NONPROFITS AROUND TOWN: Salsa w/Centro de la Familia; WWII at museum; Palmer Land Trust

Viva la salsa! And let’s just say that those dancing TV stars have nothing on the danza, bomba, cha-cha-cha royalty at Centro de la Familia’s Salsa Extravaganza.

The Cheyenne Mountain Resort ballroom was alive Oct. 15 with  twirling skirts, bright colors, stomping feet and cheering onlookers clapping to Cuban, Panamanian, Honduran, Mexican and hip hop fusion sounds.

The evening of fun was a benefit for the nonprofit agency that offers bilingual services to Latino women and children and families and teaches those who are Spanish speaking how to navigate life in Colorado Springs.

A broad smile never left the face of executive director and co-founder Sandra Hernández as she watched guests, some of them Centro de la Familia client families, shop at the Mercado and become dance-’til-you-drop-or-the-clock-strikes-midnight revelers.

Groups providing entertainment included Trio Hondureno, Danzas Folkloricas Panamerican, Danza Raices Hondurenas, Barbara Ellis Studio of Dance: Latin fusion Hip Hop, and Ballet Folklorico de la Raza Mexico.

Then local Hispanic celebrities took to the runway modeling clothes from Mt. Tejon, William Kurtz and Mountain Moppets. Playing to the appreciative, whistling crowd after perfecting catwalk strides were: Fe Villegas, who also auctioned a ridealong with the CSPD; Christine Medina; Linda Schaefer; Carmen Collins; Fae Garcia Bush; Mireya Garcia; Karla Horton; Roxanna Horton and Rosana Ramponi.

And the fellows, earning screams and face fanning from the women in the crowd: Luis Velez, who auctioned a day shadowing him at work as an educator topped off with lunch; Kee Warner — who even added a cartwheel to his presentation; dapper dancing orthodontist Jose Manuel Arango; smiling school superintendent Mike Miles; Paul Martinez; Corey Almond; Armando De León; and Gene Sanchez.

Stealing hearts was Shopie Perez, a 4-year-old born entertainer, who modeled clothes with her parents and little brother, Noe, Tirza and Josecarlo.

MORE PHOTOS: http://tinyurl.com/2eaec6c

Pioneers Museum WWII USO Evening

A Donut Dolly here, some V-E Day revelers there, troops filling their plates in the field mess and some “dogfaces” straight from their foxholes standing by the stairs. Just your regular World War II setting.

It was all for the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum’s Oct. 15 USO Dinner Dance fundraiser.
Dressed in costume, participants previewed “Don’t Fence Me In: German POWs at Camp Carson,” part of the museum’s extensive WWII exhibit that also includes “So Far From Home: The American POW Experience in WWII.”

Then it was off to the chow line with some joking about how the uniforms seemed to have fit a little better “back then.”

There was cocktail party and dinner music by Tom O’Boyle and swing dancing — dance lessons provided — to Bill Callen’s Pikes Peak New Horizons Swing Masters Band.

As part of the WWII theme, the museum  is planning a series of films from that era on the first Monday of each month at Stargazers Theatre. First up, on Monday, is  “The Great Escape.” For info: 385-5990 or cspm.org.

Palmer Land Trust Conservation Awards

Southern Colorado conservation champions were in the spotlight Sept. 29 as Palmer Land Trust presented its top awards, recognizing “individuals and organizations who are committed to leading efforts to protect our lands, teach our children about the natural world, and set benchmarks for a sustainable future.”

Welcoming more than 200 patrons were Executive Director Scott Campbell and Board President Linda Overlin. 

Honored with the Stuart P. Dodge Award for lifetime achievement in championing conservation efforts in Colorado as well as nationally was Judy Sellers, who serves on the boards of The Nature Conservancy, Great Outdoors Colorado, the Trails and Open Space Coalition and Denver Botanic Gardens.

Bob Chastain, Executive Director of the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, received the Innovation in Conservation Award for the “Quarters for Conservation” program which has raised more than $100,000 and allows quarter donors to vote on which wildlife conservation projects to support. The program was applauded as a model for zoos across the country.

  The Friends of Open Space Award was presented to Reeves and Betsy Brown, owners of the 3R Ranch in the foothills of the Wet Mountains near Beulah. “Using innovative ranching techniques coupled with constant monitoring of rangeland health, the Browns have turned their ranch into a Colorado model for Holistic Ranch Management.”

Mountain Park Environmental Center in Pueblo Mountain Park was awarded the Stewardship Award. “This innovative setting impacts thousands of people each year as they visit this ‘green’ facility that is now serving the community as a hub for outdoor programs for visitors of all ages. “

The award selection committee included Jeff Chostner, Pueblo County Commissioners; Phil Kendall, Bee Vradenburg Foundation; Jane Rawlings, Pueblo Chieftain; Thayer Tutt, El Pomar Foundation, and Kathy Loo, Nature Conservancy of Colorado.