COMMUNITY CALENDARThird annual blood driveA blood drive will be held at Pikes Peak School of Expeditionary Learning Feb. 17 from 3 to 7 p.m. Call 719-522-2580 for more information or to leave a message with your name, phone number and time you would like to have your blood drawn.FABA hosts symposiumThe Falcon Area Business Alliance will host a symposium Feb. 19 for the purpose of creating an alliance among charitable or service organizations in Falcon for the betterment of the community. The symposium will be held at the Falcon High School commons from 8 to 11 a.m. for principals of organizations and is open to general membership of organizations from noon to 2 p.m. For information, call 719-749-1233 or e-mail info@faba-online.org.New Star Motorcycle Club chapterFalcon 494 is the newly formed Star Motorcycle Club†Chapter in Colorado, a family oriented motorcycle group associated with the Yamaha Star Motorcycle Club. The next meeting will be at 6 p.m. Feb. 11†at Poblano’s Mexican Restaurant, 7336 McLaughlin Road in Falcon. For more information, contact Jason Pierce at jason.pearce@q.comSongs for your sweetieThe Velvet Hills Show Chorus, a nonprofit organization and member of Sweet Adelines International, is offering singing valentines this year on Feb. 13 and 14. Various packages are available with the location and time of the valentine to be chosen by the sender. Long distance telephone deliveries or cybersings are also available. The Velvet Hills Show Chorus has been performing women’s barbershop harmony and entertaining in the Pikes Peak region for more than 40 years. Proceeds from this fundraiser benefit the Velvet Hills Chorus. Call 719-630-2525 or visit www.velvethills.org for more information.Relay for Life kick-off party in FebruaryThe next American Cancer Society Relay for Life is scheduled for June 17-18, but Relay for Life is hosting a kick-off party Wednesday, Feb. 16, 6 p.m. at the Black Forest Rescue Station, 11445 Teachout Road. Food will be provided along with discounted fees for early race registration. Visit www.relayforlife.org/eastcoloradospringsco or email eastrelay@live.com for more information about the kick-off or the June relay.Brush-lettering workshop to benefit Rock Ledge RanchJeff Cahill, award winning sign artist and shop owner, will conduct a brush-lettering workshop April 30 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Rock Ledge Ranch. Cost is $150 with 50 percent of the proceeds donated to the ranch;10 percent discount for Living History Association members. Includes all materials except lunch and snacks. Visit www.brushletteringworkshops.com for more information and registration. Or call 719-578-6777. Deposit required.Pikes Peak New Horizons BandNew Horizons Band meets at Nazarene Bible College, Strickland Hall, 1111 Academy Park Loop in Colorado Springs every Tuesday and Thursday 9:15 ñ 11:15 a.m. The band is for adults age 40 and older. There is still time to join for the spring semester under the direction of Bill Callen. Rehearsals every Tuesday and Thursday 9:15-11:15; visit the Web site at www.ppiom.org or www.nbc.edu/music/ for more information.Falcon Garden ClubThe Falcon Garden Club is now meeting at the new High Prairie Library at Meridian Road and Highway 24. The next meeting is Feb. 19 at 10 a.m. A video on The Butchart Gardens of Canada will be shown. Go to http://falcongardenclub.org for more information.Support groupTrails East to Serenity, a group giving comfort, education and fellowship to families and friends of alcoholics and addicts, meets Tuesday evenings at 7 p.m. at Peyton Elementary School. For more information, call Margie H. at 719-749-9195.Exchange Club of FalconThe Exchange Club of Falcon meets the first and third Tuesday of every month at Golden Corral, 5410 E. Woodmen Road (near the intersection of Woodmen Road and Powers Boulevard). The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. For more information, contact Bob Miller, club president, at 641-0752 or e-mail bob@aie1.com.Buffalo Grass Acoustic SocietyThe Buffalo Grass Acoustic Society offers entertainment for all ages. The group meets on the third Friday, from September through May at the Cowboy Church of Peyton, 15540 Bradshaw Road (1 mile north of Murphy Road). Open jam session begins at 5:30 p.m., and concerts start at 7 p.m. Concerts include two open-stage performers followed by a featured act. Refreshments are available. Price for concerts is $5 for general admission, $3 for members and kids under age 16 get in free. Call 719-494-0666 or go to www.buffalograssacoustic.org for more information.Black Rose Acoustic SocietyThursday night acoustic jams run from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Benet Hill Center at 2577 N. Chelton Road in Colorado Springs, free but donations accepted. All ages welcome.Falcon Book ClubThe Falcon Book Club will meet Tuesday, Feb. 22 from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. at their new meeting place in the High Prairie Library in Falcon. New readers are welcome and are not required to register in advance of the meetings. The reading selection for February is “Mission Road” by Rick Riordan. The March selection is “The Help” by Catherine Stockett. For more information about the club, or to be put on the e-mail distribution list, contact Karen at krwoodco@msn.com.TOPS meetingTOPS, Take off Pounds Sensibly, has been around for many years, but chapter #658 in Peyton was established June 2007. TOPS is an international nonprofit organization consisting of men and women with the common interest of losing weight. Members learn from and support one another through group participation, while reaching individual weight goals. The goal is to lose weight sensibly, safely and to keep the weight off. All information is confidential among group members.Meetings are held every Tuesday at Woodmen Hills Community Center West at 11720 Woodmen Hills Drive in Falcon. The weigh-in is 6 p.m., and the meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. The TOPS mission is to help people lose weight and get healthy through support and encouragement. Any spouse of a current member can join for half price. The cost for a membership to TOPS is $26, which includes a news magazine published 10 times a year. For more information, contact Peggy Vieira at 494-1451 or Norma Rook at†531-7748.Angel Food MinistriesGrace Community Church at 9475 Grace Church View is a distribution site for Angel Food Ministries. Food orders are taken Feb. 12 and 13, 10 a.m. to noon with a distribution date of Feb. 26 from 9 to 10 a.m.Woodmen Hills recreation centersWoodmen Hills Recreation Center offers residents and nonresidents aerobics, yoga, Pilates and water aerobics classes; swimming lessons for all ages; sports programs; self-defense classes; “Parent’s Night Out;” Flick n’ Float (includes dinner and a movie); parties and more. Visit the Web site at www.woodmenhills.info for more information or call 719-495-2009.English Country DanceEnglish Country Dance meets the second and fourth Saturdays at International Dance Club, 2422 Busch Avenue, Colorado Springs, from 1 to 4 p.m. The cost is $5 per session. A partner is not required, and children 10 and over are encouraged to attend. Every Monday the group meets at Colorado Springs Senior Center, 1514 N Hancock Avenue, Colorado Springs, from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Reasonable rates are set by the City of Colorado Springs. For more information, call 719-494-0563.Reining Horse AssociationThe EPRHA meets the first Wednesday of each month at the Latigo Trails Equestrian Centre meeting room at 6:30 p.m.†The EPRHA is a nonprofit National Reigning Horse Association affiliate.†Contact Mary Jo at 347-2441 or log onto www.EPRHA.NET for more information.Shriners free screening clinicThe Shriners have 22 hospitals in the United States, Canada and Mexico that provide hospital care for children at no cost. On the second Saturday of each month, the Colorado Springs Shrine Club hosts a free screening clinic for children in the area who may need hospital care. The clinic is at 6 S. 33rd St., and the hours are 10 a.m. to noon.Eastern Plains ChamberThe Eastern Plains Chamber of Commerce meets the first Wednesday of each month at Grace Community Church, 9475 Grace Church View, Falcon, at 7 a.m. For more information on the chamber, visit www.easternchamber.org.American Legion membership meetingThe American Legion Post 2008 in Falcon meets at the Falcon fire station off Meridian Road. The group meets the fourth Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. New members from the Falcon/Peyton area are welcome.†The American Legion is the oldest†military affiliated organization in the U.S.†Retired, active and past members†of the U.S. military are eligible for membership. The†American Legion wants support in membership, camaraderie and public service to our community.†Dues are $40 per year. Please contact Brent Meyer 719-495-8171 for further details.FALCON SENIOR SERVICES NEWSAll Falcon Senior Services activities are free of charge and served by volunteers. The services are available to persons 60 years of age and over living in the Falcon area. For more information, call 495-2994 or go to www.falconseniorservicesinc.org.†POTLUCK LUNCHEONThe next luncheon will be Wednesday, Feb. 9 at 11 a.m. at Falcon Baptist Church, 11095 Eggar Road in Falcon. The main dish will be braised beef tips. Bring a salad, side dish or dessert. Table service and beverages will be provided. A guest speaker will present information on reverse mortgages.AARP DRIVER’S SAFETY CLASSA driverís safety class for drivers 55 and over, co-hosted by the Pikes Peak Library†District and Falcon Senior Services, will be held†Wednesday, March 16 from 1 to 5 p.m. at High Prairie Library, 7035 Old Meridian Road in Falcon.†The entire class will†be completed in one four-hour session, a new format for the program.†Cost of the class is $12 for AARP members and $14 for non-members.†Most insurance†carriers give premium discounts to those completing the class.†Reservations can be made by calling 719-260-3650.†WEATHER REMINDERWhen Falcon School District 49 schools are on delayed start or closed due to weather, all senior services activities will be canceled.†The luncheon would be re-scheduled for the fourth†Wednesday of the†month.†TRANSPORTATIONA 10-passenger bus with a wheelchair lift†is now in service to transport area residents who have no other source of transportation†to doctor and outpatient surgery appointments.†Hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. To schedule a ride, call 495-6594 two weeks before service is needed.†There is no charge to ride the bus, but donations are gratefully accepted†to help defray costs.FOOT CARE CLINIC†Visiting Nurses Association offers a foot care clinic at Grace Community Church, 9475 Church View in Falcon.†Call Marla at 482-8915 for†further information.SENIOR EXERCISE PROGRAMStrength and flexibility exercises are offered free of charge Mondays and Fridays, from 11 a.m. to noon at Grace Community Church, 9475 Grace Church View. For more information, contact Nancy Bishop at 886-4334.†Pikes Peak Library Districtinform† ~† empower† ~† inspire† ~† entertainAll Library programs are free unless otherwise noted.PPLD seeking art submissions ñ this can be deleted if you need spaceThe Pikes Peak Library District Art Evaluation Committee will be jurying art for future month-long, individual shows at one of the 10 PPLD art galleries. Interested artists should bring five representative pieces of their body of work in show-ready format (matted, framed, wired) Wednesday, Feb. 9 from 10 a.m. ñ noon to the Carnegie Reading Room at Penrose Library, 20 N. Cascade Ave. Artists may pick up their art on the same day from 4:30 – 6 p.m. Individual entrants will be notified of the committeeís decision within two weeks. For more information, call Carol Brunk Harnish at 719-531-6333, x2332 or e-mail charnish@ppld.org.Calling all fourth and fifth-grade poetsHave you lost a loved one? A pet? A valuable object? This year’s Jean Ciavonne Poetry Contest is looking for submissions for its theme “Poems of the Abyss: Things Lost; Things Found” from fourth and fifth-graders in the Pikes Peak region.In 1998, Michael Ciavonne and his family and friends established the Jean Ciavonne Poetry Contest Fund at Pikes Peak Library District in memory of Michael Ciavonne’s wife, Jean, a retired teacher, author and poet who died in 1994.Six winners will receive a $25 prize, a book of poetry and an Imagination Celebration poster for poems that explore the theme of loss. Awards will be announced in mid April as part of the Imagination Celebration and Young People’s Poetry Week.Contest rules1. One entry per student. Teachers are urged to review poems and submit no more than five per class.2. Each poem must be the original work of the contestant.3. Poems will be judged on originality, including poem title and adherence to the theme.Submit two typed, double-spaced copies of each poem on 8 1/2″ x 11″ paper (no handwritten submissions or illustrations will be accepted).†On a separate piece of paper; include name, telephone number, home address, school name and address and teacher and principal’s names.†Poems will not be returned.Entries must be postmarked by Feb. 12, 2011.Mail entries to:The Jean Ciavonne Poetry Contestc/o Nancy MadayPikes Peak Library DistrictP.O. Box 1579Colorado Springs, Colo. 80901-1579Or fax to: 632-6043†Additional information about the contest is available online at ppld.org or by calling 719-531-6333, ext. 2405.†All PPLD libraries will be closed on Monday, Feb. 21 for Presidentís Day.†Events at the High Prairie BranchToddler TimeIn this program, 1- and 2-year-old children, with a favorite adult, participate in nursery rhymes, music and movement, and listen to a few short books. Toddler Time builds on familiar experiences to introduce new vocabulary and word sounds in a lively atmosphere.Tuesdays at 10 and 10:30 a.m.Paws to ReadLet your child practice reading and build fluency by reading to a Paws to Read dog. No registration required.†Thursdays from 3:30 – 4:40 p.m.StorytimeChildren ages 3 and up, with a favorite adult, experience stories through books, flannelboards, puppets, songs and activities. This program encourages emerging reading skills by engaging children with shapes, sounds, rhythm and rhyme in a playful environment.Thursdays at 10 and 10:45 a.m.†American Girls ClubA book club dedicated to the “American Girls,” full of discussion, crafts and fun for girls ages 7-11. Registration is required.Wednesday, Feb. 9 from 4 ñ 5 p.m.Valentine Craft ProgramGive a loved one something special this Valentine’s Day. Make a fun craft and enjoy some refreshments! Open to all ages.Thursday, Feb. 10 at 3:30 p.m.Family Fun: Snow Show!Denise Gard is the Snow Queen who tells frosty tales with her frozen puppet friends.†Join in the fun and help with the show!† †Saturday, Feb. 12 at 10:30 a.m.Family Movie NightThis month’s movie night selection is “Winnie the Pooh: A Valentine for You.”Tuesday, Feb. 15 at 6 p.m.For teens†Teen Advisory Board meetingTAB is recruiting new members. Help plan cool teen programs and earn community service hours. TAB is open to all teens 13 and up.Saturday, Feb. 26 from 1 ñ 2:30 p.m.†Anime Club meetingDo you love anime and manga?†Each month, we watch and discuss a different anime film. Open to all teens 13 and up.Saturday, Feb. 26 from 3 – 5 p.m.Love Stinks: Anti-Valentine’s Day PartyNot into the candy, flowers, and lovey-dovey stuff? Join us for anti-Valentineís Day activities, like smashing a heart piÒata. Food, fun, prizes and black roses for all!Saturday, Feb. 12 from 2 – 4 p.m.†For adults†Home School Lunch at the LibraryLunch and an informational program for home-school families at High Prairie Library.†Bring a lunch and join us to learn how the library can support home education. Registration is ongoing through Feb. 22.†Wednesday, Feb. 23 from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.All Library programs are free unless otherwise noted.For more information, visit ppld.org.MOBILE LIBRARY SERVICES SCHEDULEMONDAYBlack Forest12002 Vollmer Road 9:45 – 10:45 a.m.Black Forest and Shoup Roads 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. and 1 – 4:30 p.m.TUESDAYCalhanCalhan School 10 a.m. – noonPeyton, COPeyton Elementary School 1:15 – 3:30 p.m.SATURDAYCalhanCalhan Town Hall 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.PeytonPeyton Elementary School 1:40 – 3:45 p.m.
