Congratulations to the Mancos Valley Fire Protection District for receiving the 2012 Citizen of the Year Award at the Mancos Valley Chamber of Commerce annual social on Thursday, Feb. 28. Jean Bader, 2011 recipient, presented the award. Beth Wheeler from Custom Calligraphy and Frame did the calligraphy and art work for the presentation. This was an extraordinary year for our firefighters and our community. Our firefighters are truly citizens who help to make the Mancos Valley a better and safer place to live. We all appreciate and recognize that they go well beyond their job descriptions and requirements to protect us. You can never say "thank you" enough to people who have demonstrated such courage.

Next up from a group of folks working to make Mancos more beautiful: The Town of Mancos, the Mancos Valley Chamber of Commerce, Mancos Valley Resources and the Mancos Valley Arts Council are collaborating to develop the Heritage Project that will include, over time, a variety of art projects and landscaping efforts to create a welcoming environment in town and along the highway corridor. The first of these projects will include a mural on the west side of the Mancos Liquor building and some landscaping on the corner of highway 160 and 184. Fundraising has begun for the project. Chuck Pyle, the Zen Cowboy, will be in concert at the Millwood Junction on Saturday, March 9, at 8 p.m. to help raise funds for the Heritage Project.

The Mancos Melt begins the following week. It's currently filled with fun and some pretty goofy events: a fashion show based on the theme for the event, "The Day of the Living Dead," bed races, putt-putt golf tournament, wine tasting, bird feeder contest. If you would like more information or help out with the fun, you can check out the website at www.mancosonthemove.com.

It is time again to plan for the Mancos Valley Lions Club annual presentation of the 9Health Fair scheduled for Saturday, April 13. They are lining up volunteers for the event now. All family members are welcome and encouraged to volunteer. Breakfast and lunch are made available to all volunteers. Val Hobson, the local coordinator for the Mancos Valley 9Health Fair event, can be contacted at [email protected] or you can call her at 533-7874 if you would like to volunteer. For those of you who wish to attend the health fair, you can pre-register and pre-pay on line now at www.9healthfair.org.