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Cathy Walton-Smith: Winter is more fun if you attend the Snowshoe Festival

Cathy Walton-SmithView from the Lake

OK, so were having a real winter this year. Not that I mind so much, but Im a little tired of needing the driveway plowed every other day, and that below zero business weve been putting up with. If you, too, need a break from the cold and wind, there are a few things you can do to fool the body into thinking youre somewhere else:1. Go to Hot Sulphur Springs and soak in the hottest springs until you cant stand it any longer.2. Close all the curtains in your house, turn the heat up to 80 degrees, put on your shorts and light candles or incense that smells like coconut and drink fruit juice laced with rum.3. Go somewhere else, like Florida or just get in the car and drive south or west until youre in the desert.4. Better yet, embrace it and go to the Snowshoe Festival this weekend. Youll have so much fun, youll be glad youre not somewhere else.First, I need to make a correction. The cross country skiing 30th Annual Grand Lake Classic Race at the Grand Lake Touring Center is Feb. 10, not this weekend. Apparently I got ahold of a misprinted rack card.However, the Grand Lake Snowshoe Fest is this Saturday. Bring your own snowshoes, or rent from Grand Lake Sports. Call (970) 627-8124, or Never Summer Mtn. Products at (970) 627-3642. Here is the schedule: 10 a.m. Grand Lake Metropolitan Recreation District Snowshoe Race 5K race. Starts in Town Park. $20 fee. Kids Race is free. Challenge Race is free.Registration: Daily (11 a.m. to 4 p.m.) at Grand Lake Art Gallery through Jan. 18, at The Village Hub 5 to 7 p.m. Jan. 18, at Town Park Ticket Booth 8 to 9:30 a.m., Jan. 19. 1 to 4 p.m. Kauffman House Museum Open House, free, with refreshments.1 to 2 p.m. Sleigh Rides and Snowshoeing, Winding River Resort Bring your snowshoes or XC skis and tour a meadow on your own. Sleigh ride is free; reservations are required at (970) 627-3215.5 to 9 p.m. Grand Lake Metro Rec Dist Full Moon XC Ski & Snowshoe at the Touring Center, free hot chocolate and marshmallows trail fee required.7:30 p.m. Grand Arts Council Concert in the Pines, GL Community House, $10 for adults, $5 kids under 12. Grand Lake Favorites, including Brad Pregeant, Walter Holland, Patrick Brower, Warren Ward, Peggy Mann, Colorado Highlanders Geo Cache Challenge all day. Free. Details at Mountain Lake Properties, (970) 627-3103.Grand Lake Women’s Club meets today at 1 p.m. at the Grand Lake Fire Station. Program is Horses for the Handicapped. Anyone interested may attend.The Grand County Colorado Tourism Board is always looking for tourism-related events to include in online and print calendars. Submit your events online at http://www.grand-county.com, click on the Calendar of Events page and then click on the link at the top of the calendar.Allaura Cox, Adam Weaver and Alex Sidell have been accepted into the People to People Student Ambassador program, and need to raise $6,700 each for a trip to Europe in June. The program started in 1956 by Dwight Eisenhower to promote cross cultural relationships. They have received support from the Grand Lake Rotary, Independent Sports Club, Grand Lake Fire Department, individuals and a Karen Vance Giclee print on canvas.To raise funds, they are hosting a soup bowl, bread and dessert dinner Jan. 26, at the East Grand Middle School 5 to 7:30 p.m. $5-adults, kids under 5-free. Tickets at G.L. Elementary, (970) 627-3466, RE/MAX in G.L. (970) 627-8001 or at Manes to Tame, (970) 627-3001.Winter Carnival is coming up on Feb. 2nd, and your help is needed. Following is a list of events and the people to call. Volunteers are needed in all areas. Bed Sled Race Debbie Bahan 627-8773/531-9530, Teapot Curling Scott Munn 627-9697 Human Bowling Dave/Kathy Whitman 627-1141, Snowman Contest & Kids Events Schelly Olson 627-9402, King & Queen Doris Braun 627-5099, Parade Sharon/Ed Peterson 627-8869, Snow Sculpture Kathy Lewis 627-8580, Bonfire Mike Long (Fire Dept) and Lori Crane 531-1905, all other information, call Suzi Maki 627-1000, 531-1914, 627-5484 or Grand Lake Chamber 627-3402.Discover Grand Lake winter.


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