Pictured from left to right: Michael Koury & Vivian Myers (San Lorenzo Elementary), Susanne Kee (KISS), Martha Egnal (Montessori), Barbara and Loren Nelson (Imagination Library), Mary Cowan (Wreathes Across America), Chelsea Cooper (SASS), William & DaLue Mize (Indian Springs Ranch), Denice Baird (Rope 4 Hope)The Bootheel Foundation is a charitable foundation created 12 years ago in November 2007. The mission is to provide funding to community projects in the areas serviced by Western Bank. The original, main office is located in Lordsburg. Other branches are located in Silver City, Willcox, AZ, and Bisbee, AZ. On Tuesday, December 3, over 25 non-profit organizations across the 4 branches received donations from the Bootheel Foundation and a total of $29,000 was awarded, an increase of 16% from last year’s donations. “Western Bank’s ‘Bootheel’ Foundation is proud to contribute to these organizations. Each one of our employees, officers, and directors donate to the foundation to enable us to do this.
Each of our branches decides where they want the money to go. GIVNG BACK IS WHAT WE DO,” Bob Martin, Chairman of the Foundation.
In Grant County the following non-profit organizations received a donation: Imagination Library, Indian Springs Ranch, Kids in Need of Supportive Services (KISS), Guadalupe Montessori School, Rope 4 Hope, San Lorenzo Elementary School, Silver Regional Sexual Assault Support Services (SASS), and Wreaths Across America.
Imagination Library of Grant County has become Imagination Library of New Mexico. They are an affiliate of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. They promote literacy for preschool children by delivering free, high quality books to their homes monthly from birth to age 5. Donations from organizations like the Bootheel Foundation have helped Imagination Library grow from providing books to 4,100 children in 2015 to 13,499 as of Dec. 3, 2019! Research documents that early childhood literacy is the key component in education, financial, and physical well-being. To learn more, go to http://www.imaginationlibrarygc.org/.
Indian Springs Ranch is a 501c3 specifically designed for veterans to utilize equine therapy methods and the 3-day effect to help manage PTSD, at no cost to the veteran. Indian Springs Ranch provides their guests with all food, drinks, and activities that include horseback riding, horse grooming, hiking, horse shoe games, plus more. For more information or to donate, go to http://indianspringsranch69.com/ or call 575-313-2422.
Kids in Need of Supportive Services (KISS) has been serving the community for 20 years. They offer a variety of services and programs for children, families, and veterans. They provide meals for approximately 30 kids daily, bus passes to families, provide clothing and housing basics – anything to help families get back on track after difficult situations.
Guadalupe Montessori School is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year – it was founded in 1979 by Phil and Kathy Dahl-Bredine. The school provides education, enrichment, after-school, and summer programming for children age 18 months to 12 years. This donation from the Bootheel Foundation will help fund their scholarship pool and go towards some much needed maintenance on the buildings to maintain and preserve the historic structures.
Rope 4 Hope coordinates an annual 3-day event that brings in team ropers and barrel racers from 3 different states to raise money for its mission. Their mission is that no patient should have to make a choice between necessary cancer treatment and meeting their financial obligations. Funds donated to Rope 4 Hope is used expressly to ease the burden placed on patients who are experiencing financial hardship due to their treatment. Rope 4 Hope has provided supplemental funding for groceries, medications, bridging the gap between bills and insurance reimbursement, and cost of travel for a specialty consultant. For more information, contact Denice Baird at 575– 956 – 3972 or email at bairdarena@gmail.com.
San Lorenzo Elementary School has been continuing a weekend back-pack program for students for several years. With a 4-day school week, these back-packs are even more important to help children have food over the three day weekend. San Lorenzo has been graded an ‘A’ school for the past 5 years. They continue to expand their school programs and opportunities for students to be exposed to enriching experiences including field trips and soon, a new archery program.
Silver Regional Sexual Assault Support Services (SASS) is a non-profit that specializes in providing services for victims of rape crisis and sexual assault. Victims include women, children, and men and they have access to client services, forensic interviewing, group therapy, trauma informed yoga, just to name a few. This donation will go towards the additional material SASS provides such as transportation, food, clothing, and victim advocacy.
Each December on National Wreaths Across America Day, the mission to Remember, Honor and Teach is carried out by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery, and at more than 1,400 additional locations in all 50 U.S. states, at sea, and abroad. Last year, Ft. Bayard’s National Veteran Cemetery was able to lay 4,500 wreathes. While it is only 1 of 2 national cemeteries in the state, the other being in Santa Fe, thanks to the support from the Bootheel Foundation and many other community partners, they placed more wreaths at Ft. Bayard Veteran Cemetery than Ft Bliss and National Cemetery in Santa Fe combined! This year, the wreath-laying ceremony will be December 14 and people will have the opportunity to donate or sponsor a specific veteran if they choose, to ensure their marker has a wreath. For more information contact Mary at 575- 538 – 2626 or email atcowanm.waa@gmail.com.
“The variety of programming and work these organizations provide ripples out and impacts so many different people throughout the communities Western Bank serves. It is our hope that the Bootheel Foundation’s contributions help to widen those ripples to impact even more people. ” said Cari Lemon, Western Bank’s Community Marketer.
Hidalgo County non-profit organizations who received contributions from the Bootheel Foundation were: Animas Elementary Library on behalf of Panther Parents, Bootheel Youth Association, Lordsburg Hidalgo Library, Hidalgo Youth Rodeo Association, Hidalgo Medical Services (HMS) Ena Mitchell Senior Center, Lordsburg Christmas Festival, Lordsburg Elks Club, Lordsburg RVT Elementary School, Lordsburg Hidalgo County Museum, and Lordsburg Police Athletic League (PAL).
Willcox, AZ non-profit organizations were Drive to Feed Kids, Northern Cochise County Hospital Foundation, Rose Allen Senior Center, Willcox Against Substance Abuse (WASA), Willcox Community Food Pantry. Bisbee, AZ non-profits included Bisbee Alternative Therapies Clinic, Cochise Family Advocacy Center, Douglas Historical Society, Ecotopia Bisbee Bikeways, and Wreathes Across America.