'Historic Manitou Springs' calendar benefits library

Jean Gabardi runs a project management consulting business that keeps her on the road and away from her Manitou Springs home a lot. Somewhere along the road, she picked up the habit of picking up local calendars — souvenirs to remind her of the interesting places she'd been.

As president of the Friends of the Manitou Springs Public Library, Gabardi has to think up ways to raise money for the library to restore its historical Carnegie building. She's often thought that although Manitou Springs is known for events like the annual Great Fruitcake Toss and Emma Crawford Coffin Races, there are also many events that lacked the right themes to have lasting appeal.

"Every year it's a different flavor," she said. "A silent auction, a wine tasting, a pasta feed. And there's no real identity that goes with it. That's why we came up with this idea for a Manitou Springs calendar."

The "Historic Manitou Springs" 2009 calendar, which features the works of 17 local artists and sells for a $12 suggested donation to the Manitou Springs Public Library Restoration Fund, will be an annual fundraiser to help the library "nickel and dime" its way toward a restored and expanded building with modern amenities such as handicap access to its upper and lower levels.

Gabardi approached the Manitou Springs Arts Council early this year with her idea.

"The Friends is a group that comes together occasionally and writes some grants," Gabardi said, explaining the need to co-sponsor the project. "We're not really the artsy people."

Gabardi had allies on the council board, including Manitou weaver Diane Fabeck, who also served as treasurer for the Friends board. Fabeck served as a liaison between the two groups, and also publicized the calendar, which received more than 385 submissions for consideration.

Fabeck said members of the Friends and the Arts Council gathered to whittle down the initial submissions.

"We got it down to 85 photos, and then we all went home and made a list of our favorites," Fabeck said. "By the next meeting, we were pretty much in agreement on every single one of them."

The calendars were printed at School District 11's press. Gabardi said the Friends would pay to print the calendar for the first three years, "and for the first three years all profits will go toward library restoration and expansion. Beyond three years, it becomes a sustainable project for Manitou Springs Arts Council."

The glossy calendars feature many well-known Manitou events. You won't forget about the Carnivale Parade and Mumbo Jumbo Cook-Off in February - two photos of revelers grace the page to remind you. There also are photos of the Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway, the Penny Arcade, the Emma Crawford Coffin Races, and of course, the Manitou Springs Public Library.

Local painter Ken Enright's watercolor "Manitou Avenue" is artfully placed below the name of the month on each page. On the final page of the calendar, you can read a brief history of Manitou Springs, as well as a short biography of each of the 17 photographers and artists whose works are displayed on the pages.