Crystal-Valley-Echo-Jan-2010

THE CRYSTAL VALLEY ECHOand Marble Times

Providing a voice for community-based organizations and individuals that enrich the life of the Crystal ValleyJanuary 2010 FREE Volume #7 Number 2

• Serving the Crystal Valley since 2002 •

Inside

Who We AreJason Rusby

page 3

ThompsonHousepage 9

History: MarbleSki Areapage 13

”More space!”

Echos of a Life:Jim Spencer

page 15

“More space!”

Ralph Good enjoys Marble Charter School’sbig, new multi-purpose room.

Photo by Alyssa Ohnmacht

New year, new school and...

Marble Charter School moves into new buildingSee story, page 19

Marty Hartmantravels to Peru

page 16

Page 2, Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times

From the Editor

Twenty-ten has arrived in the Crystal Valley, and it’s a littlehard to imagine that the "Aughts" are over.

So where are we? Here are some of the stories we’vebrought you during the past year:

• We’ve said goodbye to some Crystal Valleyites, and wel-comed a few others to the world.

• The Crystal Trail, a new bike path running parallel toHighway 133, slowly made its way to the BRB Campground(it’s not there yet).

• Artists and community members dedicated a new sculpturegarden at Marble’s Mill Site Park.

• Despite the economic downturn, some Crystal Valley busi-nesses fared better than usual.

• Voters approved the Redstone water board’s ability to seekfunding for a new water treatment plant.

• Some Crystal Valleyites received high-speed Internet servicefrom Qwest.

• And still…the decision on how many chickens are allowedper household within Marble’s town limits remains unde-cided. Stay tuned.

We at the Echo bring these, and many other stories andcolumns to you throughout the year. We hope you continue toenjoy your very own Crystal Valley-based community paper,and that you’ll continue sharing your story ideas, letters, con-tributions and support. We could not do this without you.

– Carrie Click

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JANUARY 2010 Page 3

L I F E I N T H E C R Y S T A L V A L L E Y

W H O W E A R E

Some Crystal Valleyitesreceive Qwest DSLBy Carrie Click, Echo editor

It’s true. Some Redstonians are receiving QwestDSL.

“I can confirm that some residents of Redstone areable to now subscribe to Qwest High-Speed Internet,”reported Monica Martinez, an employee with Qwestcustomer relations in Denver through an e-mail sentDec. 18.

Monica did not say exactly which customers arereceiving the service, though grapevine reports indi-cate that residents living in the Crystal Park subdivi-

sion, across the road and river from the RedstoneCastle, are the lucky recipients of the service.

What other Crystal Valley residents can expect isstill very much of a puzzle.

“There are parts that the existing equipment isunable to reach,” relayed Monica, “and we aren't ableto deliver the service to them without additionalinvestment.”

The Echo contacted Qwest for the second time in amonth to try to find out more about Crystal Valleyites’chances of getting DSL, but this is all we were able towrangle from the communications company.

Larry Puleo, who has been trying to get Qwesthigh-speed service in his neighborhood by the BRBCampground Resort, had a little more information.

Larry, the valley’s unofficial Qwest liaison,dropped off fresh “pre-interest” Qwest surveys to theRedstone General Store in November, after he heardfrom an unidentified Qwest employee who said thevillage of Redstone would need 44 more signaturesthan it had on its first survey to be considered forhigh-speed service.

The general store was able to collect 90 signaturesthis time around, which were picked up by Larry onDec. 11 and submitted to Qwest in Denver.

“Now, they’ll go through one by one, and eliminatethe dogs and cats,” Larry said smiling. “They’ll verifyall the old signatures with the new ones living onRedstone Boulevard. We’re hoping they’ll start work-ing on getting high-speed to the village of Redstone inJanuary and February.”

In the meantime, we’ll keep you posted. Anybodygot a party line?

Making some progress on the high-speed highway

“Who We Are” is a Q&A about a Crystal Valley resident.Our objective is to give community members better connec-tions and familiarity with each other.

Age: 40

Occupation:Owner of RPS Rentals and Rusby Property Services,LLC

Where do you live? Main Street, Marble

Birthplace:Elmira, N.Y.

When did you move to the Crystal Valley andwhy?Just over a year ago. We always wanted to move toMarble, so in 2009, everything worked out that madeit possible to move from Michigan. Our real motiva-tion was to get our kids out of the normal “suburbia”way of life.

What three things would you like people toknow about you?1) My great grandparents moved to Marble and builta cabin in 1881, which still stands across the streetfrom our current home.2) They also owned the property where we currentlylive.3) They gave it to my grandfather, Jake Baumli, whenhe and my grandmother were married.

Which living person do you most admire? My father… Growing up, he was always easy going,never lost his temper, and he can always be countedon…

What's the best piece of advice you've everbeen given?Enjoy life and give to others as much as possible.

What is your favorite thing to do in theCrystal Valley?I have several things I enjoy…hiking, camping, skiing,fishing, riding ATVs and snowmobiling.

Jason Rusbyof Marble

The days of Crystal Valley party lines weren't so long agoBy Nancy Chromy, Echo contributor

Editor’s note: Crystal Valleyites may be champing at the bit toget high-speed Internet, and envious of their neighbors whorecently got the service from Qwest. But Redstone resident NancyChromy reminds us it wasn’t that long ago that locals were con-tending with shared telephone party lines.

Party lines….No, in this instance, “party lines” doesn’t refer tohopeful partygoers. It’s what many people remember as a type – theonly type – of phone service in the Crystal River Valley until the late 1980s.

For the uninitiated, party lines involve two or more households sharing the same telephone line. Ourhousehold shared a phone line with up to four other houses between 1987 and 1991.

For those of you who’ve never had pleasure the of being on a party line, here’s how it worked. Aperson would answer a phone call and if the person answering the call was lucky enough to be theintended recipient of the call, the two would have a private conversation.

Frequently, however, those already on the phone would hear a clicking sound, (or a slamming-the-receiver-down sound) from someone from another household who shared the party line and was try-ing to make a call. Sometimes, a person would pick up his or her receiver to make a call and hear peo-ple having a conversation. So the person wanting to make a call would hang up, wait a few minutes,and pick the receiver back up. More often than not, the conversation would still be going. This couldlead to eavesdropping. Often, those on a party line didn’t identify themselves because they were hope-ful they’d remain anonymous. Privacy did not come easy. It was difficult at best.

Technology has moved forward at lightning speed in just 20 years. Most everyone has a computerand a cell phone (even if we still can’t use them in the Crystal Valley – yet). The whole party-line thingsounds primitive.

And, while the days of party lines are long gone, the question is – has today’s technology come withany more privacy – or is there less? Facebook, Twitter, e-mails, buying and selling products online, cellphones, vehicle GPS tracking and who knows what else make even the mere idea of privacy less a real-ity than ever before.

Party lines may be obsolete, as are dial telephones and manual typewriters, but they each hadendearing characteristics, that today remind us of simplicity and old-school charm.

“There are parts that the existing equipment is unable to

reach, and we aren't able todeliver the service to them with-

out additional investment.” – Monica Martinez, Qwest


MISSION STATEMENT:To provide a voice for Crystal Valleyites; to bringattention to the individuals and local businessesthat are the fabric of the Crystal Valley region; tocontribute to the vitality of our small town life.

PublisherAlyssa Ohnmacht

EditorCarrie Click

Staff WriterSue McEvoy

Advertising SalesAlyssa Ohnmacht • [email protected]

Marble Times Faculty AdvisorDeb Macek

DistributionDawn Distribution • 963-0874

Contributors to this issue ofThe Crystal Valley Echo

Melissa Sidelinger, Bettie Lou Gilbert, Lafe Murray, Ellie Kershow, Kyle Stewart, Bruce Gledhill, Becky Trembley, Nancy Chromy, CCAH,

Amy Kimberly, Marty Hartman, Jim Elwood,Pitkin County Open Space & Trails, Pat Bingham,Kevin Kelly, Jason & Amy Rusby, Sandy Kaplan,Jennifer Tuggle, Crystal Valley Preschool staff,

the students and staff of the Marble Charter School.

The Crystal Valley Echois 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 DinerRedstone General Store • Marble Charter School

The Echo is also available at businesses from El Jebel to Glenwood Springsand throughout the Crystal Valley.

For subscriptionsPlease send $25 and address information to:

The Crystal Valley Echo274 Redstone Blvd., Redstone, CO 81623

For informationPlease contact us:

[email protected]

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.

L E T T E R SWrite 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 unsubstanti-ated attacks, etc.) Please shoot for 500 words or less. The Echo reserves the right to edit and proof-read letters. Send your words to The Crystal Valley Echo, [email protected], or 274Redstone Blvd., Redstone, CO 81623. Thanks.

No place like Redstone

Dear Echo: The world has many beautiful places that

have their own special charm, and during theholiday seasons. Those places light up theirlights and they become charming and beautiful.

But I have to tell you, there is no place ascharming and beautiful as Redstone is duringthe holidays and throughout the entire winterseason. If you haven’t stepped onto RedstoneBoulevard recently, on a quiet night you must

do so. It is lit up from one end of the Boulevardto the other with lampposts, with Christmastrees in windows and Christmas trees in yards.The Redstone Park Christmas tree is lit. And itis so quiet this time of year it instantly calmsyou. Take a walk down the Boulevard at night.

Redstone is a remote village located in a forest ina pristine area of our world here; there is nothinglike it. That is why it is such a very special place.

Thank you Redstone for being what you are.Happy New Year!

Nancy ChromyRedstone

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Marble Community Church

GREAT SETTING FOR WEDDINGS

Marble Community Church"BUILDING BELIEVERS, REACHING SEEKERS"

WORSHIP IS EVERY SUNDAY AT 10 A.M.Adult Sunday School at 8:45 A.M.

EVERYONE WELCOME

PASTOR LAFE MURRAY

970-704-1218www.marblecommunitychurch.org

JANUARY 2010 Page 5

Help our calendar grow; let us know. Send eventitems to [email protected] by the 15thof the preceding month. Be sure to include the fiveWs (who, what, when, why and where); contactinfo, cost and anything else you think readersneed to know.

• Jan. 1: Happy 2010!

• Jan. 4: 6 p.m. Redstone CommunityAssociation’s Winterfest planning meeting atthe Redstone Inn. Contact Becky at 963-6355.

• Jan. 5: 6 p.m. Redstone CommunityAssociation meeting at the Redstone Inn.Agenda includes electing three new boardmembers. Contact Becky at 963-6355.

• Jan. 6: 7 p.m. Special meeting date for theRedstone Water and Sanitation District meetingthis month only. In the Osgood Room at theRedstone Inn.

• Jan. 6: 10:30 a.m. Story Time in Carbondaleat the Gordon Cooper Library.

• Jan. 7: 1-3 p.m. Time to recycle in Redstone.Note new location: Church at Redstone parkinglot, Redstone Boulevard.

• Jan. 7: 7 p.m. Marble Town Council meetingis at the Marble City State Bank Building.

• Jan. 8: 7 p.m. Bingo at the Off-Season SportsGrill, 167 Redstone Blvd., Redstone, 704-0323.

• Jan. 8: 7 p.m. Band of Heathens at theChurch at Carbondale. Presented byCarbondale Council on Arts and Humanities.Tickets, info, call 963-1680. Tickets also on saleat Dos Gringos, Highway 133, Carbondale.

• Jan. 8: It’s LaFarge Skier Appreciation Day atSunlight. $15 lift tickets and free lessons all day.Get out your rear entry boots, one piece skisuits and binding straps, and show up for the‘80s costume contest and drawing. All ticketsales proceeds go to the United Way that sup-ports 10 nonprofit organizations in GarfieldCounty. 947-5156.

• Jan. 9: 9 p.m. Robert Earl Keen plays theWheeler Opera House in Aspen. For tickets,920-5770 or aspenshowtickets.com.

• Jan. 13: 7 p.m. Redstone Water andSanitation Board meets at the Redstone Inn.963-2898.


• Jan. 14: 7 p.m. Crystal River Caucus Meeting.Agenda includes a Hidden Gems Campaign dis-cussion; Thompson Divide Coalition presenta-tion; creation of caucus standing and ad hoccommittees including a caucus trail task force;and discussion of at-large voting for countycommissioners, commissioner districting; andPitkin County’s Home Rule Charter; at TheChurch at Redstone. Contact John Emerick,963-2143, for more info.

• Jan. 14: 8 p.m. Live music at the RedstoneInn Grill.

• Jan. 15: Today’s the last day to submit designideas for Carbondale Council on Arts andHumanities’ (CCAH) Green Is the New BlackFashion Extravaganza, to be held on March 20.Sustainable, artful and/or recycled designssought. Contact Amy at CCAH, 963-1680, visitcarbondalearts.com or stop by the CCAH officesnext to the post office in downtown Carbondale.

• Jan. 15: 7:30 p.m. Colorado MountainCollege’s Spring Valley Center presents“Kimera,” a Latin fusion ensemble. 9478367,cmccearts.org.

• Jan. 15: 7 p.m. Pool tournament at the Off-Season Sports Grill, 167 Redstone Blvd.,Redstone, 704-0323.

• Jan. 16: The Heathen Challenge at Sunlight.Sunlightmtn.com, 947-5156

• Jan. 18: 6 p.m. Redstone CommunityAssociation’s Winterfest planning meeting atthe Redstone Inn. Contact Becky at 963-6355.


• Jan. 21: 1-3 p.m. Time to recycle inRedstone. Note new location: Church atRedstone parking lot, Redstone Boulevard.

• Jan. 21: 8 p.m. Live music at the RedstoneInn Grill.

• Jan. 23: 7 p.m. Bingo at the Off-Season SportsGrill, 167 Redstone Blvd., Redstone, 704-0323.

• Jan. 29: 7 p.m. Pool tournament at the Off-Season Sports Grill, 167 Redstone Blvd.,Redstone, 704-0323.

Ongoing

• HEARTBEAT – support for survivors after sui-cide – meets the second Tuesday of the monthat 6:30 p.m. at the United Methodist Church,824 Cooper St. (the Bethel Chapel entrance),Glenwood. Call Pam Szedelyi, 945-1398, [email protected].

• Recycling in Redstone is on the first andthird Thursday of each month from 1-3 p.m.Bring your cardboard, glass, plastic, newspa-pers, magazines, aluminum, steel cans andoffice paper. Note new location: at Church atRedstone parking lot, Redstone Boulevard.

• Get help: Crystal Valley residents living inPitkin County (that’s you, Redstonians), areencouraged by the Aspen Counseling Center topick up the phone if you are in an emotional cri-sis and need to talk to a trained professional.Don’t wait. Call 920-5555.

• Pilates classes: New times…every Mondayand Thursday morning, 8-9 a.m., is advancedPilates; 9:30-10:30 a.m. is beginner. $10 fee,punch passes available. Dress comfortably andbring a mat. 704-1843.

• The Redstone Water and SanitationBoard meets at 7 p.m. on the secondWednesday of every month at the RedstoneInn. For this month only, the meeting is on thefirst Wednesday of January – Jan. 6. 963-2898.

• Total Body Workout in Redstone hasnew times…Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4-6p.m., at the Church at Redstone. Have a two-hour body experience: Sculpt your figurewith low impact to burn body fat, weight-bearing exercises to strengthen and breath-ing and mindful stretching for flexibility andbody/mind awareness. Free to the communi-ty. All abilities welcome. Since 1995. Personaltraining available. Instructor: Lisa Wagner,963-8240.

• Check out local train history at theGlenwood Railroad Museum, located atSeventh and Blake, Glenwood Springs, in thehistoric Rio Grande Railroad Station. Newhours: Fridays-Mondays, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Upcoming

• Feb. 1: 6 p.m. Redstone CommunityAssociation’s Winterfest planning meeting atthe Redstone Inn. Contact Becky at 963-6355.

• Feb 5-7: Winterfest in Redstone. Read thestory in this month’s Echo about Redstone’snew ice climbing and winter festival, and callBecky at 963-6355 to find out more and to signup for a volunteer position.

• Feb. 18: 7 p.m. Ellie Weiss’s “Secrets,” fromsecrets anonymously submitted by Roaring ForkValley residents, at the Church at Carbondale.Presented with Carbondale Council on Arts andHumanities. Go to carbondaleart.com for moreinfo.

Your calendar for goings on in and around the Crystal River ValleyC R Y S T A L C A L E N D A R


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

9:00 a.m.Christian Education groups for all ages

10:00 a.m.Worship, nursery provided

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

A community church serving Redstone and the Crystal Valley.

Todd L. Fugate, Agent590 Hwy 133

Carbondale, CO 81623-1884Bus: 970-963-5610

[email protected]

Jeff Leonard Insurance Agency, Inc.Jeff Leonard CLU CPCU, AgentGlenwood Springs, CO 81601

Bus: 970-945-2345

Echo BriefsCCAH presents “Secrets”

Did you ever have a secret you wished you could shout from a mountaintop? Or ridyourself of? How about some juicy adventure you had, but your spouse or partner would-n't be thrilled to know?

Secrets. We all have them. Telling our secrets provides us, the keepers, a chance toremove a burden. CCAH is producing an Ellie Weiss creation called “Secrets” on Feb. 18.The show is based on stories from the Roaring Fork community.

Look for the wooden boxes located at Six89, The Pour House, EcoGoddess, Feed MySheep (homeless shelter), Glenwood Center for the Arts, Bridges High School, CCAH andlibraries around the valley to deposit your secret. Write a few words or a few pages; anonymi-ty is guaranteed. You can release any secret you hold into this box. It can be dark and dirty.It can be something truly selfless you've done, but to talk about would be obnoxious. It canbe a fantasy. It can be a feeling. It can be three words or three pages. Just deposit in the box.

The contents will be spilled, shared, liberated, but not judged, on Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. atthe Church at Carbondale in partnership with CCAH. These secrets will be shared witheveryone, but the identities of the confessed will remain a secret. Your secret's safe. Formore details, go to carbondalearts.com.

– Carbondale Council on Arts & Humanities (CCAH)

Call for green designersThe second annual Green Is the New Black Fashion Extravaganza is looking for creative

designers. This year’s theme is “The Rites of Spring” and will take place on the vernal equi-nox March 20. Sustainable, artful and/or recycled designs are being sought. Last year’sshow was a hit with more than 20 designers involved. Slots will fill up quickly so contactAmy at the Carbondale Council on Arts and Humanities to share your idea. Designs mustbe submitted by Jan. 15 and finished by March 10.

The Carbondale Council on Arts and Humanities is located on Main Street in Carbondale,next to the post office or at carbondalearts.com. Contact Amy at 963-1680 for more info.

– (CCAH)

Band of Heathens play Carbondale Jan. 8The Carbondale Council on Arts and Humanities (CCAH) presents The Band of Heathens

on Jan. 8. Hailing from Austin, Texas, The Heathens have been compared to The Band andLittle Feat. Their latest recording, One Foot In the Ether, hit No. 1 on the Americana MusicAssociation (AMA) radio chart and wound up at No. 8 on the AMA top 100 albums of 2008.

The Heathens have been a favorite in the valley since their appearance at Steve’s Guitarstwo years ago. Since then, they have played the Carbondale Mountain Fair and the Belly Up.

CCAH has teamed up with the Church at Carbondale to provide a space that is large enoughto hold all the Heathens’ fans, has great acoustics and allows dancing. The evening kicks off at 7p.m. with The Hell Roaring String Band. A fun local band, Hell Roaring plays an eclectic mix oftraditional bluegrass and original tunes. Influences range from Bill Monroe to '80’s rock and roll.

Beer and wine will be served. Tickets are on sale at CCAH and Dos Gringos in Carbondaleor by calling 963-1680. For more information, go to carbondalearts.com.

– Amy Kimberly

Aspen-Pitkin County Airport’s planning website goes liveASPEN – Aspen-Pitkin County Airport’s new planning website,

aspenairportplanning.com, is now live. The planning website is designed to keep commu-nity members and users of the closest commercial airport to the Crystal Valley informedabout current and future projects, including the master plan update and runway extension,and to promote community involvement in future planning for the airport.

Aspen-Pitkin County’s mission is to provide safe, efficient and environmentally responsi-ble airport services and facilities that meet or exceed the community's expectations. Tolearn more about planning projects at the airport, visit aspenairportplanning.com. For gen-eral information on the airport, including arrival and departure information, parking,ground transportation and more, visit aspenairport.com.

– Jim Elwood, Aspen-Pitkin County Airport

New year, new calendarASPEN – The much sought-after Pitkin County Open Space and Trails calendars featur-

ing many of the “jewels” of the county’s Open Space program are now available. The 2010calendars are free and available at the Redstone General Store, as well as other PitkinCounty government buildings around Aspen.

“If you’re curious about the county’s 3,142 acres of open space and 14,556 acres of con-served land, the calendars are a good resource,” said Open Space and Trails Ranger JohnArmstrong. “They include a map and beautiful color photographs of many of the proper-ties we’ve protected,”

The voters of Pitkin County established Pitkin County Open Space and Trails in 1990 bya ballot initiative creating a county program for the purpose of acquiring open spaces anddeveloping trails. The program is funded by a property tax. In November 2006, the pro-gram was re-authorized by a 72 percent voter approval, and the Aspen/Snowmass NordicTrails System was added to the program.

– Open Space and Trails

JANUARY 2010 Page 7

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Heads up, PitCo septic system owners:New regulations on the wayBy Pat Bingham, Pitkin County Community Relations

Malfunctioning septic systems, officially known as onsite wastewater treatment systems(OWTSs), can contaminate ground and surface water. That’s why the Pitkin County EnvironmentalHealth Department is stepping up efforts to have some systems inspected.

Effective July 1, 2010, OWTS use permits will be required prior to the sale of a property or theissuance of a building permit on a property served by an existing septic system in Pitkin County.

“Malfunctioning septic systems release pathogens and contribute to heavy nutrient loadingwhich can contaminate both ground and surface water,” said Carla Ostberg, Pitkin CountyEnvironmental Health Program supervisor. “Boulder, Jefferson and Summit counties already haveprograms like this in place. They’re finding that through the permitting and inspection process,they are able to identify and repair OWTSs that may have otherwise gone undetected.”

The process of obtaining an OWTS use permit will entail completion of an application that mustbe submitted and reviewed by the Pitkin County Environmental Health Department. Issuance ofthe permit will be contingent upon submittal of a written inspection report with the applicationindicating the system or systems on the property have passed or are functioning properly at thetime the inspection.

Licensed system inspectors in Pitkin County will conduct all inspections. In order to becomelicensed in Pitkin County, system Inspectors must have a valid credential from either the NationalSanitation Foundation, the National Association of Wastewater Transporters, or be a RegisteredProfessional Engineer in the state of Colorado.

“This new permitting program should be of particular interest to local Realtors who need tounderstand the process as they represent buyers and sellers of existing homes served by OWTSs,”Ostberg said. “For buyers, knowing the condition of the septic system they’ll be purchasing is avaluable piece of information. I’d want to know if the septic system serving the house I was pur-chasing was polluting the environment, may need major repairs, or could limit expansion opportu-nities on the property.”

A series of stakeholder meetings are being held offering information and opportunities to askquestions regarding the regulation. These meetings will be scheduled and advertised.

For more information on this program, please contact Carla Ostberg at 920-5438 or [email protected].

Marble Town CouncilDec. 10, 2009

Chicken decision on holdBy Bettie Lou Gilbert, Echo contributor

The Town adopted the budget for 2010. There was discussion of a golf Frisbee course to be built in Marble. The Mill Site Park

Committee will take this up. The problems of the Marble Tourism Association were discussed. There is the possibility that

the Town of Marble will act as the conduit for county funds collected by lodging establishmentsand earmarked for tourism.

The “chicken” and “tree” ordinances were postponed until January’s meeting. The next scheduled meeting is at 7 p.m. on Jan. 7 at the Marble City State Bank Building.

WINTER GETAWAY SPECIALDinner, lodging and breakfast for 2

only $125 (Valid Wednesdays thru Sundays)

970-963-2691 • www.redstonecliffs.com


JANUARY 2010 Page 9

G O V E R N M E N T

By Carrie Click, Echo editor

The Redstone Water and Sanitation District hadan eventful ending to 2009, instigating a new waterfee structure, putting the finishing touches on its2010 budget, and discovering a leak that drainednearly 200,000 gallons of water from Redstone’swater stoage tanks.

New fees in placeThe water board wrapped up a long and challeng-

ing process at its Dec. 9 meeting by finalizingRedstone’s new water rates.

A new fee structure, based on equivalent residen-tial units (EQRs) instead of usage, is now in effect asof Jan. 1. The water board voted unanimously 5-0, infavor of the new rates.

Adjusting the rates was needed because of the sea-sonal nature of Redstone’s businesses and home occu-pancies. Water infrastructure needs to be paid for,whether or not businesses are open or homes are occu-pied, but under the old usage fee structure, the watersystem wasn’t sustainable on a year-round basis.

Under the new structure, a standard residentialhome won’t see a change in monthly water rates. Ahousehold continues to pay $80 – $40 for water and$40 for sewer – whether the home is occupied or not.

Commercial businesses will see changes, as ratesare switching to EQRs, based on variables, such asbusiness size, type of business and overall numbers ofcustomers served.

For about a year, the water board has worked withRedstone restaurants, lodges and small apartmentcomplexes to make the rates as equitable as possible.

John Chromy, Redstone water board member, saidwater users won’t see these changes until February’swater bills come out.

Water shortage solvedThe water board was also able to solve the mys-

tery of receding water in the district’s storage tanksearly in December.

John said Redstone Water District’s Bruce Lemirenoticed that the water in the district’s storage tanks,which usually hold about 400,000 gallons, was drop-ping pretty significantly during the second week ofDecember.

That started a phone tree, coordinated by theRedstone Community Association President ChuckLogan, and an e-mail message from Redstone WaterDistrict Board Member Chuck Albin, askingRedstonians to conserve water. Redstoniansrequested a town meeting to address the problem,but before it could be planned, the mystery was

solved. John said by checking meters, Bruce discovered

that nearly 200,000 gallons was running through themeter at the cabin between the upper Redstoneturnoff and Elk Park. Bruce discovered a major under-ground leak there.

“The big message here is that the meters worked toour advantage,” said John. He noted that even thoughthe meters aren’t used to determine water fees, theycan still come in handy when identifying where prob-lems may be in the system.

“The meter allowed us to isolate the problem,” hesaid.

Budget almost thereAt the Dec. 9 meeting, water board members also

approved the budget for 2010. “There are only a couple changes we have to make

in the 2010 budget,” said John. He said the district willcomplete those changes at the next meeting.

The Redstone Water and Sanitation District usual-ly meets the second Wednesday of the month.However, for January only, the board is meeting onthe first Wednesday, Jan. 6, at 7 p.m. in the OsgoodRoom of the Redstone Inn.


Carbondale’s historic Thompson House will con-tinue to stand as a legendary landmark for generationsto come.

That was the decision reached on Dec. 15 whenCarbondale Town Trustees unanimously approvedThompson Park, a new proposed residential projectthat sits adjacent to the Thompson House. OldSnowmass-based developer Frieda Wallison owns the10.2-acre parcel, including the house.

“It’s amazing how it turned out,” says Lew RonThompson, a member of the Thompson family thatbuilt the brick farmhouse in 1885, before Carbondalewas even incorporated as a town. “It could’ve beeneasily defeated. I feel like we got a miracle.”

It is difficult to find someone opposed to pre-serving and protecting the old home. It’s statelyand oozes antiquated charm, and its grounds aregrand with large trees and an aura of time past.The house is especially unique in that the samefamily has owned it since it was built more than100 years ago.

The problem came with Thompson Park’s inextri-cable link to the old homestead. If the Thompson Parkdevelopment gained approval, Thompson Housewould be assured of preservation. If Thompson Parkwas denied, the house’s future was in question.

Just a month ago, trustees were split over whetherto approve Thompson Park.

“Frieda revised her plan, which turned out muchbetter,” says Lew Ron. “Because of that, the trusteeswere able to embrace it. With the community’s andthe [Mount Sopris] Historical Society’s involvement,

we all have aproduct that wecan be proud of.It’s a groupeffort.”

Lew Ronsays he is awareof concernsfrom somet o w n s p e o p l ewho question ifCarbondale isoverbuilt, andthat new devel-opment shouldnot be consid-ered because ofthe downedeconomy. Buthe says a long-range outlook isin order here: aproject like thistakes time.

“Frieda start-ed with ourproperty fouryears ago,” Lew Ron says. “It’s obvious that rightnow, there’s not much money in circulation, and thathome building has dried up. But the interest in com-ing here and living here is still there. We want to beready when the economy turns around.”

Lew Ron is also pleased that the affordable-housing component of the project has even more

flexible, cost-friendly options for future ThompsonPark dwellers.

In the meantime, the Thompson parcel, which iscurrently an unincorporated island in the midst of theTown of Carbondale, is targeted for annexation onJan. 19.

Redstone Water and Sanitation District

Mystery of Redstone’s disappearing water solved

Thompson House will stand

Historic Carbondale home is being preserved for all

Carbondale’s Thompson House. Photo by Carrie Click


L o c a l F l a v o rBy melissa Sidelinger

Carrie ClickWriter + Proofer + Editor

Help for any writing project

[email protected]

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New Year’s resolution: Eat locally!A new year has snuck up on us again and practically everyone

is setting personal goals for 2010. This year, how about makingone of your resolutions be about food and sustainability?

Buying organic, locally-grown fruits, vegetables, meats, dairyand eggs is not only better for the planet but good for your ownhealth and the wellbeing of family-owned farms and ranches inour area. The food tastes better and is more nutritious. It hasn’tbeen genetically modified, grown with toxic pesticides, or inject-ed with potentially dangerous growth hormones, is fresher,riper, and in season, and creates a smaller carbon footprint thanfood shipped from thousands of miles away. The money youspend on it goes to small-scale farmers and ranchers instead ofgiant agribusiness corporations. Overall, eating locally is one ofthe best things you can do to support our community and thepeople who live here – including yourself!

So, where do you start? First, to get you inspired andinformed about local eating, visit the website 100 Mile Diet at100milediet.org. Here, authors Alisa Smith and J.B. MacKinnontalk about their experiences writing the book “Plenty: EatingLocally on the 100-Mile Diet,” and provide visitors withresources for embarking on their own local-foods adventure.

Along similar lines, the website Eat Local Challenge, at eatlo-calchallenge.com is a group blog compiled by individuals fromacross the U.S. who are committed to buying and eating foodsgrown in their own communities. In addition to the regularly-posted articles, this website also sponsors local-eating challengesin which you can participate.

Next, you can research the farms and ranches in your area tofind fresh, local foods to bring into your kitchens and add toyour daily meals. The website Eat Wild, at eatwild.com, is agreat resource for finding local, grass-fed meat, poultry, eggs anddairy products. This site provides a directory for locating farmsin your area, information about the benefits of pasture-raisedanimal foods, and has a fabulous collection of books on food andfarming sold through their online store.

Another useful website is Local Harvest, at localharvest.org,which has an extensive directory of local farms, farmers’ markets,and community-supported agriculture (CSA) located across theU.S., plus an online store that offers a multitude of organic prod-ucts grown or created by American family farmers and artisans.

The website Sustainable Table, at sustainabletable.org, offersits visitors a plethora of information about local, sustainable eat-ing and other food-related topics such as genetic engineering,factory farming, and climate change. It’s a great jumping-offpoint for educating yourself about the important issues thathumanity faces with regards to our food supply.

Lastly, you can explore the businesses in our area to see whois selling locally grown or raised foods. A great place to stop byis the Carbondale Community Food Cooperative (CCFC) inCarbondale. In addition to being a member-owned grocery storethat sells all manner of delicious organic foods, CCFC specializesin carrying fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy, eggs, and packagedfoods created by Colorado farmers and ranchers. And don’t for-get the restaurants in the Crystal River Valley that use localfoods in their menus – you might just be surprised at how easyit is to eat out and still eat local!

Melissa Sidelinger is from Marble, and is currently pursuing adegree in holistic nutrition through the Clayton College of NaturalHealth.

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JANUARY 2010 Page 11

E c h o - L o g i cBy Ellie Kershow

Winter botany: Seeingplants in a different light

Whether you’re out on the ski slopes or simply looking out thewindow, there’s so much to see in our forested landscape. Althoughmany plants have lost their leaves for the winter, a majority of thevegetation is indeed alive. Most of nutrients of perennial trees andshrubs have gone into the ground, but they are still teeming with life.

It may seem like an impossible task to identify trees without their most defining characteristic,their leaves. But not only is it possible, it reconnects us with the natural world to see these plantsin a different light. It also reminds us that even though it is winter, there is lots of plant life outthere. So if you go for a drive up the Crystal, see if you can spot some of these plants. The starkbeauty of frosty leafless trees and shrubs on a cold winter morning can take your breath away.

In the fieldOne of the easiest ways to

identify trees without leaves is bytheir branches. There are twobasic configurations when itcomes to branches, opposite andalternate. Most trees and shrubsfall into one of these two cate-gories, although there are excep-tions.

Another way to identify treesin winter is to find some lingeringfruit left of the plant. For example,rosehips, the fruit of a commonplant called wood rose or wildrose (Rosa woodsii), can sometimesstill be found on this shrub wellinto winter. This plant’s brightred, berry-like fruits look brilliantagainst a sea of snow.

Aspen trees are majestic anytime of the year. In the winter-time, they truly shine when theirbark stands out against the snowand evergreens. Quaking aspens(Populus tremuloides) are prettyeasy to spot in the mountainsbecause they are really the onlytrees around here that look theway they do, with white bark anddark nodes. They are in the wil-

low family, (Salicaceae), which primarily has alternate branching. At night, if you shine a flashlightinto the crowns of an aspen grove, they seem to come alive. Their fine branches reaching upwardscan resemble the alveoli of lungs. Populus angustifolia can be identified in the winter by their stickybuds that are very aromatic. Narrowleaf cottonwood trees can be found all along the Crystal River,especially down near Carbondale and in the village of Redstone.

Oak trees sometimes retain their leaves in winter making them easy to identify. Scrub oak orGambel’s oak (Quercus gambelii) found in the Crystal Valley are easy to spot in the landscape evenwithout leaves, with their gnarled trunk and furrowed bark. There are some really beautiful largeoaks near Avalanche Ranch off Highway 133.

A few examples of opposite branching shrubs in the valley are red-osier dogwood (Cornussericea or stolonifera) and Rocky Mountainmaple (Acer glabrum). Red-osier dogwood canbe quite visible along the river by its redstems.

There are many other plants that can beidentified in the winter. Sometimes guide-books even have pictures of plants in the win-ter. Remember to watch for branching type,something that is not obvious when plantshave all their leaves.

Ellie Kershow is an environmental biologistand writer who lives in the Crystal Valley.

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The Redstone Historical Society presents excerpts from:

Excerpts pulled by Sue McEvoy

Editor’s note: Camp and Plant was the weekly news reportfor Redstone and Coalbasin produced by the SociologicalDepartment of the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company. In 1903,J.C. Osgood resigned as chairman of the board of C.F. & I.,and he and his wife Alma traveled to Europe. To contribute toand/or become a member of the Redstone Historical Society,contact Sue McEvoy at 704-1843.

These excerpts are reprinted exactly as they appeared in theoriginal Camp and Plant – style, spelling, grammar and all.

Excerpts from Camp and PlantCoalbasin, 1903

CLUB HOUSES AND RECREATION HALLSBuilt and maintained by The Colorado Fuel and

Iron Company for Its Employees.Clubs and club houses in the various camps and

plants have been fostered by the Colorado Fuel andIron Company for some time as a means of renderingthe daily life of employees more agreeable. Some ofthese have been founded and supported by theCompany; others have received little more thanmoral support.

The Coalbasin ClubThe Coalbasin Club was organized June 23, 1902.

It is managed by a board of seven directors, electedfor one year. The Club has a membership of abouttwo hundred, associate and active. The monthly duesare fifty cents. No treating is allowed, no profane orvulgar language is permitted, and gambling anddrunkenness are not tolerated. The club has hadsplendid results in promoting good morals and tem-perance in the camp.

The Club House is a one-story frame building offour rooms, with a front veranda. Immediately in therear of the porch is a barroom. To the right is the billiardand pool room. The first room to the left is the card andgame room, while on the extreme left is the readingroom, equipped with magazines and periodicals.

The Club will sell to its members in accordancewith the rules of the Club, wines, beer and liquors,but in order to promote their temperate use andbelieving that each member or visitor has the intelli-gence and ability to buy what he wants and when hewants it without suggestion or aid from any one, no“treating” will be allowed.

House Rules1. The Club House will be open for the use of

members from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., daily exceptSaturdays, when it will remain open until 11 p.m.

2. Members whose occupations are such as torequire special working clothes are requested not toremain in the Club rooms in their working clothes.

3. No credit will be given to members or visitors.All charges must be paid at the time they areincurred.

4. No gambling will be allowed in the Club, butplaying games of cards for small stakes will be per-mitted, the stakes in no event to exceed the followinglimits:

Poker – Penny ante and twenty-five cent limitBilliards – Twenty-five cents a cuePool – Ten cents a cue5. Women or children residing in or near

Coalbasin will not be allowed to visit the club Roomsexcept at such times as may be specified by the Boardof Directors.

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H I S T O R Y


H I S T O R Y

An ill-fated attempt at lift-servedskiing in Marble augers into thehistory books

By Sue McEvoy, Echo staff writer

Editor’s note: While researching our Echo Winter Guidestory, “History of skiing in the Crystal Valley,” we discov-ered a couple ski areas that could have had a significantimpact on the development of Redstone and Marble. Somedevelopments, like the Marble Ski Area, would havechanged the valley forever.

The Marble Ski Area (MSA) operated between1971-74 on the south-facing side of Mount Dalyabove Marble. In its first winter, snowcats were usedto bring skiers – who were mostly potentialinvestors – up the slopes onweekends.

Several more lifts, two gondolas, dozens of lodges,hotels, shopping facilities, a convention center, restau-rants, night clubs and a theater were all part of planspresented by the ski area’s developers to investors, theGunnison County Commissioners and the locals wholived here.

During the winter of 1971-72, a double chairdesigned by Riblet Tramway Company out ofSpokane, Wash., ran 4,266 feet up the hill and offereda 1,050-foot vertical drop. Snowcats took skiers evenfurther uphill to access more challenging terrain. Skiarea developers courted potential buyers to purchaseland averaging $29,000 an acre. Lift tickets werepriced at $3 for adults and $2 for children.

Longtime local Jeff Bier remembers skiing at MSA. “I skied at Marble, which was open on weekends

mainly to attract investors but locals could ski also,”he says.

Jeff says when the area’s developers built the firstlift, they accidentally built part of it on Forest Serviceland, which the Forest Service made them re-locate.

“The skiing was actually quite good,” Jeff says.“There was a small warming hut at the bottom andthe chair was powered by a diesel generator.”

Jeff not only skied at Marble, but he hot-dogged there too.

“The reasoning is a little vague,” he says,“but I remember that I did do a flip on skis offthe top of the upper lift shack.”

From the beginning, though, the ability forthe ski area to be successful was dubious, at

least in the estimation of Thomas Evans,who was the Forest Service supervisorat the time.

In Marble Chips, the MarbleHistorical Society’s newsletter, VinceSavage wrote a story, “Marble SkiArea: Development or Debacle?”for its winter 2002-03 issue. In it,Vince quoted a June 1971 letter toMarble Ski Area President JohnZakovich from Thomas Evansthat read, “The physical characteristics of thearea are lacking a proper mix of skier abilityclasses. Its predominant southern exposureand a major portion well above timberlinewith critical avalanche hazards, as well asenvironmental considerations, make it amarginal winter resort complex.”

The Forest Service wasn’t the only groupopposed to the Marble Ski Area. In 1972,Marble and Redstone residents organizedthe Crystal Valley EnvironmentalProtection Association (CVEPA) to fightthe ski area’s development.

Redstone attorney Bill Jochems, aCVEPA member, remembers attending many

meetings in Gunnison, whereGunnison County commissionershad approved 27,000 dwellingunits proposed by Marble SkiArea’s developers. The develop-ment was planned to stretch awhopping 4,600 acres, from theDariens’ ranch, (formerly UteMeadows Bed and Breakfast onCounty Road 3) all the way ontoSheep Mountain in Leadking Basin.

“What eventually killed the dealwas not the south-facing ski moun-tain,” says Bill, “but…the ColoradoReal Estate Commission shut themdown for fraudulent representa-tions of underlying mortgages.”

As a lawyer, Bill representedmore than 25 people who hadinvested and made down pay-ments for lots, but were paying onbogus notes.

In 1974, Marble was front-pagenews in the Denver papers,according to Vince’s Marble Chipsnewsletter story. The Rocky

MountainNews and The Denver Post screamedheadlines: “U.S. probes for illegal sales in Marble SkiArea,” “Cash refund appears likely for Marble skiinvestors,” and “Marble promoters quit under fire.”

In 1982, a Denver developer named Mike Stoverpurchased the property at a foreclosure sale and in1994, ownership of 240 acres of the ski area transferredto current owner Ken Good. Several parcels were sub-sequently sold off or transferred to open space.

The ski area with its abandoned lift and unfinishedbase lodge, all remain on private property today.According to Bob McCormick, who bought one of theparcels from Ken, plans are to keep the area privateproperty.

From Marble Ski Area brochure

“For those who make skiing a part of their life, MarbleSki Area has some of the finest ski slopes in Colorado;potential for 40 miles of exciting runs and trails, with anannual snowfall of 180 inches and skiing fromThanksgiving to May.”

“Development cost is projected to be over $50 mil-lion and take 10 years to complete. The phasing of thisproject is presently under study and will be completedto best combine the unique geography and ecology ofthe area with efficient land utilization.”

“As you can see, Marble Ski Area, Inc. has left nothingto chance. It is actively engaged in providing a trulyunique recreational plan that appeals to a wide sector ofthe population.”

Above left, the back cover of the Marble Ski Area promotional brochure, cour-tesy of Kevin Kelly; above right, a map of the proposed ski area.

"We're gonna develop this valley the way God would have ifHe had the money."

– Marble Ski Area President JohnZakovich, at a Gunnison County commis-sioners meeting, as remembered by BillJochems

Marble Ski Area: ‘If this sounds great, there’s more’* – or not* From Marble Ski Area brochure


A life lesson from winter wheatBy Pastor Bruce Gledhill

Before you finish making your resolutions for the New Year, let me tellyou about my recent trip. Driving back through the part of the Great Plains where I grew up, Inoticed again how the green velvet wheat fields give vitality to the otherwise brown landscape.That carpet of wheat not only enlivens the scenery, it also illustrates a truth that might affect yourplans for the new year.

Let me explain, for those who might be unfamiliar with the staple crop of the plains: hard redwinter wheat. Although highly productive, winter wheat lies dormant for about half of its life.Planted in the fall, the wheat grows only a few inches before winter, thus providing cover for theground and color for the landscape. Then, whether buffeted by wind, coated with ice, or buriedunder snow, it stays alive through the long harsh winter. In the spring its growth resumes and itshoots up a stalk two or three feet high topped with a head of grain. In May it’s at the height ofits productive activity, but in December it isn’t doing anything.

Much of the time our focus is on doing. We live in a blur of resolutions, goals, lists and activi-ties. But we can’t always be growing, achieving, and producing. In God’s design, there is also atime for us to be dormant. There are times when our agenda needs to be governed by this thoughtfrom Isaiah: “This is the resting place, let the weary rest.”

Before you make too many plans or resolutions for the new year, you need to determine theseason of your life. In God’s plan for you, is this December or May?

Marble Community Church"Building Believers and Reaching Seekers"

Church at Redstone

By Pastor Lafe Murray

Happy New Year! The November, December and January meditations areeasy ones – as pastors focus attention toward Thanksgiving, Christmas, andnow New Year’s. This is a wonderful season of the year. We hope that everyone enjoyed Christmas.

Now hope zeros in on a new year. What will 2010 bring? Probably, it will be a lot like 2009, butwith a twist. The twist is what makes life adventuresome, and challenging. There will be good andbad in this year. Let us hope and pray that the joys far outweigh the sorrows.

The great thing about spiritual life (as opposed to just living) is that everything, every singleevent, will work out for our good (Romans 8:28). Not that every event is good – that would not betrue. But every event works in our favor spiritually. There is nothing wasted on our drawing clos-er to God and becoming more like Jesus.

Yes, we can work to avoid harm by being safe in our work and in our relationships. Yes, we canpray that things go well at every turn. The idea is that when things are challenging, we can havefaith that God is in the midst of our challenges and will be there each and every step of the way.

God is a good God who works all things out in an eternal plan for good. He is beyond our viewof events and has a great plan for each of our lives, for our churches, for our community, for ournation, and for our world. The plan is the way things are, are not the way they will be. God ischanging things through prayer, one soul at a time.

So with the challenges in 2010, trust that God knows best and loves us very much. God bless you.

Monthly MeditationsFROM THE PLANET

Astrological Interpretations by Kyle Stewart

THIS COLUMN IS SPONSORED BY CARBONDALE INSURANCE SERVICE

963-2399vEditor’s note: These interpretations are meant to be read and pon-

dered by everyone, not just those who share the astrological signs of thecurrent time period – in this case, Capricorn/Aquarius. So no matterwhat your sign, please enjoy and reflect on this universal knowledge.

Astrology is the study of psychological symbology; givingcertain meanings to certain things, in this case based upon con-cepts that go back to time immemorial. It is a way of looking atlife, at ourselves and the people in our lives. Astrology is one sys-tem, one way of interpreting our feelings, thoughts and actionswithin the larger sphere of existence.

This column is based upon what’s termed “planetary tran-sits”... the daily motion of our solar system as seen from Earth.So I give a snapshot of what’s happening in the sky – now – andwhat that means in astrological terms. As the renowned lateastrologist Isabel Hickey once said, “Transits are the day to daypositions of the planets.”

Capricorn/AquariusThe Sun is in Capricorn (cardinal, earth) until Jan. 20, when it

moves into Aquarius (fixed, air). Capricorn is private, practicaland business-like (cold?)....but it is the mountain goat, climbinginto the heights. There is much to be done. Aquarius is a people-oriented sign…always smart....always a little different.

Through the New Year, Saturn in early Libra is square Plutoin Capricorn. Even though Pluto has undergone a certain changein status, astronomically, I still give homage to the “planet” oftransformation. And Saturn, the planet with those rings aroundit, symbolizes form and structure, substance, old age, wisdom,patience. It looks like there may be some changes to the infra-structure of our lives. This is not a good time to leave a job.Watch out for self-destructive behavior.

On the positive side, this can bring a spiritual reorientation ortransformation into one’s life. It looks like this winter may entaila certain stoicism (Saturn) and yet, a strong pull towards moreall-inclusive endeavors and great changes (Pluto). This is a timeto accept whatever responsibility occurs. Physical energies maybe tested. Try to turn negative into positive.

Pluto always signifies a crisis of some sort, a crisis of con-sciousness. And then, Saturn turns retrograde (an apparent back-wards motion) going back into Virgo until May 30, when Saturnturns direct at 27 degrees Virgo. Then, Saturn goes forward intoanother precise square to Pluto on Aug. 21. (Saturn at twpdegrees Libra and Pluto at twp degrees Capricorn). So this is along transit. There will be power struggles, changes, and a test-ing of our abilities to go with the flow. ”If life gives you a lemon,make lemonade.” Welcome to 2010.

On Jan. 11, Venus at 20 degrees Capricorn is exactly conjunctthe Sun at 20 degrees Capricorn. This is a great time for social-ization. The attraction power of Venus will be strong, and manypositive things can occur. In the more cautious and singular signof Capricorn, the energy may be somewhat subdued but never-theless, enjoy your life and revel in your accomplishments. Thisis a fortuitous time for successful work.

Mercury turns direct on Jan. 15 at five degrees Capricorn.Now is the time to get busy with details. Any practical matterscan be started and completed now.

On Jan. 25, the Sun at four degrees Aquarius will trine Saturnat 4 degrees Libra. In air signs, this energy will be more mentaland communicative, but nonetheless, this indicates an easyblending of aspirations and the willingness to do the work tomake things happen. Relationships with older people (Saturn)will be highlighted, and a certain maturity will be demonstrated.Innate self-discipline and restraint (again, Saturn) can make forsuccessful encounters and expression (Sun).

Want to know what “Libra is square Pluto in Capricorn” reallymeans? Want your astrological chart done? Contact Kyle Stewart inCarbondale at 963-5590 for personal consultations.

CHURCH HAPPENINGSEvery Sunday: 8:45 a.m. Adult Sunday school is studying Psalms

10 a.m. Worship, sermon is “Jesus and the Church”Feb. 13: Valentine's Dinner (pot luck) at 6 p.m. We will look at the first part of a

hilarious marriage conference.

Story and photos by Sandy Kaplan, Echo contributor

James Floyd Spencer, known as Jim Spencer, alsoknown as “Jim and June,” passed away on Dec. 1, 2009.He was 60.

The phrase “soul mates” is bantered around. It’s usedand misused. Everyone talks about finding his or her soulmate. I can only tell you I’ve only really seen it once, andthat was with Jim and June Spencer. It’s almost impossi-ble to say one name without refer-ring to the other. Theirs was a trulygreat love story. Perhaps it wasbecause they were both so in lovewith one another, and perhaps itwas because they were both, sepa-rately, the embodiment of love.

When I first started to write thisI thought, no, I won’t mentionJune. This is about Jim. It’s abouthow much all of us loved him andwill miss him, but alas, I find itimpossible. Jim and June were suchstrong and loving individuals, andthey were in undeniably joined.

From Paw Paw to NYCTo know Jim

was to fall in lovewith him. Justmentioning hisname to anyonewho knew himwould make asmile appear.You cannot thinkof him withoutyou heart open-ing just a bitmore. His richvoice rollsaround in yourheart and warmsyou. He touchedso many lives insuch deep ways.

Now, here are

some things that you may already know about Jim andperhaps some things you may not know.

Jim was born May 1, 1949 in Paw Paw, Mich. (yep,there really is such a place), and grew up with his broth-er, Bob. Both his mother and father passed away beforeJim passed.

After Jim graduated from Michigan State Universityin 1971, he took a job at the Stow Davis FurnitureCompany in Grand Rapids, and after a little while, was

transferred to New York City. Once in New York, the world

opened up to him. He fell in lovewith textiles and became a verysuccessful weaver. With all thosewinters in Michigan, Jim hadlearned to ice skate, and in NewYork he became truly accom-plished.

Meeting June One day in New York City, he

found himself in a self-help semi-nar and came face to face with his

destiny. June Graham was teaching the class and it trulywas love at first sight.

Jim and June met when he was 25 years old andJune was 50, they were married a short time later. Bythe time both of them passed, they had known andloved one another 35-plus years.

They ice skated in Rockefeller Plaza together, andthey loved one another all over the world. They final-ly found a home in Redstone and then, in Salida,Colo.

They were inseperable. They studied together, theymeditated for hours together, they read together, andthey both became ministers and spread their love bymarrying other people. They were counselors and lifecoaches, and helped many people get through hardtimes.

They wrote books together: “Let Go and Live” and“No Bad Feelings.” Their lives together and individuallywere about consciousness and clarity. They walked theirtalk, and what they preached, they lived.

And, they made Angels together. Their crystal androck Earth Angel sculptures were filled with the samekind of love they shared with everyone else.

…and joining JuneAfter June passed away a couple of years ago, Jim

was afloat, experiencing a stroke just a few months later.He would often say to me, that this is a lesson that is dif-ficult, but June was with him all the way. He said shekept telling him, “This is not your time yet…. you haveto stay here and finish some things.”

He worked with inmates at the Buena VistaCorrectional Complex near Salida, teaching them Englishand creative writing, and touching their lives with hisvery special brand of love and care. He told stories of howthe work impacted their lives as well as his own.

Well, on Dec. 1 of this year, it was his time, his timeto leave us to join June once again. We who are left willmiss him more than words can say. He touched us all sodeeply and tenderly. We were all so lucky to haveknown him and will carry him in our hearts always.

“Jim's ashes will be mingled with June's,” says Jim’sbrother Bob, “and will be scattered in Salida in the springby their families.”

Memorial donations can be made for a hand-hewed log bench to celebrate the “Let Go and Live”ideals of Jim and June Spencer. Please make checkspayable to Redstone Community Association for theJ&J Memorial Fund. Mail to Shirley Thomson, 188Redstone Blvd., Redstone, CO 81623. For any ques-tions, call or e-mail Debby Strom at 963-8113, or [email protected].



With slick, full-page ads in the current editions of Rock and Ice andTrailRunner magazines, Redstone Winterfest is shaping up to be a week-end of ice climbing, snowshoe racing and lots of fun activities for fami-lies, dogs and outdoor enthusiasts of all kinds.

Winterfest is set to take place Feb. 5-7, and meetings are now beingheld to pull all the organizational elements of this multifaceted festival together.

Event organizer Becky Trembley of the Redstone Community Association is excited about Redstone’s new wintertimecelebration.

“We’re drawing on all the wonderful parts of this area in such a positive way,” Becky said. “Whether it’s ice climbing,snow sculpting, snowshoe racing, cross-country skiing or being outside with your kids and dogs, all we’re doing is open-ing the gates to what we already have available here.”

Becky knows about event organizing. She worked for years as the banquet and catering coordinator at the HotelBoulderado in Boulder, so she’s used to creating punch lists, delegating tasks and working hard.

“It’s different here,” she said. “Because the town is so small, it’s magical. Everybody can and does pitch in.”Check out Redstone’s official website, redstonecolordo.com, and click on “Winterfest” for a schedule of events, online

event registrations, and more information; and pick up a copy of the 2010 Echo Winter Guide, available now at theRedstone General Store, the Redstone Inn and other locations around the village for additional information.

E C H O E S O F A L I F E

W I N T E R F E S T 2 0 1 0Time to pick a committee

Redstone Winterfest 2010 scheduled Feb. 5-7Pick a committeeCommittees have formed

to organize the following

Winterfest activities. Contact

Beck Trembley at 963-6355 to

join a team and lend a hand.

Committees:Snow sculptures

Food and beverage

Kids games

Raffle prizes

Signage/tickets

Dog parade

Brochures/maps

ParkingRaces/clinics

LodgingSponsors

Promotions

Scavenger hunt

Timekeepers

Winterfest planning meetingsCome to the meetings…Winterfest planning meetings are:Jan. 4, Jan. 18 and Feb. 1, all at 6 p.m. at

the Redstone Inn

Remembering Jim Spencer

Jim and June Spencer 2007

Jim Spencer in Redstone, summer 2009.

Skating at Rockefeller Center, 1975. Photo couretesy of Sandy Kaplan


T R AV E L

Marty Hartman’s path to shamanismSwiss Village residenttravels to Peru to studywith master teachers


Crystal Valleyite Marty Hartmangets inspiration from ElephantMountain, the craggy peak across theCrystal River above the river’s conflu-ence with Avalanche Creek.

Marty gets inspiration from rivers,plants, rocks, animals and spirits fromhigher and lower worlds. She’s in theprocess of becoming a shaman. Forthe past four years, she has beenreceiving her shamanistic rites atworkshops held in Arizona. And inSeptember of 2009, she traveled witha group to the Cusco area of Peru tostudy with some of the master teach-ers there.

By definition, a shaman is a spiri-tual being with the ability to heal, work with ener-gies and see visions. Shamans exist in societiesaround the world. Common beliefs about shamansare that they can communicate with the spirit world,treat sickness caused by evil spirits, and employ

trance-inducing techniques for spiritual awakeningssuch as vision quests.

While in Peru, Marty was part of a group of 13healers who spent 10 days together with five masterteachers. They visited many ancient temples where

they performed ceremonies andreceived rites. They walked theInca trail, explored Machu Picchu,and visited the Islands of the Sunand the Moon at Lake Titicaca.

“The teachers were traditionalPeruvians,” says Marty. “[They]were very down to earth, gentle,beautiful and knew how to be onewith themselves and the wholeuniverse.”

And although they speak anative language called Quechuan,the group was able to learn andshare the ceremonial experiences.

Back in the Crystal Valley, Marty uses her knowl-edge and skills to help others find balance in theirlives. Combining her counseling degree with Easternand Western medical experience, she does massagetherapy, reflexology, aromatherapy and mentoring,and offers workshops for small groups. To contactMarty Hartman, call 704-0270.

Avalanche Ranch’s MeredithOgilby newest work now available


Just released is a new book by writer and photogra-pher Meredith Ogilby and writer Corinne Platt. Titled“Voices of the American West,” the book is four yearsin the making, and features portraits and conversationswith 49 visionary men and women of the West.

Traveling around the western U.S. to conduct theinterviews, Ogilby and Platt engaged their subjectson the West’s past, present and future themes.Viewpoints from both sides of issues from ranching,immigration, alternative energy, wildlife habitat pro-tection, oil and gas extraction, urban development,water conservation and recreation are addressed bypeople with passions for their work and their lives.

Writer and conservationist Bill Debuys of NewMexico speaks of efforts to convince farmers to start

grass banks, a way to rehabilitate land that has beengrazed, while still allowing ranchers their livelihood.Artist Roxanne Swentzell is an active promoter of thetraditions of life on the Indian Pueblo and founded theFlowering Tree Permaculture Institute.

Aspen locals Connie Harvey, Joy Caudill and thelate Dottie Fox, who started the Wilderness Workshop,discuss their influence on lobbying and adding wilder-ness to areas like the Maroon Bells – Snowmass area.

The style of the book is conversational and each per-son is photographed by Meredith in his or her element.

“We like the informality of the conversational styleverses the wordiness of an essay,” said Meredith, whoowns and operates Avalanche Ranch in the CrystalValley. “We hoped that conversation, without any edi-torial comments from us, combined with black-and-white photographs, would speak to the reader on mul-tiple levels.”

“Voices of the American West” is available atAvalanche Ranch, Novel-Tea Books Explore

Booksellers, and the Redstone General Store.

Crystal Valleyite releases new bookA R T S A N D E N T E R TA I N M E N T

Clockwise from top left: Crystal Valleyite Marty Hartmanrecently visited Machu Picchu in Peru; the colorful clothingof Peru; Marty spent 10 days in Peru with a group of fel-low healers; Marty with a Peruvian friend at TemplePachamama. Photos courtesy of Marty Hartman


January 2010

• • •

REDSTONECOMMUNITYASSOCIATION

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

————

Chuck LoganPresident963-2310

Becky TrembleyVice-President

963-6355

Bruce GledhillSecretary963-4976

Shirley ThomsonTreasurer963-1230

Mary Dorais963-3862

Carolyn Nold963-3921

Bob Stifter963-1769

Lisa Wagner963-8240

• • •

REDSTONE COMMUNITY BULLETINwww.redstonecolorado.com

REDSTONE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

Redstone, Colorado

This page paid for by Redstone Community Association

2010 MEMBERSHIP DUES

Name ______________________________________________________________________________________

Address ____________________________________________________________________________________

Phone #__________________________________________ E-Mail ____________________________________

______ Individual/Family $35.00 ______ Business $135.00 ______ Multi-Business $210.00

Make Check Payable to: Redstone Community AssociationMail to RCA: 303 Redstone Blvd. Redstone, CO 81623

Your membership dues directly fund RCA projects and events. Thank You for your support!

2010…Happy New Year! What will the new decadebring to Redstone? The answer is, whatever you makeit. We are so fortunate to live in a community thatworks together, creating opportunities as well as ateam that can win. The Redstone CommunityAssociation (RCA) believes we can do great thingswithin our small reach. Thanks for your support.

Every day at noon and 5 p.m., we hear the churchbells ring as we are digging in the garden, or shovel-ing the snow. The Church at Redstone’s doors arealways open, as are the hearts of its followers.

Since one of your New Year’s resolutions might be toget more involved in your community, we have somegreat opportunities coming up. By now, you are cer-tainly aware of the fantastic Redstone Winterfest,planned for the first week in February. We have muchto do to make this event successful and your input isimportant. Please join us Jan 4, Jan. 18 and Feb 1, allat 6 p.m. at the Redstone Inn. Contact Becky for moreinfo at 963-6355.

The Marble Charter School also has some opportuni-ties for you to make a difference helping kids with avariety of tasks. The school has a beautiful new build-ing to operate from and volunteers are welcome. CallBecky for more info at 963-6355.

Our next RCA meeting will be held Jan. 5 at 6 p.m. atthe Redstone Inn. We are inviting everyone to thismeeting to elect new board members, as three ofthose seats are up for renewal. Please attend: yourvote is necessary, and your support crucial to contin-ued community-supported activities.

Featured Buisiness/OrganizationChurch at Redstone

Our pastor of seven years and longtime RCA board mem-ber, Bruce Gledhill, recently shared the unique history ofthe Church at Redstone. The church is an independentcongregation, not affiliated with any other national organ-ization. The church began in 1977 when the congregationgathered in what is now the Redstone Art Center, justsouth of the present-day church. Apparently, our devotedRedstonians also met in a temporary building behind thecoke ovens with only a fire pit for heat, requiring each tobring their own blanket. The church you see today wasactually built in 1986 by a group called Maranatha, led byJohn Freeman. His group built it in little more than a week.Sounds like a miracle? Well apparently, all of the people intown came together and supported the workers with foodand lodging and got the job done, Redstone-style.

Today the Church at Redstone is a source of pride for thewhole community with gorgeous stained glass windowscreated by Mary Matchael of the Crystal Glass Studio /Parkside Gallery in Carbondale, and its beautifully land-scaped riverside yard.


Marble Charter School grows tomeet need

Story and photos by Sue McEvoy, Echo staff writer

Situated side by side on West Main Street areMarble’s schools of the past, present and future.

The building on the left, built in 1910, was originallythe Marble High School. It’s housed the Marble CharterSchool (MCS) since its inception in 1995.

Nearing completion, the new building next to it is

now being used by MCS staff and students. And joiningthis kindergarten through eighth-grade school is its littlesister, the Crystal Valley Preschool. The 4,000-square-

foot building has two levels, sever-al bathrooms, classrooms, anoffice, a large activity room, and astandard of practically everyAmerican school – drinking waterfountains.

Lemonade stands, yard sales –and more

The new school is a true com-munity-driven effort. During morethan five years, parents, students,staff and community memberswrote grants, raised money, andgot a $1.275 million bond passedas part of the Gunnison WatershedSchool District election in 2008 topay for school’s expansion project.

“Just the school raised over$120,000,” says MCS DirectorWendy Boland. “We did silent auc-

tions, lemonade stands, made foundation requests,solicited private donors, and had yard sales.”

Since the closing of Marble’s own schools in 1948 dueto lack of enrollment following the previous shutdownof the marble quarry, students had to attend Roaring

Fork School District schools in Carbondale. A distance of30 miles or more, this option has many young studentsboarding a bus at 6:40 a.m. and not returning home until4:40 p.m.

Today, MCS, which is a member of the ColoradoRural Schools Network and a four-time recipient of theJohn Irwin School of Excellence Award, serves studentsfrom Redstone and its surrounding subdivisions, overMcClure Pass to Somerset, and from the Marble turnoffto the top of Daniel’s Hill on the way to Crystal.

Prior to the temporary certificate of occupancy thatthe new building now holds, MCS’s students had out-grown the old high school building, as they’d met the

building’s enrollment quota of 30 students.“We had 30 kids in two rooms, all grade levels, five

staff members, no lunch room and nowhere for indoorphysical education,” explains Wendy.

Lots more roomCurrently, 40 students are enrolled in the K–8 grades

and 10 are enrolled in the preschool. While the down-stairs level of the building is unfinished and serves asstorage, the upstairs features the K-3 grade classroomand a large activity room, which is used for multiple pur-poses: a cafeteria, an indoor recess area, and a place forall of the students to gather for presentations like playsand their world-renowned talent shows.

About 2,000 square feet of the original high schoolbuilding still serves as classrooms for 4-8 grades. It alsohouses a computer room, and a private room for one-on-one special education needs. And the upstairs level ofthe historic building continues to house the MarbleMuseum.

While funding to finish the lower level of the buildingand create a playground outside is still needed, the stu-dents of the Marble Charter School and Crystal ValleyPreschool are all happy in their new home. For more

information,check out theMCS pages inthe back ofthis paper.


MYSTERY PHOTOCONTEST

Do you know where/what this is?You could win a $25 Gift Certificate toTHE REDSTONE GENERAL STORE!

If you can identify the image in the photo, send anemail to [email protected] by Dec. 15,

and put “mystery photo”in the subject line. Allcorrect entrants will beput in a hat, and a win-ner drawn andannounced in the Jan.Crystal Valley Echo.

No one won last month’s contest... the photo is of awrath on the door of The Off Season Sports Bar.

Give it a try this month!

Thank you to all participants!

“It’s the biggest school building I’ve ever attended!’

Marble’s school buildings: historic building that houses Marble Charter School, thenew MCS buildigng and the Crystal Valley Preschool building.

MCS students outside the back of their new building. Photo by Jennifer Tuggle

Inside the new K-3 classroom

Outside of the Crystal Valley Preschool and inside where children are napping.

More space forcomputers inthe 4-8 class-room.


THE ECHO CLASSIFIED ADSREAL ESTATE FOR SALE1.7 acres near Marble. Big views,aspen trees, $89,500. ContactJeff Bier, MasonMorse Real Estate,(970) 963-1961. RANCH FOR SALE or RENT:Seven-acre horse boarding facilityor potential development proper-ty on Hwy 13 just north of Riflecity limits. Two houses (one with3 bed/2 bath plus office, othersmaller with 3 bed/1 bath), haybarn, 4-stall barn, two ponds,outbuildings, outdoor arena,heavily wooded, creek, mineralrights, water rights. $500,000 tobuy, $2,500/mo to rent entireplace plus utilities. Call Carrie963-1009. tfn4 BD, 2 BA , 1-1/2 acre home inRedstone Ranch Acres overlookingthe river with creek frontage.$499,000. Short term rental, $200per night. Please contact BetsyWedemeyer, Roaring Fork Realty,963-1315, [email protected],MLS #113227. blCabin for all Seasons... Uniquestone and wood cabin with fabu-lous views, over an acre, sur-rounded by aspens and ever-greens and within walking dis-tance to the town of Redstone.$359,000. Contact Jeff Bier,MasonMorse Real Estate, (970)963-1961.

REAL ESTATE FOR SALERedstone Acreage... Coveredwith aspen and evergreens, this35-acre parcel borders NationalForest and offers privacy andincredible views. A well, drivewayand utilities are in place.$495,000. Contact Jeff Bier,MasonMorse Real Estate, (970)963-1961.FOR RENTA beautifully-maintained crafts-man home built in 2003. Locatedin Redstone. 3 bed, 2.5 bath,study, bonus room, 3-car garage.Available February 2010.$2,000/mo + Utilities. 970-618-8798 for more information.BATTLEMENT MESA: 3 bedroom (1large master bedroom and bathwith large walk-in closet), 2 bathcondo. Separate laundry roomwith washer and dryer, AC, 1 cargarage with large storage room.The activity center is within walkingdistance and dues are included.$1,200 mo. plus security deposit.Beautiful views of the Roan Peaks.NS, pets considered. 704-0373(H), 404-2346 (cell). spRedstone - Rooms w/kitchenetteavail thru May $595 +util NP/NS963-2365FOR SALE:Four each Cooper Discoverer M +S 245/65/R17 studded snowtires. Medium tread. $100. Call963-4877.

FOUNDA Leatherman-type knife onRedstone Boulevard. Go to theRedstone General Store to identi-fy the color and brand and it’syours!LOSTTwo sets of keys (together). Lostin the Redstone area. Please call963-6355 if you’ve found them.SERVICESDog sitting in our home whileyou are away. Fenced-in yard anddaily walks. Your beloved pet willbe treated as one of ours. Pleasecall 963-1315. pdDo You Need A Babysitter? I amavailable nights and most days.Your house or mine. Please callLindy Morton. 963-0224 pdTutoring available: Reading spe-cialist with 20 years experienceteaching grades K,1,2,3, & 4. Willtutor your child in reading, writ-ing or math. Affordable localrates. Ask for Mrs. D. 970-963-5561. pd 8-8Perfect Water. A system to turndead water into LIVING,VIBRANT, VORTEXED STRUC-TURED PERFECT WATER for pen-nies per gallon. Call Patrick 970-285-7059.Notary Public: Lisa Wagner 475Redstone Blvd. Redstone, Co81623 963-8240 pdEcho Classifieds are a cost-effec-tive way to advertise.

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THE MARBLE TIMESWRITTEN AND ILLUSTRATED BY THE STUDENTS OF THE MARBLE CHARTER SCHOOL

MANY THANKSTO THE SPONSORS OF THE MARBLE TIMES!

DAVID PARKS & LAURIE FARBER & FAMILYThese sponsorships help off-set the cost of producing the Marble Times -

thus allowing the Marble Times to remain ad-free, so the student’s work can be the focus of The Marble Times.

If you would like to join them in sponsoring The Marble Times, please contact Alyssa - [email protected] or 963-2373

MCS Updateby the Macek Aspens Class

We’ve done so much this month, but here are a few things that we learned and enjoyed doing:In math, two 8th graders are working in a 9th grade “Interactive Math Program” text. We have

recently been finding strategies for the game “Pig.” See if you can make a strategy; here’s how to play.Pig is a dice game, so you’ll need one die. To play, you roll a die and and if you get a 1, your turn endsand your score is zero. If you get any other number, you add that number to your score and keeprolling until you get a 1, or until you decide to stop. You can play with any number of turns and theperson with the highest score at the end of the game wins. Send us your strategy if you think of one!

Here in the Macek Aspen’s classroom, the 7th graders are learning how to add and subtract inte-gers. Can you remember how? If so, can you solve this problem? The high temperature is 20degrees Celsius. The low temperature is -15 degrees Celsius. What temperature is halfwaybetween the high and low?

Our latest writing project is to create a character from our imaginations. We found a picture ofa complete stranger that we know nothing about, and had to form their personality however wewanted. We also got to make up our character’s habits, hobbies, and feelings. Come read our char-acter creations!

In the few weeks before Winter Break, Larry Good, our teacher, taught all of us how to play thesong “Winter Wonderland.” Together, we are learning how to play chords on the guitar, rhythmson the drums and sing along too.

We have been learning about the Ute Indians. We have completed a museum display about allof the different things the Utes did and believed. It will go into the Marble Museum, and we areall very excited that our research will be permanently displayed.

Nosotros estamos aprendiendo como usar preposiciones y objetos directivos en espanol. Estamuy dificil, pero estamosentendiendo lentamente!(We are learning how to useprepositions and directobjects in Spanish. It is verydifficult, but we are slowlylearning!)

All MCS kids are slippingon their skates down to theMarble Ice Rink! It is theearliest we have ever skat-ed, and we are glad to beable to practice our hockeymoves and spins and glidesagain!

Three Classes, One campus by Briana

Here at Marble Charter School the building of our new schoolis finally almost finished, with only a few small things left to do.The Kindergarten through 3rd grade class, A.K.A. theWonderkids, have moved into their new classroom, and thePreston Pines (grades 3rd-6th) are now working in the downstairsclassroom in the historical building. Everyone now has enoughspace and we are all very excited about having a new building.

The new building has two floors with rooms to satisfy all ofour needs. Located on the main floor, there is the Wonderkid’snew classroom, a multipurpose room where we can eat lunch andhave indoor recess (when the weather is bad), all school meetings,and performances and events such as the Talent Show and theWinter Bazaar. Next to the multi-purpose room we have akitchen, and a new office is just down the hall. Downstairs thereare two bathrooms, a place to hang coats and backpacks, and twounfinished rooms that may hold a library, computer lab, or addi-tional classrooms in the future. We are all having lots of fun in thenew building and are very glad to have it. So now we have threeclassrooms on one beautiful campus; the older kids’ classrooms inthe historic building, the Wonderkids’ classroom and group areasin the new MCS building, and the Crystal Valley Preschool,attached to the new MCS space. Come visit our campus!

Congratulations to this month’s Playground Heroes, Super Students, andPerfect Attendance Recipients! We really appreciate your extra efforts!

MCS UPCOMINGEVENTS:

Board Meeting Jan 19 4:15

Talent Show Feb 26th


• 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 studentsto apply their skills in a real-world setting.

• 9 & 10th grade selective enrollment, mentorships, individual learning plan, project based learningopportunities, contracted schedule.

Mission StatementThe mission of the Marble Charter School is to provide opportunities for students to realize high levels of academic achievement.We create a nurturinglearning environment that encompasses natural and cultural resources fromthe community. The school forms its instructional program to meet or exceedstate standards and to provide each student with a successful learning experience. Marble Charter School expects its students, with full support oftheir families, to strive for excellence in all aspects of this learning process.

MARBLE CHARTER SCHOOL412 West Main Street, Marble, Colorado 81623

970-963-9550 • Fax [email protected]

Would Marble Charter SchoolBe A Good Fit For YOUR Child?

COLOR ON THIS PAGE SPONSORED BY

THE MOBILEMECHANIC, LLC

963-3845

Mrs. Preston: TeacherExtraordinaire! What WasShe Like at Age Nine?By Isabella and Ralph (MCS 9-Year -Olds!)

Mrs. Preston is a teacher at Marble Charter School.She teaches 3rd-6th grade. Now that you know who sheis, here is her interview!

Question #1: Do you have any siblings? I have one brother and a half brother and sister.

Question #2: What were your favorite things whenyou were little such as hobbies, colors, foods,drinks, subjects in school, flavors, holidays, animalsand treats?

Hobbies= kick the can, baseball, dancing and singingon the front porch. (Remember she was 9)Colors=Blue/aqua. Foods= Mashed potatoes with lots ofbutter and popcorn with lots of butter. Drink= Coke.Subject= Reading. Flavor= Vanilla. Animals= Dogs.Treats= Ice cream and double bubble gum. Question #3: What was your favorite grade inschool?

She loved all grades.Question #4: Were did you live at age 9? (Townand state)

She lived in a little town in California called Corkrun.Question #5: Did you ever have any braces or

glasses? If so did you like them? She did not have glasses or braces when she was 9.

Question #6: Did you have any pets at age 9?She had one dog named Shadow and a cat. (Name

unknown) Question #7: Did you have long or short hair at age9?

She had very short hair. Question #8: What was your last name before yougot married?

Her last name before she got married was Holder.Question #9: What was your nickname?

Her nicknames were Potholder and Grasshopper.Question #10: How old are you?

She does not want her age to be mentioned.

Now you know a little more about Mrs. Preston!

Mythical Creature of theMonth: The GryffinBy Leandra Prazen

The mythical creature of the month thismonth is called the Gryffin.

The Gryffin is a mythical creature that hasa head, wings, and front talons of an eagle, buthas the body, tail, and back paws of a lion.Some people refer to the Gryffin as the “Kingof Air and the King of Beasts reunited.”

This majestic creature is native to India, andis allegedly great for sniffing out gold, which isawesome for explorers and thieves. It is alsosaid that the Gryffin doesn’t lay regular eggs,but eggs that strongly resemble agate!

A lot of people mistake the Gryffin for amale creature, but Gryffins are actually female.A male Gryffin is actually called a Keythong.

These animals are so large and strong, theycan carry an elephant in their talons! They arealso said to symbolize power and majesty.

Winter Birds By Julia

Winter birds fly about, round the trees And over the mounds of snow drifts

All the little kiddies play while ILay in the snow watching all the

winter birds fly about

KIDS OF THE VALLEY:Leandra Prazen

By Sam Wofford1. Age: 122. Where do you live? Marble3. What school do you attend? MarbleCharter School4. Did you grow up here? If not, where did move from and when?I grew up here5. What is your favorite thing to do in thevalley? Hang out with friends6. What do you want to be when yougrow up?A zoologist or painter7. Where is your favorite place to be? Ifyou could go anywhere, where would it be?I like being where all my friends and family are!


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SPONSORED BY

THE REDSTONE

GENERAL STORE963-3126

Enjoying Symphony in the ValleyBy Abriah Wofford and Abbey Wright

Last month our awesome music teacher, Larry Good, took his music class to theSymphony in the Valley. It was held at the Glenwood Springs High School. All the kidsenjoyed it and had lots of fun. We were glad to have Jazz Aspen to donate money so wecan go see amazing things like this. Here are quotes from some of the kids that went on thefield trip.

• Lucas: “I thought it was really nice and long.”• Isabella: “I liked it a lot, I liked that I got to see a live symphony.”• Sam: “I liked the music, I thought it was peaceful.”• Jake: “It was cool.”• Larry: “I loved Astor Piazzola Tango, they played for an encore.” • Abbey: “I really liked it, because it was interesting. I’ve been to others but this sym-

phony was the best.I especially liked theencore song, AstorPiazzola Tango.”

•Abriah: “ It wasthe first symphonythat I have been to,and it was awesome.”

So all in all, the Marble Charter School students andteachers enjoyed being at the symphony. At the endmost of the kids got their programs signed by the musi-cians. Then they looked at all of the wonderful instru-ments. When it was time to go every body was sad butthey had a great night and knew that they would bedoing something similar very soon, thanks to JazzAspen and Symphony in the Valley!

By BrianaJazz Aspen Snowmass is a non-profit organization with the mission to present and

preserve Jazz, American and popular music through performances, world-class festi-vals and education programs. Jazz Aspen was founded 1991, and has given a grant of$1000 to Marble Charter School, which is being used to improve our music program.

Thanks to Chris Banks, who helped to get the grant and find instruments, we havenow have 3 guitars, a ukulele, 2 drum sets, a baritone horn, a tuba and sousaphone forour music program. Having all of these new instruments means that more people in theclasses can have an instrument that they can use in class and also take home to practice,and soon everyone may have instruments to use. We have also used this grant to payfor a field trip to a performance by Symphony in the Valley, so that we could learn moreabout the symphony. Our music teacher, Larry Good, has said that having this moneyis important because it means we can plan ahead with our music program.

THANKS SYMPHONY IN THE VALLEYFOR AGREAT EXPERIENCE!

THANK YOU Jazz Aspen


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NELLY CONSTRUCTION& SNOWPLOWING

963-6359

We’re still exploring energy throughthe Jason Project “Infinite Potential.”We’ve been learning about electrici-ty, and energy sources. Next we’llbe proposing our own solutions toour energy challenges! Check outthe program at www.jason.org.

Building WaterWheels

DESPERATELY NEEDED: MARBLE ICERINK VOLUNTEERS & DONATIONS.We’re skating on thin ice as our funds are

depleted, and we’re short on volunteers. Canyou help with either labor or funds? If so pleasecontact us at either 963 9550, [email protected], or write the Crystal SkatingClub at PO BOX 1890 Carbondale, CO 81623

The Wonderkids were exploring Lewis and Clark’s adventures.While learning about fur traders, Miss Neddy shared some peltsfrom her father’s fur farm.

Our new student council hostedThanksgiving dress up day. Checkout the feet on this turkey!

Thanks to Mrs. Preston for sharing her pine cone turkey art!

Jason Project

The CVP children havehad a wonderful end to2009. We have reveled in thesnow, building many snow-boys and girls, and even a giant snow worm! We have been very busy creating fun holiday crafts,ornaments, and presents for our families. As always, we are learning new things every day, andwe really love reading. Each day, the kids crowd around as Mirka, Patsy or Evie reads a story - eventhose playing with other toys will soon stop and join the group. What a wonderful sight to see allour children loving books and practicing their pre-literacy skills! We have also been learning abouthow animals survive in the winter, and it is fun to see evidence in the natural world around us. Onour walks, we see evidence of all kinds of critters, follow tracks, and observe animal and birdbehavior. Winter is a wonderful time to be outside; it just takes us longer to get out there . . . put-ting on everyone's snowpants, jackets, mittens, hats and boots takes a while! If you see us out andabout, join us for our walk! Happy New Year from all of us at CVP!


Thank you to all of the people who helped (and are stillhelping) with the MCS/CVP new building. We’ve really madesome progress this last year, and we still have a bit further to go. Onthe good news front, the Crystal Valley Preschool opened its new facil-

ity in October 2009, and MCS moved into the upper level of their new building atthe end of November. It’s an enormous achievement, and we are so appreciativeof everyone’s help from generous donors, numerous volunteers, our contractors(PNCI and Raspberry Ridge Construction), project managers (Blythe Group), andneighbors who put up with the inconvenience of instruction. Still to come are land-scaping,and a covered walkway.

A sincere and heartfelt thanks to all of our donors! DANIEL’S FUND, TEMPLE HOYNE BUELL FOUNDATION, MICHAEL STRANAHAN, GEORGE & PATTI STRANA-HAN, BOB YOUNG, & ALPINE BANK, THE ASPEN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION & ACF DONOR ADVISEDFUNDS, BOETTCHER FOUNDATION, MACEKS, WELLS, GOODS/SMITHS, OHNMACHT, LUCILLE R. BROWNFOUNDATION, BEAVER LAKE LODGE, CHANNELLS, WADSWORTHS, GOTTARDOS, REDSTONE GENERALSTORE, JEFF BIER, WOFFORDS, LONGS, LEES, BOLAND/ROMANS, FROELICHERS, JOHNNY O BAND, TURN-BULLS, SUNDSTROMS, PAXSONS, GOHERYS, BEAMONS, SMOSKI/HOOVERS,BRADLEYS, GERBAZ, BOWERS, MOYERS, SNELLS, BEEDINGS, ST. MORITZRESORT SERVICES, LEEMANS, LERMA, SIDELINGERS, HICKERSONS, AART, TAY-LORS, MCGREEVYS, ULRYCHS, FOSLERS, BENSCHS, BURGERS, AVALANCHERANCH, THE CRYSTAL CLUB, MCMAHILLS, SCHOEBERLEINS, MURRAYS, MILES,MEREDITHS, GILBERTS, HENDRIX, PRESTONS, SMITHS, LOZIERS, GILNER-BUR-TONS, WALTERS, WAGNERS, CAYTON, MORAVEKS, J. GOOD, JOHNSON, OLIVIA-BRIANA-JUSTICE-CARLEY, HUNSBERGER, KILLMER, AND ALL THE ANONY-MOUS DONORS THAT HAVE MADE THIS DREAM COME TRUE!

PHOTO AT LEFT:CVP Kids perform for familyand friends at the AnnualHoliday Presentation. Kidssang, danced, played instru-ments, and performed gym-nastics! Precious!

Santa visited CVP early thisyear, and the childrenopened gifts they will playwith at school.

COLOR ON THIS PAGESPONSORED

BY BEAVER LAKELODGE 963-2504

THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

A very specialThank You to localartists Vicki andRex Branson!They helped eachpreschooler createa mold of theirown hand as a special gift to parents for Christmas. What awonderful experience for our kids, and a precious creation.

Happy New Year from Crystal Valley PreschoolBoard, Staff and Kids! Thanks again to everyone

who helped us build and move into our new building this year; it certainly took the whole villageand more to pull off this feat, and now we can enjoy

our new space for many, many years to come!


SERVICE DIRECTORYSERVICE DIRECTORY

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

Kyle StewartAstrological Consultant

963-5590

OLANDERCustom Plumbing & Heating, Inc.

SPECIALIZING IN NEW CONSTRUCTIONAVAILABLE FOR

SERVICE CALLS AND REMODELS

970-963-9027

ELECTRICAL SERVICE & REPAIR

ELEC

TRIC

AL

CON

TROLS

DESIGN

D.E.C.

DAVID ADAMSMaster Electrician

Licensed & Insured

963-9522

Local Company,Local Rates

D.E.C.Enterprises

atChair Mountain

Ranch

In Touch Healing Centerin historic Redstone, Colorado

970-963-9064 • intouchpainrelief.com

• BODY PAIN RELEASE• LIFE TRANSFORMATIONS COACHING• INTUITIVE READINGS

CAROLYN BURDICKCERTIFIED LIFE & CAREER COACH,

CERTIFIED MEDICAL MASSEUSE,INTUITIVE READER

In Touch Healing Centerin historic Redstone, Colorado

970-963-9064

• MASSAGE AND PAIN RELEASE• LIFE TRANSFORMATIONS COACHING• INTUITIVE READINGS

CAROLYN BURDICKCERTIFIED LIFE & CAREER COACH,

CERTIFIED MEDICAL MASSEUSE,INTUITIVE READER

#1 IN A #2 BUSINESS24 HOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE!

RES IDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL • MUNICIPAL

CALL RICK or SCOTT970-930-0124

MOUNTMOUNTAINAINLLANDSCANDSCAPINGAPING

HEAVY EQUIPMENT SERVICESRoadgrading • DrivewaysUtilities • Foundations

Shane Edmonds• 963-7468 •• 963-7468 •

SERVING MARBLE AND THE UPPER CRYSTAL

CAP ConstructionExperienced in all phases

of construction - large and small.Design & Planning • Gunnison County Permitting

Concrete & Stone • Framing & Siding • Finish Work• Decks • And much more.

LIVED AND WORKED IN CRYSTAL VALLEY SINCE 1979Licensed & Insured. Have references.

• SNOW PLOWING SERVICES AVAILABLE •

Call Charley Parker • 963-1502

WHOLESALE PICTURE FRAMES

SnowplowingServices

WE WISH YOU A HAPPY 2010!


Don’t Miss It…

Available throughout the Western Slope.

[email protected]

The Echo’s Parting Shot…

See you next month!

Pilates inRedstone

Peak Pilates Certified InstructorSUE MCEVOY

Mat Classes at The Historic Redstone InnMondays & Thursdays8:00 a.m. - Advanced9:30 a.m. - Beginner

Wednesdays5:15 - All levels welcome!

704-1843

Don’t miss your opportunity to jump into the

2010 ECHO BUCKScoupon booklet!

In the spirit of community cooperation, The Crystal Valley Echo ispleased to offer the community our new “Echo Bucks” coupon book-lets. Local area businesses have the opportunity to participate bysponsoring coupons at a very affordable rate. These coupon bookletswill be published and sold to residents and visitors from Marble andRedstone to Carbondale and Basalt to Glenwood Springs.

FINAL DEADLINE TO BE INCLUDED IN THE 2010 ECHO BUCKS COUPON BOOKLET IS

JANUARY 11, 2010. SPACE IS LIMITED, RESERVE YOUR SPACE NOW!

For further information please feel free to contact Alyssa Ohnmacht or Mitchell Alcala’.

Alyssa Ohnmacht Mitchell Alcala’[email protected] 970-963-2373 [email protected]


Documents

Crystal-Valley-Echo-Jan-2010