Photos and article by Mary Alice Murphy

The monthly Silver City-Grant County Chamber of Commerce luncheon held on May 4, 2017, featured Kevin Cook, Freeport-McMoRan Copper and Gold Inc. area community development manager, handing out large checks to recipients of Community Investment Fund awards.

"Freeport started the fund here in Grant County in 2011," Cook said. "It has provided more than $2.7 million to organizations in the county in that time. These awards do not include the STEM initiatives, women's initiatives and employee-related programs, or United Way donations."

He said the intent of the fund it to see Grant County thrive and become self-sufficient for when the mines close. "We plan to be here a long time, but when the day does come, we want Grant County to be able to stand on its own two feet."

"The Community Investment Fund would not be a reality without the members that serve on the committee," Cook said. "Some have served six years, some, three years. We will be wiping the slate clean this year. We appreciate everything these folks have done."

He invited those committee members who were present to stand. Cook read out the members' names: Cathy Gojkovich, Sean Ormand, Kim Clark, Kathy Hunt, Evangeline Zamora, Jeremiah Garcia, Judy O'Loughlin, and two representatives from Freeport, Erich Bower and Grant Welker. Two who have also served but has to recuse themselves this year were Frances Kelly and Anthony Gutierrez.

"If you have an interest in serving, I would like to hear from you," Cook said.

In previous years, the awards have totaled $500,000, but this year, the amount was reduced to $400,000. "This year the committee allocated all the available funding to education, health and wellness, and economic development organizations. Each member also chooses which groups he or she wants to champion."

He said each individual serving on the committee scored the applications, and then the group came together and scored them together. "They chose 12 out of the 30, and we will give to 11."

Dave Chandler, representing Aldo Leopold Charter School, receives the first award announced from Cook.

The $25,000 to Aldo Leopold Charter School will provide funding for the Grant County Youth Entrepreneurship Program, which will engage 540 middle- and high-school students from Silver, Cobre and Aldo Leopold. Coordinating with community partners, the program will provide soft skills programming. ALCS will carry it forward. The champion for the award was Ormand, who was unable to attend.

Champion Garcia gives Mimbres Region Arts Council Executive Director Kevin Lenkner a check for $16.500 for Imagine THAT!

The arts-based experiential education program allows MRAC members to utilize their creative talent to develop critical thinking skills in Grant County students, according to a Freeport news release. "Through the establishment of a traveling art museum, students will be involved in project-based learning that supports the development of 21st Century skills.

Garcia said Freeport "doesn't toot its horn enough. So I suggested the Freeport logo be put on all advertising that involves the awards."

Manny Morales, WESST regional manager, receives from Champion O'Loughlin a check for $30,000.

"Combining the offerings of Etsy and DreamBuilder, WESST will work with local individuals to develop their entrepreneurial skills through training and the establishment of professional learning communities," the release stated. "With a goal to establish 20 new businesses in Grant County, WESST will make capital available to local business owners through their micro-loan program."

Cook said the funding would help entrepreneurs to market and sell hand-crafted products online. "WESST mentioned the area has talented artists with no business experience. WESST hopes to push them to the next level to add to economic development in Grant County."

Champion Gojkovich gives a check for $53,000 to Ben Potts of Silver Consolidated Schools for Project Fast Forward.

Cook said he considers Potts an individual that is in the background, but is a primary mover and shaker. "The first year the schools received an award for tech needs, it was for $50,000. Potts rapidly leveraged it to $300,000 through federal funding and donations of computers from Sandia Labs."

Project Fast Forward will create a local professional learning community that utilizes technology seamlessly through content areas, the release stated. "The project will build upon the success of the first annual Copper Country Summit featuring Google for Education and will engage more teachers in utilizing technology on a daily basis."

Champion Welker hands a check for $40,000 to Miriam Kellerman of the Southwest Center for Health Innovation for FORWARD NM.

SWCHI and its partners provide free summer academies for middle- and high-school students to assist them in pursuing their dreams of a career in medical fields.

The SMASH (summer math and science and health care) Academy and HCA (Health Careers Academy) expose students to STEM-related career pathways available in Grant County, increasing the chances of students remaining in or returning to work in the area, the release stated.

Champions Clark, left, and Bower, at right, present a check for $50,000 to Cynthia Bettison, Silver City Mayor Pro Tem, for a Silver City and Grant County partnership

The two entities will work together to create an event coordinator and will allow for data-driven analysis of existing community events and coordination of planning and promotion of future events, according to the news release.

"Such work will allow for a more thorough understanding of the economic impact of event tourism with a goal to increase the quality of the events, the number of visitors and revenue," the release said.

Champions Bower, left, and Gojkovich, right, present a check for $37,500 to Harrison Schmitt Elementary School fifth grade teachers Keith Bollington, Jody Wilmeth and Clair Hutcheson for SPACE Tech: Supporting Progress and Cultivating Excellence with Technology.

The funding will provide Chromebooks for the students to use at school, so they enter junior high school with tech expertise. In connection with the increased professional learning and development available to educators in Grant County, the students will have the opportunity to participate in rigorous, collaborate STEM activities through the purchase of the one-to-one classroom technology, the release stated.

From left, Charlene Gomez, MariaElena Jauregui-Cross and Terry Anderson of the Community Partnership for Children receive a check for $45,000 from Champion Clark for the CPC LINKS: Hub and Relief Squad.

The funding, Cook said, would provide support services to early childhood education centers to build a hub for shared network services involving collaboration of the individual centers. "To address the shortage of skilled staff available to operate early childhood centers, CPC/Links will build a hub to recruit, train, certify, mentor and manage a pool of relief workers for early childhood centers. The hub will increase the capacity of the centers and provide more consistent quality childcare for the community," the release stated.

Opportunity High School Principal Jason Ping receives a check for $80,000 from Champion Garcia for vocational education.

Cook said it was the third year for the group to apply and receive funding. "We kept hearing about the need for vocational education," Cook said. "They are turning the Opportunity High School into a vocational school." He said he was at the Western New Mexico University Career day, where students from Cliff High School and OHS prevailed themselves of the information available. "I've never heard so many yes, sirs, and no, ma'ams," he complimented the students.

Garcia said when the county did an economic development master plan one of the biggest items called for was vocational education. "The school also collaborates with Western."

The news release stated that the OHS would address the needs of placing residents in local skilled jobs by engaging high school student in career and vocational pathways in Grant County. "OHS provides students the ability to take an alternative route in the education process to become successful and productive Grant County citizens."

In the absence of Champion Ormand, Cook presents a check for $5,000 to Carmen Vendelin, Silver City Museum executive director, for roof repair.

Cook said originally the museum was seeking funding to renovate the roof, but they became aware the roof had given way. The museum now has an active capital campaign. "This is for one of the four roofs," Vendelin said. "They are a ongoing challenge." Patricia Cano, who was in the audience, said the May 20 Beatles re-enactors concert is part of the campaign.

The release states that funding will assist in improving critical infrastructure at the museum to allow it "to serve its mission as a community hub, tourist attraction and artifact collection, presenting the unique and varied history and culture of southwest New Mexico for residents of Grant County and beyond."

Champion O'Loughlin stands between Imagination Library of Grant County, Inc. founders and promoters Loren and Barbara Nelson, after presenting a check for $17,000 for the R.I.S.EGÇöReading Inspires Successful EducationGÇöprogram.

Cook said: "Loren and Barbara are very special people. They give free books to recipients under the age of five. We continue to support this program, because it has been identified as a model that the Nelsons are trying to expand to other communities through the state."

According to the release, "funding will support Imagination LibraryGÇÖs book distribution program. Research specific to the program has shown that it has had a positive impact on participating childrenGÇÖs reading attainment levels while also promoting and encouraging a love of reading."

Bruce Ashburn, Chamber board member, noted the $400,000 is money the mines have put back into the community. He asked for announcements.

Connie Glenn of Workforce Solutions thanked Freeport-McMoRan for providing the shredding truck at the recent Earth Day celebration. "They collected 9,129 pounds of paper that was shredded."

Linda Pecotte of the Republican Party of Grant County said a non-partisan forum on border security on May 23 at 6 p.m. at Miller Library would feature a former Border Patrol agent Zach Taylor.

Clark announced the Wild, Wild West Pro Rodeo would take place May 31-June 3, 2017.

Azima Anderson announced that a song-writing group would be meeting at Tranquill Buzz coffee shop on Yankie Street.

Emily Gojkovich of Southwest New Mexico Council of Governments announced the Santa Clara Splash Park would open May 20, 2017.

Bettison, WNMU Museum director, said the museum renovation has begun.

Chamber president and director Scott Terry said the next luncheon would take place June 1 at Bear Mountain Lodge and would cost $20. Because of limited seating, he reminded people to register.

Victoria Odocha said Dr. Okay Odocha's new office at 1302A 32nd Street would hold its grand opening at 10 a.m. June 16.

Vendelin announced the museum opening from 4-6 p.m. May 19 would start the events for the museum's 50th anniversary.

Kathy-Lyn Allen of Hidalgo Medical Services said Jump into Summer would take place at Gough Park on Saturday, June 10.

Kellerman invited incoming 9th to 12th graders to register for the summer academies.

Bower said Tyrone Mine is celebrating 50 years of open pit mining at the site.

Ashburn said the PNM grant cycle ends May 9.