San Luis Valley Colcha Embroidery Artists Bring Tradition to Mountain Valley School Students

Artists from the San Luis Valley Colcha Embroidery Project visited Mountain Valley School this Tuesday to work with students on their colcha embroidery projects. This is part of a broader initiative to bring colcha embroidery to students across the Valley at Centennial, Mountain Valley, and Sierra Grande schools, thanks to support from Think 360 Equity in Arts Learning for Colorado Youth and Southern Colorado Community Foundation grants. Students at Mountain Valley were introduced to artworks made in the Valley in past generations and by the artists that teach them. They are guided in brainstorming memories, places, and themes that are personally significant to them. Elementary students worked on flowers, the Colorado State flag, and their own drawings. At Mountain Valley School, students from 1st grade through high school have participated. The artists visit the art classroom throughout the project. Special thanks to Mountain Valley School art teacher Katlynn Scanga!

San Luis Valley Colcha Embroidery Shines at Saving Places 2025

HEART of Saguache’s San Luis Valley Colcha Embroidery Project joined the Town of Saguache’s Historic Preservation Commission at the 2025 Saving Places Conference, held at Cheyenne Mountain Resort from February 29–March 1, presented by Colorado Preservation Inc. Embracing this year’s theme of intangible heritage, colcha embroidery artists Adrienne Garbini, Aurora Martinez, Trent Segura, Sandra Ortega, and Judy Vigil collaborated on a presentation highlighting the art’s role in preserving local history, landscapes, and personal narratives.

In addition to the discussion, artist Donna Madrid Hernandez led a hands-on demonstration, allowing attendees to learn the colcha stitch firsthand. This interactive session, along with contributions from artist Sandy Dolak showcased the ongoing revival and evolution of this regional art form. As colcha embroidery continues to connect generations and communities, its presence at the Saving Places Conference emphasized the importance of preserving not just physical landmarks, but also the rich cultural traditions that define the identity of the San Luis Valley.

Saguache Sharing Christmas: Supporting Our Community at the Holidays

In the 2024 holiday season, the HEART of Saguache's Sharing Christmas initiative distributed over 400 food boxes to over 200 families across Saguache County. Rising food costs and reduced food assistance programs have left many families, seniors, and students struggling to meet basic needs. Recognizing these challenges, Saguache Sharing Christmas continues its mission to provide food assistance to individuals and families across Saguache County.

Boxes included essential food items such as flour, turkeys, cooking oil, fresh fruits, and vegetables. Saguache Sharing Christmas is more than just a gesture of goodwill; it's a crucial support system for the community.

The 2024 Saguache Sharing Christmas was a partnership between HEART of Saguache and Obsidian Construction, who provided financial and labor support. We want to thank their crew for helping us all week and on distribution day. 

Thank you to our hardworking volunteers: Mason Armenta, Jenny Heileman, Kiana King, Mikey Maldonado, Luis Rodriguez, Felisha Pino, Tasha Pino, Adam Sandoval, Honey Sandoval, Jase Sandoval, Mercedes Sandoval, Anthony Salaz, Lorenzo Trujillo, and Dominic Vasquez.

A special thanks to Saguache County/Saguache County Department of Social Services for financial support. Thank you to Saguache Town market for bringing in and storing groceries for us to distribute. Thank you to Skyline Potatoes, Mountain King Potatoes, and Blanca Potatoes for donating boxes of potatoes. A heartfelt thanks to the Town of Saguache for providing us access to the Community Building all week and for lending us the help of Lukas Lucero and Patrick Cale. And finally we want to thank Moffat School, Tina Gloom and the KV, as well as Susan Banning for helping us distribute all this food. 

We couldn’t have done this without you all. Thank you.

Happy holidays to all our friends and family across Saguache County!