By Denny Rose
Special to The PREVIEW
At the November meeting of the Mountain View Homemakers, members had an opportunity to meet and visit with 15 representatives of non-profit organizations before and during a covered dish lunch.
Then, representatives were given checks and a chance to briefly tell everyone how the money would be spent to make life better here in the Pagosa Area.
Eleven checks of $500 each were given to non-profits chosen by Mountain View Homemaker members at an earlier meeting: Loaves and Fishes, Pagosa Outreach Connection, Habitat for Humanity, Humane Society of Pagosa, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Veterans 4 Veterans, the emergency fund at Pagosa public schools, the Pregnancy Support Center, Hospice of Mercy, Senior Home Delivered Meals and Pagosa Springs Youth Center.
Club presidents Barbara Ford and Joyce Ryan alternated presenting checks, including another $500 check to Goal Academy for their help in setting up and taking down at the bazaar, and $300 to the 4-H Program to use when 13 members attend the Colorado Leadership Conference.
Liz Schnell, who headed the committee for this year’s bake sale, came forward to present a $1,202.80 check to Meg Wempe from the Ruby Sisson Memorial Library. That is the entire amount made at the Holiday Bazaar Bake Sale. Jane Baker, MVH treasurer, presented another, smaller check to the Library as the annual thank you for storing the club’s scrapbooks.
Mountain View Homemakers raises the funds for these non-profit organizations by having an auction at the July meeting and, for the past two years, being the producer of the Holiday Bazaar. The bazaar includes a bake sale, about 70 vendors, a 50/50 drawing, the Youth Diner and a big silent auction. The amount of money available to share from all the fund-raisers this year is the highest amount ever, as is appropriate for the club’s 50th anniversary year.
All area women are invited to come to any meeting of MVH. Most are held at the Extension Building at the fairgrounds and all are on the second Thursday of the month. Most of the programs involve presentations of interest to members and guests. There is one work day each year, to allow for making blankets and pillows. The blankets are given to the Pregnancy Support Center and the Department of Human Services. The comfort pillows and colorful cases are given to the Hospice Team and to Pine Ridge.
Two other meetings are special. Once each year, the club meets at a member’s home for a picnic. And, the upcoming Christmas meeting is very special because it includes a musical program by the Pagosa Springs High School Choir. The students stay to have a big holiday lunch and visit with MVH members. The final check to be distributed this year will go to the choir to help them travel and compete. Following the meeting, there will be time for those in attendance to get to know each other with a fun gift exchange. All who choose to participate should bring a $15 gift.
Mountain View Homemakers is dedicated to improving the lives of its members, their families and the community. There are no dues or other membership requirements and visitors are not expected to bring a covered dish. When someone attends a meeting the second time, they automatically become a member and may bring food for the lunch enjoyed at every meeting.
