RIM COUNTRY COMMUNITY BRIEFS

(Compiled by the staff of the Mogollon Connection. Pick up your free copy of the truthful paper every Wednesday.)

Relay for Life sponsored by the American Cancer Society on Friday, June 4 and Saturday, June 5 at 6 p.m. at the Payson High School track, 409 Longhorn Street. For more information, contact Event Coordinator Dusty Miller at paysonrfl2010@hotmail.com.

Payson Loggers Sawdust Festival on Saturday, June 5 and Sunday, June 6 at the Payson Event Center. Gates open at 9 a.m. Event includes logging competition, kid’s competition, cash and prizes, vendors and exhibitors, and kid’s sawdust prize pit includes $500 money CD applied to college education fund. Admission is $10 for adults; free for children ages 12 and under.

Upcoming Events

Fourth Annual Payson Sprint Triathlon at Rumsey Park on Saturday, June 12 at 7 a.m. The adult division is for anyone over 15 years of age and will consist of a 500-yard swim, 15-mile bike ride and 5K run. The youth division is for youth 7 to 14 years of age and will consist of a 200-yard swim, 3-mile bike ride and 1 1/2 mile run. Enter as a team or an individual. Pre-register by May 29 and the cost for adults is $50 individual or $75 team; the cost for youth is $15 individual or $30 team. An additional $10 will be charged for all registrations received after the pre-registration deadline. Download a race registration form at www.PaysonParks.com or call the Payson Parks, Recreation & Tourism Department, 474-5242 x7.

Rim Country Mountain Bike Festival from Friday, June 11 through Sunday, June 13. Join us for a weekend of mountain biking, music and good times! If you want to escape the summer heat, spend a weekend camping in the cool pines under the Mogollon Rim while enjoying good music, good food, good beer and some of the sweetest single track you probably never knew existed, then don't miss out. Rides will occur on trails near Cabin Loop Trail and Rim Lakes Trails off Forest Road 300. Festival is held in conjunction with the Strawberry Valley Blues Festival and the Strawberry Festival. Call Mick Wolf at Hike, Bike, & Run, 478-6918 or e-mail: shop@hikebikeandrun.com to RSVP and for more details and itinerary of weekend events.Explore

Travel Writing and Photography workshop sponsored by Arizona Press Woman, Rim Country District. Learn how to support your wanderlust on Saturday, June 12, 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Community Presbyterian Church, 800 W. Main Street. The one-day workshop features award-winning writers and editors experienced in writing for, and selling photographs to, regional and national publications. If you've dreamed of being paid to travel, allow our speakers and panelists to be your tour guides for the day. $35 per person or $30 early bird registration prior to June 8. Light lunch included. Register by phone, then send a check; at the door via check or cash; or by credit card. To register online, go to: http://www.az-rim-apw.org. Checks should be made payable to APW and sent to Gail Hearne, APW Treasurer 1420 N. Sunrise Court, Payson, AZ 85541. Mailed payments must include the names and phone numbers of participants. For further information, contact Carol Brown, 468-9269.

Twentieth Annual Strawberry Festival on Saturday, June 12 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, June 13 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Highway 87 in Pine at the Pine Strawberry Community Center and Ramada across from the post office. Held in conjunction with the Strawberry Patchers’ Quilt Show (at the Cultural Hall in Pine) and the Strawberry Blues Festival in Strawberry, three miles north of Pine. Free admission to all events. There will be activities for the kids, a great selection of food from fry bread, kettle corn, hamburgers and hot dogs to strawberry delicacies such as pies, sundaes, floats, shortcake, jam, strawberry sparkle drink, chocolate dipped strawberries, flats of strawberries and on and on. Vendors and artisans will be selling a great diversity of wares.

Payson Area Habitat for Humanity Charity Golf Outing will be held on Sunday, June 27 at Chaparral Pines. Enjoy a day with friends and help PAHH develop more homes for low-income families. Shotgun start at noon with a Hole-In-One grand prize of $50,000. Participants will compete for various prizes, contests and silent auction items. Registrations are now being accepted at the Business Office located at 103 East State Highway 260 (next to Urgent Care). The Charity Golf Registration form is available at www.paysonhabitat.com or in person at the ReStore. Space is limited so register early by mailing in the form and payment to Payson Area Habitat for Humanity, Inc., P.O. Box 1131, Payson, AZ 85547-1131 before June 21. For more information, call 474-0330 or e-mail: paysonhabitat@qwestoffice.net. Check, cash and credit card accepted. PAHH is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization; IRS 86-0818407.

Saturday, June 5
World Environment Day

Payson Farmers Market from 8 a.m. to noon in front of the Sawmill Theatre, 816 S. Beeline Highway. Arizona grown produce and artisan foods of all kinds. You can also meet an herbalist, get a back and shoulder massage or relax with friends and listen to live music while you enjoy a cup of coffee and fresh baked treats. For more information, contact Lorian Roethlein at (928) 468-0961 or www.PaysonFarmersMarket.info.

Payson Lions Pancake Breakfast from 8 to 11 a.m. at Crossroad Church, 114 E. Cedar Lane. Tickets: $5/adults; $3/children. Tickets available at the door. Funds raised go directly to providing eye exams, glasses, and hearing aides for those in need in our community.  For more information, call Judy Spivey, 474-8833.

Time Out, Inc. Annual Fashion Show & Luncheon from noon to 3 p.m. at the Elks Lodge, 1206 N. Beeline Highway. Bid on fabulous new and gently used fashions. Lunch will be served. Enjoy the live entertainment. Tickets are $15 each and are available at Time Out Thrift Shop and the Chamber of Commerce. For more information, call Sherry Jackson, 472-8007.

Free concert at Green Valley Park. Concessions start at 6 p.m. and music plays from 7 to 9 p.m. The Terry McFee Orchestra will perform a variety of musical selections which include fox trots, ballads, waltzes, swing tunes, big band hits, polkas, mambos and 50s rock-and-roll.

Sunday, June 6
National Gardening Exercise Day

Payson Center for Spiritual Awareness Sunday Celebration at 11 a.m., 107 W. Wade Lane, Suite 2. Guest speaker Donna Steckal will be speaking about the power of imagination. Joyous Rainbow will prepare delicious food in her class after the Sunday Celebration.

Jam Sessions with Junction 87 at the Buffalo Bar & Grill, 311 S. Beeline Highway, every Sunday from 5 to 9 p.m.

Monday, June 7
National Chocolate Ice Cream Day

Grief Support Group every first and third Monday of the month from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at the Hospice House, 511 S. Mud Springs Road. The free drop-in group sessions are for those who have experienced the death of a loved one. For more information, contact Jean Ramsey, 472-6340.

Tuesday, June 8
Best Friends Day

Rim Country Toastmasters meet every Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at the Mogollon Health Alliance Auxiliary building next to the Almost New Shop at 304 E. Aero Drive. Networking at 5:30 p.m. The 60-minute meeting begins at 5:45 p.m. Find or refine your voice with us. Learn to persuade and inspire your audience, organize your speech, use vocal variety and overcome fear at the podium. For more information, contact, (928) 478-8820 or RimcountryTM@gmail.com.

Divorcecare every Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Four Seasons Realty, 102 E. Main Street. The ongoing series of classes are designed to aid in recovery from the pain of separation and divorce. Seminars include weekly video lessons. The non-denominational course features biblical teachings. Each lesson is $5 and includes a 120-page workbook. For more information, contact Pastor Dale Lewallen, 468-2171.

Wednesday, June 9
National Bubba Day

Pre-school Story Time, every Wednesday at 10:15 a.m. in the Pine Public Library.

Puppet Story Time, every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. in the Payson Public Library.

Thursday, June 3
Repeat Day (I said “Repeat Day”)

Summer Reading Program at the Payson Public Library every Thursday in June at 9:30 a.m. Bounces, ticklers, brain play, lullabies and stories for ages six months to three years.

Tikes & Toddlers Story Time every Thursday at 10 a.m. in the Payson Public Library Meeting Room.

Dinner Specials every Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Greater Payson Moose Lodge #258, 225903 E. Highway 260 in Star Valley. Specials include fried and baked fish, breaded shrimp or chicken along with vegetables, dinner salad, bread and choice of potato. $7 per person. Members and guests welcome.

Payson Raconteurs writers group meets each Thursday at 6 p.m. at a local restaurant. The association of local writers makes it possible for writers to read their work for critique. For further information, contact Carole Mathewson, 474-0753.

The Payson Tea Party—Sons and Daughters of Liberty meets every Thursday night from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Famous Sam’s Restaurant (east wing of the shopping center on the northeast corner of the Beeline Highway and Bonita Street). Speakers this week will be Jim Muhr, candidate for the U.S. House CD1 and Doyel Shamley of Citizens for Multiple Land Use and Access (back by popular demand).

Friday, June 4
Hug Your Cat Day

“Famous Fish Fry” at the American Legion Tonto Rim Post #69 every Friday from noon to 8 p.m., 709 E. Highway 260. Karaoke from 6 to 10 p.m. Public welcome.

Beginning Genealogy Class every third Friday of the month from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Genealogy Library, 302 E. Bonita Street. The class is packed full of concepts, techniques and ideas which will get you started on your way to fulfilling a lifetime of tracing your family tree. Pre-registration and payment of fee is required. $5 for members and $25 for nonmembers. Evening classes can be conducted by appointment. For more information, contact Peggy Gray, 474-5015.

The Starlighters at Rye Creek Bar & Grille on Highway 87 in Rye, five miles south of Payson from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. every Friday night. Music from the era of Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Nat King Cole.