ALAMOSA — Commending the Honeycutts for the positive impact Alamosa Round-UP has on the community, the Alamosa city council this week unanimously approved a $4,000 sponsorship.

The city has $10,000 budgeted for sponsorships and has awarded $6,000 already, so this sponsorship will fully expend that budget.

“This is a fantastic event,” Alamosa City Councilor Liz Thomas Hensley said. She added that the impact on the community is not just economic but also as a benefit to the quality of life here. She said the Round-UP provides something for everyone from the rodeo to the demolition derbies.

Hensley said additional events such as the Christmas parade sponsored by the Alamosa Round-UP have also benefited the town and have grown just in the last few years.

Councilman Charles Griego also commended the Honeycutts for all their hard work with the rodeo events and the Christmas event. He said he was pleased to see that the city’s seed money was paying off.

Mayor Ty Coleman agreed that these events enhance the quality of life in Alamosa and provide family-oriented activities that benefit the entire community. They are so popular many times they are sold out or very packed, he added, “and everybody leaves happy.”

The mayor said he was one of the Round-UP’s biggest fans and appreciated all the effort that goes into these events.

“You do a super fantastic job in everything you do,” he told Dawn Honeycutt who made the presentation and request for sponsorship to the city council this week. She requested $4,000, which is what the council awarded.

Mayor Coleman said he favored supporting the Round-UP so it could continue providing positive activities for the community.

Councilor Kristina Daniel, who participated in the first Round-UP Rudolph Run last December, said, “You guys do a great job.”

Councilman David Broyles echoed the praise of fellow councilors for the Round-UP events. He said these are well-organized events that bring many people to Alamosa.

Honeycutt said the rodeo participants themselves number 400 cowboys and cowgirls from more than 15 states.

Even with additional bleachers from Rio Grande County the derby attendance was overflowing, she said.

She added that the first Round-UP For a Cure event raised $5,500 for the local cancer center, and that event will be held again this year. The Round-Up also gives back to active duty military and their families in providing free entrance for one of the rodeos.

The participation in the annual Christmas light parade was also outstanding, Honeycutt said. The first Rudolph Run associated with the Christmas events was also well supported, she said, with more than 150 participants. That will also become an annual event, she said. This year’s Christmas events will be held on Saturday, Dec. 22.

Honeycutt said that Round-UP events draw people from all over the San Luis Valley, the country and even “across the pond,” as there were attendees from England who are already looking for tickets this year.

She said the barbecue will be moved up to Tuesday this year to truly kick off the week’s events on June 19. Activities will include rodeos, mutton bustin’, cattle drive, parade, PRCA action, demolition derby, cowboy church and new this year on Sunday the 1st Annual Bulls and Bandits 5K.

See more information on the Alamosa Round-UP’s Facebook site or www.alamosaroundup.com/