February 2007

Breckenridge,

GENUINE ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS

Colorado Mountain College will be building its new campus at the north end of Breckenridge very soon. The town will be deeding 20 acres for the construction. I will be located near CR 3, which turns west off Highway 9 near the golf course. The town and the college will work together to incorporate the town’s vision into the design including community uses. A major goal is meshing it with the adjacent Blue River environment as well as trails and recreation paths in the area. The college will also focus on building with green concepts and technologies. Ground breaking should occur later this year and the first building will be ready for use by the end of 2008.

The Breckenridge Art Festival dates for the upcoming summer are as follows:

July 6, 7, 8 th at Main St. Station, S Main St and Park Ave.

July 27, 28, 29 th and Sept 1, 2, 3 rd at the N Main St and Wellington Rd.

Frisco will hold an art festival over the July 4 th holiday and Dillon is holding its first July 22, 23, 24th

www.TownofBreckenridge.com

More good info can be found at: http://www.BestoftheRockies.com

ALL THE GOOD NEWS…

The South Park Recreation Center and the Breckenridge Ski and Ride School have teamed up to offer The Fairplay Flyers. This will be an eight-week program designed for kids whom are our neighbors to the south ages 4-7. Skiing and snowboarding have been proven beneficial to kid’s mental and physical well being, including coordination and balance and developing core muscles. Benefits to emotional and mental states by releasing endorphins are also well known. The classes will also provide interaction with peers thus improving social skills and teamwork as well. Many kids in the area cannot afford to pay retail for these experiences so the collaboration will allow wider participation and promote a wider sense of community.

The Summit Foundation completed its semi-annual awards last month to the tune of over $400,000 granted to local non-profit organizations. Since 1984 the Foundation has awarded over $8 million. Awards are given in categories like Art and Culture to music festivals, Health and Human Services for services like Advocates for Victims of Assault, Education for the Boy Scouts, Sports like High Country Soccer, and the list reaches a total of 45 community oriented groups. More information at: www.SummitFoundation.org .

School News

The Summit High School cheerleading squad took first place last month at the CU Spirit Challenge, one of the largest competitions in the state. Fourteen teams competed in four divisions.

The Summit High ski team continues down its path towards another state championship. The state championships are February 15-16 in Vail and nearly every skier from both the Summit Nordic and alpine teams has qualified. The girls’ Nordic team is lead by standout Briana Perkins while the boys’ team is lead by Tyler Reinking. The boys’ Alpine team has three strong skiers in Fletcher McDonald, Drew Beling and Brian Joyce while the girls’ team is equally strong with Alex Guras, Laurel Broten and Erin Breslin. Check back for the final results.

Early detection of developmental problems can improve treatment and often allow a child to be caught up with their peers before they begin school. The CDC estimates 17% of all children have some sort of development of behavioral disability. Experts say seventy percent of children under 3 can be treated and have no problems after that. An alliance between Summit School District, Early Childhood Connections and the county health department called Child Find is offering free screenings to help with early detection. The First session was last month but another will happen in April. Contact the Summit Education Center at 970-668-3011 for more information.

Dillon Valley Elementary and Breckenridge Elementary are applying for applying for certification in the International Baccalaureate Organization Primary Years Programme. The high school and middle school are already in full swing with the later years programs with rave reviews. The program’s foundation is centered on personal responsibility, becoming a global citizen and taking action to promote your values. Values taught include appreciation, confidence, creativity, respect, tolerance and taking responsibility for learning. The action component is stressed as personally empowering and that you have the ability to help others. More information on the program can be found at: http://www.ibo.org/ .

Another exciting program going on at Dillon Valley Elementary is the dual language program where students are immersed equally in both English and Spanish. Classes are ideally divided with native speakers in both then half the curriculum is taught in each language. Currently only kindergarteners and first graders are involved in the program because it was deemed necessary for the students to spend their entire school career in the total immersion. By the time the kids are leaving fifth grade and heading for the middle school they will be completely bilingual. Additionally, the academic requirements for grade advancement are equal to non-bilingual students. Studies have show that students who are fluent in a second language are better overall in school, citizenship, problem solving skills and they score better on standardized tests.

Check out our schools at: http://summit.k12.co.us/

Think snow, always!

Contact Tom if you need tips on where to stay, eat or play.

LEADVILLE/ TWIN LAKES NEWS

WINTERFEST A BLAST!

They said it couldn’t be done. An event in January in Twin Lakes? Well a small group of local revelers got together and decided to prove ‘em all wrong. So on a Saturday in the middle of January nearly 125 people showed up for an afternoon of potluck and socializing. Over thirty kinds of soups and chilies adorned the buffet line as well as a wide selection of killer desserts and breads.

Three out-of-towners, all under 15 years of age, walked away with the snow sculpture competition ribbons. This was despite strong entries from part time locals Tom and Kendra and Buena Vista photographer Norman. The winning entries were: 1 st place a bust of Martin Luther King, 2 nd place a great likeness of Jaba the Hut and 3 rd place was a depiction of Mt. Elbert complete with a living waters representation of Twin Lakes. Sorry it was past their bedtime so we didn’t get the names. If anyone could help with this send us an email. Other entries included a shark eating a water skier and a very detailed depiction of a camera.

Everyone raved about what a great time they had and all the neighbors they met. The hay rides were a fantastic sidelight and the bonfire was a big attraction as the sun was setting. Overall the event couldn’t have been better. Thanks to all who helped and hope to see everyone again at future events.

Go to www.VisitTwinLakesColorado.com for more information.

VALENTINES’ SWEETHEART DINNER AND SNOWSHOE

February 14 th will see a romantic evening of dining at the Nordic Lodge and a snowshoe stroll across the frozen lake under the stars. The Lodge will begin seating at 5pm and will offer a three course dinner for $25/pp. Choices include lamb, salmon, duck and vegetarian supreme crepes will be accompanied by soup or salad and dessert. Be sure to try the house selection of our favorite Colorado winery; Woody Creek, to accompany your meal.

Either before or after dinner several guided snowshoe tours will begin in front of the lodge and proceed across the meadow and the west end of the lake to the fascinating ice formations near where the creek enters. You may stroll at dusk before dinner or under the stars after dinner. Bring your own snowshoes or a limited number of rentals will be available if you are in need.

The evening will culminate in front of the fireplace with the world’s finest organic coffee, Ruta Maya, served exclusively at the Nordic Lodge. Brandies and hot chocolate will also be available. What better way to spend a quality evening with the one you love? Call Charlie at the Nordic Lodge to make your dinner reservations at: 719-486-1830. Information on other events and lodging packages if you prefer to stay the night are available at: www.VisitTwinLakesColorado.com .