One of the copper plates awarded to co-chairs and volunteers of the year for 2016 Give Grandly! (Courtesy photos, more in the article)By Mary Alice Murphy

At a breakfast at Bear Mountain Lodge on Wednesday morning, Jan. 25, 2017, about 50 people gathered for an organizational meeting for the Grant County Community Foundation's 2017 Give Grandly! 

The event, which is a 24-hour effort to raise local money for area non-profit organizations, will take place this year on May 6, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and on the Internet starting at midnight. May 6 is the same day as the opening of the Farmers' Market and the booths will be set up along the street leading to the market. This venue was used last year and helped Give Grandly! raise more than $100,000 for area groups.

Katherine Gauer, foundation liaison with the non-profits, led off the discussion and announcements.

Barrett Brewer, not pictured, who was one of the original organizers of the Grant County Community Foundation, said the first effort in 2012 began with "jealous anxiety" among the groups. "But we have proven that working together we can do good things for Grant County non-profits."

Brewer gave out handmade by Cedar Smith copper plates to several recipients. They included last year's event co-chairs, Carol Fugagli and Karen Weller Watson. Also volunteers of the year, Andy Payne and Martin Miller, "who both did anything we asked them to," received copper plates

Peggy Hutchinson, one of the organizers, welcomed the crowd. "We asked you to bring your board members this year because we haven't talked to you about who the Grant County Community Foundation is. We are a philanthropic entity, which gives us the opportunity to keep our money here and make donations locally and to make it easier for us to work together. You spend so much time writing grants and seeking funding just to keep the lights on. Give Grandly gives you unrestricted funds to use so you and your board members can make you sustainable."

Before and after the meeting, participants ate from the large spread of food set out for them by Bear Mountain Lodge.

Hutchinson explained that donations could also be part of estate planning by leaving property or money in a donor's will. "You can leave it and specify who it goes to, as well as specifying intent through the Grant County Community Foundation." She said that, for instance, if the donor wants the money to go to support the arts, it can be specified. If the Mimbres Region Arts Council should decide to become a motorcycle group, she postulated, the money would go to another organization that supports the arts.

"Next year, we will have an additional award, to the non-profit that gets the most volunteers to help with Give Grandly!" Hutchinson said.

She said committees are the people who make sure the events happen. She handed out sign-up sheets for the Thank You Committee and the Event Planning Committee. This year the planners have it a bit easier because they don't have to find the location, figure out how to get Internet to the site, or find tables and chairs. "We are having it again at the Farmers' Market and we have food vendors lined up to donate food."

Gauer said some things are already in place, such as the PR Committee, the Facebook Committee and advertising. "The $50 fee each of you paid is for you all to advertise the event."

"We need to elect a treasurer," Gauer continued. "We want to make sure you have access to the funds, because the registration fees don't stay with the foundation."

Brewer said Michelle Geels had agreed to do the job, but can't do it this year because of family issues causing her to relocate. The local Girl Scouts administrator Annette Toney volunteered for the job.

A meeting was set with the non-profit organizations for the next month at 9 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 23 at the Hidalgo Medical Services conference room.

"It's going to be bigger and better this year," Brewer said. "A website is coming. We are working with partners to get it up and running."

Hutchinson said the foundation is doing a website "because we believe we need the platform. It will have photos, and your logos will be up year round with links to your websites."

Brewer said United Way will be a part-time representative, and United Way and Freeport-McMoRan have committed matching funds, so that "like last year, we can give a $250 match to every group that raises at least $250."