Work on a Colorado Department of Transportation safety and improvement project along an 11-mile segment of Colorado Highway 9 between Kremmling and Silverthorne continues during the week of May 11. Work hours will be from from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and the estimated delay time is between 15 and 25 minutes. There will be lane closures both northbound and southbound with alternating traffic between mile posts 135 and 137. There will be a shoulder closure for topsoil removal, surveying and removing/installing fence between mile posts 131 and 137 and lane closures for pipe work between mile posts 131 and 133. CDOT urges motorists to use caution and stay alert while traveling through the construction zone and to follow flaggers’ directions and reduced posted speed limits.

College essay writing class offered by collaboration

BookTrails, in collaboration with Colorado Student Care, will hold a college essay writing class next week. The class will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday, 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday and 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Colorado Student Care offices, 1370 Bob Adams Drive. Students will learn the basics of writing the college admission essay, how to pick a topic and will have the opportunity to get started on their drafts. The cost is $200 and includes three private editing sessions in the fall. Advance registration is required and can be completed online at mybooktrails.org. Call 855-426-6587 for more information.

Local attorney to present workshop on incorporation

The Success Steps seminar will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Colorado Mountain College’s Alpine Campus in Steamboat Springs. The workshop, which will be presented by local attorney Jim Moylan, will review the advantages and disadvantages of incorporation, explain the risks of a partnership and go over what an LLC is as well as other topics. The cost of the seminar is $15. To register, call 970-870-4491. The Success Steps seminar is a collaborative effort of the Colorado Mountain College Yampa Valley Entrepreneurship Center, the Steamboat Springs Economic Development Council and SCORE.

Agency hires Medicare program coordinator

Betsy Packer has been hired by the Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Colorado as coordinator for the Medicare State Health Insurance Program in Routt, Moffat and Rio Blanco counties. SHIP helps seniors and their caregivers navigate the maze of Medicare. Through counseling, education and outreach, SHIP helps beneficiaries identify, understand and enroll in programs and plans, when eligible and appropriate, including enrollment assistance in prescription drug coverage as well as Medicare Advantage plans, Medicare supplemental insurance policies and Medicare Savings programs. Packer and a group of volunteers are available to support residents of all three counties. For more information or to volunteer, contact SHIP at 970-819-6401 or medicareship@gmail.com. Anyone with basic computer knowledge and the willingness to help seniors is welcome to inquire about volunteering.

Advance registration for workshop ends Friday

Early registration for A Day for Writers, which will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. July 25, ends Friday. The all-day workshop will be held at the Depot Art Center. Prior to Friday, the cost to register is $60. After the cut-off date, the fee will increase to $75. For more information or to register, visit steamboatwriters.com or call 970-879-8138.

Historical societies to host annual pioneer picnic June 7

The 111th annual Routt County Pioneer Picnic will be held June 7 at the Yampa Masonic Hall in Yampa. The event, which begins with a potluck lunch at 1 p.m., is hosted by the Oak Creek and Phippsburg Historical Society and Yampa-Egeria Historical Society.

Guests are invited to bring a favorite side dish or dessert to share; the main dish and drinks will be provided. Music will be provided by Belinda Rossi and Gene Sanders, along with a selection by Rose Karow. The Yampa Museum, adjacent to the picnic location, will be open, and a historic tour of Yampa will be offered at 3 p.m., weather permitting.

According to the Hayden Heritage Center, the Pioneer Picnic developed out of the loosely organized early day Fourth of July celebrations where pioneers from all across the county gathered together to enjoy a day of relaxation. The first picnic was held July 7, 1886, in Steamboat when the county boasted 763 residents and extended to the Colorado/Utah border. Throughout the years, the picnic became the social event of the summer time.

The Pioneer Association was formed to continue the yearly picnics and record the stories told at them, and on June 14, 1904, the first official Pioneer Picnic was held in Hayden. The group later changed its name to the Routt-Moffat County Pioneer Association after the county was divided in 1911. Eventually, the association disbanded, and the picnic became what it is today — a loosely organized event put together by local pioneer families and museums rotating throughout the county every two years.

No longer is it exclusive to only the pioneer families but is open to anyone interested.

For more information, contact the Tracks & Trails Museum at 970-736-8245 or tracksandtrailsmuseum@gmail.com.

Club meetings move to second, fourth Wednesdays

The Steamboat Ski Town Lions Club now meets the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at The Egg & I restaurant from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The group is one of Steamboat’s oldest civic organizations, chartered in 1923. Meetings are open to members as well as those who are interested in learning more about the Lions Club.

The Steamboat Ski Town Lions Club is made up of civic-minded men and women of all ages who identify needs within the Steamboat Springs community and work to fulfill them.

Throughout the years, the group has planned or participated in numerous events and programs. It collects eyeglasses for those in need throughout the world and provides free vision screening for youths in Routt County schools and at health fairs. It supports United Way Day of Caring and the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life. It provides scholarships for high school seniors and funding for local youth groups such as Rocky Mountain Youth Corps.

Highlight events include its annual Thanksgiving turkey drive, highway cleanup days, participation in the Rocky Mountain Mustang Roundup, Fourth of July Pancake Breakfast and Hot Air Balloon Rodeo. The club’s largest fundraiser is its annual Christmas tree sale in November and December.

For more information on joining, call Theo at 970-879-4889. For general information on the club, visit skilions.org or find the club on Facebook at facebook.com/skitownlions.