Safe Routes to Schools is sponsoring Steamboat Hike & Bike to School on Fridays through the end of the school year. The city would like to remind drivers to be extra cautious and aware of kids on bikes on these days.

Students who ride the bus can also participate in Hike & Bike to School Days. They can be dropped off by the bus at the high school where community service officers and volunteers will be present to safely manage street crossings.

For those who don’t live within walking or cycling distance and are driven to school, parents can consider dropping their students off a mile from school and letting them bike or walk the rest of the way. Stehley Park at the bottom of Butcher Knife trail is a great place to start. The transit center on the west side of town is another option.

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To find the safest route to school, use the Safe Routes to School map at saferoutessteamboat.org or pick up a printed copy at the school office.

Parents can also walk or ride with their children for the first few times, especially if unfamiliar with the area. It’s also important for kids to ride or walk with a buddy. Younger children should be accompanied by older children if possible.

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VNA advises readers to be aware during tick season

The Northwest Colorado Visiting Nurse Association advises residents be aware of ticks and tick-borne diseases during spring and summer months, when ticks are most active. Tick bites in Colorado can result in Colorado tick fever, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and tick-borne relapsing fever.

Ticks should be removed from the skin as soon as possible. People who remove ticks from a person or a pet need to wash their hands immediately. If you become ill after a tick bite or exposure to ticks, seek prompt medical attention.

Ticks are commonly found in wooded or brushy areas with tall grass. They may also inhabit rustic mountain cabins where chipmunks and other rodents may have visited. Wear protective clothing — long-sleeved shirts and long pants — and do thorough tick checks after being in areas where ticks may be present. For information on how to safely remove a tick that has settled into the skin, visit cdc.gov/ticks.

Soroco FFA’s annual plant sale slated for this week

Soroco FFA is sponsoring its annual greenhouse plant sale this week. This year’s selection includes lemon, thyme, mint, lupine, columbines, geraniums, petunias, vinca, ice plant, a variety of hanging baskets and hens and chicks. Plants can be purchased in the Soroco High School ag room from 9 to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Purchases benefit Soroco FFA and Soroco High School ag programs.

Yampatika celebrates migratory bird day May 26

Yampatika will celebrate International Migratory Bird Day from 4 to 7 p.m. May 26 at Bud Werner Memorial Library and Little Toots Park. There will be a bird story time with special appearances by Woodsy Owl and Talon. Live birds from Nature’s Educators in Denver will be on display, and there will be bird-themed arts and crafts offered for children. Adults will have the opportunity to learn how to attract more birds to their gardens. The free event is sponsored by Colorado Parks and Wildlife, U.S. Forest Service, Yampa Valley Birding Club, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory and the library.

Scholarship applications still are being accepted by YPN

The Young Professionals Network of Steamboat has extended the deadline for this year’s scholarship applications for the Youth Education Scholarship Fund. The funds are awarded in two categories consisting of Routt County High School graduating seniors and past recipients of the scholarship who are still enrolled. The deadline has been extended to Friday.

Three scholarships of $2,000 each will be awarded to three graduating seniors in Routt County. The scholarships are open to any Routt County high school senior who has been attending a Routt County high school for at least two full semesters.

The funds for this annual scholarship are being raised through the annual YES Golf Tournament, currently in its 27th year. YPN is still accepting groups of four or singles for the tournament, and is still accepting gift giveaways and hole sponsorships.

To apply for the scholarship or get more information about the YES Golf tournament, please email yes@steamboatchamber.com.

Live from Steamboat airs on last Friday of the month

Tune in to WWFM 91.1 on your radio dial at 10 a.m. the last Friday of the month for Live from Steamboat, classical music from our own Strings Music Festival concerts, part of WWFM’s “Celebrating Our Musical Community” program. This broadcast will feature music from 2013 concerts, Sergi Prokofiev’s Sonata in C Major for cello and piano and Paul Coletti’s From My Heart and Circus.  

Listeners will also hear portions of a 2012 concert titled “Baroque, Tangos & Jazz,” with selections by composers Alejandro Scarpino, Juan Caldarella, Astor Piazzolla and Jacobo Gade. The broadcasts are brought to Steamboat by the team of WWFM in Trenton, N.J., Strings Music Festival and West Slope FM. 

Integrated Community needs volunteers to tutor youths 

Integrated Community/Comunidad Integrada is seeking volunteers for its adult and youth English tutoring programs. 

Volunteers are trained and matched with either an immigrant student in need of academic support or a limited-English speaking community member, depending on preference. 

Pairs are asked to meet for one hour per week. No foreign language experience is necessary. Email or call Laura at laura@ciiccolorado.org or 970-819-3720.

Steamboat Art Museum in need of volunteers to assist

Steamboat Art Museum is looking for volunteers to assist in greeting visitors, help during special events or working in the museum’s store.

Shifts are 3 1/2 hours, one day per week Tuesdays through Saturdays during the summer and winter exhibits. 

Perks include getting to enjoy the fabulous art exhibits, meeting exhibiting artists at exhibit openings, free admission to all Saturday lectures during exhibit opening and meeting visitors from all across the country and world.

If you are interested in volunteering, call Dottie at 970-870-1755 or email sam@steamboatartmuseum.org.

Learn English while children attend special program

Residents have an opportunity to learn English while their preschool children attend a special program through Integrated Community from 9 a.m. to noon Mondays at Bud Werner Memorial Library. Participants are asked to bring a healthy snack, and there is a $30 fee to register for this Colorado Mountain College class. Call Jen at 970-846-2076 for more information.

Rechargeable batteries to be collected at new location

Steamboat Springs City Hall is no longer accepting rechargeable, lithium and button cell batteries for recycling. These items can be dropped off at Mogil’s on the Mountain in Dream Island Plaza during business hours, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. For a complete list of recycling locations, visit yvsc.org.

BookTrails and Colorado Student Care offer essay help

BookTrails, in collaboration with Colorado Student Care, offers help to local college applicants with their college essay process. As a reminder, many early decision deadlines are quickly approaching, and applicants should give themselves ample time for the essay-editing process. Visit mybook

trails.org for more information about essay help, and call Colorado Student Care at 970-870-1733 for general information and help on the college application process. 

Yampa Valley Gives Day campaign planning started

On Colorado Gives Day, which was held Dec. 9, 2014, Yampa Valley Gives, the newly formed regional champion of coloradogives.org, raised more than $400,000 for 40 nonprofits in Routt and Moffat counties. To build on its success, Yampa Valley Gives has started its 2015 Colorado Gives Day campaign. The day of giving this year is slated for Dec. 8. Anyone who would like to sponsor, volunteer or be involved in the cause should email info@yvgives.org. Donors can give online or learn more about local nonprofits year-round at yampavalleygives.org.

Food bank in Hayden will distribute food as needed

The Hayden Community Food Bank and outreach ministry of Hayden Congregational Church will distribute food on an as-needed basis. Call Theresa Stivers at 970-276-2507.

Veterans groups reach out to local returning soldiers

The Routt County Veterans Affairs, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4264 and American Legion Post 44 in Steamboat would like to meet and greet local sons and daughters returning from military service. The VFW is looking for female war veterans and new members.

For more information, call VFW Post Commander Tony Weiss at 970-846-5035, Jim Stanko at 970-879-3936 or Routt County veterans service officer Michael T. Condie at 970-879-5489.

Girl Scouts in Steamboat Springs seeks volunteers 

The Steamboat Springs Girl Scouts are looking for volunteers. For more information, contact Nancy Mucklow at 970-846-2630 or mucklow@wildblue.net.

Reminder: It is illegal to trash anything with a cord

The Copper Magnate would like to remind Routt County residents that it is against the law to throw away anything with a cord. The Copper Magnate does offer a newly permitted free metal and electronics public drop-off site.

All electronics and car batteries with the exception of televisions are free to recycle as are all things metal with the exception of refrigerators. For more information, call 970-846-6991.