The La Plata County Family Centers will host a Back to School Fair on Aug. 15 to help families with their back to school needs.

Their school supply drive for the fair is today from 2 to 7 p.m. in the Durango Wal Mart parking lot. Items will be sorted and set up on Friday, Aug. 14, from 3:30 to 7 p.m. at Christ the King Lutheran Church on Florida Road in Durango.

The annual Back to School Fair will be Saturday, Aug. 15, from 7:30 a.m. to noon at Christ the King. Volunteer helpers are needed for the supply collecting, sorting, set-up and the fair day. To volunteer, contact Cari at [email protected] as soon as possible so she can get a head count and order food.

The Bayfield Family Center’s Pine River Shares clothing unit is open on Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon at the Bayfield Storage on CR 501. Pick up free clothing for kids and adults, drop off or exchange items. For information call 884-4747.

Commissioner to meet public at Bayfield library

County Commissioner Julie Westendorff will hold her monthly meet-the-public session from 10 a.m. to noon Thursday, Aug. 13, at the Pine River Library. All are welcome to come with questions or comments about county issues. These sessions are normally the first Thursday each month, but the commissioners were meeting yesterday with the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. For more information, call 382-6219.

High school hosting ribbon cutting

A ribbon cutting ceremony will be held at 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15, at the new Ignacio High School campus at 315 Ignacio St. All students, parents, community members and friends are invited to attend.

Much of the old school was demolished in spring 2014. It has been rebuilt with a new performing arts auditorium, new main entry, and a big new lunchroom that looks out onto an outdoor plaza. The new school incorporates what had been the relatively new west wing of the old junior high. The new school retains the high school and jr. high gyms, which were extensively renovated. FCI was the general contractor.

Bank celebrating 10 years in Bayfield

First National Bank of Durango’s Bayfield branch will hold its annual Community Appreciation Day from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 14, with a free lunch from Baked. This marks the bank’s 10-year anniversary in Bayfield and 133 years in the county. Entertainment will be provided by Bayfield High School cheerleaders, the BHS Jazz Band, performers from the Be FRANK Foundation, and more. The bank is at 351 Bayfield Center Drive.

Bayfield Chamber will meet Aug. 13

The Bayfield Chamber of Commerce will meet from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 13, at Mercy Family Medicine in Bayfield Center Plaza. Members will hear about the upcoming Build a Better Bayfield Expo on Thursday, Aug. 20, the Four Corners Motorcycle Rally, Off the Beaten Path Artistic Explosion in Gem Village on Aug. 22, and Bayfield Heritage Days. A schedule of events is at www.bayfieldchamber.org.

Heartwood potluck is Aug. 14

The monthly community potluck at Heartwood Cohousing will be Friday, Aug. 14, starting at 6:30 p.m. All are welcome to come eat, socialize, and learn about Heartwood and cohousing. Please bring a dish to share. Heartwood is at 800 Heartwood Lane off County Road 506. For information call 946-4625.

Trained babysitters available

Parents! Looking for a new sitter? Parents can come meet the newest babysitters trained during two days of classes at Pine River Public Library. The session to meet the new babysitters is from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. today at the library.

These teens spend two full days learning CPR, first aid and basic childcare. For more information, call the library at 884-2222. There also is a list of this class and past class graduates available at the library.

Be Frank holding open house, yard sale Aug. 15

The Be Frank Foundation will have an open house and yard sale from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15 at 231 S. Clover Drive.

This year, the foundation will offer the following music classes: choir, beginning elementary orchestra, advanced elementary orchestra, beginning middle school orchestra, advanced middle school orchestra, high school orchestra, San Juan Symphony youth orchestra programs, 5th grade DRUM, advanced DRUM, private lessons, and ukulele class. New this year is a pre-twinklers course for 3- and 4-year-olds, and 6th grade jazz band. Students can sign up for classes at the open house.

There will be a yard sale and barbecue lunch available. Donations for the yard sale are being accepted through Wednesday, Aug. 12.

To arrange a drop off time for donations, call 884-3120 or email [email protected]

Museum holding back-to-school bash

The Southern Ute Museum will have a back-to-school bash from 8 to 11 p.m. tonight for youth from 13 to 18 years old. The cost is $5 for singles and $8 for couples. Music will be provided by Big O, and there will be door prizes. For more information, call 563-9583.

Library hosting artist reception

The Ignacio Community Library will hold its summer artist recpetion at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 11.

The reception honors the artists currently exhibiting their work at the Ignacio Community Library.

Casino holding job fair

A job fair will be held at Sky Ute Casino from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 11.

Applicants should be prepared for job interviews that day. Some job offers can be made “on the spot,” said Charley Flagg, the casino’s general manager.