Pictured from left to right: Denice Baird, Mary Cowan, Barbara Nelson, Nancy Stephens, Kevin Lenkner, Daun Putnam (Courtesy Photo)The Bootheel Foundation is a charitable foundation created 11 years ago in November 2007. The mission is to provide funding to community projects in the areas serviced by Western Bank. Branches are located in Lordsburg, Silver City, Willcox, AZ, and Bisbee, AZ. Every employee, director, and officer of Western Bank contributes to Bootheel Foundation to support this mission. “Western Bank believes in giving money back to the communities we serve and supporting the organizations that impact those communities,” said Mike Martin, Western Bank’s Chairman and CEO. On Thursday, November 29, over 20 non-profit organizations across the 4 branches received support from Bootheel Foundation and a total of $25,000 was awarded.
In Grant County the following non-profit organizations received a donation: Mimbres Region Arts Council (MRAC), Imagination Library, Spay/Neuter Awareness Program (SNAP), Rope 4 Hope, and Wreaths Across America.
MRAC’s Inspire/Aspire programming seeks to expand hands-on experiential learning opportunities that inspire creativity, critical thinking, collaboration and communication. The Inspire/Aspire Fund is dedicated to providing access to arts experiences, regardless of financial or geographical challenges. Programs include: K-12 Southwest Student Arts Exhibit, Blues in the Schools, Creatives in Classrooms, Imagine That-Art Museum In My School, Poetry Out Loud, Youth Murals. To learn more, go here.
Imagination Library of Grant County has now become Imagination Library of New Mexico. They are an affiliate of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. They promote literacy for all Grant County preschool children by delivering books to their homes monthly from birth to age 5. Throughout the state, there are more than 10,900 children receiving a free high quality book in the mail each month. Research documents that early childhood literacy is the key component in education, financial, and physical well-being. To learn more, go here.
Spay/Neuter Awareness Program (SNAP) received a donation from the Foundation for the first time. Daun Putnam, representing SNAP stated, “All money from this donation will stay locally.” SNAP provides financial assistance to spay and neuter pets for people with low income and works with the 4 veterinarians in Grant County. SNAP serves people and their pets in Grant, Catron, and Hidalgo Counties. In the past 13 years, SNAP, in cooperation with local veterinarians, has helped more than 2,000 pets, and much more needs to be done. To learn more, go here.
Rope 4 Hope celebrated its 10th anniversary this year. The Bootheel Foundation has supported their efforts every year. Funds donated to Rope 4 Hope is used expressly to ease the burden placed on patients who are experiencing financial hardship due to their cancer treatment. Their mission is that no patient should have to make a choice between necessary treatment and meeting their financial obligations. 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.
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. Ft. Bayard’s Veteran Cemetery has 4,485 markers commemorating veterans and their families. With annual fund raising efforts, the additional fund-raising from Tatton Allsup, a Cliff High School graduate, and Bootheel Foundation’s contributions, every marker will have a wreath placed this year. Dr. Mary Cowan said, “We want to remember and honor them [the veterans] well, over the Christmas Season.” The wreath-laying ceremony will be December 9 and 10. For more information contact Mary at 575- 538 – 2626 or email at cowanm.waa@gmail.com.
“Hearing about these non-profit organizations and the work they do in their communities is so incredible. Coming from the non-profit world and community organizing, I know this is hard, gritty work so to be able to acknowledge their efforts and offer some support in a financial way is very special,” said Cari Lemon, Western Bank’s community marketer.
Hidalgo County non-profit organizations who received contributions from Bootheel Foundation were Hidalgo County Rodeo Association, Lordsburg Police Athletic League (PAL), Bootheel Youth, HMS Senior Citizens, Sunshine Haven, Lordsburg Christmas Festival, Lordsburg Museum, and Lordsburg Elks Club. Willcox, AZ non-profit organizations were Charles William Leighton Jr. Hospice, Willcox Against Substance Abuse (WASA), and The Spring after school program. Bisbee, AZ non-profits included Boys & Girls Club of Bisbee, Women’s Transition Project, Healthy Bisbee, The Friends of the Copper Queen Library, Wreathes Across America, Lori’s Place – Cochise Family Advocacy Center.