lferrell@alamosanews.com 

DEL NORTE — The Del Norte Public Library will be hosting a Community Paint Day on June 27 at the library. Local high school students studied regional water systems to help design this mural, and now it’s time to paint it. 

After receiving grant funding from several different sources, the library worked with local high school students and Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust Community Engagement Director Jocelyn Catterson, who helped drive the project from the very beginning. 

The project is just the start of what could eventually be 12 murals across the Valley telling the region’s water story. “This was one of our pilot communities for a much larger project with the help of the Salzar Center out of Adams State University. The concept includes communities from Creede all the way down to Antonito where there will be these water murals, capturing our water story,” said Catterson. 

Each community will have a unique water curriculum that they use to create their own water stories based on the specific water needs within each location. “They learn about water history, cultural significance, the water history of their town and communities, and how it relates to the bigger picture.” 

The event on June 27 will also coincide with the second annual Summer River Festival Summer Splash. Participants are urged to come enjoy the cool morning painting Del Norte’s water story and then head on over to North Park and enjoy fun in the sun with surfing competitions, bounce house, build-a-raft and more. 

“Everyone has really come together to support this event. The library added a new water story to the Adventure Walk at North Park, the Del Norte Chamber of Commerce helped fund and support this project through the Summer Splash event and we are just so grateful to everyone who helped make this a success.” 

Stop by for free coffee, pastries, and fun water education activities. 

Plus, mark the calendars for our next mural paint day in Alamosa on July 11. 

A big thank you event supporters: Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust, Salazar Rio Grande del Norte Center (Adams State University), Rio Grande Water Conservation Education Initiative, Rio Grande Basin Roundtable, Colorado Water Conservation Board, Del Norte Public Library, Del Norte Chamber of Commerce, Trinchera Ranch, Del Norte Public High School - Envirothon and Environmental Literature Classes (Nikki Horrocks, Elizabeth Bailey), Corset Ranch - David Colville and Amy Engle, Alamosa Chamber of Commerce, Alamosa High School - AP Environmental Science Class (Consuelo Reyes), The Nature Conservancy - Zapata Ranch, Great Sand Dunes National Park - Andrew Valdez, Trudi Kretsinger, Warm Cookies of the Revolution, San Luis Valley Museum and Lares Feliciano (artist).