SENIOR CENTER NEWS: Fiesta Flavors at the 21st Annual Spanish Fiesta

Join Archuleta Seniors Inc. at the 21st Annual Spanish fiesta on July 29 at the Archuleta County Fairgrounds from 3pm to 8pm. This year, we are thrilled to bring you some of Pagosa’s best southwest cuisine featuring food from four different establishments.

Indulge in a wide variety of flavors and experience the richness of our diverse cuisine, including mouthwatering burritos, tacos, tostadas, tortas and gorditas. Next up is a hometown local making her handmade authentic tamales prepared with traditional flavors and ingredients. Our third establishment is a group of men and women from the local Catholic church preparing Navajo tacos with Colorado-raised pinto beans and your choice of authentic red and/or green chile. Save room for their delectable sopapillas drizzled with honey and cinnamon and mouth watering bunuelos. Finally, enjoy refreshing cream- and water-based paletas, classic elote street corn served in a cup or on the cob, as well as other delightful street snacks like fruit cups. Don’t forget to quench your thirst with their delicious aguas frescas.

Food, music, dancing, libations, vendors, color and good company provide the ingredients of a party to delight all the senses. The Spanish Fiesta Committee — formed by the families and royalty of fiestas of years past — has worked hard to make this first year back memorable. The headliner for the day’s activities will feature the famous New Mexican artist Al Hurricane Jr. and his band during the evening at the Archuleta County fair grounds in Pagosa Springs Colorado. Al Hurricane, Jr., is generously giving his own time to benefit the fundraiser.

Activities begin at 3pm but come earlier to get your seat and enjoy 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 Archuleta Seniors Inc. and a youth scholarship fund. Admission is for an afternoon & evening from 3pm to 8pm filled with fun for all. To purchase tickets online, visit https://givebutter.com/ASISPANISHFIESTA2023 or stop by the Pagosa Springs Chamber of Commerce, the Choke Cherry Tree or the Pagosa Senior Center located in the Ross Aragon Community Center. If you’re interested in volunteering, being a sponsor or vendor, please visit http://www.psseniors.org/events-and-fundraisers.html for more information… or call 970.264.2167.

Farmers Market Vouchers for seniors are available
If you love to shop at the Farmers Market, are 60 or older, or if you are 200% of poverty please call Debbie at 970-403-2164 at the Area Agency on Aging (AAA) to put your name on the list for $50 in vouchers to redeem for local foods. Then visit the Pagosa Farmers Market any Saturday during the growing season (June – September) to pick up your $50 voucher to support the local food artisans and growers in southwest Colorado and northern New Mexico. The Pagosa Farmers Market is located on the 3rd row of the East Side Market and is open only on Saturdays from 9 am – 1 pm through September.

Senior Conversations
Join us Wednesdays at 1:15 pm for a series of “Senior Conversations” with local Bill Salmansohn. He leads 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 Pagosa Senior Center in the dining hall, snacks will be provided.

Healthy Aging & Yoga Therapy Class Series
Gather with local yoga practitioner AJ Connors for a series of evidence based healthy aging and yoga therapy classes at the Pagosa Senior Center geared for adults and older adults of all ages. Class is offered Mondays 2:30 – 3:30pm in the dining hall.

Pagosa Springs Scrapbooking Club
The Pagosa Springs Scrapbooking Club holds monthly meetings the second Saturday of each month at the Pagosa Senior Center. They meet each month from 10:00am – 3:00pm 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, please send your request to copenhavercreative@gmail.com and you will receive notification each month of the upcoming meeting along with hand tips & tricks for scrapbooking.

Share Lunch and Dine Monday through Thursday
Join us at the Silver Fox’s Den aka Community Cafe in person for daily hot/cold meals Mondays through Thursdays downtown at the Ross Aragon Community Center between 11 am and 1 pm weekly. Pickup is available all week including Fridays.

Community Cafe Menu
Thursday, July 20 – New Mexican Blue Corn Chicken Enchilada Casserole, Spanish Rice, Garden Salad, Fruit, Biscochos, Milk.

Friday, July 21 – Chef Salad with Ham, Turkey, Cheese, Avocado, Egg & Ranch Dressing, Broccoli & Wt.Cheddar Soup, Focaccia Bread, Blueberry Cobbler, Milk.

Monday, July 24 – Chicken Parmigiana, Broccoli, Garlic Bread, Garden Salad, Milk, Cherry Crisp.

Tuesday July 25 – Beef Marsala, Garlic Mashed, Potatoes, Mushroom Gravy, Asparagus, Garden Salad, Fruit, Vanilla yogurt, Milk.

Wednesday, July 26 – Mushroom & Asparagus Frittata, Squash Medley, Garden Salad, Fruit, Milk, Carrot Cake.

Thursday, July 27 – Pork red chile Colorado, Roasted Herb Potatoes, Garden Salad, Fruit, Banana Brunch Cake, Milk

Friday, July 28 – Chef Salad with Ham, Turkey, Cheese, Avocado, Egg & Ranch Dressing, Broccoli & Wt.Cheddar Soup, Focaccia Bread, Blueberry Cobbler, Milk

Grab-N-Go & Dine In Meals
Reservations and cancellations are required. Please call or text by 9:00 am the morning of the day you want to dine in or pick up a meal. A suggested donation of $10.00 helps to sustain our program. No one will be turned away for their inability to donate. For ages 59 and younger, the cost is $10.00 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.

Donation checks can be written to Archuleta Seniors, Inc. We are located at 451 Hot Springs Blvd., in downtown Pagosa Springs. For more information about ASI, please visit http://www.psseniors.org/.

Rosa Chavez

Rose Chavez is Executive Director for Archuleta Seniors, Inc. and Public Health Consultant at Archuleta Food System/Food Equity Coalition.