Author: Media

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Help Light up Questa for the Holidays


Share your holiday cheer with the whole community and help to brighten the Questa Spirit.

Adopt and decorate one of the 30 trees that are along the walking trail in the center of Questa across from the Saint Anthony Parish Center.
Come up with your own creative way to decorate your tree.
You provide the decorations.
Lights will need to be solar powered.

Photos of all the trees along with a short personal dedication or quote can also be sent to media@vidadelnorte to be featured in the January Edition of the Questa Newspaper.

Contact Lori Archuleta @ (575) 779-0906 or Maria Gonzalez @ (575) 779-2260 to adopt your tree.

Deadline to decorate trees is December 1.

If you want to purchase lights order them soon since the deadline to decorate your trees is December 1!

Find deals on solar Christmas Lights on Amazon

 

 

 

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2021 Fall and Winter Events

Red Ribbon Week is a time to celebrate what it means to live drug free,  honor the individuals who promote a drug free lifestyle and fight against substance misuse as well as reflect on the struggle that so many people have faced because of substance misuse.
To find out more about Red Ribbon Week visit:
www.redribbon.org

Find out what is going on in the Questa area for Red Ribbon Week below!

Red Ribbon Week Activities in Questa!

Sunday October 24:

Active8 paint the town RED. Any youth interested in helping paint windows are more than welcome to help. Contact Maria Gonzalez for mor information

Monday October 25th:

DRESS UP DAY: “Sock it to drugs!” – Wear crazy socks

Fabien Ramirez with Top Youth Speakers will kick off Red Ribbon week by speaking to our Junior and Senior Highschool at 9:25am and 10:25 am

Begin Door Decorating Contest:

Classroom door decorating contest. Vida Del Norte is sponsoring a Door decorating contest and the door with the best drug free slogans and messages will get a pizza party or Ice cream Social. PreK-3 and 3-6 will be judged.

Tuesday October 26

Dress up Day: Team up against drugs” – Wear sports jerseys

Wednesday October 27:

Dress up Day: Don’t get mixed up in drugs” – Wear mismatched clothes

6:00-7:00 pm Candle Light Vigil in the Center of Town at the light, for those who suffer and have recovered from Substance misuse.

Thursday October 28:

Dress up Day: “SPOOK THE Drugs Away” Wear Costumes

DEA and National Guard will have a Helicopter and obstacle course at the elementary at 1:00 in the afternoon

Friday October 29:

Trunk or treat/Officer Appreciation at the Village 3-5

Teen Night Costume Party at Vida Del Norte Office 6:30-10 Ages 11-18

Upcoming Holiday / Winter Events - (Check back soon as this list may grow)

Vida Coalition Meetings:

Last Monday of Every Month

This month the Coalition Meeting will be on Monday, October 25th at 6 pm. This meeting will be held on Zoom.
Here is the Zoom link and ID for the meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8578620293
or the Meeting ID: 857 862 0293

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Light Up Questa! 2021 Holiday Fundraiser

Help Vida Del Norte and the Village of Questa Spread Holiday Cheer this Year - Donate and Participate to Light up the Village this Holiday Season!

Vida Del Norte and The Village of Questa are partnering together to light up Questa during the Holidays again this year. We would appreciate any volunteer help, Christmas Decoration donations such as lights but mostly we would really appreciate participation.
We would like for families to be able to adopt and decorate approximately 30 trees that are on 522 north of the light. They would need to be decorated with solar lights, if anyone is interested in adopting a tree please reach out to Maria Gonzalez at 575-779-2260 for more information.
We are also planning a Light Parade and would like for anyone who would like to decorate their vehicle and participate to contact either Maria Gonzalez at 575-779-2260 or Dina Coleman at 575-586-0694.
You can download the application to be in the Light Parade HERE.
You can either fill out the application and bring it to Dina Coleman at the Questa Municipal Office or email it to her at: dcoleman@villageofquesta.org

We are also currently working with the school district and local business to create a tree tour that will be in collaboration with the youth of our community and the local businesses. We look forward to a very festive Holiday season and we would like to see all our community participate in the festivities.

We need to do some fundraising to cover all of the expenses involved in lighting up Questa and decorating for the holidays.  If you are able to make a donation online please click the green donate button or contact Maria Gonzalez at at 575-779-2260 to donate cash or a check or if you have donations of lights or decorations.


 

 

 

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Vida Del Norte Virtual Pumpkin Carving Contest 2021 – Carve Substance Misuse Out of Your Life

Carve out substance misuse from your life. Enter the Vida Del Norte Virtual Pumpkin Carving Contest

Instructions to enter:

Carve a pumpkin and take a picture of you with your pumpkin.

You can carve your pumpkin alone or in a group.

Upload your image and your name to one of the following locations:

  • Via Email: to media@vidadelnorte (use #CarveOutDrugs as the subject line
  • To Facebook, Instagram or Twitter (to be entered you need to post your image with the hashtags #CarveOutDrugs AND #VidaDelNorte so we can find your submissions.)
  • You can also share your pumpkins on the Vida Del Norte Facebook Page
  • Or upload your photos using the form below. Don't forget to type in your name and email and then hit the "upload file" button

    • Upload Photo Form ↓

    UPLOAD PHOTO

    PUMPKIN PHOTO SUBMISSIONS ARE DUE BY MIDNIGHT NOVEMBER 1

    Don't forget to vote for your favorite pumpkin! Visit this page again on November 3rd to November 8th to vote. All of the pumpkin photos will be posted by November 3rd so that you can vote on your favorite pumpkins. The Pumpkin Winners will be posted on Tuesday, November 9th.

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    Community Connection Day – Friday 15th at Questa Municipal Park

    The last Community Connection Day of the year is this Friday, October 15, at the Questa Park, 9 AM -12:30 PM work time, followed by community lunch. We will be installing commemorative plaques for the trees planted in memoriam, closing down the irrigation system and continuing other care and beautification efforts at the park. We hope you can join us! Wear your work clothes, hat, layers for variable weather, and bring your water bottle. If you have them, bring work gloves and yard clean-up tools (rakes and shovels) or we’ll have extras for you. (Also, there is a cool kids’ Friday activity at the Questa Library with Explora 1 – 2:30 pm.) Hope you can join us!

    Community Connection Days are collaborative, intergenerational days of community give-back and celebration, taking place in and around Questa. This consistent coming together, showing up for each other and our community is part of ongoing, Creative Placemaking efforts in our area and is made possible by collaborators: Vida del Norte Coalition, LEAP, Localogy, Taos Behavioral Health Questa SUCCESS Center, Village of Questa, Questa Economic Development Fund, Questa Farmers Market, North Central Food Pantry and many Community Volunteers.

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    Above the Influence – Toolkits and Activities

    Above the Influence Toolkits and Activities page has a list of downloadable toolkits and activities that youth groups or educators can use to help inspire young people to live above the influence of drugs and alcohol.
    Visit this page here: https://live-atipartnerships.pantheonsite.io/downloads-toolkits/

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    Community Connection Day – September 17


     

    This Friday, September 17, join us for the 5th Community Connection Day this season, 9 am – 12:30 PM (and beyond), downtown Questa; meet at the Questa Farmers Market site.

    Help us start the new mural at the Questa Farmers Market and make progress improving the grounds at the neighboring historic property of Casa de Cultura. Wear a hat and sturdy shoes and bring water and if you have them, work gloves. We have extra work gloves and tools on hand for all that need them. Lunch and snacks will be provided for volunteers.

    9 AM – 12:30 – Casa de Cultura, historic property beautification
    Volunteers are needed to help chip branches, spread wood chips, pull and “wack” weeds, cut back elm tree shoots and load organic waste for removal.

    This beautiful historic home in downtown Questa with the huge Grandfather apricot tree, active acequia and various outbuildings is the site for the proposed Casa de Cultura. The property is owned by Estevan Rael-Galvez who is working with Localogy to bring about the vision for Casa de Cultura, a center for creativity, consciousness and community in downtown Questa. Learn more about this project HERE.

    10 AM – 12:30 and Beyond – Paint New Mural at Questa Farmers Market

    Painting of the new shipping container mural at the market site begins on Friday! Please join in painting this lovely quilted landscape ~ the mountains near Questa. The design of this mural invites all abilities and ages to paint together. A pattern will be drawn for you to fill up with color and design! ??

    The design, by artist Rae @rubysofrae was inspired by the land and the practice of quilting that carries on in this community (and in many places). This mural seeks to bring many small pieces together to create beauty through our brushes!

    12:30 Simple Lunch provided on site for volunteers
    Painting may and clean-up efforts may continue into the afternoon and you are welcome to participate!
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    The Sober Sight Fundraising Campaign and Online Auction

    By RACHEL KUC’
    Published in the December 2020 edition of the Questa News (pg 20)

    Read the entire December 2020 edition of the Questa News

    Vida Del Norte Coalition has been engaging with the youth in our community to see what they think would help them keep themselves and their peers from misusing substances. They wish they had a safe drug and alcohol-free place where they could be together, work on homework, play games, get creative, and just hang out.

    Creating a safe place for youth can help protect them from the factors which cause them to be at risk for misusing substances. A safe place also provides them with opportunities to learn life skills through interactive engagement. Vida Del Norte wants to transform the new location they now have in Questa into a center that can be used by the youth, as well as continue to host activities for the community.

    The Coalition is launching “The Sober Sight,” a fundraising campaign, through December 21 to raise money to transform their new office space into a safe environment for the youth and the community. They are hosting an online auction with great gifts for the holidays donated by local businesses and artists. You can also make a donation to this fundraising campaign without purchasing an item on the auction. Visit www.vidadelnorte.com/auction today to place your bids or make a donation.

    It is also not too late to make a tax deductible donation of an item to the Vida Auction, you can contact Maria Gonzalez, Coalition Coordinator at (575) 779-2260. Vida Del Norte wants to thank everyone for helping to prevent substance misuse in our communities. Together we can reduce the risk and influence of drugs and alcohol on our youth.


    Left: Praying Hands Cross made of Ponderosa Pine Wood by local artist George Vigil
    Right: Original Oil Painting of St. Anthony Church in Questa, NM by Michelle Samantha Martinez

    Youth Risk and Resiliency Survey
    Once every two years, the Vida Del Norte Coalition in Questa conducts a Youth Risk and Resiliency Survey to assess the risk of substance misuse for
    the youth in our community. After the survey is completed the data are published in a report. The results of the last survey in 2019 are alarming. According to this survey, 59% of youth in high school drank

    alcohol at least once in the 30 days prior to the survey, 68.1% had used tobacco products, 48.9% had used marijuana and 29.8% had used prescription drugs that were not prescribed to them. These percentages are higher than the national averages. Please visit www.vidadelnorte.com/data if you would like to see the full report, with complete from the Youth Risk and Resiliency Survey.

    Read the entire December 2020 edition of the Questa News

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    Vida Del Norte Announces New Location!

    By MARIA GONZALEZ
    Published in the October 2020 edition of the Questa News (pg 19)

    Read the entire October 2020 edition of the Questa News

    The Vida Del Norte Coaltion is excited to announce a new location.
    We have moved to 62 Highway 38 in Questa. We are on the right as you head toward Red River, the pink building across the street from the old Waylen’s Funeral home. Feel free to stop in and have coffee and conversation with Maria Gonzalez, Vida’s Program Coordinator, on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 8:00 am -12:00 pm or by appointment at (575) 779-2260 to discuss what Vida Del Norte has going on in our community.


    Photo by Maria Gonzales
    The new location of the Vida Del Norte Coalition at 62 Highway 38.

    In the recent weeks of having our own space, we have successfully hosted a few Family Outdoor Movie Night and hope to continue through the colder months on a safe smaller scale. We also hosted a town hall meeting to brainstorm and come up with constructive solutions regarding the issues present with the youth and our community.

    Vida Del Norte has partnered with Brian Salazar and Magdalena Miera of Taos Behavioral Health to host a social emotional study group for youth in our community two days a week. We are committed to providing access to services, and by having our own space we can accomplish this very need. Vida Del Norte is working on creating a safe space for individuals to receive therapeutic services and case management, in collaboration with other local service providers. Within time we hope to also host AA, NA, and Al-Anon meetings and parenting groups for both youth and adults.

    Vida has also heard the voices of our youth and is in the process of raising funds to furnish their space so that they can have a safe alcohol and

    drug-free place to hang out and socialize. There is so much potential for great growth in our community and Vida Del Norte is committed to participating in that growth!

    Maria Gonzalez Vida Del Norte Program Coordinator maria.gonzalez@vidadelnorte.com (575) 779-2260

    Read the entire October 2020 edition of the Questa News

    Vida Del Norte Coalition