Terry Hutchison of YESS The Book Hutch will present to the Rotary Club of Durango meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Strater Hotel, 699 Main Ave.

Hutchison will discuss a program that provided some students at Fort Lewis Mesa Elementary School with backpacks filled with books and gifts.

This effort was made possible from a grant by the Durango Area Association of Realtors, Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers’ Association, Walmart, the Bank of the San Juans and YESS The Book Hutch.

Visitors are welcome. For more information, call Bruce Rodman at 385-7899.

Bird walk to be held Wednesday in Durango

A bird walk will be hosted by Durango Nature Studies at 9 a.m. Wednesday at For the Birds, 1560 East Second Ave.

The walks last about one hour and 15 minutes. Participants should bring binoculars. The walks are free, but donations to the hosting group are welcome.

For more information, call 382-9396.

Durango Choral Society to host auditions

Durango Choral Society will hold auditions Monday and Tuesday.

For more information or to schedule an audition, call 759-2206.

Kiva preschool to host fundraiser

The Children’s Kiva Montessori Preschool and Kindergarten will host a fundraiser from 5 to 8 p.m. Jan. 18 at the Montezuma County Annex, 107 N. Chestnut St. in Cortez.

From 5 to 6 p.m., there will be pizza from Sweetwater Gypsies, salad from Four Seasons Greenhouse & Nursery and The Farm Bistro, and desserts.

Suzanne’s School of Dance High School Competitive Team will help run the dance.

The cost is $10 per adult, and $5 per child. Profits will benefit the school.

For more information, call 565-8586.

Skiing, snowboarding opportunities available

January is National Learn to Ski & Snowboard Month. These events will take place:

Purgatory’s Local’s Benefit Day will take place Sunday. Local’s Day coupons are available at www. SkiPurg.com/benefitday.

Local’s Ski Free Day will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 20 at Chapman Ski Hill or the Durango Nordic Center at Purgatory.

Free rental gear will be provided by the Durango Nordic Center and 2nd Avenue Sports. Mercy Regional Medical Center, through its Gray Matters Program, will distribute information about the importance of wearing a helmet, demonstrate proper helmet fit and provide free helmets to those in need.

The Purgatory Ski & Snowboard Team and the Durango Nordic Ski Club will offer beginner assistance and instruction. Steaming Bean Coffee Co. will serve free hot chocolate all day.

Vallecito Demo Days will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at the Vallecito Nordic trailhead. Free introductory lessons will be offered at 10 and 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.

A Nordic ski waxing clinic will be held from 2:30 to 6 p.m. today at Backcountry Experience, 1205 Camino del Rio.

For more information, email [email protected] or visit www.durangowintersports.org.

Herald Staff