giveA special look at our neighbors who give of their time, services

and more, and Wood River Valley non-profit organizations.

the weeklythe weeklysunsunthe weeklythe weeklysunsun

2013

T his marks our third edition of this important, annual special edition. The Wood River Valley

is home to over 100 non-profit entities that benefit from local volunteers and philanthropists. There are so many ways to help these organizations meet their needs — from opening pocketbooks, to donations of material goods and much more.

In 20012, in the state of Idaho, 36.5% of residents volunteered, ranking us 3rd among the 50 states. Idaho volunteers have contributed over 58.2 million hours of service and $939 million in contributions. More than half of our residents donate to charity.*

We hope this will inspire people to celebrate the season of giving with the gift of self.

The Weekly Sun would like to thank all those who get involved in making a difference.

*source: www.volunteeringinamerica.gov/ID

“The truest gift is one that is given with no expectations.” -the Dalai Lama

G I V E 2 T h E W E E k l y S u n • D e c e m b e r 2 5 , 2 0 1 3

“TEACHING GENEROSITY TO THE 4,000 STUDENTS OF BLAINE COUNTY

WOW-Students mission is to inspire and expand generosity in Blaine County.WOW empowers students to make a difference and take responsibility

for their community, inspiring others to follow.

What is one thing

you have always wanted

to do as a family?

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A letterfrom Santa

To all my friends,

I love my job! I get to deliver holiday cheer to everyone. It is an amazing feeling to see smiles and laughter on Christmas

morning. Giving to others is why I do what I do. Some people may think, “I can’t ever be as generous as Santa!” Well, I want to let you know that any day is an opportunity to be generous. Another thing to remember is that a gift doesn’t have to be something you buy, things that you do can be just as special and maybe mean even more. Try more sharing, more helping, and more giving all year round! You will feel happy when you do and so will the people around you.

Happy holidays to all my friends and here’s to a whole year of giving.

Cheers, Santa

‘Tis the season and giving is the reason. But after the gifts have been distributed, what is the best way to say “Thank You”?

Below we have compiled a Top 10 List of unique and creativeways to say thank you. Whether you received a new pair of skis

or a donation in your name, sometimes it is thesmall personal touches that make the biggest impact.

wow-students.org

FOR A STRONGER COMMUNITY”

WOW-students is a 501c3 non-profi t

CONVERSATION STARTERS

T h E W E E k l y S u n • D e c e m b e r 2 5 , 2 0 1 3 G I V e 3

wood river valley volunteers

Tom and Jane AllenNo grass grows under the Allen’s

volunteer feet. When they resid-ed in Boise they volunteered and supported the local theaters there. Now, they’ve only been in the valley for 3 years and are already heavily involved volunteering for the nex-Stage Theatre. Well, it’s no wonder they choose their volunteer goals to be in the theatrical field since their daughter just graduated in New York City with a major in theatre and arts. Their son, presently in shanghai is a teacher (following his mom’s foot-steps). As we all know teaching does entail some acting as well.

We met at the Konditorei in Sun Valley and had a great time chatting about our wondrous and lively downtown Ketchum theatrical orga-nization. Here are some of the things they had to say about the nexStage: “NexStage is such a great organiza-tion. They are so connected to the community. What we like the best is the whole family atmosphere. There is everybody—toddlers, pre-teens, teenagers, adults—that’s how they connect with the community. Nex-Stage is all encompassing—everyone can feel comfortable there. The play readings are free and are really terrif-ic. Going to a nexStage performance is a wonderful experience every time because everyone is so nice, talented and experienced. As human beings they have depth. It’s nice being with people like that.”

Tom and Jane take on anything that Kathy Wygle, managing director of the nexStage, asks them to do. So, you’ll see these two recent Boise transplants collecting tickets, working at the bar, helping at special events and more. These are the kind of volunteers that help make the organization just the way they de-scribed. So when you go to an event at the nexStage, be sure to give a big thank you and hello to Tom and Jane.

BY MARGOT VAN HORN

Mary Ellen Card and Sara BaldwinIt’s always a pleasure for me to

meet with our star volunteers for our yearly Weekly Sun’s Give section to get some insights into what they love about volunteering along with their personal and professional insights about one of their pet organizations. So, having a cozy coffee at Java in Hailey was a perfect venue in which to meet Mary Ellen and Sara. “Variety--that is volunteering. There are so many opportunities in this valley,” stated Mary Ellen. “The Crisis Hotline really needs volunteers because it’s a small organization and therefore is highly dependent on volunteers. If you make a difference in one person’s life, it is worth it. The Crisis Hotline has done more than that,” said Sara Baldwin, while Mary Ellen vigorously shook her head in the “yes” mode when Sara said this. They both continued pointing out the following benefits and descriptions of The Crisis Hotline: That it has

had a huge impact on this commu-nity and that, furthermore, it is an organization that is “unseen” because of its confidentiality; that there are national hotlines, but that the benefit of our very own hotline is that it is manned by local volunteers who are acquainted with the resources here in our community; and that it is an open line for all ages and for all kinds of crises because each crisis is different for each individual. Without wanting to sound repetitious, Mary Ellen and Sara wanted to make sure to empha-size that The Crisis Hotline offers compassionate help in having trained volunteers being able to LISTEN and being able to GUIDE the caller to form a plan and to subsequently reach the right people to help. As happens so often here in our com-munity, The Crisis Hotline is in close connection with the many other local nonprofits and that is a very sweet thing, indeed.

BY MARGOT VAN HORN

Linda Closner “This journey was chosen for

me. It saved me after 9/11”. Lin-da tragically lost several dear friends in the towers; addition-ally she felt that it was time for a change from her previously hectic 31 year career as an in-ternational flight attendant. She wanted to start remembering each individual day instead of having all her days blurring into one. She and her husband owned a cozy vacation pad in Ketchum

and so they decided to perma-nently make that move from the San Francisco area to here.

A hike up Adams Gulch with a shelter puppy on one of the shelter’s special weekly “hike with a dog” day eventually led to their becoming parents to their very first dog---- their beloved girl, Punzi, (short for Rapunzel) who has just very recently gone over the rainbow bridge. Punzi came from the ferry tale litter and was the bridge over troubled waters that led Linda to the shelter. “Meant to be” particularly took hold when they found out that Punzi had been born on 9/11. “You can’t choose your kids, but you can choose your dogs” said Linda. That all took place in 2002.

Subsequently, it’s been over 10 years that Linda became one of the top volunteers for our shelter. She has worn almost all of the volunteer shelter hats--- some of which are : volunteer coordinator; foster dog parent specializing in particular in pregnant dogs needing the “birthing closet” that they all found in Linda’s office(one brave Mastiff had 15 puppies); the founding of Pet Pals which is a program pairing dogs with human mentors; helping with fund raising events and dog walks in Ketchum and Adams Gulch; and making sure that the shelter’s public accessible notebooks containing up-dated pictures and information will be found in various public locations such as in Ketchum’s Starbucks, var-ious dog stores and vet offices. Linda even traveled to Louisiana to help out with stranded animals after Katrina.

“The airline employees were my family. Now the shelter has become my family. We love, we fight, we disagree—it’s all about what’s best for the animals and letting go of the ego. You think that you are doing a benevolent thing as a volunteer, but it really ends up as a selfish thing be-cause the rewards are so much more than what you were ever expecting. It’s so healing and is a great way to

connect to the community” PS—Lin-da also has mentored many cats.

BY MARGOT VAN HORN

Barbara Corwin “This

morning I was thinking that I just like to volunteer. What do I do? I volunteer.” And that is how Barbara Corwin’s life has evolved in her retirement. Even previ-ously, during her 39 1/2 years in our valley and before, when she was a busy practicing physical therapist, she always found time to volunteer; but now most of her time is spent thinking what more she can do to help the various organizations with which she is involved. One of her pet non-profits is the Blaine County Hun-ger Coalition. When Barbara chooses the organization in which to devote her precious volunteer hours, she wants to make sure that it is an orga-nization that presents challenges that she can see, feel and know that their goals get accomplished. The Blaine County Hunger Coalition is that kind of an organization. Corwin has seen how many food insecure people in the valley have been helped by the food and educational courses that the Blaine County Hunger Coalition has been able to offer. She has seen the positive evolution of the foods now being offered: a fresher variety with an emphasis on proper nutritional values. She knows that the Blaine County Hunger Coalition is on track to reach only 55 percent of the food insecure in our valley. She expressed that there is still so much to do and emphasized that the best way to help the Blaine County Hunger Coalition is by giving financial help because

continued, page 4

G I V E 4 T h E W E E k l y S u n • D e c e m b e r 2 5 , 2 0 1 3

wood river valley volunteers

that is the most efficient way that the Blaine County Hunger Coalition can immediately leverage into the acqui-sition of their constantly needed food supplies. She encouraged everyone to read the December newsletter for more information.

BY MARGOT VAN HORN

Carlyle de BivortCarlyle de

Bivort knows a thing or two about pouring wine and serving snacks. After all, her career as a flight attendant took her all around the world doing just that for 25 years.

That’s why her volunteer work with The Senior Connection is such a good fit. She pours wine at The Connection’s benefits. And she spends four hours one day a week delivering 25 Meals on Wheels to the homebound.

“I have a 97-year-old mother who lives in the San Francisco Bay area so I understand the elderly. And I really like them—they’re so grateful, always saying, ‘Thank you,’ ” de Bivort said.

de Bivort was introduced to Sun Valley when a couple of friends said, “Let’s go skiing.”

“I grew up in Switzerland, so of course I said, ‘I’m in!’ And when I walked into Sun Val-ley Village with its European atmosphere, I knew I would be back,” said de Bivort, who even-tually bought a miner’s cabin in Triumph.

Though she’s been here 35 years, de Bivort said her volun-teer work with the elderly has enhanced her life in the Wood River Valley.

“It makes me feel good to help out, and I’ve made some wonder-ful friends doing this. And the elderly always have a story or something to tell you.”

BY KAREN BOSSICK

Pamela DoucettePamela Dou-

cette says she likes to volun-teer because “I came from a family that gave back.” Since moving back to the valley after six years in Boise she has thrown herself into a variety of causes. But it all started when she was living in Wisconsin and saw an ad in the paper looking for Girl Scout leaders. “I just saw it as an opportunity to mentor young women. I was 24 at the time and it was a great experience. I’m still involved in training leaders in Idaho and the Girl Scouts and in building strong young girls. The girls I started with are now in college and I’ve watched them become confident and caring to their community.” She is also on the board of Boulder Moun-tain Clayworks that partner with other organizations like The Hunger Coalition, Camp Rainbow Gold, Higher Ground and Atkinson Park and Recreation. “It helps promotes the arts and gives kids and adults a clay experience,” she said. She travels to Gooding as well to help teach deaf and blind kids to swim and volunteers at the courthouse as a mediator in small claims cases. “You just feel good about yourself when you give of your time in helping other people. Part of your heart opens up and I like to share things that I’m passionate about.”

BY JONATHAN KANE

Marcee GraffMarcee Graff has been a valley

resident for 29 years after transplant-ing from Southern California. “I love everything about this place,” she said. “It’s beautiful and not crowded

and a great place to raise a kid.” She first became involved as a volunteer when she was asked to join the Wood River Moritz Auxiliary Board. “It was a lot of fun. We raised money for the hospital with our annual ball and luncheon. What I remember most was that it was a very hands-on working board.” Since then she has served on numerous boards including the Sun Valley Center for the Arts, the Blaine County School District Education Foundation and the Cub Scout Leaders. “Today my focus is on the Wood River Elk Trust 2 which was started in 2008 when we had a bad winter and the elk in Elkhorn were going hungry. Since then there hasn’t been a need for feeding but if there is we are there to assist them. We have a Fish and Game expert and a veterinarian on our board and they make a constant check on the elk’s situation. If it’s not necessary, we don’t feed them. I love the cause because it’s a way of being involved in the community and giving back and if it helps to get the job done, that’s why you do it.”

BY JONATHAN KANE

Willa McLaughlinOne minute

Willa Mc-Laughlin was just another swimmer in Karen Morri-son’s master swim session. Next she knew, she was one of eight Wood River Valley residents vol-unteering for Morrison’s AquaAbil-ity Program by heading to Gooding once a week to teach swimming to students in an indoor pool next to the Idaho School for the Deaf and Blind.

McLaughlin volunteers all morning long working one on one with kindergarteners to high school students who are blind or maybe even have cerebral palsy.

“At first they may resemble a little ball. Then they stretch out and float on their backs. You see huge smiles begin to form as their confidence grows,” she says.

“The teachers tell us the kids are doing better in class as a result. The teachers use the threat of not getting to swim whenever a student needs an attitude adjustment.”

For McLaughlin, who has also done a lot of work with Special Olympics and Girls Scouts in the valley, the program is a throwback to when she worked as a special educa-tion teacher.

“I missed what I used to do so this ties into it,” she says. “I just love it—it’s the best thing I do all week.”

BY KAREN BOSSICK

Matt ReidyMatt

Reidy started volunteering at Ketchum’s Community Li-brary in order to fulfill a ser-vice require-ment to earn a Congressional Award.

Congress gives the award to Americans ages 14 to 23 based on public service, personal develop-ment, physical fitness and expedition or exploration.

Reidy got hooked on his volunteer work and chalked up about 400 hours over two years.

“Matt was an outstanding library volunteer. He demonstrated a strong commitment to and enthusiasm for his work. He became a fixture on our staff,” says Dana Marino, the library’s volunteer coordinator.

Reidy shelved books and helped set up for events, among other things.

“Without volunteers they can’t function,” he said.

This isn’t the only volunteer work Reidy has done. The Wood River High School senior has counted pe-destrians and bicyclists on the Wood River bike path for Sustain Blaine. He’s volunteered with the REACT youth group and he dressed up as Chucky for the Bellevue Haunted Forest.

“It was fun—I got to jump out at people,” he says.

Reidy has applied to a couple colleges. He hopes to study eco-nomics and political science.

In the meantime, he figures he’s got at least one more sum-mer left in him to help out at the local library.

BY KAREN BOSSICK

Keefer ReynoldsKeefer

Reynolds had her eyes opened to the greater world, spend-ing school years in New York and summers in Barbados as she did.

But it was an animal track-ing workshop taught by local naturalist Ann Christensen that turned her on to a whole new world of curiosity.

Inspired, Reynolds went through the program to become an Idaho Master Naturalist. Now she shows off beaver skulls and wolf pelts to youngsters for the Environmental Resource Center and other programs.

“She’s volunteered to help us with so many things over many years and this year she has vol-unteered in the office as a teach-er and as a master naturalist. She’s one of our hidden assets!” says Molly Goodyear, the ERC’s director.

Reynolds says her volunteer work dovetails with her former work as a preschool teacher with Stepping Stone.

“We talk about how wolves are the same as or different from dogs and why predators have eyes in the front of their heads and prey have eyes on the side of their heads so they can see all around,” she says. “I’m in love with Idaho and feel I ‘ve got to teach the youngsters to love Idaho, too.”

BY KAREN BOSSICK

Reann Schultz“I was a

client of The Advocates and am now giving back. They have given me so much. They have helped me through the worse times of my life. They helped me get shelter immediately and now to get my own shelter. I’ve been part of The Advocates ever since I moved here 10 years ago. They are always there for you---even if you make the wrong decision. I moved in (the shelter) on March 1 and moved out June 1. I nev-er thought it would be so quick. The people in this valley are amazing. It’s the first time in my life that I’ve had so many wonderful things happen to me. “ said Reann.

What a success story and an inspiration for everyone!!! Reann is a mother of three-the youngest of whom is studying to become a nuclear engineer in CA. Completing her family are her son and just born grandson who live in Florida and her daughter and her 2 year old who live in Hailey. Reann has been a very busy woman during her whole life: getting out of harmful and abusive relationships and trying to break her circle of violence; raising a family; studying to be an insurance specialist which she still is in this valley and most important for her — volunteer-

ing. Volunteering has been a huge

part of her life and presently she is enjoying the role of being a Lead Volunteer for the Advocates. She has helped them in a myriad of ways but in particular with their fund raising events and outreach. She came here to Ketchum for a “hideaway”; however she herself is far from being hidden away because of her amazing volunteering and love of connect-ing to people. And that folks is the “rest of the story” for this amazing woman.

BY MARGOT VAN HORN

Levie SmithLevie Smith

has lived in the community for 25 years and first found herself getting involved in ser-vice as a way to help kids. “I had just moved to town from Washington, D.C., and was trying to fill a niche and wanted to work with children. At that time they were starting a kids’ gymnastic team and I wanted to be involved. It later evolved into a kids’ activity center and went from 50 to 250 children. It then expanded into a summer program that promoted sports and the arts and was later to become the catalyst for the YMCA. One of the reasons I love to volunteer is because it’s so rewarding and that it really makes you feel good. It’s such a welcoming community and that’s one of the reasons I relocated here.” She also serves the valley’s youth by being a member of The Papoose Club which was started 50 years ago by women who raise funds for children’s programs through events three times a year. “Last year I was the secretary and I want to be involved with them because of their mission statement to help the valley’s youth.” She also serves on the Sun Valley Board of Realtors that donates gift baskets to 370 families and volunteers at both the nexStage Theatre and The Sage School. “I love the support we give each other here and that it is such a community-oriented valley.”

BY JONATHAN KANE

Jim SpinelliJim Spinelli

wants to help kids, and to that end he has thrown himself into his work as a member of Kiwanis International – so much so that this year he is governor for the states of Idaho and Utah. “Their goal is to change the world one community and one child at a time,” he said. “At the Kiwanis club in Hailey we stay under the radar but we’re there for people in a down situation. We make people happy and we try to make them feel good.” When asked how giving makes him feel, he added, “Actually, I feel a little selfish. I’m grinning from ear to ear when I watch the kids whisper in Santa’s ear at our Winter Wonderland celebration. I feel like I get two times out of it than what the kids do.” This year over 200 kids met Santa and made crafts and ornaments for three hours. There is also the Coats for Kids Drive that helps over 300 kids with coats and all sorts of winter wear. Half the items are brand new. There is also the program of reading to kids and supplying books that takes place at the Community Campus. “All our members have kids and have had an opportunity to raise kids. Plenty need help and we are their silent partners.”

BY JONATHAN KANE

Helen StoneHelen Stone got the gardening bug

from her mother. Her mother, she recalls, had one of the first compost piles in Southern California.

So it was only natural that Stone would begin volunteering at the five-acre Sawtooth Bo-tanical Garden when it opened in 1994. She started out helping with the food distribution program; she now serves on the board, volunteer-ing at many of the garden’s functions.

“I’m a gardener—it’s my forte. And the botanical garden is a great resource for the community. It edu-cates children and it educates adults. It shows what you can grow here in a desert mountain environment. And it’s a beautiful place and getting better all the time,” she says.

When not working at the garden, Stone shepherds pint-sized skiers as a children’s monitor at Dollar Mountain. During summer she tends to her own luscious, humongous yard in Hailey, which has been featured on the Hailey Garden Tour.

“Because the season is so short here, people appreciate anything that grows,” she says. “I hold onto every-thing that comes along. And I’m the eternal optimist—with gardening, there’s always tomorrow.”

BY KAREN BOSSICK

Jodie TaylorJodie Taylor

always loved to run. She ran from her home in Iowa to the high school track so she could run. She ran in college to avoid putting on the famous “freshman 15.” And when she moved to Sun Valley in 1984, after a stint at Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park, she fell in love with running backcountry trails in the Pioneer Mountains.

When her three children became old enough that she didn’t have to chauffeur them after school, she took advantage of the extra time on her hands to volunteer with Girls on the Run.

Taylor began meeting with 10 to 12 Hailey Elementary School third-graders. They’re in sixth grade now—she still works with them twice a week for six weeks at a time in fall and spring.

“I love this age group. They’re very enthusiastic. They’re inquisitive. They want to raise their hands and they want to participate,” she says. “After six weeks everybody, includ-ing parents, turn out to see the girls run 5k or 3.1 miles. To see their faces when they finish is priceless.”

Taylor, who also tutors fourth-graders in the I Have a Dream program, talks with her Girls on the Run about gratitude, community and steps to take in unsettling situations.

“They’re life lessons I hope they will retain throughout their lives,” she says.

BY KAREN BOSSICK

Gary VinagreGary

Vinagre, a 47-year resident of the valley, has recently thrown himself into work as a volunteer for the High-er Ground program that assists Wound-ed Warriors. He moved here after bumming around Europe for three years and hasn’t regretted a minute of it. “I’ve always been a mountain person and having the rivers and the outdoors available to you is all I could ever ask for. I also love the people here. They are the best and the variety of backgrounds is amazing. I have a lot of friends here for forever but I’m

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T h E W E E k l y S u n • D e c e m b e r 2 5 , 2 0 1 3 G I V e 5

JOIN USin achieving new heights through adaptive sports

Donate online at HigherGroundSV.org or mail checks to Tyra MacGuffie, Development Director PO Box 6791, Ketchum, ID 83340.

To volunteer with our programs, call Peta Verhaeghe, (208) 806-1702.

This Holiday Season, please consider making a gift to support Higher Ground’s Military and Recreation Programs.

Thank you to our amazing community for your generous support and Happy Holiday’s from Higher Ground!

give.VOTE

TO

All the groups inside this special GIVE section responded to our call to have their information listed here for free.

And now, you can help their outreach efforts by voting for your favorite. The Weekly Sun will give a 4-page, full color, pull-out section – to be published in the issue of their choice in 2014 – to the organiza-tion that garners the most votes!

Please submit your vote for your favorite organization (listed in the GIVE section),

no later than 12 p.m., Monday, Jan. 6, 2014.

TURN TO PAGE 8 IN THIS SECTION TO CAST YOUR VOTE!

Please honor one vote per reader. Duplicates will not be counted

wood river valley volunteers wood river valley non-profit organizations

100 Men Who CAReIn 2013, 100 Men Who Care,

the valley’s only men’s philan-thropic group contributed $8,600 to local non-profit organizations. Their goal for 2014 is to ex-pand their membership, and to increase their generosity to the community. The commitment is to meet quarterly, making a $100 donation at each meeting.

Marty Lyon: 208-788-7462 or Landarc13@aol.com

The AdvoCATesEstablished in 1991, The

Advocates serves over 4500 people each year. Through our shelter, healing, and transition programs, we help people who experience abuse to heal and to develop the skills and resources they need to build safe lives. We provide education programs in our schools and to community groups which give people of all ages the tools to build positive relationships, including work-shops on teen dating, bullying, and bystander intervention.

TheAdvocatesOrg.org • Lisa Huttinger: (208) 788-4191ext. 22 or lisa@theadvocatesorg.org

AniMAl shelTeR of The Wood RiveR vAlley

Established in 1982, the Animal Shelter of the Wood River Valley serves the resi-dents and companion animals of Blaine County. The Animal Shelter, Idaho’s first no-kill shelter, is on a mission to enrich the quality of life in our com-munity by connecting animals and people through innovative programs and services. In 2012 alone, more than 1,500 animals received vital services from the Shelter!

animalshelterwrv.org • 208-788-4351, info@animal shelterwrv.org

AquAbiliTyEstablished in 2010, AquA-

bility is available to children and adults with disabilities including but not limited to: paralysis, spinal cord injuries, visual or auditory impairment, multiple sclerosis, stroke, brain injury, amputation, Parkinson’s Disease, Down Syndrome and developmental disabilities.

They are committed to provid-ing health, recreation and sport through adaptive swimming as an opportunity for people with disabilities to improve fitness, develop independence, increase self-esteem, and improve quality of life.

aquability.org • Karen A. Morrison: 208-720-6362 or kmorrison@aquability.org

bARkin’ bAseMenTEstablished in 1999, the

Barkin’ Basement is a thrift store that supports the Animal Shelter of the Wood River Valley. We offer quality discounted merchandise, relying solely on donations from residents and businesses of the Wood River Valley to keep our inventory stocked. We also offer free pickups of large donations. Come and check the Barkin’ Basement out at 111 S. Main St. in Hailey. When you donate, volunteer, or shop at the Barkin’ Basement you are making a difference for animals in need!

AnimalShelterWRV.org • Andrea Parker: (208) 788-3854, barkin@animalshelterwrv.org

blAine CounTy eduCATion foundATion

Established in 1992, the Blaine County Education Foun-dation serves the Blaine County School District community by awarding grants directly to teachers, schools and students

within the Blaine County School District.

They focus community re-sources and raises funds for the Blaine County School District, promoting academic rigor, teach-er excellence and innovation, eq-uitable educational opportunities and a healthy and sustainable student environment.

supportbcef.org • Kathleen McCabe: 208-578-5449 or kmccabe@blaineshools.org

blAine CounTy hisToRiCAl MuseuM

Established in 1962, the Blaine County Historical Mu-seum serves local and visiting history researchers. The Mission of the Blaine County Historical Museum is to discover, pro-cure and maintain items and information that relates to the history of Blaine County and to promote interest and aware-ness through public education. Our vision for the Museum is to develop a center that creates excitement, curiosity and appre-ciation of the collections through interactive interpretive exhibits. We rely on donations, grants and a small operating budget through the County.

bchistoricalmuseum.org • Bob MacLeod: 208-788-4210 or macleaodsv@msn.com • Teddie Dayle: 208-720-0560 or teddiedaley@msn.com

blAine CounTy housing AuThoRiTy

Established in 2007 in current form (and in the mid 90’s as the previous organization Blaine-Ketchum Housing Authority) Blaine County Housing Authori-ty serves the workforce residing in Blaine County. Their mission is to advocate, promote, plan and preserve the long-term supply of

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always meeting new people.” He was asked by a neighbor to get in-volved with Higher Ground because his skills were needed. “I have the time and the energy. The last four weeks have been spent getting people to donate their time and energy to the program and the three camps we’ll be running this winter. In my business – real estate - raising money

and making deals are what we do as a matter of course. Many of the people running the program are younger and I can be of real help and I’m also moved by the fact that 85 percent of the funds raised go back into the pro-gram. It just feels good to help people that need help.”

BY JONATHAN KANE tws

BY LESLIE THOMPSONJust before Thanksgiving,

I had the chance to meet up with disabled vet and West Virginia native Lisa Groves at Zaney’s River Street Coffee House in Hailey. Groves is currently driving to 39 states and Canada and Mexico this year to help disabled vets by raising aware-ness of their struggles and assisting them in registering for services as well as giving them hope, she says. “It’s com-forting to them to know they’re not alone.”

She stopped at Zaney’s when she heard about the display of support for Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl — she was overcome with emotion for the incredible amount of community support shown here.

Groves does not get compensated for her travels, but rather vol-unteers time and goods while helping veterans and their families — and even has stuffed therapy bears for them. She has received a Jefferson Medal for her public service.

Info: Lisa Willis Groves - Veteran’s Advocate on Facebook.

Lisa Groves on a National Mission

HELP fiLL THEiR WiSH LiST - SEE PAGE 8

G I V E 6 T h E W E E k l y S u n • D e c e m b e r 2 5 , 2 0 1 3

Don’t miss out on a thing this Winter!

The Newest Winter Editionof The Weekly Sun’s 101 Amazing Things to Do

Magazine is on shelves now!

wood river valley non-profit organizations

desirable and affordable housing choices in all areas of Blaine County in order to maintain an economically diverse, vibrant and sustainable community.

bcoha.org • David Patrie: 208-788-6102 or david.patrie@bcoha.org

CAMp RAinboW gold, inCEstablished in 1984, and

branching off from the Ameri-can Cancer Society as of Jan. 1, 2014, Camp Rainbow Gold will continue to serve the children of Idaho diagnosed with can-cer—along with their siblings, families and support network—by offering medically supervised amps, college scholarships and other emotionally empowering experiences. In July, they will serve 200+ children over three weeks at Cathedral Pines, north of Ketchum.

camprainbowgold.org • Christl Holzl: 208-720-0226 or chirstl@camprainbowgold.org

The CoMMuniTy libRARyEstablished in 1955, The Com-

munity Library serves anyone in need of library services, fiber-op-tic internet access, and cultural programming, regardless of where he or she may live. Their purpose is bringing information, ideas, and individuals together to enhance the cultural life of the community. Their biggest source of funds is private do-nations and proceeds from the Gold Mine Thrift Store and Gold Mine Consign.

thecommunitylibrary.org • Cynthia Dillon: 208-726-3493 x101 or cdillon@thecommunity library.org

The CRisis hoTlineThe Crisis Hotline began

operation in April of 1987 in response to the need in our community for a central number for individuals to contact when in crisis, in need of someone to listen to them, or to provide them with resource and referral information. The Crisis Hotline is an Idaho Non-Profit where a person in any crisis can call to get help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They also provide referrals and educational programs. They rely on contributions and grants from generous donors.

thecrisishotline.org • Sher Foster: 208-788-0735 or crisishl@qwestoffice.net

enviRonMenTAl ResouRCe CenTeR

Established in 1993, Environ-mental Resource Center (ERC) serves the Wood River Valley. Through education, leadership and collaboration the ERC is the catalyst for sustainable living in the Wood River Valley. They are the community’s resource for environmental information and action. In 2013, they celebrated 20 years of teaching youth and adults to understand and value our environment. Together we are building a green community!

ercsv.org • Molly Goodyear: 208-726-4333 or molly@ercsv.org

flouRish foundATionEstablished in 2010, Flourish

Foundation serves the students, teachers, parents, and health-care professionals of the Wood River Valley through a diverse offering of programs. They are a social profit dedicated to promoting contemplative based practices in communities for the purpose of achieving mental balance and compassion. The heart of our work focuses on the human potential to be morally and ethically responsible world citizens.

flourishfoundation.org • Katie Corkery at Katie@flourish foundation.org

fooTlighT dAnCe CenTRe

Established in 1984, Footlight celebrates its 30th year of danc-ing in the Wood River Valley. Programs for kids ages 4 to adult

in all forms of dance, with work-shops that bring in professional guest teachers and educate future dancers and advocates of the performing arts. Their faculty comes from professional performing and college educated programs with both veteran and new teachers. Their mission is to educate, inspire and bring the joy of movement to life. They base their funding from tuition with students enrolled in our school and have individual patrons grant funds for scholar-ships and special projects that include our free performances in the school district and commu-nity.

footlightdancecentre.com • (208) 578-5462 • footlightdance@gmail.com

The fRiends of Wood RiveR fReeRide TeAMEstablished in 2013, The

Friends of Wood River Freeride Team is a community non-profit that provides scholarships to local kids/families that want to participate on Sun Valley’s Wood River Freeride Team, a family friendly, non-competitive ski/snowboard team. Their mission is to continue to support this lo-cal team and to encourage young athletes. The Friends of Wood River Freeride was formed this year, when the Wood River Ski Team and Sun Valley’s Freeride Team merged to operate as one local, affordable, family friendly program on Bald Mountain.

wrfreeridefriends.org • Elizabeth Zellers: 208-309-1966

giRls on The Run of The Wood RiveR vAlley

Established in 2002, Girls on the Run of the Wood River Valley serves girls in grades 3rd – 8th, and the families associated with them.

Their purpose is to inspire girls to be joyful, healthy & confident using a fun experi-ence-based curriculum that creatively integrates running. We envision a world where every girl knows and activates her limitless potential and is free to boldly pursue her dreams.

girlsontherunwrv.org • Mary Fauth: 208-788-7863 or mary@girlsontherunwrv.org

hAiley ChAMbeR of CoMMeRCe

The Hailey Chamber of Com-merce is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to promoting and supporting out local busi-ness community members and events that will help to enhance the vitality of our community. They host events such as Fourth of July Parade, concerts, and business development classes.

The Hailey Chamber of Com-merce is a voluntary organiza-tion of individuals and business-es who have joined together to advance the commercial, finan-cial, industrial, civic and social interest of the Hailey area. It is an organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for all citizens in the area.

haileyidaho.com • 208-788-3484 • Hailey

heRiTAge CouRT Established in 2004, the

Heritage Court, a program of the Blaine County Historical Mu-seum, honors important women of the Wood River Valley, who have contributed to the history and heritage of the county. Each year they ask four community groups to name women to court, and the honorees are celebrated in a coronation ceremony at the Liberty Theatre as well as a for-mal tea and during the summer parades throughout the county. The stories are available on the museum’s website.

bchistoricalmuseum.org • Teddie Daley, 208-720-0560 or teddiedaley@msn.com

higheR gRound sun vAlley

Established in 1999, Higher Ground Sun Valley serves kids, teens and adults with physical and cognitive disabilities and Military Service Members who suffer from PTS (Post Traumatic Stress) TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) and MST (Military Sex-ual Trauma). Their purpose is to enhance quality of life through inclusive therapeutic recreation and education for people of all abilities. This summer, they will have A Hero’s Journey Dinner and Auction.

HigherGroundSV.org • Tyra MacGuffie: 208-726-9298 x115 or tyra@highergroundsv.org

The hungeR CoAliTionFounded in 2003, The Hunger

Coalition strives to end hunger in our community by providing wholesome food to those in need and by promoting solutions to the underlying causes of hunger through collaboration, education and advocacy. More than 3,000 Blaine County residents worry about where their next meal will come from—and 31% are children. We offer a mobile food bank, snack packs for youth, and distribution of infant formula and pet food. We also provide mentoring and education pro-grams to help clients get back on their feet and on a path toward greater economic security.

thehungercoalition.org • 208-788-0121 • 121 Honeysuckle Street, Bellevue

pApoose ClubEstablished in 1954, and

incorporated as a non-profit officially in 1975, the Papoose Club serves children in the Wood River Valley and organizations that serve these children. Last year they gave to over 40 organi-zations.

Their purpose is to support ed-ucational, cultural and athletic growth for local children. They host two free Nordic and Alpine racing events, the Nordic Cup on 2/9 and the Kindercup on 3/9) for children each year.

papooseclub.org • 208-726-6642 or papooseclub@gmail.com

sAWTooTh boTAniCAl gARden

Established in 1995, the Sawtooth Botanical Garden is proud to be the Wood River Valley’s only public garden open every day dawn until dusk. They are free to locals and visitors alike but welcome donations. Year-round events include free community activities and fund raisers. These are: the Bug Zoo, Music in the Garden, our Garden Tour, Magic in the Garden, our Fall Festival, Growing & Giving, Pumpkin Chuckin’ and the Festival of Trees. In addition, we provide free children’s and adult education year-round with or-ganized classes and customized programs upon request.

sbgarden.org • Stephanie McCord: 208-726-9358 or Stephanie@sbgarden.org

The senioR ConneCTionEstablished in 1972, The Se-

nior Connection serves everyone in the community with a main focus on people over 50 and disabled adults in our communi-ty, and connecting them to the community through services and programs. The majority of their funds are raised through private donors. Nobody is turned away for inability to pay, so they rely on donations to provide schol-arships. Last year they pro-vided over $200,000 in charity services.

blainecountyseniors.org • Kim Coonis: 208-788-3468

soupeR suppeR dining RooM

Since 1997, the Souper Supper Dining Room has served over 55,000 meals to those who need

continued, page 7

T h E W E E k l y S u n • D e c e m b e r 2 5 , 2 0 1 3 G I V e 7

Preserving our Rich History, Heritage & Culture

Bringing Thousands of Visitors and Millions of Dollars to the Community

Please Help Support this Internationally recognized EventOne of the Top Ten Fall Festivals in America – USA Today

Greatest Cultural Event in the West – Northwest TravelOne of the Top Fall Festivals in the World – MSN Travel

• Donate (any amount helps) www.trailingofthesheep.org• Become a partner and help the Festival grow

• Volunteer and become a part of our remarkable team

Trailing of the Sheep Cultural Heritage CenterP.O. Box 3692 • Hailey, ID 83333 • (208)-720-0585

Mary Austin Crofts, Executive Director

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18th Annual~ Save the date ~This calendar is a schedule of the biggest annual fundraising events,

for the organizations listed within. Keep in mind, most organizations accept donations throughout the year. Some also receive funding from

local or national grants and campaigns. Most donations are tax-deductible; consult your tax professional for more information.

Watch The Weekly Sun for more information on these events as dates near.

JAnuARy1/7 – Quarterly meeting –

5:30 at the Sawtooth Botanical Garden to support 100 Men Who Care.

1/19 – Fourth Annual Empty Bowls event at the Presbyteri-an Church of the Big Wood in Ketchum to support The Hunger Coalition.

fEBRuARy2/1 – Annual Indian Dinner –

time and place TBA, to support the Compassionate Leaders Program, part of the Flourish Foundation.

2/15 – Casino Royale – time and place TBA, to support The Center and Company of Fools.

2/21 – Broadway and Gilbert & Sullivan Classics Concert – 7:30 p.m. at Church of the Bigwood in Ketchum to support Sun Valley Opera.

2/22 –Gilbert & Sullivan Players Accompanied by the BYU Chorus & Orchestra – 7:30 p.m. at the Community Campus in Hailey to support Sun Valley Opera.

2/23 – Meet and Greet the New Wild Gift Class, enjoy free beer and BBQ as our friends pitch their better world ventures to our community – 5 p.m. at the Ketchum Town Square to support Wild Gift.

MARCH3/1 – Share Your Heart Ball,

fundraiser, live and silent auction, dinner and dancing at the Limelight Room in the Sun

Valley Inn to support Camp Rainbow Gold.

3/7 – Bingo Goes Hawaiian to support the Environmental Resource Center.

APRiL 4/8 – Quarterly meeting –

5:30 at the Sawtooth Botanical Garden to support 100 Men Who Care.

MAy5/10 – Clean Sweep to support

the Environmental Resource Center.

5/17 – Community 5k & Healthy Living Expo – time and place tba, to support Girls on the Run of the Wood River Valley.

5/22-5/26 – Silent Auction of wellness products, services and travel and fundraising dinner with keynote and top featured speakers to support The Sun Valley Wellness Institute.

JunE TbA – Music and Margari-

tas to support the Wood River Orchestra.

TbA – Webb Plant Extraba-ganza to support the Papoose Club.

JuLyTbA - Summer Pavilion

Concert to support Sun Valley Opera.

7/8 – Quarterly meeting – 5:30 at the Sawtooth Botanical Garden to support 100 Men Who Care.

7/17-7/20 – The Sun Valley Center Wine Auction – time and place TBA to support the Sun Valley Center for the Arts.

7/25 – Summer Benefit – at Sun Valley’s Trail Creek Pavil-ion to support the Animal Shel-ter of the Wood River Valley.

7/26 – Magic in the Garden to support the Sawtooth Botanical Garden.

AuGuST8/2 – Annual Golf Classic to

support the Wood River YMCA.8/5 – The 3rd Annual Flourish

Summer Luncheon – time and place TBA, to support the Flour-ish Foundation.

SEPTEMBERTbA – Pancake Breakfast at

Wagon Days on Labor Day to support the Papoose Club.

OCTOBER TbA – Toy Run, a motorcycle

event that collects toys and has a fundraiser to support the Sun Valley Board of Realtors Com-munity Foundation – Holiday Baskets.

10/7 – Quarterly meeting – 5:30 at the Sawtooth Botanical Garden to support 100 Men Who Care.

DECEMBERTbA – Holiday Bazaar – time

and place TBA to support the Papoose Club.

12/31 – Bubbly Bash – time and place TBA, to support the Sun Valley Center for the Arts.

wood river valley non-profit organizations

them on Mondays and Thurs-days at 5:30 p.m. at St. Charles Church in Hailey. Volunteers cook and serve donated food.

Dora Levin at 208-726-7441 or PO Box 4197, Ketchum, ID, 83340

St. Luke’S Wood RiVeR MediCAl CenTeR

In November 2000, St. Luke’s Wood River Medical Center opened its doors to serve the health care needs of people liv-ing in the greater Blaine County area. This not-for-profit 25-bed critical access hospital provides 24-hour emergency services, orthopedic and general surgery, diagnostic imaging including MRI, CT and digital mammog-raphy, maternal and childbirth services, and outpatient infusion services including chemothera-py. St. Luke’s physicians work closely with the medical center and include a network of over 30 providers including dermatology, family medicine, internal medi-cine, neurology, ob/gyn, pediat-rics, and urology.

stlukesonline.org • Jenny King: 208-727-8435 or kingj@slhs.org

The sun ClubEstablished in 1988, The Sun

Club is a non-profit organization maintaining fellowship halls in Ketchum and Hailey. The Sun Club is not affiliated with any recovery group, organization or institution. Our mission is simply to provide individuals, organizations, and local 12-step

groups with an accessible, drug and alcohol-free, safe-haven for group meetings, recovery assis-tance and group events. We pro-vide a free resource center and library in addition to holding educational events. Currently there are over 45 groups meeting weekly at The Sun Club.

thesunclub.org • (208) 726-7710 or michaelfdonovan@cox.net

sun vAlley boARd of ReAlToRs

CoMMuniTy foundATion – holidAy bAskeTs

Established in 2003, the Sun Valley Board of Realtors Com-munity Foundation – Holiday Baskets serves Blaine County residents.

Their purpose is to help fam-ilies in need with holiday food baskets and gifts for children under 18.

They rely on community donations of funding and goods to support the Holiday Baskets. There are several local events that help with the gifts, includ-ing the annual Toy Run and Stuff the Bus with BOB FM and Locally Owned Radio.

www.SBRHolidayBaskets.org • Robin Christensen: 208-720-2905 or robin@robinsells5b.com • Rick Davis: 208-727-7728 or rdavis@sunvalleytitle.com

sun vAlley CenTeR foR The ARTs

Established in 1971, Sun Valley Center for the Arts serves Adults, teens, children and

families in the Wood River Val-ley. Their pupose is to provoke and stimulate the imagination while opening hearts and minds through excellence in diverse arts programming.

Annually, The Center produc-es a Theatre Season (Company of Fools), Lecture Series, Winter Concert Series, Summer Concert Series, 5-7 Exhibitions, Classes for Adults and Children and an Arts & Crafts Festival in August.

sunvalleycenter.org • Sally Boettger: 208-726-9491 or infor-mation@sunvalleycenter.org

sun vAlley opeRASun Valley Opera was estab-

lished in 2001 and serves the entire Wood River Valley. Since its founding, their mission has been to provide the highest quality opera, vocal arts and opera education to the Wood River Valley. They strive to bring to their stage exceptional artists from all over the world to partici-pate in their summer and winter productions.

sunvalleyopera.com • Mary Jo Helmeke, executive director: 208-720-5584 or maryjohelmeke@cox.net

sun vAlley Wellness inStitute, inc.

Founded in 2005, The Sun Valley Wellness Institute is dedicated to wellness of the mind, body, spirit and environ-ment. Their mission is to inspire positive change through health & wellness education.

Sun Valley Wellness Institute serves as an important commu-nity wellness resource through its which provides an extensive online Wellness Directory of local practitioners, organizations and businesses, a wellness Cal-endar of Events and promotion of ongoing educational efforts and programs

sunvalleywellnessinstitute.com • 208-726-2777

syRingA MounTAin sChool

Established in 2013, The Syringa Mountain School is a pulbic, K-5 charter school growing to K-8 by 2017. They provide a rigorous, arts-integrat-ed Waldorf-inspired education in a public school setting—devel-oping the full range of capabil-ities needed to create lives of meaning and purpose. They rely on fundraising to close the gap between state and local funding to build their facility.

SyringaMountainSchool.org • Dr. Mary Gervase: 208-720-6327, Mgervase@syringamountain school.org

Wild gifTWild Gift is committed to

the BIG FIX - building a new generation of leaders who are collaborative, smart and pas-sionate about real sustainable change. Using Idaho wilderness as a springboard, our unique 17-month Fellowship provides young social entrepreneurs start-up capital and expert men-toring to help accelerate their

better world ideas. wildgift.org • Deborah Knapp:

208-471-5091 or Deborah@wildgift.org

Wood RiveR CoMMuniTy yMCA

Established in 2007, the Wood River Community YMCA serves the residents and visitors of the Wood River Valley. There purpose is building strong kids, strong families and strong communities through programs that develop the whole person in spirit, mind and body.

woodriverymca.org • Jason Fry: 208-928-6700 or jfry@woodriverymca.org

Wood RiveR WoMen’s ChARiTAble

foundATionEstablished in 2005, Wood

River Women’s Charitable Foundation (WRWCF) serves Blaine County non-profit orga-nizations. WRWCF’s mission is to inspire and educate women to become leaders in philanthropy and brings significant, positive change to the community by pooling and distributing its members’ resources. Members each contribute $1,000 to a pooled fund. A thorough grant evaluating process and vote by the full membership determine which organizations receive the money. To date, over one million dollars has supported projects from 28 non-profits.

wrwcf.org • wrwcf1@gmail.com or facebook.com/wrwcf

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“As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.” – nelson Mandela

G I V E 8 T h E W E E k l y S u n • D e c e m b e r 2 5 , 2 0 1 3

give.VOTE

TO

All the groups within this section responded to our call for information to be listed here.

And now, you can help their outreach efforts by voting for your favorite. The Weekly Sun will give a 4-page, full color, pull-out sec-tion – to be published in The Sun in 2014 – to the organization that garners the most votes!

Please cast your vote for your favorite organization (that is listed in this section), no later than 12 p.m., Monday, Jan. 6, 2014.

5 EASY WAYS TO VOTE: 1. call .......................................... (208) 928-7186

2. text .... organization name & GIVE to (208) 309-1566

3. mail ...................... PO Box 2711, Hailey ID 83333

4. drop ...... 613 North River St. (in the Gateway Bldg.)

5. fax ............. attn: The Weekly Sun • (208) 928-7187

Please honor one vote per reader. Duplicates will not be counted

o 100 Men Who Care

o The Advocates

o Animal Shelter of the Wood River Valley

o AquAbility

o Barkin’ Basement

o Blaine County Education Foundation

o Blaine County Historical Museum

o Blaine County Housing Authority

o Camp Rainbow Gold

o The Community Library

o The Crisis Hotline

o Environmental Resource Center

o Flourish Foundation

o Footlight Dance Centre

o Friends of Wood River Freeride

o Girls on the Run of the Wood River Valley

o Hailey Chamber of Commerce

o Heritage Court

o Higher Ground Sun Valley

o The Hunger Coalition

o Papoose Club

o Sawtooth Botanical Garden

o The Senior Connection

o Souper Supper Dining Room

o St. Luke’s Wood River Medical Center

o The Sun Club

o Sun Valley Board of Realtors Community Foundation – Holiday Baskets

o Sun Valley Center for the Arts

o Sun Valley Opera

o Sun Valley Wellness Institute Inc.

o Syringa Mountain School

o Wild Gift

o Wood River Community YMCA

o Wood River Women’s Charitable Foundation

Thank You for Your Vote

~ Wish List ~Help these organizations fill their wish list with your donation of time, money, goods or services.

100 Men Who Care To have 100 Men, who have an interest

in supporting our community, meet quar-terly and therefore donate $10,000 per meeting to a local non-profit organization.

Animal Shelter of the Wood River Valley

We can always use volunteers to come and socialize with the animals.

AquAbilityWe need funds for pool rental fees,

equipment, travel cost, operating funds and instructional fees.

Barkin’ BasementThe Barkin Basement is in need of a

covered moving truck or trailer. We rely on volunteers to help keep our expand-ed weekend hours, which dramatically increase the amount of funds raised for the animals. We are currently looking for volunteers willing to work 8 hours a month in 4 hour shifts.

Blaine County Education foundationFew people realize that approximately

40% of students in the BCSD qualify for the Federal Free and Reduced lunch pro-gram, an indicator of poverty. The BCEF established the Can Do Fund in order to help alleviate financial strain as a barrier to academic success. We welcome any and all donations to support the fund requests.

Blaine County Historical Museum

We would like to expand our facilities for research and storage.

Blaine County Housing Authority

Our biggest need is affordable owner-ship and rental housing, and our wish list includes single family homes.

Camp Rainbow Gold Now more than ever, we need patronage

and financial support as we forge ahead, so please continue to contribute to Camp Rainbow Gold as we transition into 2014 and become our own 501c3.

The Community LibraryIn 2014, we will expand our Heming-

way Symposium to encompass the entire month of September, culminating in the Symposium during the last weekend.

Environmental Resource Center

High quality digital camera, large outdoor picnic table (no built-in benches), large outdoor contemporary-style plant-ers, digital projector, and wooden Adiron-dack-style chairs

flourish foundationAs Flourish continues to grow and

thrive, we are aware of the need to provide the necessary infrastructure to support our activities. Our biggest need is general operating support to allow us to continue delivering on our mission.

friends of Wood River freeride

To continue offering scholarships. The need will only increase. Our team this year has about 275 local kids on it! One of the biggest local ski programs in the country!

Girls on the Run of the Wood River Valley

Finding caring volunteers that would like to make a difference in a girl’s life by becoming their mentor, inspiring them to be who they are on the inside, and mak-ing the GOTR experience extra special. We have a new coach training scheduled for February 22nd where show you all you need to know and how much fun it will be! Need not be a runner to be a coach.

Higher Ground Sun Valley

We need program funding for the Higher Ground Recreation and Military Programs and adaptive ski equipment.

The Hunger CoalitionOur greatest need is making sure we

can continue supplying nutritious food to the children and families who are most in need in our community. We have seen a staggering increase in the number of new families accessing our services. Last month, 44 brand new families walked through our doors, double that of any month this year. Recent cuts to food stamps, along with delayed effects from the Beaver Creek Fire, are forcing more people to seek our help. Your financial support will help us meet this need head on.

Papoose ClubWe are grateful for any tax-deductible

donations of funds. We also would love a portable sound system for announcements at Kindercup and the Nordic Cup.

Sawtooth Botanical Garden

The Garden always welcomes new members, donors, supporters, volunteers and friends. We maintain the Garden year-round for events and activities in all four seasons.

The Senior ConnectionDue to the fact that we don’t turn any-

one away due to inability to pay, we need scholarships for participants. Without scholarships and donations we would not be able to provide charity services. You can sponsor someone for as little as $50 a month for meals, Alzheimer’s and Brain Injury program, transportation or activities.

Souper Supper Dining Room

We need cases of canned fruit and vegetables, or large packages of frozen veggies; we also need volunteers, as we can always use more hands to prepare and serve food.

St. Luke’s Wood River Medical Center

Funding priorities include sustaining our state-of-the-art emergency services, expanding pediatric services, expanding mental health services, and staff educa-tion and training.

The Sun ClubWe love coffee!

The Sun Valley Board of Realtors

Community foundation – Holiday Baskets

We need money to buy food and warm clothing for the children.

Sun Valley Center for the Arts

We need program sponsorship and underwriting for ticketed programs. Every speaker, musician, play, artist and exhibition we present requires donations

to make them possible. When businesses, individuals and foundations help sponsor a program like these, more of our other funding can flow to youth education and free community programs.

Sun Valley OperaConcert support

The Sun Valley Wellness institute, inc.

Our biggest wish is for more donors, sponsors and partners who can help us continue to pursue our mission and vision.

Syringa Mountain SchoolWe need donations to help us build our

facility as well as volunteer power on our committees.

Trailing of the Sheep festival

Annual funding for performers, mu-sicians, dancers, storytellers, speakers , entertainment, exhibits, demonstrations, culinary events, venues, advertising, mar-keting, permits, licenses, signs, banners, equipment, website services, recording and archiving stories, insurance, office supplies and a variety of services needed for set up and clean up. We especially need a new computer and new community partners and volunteers to help the event grow and prosper.

Wild GiftHoliday Challenge: Help us meet our

$10K challenge grant with your donation before December 31.

Wood River Orchestra We need more musicians to play with

us, and music to play — which can be quite costly.

Wood River Community yMCA

The “So Much More” campaign, raising funds for program and membership schol-arship needs.

Wood River Women’s Charitable foundationThe larger our membership, the more

money is available to gift. We currently have 185 members but constantly seek new women to join our efforts.

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