With all the activity—the people, vendors, prizes, live entertainment, freebies and food—it’s no wonder BeaconFest is the largest boomer and senior fair in the area. Actually, as we know it, it’s the biggest mature lifestyle show in Colorado. With booths from over 100 vendors, this year’s BeaconFest Boomer & Senior Fair will be bigger than ever. Restaurants, real estate professionals, home improvement experts, financial service providers, health and fitness gurus, community clubs and many senior agencies will take up every square inch of booth space available at Two Rivers Convention Center. We also have a lineup of eclectic entertainment, a hefty schedule of educational seminars, and plenty of opportunities to take home a prize or two. We’ll be giving away colorful gift baskets, restaurant gift cards, home décor items, weekend travel packages and more every half-hour, culminating in our grand prize—two tickets to see The Rolling Stones live in Denver.

Did I mention admission is free? Volunteer of the Year voting closes April 7

One of BeaconFest’s most anticipated events is the Volunteer of the Year awards ceremony, where we recognize several of our community’s hardworking volunteers. There's still time to vote for this year’s winner. Read their stories and vote for your favorite at www.BeaconSeniorNews.com before April 7. All volunteers will be recognized at the stage and the winner will be announced at 1 p.m.

Your opinions matter Did you know the BEACON accepts Letters to the Editor? We do, and sometimes we'll even print them. It's all part of our mission of being a voice for Western Slope boomers and seniors. Part of this means inspiring readers to take action for themselves, their communities or for the benefit of older adults everywhere. I bring this up because I recently received a call regarding an opinion piece in last month's issue that encouraged readers to vote in favor of the Grand Junction Community Center. The caller said the article was "one-sided," which it was, and purposefully so, because it was one reader's opinion. The writer felt strongly enough to advocate for this topic and share her stance with seniors in her community, and we love that! What a great way to get involved! Typically these articles appear on our Kudos and Kvetch page at the end of the paper. Do you have an article you'd like us to consider? Send it to [email protected]