Celebrating 20 years of the Backpack Program

Pat Sunderland

Published on Wednesday, 03 October 2012 01:00

“This is such an awesome program,” agree Carrie and Tanner Reed as they explore a Backpack box with their daughter Jordan, age 3. Their 5-year-old son Ty is a Backpack graduate.

A wonderful evolution has taken place since the Backpack Program was implemented 20 years ago, but the basic precept remains unchanged: Supporting parents as their child's first and most important teacher.

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You can do this!

Hank Lohmeyer

Published on Wednesday, 19 September 2012 01:00

Photos by Hank Lohmeyer

The striking, six-inch diameter flower displayed by this six-foot-high variety of Teddy Bear Sunflower finds itself right at home in the city’s pocket sunflower park on Meeker Street. The blossoms are a subject of local photographers whenever they appear, and they are among the huge variety of flowering plants just like the ones in the City of Delta’s summer floral gardens that local gardeners can grow at home.

Delta residents' summertime pride and joy is the citywide display of flora exuberance along Main Street, in the city parks and at the Bill Heddles Recreation Center.

The street corner flower pots overflowing with cascades of sweet potato vine; the rank and file of brilliantly blooming hibiscus and zinnia; the carefully groomed carpets of petunia; and the soaring extremes of richly foliated canna draw admiring compliments from residents and visitors for the masterfully groomed displays and exotic eye appeal.

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Harvest queen

Pat Sunderland

Published on Wednesday, 08 August 2012 01:00

Kathy English and longtime employee Debbi Shaw (right) know most of their farmers’ market customers by name. They’ve been a mainstay of the farmers’ market at 5th and Meeker in Delta for years. The farmers’ market is open Wednesday and Saturday mornings through late fall.

The produce Kathy English offers for sale at the farmers' market in downtown Delta doesn't get much fresher — she's up at the crack of dawn Wednesday and Saturday mornings to load her pickup with carrots, cucumbers, cabbages and more. By late morning, she's sold out of everything she harvested that morning.

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Cordially, Coalby

Hank Lohmeyer

Published on Wednesday, 01 August 2012 01:00

Photo submitted

Members of the Coalby Birthday Club in a 1996 meeting then at the home of current member Norma May.

Delta County's rural heritage ever since pioneer days has given rise to social organizations that met the mutual support needs of people.

Many of those neighborhood and community groups continue into the present day.

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Keeping ‘em in the air

Randy Sunderland

Published on Wednesday, 18 July 2012 01:00

Photos by Randy Sunderland

With a big grin, Charlie Huff of Crawford shares the joy of flying a vintage Piper J-3 Grasshopper over Delta. A member of the Rocky Mountain Wing of the Commemorate Air Force, Huff and others are dedicated to keeping these warbirds in the air and sharing the stories of these great airplanes and their brave pilots.

"I have one rule for everyone who flies with me," quips pilot Charlie Huff over the headphones. "You can't have more fun than me!"

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Loving lavender

Tamie Meck

Published on Wednesday, 11 July 2012 01:00

Photos by Tamie Meck

Apis melifera, also known as the western honey bee, forages on lavender grown by James and Carol Schott of Lamborn Mountain Farmstead in Paonia. Lavender’s sweet scent is wonderful for attracting pollinators.

Carol Schott became interested in essential oils several years ago when she began making goat's milk soap. She wanted to know more about the essential oils used to make it smell so wonderful.

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A shared love for gardening

Verna Barr

Published on Wednesday, 27 June 2012 01:00

Photos by Verna Barr

The flower bed near the Chapel of the Cross is cared for by Four Seasons Garden Club members. In photo (l to r) Marilyn Stumf, Margie Keep, Vernetta Mackley and Shirley Hutchinson are planting additional marigolds. The dianthus plants are in full bloom and the Shasta daisies will be blossoming soon.

There are five garden clubs in Delta County. Each has their own agenda, programs, and field trips.

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Finding the strength to overcome

Pat Sunderland

Published on Thursday, 21 June 2012 14:56

Several times a week, Rick Marion bikes to Bill Heddles Recreation Center where he works on his strength and balance. Sitting around and trying to drink his troubles away didn’t work; instead he’s found purpose by challenging himself physically. “Rick is a role model for all the patrons of the rec center,” says Gary West, fitness/aquatics coordinator.

For 10 1/2 years after Rick Marion was partially paralyzed in a 20-foot fall from a ladder, he vacillated between feeling sorry for himself and drinking and smoking — a lot. When he was diagnosed as a borderline diabetic, Jeannie Mueller, a physician's assistant at Surface Creek Family Practice, asked him if he had anything to live for.

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Model citizen

Hank Lohmeyer

Published on Thursday, 14 June 2012 16:33

Photos by Hank Lohmeyer

Ed Bernadou of Cedaredge has his best known and most admired work of model building, a complete scale model of Pioneer Town, on display at the Welcome Center.

A lot of people know that the masterpiece scale model of Pioneer Town on display at the Cedaredge Welcome Center was built by Ed Bernadou.

What people may not know is that Ed's model building career began in the 1930's when he was a young boy, and that his career continues to this day.

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