by Sandy Barnes
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Paint brushes and loppers in hand, more than 70 Ouray School students in grades eight through 12 and their teachers spent Thursday, Oct. 20 working on Community Service Day projects around town.
At the Ouray County Firehouse, Steve Duce, Rachael Pankow and other students were busy painting the interior walls of the building. Before the kids arrived, Fire Chief Adam Kunz cleared out the facility to make room for them.
Up on the ski hill,  Alesia Senft, Joe Noll and Sarah Stovicek were giving... a picket fence a fresh coat of green paint, with help from classmates. Teacher Lisa Plank and students were painting the ski hill motor house in the bright morning sun, while others were sprucing up areas at the Ice Rink and Box Canyon Falls.
Volunteer Gail Jossi of the Ouray Beautification Committee was working with students who were clearing brush and repairing fences along the Uncompahgre River Walk. “Say ‘timber!’” Jossi told students Patrick Link and Daniel Degenhardt, who were cutting down a small tree to help young conifers along the path grow and flourish. Digging in the ground with a shovel, student Bonnie Hansen was among a crew Jossi designated to clear tall weeds around picnic tables.
During the service learning day, other students painted park benches at the Hot Springs Pool Park and built new steps to the Perimeter Trail in the Amphitheater area, with assistance from volunteer Phil Wolkin.
Ouray School Dean of Students Di Rushing, who coordinated the service day, expressed her appreciation to people who contributed to the effort. In addition to the assistance of Jossi and Wolkin who worked with students at the sites, Jim Link and Don Mort provided free transportation for the high school teachers involved in the projects. Dan Fossey arranged the tools for the city project and student Allie Daughtry, editor of the Trojan Tribune school newspaper, documented the event, Rushing noted.