Category: Uncategorized

Time to Clean Out Your Garage and Closets?

Posted on by Lindie Hunt

Many of us have accumulated outdoor items and clothes that could be put to life saving use by donating them to individuals without permanent shelter.

Harding Cure brought the collection at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church to our attention at the last SO meeting. Put your old tents, sleeping bags and warm clothing to a good use…..help our homeless neighbors survive the Durango winter.

Neighbors In Need Alliance
Emergency Cold Season

Support & Services Donation Day,
November 23rd from 9:00am – 12:00pm
@ St. Marks Episcopal Church, Durango

Many SO! members may have used gear and clothing that they no longer use which could benefit the unhoused in Durango.
Needed item are:

  • Camping gear
    • tents, tarps
    • sleeping bags
    • sleeping mats
    • rope
    • headlamps
    • backpacks
    • fleece blankets
  • Clothing is certainly needed but primarily for warmth, such as
    • boots (men size 9-13, women 7-9),
    • gloves
    • hats
    • socks
    • winter jackets

               Put your old tents, sleeping bags and warm clothing to a good use….. and
help our homeless neighbors survive the Durango winter.

And if you can’t pull things together in time for this event, Manna Soup Kitchen is always a great place to drop off items.

Manna accepts ongoing donations of outdoor gear throughout the winter. Each day after meal time, some clients volunteer to clean up the soup kitchen. In return, they are provided clothing, sleeping bags, tents, etc. So there is an accountability piece that plays into Manna’s outgoing donations.

Manna Soup Kitchen also serves brunch on Christmas Day when they distribute gifts, such as coats, sleeping bags, hand warmers, and whatever other winter gear they have.

Manna accepts donations as long as they have someone on the campus. This is generally Monday Tuesday, Thursday, Friday from 7 a.m. – 5 p.m., Wednesdays from 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., and weekends from 7 a.m. – noon.

Please consider one of these worthy causes if you have winter clothes or gear that you no longer need.

Winter is on its way…

Posted on by Lindie Hunt

As many of us are seeing the first snowflakes recently and this week is decidedly colder, many of our thoughts are turning from hiking, climbing, biking, and water activities to winter activities like snowshoeing, downhill skiing, cross country skiing, snowboarding, ice climbing, and more. Before you know it, we will be posting avalanche precautions on the website again!

As we gear up for the cold weather outings/activities, we welcome blog submissions about fall/winter activities, tips/tricks, your favorite outing this time of year, or your favorite clothing/equipment.

And if you don’t have a blog submission, let us know if we should continue the blogs on the website (email blog@seniorsoutdoors.org). You have probably noticed that we have made a change in that the entire blog is included in the email announcement about the new posting. This was done in response to one member’s comments. (You can still read all of the blogs on the website as well.)

Our membership is so diverse in skills, age, knowledge/experience, and interests that not everyone will be interested in every posting. We’ve tried to provide a variety of information although it has been geared a bit more for the members that are newer to the area or activities. Submissions from/for the more experienced members are welcome to make the postings of interest to a wider range of members.

And speaking of gear, if you want to sell (or give away gear), that can be posted on the blog as well. Please note that Seniors Outdoors! will not take responsibility for the accuracy/condition/safety of any gear postings however we will provide the blog as a vehicle for members to connect to sell gear.

And don’t forget that Seniors Outdoors! members receive a 10% discount on regularly-priced merchandise at the following retailers: Backcountry Experience, Brown’s Shoe Fit, Brown’s Sport Shoe, Gardenswartz, Pine Needle Mountaineering, and Spaah Shop. Just tell the merchant you are an SO! member.

Here’s to a great winter season!

Make a Ball Cap Into A Visor

Posted on by Lindie Hunt

I love Gail Davidson’s ball cap/visor with the havelock drape to protect her ears/neck from the sun. Janet Reichl modified an existing ball cap for her. Instructions are from Janet below.

How to Make a Ball Cap into a Visor

  1. Working on the inside of the hat, pin the band to the body of the hat so you can easily mark a cutting line that is about 3/8” from the edge of the band. See picture.
  2. Cut out the top of the hat.
  3. Fold the cut edge toward the inside of the hat so your fold line is even with the top edge of the band and the cut edge becomes hidden between the hat and the band. Pin in place.
  4. Sew the folded edge to the band, either by machine or by hand.

This is an easy project that will work with any ball cap that has an inside band that isn’t too thick to sew through.

Now I hate sewing so I came up with a faster/easier idea, although it doesn’t look nearly so nice. I took a clean handkerchief and a ready-made visor (so I don’t have to cut/sew) and pulled the handkerchief up from the inside and let it  drape down a bit. So far, this has stayed in place and is easy to remove and throw into the washing machine. Janet aptly pointed out that it could blow away so I could put a pin or even add some Velcro (non-sticky part on the band of the visor, sticky part on the cloth handkerchief). If I ever have trouble, I will but so far, even though the visor is slightly large for my head, it seems quite secure.

If you have suggestions for things to make life easier/better for our members, send the information to blog@seniorsoutdoors.org.