By Rose Chavez | PREVIEW Columnist
You are invited to the 21st annual Spanish Fiesta sponsored by Archuleta Seniors Inc. (ASI) on July 29: “Viva la familia, cultura y tradición!”
Enjoy the Spanish Fiesta in Pagosa Springs, where Spanish, Mexican and Native American cultural traditions intertwine to create the strong heritage we have today here in southwest Colorado. Food, music, dance, vendors, color and good company provide the ingredients of a party to delight all the senses.
This year is the 21st anniversary of the Spanish Fiesta in Pagosa Springs after being dormant for some 20 years. The Spanish Fiesta Committee (formed by the families and royalty of fiestas of years past) of ASI has worked hard to make this first year back memorable.
The headliner for the day’s activities will be the famous New Mexican artist Al Hurricane Jr. and his band during the evening at the Archuleta County Fairgrounds. Hurricane is generously giving his own time to benefit the fundraiser.
Activities earlier in the day will include authentic Hispanic cuisine of southern Colorado and northern New Mexican plus a variety of other food trucks, artisan vendors, music from local band Los Mitotitos and folklorico dance performances from local artists. While there will be no royalty during this first event, we look forward to engaging the community and youth to support the fiestas in this capacity once again.
Proceeds from this event will support older adults of Archuleta County through the services of ASI and a BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, people of color) youth scholarship fund.
Admission is for an afternoon and evening from 3 to 8 p.m. filled with fun for all. To purchase tickets, visit online at https://givebutter.com/asispanishfiesta2023 or stop by the Pagosa Senior Center located in the Ross Aragon Community Center.
If you are interested in being a sponsor or vendor, please visit http://www.psseniors.org/events-and-fundraisers.html for more information or call (970) 264-2167.
Senior Conversations
Join us Wednesdays at 1:15 p.m. for a series of Senior Conversations with local Bill Salmansohn. He will lead the group through mindfulness exercises and discussion of various topics pertaining to aging in Archuleta County. Explore and discover for yourself answers to your questions and concerns.
The meeting will be held at the Senior Center in the dining hall. Snacks will be provided.
Pagosa Springs
Scrapbooking Club
The Pagosa Springs Scrapbooking Club holds monthly meetings the second Saturday of each month at the Senior Center.
It meets each month from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to be creative, share ideas, connect with friends, learn new techniques, share supplies and indulge in a potluck lunch together.
Bring your scrapbooking projects — or any crafting project that you may want to work on with the group. If you would like to be added to the mailing list to receive notifications each month of the upcoming meeting along with handy tips and tricks for scrapbooking, please send your request to copenhavercreative@gmail.com.
Share lunch Monday through Thursday
Join us at the Silver Fox’s Den, aka the Community Cafe, in person for daily hot/cold meals Mondays through Thursdays downtown at the Ross Aragon Community Center between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. It is open to all. Pickup is available all week, including Fridays.
Our dining hall is open to all ages and welcomes you all with kindness and warmth. We provide hot/cold meals for anyone in the community interested in a nutritious and delicious meal. For those 60 or older we request a suggested donation of $10, but no one will be turned away. There is a $10 charge for guests under the age of 60.
Meals include a main course, side dish, fruit/dessert, garden salad plus beverage. Some popular menu items include Frito chili pie, pork tenderloin with harvest chutney, Singaporean pork ribs, vegetarian lasagna, Hawaiian shrimp with coconut rice and always a beautiful green salad. Many of our items are locally sourced and organic.
Our chef works with a team of local food professionals to hand-prepare your meal for dine-in service in our cozy dining room (with an amazing view of the San Juans) or for takeout (via our convenient drive-through). Our menu changes daily.
To reserve your meal for the day, please make your reservation via text or phone call to (970) 264-2167 by 9 a.m. weekdays.
We provide a welcoming gathering space that serves as a community hub where nutritious food and other resources/supports are available to help older adults and their caretakers stay independent, active, engaged in our community and living in their homes. Weekly educational and social activities include our healthy aging and yoga therapy class, Mahjong and more.
Check out our senior discount card for local discounts and perks at http://www.psseniors.org/discount-club.html.
Community Cafe menu
Thursday, June 15 — New Mexican chicken enchilada casserole, Spanish rice, garden salad, fruit, flan and milk.
Friday, June 16 — Barbecued pulled pork, coleslaw, blueberry cobbler, garden salad, fruit and milk.
Monday, June 19 — Closed for Juneteenth.
Tuesday June 20 — Eggplant Parmigiana, garlic bread, cannellini beans and greens, garden salad, fruit, yogurt and milk.
Wednesday, June 21 — Pork tenderloin with apricot glaze, cous-cous, buttered turnips, garden salad and milk.
Thursday, June 22 — Beef cottage pie with mushroom gravy, roasted cauliflower, garden salad, fruit and milk.
Friday, June 23 — Thai coconut mango chicken with corn salsa, quinoa pilaf, garden salad, fruit, lime bars and milk.
Grab-N-Go meals
Grab-N-Go meal reservations and cancellations are required. Please call or text by 9 a.m. the morning of the day you want to pick up a meal. A suggested donation of $10 helps to sustain our program. No one will be turned away for their inability to donate. For ages 59 and younger, the cost is $10 also. Please call or text us at (970) 264-2167 to make a reservation.
Meals on Wheels
We deliver fresh Meals on Wheels five days a week (and provide frozen Meals on Wheels for weekends) to homebound Archuleta County residents. Call or text us at (970) 264-2167.
Mobile food pantry
service discontinued
The Mobile Food Pantry Service has been discontinued due to funding shortages. Older adults needing a ride to a local food pantry should contact the MET to schedule a ride with their paratransit service. For more information, contact Lavonne at (970) 264-2250.
Text reservations
Don’t forget that we offer a convenient texting service for you to communicate with us. Text us at (970) 264-2167. When texting, please include your name, phone number and the days you want a meal. If you are canceling a reservation, please include your name, phone number and the days you want to cancel.
Texting services are available for dine-in meal reservations, Grab-n-Go meals and Meals on Wheels recipients.
COVID-19 test
kits available
Stop by the Senior Center to pick up a pack of six free COVID-19 tests kits for your personal use. These kits are available to anyone in the public who needs affordable access for health promotion and disease prevention.
Mahjong
Mahjong is a 19th century Chinese tile-based game that is commonly played with four players. Each player receives 13 tiles with a goal to make matching sets and pairs (like poker). To win, a player must form four sets and one pair.
Come to the Senior Center to learn or play every Tuesday at 1:15 p.m.
Medicare call by
appointment
For anyone who needs help enrolling and navigating Medicare plans, the San Juan Basin Area Agency on Aging helps with parts A, B and D. They can also help you with fraud concerns and troubleshooting any billing issues you may be having. By appointment only. Please call the Medicare line at (970) 264-0501, ext 4.
Bridge
The longest-played bridge game in Archuleta County takes place on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 1:15 p.m.
Bridge is a four-player card game with partners sitting opposite each other around a table. It is a trick-taking card game using a standard 52-card deck. Come alone or bring a partner.
Hand and foot card game
Whether you are new to hand and foot or interested in learning, please join us most Thursdays at 1:15 at the Senior Center.
This card game involves four rounds of playing until the final round is reached — some two to three hours later. Plan to stay and meet some new friends or catch up with those you have missed over the last couple of years.
No experience is necessary, so come willing to learn.
Engaging pictures
Engaging pictures are needed from seniors and their families who live, work and play their best lives in Archuleta County. We are looking for pictures that convey people’s active lifestyles, families, culture and more. We would like to use these pictures in our grant applications, on social media and on our website. Please email all pictures to rosa@psseniors.org or feel free to drop them off.
Requesting donations
ASI has an immediate monetary need to support ongoing operations and programming that provide critical services to some of the most vulnerable in Archuleta County. Please consider donating.
You may mail your donation to P.O. Box 3444, Pagosa Springs CO 81147 or please visit our website: http://www.psseniors.org/. Donation checks can be written to: Archuleta Seniors Inc. We are located at 451 Hot Springs Blvd.
For more information about ASI, please visit http://www.psseniors.org/.
