On Saturday, December 12nd, Santa will arrive at Reel Mountain Theater for his annual visit. After kids have had the chance to tell Santa their wishes, everyone can enjoy a free holiday movie!

Participants will have their choice of two great holiday movies to choose from, a Christmas classic flick or Elf with Wil Ferrell. Admission to the event is a food item(s) for donation to Crossroads Ministries.

This fun family event is our annual Christmas gift to Estes Park from Reel Mountain Theater, The Estes Park News and the Igel, Hazelton and Klink families.

The theater will open at 12:00 noon, Santa will arrive in style at 12:30 p.m. as he rolls in from his sleigh parking area to the theater on an antique fire truck. He’ll sit a bit and chat and take Christmas wishes from the kids and the movie will start around 1:15. Don’t miss it!

It’s time for the Town of Estes Park’s Fifth Annual HolidayLighting Contest sponsored by the Town of Estes Park, The Ambassadors and the Estes Park News. The lighting contest is open to all residents of the Estes Valley and will be a fun event that will brighten up our community and bring people together!

This exciting contest was started by former Mayor John Baudek who thought it would be a great idea to bring back holiday joy and some old-fashioned fun to our community.

Mayor Bill Pinkham has continued this tradition and said, “This town is just beautiful year round, and what better way to add beauty to the holidays than by adding some pretty sparkling lights on our homes and businesses. And this contest is just plain fun!”

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Combine a mountain village with holiday spirit, Santa Claus, carolers, hayrides and an evening parade where all the floats are decked out for the season and you’ll find the largest holiday celebration kick-off in Northern Colorado. It all happens this Friday, Nov. 27 in Estes Park and there’s no fee for any of the activities.

This is a time when the community’s long tradition of treasuring family outings is particularly magnified. It’s a time when people are invited to “Come Catch the Glow” of the season. Activities on Nov. 27 begin at noon with holiday music broadcast outdoors throughout the town, carolers, people interacting with strolling animal characters, and free pony and hay rides.

The day’s big event, the annual Come Catch the Glow Parade, begins at 5:30 p.m. By that time, Elkhorn Avenue, the main street through downtown Estes Park, is lined with people waiting for the hour-long parade of lighted floats to pass. Estes Park has been home to a holiday parade for over than 20 years.

More than 30 lighted units transform the town’s main street into an absolutely magical setting. Floats to watch for this year, a Stanley Steamer with a brass performance group aboard; a float featuring a huge holiday feast with all the trimmings, a gold and white pipe organ surrounded by over-sized lyrics with jazz pianist Ray Young at the keyboard and an elegant winter princess. The parade typically attracts up to 25,000 spectators from throughout the region.

The designers of this year’s Come Catch the Glow Parade are the extremely talented and creative artists, Michael Young and Bob Aiken.

This is the second year Michael and Bob have teamed together to create a parade extravaganza for locals and visitors alike to kick off the holiday season with gusto!

Bob and Michael have been very busy out at Barn W at the Stanley Park Fairgrounds since early October, re-assembling some of last year’s floats as well as designing some new and exciting entries. New this year are the Stanley Steamer which Laurie Button of the Special Events Dept. says, “You’ll swear they could drive that car right off the float!” The holiday feast is new as well as Peace on Earth, a new Estes Valley Library float, a theatre float and King Wenceslaus’ castle, which tells the story of good King Wenceslaus.

When asked if they are having fun, Michael said, “Oh, we’re having big time fun! You can see here how much we love this parade, we’re trying to give new and better floats to everyone and we’re actually already planning next year’s parade in our heads!”

Bob Aiken said, “We have been working eleven hours a day but it is a labor of love and we’re very happy with how this is all turning out!”

The parade is a moving extension of the holiday décor for which Estes Park is known: 135 streetlights are dressed with lighted multi-colored LED Christmas tree shapes and 190 live trees throughout town sparkle with tiny white lights. In addition, the town displays seven larger-than-life murals depicting everything from old-time nursery rhymes such as “The Old Woman in the Shoe” to spiritually-based parables.

It’s just the beginning of special holiday events in this mountain village.

Saturday, Nov. 28 at 9 a.m. is the annual Holiday House Christmas Bazaar at the Estes Park Conference Center. Hundreds of hand-crafted holiday items, a raffle, recycled treasures, holiday treats, music and more, are all available for a $1 donation at the door. The event, sponsored by the Elizabeth Guild, benefits the Estes Park Medical Center. The Conference Center is located at 101 S. St. Vrain Ave.

Saturday, Dec. 5 is the annual Quota Club Holiday Home Tour. The event features five of Estes Park’s most unique homes decked out in holiday finery. Tickets and tour maps, $15 on the day of the tour, are available at the Estes Park Visitors Center, 500 Big Thompson Ave.

Also on Saturday, Dec. 5 is the annual Estes Park Oratorio Society Holiday Concert. With the Estes Park Chamber Orchestra, the group will perform Mary’s Song: The Magnificat by John Rutter.

Other holiday activities scheduled in Estes Park include concerts, special art and gallery shows.

For complete information about activities and events in Estes Park during the holiday season, contact the Estes Park Convention & Visitors Bureau at 800-44-ESTES (800-443-7837) or 970-577-9900, or http//www.EstesParkCVB.com.

Estes Park resident Dr. James H. Enns died at his home on Thursday, November 19, 2009. He was 85 years old. James H. Enns was born August 13, 1924 in Newton, KS. His parents were Jacob and Margaret (Klassen) Enns.

James graduated from the University of Kansas as a Doctor of Medicine in 1947, and practiced in Newton, KS for 29 years before retiring in 1980. His Internship was spent at St. Joseph Hospital in Kansas City, MO and his Residency at the University of Kansas. He was a Diplomat in the American Board of Ophthalmology. He served in the U.S. Navy and was stationed aboard the hospital ship, the USS Consolation in Korean waters.

James is survived by his wife of 63 years, Shirley of Estes Park, CO; sons Tom Enns and wife Dee of Estes Park, Charles Enns of Wichita, KS; daughters Jane Enns Sturgeon and husband Ron of Leawood, KS, Jo Ellen Enns of Lenexa, KS. Grandchildren Ben Enns and wife Tanya and great grandsons Jack and Anthony of Santa Fe, NM; Kristi Andre and husband Dan and great grandsons Joshua and Gabriel of Lenexa, KS; grandson Jake Spinka of Lenexa, KS; granddaughter Lane Sturgeon of Leawood, KS, grandsons Pat and Mike Walker and Scott and Chris Sturgeon.

James was a member of St. Bartholomew’s Church of Estes Park. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Memorial contributions can be made to the Estes Park Medical Center Foundation to benefit Hospice or charity of donor’s choice in care of Allnutt Funeral Service, 1302 Graves Avenue Estes Park, CO 80517. See www.allnutt.com to see James’ on-line obituary and send a message to the family.

Dear Editor,

This year our “Around the World” Book Fair was a huge success. I would like to offer a huge “World Wide” thank you to all who helped make this fair a wonderful event.

Thank you to the following businesses and individuals for donating prizes, food or services to our fair: The Egg & I, Starbucks, STAR Video, Mary Jane’s Closet, Geppetto’s Toy Store, Smokin Dave’s Barbeque, Sweet Basilico Cafe, Jana Marshall, Kendis Bratrud, Robin Calvin and The Estes Park Pie Shop.

Thank you to following volunteers:  Cynda Basch, Sara Bergsten, Robin and Joseph Calvin, Natalie Chrastil, Susan Colmore, Janelle Coop, Stacy Feree, Tisha Goodemote, Deb Holmes, Teri Johnson, Suzanne Landkamer, Laura Larson, Liesle Laurienti, Karen Lee, Kelley Lewelling, Dan and Terri Miller, Priscilla Nelson, Sarah Pearson, Pat Reed, Brenda Reins, Elizabeth Repola, Lois Scott, Kathy Semerad, Lynn Severin, Heidi Scanlan, Cynthia Soguero, Lori Smith, and Kathy and Wayne Young. You are all awesome, we couldn’t have traveled the world without you!

Thank you so much for your support!  Working together, we can positively influence the future!

Most Sincerely,

Lisa Wahler

Library/Media Specialist

Elementary Library

To The Editor:

I believe that I and most of your readers chose to live in this beautiful valley both for the grand vistas as well as the abundant wildlife. But, now, I fear, that the latter has a real danger of disappearing.

On Monday, 11/9/09, without the benefit of pre-announcements or advertising, a meeting was held to give final approval to the new Estes Valley Development Code Section 7.8, Wildlife Habitat Protection. As a consequence, only about 10 residents attended the meeting; and developers received a windfall – virtually no building restrictions to protect wildlife. The Colorado Division of Wildlife was eliminated from the decision process, and all habitat protection for elk, deer, and raptors, including restrictions for corridors, water access, and birthing areas, was removed as well.

Final approval for the Code has been delayed; so there is still time for residents to voice their opinions even though their input was never actively solicited by the Board of County Commissioners or the Town. If you care about our wildlife, please be proactive in expressing your concerns.

Thank you.

Anita Prinzmetal

Estes Park

The Voters Forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters on the future of the Estes Park Urban Renewal Agency (EPURA) will be Monday, December 7 at   7 p.m. in the Town Board room, which is a few doors down from the main office at 170 MacGregor Avenue. Representatives from both sides will make a presentation and answer questions from the audience.

“We had such a strong turnout at our regular League meeting on EPURA that we realized that EPURA is on everyone’s mind now and we needed to hold the Forum before the holidays,” said Donna Shavlik, Voters Service co-chair.

The Estes Park Urban Renewal Authority (EPURA) was organized 25 years ago and was renewed for another 25 years by a vote of the Town Board this year. A citizens’ petition requested that the decision to renew be put before the voters. After litigation, the Special Election was set for January 12, 2010.

Ballots will be mailed to all active registered voters in the Town of Estes Park the week of December 21, 2009 and must be returned by January 12, 2010. The last day to register is December 14, 2009.

Because ballots cannot be forwarded by the Post Office, voters who will be out of town can have their ballot sent to an alternate address by completing the Mail-In Ballot application no later than January 5, 2010. The applications are available in the Town Clerk’s Office at 170 MacGregor Avenue, or online at here.

Ballots can be returned (not postmarked) by 7 p.m. Friday, January 12, 2010, via the mail, or dropped off to the Town Clerk’s office, the County offices at 1601 Brodie, Estes Park, or Larimer County Elections at 200 W. Oak Street, Fort Collins.

The League of Women Voters promotes the informed participation of citizens in government by providing non-partisan educational information on topics of public concern and on the processes of government. The organization also takes positions on specific issues after extensive study. Membership is open to all. For more information, call Sue Pinkham at 586- 0992.