Plenty to keep locals busy this weekend

A frequent complaint of eastern New Mexico residents is that there’s nothing to do on the High Plains. That won’t be the case this weekend as there are events taking place in Clovis, Melrose and Portales.

Those venturing into Hillcrest Park today will get a two-for-one as both the fourth annual Rotary Arts in the Park event (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and the Desert Cruzers 22nd annual car show (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) are set to take place there.

Clovis Civic Center General Manager Misty Bertrand said Arts in the Park will feature at least a dozen local artists and food vendors and will be raising funds for the Clovis High Plains Rotary Club to promote children’s literacy and host events for residents with special needs.

“We just want people to come out and enjoy a day in the park and see what the local artists in Clovis have to offer,” Bertrand said.

At the same time about 150 classic cars and hot rods, 1990 and older, will be on display for the Desert Cruzers annual car show, organizer Jeff Lynn said.

He said 3,000 raffle tickets will be sold for $10 each, with the winner taking home a 1965 Ford Mustang at 3:30 p.m.

Lynn said the money raised will go to Clovis Community College, The Lighthouse Mission and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Elsewhere in Curry County, the Melrose Senior Center will once again be hosting a Trade Days fundraiser, where residents are invited to sign up for a table and sell items.

Carol Moore, board president, said as of Thursday nobody had signed up for a table, but the center itself will have plenty of ceramics and medical supplies available, as well as some grab bags featuring craft items.

Also available: cinnamon rolls, coffee, hot dogs and chips.

Roosevelt County residents can keep busy too with a pair of events.

Roosevelt General Hospital will host its fourth annual skeet shoot competition at Idsinga Dairy to benefit the RGH Foundation.

Jeanette Orrantia, RGH’s director of marketing, planning and public relations, said the winners in the youth (18 and younger), adult and team categories will receive a cash prize and several guns will be raffled off.

Orrantia said the course features five stations with participants allotted 10 shots per station. She said anyone who participates will need to sign a waiver and youth participants are required to provide a hunter safety card at registration, which runs throughout the event from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

After raising about $7,000 last year, Orrantia said this year’s goal is $8,000, with that money going to help offset expenses at the hospital.

Last but not least, the annual St. Helen’s Catholic Church Fiesta kicks off today in Portales, the only one of the five events to span two days.

Bookkeeper Emma Britton said the church’s only annual fundraiser will begin with the fiesta mass at 9 a.m. before opening several food and game booths.

The annual dance is set for 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. tonight on the concrete slab and Britton said anyone is welcome to attend.

“It’s just something to do this weekend and the weather is going to cooperate,” Britton said. “We’ll have all types of food, menudo, tacos, you name it and we’re going to have it.”

Sunday’s activities at St. Helen’s will go from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The location is 1600 S. Ave. O.