CREATE Orchards in Recreation

This afternoon I will be meeting the Custer County School Board as I take over as President of Valley Park Recreation and Youth Center. It coincides with my CREATE Daily column for Tuesday which is geared towards Recreation.

Originaly Organic

It was thirty years ago that the late Stan and Irene Francis asked me to direct the programs at Valley Park and Recreation. And I brought in community events that had all ages create and recreate, arts and media, excursions around town at the Library and at nearby camps. It was even more organic and original back then. There wasn't Tennis Courts or a Soccer Field. There were softball leagues for men and women. We hosted clog dancing, and had a coffeehouse every Friday Night. We had a class write and perform one act plays, I taught songwriting, and was an artist in residence as I was writing and recording the soundtrack for a film that History Colorado commissioned, "Preserving Colorado."

Recording and Reflections of Community

Our orchards of stories are like Dick Jone's book "Walking the Same Ground," and my radio show "Folk Heroes" which air on KLZR at 7 tonight. In order for the community to come together and be a community, we need to understand how it worked with Peripheral Vision and Neighboring.

Curating and Cultivating

Our most precious resource is the one that gets exported most. Our students after graduation for the most part leave the valley. Valley Park and Recreation recognizes that but also sees that with high school diplomas comes associate degrees where students can practice what they are great in and be mentored by entrepreneurs to become entrepreneurs. With partnering with Emergent in Florence and Trinidad, Students can use Main Street, The Old Westcliffe School House, All Aboard Westcliffe and more to discuss the challenges that are facing the State. economically, ecologically and find solutions through education and the Think/Action Group that we are starting with the Colorado Chapter of the Leadon Family Foundation.

Home Harvest

The problem with the housing shortage is one that TAG Team will be finding solutions. TAG Team is also a podcast that we will carry on the radio show CREATE Daily.

Community Alignment

To give students a reason to be part of this community, to create and recreate what makes us unique at home, through our work and in community is a goal and objective that we all should get behind.

Renewable Resources

My goal for what we do here is to become a renewable resource of good fruit. I have come back to the Valley with Jill to pass on our knowledge and the work of our souls through Jill's Music Mountain, my Sound Century and studio in recording arts. I am bringing the sport of FlingGolf and Wiffle Ball to the Westcliffe Wind. Dick Jones and I are performing his stories and my songs to reflect on our community and to discuss where we can go.

Destiny and Direction

The success of our Orchard System is all related to our minds and our hearts. Our problems cannot be solved with politics. They cannot be solved through the legal system. It is through creating and recreating an Orchard System. Telling our stories, discovering our greatest and most unique gifts, collaboration with one another, cultivating and curating ideas from one another. And the stoking the endeavors that we can dream. Create daily and serve your neighbor, and ignite the soul work and creative spirit in yourself and others.

Richard Beattie is the new President

of Valley Parks and Recreation in Westcliffe, Colorado. He is also the President of the Colorado Charter of the Leadon Family Foundation. To join our work send an email to Richardbeattie809@gmail.com.