Artist Neva Ross sold delicately knitted Christmas angels that took about 16 hours each to make.

MONTE VISTA— The mood was festive— and hopeful— at the Nov. 17 holiday bazaar at the Tri County Senior Center, where jewelry makers, crochet artists, seamstresses, bakers, home canners and other crafters converged to sell their wares as a way of benefiting the center and making a little holiday money to boot. Vendors wore sparkly jewelry and holiday-themed shirts decorated in things like snowflakes and Santa Claus, while aromas of cherry pie, chocolate chip cookies and green chili wafted through the air.
The Tri County Senior Citizens is a non-profit organization that has been offering community services to senior citizens living in the Monte Vista area and beyond since the mid-1970s. Because the center receives limited funding from the city of Monte Vista and Rio Grande County— and no state or federal funding— it relies mainly on member dues, fundraising and donations. The annual holiday bazaar, which is coming on its 40th year, is an important fundraising event that helps keep the center going, said Administrator Mary Baumfalk.
For just $25 a year, the center provides seniors with everything from penny bingo to field trips, arts and craft classes, exercise programs, billiards, card playing and even monthly blood pressure monitoring. The Department of Social Services is at the center once a month to help seniors with no means of transportation to the social services office located in Del Norte. The center is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Vendors at this year’s bazaar included 92-year-old Neva Ross, who was selling her celebrated crocheted Christmas angels; Colette Skeff and Karen Widger with the Monte Vista Kiwanis, displaying unique plate arrangements that can be used for décor, birdfeeders and more; Wanda Hawman and Mary Solano from the Monte Vista Community Garden with tasty homemade items like apple butter, “death by chocolate” zucchini bread and jalapeño fudge and Doris Hathaway, who was selling items from her personal home collections due to an upcoming move from her home of 48 years to an apartment at the senior center. Included in Hathaway’s sale items were brooches and pins that she has been collecting for years, including several from past Monte Vista Crane Festivals.
The center’s board members purchased and prepared all the fixings for a red and green chili potato bar and served up the food for just $5 a plate.
Holiday bazaar vendors paid a nominal booth fee, which allowed them to take home the day’s profits. But that also meant the center’s fundraising during the event came mainly from the sale of raffle tickets, lunch and baked goods made by members and volunteers. This year’s raffle prizes included donated Bronco tickets, Christmas dishes, an afghan and matching doll and a juicer.
For more information on the Tri County Senior Citizens and Housing, Inc., visit tricountyseniors.com or call Mary Baumfalk at 719-852-5778.