2011 Crystal Valley Echo December

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• Serving the Crystal Valley since 2002 •

THE CRYSTAL VALLEYandE CHO Marble Times Providing a voice for community-based organizations and individuals that enrich the life of the Crystal Valley FREE

December 2011

Volume 8 Number 12

A look back at 2011

Inside

Shop local page 2

Marble’s new pastor page 5

Carbondale fires page 9

Vintage Valley page 10

2011 images: clockwise from top left, a pooch dons footware for WinterFest’s Dog Parade; the Pyrhana Team paddles the upper Crystal; bighorn sheep winter in the Crystal Valley; ice cream at the Redstone General Store.

The Echo December Special **You must present this coupon to save!** OFFER GOOD DURING MONTH OF DECEMBER ONLY

Save PBR 30 packs Reg. $24.99 $5.00! Only $19.99 with coupon!**

Marble Times pages 11-14


Page 2, Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times

Happy Holidays From the Echo The Twelve Days of Christmas During this holiday season in particular, we keep hearing about the importance of shopping locally. At the Echo, we couldn’t be more in agreement. Although Marble, Redstone and Carbondale aren’t exactly big-box shopping meccas (which is part of the reason we like them so much) there are still lots of shops, restaurants, lodges, and services that sell and offer items that would make great holiday gifts, even in the form of a gift certificate to enjoy soon after the presents are opened. The Echo’s Sue McEvoy came up with this little ditty, below, and though it doesn’t include everybody – it would be one long ditty if it did – the idea is to get you thinking about purchasing presents right here in the Crystal Valley. Happy holidays….

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me: Twelve months of Echoes (a subscription to The Crystal Valley Echo) Eleven horses galloping (courtesy of Avalanche Outfitters) Ten dips in the hot springs (at Avalanche Ranch) Nine old-fashioned candies (at the Redstone General Store)

MISSION STATEMENT: To provide a voice for Crystal Valleyites; to bring attention to the individuals and local businesses that are the fabric of the Crystal Valley region; to contribute to the vitality of our small town life. Publisher Alyssa Ohnmacht Editor Carrie Click Staff Writer Sue McEvoy Advertising Sales Alyssa Ohnmacht • 963-2373 echo@crystalvalleyecho.com Distribution Dawn Distribution • 963-0874

Eight rounds of bingo (at the Redstone Inn) Seven local wines (at the Redstone Company Store) Six months of plowing (at Rusby Property Services) Five marble sculptures (at The Marble Gallery) Four antique items (at Tiffany of Redstone) Three lovely facials (at Crystal Dreams Spa) Two golden earrings (from the Redstone Art Center) And a gift certificate purchased locally!

Contributors to this issue of The Crystal Valley Echo: Betsy Wedemeyer, John Emerick, George Newman, Carbondale and Rural Fire District, Jack Roberts, Marble Charter School Students and Staff, Ellie Kershow, Thunder River Theatre Company, Debbie Crawford, CMC, Doug Straw, Bruce Gledhill, Tim Lloyd, Olenick family, Kay Moravek, Roberta McGowan, Carbondale Chamber of Commerce, Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers, Garfield County Library District, Carbondale Council on Arts and Humanities, Keira Clak, CARE, Laurie Loeb, Doug Matthews, Nancy Chromy, Debbie Russell, the Piffers, David Pacini The Crystal Valley Echo is published monthly, and is distributed throughout the entire Crystal Valley. Home delivery is available for many locations throughout the valley. Newspaper box locations: Carbondale City Market (inside) • Village Smithy Carbondale Post Office • Dos Gringos • Red Rock Diner Redstone General Store • Marble Charter School The Echo is also available at businesses from El Jebel to Glenwood Springs and throughout the Crystal Valley. For subscriptions Please send $35 and address information to: The Crystal Valley Echo 274 Redstone Blvd., Redstone, CO 81623 For information Please contact us: 963-2373 echo@crystalvalleyecho.com

From top, Jan Cross is one of the many artists represented at The Marble Gallery; lots of gifts are available at Avalanche Ranch; the horses are ready for a ride – sleigh or otherwise – at Avalanche Outfitters; Perfectly Pecan Crunch, handmade at the Redstone General Store, is available by the ounce or gift bag for holiday giving. Echo file photos

All copy submitted to The Crystal Valley Echo will be edited and reviewed by our staff for style, grammar and content. The Crystal Valley Echo reserves the right to refuse publication of any submitted material that does not meet the our standards for a positive, informative, educational community newspaper.


DECEMBER 2011 Page 3

A

L O O K

B A C K

A year of Echoes As 2011 draws to a close, we look back at some of the stories from the past year By Carrie Click, Echo editor

Twenty eleven. Despite the all-tooeconomic familiar downturn, the past year saw the start-up of several new businesses in the Crystal Valley, while fewer closed down for good. A good number of Crystal Valleyites voiced their desire to see their surroundings protected, along with local wildlife habitat. Designating the Crystal River as Wild and Scenic became a hot topic in January, largely because the possibility of the West Divide Project, involving at least two dams and reservoirs to be built in the Crystal River became a very real concern. Permission to approve the future construction of a reservoir that would have drowned the village of Redstone was denied, but questions remain if a much smaller dam will be permitted near the town site of Placita near the entrance to Marble’s County Road 3. Questions about energy industry activity in the Thompson Divide area near Carbondale also remain, though a vocal group called the Thompson Divide Coalition, and Pitkin County Commissioner George Newman have taken their concerns all the way to Washington. The Crystal River Valley’s historical mining past made a return in 2011 when the Yule Marble Quarry above Marble sprang to life again in November 2010 after being purchased by Enrico Locati Lucini of Carrera, Italy. By January 2011, the quarry was up and running. Another mine – a marble, gypsum and alabaster mine operating in the Avalanche Creek area in the Crystal Valley – made news in 2011 as well. Originally named the White Banks Mine and renamed the Mystic Eagle Mine, White River National Forest officials sought public comment about requests from the mine’s owners, the Elbram Stone Company of Glenwood Springs, to operate the mine year-round, thereby potentially disrupting nearby bighorn sheep and elk herds. The owners also requested building a bypass road and a log structure at the property. As of press time in late November 2011, White River National Forest officials had yet to approve the mine’s operational plans. There was plenty of discussion on whether or not the Crystal Valley should allow med-

ical marijuana farms and pot dispensaries. Outside of Aspen, Redstone was the only place in Pitkin County with the appropriate zoning to permit medical marijuana sales. That same zoning could allow other areas in the Crystal Valley to permit pot-growing. Both the Crystal River Caucus and Redstone Community Association came out in opposition to medical marijuana dispensaries operating in the Crystal Valley. Sara Lewis became the new general manager of the Redstone Inn after closing down Café Redstone, which she owned and operated with her husband Jimmy Lewis. WinterFest 2011 took place in Redstone Feb. 18-20 and involved everything from iceclimbing demonstrations to snowshoe races to a dog parade on the Boulevard to a movie about free climbing Yosemite’s El Capitan. The Redstone Community Association (RCA) coordinated the event. As of press time in late November of 2011, the RCA had decided not to hold WinterFest in 2012. A sanctioned snowshoe race around the Redstone Castle will take its place in February. After years of planning and preparation, work began in late April on the Redstone Coke Ovens Restoration Project and was completed in October – except for the landscaping work around the site. The end result of the project resulted in the reconstruction of four of the ovens so that they look exactly as they did when they were operational in 1903. In May, The Marble Hub opened in the Marble City State Bank Building, as literally a “hub” for the Marble community. Ten local entities joined together to make The Hub into a cooperative community center with a coffee bar, Wi-Fi spot, library, bookstore, consignment shop and visitor information outlet: the Crystal River Civic Commission, Gunnison County, Town of Marble, Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District, the Forest Service, Marble Charter School, Crystal Valley Preschool, Crystal River Heritage Association, Marble Community Church and the Marble Crystal River Chamber. Slow Groovin’ BBQ also opened in Marble in May, increasing the town’s restaurant offerings by 100 percent. Ryan and Karly Vinciguerra opened their barbecue joint in what was formerly Woody’s Rollin Smoke Bar-B-Que & Cookshack. Ryan and Karly met when they were working at the Little Nell Hotel in Aspen, and made the move to Marble with their son Tobin. In June, Avalanche Ranch added another amenity to its resort: hot springs. The Ogilby family owns Avalanche Ranch and drilled underground, creating two pools, a waterfall, and enough geothermal heat to heat the 13 buildings of the ranch during winter. Mitch Alcala of Redstone coordinated another successful Redstone Rally at the end of June, the second consecutive motorcycle-based festival of its kind in the Crystal Valley. The rally included a poker run, a classic car show, had vendor booths, a silent auction, and live music. Proceeds went to Project Sanctuary, which provides Colorado therapeutic retreats to military families. In early fall, team members from Pyranha, a British based kayak and canoe company, picked the Crystal River as the place to inaugurate one of their new boats, the Shiva. One of the toughest sections of whitewater around, the team plunged into the Crystal Gorge up by Crystal City, which one team member called, simply “amazing” since it’s “like falling off the edge of the planet.” In November, the Marble voters decided to retain Marble Mayor Tony Petrocco when a recall election was held. As winter closes in and another Grand Illumination greets the Crystal Valley, we can only imagine what’s in store for 2012. Here’s to a happy holiday season for everyone, as well as a Happy New Year for the Crystal Valley.

W H O

Betsy Wedemeyer in China

A R E

“Who We Are” is a Q&A about Crystal Valleyites and/or those who work in the Crystal Valley area. Our objective is to give community members better connections and familiarity with each other.

Betsy Wedemeyer Redstone

W E

Age: Old enough to know better (about quite a few things)

What three things would you like people to know about you?

Occupation:

1) I love living here.

Real estate broker and speech pathologist

2) I would hate to have to move anywhere else.

Birthplace:

3) I feel so lucky to live here.

Wichita, Kansas

Which living person do you most admire?

When did you move to the Crystal Valley and why? In 1986; we were living in Kansas City when we started looking, three years before we actually moved. My husband Bob was working for a company based in California and working out of our house. We knew that might be a ticket to move to the mountains, him being able to bring his job with him. We didn't really know the Crystal Valley and had thought we wanted to live close to Aspen. One Fourth of July, we were out looking at properties. We saw our now-house advertised in the paper. We came to see and that was it! We are so glad we didn't move to Aspen and ended up near Redstone!

There are many people I love and many I admire but not just one.

What's the best piece of advice you've ever been given? Live your authentic life and don't worry what others think.

What is your favorite thing to do in the Crystal Valley? Take walks in the woods above our house with our dogs.

Who are you? Would you like others to know who you are and what you’re about? Or do you know someone who lives and/or works in the Crystal Valley who would make an interesting Who We Are subject? Let us know by contacting the Echo at cve@crystalvalleyecho.com, or call 963-2373.


Page 4, Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times

C RY S TA L

C A L E N D A R Your calendar for goings on in and around the Crystal River Valley

Help the Echo’s calendar grow; let us know. Send event items to echo@crystalvalleyecho.com by the 15th of the preceding month. Be sure to include the five Ws (who, what, when, why and where); contact info, cost and anything else you think readers need to know. • Dec. 2: 6-8 p.m. Majid Kahhak paints live in honor of the holiday season on First Friday at Kahhak Fine Arts & School, 411 Main St., Carbondale. Beverages and hors d’oeuvres served. 704-0622, mkahhak.com.

• Dec. 2: 6-8 p.m. First Friday is a tradition in Carbondale, and includes all types of retail businesses, galleries, restaurants, free shuttles, rickshaw rides, maps, and performers along the Highway 133 corridor, Third Street Center, and downtown, carbondalearts.com.

• Dec. 2-3, 8-10 at 7 p.m.; Dec. 4 and 11 at 2 p.m. CMC Theatre presents “I Hate Hamlet” at CMC-Spring Valley’s New Space Theatre. $15/general admission, $10/students, seniors, faculty. Call for tickets: 947-8177, svticketsales@coloradomtn.edu. • Dec. 2: 8:30 p.m. David Michael Smith and the Gut String Band is at Steve’s Guitars, 19 N. Fourth St., Carbondale. $10/person, 963-3304, sguitars@sopris.net, www.stevesguitars.net. • Dec. 3, 10 and 17: 2-5 p.m. Santa’s coming to town. The big guy will be at the Redstone Inn for meet-andgreets on the before-mentioned dates and times (i.e. every Saturday before Christmas Eve). 963-2526.

• Dec. 4: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. African-inspired drumming workshop with Laurie Loeb is at Carbondale Community School, 1505 Satank Rd., Carbondale. For info and reservations, contact Laurie at 963-2798, lloeb@rof.net. • Dec. 4: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. All Levels Balance workshop with Bel and Emily Carpenter at Bikram Yoga Basalt. For more information and registration, go to thehottestspot.net or call 927-1230. • Dec. 4: 1-2:30 p.m. Mountain homestead class with Melissa; food shopping for holistic health. Info, RSVP: Melissa Sidelinger, 704-0402. • Dec. 5-6: 6 p.m. Auditions for 10 parts ranging in age from 18 to 75 in “Dangerous Liaisons” directed by Gary Ketzenbarger are at Colorado Mountain College – Spring Valley. Prepare a one- to two-minute monologue, and cold read from script; scriptis available. Performances are Feb. 10-12, 16-19. Call 947-8177, svticketsales@coloradomtn.edu.

• Dec. 6: 10 a.m. Redstone Community Association meets at the Redstone Inn. Learn about upcoming Redstone events, and help plan for them. redstonecolorado.com.

• Dec. 7, 14, 21, 28: 1-2:30 p.m. Adult knitting class at The Marble Hub, 105 W. Main St., Marble, 704-9482. Info, RSVP: Chrisy Sidelinger, 704-0402.

• Dec. 7, 14, 21, 28: 3:45-5:15 p.m. Kids knitting class at The Marble Hub, 105 W. Main St., Marble, 704-9482. Info, RSVP: Chrisy Sidelinger, 704-0402.

• Dec. 8: 7:30 p.m. Opening night with pre-show reception of Thunder River Theatre Company’s “Always…Patsy Cline,” which continues Dec. 9-11 and 15-18 at the Thunder River Theatre in Carbondale, 67 Promenade. Sunday matinees are at 2 p.m.; thunderrivertheatre.com, 963-8200.

• Dec. 10-11: 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. The Marble Hub’s Holiday Open House with Santa and his helpers, for little spenders and big spenders. Children (little spenders) shop from 1-2:30 p.m. Adults (big spenders) shop all day. Free gift wrapping, free refreshments. 105 W. Main St., Marble, 704-9482. • Dec. 15: 1-3 p.m. Time to recycle in Redstone. In front of the Church at Redstone, Redstone Boulevard. • Dec. 17: Christmas Bird Count with the Roaring Fork Audubon Society. Contact Mary at 963-0319 or Linda at 704-9950 to take part. Roaringforkaudubon.org. • Dec. 18: 5-7 p.m. Community Solstice Celebration in the Calaway Room at the Third Street Center in Carbondale. Free bonfire solstice ceremony, OM Puppet Theater’s “Lin Yi’s Lantern,” music by Jimmy Byrne, solstice sing-a-longs, fresh bread from the community oven, and warm drinks. 987-3140, www.tworiversuu.org. • Dec. 19: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Digestion class with Jaclyn Wolf and Monique Villalobos at The Marble Hub, 105 W. Main St., Marble, 704-9482. RSVP: Monique Villalobos, 963-7117. moniquevillalobos@live.com. • Dec. 21: 7 p.m. on. The Howard Berkman Tribute Concert is at the Blue Sage Center for the Arts. Donations accepted to go to a scholarship fund for a deserving young person. 228 Grand Ave., Paonia. paoniamike@gmail.com; Blue Sage’s number: 970-527-7243. • Dec. 22: The last day for the “Close to Earth,” photographic and multimedia exhibit on the ranchers who live in the mountains of Baja California Sur, Mexico by CMC photography graduate Elizabeth Moreno. CMC Gallery, 831 Grand Ave., Glenwood Springs, 947-8367, cmcartshare.com. • Dec. 24: 5 p.m. Christmas Eve service at Marble Community Church. Dramatic monologue presentation with candlelight; 121 W. State St., Marble, 704-1218. • Dec. 24: 6:30 p.m. Christmas Eve service at Church at Redstone, 213 Redstone Blvd., Redstone, 963-0326. • Dec. 25: 10 a.m. Christmas Day service at Church at Redstone, 213 Redstone Blvd., Redstone, 963-0326. • Dec. 25: 10 a.m. Christmas Day service at Marble Community Church. Christmas story, Christmas carols, and Christmas Communion; 121 W. State St., Marble, 704-1218.

• The Marble Hub’s winter hours are Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. 105 W. Main St., Marble, 704.9482. • Pilates in Redstone is on Monday and Thursday mornings; 8-9 a.m. is advanced; 9:30-10:30 a.m. is beginner; and Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. – all levels, everyone welcome, at the Redstone Inn. $10 fee, punch passes available. Dress comfortably and bring a mat. 704-1843. • Roaring Fork Combat Veterans Support Group, a safe place for veterans who have served in combat operations to share, meets every Monday at 8 p.m. at the Circle Club, 123 Main St., Carbondale. Contact Adam McCabe, 309-613-6-91, bigmac309@gmail.com. • Total Body Fitness schedule in Redstone is Tuesday and Thursday, 8:30-10:30 a.m., at the Church at Redstone on the Boulevard. Have a two-hour body experience: Sculpt your figure with low impact to burn body fat, weight-bearing exercises to strengthen and breathing and mindful stretching for flexibility and body/mind awareness. Free to the community. All abilities welcome. Since 1995. Personal training available. Instructor: Lisa Wagner, 963-8240. • HEARTBEAT – support for survivors after suicide – meets the second Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at the United Methodist Church, 824 Cooper St. (the Bethel Chapel entrance), Glenwood. Call Pam Szedelyi, 9451398, or pamsz@sopris.net. • Want to be "In Stitches"? Every first, third and sometimes fifth Wednesday, bring the stitches (knit, crochet, needlepoint etc.) of your choice to the Redstone Inn Library Room from 4-6 p.m. Beginner to advanced. Call Kay Bell, 963-9811 or Mary Dorais, 963-3862. • Recycling in Redstone is on the first and third Thursday of each month from 1-3 p.m. Bring your cardboard, glass, plastic, newspapers, magazines, aluminum, steel cans and office paper to the Pitkin County bin parked adjacent to the Church at Redstone, Redstone Boulevard. • Carbondale Recreation offers classes and programs for a range of activities for kids and adults. 704-4190, carbondalerec.com. • Get help: Crystal Valley residents living in Pitkin County (that’s you, Redstonians), are encouraged by the Aspen Counseling Center to pick up the phone if you are in an emotional crisis and need to talk to a trained professional. Don’t wait. Call 920-5555.

• Dec. 31: Johnny O. rocks the Redstone Inn for New Year’s Eve. Dinner, dancing, champagne toast, lodging packages, too. 963-2526, restoneinn.com.

UPCOMING

ONGOING

• Jan. 12: 4-8 p.m. Open house community input meeting for Carbondale’s new library is at the Calaway Room at the Third Street Center 520 S. Third St. Carbondale. Come when you can. Light refreshments served. Contact Andrea Korber of Land+Shelter at 9630201, andi@landandshelter.com.

• Guided tours of the historic Redstone Castle during the winter are on the weekends. Tickets are available at The Crystal Club Café, Tiffany of Redstone, and the Redstone General Store. $15/adults, $10/seniors/children, free for kids under 5 years. More info on group tours: 9639656 or redstonecastle.us. • Take a horse-drawn carriage ride around Redstone. $25/person. Winter horseback rides available, too. 9632526, redstoneinn.com.

• Jan. 13: 7-11 p.m. Band of Heathens plays at PAC3 at the Third Street Center in Carbondale. Presented by Carbondale Council on Arts and Humanities. The Mile Markers open. $30/tickets, all ages. 520 E. Third St., Carbondale. Tickets available at carbondalearts.com. • Feb. 4: The third annual USSSA-sanctioned Redstone Snowshoe Race/Fun Walk 5k is at the Redstone Castle; redstonecolorado.com.


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Bed & Breakfast & SPA

DECEMBER 2011 Page 5

C RY S TA LVA L L E Y I T E S

Marble Community Church welcomes new pastor By Sue McEvoy, Echo staff writer

Here’s a great holiday gift idea…

DAY SPA GETAWAY PACKAGES Many spa services to choose from including Aromatherapy Soaks, Massages, and Facials personalized for you. Light fare with every package. Stress less for the holidays… Give the gift of health and well-being with a gift certificate. We will email you a Spa Package Menu upon request.

Happy Holidays and Blessings crystaldreamsgetaway.com or call 963-8240 crystaldreams@sopris.net 475 Redstone Blvd., Redstone Lisa Wagner, owner & esthetician

Enjoy New Year’s Eve with

The Johnny O. Band

In October 2011, the Marble Community Church welcomed a new full-time pastor: Chaplain (Colonel) Jon R. Stovall and his wife, Peggoty. As you might surmise from his title, Jon is a recently retired Air Force command chaplain with 28 years in the armed forces. Jon, or Pastor Jon, arrived for his interview with church elders on Sept.10. “[It was] the day they moved the sheep through Marble,” Jon recalls. He held his first worship services on Sept. 11. Jon and Peggoty have taken up residence in the parsonage of the church and have been busy moving in and acquainting themselves with members of the congregation and residents of Marble. “What I like about Marble is, here’s an interdenominational church in the mountains,” says Jon. “Although the community is small, everyone’s welcome. And when you go around, whether they go to church or not, they know you as the minister. This first month has really been wonderful. It’s kind of neat because we’re Jon Stovall entering into the whole season of Advent and Christmas. It crystallizes why I’m here in my own life.” Jon hopes to draw on his experience as an Air Force chaplain to minister to Marble’s congregation, which fluctuates between 40 and 60 members depending on the season. “My responsibilities here are to love the people, pastor them, visit them especially when they are sick, and to be present to the community,” he says. “The way I look at myself is – there’s physicians for the physical body but I am here to be, as best as I can, a doctor of the soul for people.” Raised in the Black Hills of South Dakota, Jon realized his calling for Christian service and missionary work after high school. He was ordained as a minister in 1980 and commissioned as an Air Force chaplain in 1983. He has served at bases in Nebraska, Germany, Washington DC, Texas, South Carolina, Afghanistan, Bahrain, and Maryland. Jon completed his service as the Air Force Global Strike command chaplain at Barksdale, La. Peggoty has a nursing degree and, with experience as a substitute teacher, has already started substituting at the Marble Charter School. The Stovalls have two grown children, and several relatives in Colorado. They’ve brought their Labrador retriever named Starbuck with them to Marble. “One thing that drew us to Marble was the mountains,” Jon says. “We both love to hike. Maybe we’ll do some snowshoeing. I’ve never tried cross-country skiing so we might try that, and most of all I’d like to learn how to do fly-fishing.” The Marble Community Church is an independent interdenominational Christian church. Services are held every Sunday at 10 a.m. Pastor Jon especially welcomes everyone to the candlelight service on Christmas Eve at 5 p.m. He also hopes to incorporate men’s and ladies’ groups and possibly a game night as activities for members of the congregation. To reach Pastor Jon, call 963-1464, and visit marblecommunitychurch.org.

Dinner • Dancing • Champagne Toast $120 per couple plus tax and gratuity Music starts at 8 pm • Dancing starts at 9 pm

Entice your senses…

New Year’s Eve Packages available including lodging and breakfast start at $275 per couple plus tax & gratuity

Floral Design

THE REDSTONE INN 970-963-2526 www. redstoneinn.com

Gourmet Foods Gift Baskets 201 Main Street • Carbondale • 970-510-5135 • figandlily.com


Page 6, Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times

C R Y S T A L

R I V E R

C A U C U S

M A T T E R S

The caucus holds its annual meeting Nov. 10 By John Emerick, Crystal River Caucus The Crystal River Caucus held its 2011 annual meeting on Nov. 10, ending its 17th year of operation. The meeting agenda included an update on the pending water court proceedings regarding the West Divide Water Conservation District application, an update from the Thompson Divide Coalition on proposed gas drilling activities in the Thompson Divide area, and election of board members.

West Divide water rights The Crystal River Caucus filed a letter of opposition with the District Water Court last July concerning the application for water rights for the West Divide Water Conservation District and Colorado River Water Conservation District. The application still calls for a 4,000-acre-foot reservoir on the Crystal River. Other letters of opposition were filed by Pitkin County, Trout Unlimited, Crystal Valley Environmental Protection Association, and American Rivers. According to Bill Jochems, attorney for the caucus, Pitkin County will be the key opponent in this case. Jochems believes that the county will argue that the two districts don't have the funds, or the intention to build the reservoir, that the districts are trying to hold these water rights only for speculative purposes, and that they have not proceeded with reasonable diligence during the 54 years that they have held their conditional water right. The court proceedings are at an early stage, and

Jochems would not speculate on how long it would take for the court to reach a decision. “It all depends on how hard the principal parties are willing to fight,” he said. Thompson Divide update Marj Perry, representing the Thompson Divide Coalition (TDC), presented an update on proposed oil and gas drilling activities in the Thompson Divide area. The mission of the Thompson Divide Coalition is to secure permanent protection from oil and gas development on federal lands in the Thompson Divide Area by seeking federal withdrawal of gas leases there. The coalition’s biggest concern is the request from SG Interests to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to unitize 16 gas leases that the Houston-based company holds in the Thompson Divide area. The action would lump all of the leases into one holding and would allow the company a time extension and provide more flexibility in drilling than if the leases were held individually. The leases include 32,000 acres in the heart of the Thompson Divide Roadless Area, which connects many other roadless areas to Grand and Battlement mesas and the main stem of the Rocky Mountains, and thus is extremely important as a wildlife corridor. An industry consultant working with the TDC estimated that within the 32,000 acres in the proposed unit, there could be as many as 400 wells drilled, and more than 200 miles of roads in the area. To date not a single well has been drilled in the area,

and the only other natural gas company in the unit, Encana, has already indicated they will allow their two leases to expire. The coalition believes that the unitization request is a ploy to hold onto the leases after they would normally expire, without any significant development, until the price of gas increases. The coalition believes that the unitization request should be denied, but if approved, BLM should require a full environmental impact analysis and limit surface disturbance. In October, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the 2001 Roadless Rule issued during the Clinton Administration. Thirteen of the leases in the proposed unit were sold after implementation of the rule and did not include stipulations barring surface disturbance. Several environmental organizations, including Western Resource Advocates, Wilderness Workshop, and High Country Citizens Alliance believe these 13 leases are non-compliant with the 2001 Roadless Rule and should be cancelled. New board members elected Three regular board positions were open, as well as the position of vice chair being vacated by yours truly. Bill Hanks, Mike Ferguson, and Clark Heckert were elected to the board, and Mark Lacy was elected to be vice chair. Board members whose terms expire next year include Dee Malone, chair, and Sharon Clarke, Tom McBrayer, Chuck Ogilbee, and Ray Pojman. For more information, contact the Crystal River Caucus at crcaucus@gmail.com or call 963-2143.

The Church at Redstone

We invite you to come and worship God with us in a peaceful and beautiful setting next to the Crystal River in Redstone

Worship 10:00 a.m. Nursery provided ªªª

Christmas Eve Service 6:30 p.m.

Christmas Day Service 10:00 a.m.

Bruce A. Gledhill, Pastor • 970-963-0326 www.churchatredstone.com

A community church serving Redstone and the Crystal Valley.


DECEMBER 2011 Page 7

What’s up with Pitkin County? Open December 10th and 11th and by appointment anytime. Featuring: Marble Coolers • Marble Lamps Scented Wax Pottery • Wooden Bowls Raku Clayworks • Marble Jewelry Custom Denim Coats

CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE: themarblegallery.com 620 West Park Street • Marble • 970-963-7117

Todd L. Fugate, Agent 590 Hwy 133 Carbondale, CO 81623-1884 Bus: 970-963-5610 todd.fugate.g0ku@statefarm.com Jeff Leonard Insurance Agency, Inc. Jeff Leonard CLU CPCU, Agent Glenwood Springs, CO 81601 Bus: 970-945-2345

Attention Business Owners!!! We have buyers interested in buying your business!! Located anywhere in Colorado your company must have sales between $100,000 to $20 million. Please call for a confidential review.

Business World Brokers servicing Colorado since 1979. Fully licensed insured and experienced! Proven track record and STRICLY CONFIDENTIAL.

970-704-1100

Buying - Selling Personal and Caring Service Call Bob or Betsy (970) 963-2987 info@wedemeyerrealestate.com

New focus with 2012 budget By George Newman, Pitkin County District 5 Commissioner

In 2010, the Pitkin County Board of Commissioners (BOCC) and staff held a series of “kitchen talks” throughout the county. The goal was to revisit our mission statement that was last done in a similar format 10 years ago. It provided us an opportunity to share with citizens the current programs and services we offer and to gather input and re-set priorities. This past year at our annual retreat, we reviewed the data collected and created a new mission statement as well as a new vision statement on where we see the county going. This then led to a new strategic plan that all the county departments used in the development of the proposed 2012 budget as well as a five-year plan; the overall goal being to focus on investing in services and infrastructure that will produce results citizens need and desire. While our overall budget includes special revenue funds (airport, landfill, library, open space and trails, translator, E-911), this column focuses on the general fund, which includes the county’s core services (road and bridge, human services, public safety, community development, administration, clerk and recorder, attorney’s office, public works/fleet). The projected 2012 budget for these core services is $23,284,930. Revenues to the general fund come from property taxes (28 percent), sales taxes (28 percent), program and service fees (21 percent), intergovernmental revenue (17 percent) and miscellaneous other sources (6 percent). Property taxes that go towards the general fund are less than $.06/tax dollar collected. Pitkin County levies a 3.6 percent sales tax. These funds are split amongst four separate authorities: 1.5 percent for mass transit, 0.1 percent for the Healthy River and Stream fund, with the remaining 2 percent shared with Aspen, Snowmass Village and Basalt. The final allocation to the county’s general fund is 43 percent of this 2 percent, which is less than a penny for every dollar spent in Pitkin County. Based on our strategic plan, we are taking a new approach to our proposed budget and five-year plan by realigning resources from services experiencing less demand (community development) to those experiencing more demand (human services and road and bridges). In addition, we are increasing our investment in the recruitment, retention and development of a professional and qualified workforce. By merging and reallocating some of our “undesignated” fund balances (facilities fund, tech pool fund, and road fund), we will be able to re-apportion these dollars in conjunction with designating 50 percent of all sales tax revenues towards capital projects. During the next five years, the proposed capital plan includes: • $10.8 million for road and bridge projects ($1.9 million in 2012); • $7.8 million for facilities maintenance and energy conservation measures ($1.7 million in 2012); • $3.9 million for information technology investments ($800,000 in 2012); • $3.4 million for heavy equipment and vehicle replacements ($325,000 in 2012). The ability to allocate this high percentage to capital projects is due not only to the revised allocation of income revenue but also to approximately $5.2 million in operations saving. This includes the elimination of six positions, reductions in health insurance expenditures, and savings throughout the organization in personnel expenditures and cost center reductions. With the help of the financial advisory board, the BOCC continues to take a conservative outlook over the next five years. We are projecting a modest increase in sales taxes (2-3.5 percent over five years), an average increase of just over 3 percent in property tax revenues as the real estate market slowly adjusts, a gradual improvement in our investment income, and community development fees beginning to rebound in 2013. Of course, these are just projections, but the beauty of a five-year plan is it allows us to make adjustments based on economic realities and, if necessary, to re-allocate the percentage of the general fund budget from capital projects back to operations. Although the final budget will not be approved until mid-December, I believe the county is going in the right direction adapting to our new economic reality. The proposed 2012 budget and five-year plan are the first steps in maintaining our long-term financial and organizational health, while advancing community and environmental well-being.

In this column, District 5 Pitkin County Commissioner George Newman offers his take on current matters. You can reach him at george.newman@co.pitkin.co.us. Pitkin County commissioners hold weekly work sessions on Tuesdays and bi-monthly public hearings on Wednesdays in the Plaza One building next to the Pitkin County Courthouse on Main Street in Aspen. Agendas are available at aspenpitkin.com. Both meetings are televised live and repeated on locater CG12 TV. They are also streamed live and available on Pitkin County’s website, at aspenpitkin.com.


Page 8, Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times

Obituaries Thomas Raymond “T.Ray” Becker Nov. 1, 2011 Thomas Raymond “T. Ray” Becker passed away peacefully on the morning of Nov. 1. He is survived by his two sons, Jesse and Andrew Becker, and his former wife, Nancy. Thomas “T. Ray” Becker lived an amazing life. He loved many, and was loved by many. There was a memorial gathering at The Pour House restaurant in Carbondale on Nov. 12. Donations may be made to the T. Ray Becker Memorial Fund at Alpine Bank.

Howard W. Berkman June 4, 1947 – Oct. 29, 2011

son, Beloved nephew, brother, uncle and friend, Howard Berkman unexpectedly passed away in Paonia on Oct. 29 following a brief illness. He was 64. Chicago born, well traveled, and residing in Colorado since 1976, Howard was a professional singer/songwriter/guitarist well known throughout the West Slope and beyond. Howard is survived by his mother, Harriet Farkas of Tamarac, Fla., his uncle Carl (Hattie) Fox of Niles Ill., sister Felice (Darrell) Sage, nephew, Kyle Sage of Littleton Colo., sisters Pamela (Mehran) Saky and Brenna Hopkins, and stepbrothers Dr. Daniel (Gail) Farkas and Dr. Jeremy (Fran) Farkas. A memorial celebration of his life was held at the Blue Sage Center for the Arts in Paonia on Nov. 13. In lieu of flowers, please make your donations to Howard Berkman Music Scholarships, First State Bank of Colorado, P.O. Box 597, Paonia CO 81428.

Howard Berkman Tribute Concert to be held Dec. 21

The Howard Berkman Tribute Concert is being held at the Blue Sage Center for the Arts, 228 Grand Ave., in Paonia on Dec. 21. Music starts at 7 p.m. The lineup includes Mojo plus Devon Meyers; Mike Gwinn and the Northfork Flyers; Gus Brett; The Strolling Scones; Paul Frazier; Big Bottom with Johnny O. and friends; and Midnight Mesa. “Other musicians would love to participate, but at this point that's all we can fit in,” says organizer Mike Gwinn. A good friend of Howard’s, Bob Pinetta, will M.C. the evening. Donations are being requested to go to a scholarship fund in Howard’s name for deserving young musicians. “The parameters of the scholarship are yet to be determined by a committee, of which I’m a part,” says Mike. A silent auction table will be set up, and everything else, including the music and the facility is being donated. Mike says that he would appreciate help with a potluck organizing food and drinks for the event as he has his “hands full organizing music. The Sage will sell beer and wine to help defray their expenses.” Mike Gwinn’s e-mail is paoniamike@gmail.com. The Blue Sage Center’s number is 970-527-7243.


DECEMBER 2011 Page 9

F I R E S

Carbondale woodworker still looking for shop space after fire By Carrie Click, Echo editor Carbondale woodworker David Rasmussen is still looking for shop space and tools to replace all that he lost in a Nov. 3 fire. The barn where David Rasmussen had his shop was a total loss. Photo courtesy of David Rasmussen

Carbondale Fire responds to structure fire At 3:48 a.m. on Nov. 29, Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District was paged for a report of a brush fire at 184 N. 11th St., in Carbondale. The first responding fire officer was on scene within eight minutes and reported a fire burning between a shed and a home. The first fire truck was on scene in 16 minutes. The fire damaged a chicken coop, straw bale shed and windows of the residence, along with a fence, deck and porch at the adjacent residence at 201 N. 10th St. There were no firefighter or civilian injuries, though all of the chickens in the coop were killed in the fire. The chicken coop was a total loss and the straw bale shed suffered extensive damage, however no dollar amount has been determined as of press time. The fire department responded with three fire trucks, an ambulance and 17 personnel. The fire was reported as being out at 4:21 am. “The first arriving engine, staffed with both volunteer and paid members, did an excellent job of containing the fire and preventing further spread,” said Carbondale Deputy Fire Chief Bill Gavette. The cause of the fire is believed to be from a heat lamp in the chicken coop. The Carbondale Police Department and the Garfield County Sheriff’s Department also responded to this incident. For more information regarding this incident, please contact Carbondale Fire Chief Ron Leach at 963-2491 or leach@carbondalefire.org. – Carbondale Rural & Fire Protection District

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A 100-year-old barn where David had set up his woodworking shop on Thompson Creek Road about three miles west of Carbondale was a complete loss as a result of the fire. The barn, which was owned by Cathren and Jeff Britt of Carbondale, was insured, but David had no insurance on his tools or materials. No one was hurt and the cause of the fire is under investigation. According to Deputy Fire Chief Rob Goodwin of Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District, the fire was extinguished within 20 minutes from the call for assistance at 4 a.m., which brought six fire trucks, one ambulance and 18 volunteer and paid firefighters to the scene. The Britts also used the barn to produce wares for their Dancing Colours store on Main Street in Carbondale. “We are very sad for David’s loss!,” wrote Cathren in an email to the Echo. As of Nov. 22, David said a benefit fund has been established at Alpine Bank in Carbondale to help him recover some of his losses. David works with sustainable materials to create functional wood pieces. His one-of-a-kind custom pieces are influenced by the natural landscape. With the destruction of his working space on Thompson Creek Road, David is temporarily working out of Anderson Ranch Arts Center in Snowmass Village. He is currently looking for new space with existing equipment to start creating his original and commissioned pieces. If you have ideas about studio and woodworking space, contact David at 970-5100637, david@davidrasmussendesign.com or visit davidrasmussendesign.com.

L E T T E R S

Write us a letter! The Echo welcomes your input, opinions, thanks and whatever else you’d like to share with your fellow readers, provided it’s written in a respectful, civil way. (Please, no unsubstantiated attacks, etc.) Please shoot for 500 words or less. The Echo reserves the right to edit and proofread letters. Send your words to The Crystal Valley Echo, echo@crystalvalleyecho.com, or 274 Redstone Blvd., Redstone, CO 81623. Thanks.

Re-1 school board member to hold office hours

Dear Echo: I would like to thank everyone who helped support and pass the mill levy override for the Re-1 School District. I know that in these very difficult times, it was a lot to ask, but thankfully our valley has rallied around our schools and our children, realizing their importance for our future. Funding for education is not just a district problem; it’s a statewide problem that needs to be fixed. With Gov. Hickenlooper proposing more cuts for education in his budget for next year, we are by no means out of the woods yet. I’d like to keep the conversation going about the direction of our schools. As a board member of Re-1 as well as a father of two, I know how vital it is to be involved and understand more about the schools my kids attend, so in an effort to be more accessible to parents, teachers, students and community members, I will be holding office hours each month. I will be based at the Basalt Elementary School, so if you would like to set up an appointment to meet with me, please contact the school office at 384-5800. Below are the dates and times that I will be at the school: Dec. 13, 3:30-5 p.m., Jan. 10, 3:30-5 p.m., Feb. 7, 3:30-5 p.m., March 6, 3:30-5 p.m.

Thank you! Richard Stettner Roaring Fork School District Re-1 Board Member Basalt


Page 10, Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times

V I N TA G E

VA L L E Y

Alma Osgood, left, as depicted in this Jack Roberts’ painting.

Christmas past – with Alma Osgood By Sue McEvoy, Echo staff writer

The beginnings of the holiday tradition in Redstone date back to the founding of the “model village” in the early 1900s by John Cleveland Osgood, chairman of the Colorado Fuel & Iron Co. Osgood’s wife, Alma, known as Lady Bountiful to the townspeople, considered Christmas her favorite season to visit Redstone. While many stories may have been lost to time in the past 100 years, here are a few that were documented. Here’s one from Redstone’s former company newspaper, Camp & Plant, from Dec. 20, 1901: “Arrangements have been completed for quite an elaborate celebration of Christmas in Redstone. The public school is to have its tree in the Elk Mountain Inn [now Redstone Inn], which is now nearing completion. Mrs. Wright and Miss Freeman are in charge of the entertainment to which all residents of Redstone have been invited. Mr. and Mrs. Osgood and their guests, Miss Osgood and Mr. Agassiz, will be present.” Here’s some more recent correspondence sent to the Redstone Castle, dated Dec. 24, 1976, which included a copy of “The Redstone Waltz,” a piece of music created by Alma Osgood: “Dear Sir, In 1903-05, my father worked as a miner near Redstone. We lived in a colorful little house near the center of town. Mrs. Osgood was very kind to all the children of the town, every year she gave us toys and cakes. One year my sister received a sheet of music with her gift and a request to play it on her violin. Mrs. Osgood wrote the piece herself you see, but we never heard no more of it. I am alone and feeling poorly and am sending you this unusual page for whatever use you may see fit. God Bless, Karl P. Hunt” An excerpt from, “The Tin Man,” a story of the life of former Crystal Valley resident Roy McTavish, tells a little more about Alma Osgood’s generosity: “Roy moved to this valley in 1897, his father worked on the original Redstone Mansion as the foreman on the job, but they lived in a tent until the first house in town was built. Roy began his education at the age of six in a little wooden schoolhouse until the school was moved into a stone building Mr. Osgood provided. Roy remembered, “All the children loved the Osgoods, especially Mrs. Osgood.” This was because every Christmas she would have them write her a note, telling what they wanted for Christmas. “The first thing I wanted was a sled, and I got a beautiful sled.” Each child received the gift he or she asked for. “The second year I asked for a watch, and I got a watch.”

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DECEMBER 2011 Page 11

SPECIAL PULL-OUT SECTION - DECEMBER 2011

T HE M ARBLE T IMES A L O O K AT L I F E AT T H E M A R B L E C H A R T E R S C H O O L

MCS Read-A-Thon By Bella Marble Charter School students recently had an amazing Read-a-Thon! It took place starting October 1st and ended October 29th. Each student made a reasonable goal of pages to read. Students asked friends and family to give them pledges for every page they read. Each day of the month students logged their pages on a chart and worked towards their goal. Eventually every kid reached their goal and in celebration the teachers and parents arranged a 24-hour read-in where at least one person was reading at school from 9 am one day to 9 am the next. (Most the time, everyone was reading, except for the middle of the night when people took turns getting up and reading for a couple of hours.) As a reward for all the hard work put into reading during the month of October, it was arranged that all MCS students got to go to the Glenwood Hot Springs pool! We also got a presentation about the libraries in our valley at the Glenwood Springs library. The kids got to learn how to use the Dewey Decimal System, how to find a book and what the labels on the spines of the books mean. The students had so much fun reading and meeting their goals! A huge thank you to everyone who participated. Thanks to the students for doing so much reading, thank you to all of the people who made pledges, we raised $1,446 to go towards books for our school. And, a special thanks to all of our readers who helped throughout the month: Jill Ulrych, MaryAnn Wofford, DezaRae O’Flannery, Alyssa Ohnmacht, Karen Good, Alicia Benesh, Beth and Matt Maun, Randy Tuggle, Becky Trembley, Jorndan Maguran, Peggoty Stovall, Larry Good, Kristin Wahlbrink and of course our fantastic teachers and staff.

Please save your Box Tops for Education What we need you to do to help us raise money for the school, you can do several things like: 1. Save your box tops 2. Give them to your favorite Marble Charter School student 3. Save Box Tops and drop off at the MCS office or The Redstone General Store 4. Shop online at www.boxtops4education.com The class that gets the most Box Tops by December 12th get congratulated with a s’mores and hot chocolate party!

Thanks for your support!

IMPORTANT DECEMBER DATES: Dec. 2 : 6 p.m.MCS Talaent Show Dec. 9: 6 p.m. Holiday Dinner Dec. 16: Holiday Bazaar 9-11

Many Thanks

Holiday Dinner! Please join us for a FEAST!

TO THE SPONSORS OF THE MARBLE TIMES!

DAVID PARKS & LAURIE FARBER & FAMILY Become a Sponsor of The Marble Times! Sponsorships help off-set the cost of producing this school paper thus allowing it to remain ad-free, so the students’ work can be the focus. If you would like to sponsor The Marble Times, please contact Alyssa - echo@crystalvalleyecho.com or 963-2373

Friday, December 9th, 2011 6 pm at Marble Charter School $10 Adults, $5 Kids A Delicious Turkey Dinner and Fundraiser for the 7th & 8th grade!


Page 12, Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times

Veterans Day at MCS

By Ralph On Thursday November 10th Marble Charter School celebrated Veterans Day By inviting Veterans from the area to tell their stories about serving in the Armed Forces. There was at least one person for every Armed Forces group except for Coastguard. MCS bus driver Jim Aarts was one of the Veterans that was celebrated, he served in the Navy on an aircraft carrier. Another Veteran that came was Allan Stickell, from the Marines. His job was truck driving, his main goal was to get the cargo from point A to Point B as quickly as possible. There was many more Veterans that came that day. As the veterans left the MCS students presented the veterans with cards. The 3-5 group presented posters with important words on them like Honor and Sacrifice to the veterans. We hope to celebrate this event once again next year.

A huge thank you to all the vets who came and shared Veterans Day with us!

Day of the Dead Celebration By Ralph and Katie On November 2nd at 6:00 there was a Day of the Dead celebration, Dia de los Muertos, at Thunder River Theater Company in Carbondale. This celebration had talking ,dancing, and this year it had an Aztec influence. The dancers were from Aspen Santa Fe Ballets Folklorico Dancers. The readers were Jeff and Kristen Carlson, Valerie Haugen, Richard Lyon, and Lon Winston the owner of Thunder River Theatre Company. This was Thunder River Theatre Company’s 8th annual Day of the Dead Celebration. Several people from MCS attended this celebration when asked what her favorite part was Alyssa Ohnmacht quickly said, “The costumes were amazing and beautiful. They also sounded amazing. My favorite part of the performance was when they were dancing so hard that the floor shook.”

After learning how plants carry out processes necessary for life, the 3rd thru 5th grade students created drawings of their own plants and labeled its basic parts. Left by Patrick, right by Katie.

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DECEMBER 2011 Page 13

Student Spotlight

Teacher Spotlight

Tomas

Katie’s interview of Amy

By Ralph Who is your hero and why? My hero is Mario Lemieux because I want to be a hockey player like him. Who would you like to meet and why? I’d like to meet Wayne Gretzky because he’s the best hockey player ever. What is your favorite movie? Narnia. What is your favorite book? Warriors. What is your favorite subject? Science. What is your favorite sport? Hockey. What is your career choice? A hockey player. What is your pet peeve? The same sound over and over. Who is your favorite sports player? Jaromír Jágr. Where would you like to visit the most? Hawaii.

Who has influenced you the most? My aunt Judy, who taught me that hard work and effort pay off. What is your favorite book? Cutting For Stone. What is your favorite subject to teach in school? Science because there is always something interesting to experiment. What is your favorite sport? Nordic skiing. When were you the happiest? When I had my two Amy Rusby kids. When is your birthday? May 27. Where would you like to visit and why? Europe because there is a lot of history there. Where did you spend your best vacation ever? In Hawaii How would you describe yourself, using 3 adjectives? Energetic, Patient and Curious. How would you spend your ideal day? Hanging out with my kids and going hiking.

Thank you to Jennifer Dockery, Andi Wofford and Celeste Olander. The cameras you donated to the Marble Times are much appreciated!

A brief look into the classrooms… E-Team Update - 6-8 - Debby Macek This past month, the older students at MCS, 6th – 8th grade, have all completed our big unit on statistics and data analysis in mathematics. 6th graders are now focusing on factors and multiples, 7th graders are working diligently on proportions, and 8th graders are mastering the Pythagorean Theorem. Next month, 6th graders will begin tackling fractions, as 7th graders move on to negative numbers and 8th graders begin looking at exponential functions. In Language Arts, students have completed Personal Narratives and either a Problem-Solution Essay or a Cause-Effects Essay. Next we’ll be working on some seasonal writings and poems as well as finishing reading Farewell to Manzanar and focusing on expository readings. In Social Studies, the 6th – 8th graders completed their work on Asia by comparing and contrasting the four major religions there (Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity) and looking at the JapaneseAmerican Internment during WWII and the conscription of child soldiers in the Myanmar Civil War through the lens of conflict and how it effects children and families. Next, we’re off to Africa; we’ll look at colonialism and current efforts at sustainability in that continent. The 3rd – 5th graders are studying history and geography through the lens of biographies; famous people from around the world will help us gain perspective on different cultures. Wildcats Update - 3-5 - Dan Poll The Wildcats classroom is thankful for the seasons. The Reading streets program has been a wonderful addition to our schools curriculum. Each week is centered on a question of the week. Each week also has several mini-concepts that spiral back around throughout the school year. For November, our questions of the week will be; Why do people explore new place, what can we discover in the landscape of the Southwest, and How does Yosemite reflect the unique qualities of the west. In Math, we will be continuing to build on the student’s knowledge of place value. We will be working on addition and subtraction of numbers up to one million. In subtraction, we are focusing on mastering problems where students have to barrow. We will also be working on breaking apart word problems. The weeks are flying by and we are moving right along!

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K-2 Class Update - Gina Miles Looking back at November, I am amazed at what the students accomplished. We wrote expository reports on animals from Indonesia. The Water Dragon and Mouse Deer were two favorites. We also had an interesting trip to the Marble Cemetery to celebrate Dia de los Muertos. During the short school month of December, the K-3 classroom will be very busy. Along with our normal academic program, we will be learning about holiday celebrations from around the world. If you have a special holiday that you celebrate and would like to come and share with or class, please let us know. We are still trying to gather supplies for a “new” Kinder space. We are asking for lightly used wooden blocks, dress up items, craft supplies, child size furniture etc. Please call the school (963-9550) if you have anything you can pass on. Science Update - Amy Rusby The great things we are doing in Science at MCS!!! The 3rd thru 5th grade students have been learning about the life processes of plants compared to the life processes of animals. To expand their understanding, they have also learned about the differences in plant and animal cells. If you are in the area, please stop by MCS and see the students’ diagrams of a plant and a cell. This was their way of sharing their understanding of what they have learned. The 6th thru 8th grade students have been working with a partner to research one of the biomes of the world (For exampleTundra, Desert, Freshwater, Rain Forest, Savannah, Deciduous Forest). Then they were asked to design a blueprint of a sustainable city within their biomes. We had the pleasure of having, Marble local, Jim Aarts, come to class and brainstorm with students on how they can make their cities more sustainable and use less non-renewable resources. Once the students were completed with their blueprints, they were given Legos, to actually build their cities! Come check out their great minds at work! In December, the 3rd thru 8th grade students will be learning about Social and Emotional Well Being and Prevention and Risk Management. This will encompass students learning about: nutrition, physical fitness, personal hygiene, communication skills, stress management and drug education. If you or someone you know, would be a good resource for us to have in class to discuss any of these topics, please give Amy Rusby a call at 963-1009. It is always beneficial to have outside sources partner with us in educating the students.

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Our staff’s favorite holiday traditions

Debra: Eating good food with people that I love. Debby: When we sit around the around the table and tell what were thankful for. Dan: My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving because I gets to be with family and gets to relax and watch football. Andi: Putting the Christmas tree up after Thanksgiving. Gina: Having meals with family. Amy: Christmas music. Jim: Eating a lot of food on Thanksgiving. Barry: Getting dressed up and dancing. Christy: Always making turkey bread on Thanksgiving. Carin: Playing board games with family during Thanksgiving so that dinner lasts really long.

What foods our staff like to eat for the holidays?

Debra: Shrimp, lobster and seafood Debby: Christmas cookies, leftover side dishes and scalloped cheesy potatoes. Dan: A big turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, broccoli salad and apple pie. Gina: mixing sweet and savory and enjoying all the leftovers. Andi: Homemade cranberry sauce with pumpkin pie. Amy: Eggnog and decorated cookies. Jim: Stuffed turkey. Barry: Pie and cherry sauce. Christy: Green bean casserole. Carin: My family likes turkey, but I like steak because there is no Thanksgiving in Holland. I don’t really like turkey. By Ralph, Katie and Ava

Marble Charter School phone numbers: 970-963-9550 970-963-1009


Page 14, Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times

STUDENT GALLERY

Director’s Corner The Need for Community in a Community School By Debra Winston

The K-2 class studied Japan They during the Asia unit. learned about an important symbol of Japan, Mt Fuji. They also learned that Japan has many volcanos and the parts of a volcano. Clockwise from left, Volcano by Baylee. Mt. Fuji with train by Alex. Colorful Mt. Fuji by Cormac

By Easton

Snow poetry by the Wild Cats (3-5).

The Marble Charter School is truly a community school in that it exists to serve the local children who would have to ride a bus for long distances to attend school if it were not for this local school. This harkens back to the original idea of the local school that served the whole community as a gathering place, polling place, dance hall and oftentimes a place of worship. Our Marble Charter School has now expanded to include a huge activity room and commercial kitchen. With our new playground, open to the whole community, we offer recreation and enrichment to everyone. We even have two families who bring their children here from Glenwood Springs! The community is welcome to be even more involved. We help to maintain an ice-skating rink that is open to the public, free of charge. This year, we have been partnering with the Hub to offer baked goods and now the Hub will also have ice skates available to rent for a nominal fee. We hosted a talent show on Dec. 2 and we invited the community to participate. The community also benefits by the Lead King Loop each year in early September. This amazing race takes runners on one of three routes and finishes with a fabulous luncheon. Runners from all over Colorado return year after year. We write an original musical – this year using folktales from around the world – and we’d love to have costume and set assistance as well as a robust audience in early March. We welcome visitors any time. Come in if you’d like to read to children or have someone read to you. And if you have a skill that you could share with our students, let us know. We would like to begin a program of apprenticeships so that our older children can learn a craft or skill through a craftsperson and enjoy that special relationship that only a mentor can provide. Our community school can only be as strong as the community that surrounds – and participates – with us. Come join us in our educational adventures!

By Colton Below, 6-8 - As part of a social studies unit on Conflict, students learned about the

By experiences of Japanese-Americans during their internment in camps during Erica WWII. They studied photographs, propoganda, and Presidential Order 9066 which authorized evacuations and internment. They read articles about the camps, discussed what struck them powerfully, and then together in groups wrote poems to perform to the class.

Tanforan Camp Group: Ralph, Sam, Julia & Jose Protected Normal An owner of freedom Eligible Not Hopeless Rejected Mistrusted Denied Excluded Are we hopeless? Deserted Barren Aimless Very Low Hopeless Hopeful Newly Justified Prejudice Lingers Struggling to Belong Finally Free

Manzanar Camp Group: Bella, Jake, Justice & Maximus The sense of danger and murder in the air, the unwelcoming sight of many lives lost. Our refuge is depleted to nothing with our evacuation. The bus stops and we enter a flood of music and joy. This hides the distress behind the gates that lie ahead. We don’t know how long we have been here and our peaceful evacuation is now only a distant memory. We have been living off of hope of release and moldy bread. Even though the smoky walls of the amp are behind us, We still feel as if we are stuck For we have nothing left.

Topaz Camp Group: Justin, Lucas & Megan

Would Marble Charter School Be A Good Fit For YOUR Child?

Attack Ambush Surprise War time Enemy Japanese Awkward Camps Unfair Dreadful Cruel Helpless Uncomfortable Angry Fearful Scared Watched Away Hopeful Freedom A New Beginning Claim Hope Money Payback Later Sorrow Equal Apology

• Small Class Size, High Staff : Student Ratio (typically 5:1) • Kindergarten through 10th grade • Transportation to & from Redstone • Outstanding individualized educational opportunities • Warm, friendly, nurturing and supportive learning environment • We help children to reach their full potential. • Our combination of individualized instruction in core academics with project-based learning allows students to apply their skills in a real-world setting. • 9 & 10th grade selective enrollment, mentorships, individual learning plan, project based learning opportunities, contracted schedule. • New playground • Beautiful new classroom space

Peace

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MARBLE CHARTER SCHOOL 412 West Main Street, Marble, Colorado 81623 970-963-9550 • Fax 970-963-8435 marblecharter@hughes.net www.gunnisonschools.net


DECEMBER 2011 Page 15

Echo-Logic By Ellie Kershow

Piñon country PITKIN COUNTY GOVERNMENT Now streaming Board of County Commissioner meetings on the internet!

Also on the Pitkin County website: County Commissioner Agendas Vehicle and Title Registration

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Physical Mailing Address: Pitkin County Administration 530 East Main Street, Aspen, CO 81611

QUESTIONS? Call 970-920-5200

Pilates

in

Redstone

This is the second in a series in Echo Logic about evergreen trees of the Crystal Valley.

Another great evergreen of the Crystal River Valley is the Colorado Pinyon Pine, or Piñon Pine (Pinus edulis). In the lower Crystal Valley, the landscape is dominated by pinyon-juniper woodland. This native tree grows all along the foothills of Carbondale and up through the Avalanche Creek area towards Redstone. It grows with Rocky Mountain juniper mostly, but also with oak and sagebrush. Pinyon-juniper woodland has an immense range spreading from Texas to California and all the way to Idaho and down into Mexico. (A common abbreviation of this forest is called P.J.) It is a very common forest type in the lower elevations of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah. This two-needle pine only grows to about 20 feet. It has a rounded conical crown and its cones are small and shaped like an egg. Locally, pinyon pines tend to like rocky, flat areas on arid slopes in the lowlands of the Crystal Valley. The pinyon pine has a great deal of cultural significance and historical value for the Native Americans in the southwestern United States, including Colorado. It has been and continues to be an excellent source of food for people and wildlife, especially the pinyon nuts. A variety of birds rely on the seeds of this tree for food. The Clarks nutcracker, piñon jay, Stellar’s jay and scrub jay depend on this plant, just to name a few. If you are headed up the Crystal Valley, there is an excellent place to experience the pinyon-juniper woodland first-hand. At approximately mile marker 58 off Highway 133 on the west side of the road (or a right-hand turn if you are heading upvalley), is a place called the Perham Creek trailhead established in 1996. There is a small parking lot and the trail begins immediately to the right. The trail begins by having to cross the creek right off the bat, but a small wooden foot bridge makes it super easy. Then it gradually climbs up into the pinyon-juniper woodland. There you can hike among the Colorado pinyon pine and Rocky Mountain juniper (Juniperus scopulorum) as well as Gambel’s oak (Quercus gambelii) and mountain sagebrush or big mountain sage (Artemesia tridentata). The view of Mt. Sopris from this trail is awesome and the easy hike makes it a must do. This forest type has a timeless, peaceful quality that is sure to touch those who allow themselves to slow down and take it all in. It is especially nice in the late fall when the leaves of the deciduous trees have already turned and winter has not yet gripped the lower elevations of the Crystal Valley.

Ellie Kershow lives in the Crystal River Valley where she writes about botany and environmental science. She has a master's degree in environmental science and policy.

echonewspapers.com Peak Pilates Certified Instructor SUE MCEVOY Mat Classes at The Historic Redstone Inn Mondays & Thursdays

8:00 a.m. - Advanced 9:30 a.m. - Beginner Thursdays • Yogalates!

5:30 p.m. - Everyone welcome

704-1843


Page 16, Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times

Arts & Entertainment “Always…Patsy Cline” opens on Dec. 8 Thunder River Theatre Company (TRTC), in a special partnership with Aspen Stage, is presenting an encore production of "Always...Patsy Cline.” Based on singer Patsy Cline’s life. The Roaring Fork Valley's Jeannie Walla plays Patsy Cline, and co-star Cara Daniel will recreate Louise Seger, Patsy’s hilarious friend, backed by The Bodacious Bobcats. The show includes 27 songs from Patsy’s short yet remarkable career, as band members Bobby Mason, J.D. Martin, Geoffrey Morris, Randall Utterback, Dave Johnson and Larry "LT" Thompson recapture the music of the 1950s. TRTC has presented "Always...Patsy Cline" twice before for successful, short runs. After meeting with the cast and Aspen Stage, TRTC decided to bring this family friendly production back to the theatre for a full run this holiday season. Theatre patrons will recognize Jeannie from roles with Theatre Aspen, Aspen Community Theatre, The Crystal Palace, The Broadway Players, The Aspen Fringe Festival and more. Cara is known in the Aspen area for her roles with Aspen Stage, TRTC, The Crystal Palace, and more. The production opens at the Thunder River Theatre, 67 Promenade in downtown Carbondale on Dec. 8 and continues Dec. 9-11 and 15-18. All performances are at 7:30 p.m. except the two Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. Ticket prices have been reduced from past performances of "Always...Patsy Cline" to $20. Opening night includes a reception of champagne, catered savories, and meeting the cast, musicians and crew. The reception is sponsored by Jill and Craig Rathbun, and The Fleisher Company. Tickets are available at thunderrivertheatre.com. For more information, contact 963-8200. – Lon Winston, Thunder River Theatre Company

“I Hate Hamlet” at Spring Valley Dec. 2-10 “I Hate Hamlet,” a comedy about a TV actor who tackles the role of Hamlet with assistance from the ghost of John Barrymore, is being presented this December at Colorado Mountain College in Glenwood Springs-Spring Valley. Complete with swordplay and word play between the living and the dead, “I Hate Hamlet” explores the dueling desires to pursue money or art. Directed by Sue Lavin and written by Paul Rudnick, “I Hate Hamlet” is a screwball comedy that highlights the talents of an ensemble cast of CMC students and theater professionals, including Nick Garay, Cassidy Willey, Gary Ketzenbarger, Kelly Ketzenbarger, Gerald DeLisser and Janice Estey. The play runs Dec. 2-3 and 8-10 at 7 p.m., with matinees on Dec. 4 and 11 at 2 p.m. in the New Space Theatre at Colorado Mountain College in Spring Valley. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students, seniors, staff and faculty and can be reserved at svticketsales@coloradomtn.edu or 947-8177, or purchased with cash or check at the door. – Debbie Crawford

“Dangerous Liaisons” auditions on Dec. 5-6 Colorado Mountain College (CMC) Theatre is holding auditions for the 10 parts featured in the play, “Dangerous Liaisons,” at 6 p.m. on Dec. 5-6. The auditions are being held at CMC-Spring Valley. Those auditioning are asked to prepare a one- to twominute monologue, and to cold read from the script. Script copies are available. Directed by Gary Ketzenbarger, the play requires four male actors and six females ranging in age from 18 for 75. The play will run Feb. 10-12, 16-19. Contact 947-8177, svticketsales@coloradomtn.edu with questions.

LIFT-UP provided Thanksgiving dinner for more than 1,500 local families More giving planned for December’s holidays By Doug Straw, LIFT-UP LIFT-UP distributed Thanksgiving meal assistance to more than 1,500 local families during the Thanksgiving holiday this year, a 30 percent increase over 2010. More than 6,000 people sat down to Thanksgiving dinner this year – roughly 10 percent of the population for the communities in which LIFT-UP operates – thanks to the generosity of the community. Registration figures included 403 families in RIfle, 360 families in Glenwood Springs, 190 families in Basalt, 185 families in Carbondale, 135 families in Parachute, 100 families in New Castle, 59 families in Silt, and 52 families in Aspen. "About half of the food distributed was donated by the community from food drives and items brought into the food pantries,” said Jeffrene Fowler, LIFT-UP's services manager, “and half was purchased by LIFT-UP at Food Bank of the Rockies or at local grocery stores." The holiday meal assistance included traditional Thanksgiving menu items like stuffing, potatoes, corn and green beans, and a $10 meat voucher that was redeemable at local City Markets and Clark's Market in Battlement Mesa. "I'm amazed and grateful to see how our community responds to the needs in our region, and I'm happy that LIFT-UP can serve as a channel of assistance to brighten the holiday season for neighbors in need," said LIFT-UP Executive Director Mike Powell. “It’s been a rough year for many of these folks. I want to thank all of the supporters and volunteers that help make this tremendous outreach possible." LIFT-UP is also distributing holiday meals in December in time for Christmas. The special holiday meal assistance is provided in addition to the regular services provided from LIFT-UP's seven area food pantries, which are serving an average of more than 2,000 people per month, and The Extended Table Soup Kitchen in Glenwood Springs that serves more than 1,100 meals per month. To donate or find out more about LIFT-UP, contact 625-4496, liftup.org, or liftup@sopris.net.

As I See It A MONTHLY COLUMN BY BRUCE GLEDHILL

What’s in your mailbox? Our mailbox was surprisingly full today. To be precise, it held eight items. As you might guess, seven of those were unwanted bulk mail advertising. For that reason, I keep a trash can close to my front door and the junk mail gets deposited there without more than a glance. Oh, and the eighth item in my mailbox? It was a bill. But in a few days the contents of our mailbox will change. Over the next three weeks we will be blessed with an average of about three Christmas cards a day. Talk about Christmas joy…I don’t have to look any farther than the miracle of hand-addressed mail. The Christmas season is about the only time of the year when going to the mailbox is a pleasant experience. Maybe it’s no accident that our mailbox is red and green. In many cases, the Christmas cards we receive represent friendships that have withstood years of time and miles of separation. They stir memories of life and love we have shared with the senders. The people mean so much to us that we actually keep their cards until the following Christmas. Now I have to admit, for us, Christmas cards are a case where it is definitely more burdensome to give than to receive. In recent years ours have usually gone into the mailbox sometime long after the first of the year. There’s no question about it, Christmas cards are a hassle to get out. First we have to buy them, searching through piles of boxes to find one with a cover and a text that suits our style. Then we try to add at least a short personal greeting in each card. Next we have dig out the address book and transfer all the proper names and numbers onto the envelopes. Then comes stuffing, sealing, and stamping. Although I make it sound like a dreary task, it’s actually a small price to pay for the reward of receiving those personal greetings in return. Each card in your mailbox is a reminder that the real heart of Christmas is love. Love, of course, is the key ingredient of the Christmas story that tells about God reaching out to embrace the world. Love is also at the heart of our individual enjoyment of Christmas as we reconnect with family and dear friends. Personally, I’m delighted that we have now turned to the calendar page that says December. This month, many of my trips to the mailbox in front of our house will be rewarded with colorful envelopes containing Christmas love in written form. Bruce Gledhill is the pastor at the Church at Redstone.


DECEMBER 2011 Page 17

S P O R T S

Carbondale’s Megan Olenick makes the team Meg selected for first-ever U.S. Freeskiing Slopestyle Team By Sue McEvoy, Echo staff writer Carbondale’s own Megan Olenick has recently been selected to be a member of the first-ever U.S. Freeskiing Slopestyle Team. The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association created the 10-member team, made up of five men and five women, in response to slopestyle skiing being included in the 2014 Winter Olympics to be held in Sochi, Russia. “I got selected for the team in October but they did not announce it until Nov. 4,” said Meg. “It was hard knowing that I was going to be on the team but not able to tell anyone until they announced it.” Meg spent the fall training in Park City, Utah at the Center of Excellence, the main training facility for all of the U.S. winter sports teams. There, she worked out five days a week in the gym lifting weights and recovering from knee surgery, which she underwent last March. Homegrown in Carbondale, Meg learned to ski at age 2, and then joined Powder Pandas at Buttermilk. Her first trick was a 360 or full spin. She now enjoys doing zero spins – taking off and landing backwards – during her slopestyle runs. Meg follows in the tracks of her two older brothers, Peter and Michael Olenick, who have both skied and coached professionally. Peter won a gold medal for Ski Superpipe High Air at the Winter X Games in January of 2010. “Landing your run in a contest and having it be the best run you can do is the most satisfying feeling in the world,” Meg said. “My heart is racing a million miles

Top left, Meg Olenick. Photo courtesy of the Olenick family Above, Meg in motion. Photo by Tim Lloyd

an hour and my whole body is in shock. I always look around to see my family and their reaction just to make sure that it was not a dream.” Watch for Meg and the U.S. Freeskiing Team throughout the upcoming winter season competing in World Cup events, the Winter X Games and the Dew Tour. At 6’3”, Meg is the tallest woman athlete on any of the U.S. winter teams, so she’s hard to miss.

Kids’ Sports & Outdoors By Larry Good

Gymnast loves everything about the sport The sporting world is filled with goals. Put a ball in the hoop, cross the goal line. Kick a ball into, over or through the goal. But a few sports – boxing, running, gymnastics – are more elemental, and so in those sports, goals are something more personal and incremental. Born in Marble, Carly Moravek is a local gymnast who has charted her future in the sport into attainable goals, and is pursuing them stridently, like so many mileposts on a personal journey. She does all four events – vault, floor, uneven bars and balance beam, and she loves everything about the sport. "I love the floor event because of the dance and the leaps, and I love some of the mini events like tumbling and trampoline,” says Carly. “I can do a back flip, a front flip, front and back layouts, a layout with a full twist. I love the meets, I love seeing people go up and compete and I love getting scores and getting medals and you get scrunchies and little stuffed animals and stuff!" Since beginning with Coach John Bakken of Aspen Gymnastics in June of 2009, Carly has quickly risen through the compulsory levels of competition towards her goal of someday reaching the Elite level that would qualify her for college competition, U.S. and world championship meets – possibly even the Olympics! She loves the sport, which is based on the grace and beauty of movement, strength and coordination, and self-expression. She is fully engaged in the process – one of meeting appropriate competition on her journey towards the Elite level. Carly is currently at level 5, competing at the Compulsory level (levels 4 through 6), which culminates in the state championships in Denver on Dec. 10-12. Last year, Carly placed ninth at state at that level. She is not nervous about the upcoming state championship "because I had that experience last year and I did well," she says. She is equally philosophical about the opportunity to move up. "Coach decides if he wants me to move up levels, and if he sees progression then he might have me skip level 6,” Carly says. “I don't know. My goal is to do as well in level 5 as I did last year in level 4." If she does well this year, and if her coach feels she's ready, Carly hopes to jump to Optional level competition (levels 7-9) for the upcoming January through April season. Carly thrives on team chemistry, and uses a healthy rivalry to improve her performance. Two good friends on her team are at the same level and sometimes she beats them in competition, and sometimes they beat her, but they drive each other to excel.

"We all compete as a team,” Carly says, “but gymnastics is an individual sport as well, because we get scores and rankings for yourself, but you have a team to support you." In that way, Carly is aware of how the team element supports the individual performance, and how she in turn supports her team with her individual performances. She is also becoming aware of how nerves can impact an individual performance. "I’ve noticed that when we are warming up I do a lot better than Carly Moravek when I compete," she says, laughing. An athlete develops that sort of self-awareness through competition. When Carly exceeds her goals or expectations for a certain meet, she feels "pretty good. Proud. If I don't do well I say to myself, ‘Oh well, I can do better. I've done it before.'" Carly enjoys all sports in a family that participates in hockey, basketball, baseball, volleyball, and gymnastics. What began for her in the summer of 2009 as "just looking for a summer sport, and gymnastics looked fun," has now become four gymnastics practices a week, plus travel to meets. And it impacted her life in a different way when it became necessary for her to switch from Marble Charter School (MCS) to Carbondale Middle School to keep up with her gymnastics schedule. "I didn't want to lose gymnastics,” she says, “but I realized if I went to a different school I wouldn't lose my friends, but if I stayed [at MCS] I would lose gymnastics, so I went." Carly Moravek likes Carbondale Middle School, and she loves gymnastics and she has lots of friends. It seems as if she has everything in order. Good luck at state, Carly!

In Kids’ Sports, I wish to recognize the thrills and agonies of our children’s sporting pursuits, but with a grateful wink to the parents, grandparents, siblings and other guardians who quietly make it happen. Our community is a better place for all that support. Next up…hockey? Skiing? Shoot me an e-mail at lbueno@sopris.net if you have a kids’ sports story that needs telling!


Page 18, Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times

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TO RUN YOUR AD IN THE CRYSTAL VALLEY ECHO SERVICE DIRECTORY - CALL 963-2373 TODAY!


DECEMBER 2011 Page 19

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THE CRYSTAL VALLEY ECHO & MARBLE TIMES 274 Redstone Blvd., Redstone, CO 81623 We appreciate your support!

THE ECHO CLASSIFIED ADS WANTED: WANTED: FREE BLOCKS for our Kindergarten space! We are searching for solid hardwood 2-inch x 4inch blocks with beveled edges. Please contact Marble Charter School at 963-9550 and we will pick them up. FOUND FOUND: On Nov. 27 a large white female cat with calico-colored ear tips, one brown one black, was injured on Highway 133 near the south entrance to Redstone. She is recuperating at Dr. Vincent's vet accommodations in Paonia. She would really like to go home. Please call 704-9002. FOR SALE: FOR SALE: 14K WG Chocolate diamond solitaire ring. 1.15 chocolate diamond and .15 white diamonds. Size 5. Recently serviced by jeweler. Beautiful! 312-399-0782. ninafultz@yahoo.com $2000 or best offer. pd1x SERVICES: SERVICES: Notary Public: Closing documents, Wills and Sales, Contracts and more. Call Lisa Wagner 963-8240. Firewood - call Jimi James 970-4567789.

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LISTING CLASSIFIED AD* Run up to 40 words for $10/month *These ads must be prepaid. No billing is available for classifieds. AD COPY: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________

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Page 20, Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times

Echo Briefs Salvation Army bell ringers: Money donated here stays here Volunteer bell ringers for the annual Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign are accepting donations during this holiday season at locations throughout the Roaring Fork and Colorado River valleys, from Aspen to Parachute. Funds go to help individuals and families in need. Money donated here stays here. For more information, 945-6976 or The Salvation Army, P.O. Box 2964, Glenwood Springs CO 81602. – Roberta McGowan, Salvation Army

Special First Friday celebrates the holidays At a special First Friday, on Dec. 2, Carbondale celebrates the holidays with Light Up Carbondale! Santa will be on hand, along with holiday tree lighting, the Crystal River Elementary School Choir, a bonfire, hot chocolate, and a Parade of Bike Lights throughout the evening. Activities take place starting at 4:30 p.m., at the Carbondale Rec Center, at Main and Weant streets, Third Street Center, Fourth Street Plaza, and other locations throughout Carbondale. For info, call 963-1890, and visit carbondale.com. – Carbondale chamber

Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers honors outstanding participants Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers (RFOV), which works on improving and maintaining many trail systems throughout the Roaring Fork, Colorado River and Crystal River valleys, recently honored outstanding individuals for their efforts with the nonprofit organization. On Oct. 20 at the Third Street Center in Carbondale, RFOV recognized project and committee volunteers, agency partners, and food sponsors who have gone the extra mile to help fulfill the nonprofit’s mission of promoting stewardship of public lands through volunteer opportunities for trail work and conservation projects. Among those honored: • Volunteer of the Year: Susan Cross of Snowmass Village • The Pulaski Award (most RFOV projects in a season): Jamin Heady-Smith of Glenwood Springs • New Crew Leader of the Year: Clay Colver of Aspen • Crew Leader of the Year: Gail Mason of Aspen • Agency Partner of the Year: Gary Tennenbaum with Pitkin County Open Space and Trails. Gary has been and continues to be instrumental in several Crystal Valley open space projects, among them, Redstone’s plans to improve three open space parcels: Elk Park, Redstone Park, and Redstone Boulders.

• Food Sponsor of the Year: Smoke Modern BBQ of Basalt • Ambassador of the Year: Helen Carlsen of Basalt For more information, visit rfov.org or call 927-8241. – Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers

New Carbondale library design team seeks community input The Garfield County Public Library District’s design team are seeking to engage the Carbondale community in the new Carbondale library design process. Open house community input meetings are planned for the coming months to support collaboration throughout the project. The design team’s goal is to create a library that is not only in Carbondale, but of Carbondale. The library district’s groundbreaking goal is anticipated for the summer of 2012. Two open houses already took place in November. The third public open house is on Jan. 12 so that the community can see the direction that the new library facility design has developed. The meeting will be held in the Third Street Center’s Calaway Room from 4- 6:30 p.m. with an after-hours open house available until 8 p.m. (for those who need to come later). People are encouraged to come when they are able and jump into a lively community event. Light refreshments will be available. The design team is lead by Willis Pember Architects with support from library architect Humphries Poli, Land+Shelter, DHM Design, Schmueser Gordon Meyer, Dan Richardson, KL&A, Beaudin Ganze, Group 3 Planners, and Mark Chain Consulting. Community meetings are sponsored by the Third Street Center. The new library will be located at the corner of Third Street and Sopris Avenue, currently the home of two tennis courts. Please contact Andrea Korber of Land+Shelter with any questions about the community outreach process at 963-0201, andi@landandshelter.com. – Garfield County Library District

CCAH presents Band of Heathens in January The Carbondale Council on Arts and Humanities (CCAH) presents the Band of Heathens, Jan. 13 at the PAC3, at the Third Street Center. “Every January, the Band of Heathens travel from Austin, Texas through Carbondale on their way back from Steamboat Springs, and every year, CCAH snags them for a great winter dance party,” said CCAH Director

Amy Kimberly. Local favorites, The Mile Markers, kick off the show. This show benefits CCAH arts programming including after-school programs for youth, scholarships for classes, workshops for adults and many opportunities for artists to showcase their work. Doors open at 7 p.m. The Mile Markers take the stage at 8 p.m. followed by the Band of Heathens at 9 p.m. Tickets are $30 and on sale now at carbondalearts.com. To find out more and buy tickets go to carbondalearts.com or call 963-1680. – Carbondale Council on Arts and Humanities

Foster a pet for the holidays This holiday season, Colorado Animal Rescue (CARE) is reminding you to open your heart and your home to a pet from CARE. During the holidays, CARE is inviting animal lovers to visit the shelter and participate in our “Foster a Lonely Pet for the Holidays” campaign. With a goal of emptying the shelter’s kennels by Christmas, CARE is encouraging members of nearby communities to invite a pet home for the holidays. CARE supplies everything you need (food, bowls, toys, beds, etc); you just supply the time and the love. All who are interested in participating in this program are encouraged to contact CARE at 947-9173. Let's make this holiday season special for everyone. – Keira Clark, CARE

Drumming workshop on Dec. 4 at CCS Carbondalian Laurie Loeb is offering an Africaninspired drumming workshop on Dec. 4, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Carbondale Community School (CCS), 1505 Satank Rd., Carbondale. Appropriate for both beginners and intermediates, the workshop focuses on playing multi-part rhythmic patterns in ensemble, developing rhythmic sensibility, and basic djembe/ashiko technique. Participants will also have the opportunity to play African-style bass drums, cowbell, and shekere, as well as create their own improvisational rhythms for community drum circles. Studies have shown a direct positive correlation to improved immune system functions, enhanced mental acuity, and heightened spiritual awareness through drumming. Registration is $40, and drum rental is $10. Advance reservation is imperative. Contact Laurie Loeb at P.O. Box 363, Carbondale 81623, 963-2798, lloeb@rof.net. – Laurie Loeb


NOVEMBER DECEMBER 2011 Page 21

DECEMBER 2011

REDSTONE COMMUNITY BULLETIN www.redstonecolorado.com

REDSTONE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

A huge THANK YOU to the RCA Board for the Beautiful Holiday decorations of lamp-posts and bridges on the Boulevard. GREAT JOB!

•••

REDSTONE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS ————

Steve Pavlin: President Cathy Montgomery: Vice President Harry Remmers: Treasurer Jacob Robbins Secretary

RCA Board of Directors will be sponsoring a Winter Charity – HOSPICE OF THE VALLEY. There will be donation boxes next to Santa in the Fireside Room on Saturdays – and boxes at our local businesses and Church The Redstone Art Center • Redstone Church • Redstone Inn Redstone Company Store • Tiffany of Redstone Redstone General Store • Hightower Trading Post We felt everyone in the community has been touched by Hospice at one time or another. Please contribute to make this endeavor a success. We will continue this drive throughout the winter months.

SANTA IN REDSTONE… Santa will be greeting children in the Fireside Room at the Redstone Inn every Saturday, 2 – 5 PM until Christmas. Bring your children and enjoy a fun afternoon in Redstone.

3rd ANNUAL REDSTONE SNOWSHOE RACE/FUN WALK This 5K race will be held Saturday, February 4, 2012. It is sanctioned by USSSA. The Redstone Castle will be the course location. Come join the fun. Check website redstonecolorado.com for information.

Barbara Albin Billy Amicon We would like to welcome the following to the RCA Membership list published last month Individuals: Sharon and Roger Berry, Mary and John Petrocco, Michelle and Ron Sorter Businesses: Avalanche Outfitters, Tiffany of Redstone

Cary Hightower Debbie McCormick Ann Martin

Alternate Members:

The next RCA Board Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 6th at 10 AM at the Redstone Inn, Osgood Room Come join us -- we need your support and your input! Your membership dues directly fund RCA projects and events. Thank You for your support!

Kim Amicon

MEMBERSHIP DUES

Linda Cerf-Graham

Name ______________________________________________________________________________________ Bob McCormick Address Marlene Remmers

____________________________________________________________________________________

Phone #__________________________________________ E-Mail ____________________________________

•••

______ Individual/Family $35.00 ______ Business $135.00 ______ Multi-Business $210.00 “Citizen empowerment and sense of community make people happier.” – Dan Buettner

Make Check Payable to: Redstone Community Association Mail to RCA: 303 Redstone Blvd. Redstone, CO 81623 Paid Advertisement


Page 22, Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times

Echo-Travels… Thanks to all who share their travels! Take The Crystal Valley Echo along on your next travel adventure. Send your photo and info to echo@crystalvalleyecho.com. Nancy Chromy visiting sons Jack and Ryan Wolfe and Jack’s girlfriend Amanda Petter – while reading the Echo, of course – in Santa Barbara, this past September.

Leslie Jensen and Doug Matthews of Denver visited Arches National Park in Moab this past August, and brought along a copy of the Echo for some accessory reading material.

Redstonians Bill and Debbie Russell went to Lititz, Penn. to visit their son and daughter-in-law, Jake and Jodi and meet their new grandson, Memphis, who enjoyed stories from the Echo.

From left, Phunchok Dolma, Tsepal Skit, Skarma Zigmet Dolker and Zesdon Angmo, all students of Leh Public School in Ladakh, India share a copy of the Echo they were given by Echo staff writer Sue McEvoy while she was visiting India earlier this fall.

A look at life at Crystal Valley Preschool


DECEMBER 2011 Page 23

Birth Announcement

A R O U N D

T H E

VA L L E Y

Grand Illumination… Redstone style

Collins Katharine Piffer Born 11-11-11 at 1:14 p.m. at Valley View Hospital in Glenwood Springs Six pounds, nine ounces 19 inches long Parents are Matthew Piffer and Jacqulynn Collins of Redstone

New this year…

Back by popular demand…

Winter Trail Rides

Winter Sliegh Rides

Christmas Tree Rides Call for reservations…

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

Locals and visitors alike enjoyed Grand Illumination 2011. The evening started off with a bit of snow falling, but the fire kept everyone warm. From top, a view from the balcony of the Redstone Inn. Photo by David Pacini. Santa and friends at the Redstone Inn. Santa will be at the inn on the Saturdays before Christmas. Carollers entertained the crowd. Bottom photo, Redstone’s Mason Helfenbein. Photos by Sue McEvoy


Page 24, Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times

The Echo’s Parting Shot…

i|á|à exwáàÉÇxVtáàÄx‹ REDSTONE CASTLE TOURS Saturday & Sunday • 1:30 p.m.

(Additional holiday tours: December 24 thru January 1)

Tickets: $15 adults, $10 seniors, $10 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.

See you next month!

CASH OR CHECK ONLY

www.redstonecastle.us Join us for Christmas Dinner seating starts at 1 p.m. Call for reservations and more information

Look for our 12 days of Christmas to include: wine tasting, tea & scones, bingo, live music and much more!

Celebrate

New Year’s Eve with us! Dinner • Dancing • Champagne Toast Music starts at 8pm Dancing with The Johnny O Band starts at 9pm $120 per couple plus tax and gratuity Packages including lodging and breakfast start at $275 per couple plus tax & gratuity 970-963-2526 your journey begins at www.redstoneinn.com

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