The Community Foundation serving Southwest Colorado appreciates the generous support of all those who attended our Community Taste philanthropy dinner, providing important funds for the mission of the Foundation. We exist to support, educate and facilitate a stronger nonprofit sector. We ensure philanthropists understand the issues in our region and know which nonprofits are doing the work to make our community a better place to live.
Thank you to our sponsor, Think Network Technologies, for making philanthropy an important part of its business plan. Thank you to Bank of Colorado for continued support of the Community Foundation. Blue Lake Ranch provided the perfect venue for a lovely evening at the Ridgewood Events Center. The following local restaurants and chefs provided a delicious meal, from appetizers to desserts: Himalayan Kitchen, Manna’s Culinary Program, Durangourmet, Cypress Café, The Ore House, The Yellow Carrot, Season’s, Sunnyside Farms Market, Palace Restaurant, Sutherland Farms Market, El Moro, Norton’s Catering, Doubletree Hotel and Cream Bean Berry. Thank you to Animas Wine & Spirits, Star Liquors and Ska Brewing for donating beer and wine. Tim Sullivan & the Narrow Gauge Band entertained as always! The Community Foundation was pleased to support many of these businesses with CERF grant monies, to support the community during the economically challenging times due to the 416 Fire.
The Community Foundation serving Southwest Colorado
Wolfwood Refuge wrapped up its 2018 season with its Annual Art Auction at the DSNGRR Grange on Sept. 22. This event provides the means for the refuge to care for 70 animals throughout the winter months. This was a difficult year for many businesses and individuals throughout La Plata County and the state. In light of those challenges, so many people and businesses gave what they could to support the animals.
Most recently, donations were received from: DSNGR, Durango Harley-Davidson, Bloom Café, Animas Laser Therapy, Baked, Brew, Carver’s Brewing, Cuckoo’s, Durango Chef, El Moro, Four Leaves Winery, Fired Up Pizza, Fox Fire Farms, HomeSlice Pizza, Ignacio Floral, Irish Embassy, Ken & Sue’s, Lacey Black, Liquor World, Fifty/Fifty, Manna soup kitchen, Los Amigos Del Sur, May Palace, Mutu’s Italian Kitchen, Neil Agency Auctioneers, Olde Tymers, The Palace, Serious Texas Bar-B-Q, SKA, Star Liquors, T’s Smokehouse & Grill, Upper East Side Liquor, Wildcat Canyon Liquors, Zuberfizz Durango Soda Co., combined with all of the hundreds of live and silent auction donors and over 40 volunteers.
Throughout our 2018 season, we were welcomed to Purgatory, Three Springs, Pagosa Brewery, Hermit Part, Five Branches and Lake City. Thousands of people came out to see the wolves and listen to the presentations. We also enjoyed meeting people while traveling to our destinations. Each time we stopped for gas or a quick snack, crowds gathered to learn more about our mission and the animals.
We are deeply grateful for all of the support and encouragement ... and yes, even the wolves are howling with gratitude.
Wolfwood Refuge
The San Juan Basin Archaeological Society would like to thank all those who helped make our presentation on “Otzi, the 5,300 year-old Tyrolean Iceman and the World’s Oldest Tattoos’’ such a success. We are especially grateful to the Ballantine Family Fund, the Rochester Hotel and to our co-sponsor, the Fort Lewis College Department of Anthropology, as well as to our speaker, Dr. Aaron Deter-Wolf. Thanks to all our members who volunteered, and to everyone who attended the lecture. This was our second annual John W. Sanders Lecture Series talk, which raises funds to support our Education and Internship Fund to provide for student internships at Center of Southwest Studies at Fort Lewis College and a scholarship to the FLC Summer Archaeological Field School.
San Juan Basin Archaeological Society Board
The Durango Botanical Society is committed to the design and development of public gardens for the purposes of education and demonstration. To that end, we believe the new gardens on the Animas River Trail provide education, beauty and inspire well-being in our community.
These gardens would not be possible without the support of this community. On Sept. 28, DBS dedicated the new Arboreta and opened these gardens to the public. This arboreta is located on the north side of the Durango Public Library and consists of the Gabbro Miniature Tree Garden completed in 2016, the Miniature Tree Garden (2018), the Arboretum (2018-2019) and the Arboretum Along the Trail (2019-2020). We would like to thank the many people and organizations that helped bring the new arboreta to fruition.
The ribbon-cutting was performed by Jim Fricke with the Colorado Garden Foundation that has supported DBS with grants since 2012. Many of the recently planted trees have been donated by Dave Temple, owner of Trees of Trail Canyon, and David Salman, owner of Waterwise in Santa Fe.
We have also worked closely with and been supported by the city of Durango, Durango Parks & Recreation, Durango Public Library, the Library Advisory Board, Darrin Parmenter with the CSU Extension office, LPEA, the Rotary Club, Durango Nursery and Supply, Native Roots Garden Center, the Dear family, The Durango Herald and numerous individual donors.
Finally, Lisa Bourey with Lisa Bourey Horticulture Design and landscaper and stone mason Erik Lewis have been instrumental in the design and creation of these gardens. A very heartfelt thank you to everyone for supporting these public gardens.
Barbara Johnson, Durango Botanical Society
