The Geothermal Greenhouse Partnership (GGP) will present Breakfast with Balloons on Saturday, Sept. 20, from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. as part of the annual ColorFest weekend in Pagosa Springs.
Once again our nonprofit invites the community to join us along the San Juan River in Centennial Park for a delicious locally sourced breakfast. Our supporters will enjoy egg bites with cheese & seasonal local vegetables, fresh fruit salad, crispy bacon and a specialty gluten-free muffin accompanied by bubbly mimosas and coffee as we watch the event unfold with bright colorful balloons against the early morning sky.
Add to the tasty breakfast and lovely scene the gentle sound of acoustic guitars and you have a morning that might only be made more enjoyable with the addition of a blanket and chair or seating pillow.
All this is available for a $50 donation. Tickets are available now online at pagosagreen.org. Act quickly; seating is limited and tickets will go fast.
There is still time to become a sponsor, with a choice of levels with differing benefits. We invite you to join our already committed businesses at the level of your choice: High Flyer Support ($500), Lift-Off Partner Support ($250) or Ground Crew Support ($100). Interested in sponsorship? Call (719) 641-0255.
This is a critical fundraiser for the GGP. Our three domes where built in 2016, 2017 and 2018, which means they have endured seven to nine years of our wonderful Colorado weather with its extremes of temperature. It’s time for major maintenance and our builder is all over it, literally; the crew can be seen in harnesses climbing over the domes as they do their repairs, hence the safety cones and tape when they are present.
And what are they doing, exactly?
Upgrading fans and vents, including a new attic fan, a system that allows us to program airflow by temperature and season directly from an iPad, replacing vents damaged in this year’s windstorm and polycarbonate panels damaged by hail storms, and refreshing several interior features that, though long-serving, are ready for an update. And, finally, they are resealing the domes with new tape on all seams, ensuring both energy efficiency and longevity.
These upgrades aren’t just cosmetic; they are vital improvements that help us keep the domes functional year-round. The tab? Close to $20,000.
And what does the community get out of all this?
School kids come, plant, grow and develop a lifelong interest in the process, which will serve them well in terms of health and economics, not to mention the planet in the long term.
Volunteers plant, harvest and deliver to our food pantries for delivery to those who need.
Tourists pass by, stop, ask questions and take the answers back to their place of origin to replicate, perhaps, but for sure to create interest in our small community.
Media are drawn to feature our project. Subscribers to the Washington Post read the article of July 19, “Geothermal Greenhouse Growing tomatoes through cold winters.” The recent RMPBS News video “Turning heat into vegetables: the geothermal gardens of Pagosa Springs” is currently on our website. Take a look.
The three domes now under repair embody our mission — to educate the community in sustainable agricultural practices by producing food year-round using local renewable energy — and serve our community well.
Speaking of sustainability, think about bringing your own plates, cups and cutlery.
For tickets, visit pagosagreen.org. For information regarding sponsorship, call (719) 641-0255.
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