We're bound for glory and declaring that the land was made for you and me, after seeing Theater 3's production of Woody Guthrie's American Song this afternoon. The husband, of course, had read about this show and gotten us three tickets. Yes, we took the teenager. She mumbled later that she liked it, though I suspect deep down she loved it. I can hope, can't I? In three weeks, we're dragging her to Lubbock to see Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, and others at Jones Stadium. We'll be obliged to point out that Woody was their inspiration.
The Web site woodyguthrie.org calls the show, "An exuberant musical celebration of America." A group of actors-singers-musicians tells a two-part tale loosely based on Woody's life story and is woven together by his songs. The narrative focuses less on Woody and more on what inspired his music: dust storms, poverty, rambling, hard-living, war, loss. And yes, it really is exuberant. The message is that music, specifically folk music, can build up the listener's sense of worth that those hard times can knock down. The show features more than 20 songs, including So Long It's Been Good to Know Yuh, Bound for Glory and The Grand Coulee Dam.
Huntington's disease did eventually knock down Woody's mind and body. His soul lingers in the songs he left, in his family who perpetuate his legacy and in the musicians whom he inspired.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Milagros: A Coffee House
In Spanish, milagros means miracles. In Alamosa, Colo., it means that and more. The coffee shop in downtown Alamosa is named Milagros, and it is a fund-raising enterprise for La Puente, a nonprofit organization that offers several community outreach programs for five counties in the San Luis Valley. The name and the coffee shop itself sprang from a series of events that make an endearing story, and I'm so glad to know more about this favorite family stop in a favorite family town.
Alamosa is a familar place to us and my husband's family. The family has been a part of the San Luis Valley and the Conejos Canyon for more than 50 years. Alamosa is the largest town in the area, and when we are visiting the cabin on the Conejos River, a trip to Alamosa is usually part of the itenerary. Our most recent trip to town was to celebrate my mother-in-law's 80th birthday. We always make a stop for coffee at Milagros (as well as to the grocery story, the local bookstore and another La Puente enterprise, the Rainbow's End thriftstore).
Sitting among the coffee shop's free publications was the recent issue of the organization's newsletter booklet The Voice of La Puente. The story behind Milagros was contained in the Spring 2009 issue, and I have cut and pasted it:
"In the early 1990s, the unemployment rate of the San Luis Valley was three times the average of Colorado, the minimum wage was severely inadequate to live on, and it was an employer’s market. (In fact, the local newspaper went two months without advertising any local employment opportunities.) This made it extremely difficult for unskilled workers to gain employment, especially those individuals with a history of homelessness or lack of previous work experience. In response to the difficulties that our clients and guests were facing, the La Puente board members sought out a business venue for a job training or employment program. ... The idea for a coffeehouse came from customers of Rainbow’s End Thrift Store, where the manager had set up a corner for “Tea and Sympathy”—a place for a free cup of tea or coffee and friendly conversation. The coffeehouse idea was welcomed by the board because of the various training provided, such as: punctuality, food service, computer skills, and customer service. So they decided to acquire the building attached to Rainbow’s End and open a Coffeehouse (the current location of Hunt Avenue Boutique). Using donated couches, ovens, refrigerator, tables, chairs and assorted mugs, the coffeehouse was on track to open in March of 1998. Only one month before the scheduled opening, a new health inspector declared the coffeehouse unfit for business. Commercial appliances, which the new inspector required, would cost La Puente about $10,000. The board called an emergency meeting and decided that since they had already asked for so many donations to open the Coffeehouse, they simply had no one else to which to turn. They agreed to abandon the project and began the arduous process of returning the donated items. The Coffeehouse, they declared, would need a miracle.
Three days later, on Valentine’s Day, 1998, some guests were washing dishes after dinner, and someone turned on the television. The Colorado Lottery was conducting their annual drawing for a nonprofit. To nominate a nonprofit one simply wrote the name of the organization on the back of their non‐winning ticket and mailed it in to the lottery. Due to its large support base, the Salvation Army of Denver had won the prize for several years in a row. The announcer drew a ticket out of thousands, and narrowed his eyes as he read, “La Pea‐yunta Home? Alamosa… Where’s that?” he asked someone off camera. The noise of the television was overwhelmed by the cheers of guests and workers at the shelter. “We won!?” they all shouted. A volunteer ran to the phone to call the director to give him the good news. It turns out that a former guest at La Puente had moved to Denver for a job a while back. He had been collecting his “losing” lottery tickets to send in with La Puente’s name for this drawing. With the drawing of his ticket, he won $1000, and La Puente was awarded exactly $10,000! The much‐needed miracle had occurred, and shortly thereafter, “Milagros” opened its doors."
Milagros is located at the corner of State and Main in downtown Alamosa. If you are ever in the area (or on your way to Pagosa Springs, or just driving north from Santa Fe or Taos in to Colorado), make a point to stop and have a cup of coffee. For more information, visit www.lapuente.net.
Alamosa is a familar place to us and my husband's family. The family has been a part of the San Luis Valley and the Conejos Canyon for more than 50 years. Alamosa is the largest town in the area, and when we are visiting the cabin on the Conejos River, a trip to Alamosa is usually part of the itenerary. Our most recent trip to town was to celebrate my mother-in-law's 80th birthday. We always make a stop for coffee at Milagros (as well as to the grocery story, the local bookstore and another La Puente enterprise, the Rainbow's End thriftstore).
Sitting among the coffee shop's free publications was the recent issue of the organization's newsletter booklet The Voice of La Puente. The story behind Milagros was contained in the Spring 2009 issue, and I have cut and pasted it:
"In the early 1990s, the unemployment rate of the San Luis Valley was three times the average of Colorado, the minimum wage was severely inadequate to live on, and it was an employer’s market. (In fact, the local newspaper went two months without advertising any local employment opportunities.) This made it extremely difficult for unskilled workers to gain employment, especially those individuals with a history of homelessness or lack of previous work experience. In response to the difficulties that our clients and guests were facing, the La Puente board members sought out a business venue for a job training or employment program. ... The idea for a coffeehouse came from customers of Rainbow’s End Thrift Store, where the manager had set up a corner for “Tea and Sympathy”—a place for a free cup of tea or coffee and friendly conversation. The coffeehouse idea was welcomed by the board because of the various training provided, such as: punctuality, food service, computer skills, and customer service. So they decided to acquire the building attached to Rainbow’s End and open a Coffeehouse (the current location of Hunt Avenue Boutique). Using donated couches, ovens, refrigerator, tables, chairs and assorted mugs, the coffeehouse was on track to open in March of 1998. Only one month before the scheduled opening, a new health inspector declared the coffeehouse unfit for business. Commercial appliances, which the new inspector required, would cost La Puente about $10,000. The board called an emergency meeting and decided that since they had already asked for so many donations to open the Coffeehouse, they simply had no one else to which to turn. They agreed to abandon the project and began the arduous process of returning the donated items. The Coffeehouse, they declared, would need a miracle.
Three days later, on Valentine’s Day, 1998, some guests were washing dishes after dinner, and someone turned on the television. The Colorado Lottery was conducting their annual drawing for a nonprofit. To nominate a nonprofit one simply wrote the name of the organization on the back of their non‐winning ticket and mailed it in to the lottery. Due to its large support base, the Salvation Army of Denver had won the prize for several years in a row. The announcer drew a ticket out of thousands, and narrowed his eyes as he read, “La Pea‐yunta Home? Alamosa… Where’s that?” he asked someone off camera. The noise of the television was overwhelmed by the cheers of guests and workers at the shelter. “We won!?” they all shouted. A volunteer ran to the phone to call the director to give him the good news. It turns out that a former guest at La Puente had moved to Denver for a job a while back. He had been collecting his “losing” lottery tickets to send in with La Puente’s name for this drawing. With the drawing of his ticket, he won $1000, and La Puente was awarded exactly $10,000! The much‐needed miracle had occurred, and shortly thereafter, “Milagros” opened its doors."
Milagros is located at the corner of State and Main in downtown Alamosa. If you are ever in the area (or on your way to Pagosa Springs, or just driving north from Santa Fe or Taos in to Colorado), make a point to stop and have a cup of coffee. For more information, visit www.lapuente.net.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)