Down Valley

EAGLE COUNTY, Colorado — There's no news too small for the “Downvalley” column. Contact Pam Boyd via e-mail at pboyd@eaglevalleyenterprise.com; or call 970-328-6656 x 7

Around Town

• Eagle's popular free summer concert series, ShowDownTown, returns this evening, July 2. The Strolling Scones will perform “feel good music” of the ‘60s. The concert begins at 6:30 p.m. Bring your lawn chair and head down to Eagle Town Park for the fun.

• Representative Christine Scanlan and Senator Al White will host a town hall meeting July 2 from 5 to 6 p.m. at the Eagle County Building. The pair will give an overview of some of the highlights of the recent Colorado Legislative session and answer questions.

• Anita Ortiz, 45, from Eagle won the Western States 100 mile footrace. It is the oldest and one of the most prestigious ultra running races in the U.S. Anita is well known for her world-class performances on shorter distances for years. This was her first 100 mile race. Congrats Anita!

• The Splash, Grind, Sprint triathlon is just a week away. The event is planned Saturday, July 11, to honor the late Laura Genelin. The triathlon will feature a 500-meter swim, a 12-mile bike ride and a 3-mile run. Registration is available at www.MyEntryFee.com. Additionally, registration forms are available at Howard Head Sports Medicine locations.

• Ashley K. Padgett was named to the University of Wyoming 2009 spring semester Dean's List. To be eligible students must have been enrolled for a minimum of 12 credit hours taken for letter grade and achieving a 3.4 or better grade point average.

Old Timer's/Father's Day Picnic

McCoy's traditional Old Timer's/Father's Day picnic was celebrated June 21 at the McCoy Community center.

According to organizer Edith Lederhause, the day began with a performance of “How Great Thou Art” by David Butler, Annie Ewing and John Comer.

Jo Ann Woodward was crowned by her daughter Jodi as the 2009 Father's Day Queen. Her son Michael gave a history of his mom. She was an active community member for many years. Bob Flogas, 94, who lived in the McCoy community for some 25 years was crowned 2009 king by his son Jay.

Fifty years ago a senior class graduated from McCoy High School. Ruby Forster introduced three of the four members attending and they all reminisced about old times. Susie Booco, Bishop of Las Vegas, was not able to attend. They all had great memories and agreed that McCoy High had been a great school to attend.

Steve Stock traveled 1,200 miles coming the greatest distance. Bob Flogas received the longevity award. Jayden Mutchelknaus was the youngest in the crowd. Special thank you certificates were given to Old Dog and Cass for providing hamburgers, brats and providing the locale.

Some 70 folks enjoyed the celebration organized by the Father's Day Picnic Committee and McCoy Pot Luck.

Lions Club scholars

The Eagle Valley Lions Club offers continuing education scholarships for EVHS graduates.

Scholarships can be for technical schools or traditional schools. The top award has been designated the Jake Brock Memorial Scholarship.

The deadline for receipt of applications is August 7. Students need to contact Dr. Steve Oakson at 970-524-1105 or 970-328-4010.

Hoops contest

Join the Gypsum Recreation Center for some Gypsum Daze hoops fun.

A free 3 on 3 basketball tournament is planned as part of the event. Get a team together, play basketball, and have a chance to win $200!

Register at the Gypsum Recreation Center by Wednesday, July 15. Registration forms are available at the Gypsum Recreation Center and the Gypsum Town Hall.

Hospital awards

Both of our nearby hospitals are celebrating prestigious awards this month.

Valley View Hospital in Glenwood Springs has received an Outstanding Patient Experience Award. This honor reflects the facilities rating in the top 5 percent of hospital patient experiences nationwide.

The award was formally presented by HealthGrades this week.

Vail Valley Medical Center recently was named a recipient of Avatar International's Overall Performance Award and Avatar's Exceeding Patient Expectations Award. Both awards are based on the results of the hospital's 2008 patient surveys.

The Overall Performance Award is presented to those hospitals with the highest overall combined patient satisfaction score for Inpatient, Outpatient, Emergency and Ambulatory Surgery care. The award represents the top 5 percent of hospitals listed in Avatar's National Database.

The Exceeding Patient Expectations Award is given to hospitals with an overall score that exceeds the expectations of their patients. The survey for this award is based on three critical items: quality of care, reliability and customization prior to a patient visit.