April 3
‘Dancing Colors’ opening reception
Art Center of Estes Park hosts an opening reception for Linda C. Palmer’s “Dancing Colors”  exhibition, April 3, 5-7 p.m. Palmer is a versatile artist whose artwork celebrates “the beauty God has given to us through nature.” Palmer expresses her impressions through drawings and paintings, using the mediums of watercolor and pastel. Her art hangs at the gallery, 517 Big Thompson Ave., until May 10. Call 970-586-5882, e-mail info@artcenterofestes.com or visit http://www.artcenterofestes.com for more information.

‘Ecosystem Through an Artist’s Eyes’ installation opening reception
Join local artist Susan Q Foster for an intimate reception celebrating her art installation at Nederland Community Library, April 3 from 5:30-7 p.m. Wine and cheese will be served. Foster’s background as an environmental scientist “informs her vibrant pastel paintings.” Her art hangs at the library, 200 Highway 72 N., until June 30.  Call 303-258-1101 or visit http://www.nedlib.org to learn more.

April 9
Inaugural meeting of St. Mary’s Book Group
The newly formed St. Mary’s Book Group meets for the first time, April 9, at 7 p.m. in the Alice Schoolhouse near St. Mary’s Glacier. The group will discuss the memoir, Altitude Adjustment: A Quest for Love, Home, and Meaning in the Tetons, by Mary Beth Baptiste. Bring a snack to share and your own drink. The group was started by Kathy Lynn Harris, author of two Amazon bestselling novels: Blue Straggler and A Good Kind of Knowing, which earned top literary honors in 2013 from the National Federation of Press Women. Visit http://www.stmarysglacier.com for more information.

April 11
Vermicomposting: Wonderful Worms!
Worm compost is some of the finest soil conditioner and fertilizer you can give a garden. It’s also odor-free and work-free, since the worms do the turning for you.  The Lyons Farmette, 4121 Ute Hwy. in Lyons holds a hands-on workshop, April 11 from 10 a.m. to noon with local “worm-whisperer” Dan Matsch of Boulder’s Eco-Cycle. After April 1, the class costs $15 and includes instruction only, but help ordering equipment and worms from a reputable source will be available. Find more infromation and sign up at lyonsfarmette.com or e-mail Betsy@LyonsFarmette.com.

April 18
‘Yesterado: Stories of Colorado from When it Was Young’
The Estes Park Museum hosts “Yesterado,” April 18, at the Estes Park High School Auditorium,1600 Manford Ave. Doors open at 3:30 p.m. and the show runs from 4 -5:30 p.m. Based on accounts from an 1897 Colorado newspaper, performers guide the audience through stories touching on characteristics of frontier life: lawlessness, surviving nature’s challenges, the changing roles of women and social hierarchy. Performed by the Buntport Theater of Denver, “Yesterado” is ideal for grades K-6, but all ages are welcome. Learn more at http://www.estes.org/museumevents.

Wild Earth Day
The 14th annual Wild Earth Day is a free day of entertainment and education about the planet earth.  On April 18, from 11 a.m.-4 p.m., visitors can engage in hands-on experiential activities, presentations and celebrations all day at Wild Bear Mountain Ecology Center, 20 Lakeview Dr. in Nederland. Wild Earth Day is Boulder County’s largest Earth Day event, running for 15 years. It features live birds of prey, face painting, bake sale, music, films, hands-on discovery, informative booths from masters in environmental education and fun. Call 303-258-0495 or visit wildbear.org for details.

April 24
Friends of the Georgetown Library Annual Meeting and “Travels in Iran” Talk
Friends of the Georgetown Library host Cindy Neely featuring her travels into Iran at their Annual Meeting & Program, April 24. The free program at the Community Center in Georgetown, 613 6th Street, take place at 7 p.m. and everyone is welcome. Neely, Executive Director of the Georgetown Trust for Conservation & Preservation Inc., answers why and how she went to Iran and share surprising lessons learned. Call John Ewers at 303-569-2620 or visit http://www.facebook.com/FriendsOf
TheJohnTomayMemorialLibrary for more information.

April 25
Disco Party to benefit Charlie’s Place
Friends of Charlie’s Place invites everyone to attend a “flash back to the past” at their 2nd annual Disco Dance Fever Fundraiser at the Elks Lodge in Idaho Springs, April 25 from 6-10 p.m.  Dance instruction and a contest will be available with music provided by D-Double-J Josh Reagon. Food and drink will also be available for purchase.  Visit http://www.friendsofcharliesplace.org/ for more information.

‘SWITCH’ movie screening and discussion
April is the month of Earth Day, and Gilpin County’s CSU Extension is holding a free screening and discussion of the movie “SWITCH” at the Gilpin County Library at 1 p.m. on April 25. The movie is a balanced energy film embraced by fossil and renewable energy companies, environmental groups, academics and the general public alike. CSU Extension Energy Specialist, Cary Weiner will lead a discussion following the movie. The short film “Unacceptable Risk, Firefighters on the Front Lines of Climate Change,” will also be shown. RSVP online if interested in attending. Visit http://www.extension.colostate.edu/gilpin  to learn more.

Corn Harvest Benefit Ski Party at Loveland
Loveland Ski Area welcomes the 13th annual Corn Harvest benefit ski party for the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, April 25 from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. The avalanche center plays a big role in skiing safety and safe travels along Interstate 70. Meet in the Basin Lodge the morning of the event to register.  Packages that include lift ticket, lunch, New Belgium Beer, raffle, and donation will be available. Meet up with Loveland locals as they show some of the secret stashes and best parts of the mountain.  For $60 participants get a lift ticket, BBQ lunch, raffle ticket, donation to CAIC, and a great day of skiing. For pass holders, tickets are $30. For more information, visit cornharvest.com.

April 25-26
Palisade Wine and Bike Tour
Clear Creek Metropolitan Recreation District travels to Palisade, April 25-26, for a wine and bike tour of some of the region’s 21 vineyards. The group spends Saturday afternoon visiting a handful of vineyards on a cruiser bike ride for tastings and tours and stay the night at Wine Country Inn with Sunday morning breakfast buffet. Spots are limited, so call to reserve space. The CCMRD van leaves at 8 a.m. on April 25 and returns late afternoon on April 26. There will be room for some bikes or they can be rented in Palisade. Call 303-567-4822 for more information or reserve a room.

April 26
Spring Heritage Day at Walker Ranch
The annual Spring Heritage Day at Walker Ranch Homestead; 8999 Flagstaff Road, takes place, April 26, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. See costumed volunteers demonstrate chores associated with rural living in the late 1800s. Activities include button making, live music sing along, guided tour, one room school session, calf roping, old fashioned candy, dyed eggs and fabric, cowboy on horseback, blacksmithing, children’s games, laundry, log hewing, shingle making and wood cutting, meal preparation, butter churning and more. Call or e-mail Sheryl Kippen at 303-776-8848  or skippen@bouldercounty.org for more information.

Fermentation 101 with Ozuké
The Lyons Larmette hosts an afternoon with Mara and Willow King of Ozuké, April 26, from 3-5 p.m., to learn how to simply and easily ferment vegetables to make sauerkrauts, pickled veggies, and more. Participants leave with their own jar of something delicious and the desire to keep making krauts and kimchis forever. The class is $25 per person and includes a jar of what you create. Bring a friend for half off your class. Visit lyonsfarmette.com or e-mail Betsy@LyonsFarmette.com to sign up or find more information.

April 27-May 4
Qigong Series
The Nederland Community Library hosts a series of free Qigong classes, April 27-May 4. The classes welcome the season of spring, a time of planting seeds, beginnings, and new growth. Participants will learn a short and simple form of Wu Xing Qi Gong to nurture and balance the body’s elements and connect to the universal energy using breath, movement and intention. The five-week class meets for an hour at 8:30 a.m. on Mondays. Space is limited. Call 303-258-1101 or email jaymann.ncl@gmail.com to reserve a spot.

May 1
Free Slash and Log Disposal Sort Yards open
The Nederland and Allenspark Sort Yards are scheduled to open, May 1 and will operate, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday. Boulder County has established the sort yards to collect logs, tree branches, pine needles, cut grass and noxious weeds from county residents. There is no charge. Keep all types of material (logs, slash, yard waste, noxious weeds) separate  to unload in different locations. Full sort yard program details are available here: at http://www.bouldercounty.org/property/forest/pages/fhsortyards.aspx. Call 303-678-6368 before hauling to confirm hours.

Sport shooting group plans April 13 virtual meeting
FRONT RANGE
The Northern Front Range Recreational Sport Shooting Management Partnership has scheduled a Virtual Meeting for April 13, from 6-8 p.m. Anyone with an interest in the partnership’s strategy for moving forward is encouraged to participate. The Partnership is comprised of representatives from Larimer, Boulder, Gilpin and Clear Creek counties as well as the U.S. Forest Service and Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

The goal of the Virtual Meeting is to gauge if the partnership is moving in the right direction and if there are other components the group should be considering or other comments with regard to its future plans. This meeting will not discuss specifics to do with closures, noise, litter etc. For site-specific shooting conflict concerns, contact local law enforcement or the U.S. Forest Service.

The goal of the Virtual Meeting is to provide a way for as many people to share their thoughts and questions about the strategy as possible. The Partnership will be live webstreaming the meeting in which all of the Partner agencies will answer pre-submitted questions and comments

Anyone interested in the recreational sport shooting issue in Larimer, Boulder, Clear Creek and Gilpin counties are asked to watch short videos and read the strategy prior to commenting. After reviewing the information, interested parties are asked to submit questions, comments, concerns or other thoughts about the Strategy before April 13 by filling out a form on the website, sending an e-mail or social media message or calling Project Coordinator Garry Sanfaçon.

Learn more about the issue, partnership and virtual meeting at SportShootingPartners.org or contact Sanfaçon, at info@sportshoortingpartners.com or 720-564-2642.

Originally published in the April 2015 issue of the MMAC Monthly