Durango Early Bird Toastmasters will meet from 7 to 8:30 a.m. every Friday from September to May 20 at Holiday Inn, 21636 U.S. Highway 160.

Toastmasters can help participants develop better speaking and presentation skills, learn to think quickly and clearly on one’s feet, build strong leadership abilities and hone listening skills.

For more information, call 749-1741, email [email protected] or visit www.earlybirdtoastmasters.org.

Saturday, Florida Grange will host free breakfast

The Florida Grange, 656 Colorado Highway 172, will host its September free breakfast from 8 to 10 a.m. Saturday.

Aztec museum will hold annual Founder’s Day fest

The Aztec Museum and Pioneer Village, 125 N. Main Ave., Aztec, will host its annual Founder’s Day celebration Saturday.

This year’s theme is “The History of Transportation.” As part of the celebration, there will be free admission to the museum and Pioneer Village. Festivities will begin at 10 a.m. with an antique truck parade on Main Street, followed by a public reception to honor the Magee family as this year’s pioneer family.

These events will also take place:

Michael Maddox ,author of Porter and Ike Stockton: Colorado and New Mexico Border Outlaws, will speak about “Trails to Trains to Trucks” from 11 a.m. to noon at the museum.

John Coker will discuss his experiences as a steam locomotive engineer on both the Silverton and Chama trains at noon. In addition, his narrow-gauge railroad watercolor paintings will be displayed from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the museum.

Jack Root’s restored 1928 Model T Ford farm truck will be unveiled at 1 p.m. on the museum grounds.

Bob Dusenbery will discuss his family’s car collection at 1:30 p.m. The car collection will be on display from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on museum grounds.

Pine River Garden Club to host zucchini celebration

The Pine River Community Garden Club will host its “Inaugural Zucchini Extravaganza” from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Pine River Library, 395 Bayfield Center Drive.

Local residents are invited to bring a zucchini or squash dish to share and be a part of the county-fair style contests for best appetizer, main course or dessert. Zucchini, crooked neck, butternut, acorn and other squashes are welcome.

A celebrity chef cook-off is planned, featuring the Strater’s Chef Safari and local vegan cookbook author, Tess Challis and certified gardener Bonnie Cotton.

The event will feature live music from The Transplants, a raffle drawing and contests. Children’s events are planned for all ages with zucchini-carving, potato printing and a garden scavenger hunt.

For more information, call 884-2222, ext. 513.

Local time bank to host its orientation Saturday

Hour Exchange La Plata, the local time bank, will host a free introductory talk and software orientation from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 910 East Third Ave.

People considering joining the time bank should bring a laptop (preferable) or mobile device for the orientation.

For more information, call 884-9330 or visit www.helptimebank.com.

Animal Signs Workshop to be at Nature Center

An Animal Signs Workshop will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday at the Durango Nature Center.

The cost is $10 for nonmembers, and free for members. Participants will learn what tracks, scat, markings and other signs can tell about different habitats and the activity within them.

To register or for more information, email [email protected] or call 769-1800.

DIY bankruptcy clinic to be held at the library

A do-it-yourself bankruptcy clinic will take place from 9:30 a.m. to noon Oct. 19 at the Durango Public Library, 1900 East Third Ave.

The clinic, available to low-income debtors who qualify, will walk participants through every step of the bankruptcy-filling process and provide documents necessary to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

To apply, call 247-0266.

Five miles of Hermosa Park Road to be resurfaced

The San Juan National Forest will resurface five miles of Hermosa Park Road (Forest Road No. 578) from Monday to Oct. 4.

During this time, those on Hermosa Park Road will experience up to four-hour delays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. seven days a week. The delays will affect access to the Upper Hermosa Creek Trailhead and beyond.

Access to Relay Creek Road (Forest Road No. 579) will be limited during these times. The roads will be open for traffic before to 8 a.m., between noon and 1 p.m. and after 5 p.m.

Gravel will be crushed at a pit up the Relay Creek Road and transported by dump trucks to road graders, which will apply the gravel and blade the surface of Hermosa Park Road between its intersection with Relay Creek Road and Upper Hermosa Trailhead. Signs will be posted, and Forest Service employees will be on site for traffic-control.

For more information, call Chris Phelps at 385-1296.

Commissioner Lachelt will hold office hours

La Plata County Commissioner Gwen Lachelt will hold office hours from noon to 2 p.m. Monday at the La Plata County Fairgrounds in the Animas Room of the Extension Building, 2500 Main Ave.

Constituents from the county are invited to discuss issues of concern or interest and share their opinions about county issues.

For more information, call 382-6219.

Four Corners Lecture Series to continue with David Lee

As part of the Four Corners Lecture Series, the Hisatsinom Chapter of the Colorado Archaeology Society will present David Lee at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Sunflower Theatre, 8 E. Main St., Cortez.

Lee will discuss “Closer than We Know: Comparing the Rock Art of Australia and Western North America.” He will discuss both Australian and New World rock art. Despite being a world apart, there are a surprising number of parallels in the production, evolution, and context of rock art on the two continents.

For more information, call Kari Schleher at (505) 269-4475.

Herald Staff