, starting with Faculty X sharing their own brand of rock/funk/jazz.  Then, at 3 p.m., Barr Bentley will sing and play melodic tunes on his guitar, Reintento Norteño will rock out beginning at 4, and The Brooks-i Band will finish out the afternoon starting at 5.

The Southwest Organization for Sustainability (SOS) is facilitating this event in partnership with the Pagosa Chamber of Commerce and Pagosa Mountain Morning Rotary Club.  It will be an event for all ages.  The weather forecast is looking good for Saturday, but in case things change, the event will move to the Archuleta County Extension Building.

Please join us for the fun.

By Lynne Bridges
Special to The SUN

Week of the Young Child honors the more than 35 million children from birth through age 8 in America, as well as the families, teachers and other care givers who help children make the most of the opportunities during their early years.

Investing in the youngest citizens of Archuleta County’s lives is an opportunity that all of us can participate in.

James Heckman says, “The need to invest in the lives of our young children is both a fundamental and moral responsibility as well as a critical investment in our nation’s social and economic future.”

Neurons to Neighborhoods tell us, “From birth to age 5 children rapidly develop foundational capabilities on which subsequent development builds. In addition to their remarkable linguistic and cognitive gains, they exhibit dramatic progress in their emotional, social regulatory and moral capacities. Striking disparities in what children know and can do are evident well before they enter kindergarten (achievement gap). These differences are strongly associated with social and economic circumstances and they are predictive of subsequent academic performance. Redressing these disparities is critical, both for children whose life opportunities are at stake and for a society whose goals demand that children be prepared to begin school, achieve academic success and ultimately sustain economic independence and engage constructively with others as adult citizens.”

Would you please join us as we celebrate the Week of the Young Child and build support for programs and policies that are vital to young children of Archuleta County? The following are activities for the Week of the Young Child.

* The Kid’s Fair on Saturday, April 20, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at the elementary school multipurpose room will be the kickoff of WOYC. This is a free event for children to participate in lots of fun “hands-on” activities. There will be a car seat safety check and maybe even a “big” fire truck or two to climb in. Kiwanis will be serving a free lunch. Call Anette McInnis at 731-3512 if you’d like to set up a booth. Southwest Organization for Sustainability is sponsoring Mobilize the Earth. Please join them in Town Park on Saturday, April 20, from noon-6 p.m. for beer, wine, music, food and vendors, kid’s activities, aikido demonstrations and more. In case of inclement weather, the event will move to the Extension Building at the fairgrounds.

• Monday, April 22, is Doll Day. Every year, the Colorado Children’s Campaign works hard to ensure the voices of all children are heard by community and government leaders throughout Colorado. Cardboard dolls are made by children and volunteers to represent children who are being appropriately served and those who are not receiving the health, education, safety and nurturing they need to thrive. The completed dolls will be placed in prominent places throughout the community. The intent is to influence community and business leaders, politicians and the public at-large to invest in our children in the form of community-based, long-term prevention strategies and programs for children and their families. If you would like to request a doll for your child or business, contact Rose Salas at Pagosa Early Childhood Head Start, 264-2484.

• Tuesday, April 23, is Love your Teacher Day. Teaching and teachers matter, so this is the perfect day for you to let them know how much they are appreciated.

• Wednesday, April 24, is Be a Team Player Day. This is the day to be the No. 1 fan of your favorite sports team. And, of course, it will be the Pagosa Pirates, right?

• Thursday, April 25, is the Night of the Young Child — a wonderful opportunity to support and honor our children and their many talents. This event will be held at Restoration Fellowship Church from 6 to 8 p.m. This year’s event will host piano players, dancers, and jokesters, just to name a few. Come and join us as we support and honor our local youth. For more information or to sign up, call Lynne Bridges at Seeds of Learning, 264-5513.

• On Friday, April 27, Liberty Theatre will offer a 2 p.m. matinee. The movie “Brave” will be playing. Tickets for $5 will include a small popcorn and drink. Bring a friend and watch a movie after school gets out.

The National Association for the Education of Young Children has a vision for excellence. All states must develop a system of early childhood care and education with appropriate regulatory, governance, finance and accountability mechanisms so that:

All children have access to a safe and accessible, high quality early childhood education that includes a developmentally appropriate curriculum, knowledgeable and well-trained program staff and educators, comprehensive services that support their health, nutrition, and social well-being, in an environment that respects and supports diversity.

All early childhood professionals are supported as professionals with a career ladder, ongoing professional development opportunities, and compensation that will attract and retain high quality educators.

All families have access to early care and education programs that are affordable and of high quality, and are participants in the education and well-being of their children through family involvement in programs and schools, as well as opportunities to increase their educational attainment.

All communities are accountable for the quality of early childhood programs provided to all children, backed by the local, state and federal funding needed to deliver quality programs and services.

Making this vision of excellence a reality will require a commitment from and a partnership among the federal, state and local governments, business and labor sector, private institutions and the public. We must join forces to advocate and implement the policies at the appropriate federal, state and local levels that will lead to excellence in early childhood education programs.

Week of the Young Child is brought to you by the Archuleta’s Children Team (ACT) Council — a coalition of licensed early care and education providers and support groups, is dedicated to improving and continuing high quality early care and education in Archuleta County.

If you are interested in joining the ACT Council in a Vision for Excellence for the children and families of Archuleta County, contact Lynne Bridges at 264-5513.

Jennifer Lee, of Pagosa Springs, will graduate from Fort Lewis College on April 27, 2013.

She graduates with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education for grades K-six.  Her practicum hours were done at Pagosa Springs Elementary School, with a few hours done at Pagosa Springs Middle School.  Jen’s passion has been apparent, as any of the students she worked with will tell you.  They all run to her for hugs and smiles whenever and wherever she sees them. 

By Mara Koch
Special to The SUN

Denim Day has become a worldwide event that calls to community members and elected officials to stand with survivors of sexual assault and wear denim as a visible means of protest against the myths and misconceptions that surround sexual assault.

In conjunction with Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April, Archuleta County Victim Assistance Program (ACVAP) will be bringing Denim Day to Pagosa Springs on Wednesday, April 24.

The history of Denim Day begins in 1997 in Rome, Italy. An 18-year-old girl was picked up by her 45-year-old driving instructor for her first driving lesson. The instructor then raped her and abandoned her in an alley. The girl reported the incident, and the instructor was convicted of rape and sentenced to jail. The appeal process made it all the way to the Italian Supreme Court, where the case was overturned and the perpetrator was released.

The Head Judge stated, “Because the victim wore very, very tight jeans, she had to help him remove them … and by removing the jeans … it was no longer rape but consensual sex.”

Enraged by this verdict, the women in the Italian Parliament protested by wearing jeans on the steps of the parliament building, and a movement was born.

During April in past years, ACVAP has organized “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” — a community event to raise awareness of the effects of domestic violence and sexual assault. On Wednesday, April 24, ACVAP will sponsor “Walk a Mile in Their Jeans” in conjunction with worldwide Denim Day events.

Not only are community members encouraged to wear jeans in protest of the misconceptions that surround sexual assault — misconceptions like the statement of the Italian judge — but they are also invited to join with other community members in support of sexual assault survivors everywhere and to stand up and demand an end to this crime.

The event begins at noon at the Bell Tower at the corner of San Juan and Lewis streets in downtown Pagosa Springs. From there, the community will have a short walk (not really a mile) in solidarity and to raise awareness around this issue. All community members — women and men, young and old — are encouraged to participate.

For more information on this event, to report a sexual assault, or for help and support around domestic or sexual violence, call ACVAP’s 24-hour confidential hotline at 264-9075.

By Lisa Barrett
Special to The SUN

The Southwest Colorado eSchool, serving the nine school districts of southwest Colorado, kicks off its spring enrollment drive in April with a series of live and virtual information sessions.

These sessions will provide prospective students valuable information on the design of the learning program. Attendees will hear from staff and students about the school community, learning tools, and what it takes to be successful in this online program. A good portion of the information sessions will be dedicated to question and answer.

A session will be held in Pagosa Springs at 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 24, at Pagosa Springs High School.

To register for one of the virtual sessions, go to southwestcoloradoeschool.org. Once you register for a virtual information session, a confirmation e-mail will be sent to you and will include information about how to access the webinar.

For more information, call Lisa Barrett, student service coordinator, at 946-2070.

Lauren Thomas, a member of the Pagosa Springs High School Class of 2008, graduated from the Army’s 1st Battalion, 31st Field Artillery Basic Combat Training on April 5, 2013, at Fort Still, Okla. Lauren was presented with the First Lieutenant John Robert Fox Award. This award is presented to the individual who best displays the Army Value of Selfless Service.

Chris and Michele Smith very happily announce the engagement of their daughter, Sydney Taylor Smith, to Korben David Koenig, son of Jeff and Dana Koenig, of Fort Collins, Colo.

 A June 22 sunset wedding is planned at Mill Creek Ranch in Pagosa Springs, where lots of brothers, sisters, cousins, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and extended family and friends will be celebrating with them.

 The future bride and groom will finish up school at Ozark Christian College and be living and working in the Joplin, Mo., area.

Finlay Patrick Moore was born on the morning of April 12 at Rose Medical Center in Denver to Laura and Tim Moore of Pagosa Springs.  Weighing 8 pounds and 5 ounces and measuring 22 inches long, he made a sizable impact on the hearts of his waiting family.  Finlay looks forward to his role as head of personal relations at the Pagosa Center for the Arts when it opens again in May.

Ty Peterson, a 2004 graduate of Pagosa Springs High School, recently completed his training with the U.S. Army Engineering School in Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., as a combat engineer. Specialist Tyson Peterson received a special award where he was selected from over 200 peer soldiers and top commanding officers, the Army Engineer Association “Sapper Spirit” Award. This award is presented to the Engineer Soldier who demonstrated the ability to significantly motivate others, displayed consistent enthusiasm towards accomplishment of the mission and performed all assigned tasks to high standards throughout the training cycle (16 weeks). Ty will be stationed in El Paso, Texas, at Fort Bliss to further his career. His brother, Trevor Peterson, is an Iraqi war veteran who served in the U.S. Army from 2002-2005 in the 101st Airborne Infantry Division.