A Zumbathon, a dance-fitness class raising funds for a cause, will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Feb. 21 at Park Elementary School’s gym, 623 E. Fifth St.

All proceeds will help MaryKay and Paul O’Neil raise money to help with their battles against metastatic melanoma and ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). The cost is $10 per person, and prepayment is required. To make a payment, visit www. ZumbaKarla.com and use the PayPal button.

There also will be a drawing for a trip for two to Mexico, which includes 10 days and 8 nights in Puerto Vallarta and Cancun plus two-for-one airfare. The trip was donated by Todd Gibson, owner of The Pour House in Durango.

The public may make donations to the O’Neils’ medical fund and receive tickets for the drawing. Suggested donations are one ticket for $5 or five tickets for $20. The drawing will be held at 7:30 p.m. at the Zumbathon. Ticket holders do not need to be present to win.

To make a donation, call 769-4154.

Buddhist teaching to be held Thursday

A teaching on The Four Dharmas of Gampopa with Khenpo Lobzang will take place from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Rocky Mountain Retreat, 848 East Third Ave.

Khenpo Lobzang is the resident lama at Vajra Vidya Retreat Center in Crestone, Colo., a retreat center under the direction of Khenchen Thrangu, Rinpoche.

A reflection and study group will follow at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 20 at the Rocky Mountain Retreat.

Formerly, Khenpo was director of the monastery and college at Varanasi, India, before coming to the United States. Gampopa was the foremost student of Tibet’s yogi Milarepa and the father of the Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism.

For more information, call Njal Schold at 259-0063 or email [email protected].

Garden Club to meet Wednesday

The Garden Club of Durango will meet at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Museum, 151 E. 16th St.

Derek Snyder, with the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Volunteers, will give a program on the ecology of bluebirds and how to bring these birds into gardens. The public is invited.

For more information, call Marsha Schuetz at 247-0198.

Estrogen to be discussed Tuesday

Herbalist Marija Helt will offer the class “Women’s Health – Estrogen” at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Osadha Herbal Wellness.

Participants will learn about the different forms of estrogen and what they do, about environmental hormone disruptors known as xenoestrogens and about potentially beneficial phytoestrogens in food and medicinal plants. This is first in a series of classes on women’s reproductive health.

To RSVP, for directions or more information, call 779-3111 or visit www.osadha.com.

100 shoppers to receive gift cards

In support of National Random Acts of Kindness Week, Feb. 10-14, the Durango Business Improvement District and Bank of Colorado have teamed up to encourage local shopping with a Durango version of “random acts of kindness.”

Throughout the week, BID and Bank of Colorado representatives will distribute prepaid gift cards from local merchants to 100 shoppers patronizing local businesses within the Business Improvement District. Twenty cards will be awarded each day.

For more information, visit www.downtowndurango.org.

Road construction to begin near Oxford

La Plata County has contracted with Elam Construction for road construction in Oxford at the intersection of Colorado Highway 172 and County Roads 311 and 513.

The intersection will be reconstructed with acceleration and deceleration lanes on Highway 172 and realigning the county roads to the north. Drainage and irrigation improvements will be made.

The work will begin Tuesday and is expected to extend through November. Regular working hours will be from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday. Between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., traffic may be reduced to one lane while work is in progress. Delays of up to 15 minutes should be anticipated. No delays are anticipated during peak commuting hours.

For more information, call Aaron McKelvey at 382-6379 or emai [email protected].

Free samples of new energy drink to be given

#DitchtheCan, a new company featuring Kaos Gold, a packaged energy drink now in pre-launch, will offer free samples at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Lost Dog Bar and Lounge, 1150 Main Ave.

Participants also will meet co-creator and formulator, Alex Theis from San Diego. Backed by a 30-year-old nutrition company, Kaos Gold is a low-calorie, low-sugar, healthier energy drink. #DitchtheCan will launch a nationwide media campaign in March.

For more information, visit www.ditchthecanrocks.com or call 946-8949.

Herald Staff