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Everyone likes a chance to get dirty

Joe “Buck” D’Aleo and Cathy Walker work on the raised beds at Ohana Kuleana Community Garden. The beds will allow people in wheelchairs to garden in the spring, and are courtesy of Home Depot and the Garden Project of Southwest Colorado.

In the winter, it’s seed catalogues and dreaming, but come spring, it’s hands in the dirt, planting, weeding and enjoying the fruits of one’s labors – fresh air, fresh veggies, great taste.

The Garden Project of Southwest Colorado believes that one shouldn’t have to be able-bodied to take part in the joys of gardening. With the help of Home Depot and the Southwest Center for Independence, the organization has created an area of raised beds at the Ohana Kuleana Community Garden that will be ready to go ere spring arrives. (For some reason, dreaming of beautiful gardens puts me in a poetic frame of mind.)

Joe “Buck” D’Aleo, Bruce Berkus, Annah McConaha and Jo King arranged with their company, Home Depot, to get the materials donated as well as providing their project skills to design and build it with the Garden Project. Other volunteers included Lauri Capeta, Jeanette Abella and Shawna Butler, all from the Center for Independence, along with Chuck Caputa, who was probably “volunteered” by wife, Lauri, but all that matters is that he provided manpower; and Garden Project members Rachel Ebner, Cathy Walker, Michelle Wilson and Brett Wilson.

There’s one part of the project yet to be completed: a wheelchair-accessible path around the beds.

“We had a blast getting the foundation ready for the pathway,” said Mia Carrasco-Songer, Garden Project coordinator, my correspondent on this story, who also volunteered. “Spirits were high as we talked about next season and the wonderful new people we would meet when they started gardening here.”

The final path build is taking place from 9 to 11 a.m. today, and volunteers would be much appreciated. Ohana Kuleana is up the gravel drive at the corner of East 6th Avenue and 30th Street. Wear close-toed shoes and bring sunscreen. Drinks and snacks will be provided.

It’s so easy for the physically disabled to be isolated from community – between accessibility and health issues and the sheer energy required to be out and about when everything’s a struggle, it’s often easier to just stay home.

Kudos to all of these people for taking the accessibility part of the equation and solving it.

HHH

Kicking off the Scorpio birthdays are Tom Murray, Mark Prouty, Marty Prouty, M.J. Moseley, Kathy Myrick, JoAnn Trimberger, Matt Stilwell, Bliss Bruen, Sarah Larsen and Samantha Szura.

HHH

Special greetings to Ernestine Brewer, who turns 98 on Monday. The occasion will be marked at lunch at the Durango/La Plata County Senior Center, which Brewer and her late husband, Orrel, helped start. There’s going to be a lovely surprise, which I have sworn to keep secret.

Happy birthday, Ernestine!

HHH

I really messed up when I wished Bobbie Ledgerwood a happy 90th birthday last week. I realized it when I got the third email from people, including several she worked with at the Forest Service, who wanted an address to send her a note on the occasion.

Then I remembered her daughter, Julie McAllister, had specifically given me the address, so I could provide it. I’m not calling it a senior moment – hey, I’m not another year older for a couple of weeks – but it was definitely an I-need-to-pay-better-attention moment.

So, Ledgerwood friends, her address is Sunshine Gardens, 25 Sunshine Court, No. 49A, Durango, CO 81301.

HHH

Monday is the 100th anniversary of the birth of Welsh poet and playwright Dylan Thomas, and a group of Durangoans is making sure we are part of the worldwide celebration.

They’re putting on a reader’s theater performance of his play, “Under Milk Wood,” which groups large and small, public and private, will also be doing that day. It was published in book form in 1954 and has not been out of print since.

Thomas spent about 10 years working on this play on and off, originally created for radio, that debuted in 1953, the year he died at the age of 39. Since then, it has been staged, recorded and filmed starring luminaries such as Richard Burton, Peter O’Toole and Anthony Hopkins. I once participated in a reading of “Under Milk Wood,” and it was great fun and profoundly moving.

Young people in the newsroom don’t seem to even recognize Thomas’ name, which is a real shame. Maybe if I say his poetry so inspired Robert Zimmerman that he changed his name to Bob Dylan? Or quote “Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Do not go gentle into that good night?” That should demonstrate that Thomas’ work is a powerful part of the English-language canon.

Judith Reynolds is producing the performance and reading, Judy Hook is directing it and reading and they’ll be joined by Stephen Bowers, Gordon Thomas, Brian McAleer, Dolores Mazurkewicz, Bob Griffith, Susana Jones and Carol Shepard.

The reading begins at 7:30 p.m. and takes place at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Durango, 419 San Juan Drive near Needham Elementary School. It will be performed without intermission, running about 80 minutes. Admission is free.

There’s a special treat in store, too. Part of the play takes place in a pub, which of course means a drinking song, and this one will be performed by Tom Burris, Ethan Eisemann and Derek Zuniga, members of the Fort Lewis College Men’s Choir. Word has it this takes the production over the top.

Wearing her other hat as theater critic, Reynolds has reviewed five different productions of “Under Milk Wood,” and she tells me the most amazing was a fully staged performance in sign language presented by the National Theatre of the Deaf. There were only two voiced actors, who memorized the entire script and spoke all 66 parts. Wowser.

HHH

Today is supposed to be a beautiful 70-degree day, according to the National Weather Service, so it’s a perfect day to go out and enjoy the Three Springs Fall Festival, which runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. It’s free, but organizers hope guests will bring a canned food item for Manna Soup Kitchen.

It’s an extravaganza of activities, with several nonprofits participating. There’s something for all ages including door-to-door trick or treating, live music by Dave Mensch, a cookie walk, cupcake decorating, a bouncy house, face painting, coloring contest, a pet adopt-a-thon for the La Plata County Humane Society – even a petting zoo courtesy of Hott Wings Ranch.

To top it all off, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Colorado will hold its Run for Kids Sake Zombie Challenge at 2:30 p.m., with registration starting at 1 p.m. It’s $30 per person to navigate the 1. 5-mile obstacle course with zombies at every turn. Visit www.bbig.org to learn more.

HHH

Enjoying the crisp fall weather for their anniversaries are Stephen and Rosine Stout (four decades) and Creighton and BJo Hatten.

HHH

Here’s how to reach me: neighbors@durangoherald.com; phone 375-4584; mail items to the Herald; or drop them off at the front desk. Please include contact names and phone numbers for all items.



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