A big crowd enjoys Rock & Rails fun

Beautiful blue skies and high temperatures brought out a huge crowd to the July 13 edition of Rock & Rails. And the bands didn't disappoint.

Award-winning songwriter Tim Ostdiek got the evening started and was joined by Jenny Balagna, bringing their upbeat mixture of folk originals and covers to the stage. Ostdiek and Balagna are both based in the Longmont area and perform around the Front Range, often with a full complement of band members, but Niwot was treated to an intimate performance by the duo.

A finalist in songwriting events such as Telluride Troubadour and Folksfest Songwriting Showcase, Ostdeik recently released his album, "The Lost Days." Playing hits such as "Stand By Me'' and "Make Me an Angel," the duo had the crowd on their feet. Later this month Ostdiek can be found performing at MainStage Brewing in Lyons and Rosalee's Pizzeria in Longmont.

No strangers to the Rock & Rails stage, Last Men on Earth has played the venue a dozen times. With a mixture of classic rock, 80s hits and current popular music covers, the six-piece group has been around since 2010.

The band regularly plays up and down the Front Range, but rarely gets a chance to play "locally" due to their busy summer schedule. Guitarist and vocalist Mike Holubec is a longtime resident of Niwot and a graduate of Niwot High School. Drummer and vocalist Mark Trippensee is also a Niwot High grad, and many of the duo's former classmates were in attendance.

The group played such a wide range of hits that everybody in the crowd found something they could enjoy. The band had the crowd singing along to songs like "Turn Me Loose," "Easy Like Sunday Morning," and "Just What I Needed." Last Men on Earth can next be seen at Music on the Lawn in Ft. Collins, The Larimer County Fair in Loveland and the 4th and Main Concert Series in Longmont.

The night's hefty tip jar of $2,615 was split between the Niwot Community Connection (NCC) and Niwot Patriotic Cookie Moms. The NCC was formed last year with a mission "to provide a forum for individuals over 50 in the Niwot area to help build a sense of community and promote opportunities for connection and learning." The NCC has numerous social activity groups available including dancing, hiking, and bridge, and also hosts a "Thirsty Thursday" mixer on the third Thursday of the month.

No doubt you've seen The Niwot Patriotic Cookie Moms at events around town. A group of women who volunteer time to bake cookies and prepare care packages to deployed troops worldwide, they have been active for 14 years. To date, they have sent hundreds of packages to far flung locations including Afghanistan, Japan, Korea, Italy, Iraq, Guam and U.S. Naval ships in all of the world's oceans. Money raised goes solely to postage with all of the care package contents being donated.

Each mailing costs approximately $500 with packages going out five times a year. Care package contents can include cookies (obviously), toiletries, knit hats, playing cards and even letters and cards from students at Niwot Elementary School. The package always includes the latest copy of the Left Hand Valley Courier and a letter telling the servicemembers where the goodies came from.

With luck, the recipients will take a photo of themselves opening and enjoying the packages. The photos are often featured in the Courier. If you have a servicemember who would enjoy one of these wonderful packages, contact Karen Copperberg at kcopperberg@gmail.com .

Next up July 20th: The Mark Oblinger Duo opens for The Rebecca Folsom Band. For a full schedule and more information visit https://niwot.com/rock-rails/.