$5,303 raised by 17 donors
100% complete
$0 Goal
You can make a difference! Please consider supporting your Southern Colorado neighbors this year by volunteering or making a contribution to VFC. "What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal." ― Albert Pike
1. (On the occasion of VFC getting the County to install new larger street signs along 165 through Colorado City) "January 20, 2012.
As the sheriff and a long time inhabitant of the Colorado City/Rye area I wanted to take a moment and personally commend you and Pueblo County Department of Roads and Bridges for a job well done. Law enforcement in this area has suffered for some time trying to interpret signs that were small and often unreadable. With budget constraints and government operations affected by the significant economic downturn, doing more with less has been the usual mainstay of departments throughout the county of Pueblo.
The pleasant mixture of volunteers such as the Sangre de Cristo Volunteers for Change and government working together is a combination that is the essence of our way of life. Getting government to understand fully the unique needs of a community often is left to the careful attention of just a few. I am glad that the few people were volunteers like Susan Kalman and Lee Wenzl, and I am glad the government through Pat Coffee listened. Public safety is not just the venue of law enforcement but of the citizens and government through many layers of demographics.
I am personally and professionally grateful for such a worthy effort. Thank you. Sincerely, Kirk M. Taylor, Sheriff."
2. From Pueblo County Sheriff Kirk Taylor, "May 4, 2017: It is with great enthusiasm that I offer my support and endorsement to Sangre de Cristo Volunteers for Community (VFC), based in Colorado, for their application for the 2017 El Pomar grant. Sangre de Cristo Volunteers for Community was founded in 2009 and has proven to be beneficial to the residents of the Greenhorn Valley located in Pueblo County, Colorado. The VFC volunteers are often seen working on their many projects to better community life in this area. The most recent project on their list is the renovation of a former golf course clubhouse in Colorado City into a community and nature center and trailhead, which will encourage healthy outdoor activities. As Sheriff of Pueblo County, I strongly endorse the work and efforts of Sangre de Cristo Volunteers for Community. It is my honor and privilege to support this altruistic organization in its efforts to obtain this grant. If there is anything more I can do to help please do not hesitate to contact me. Yours in Service, Kirk M. Taylor, Sheriff."
I have a file of 86 thank-you notes and letters from VFC clients, and thank-you letters from the Colorado Federation of Women's Clubs, the Greenhorn Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Colorado City Bridge Group, Rye Elementary School, Rye High School, Beulah School of Natural Sciences, Pueblo County School District 70, Westcliffe Center for the Performing Arts, Los Huerfanos Animal Welfare Association, Wetmore Library, The Pueblo City-County Library District, La Veta Fire Protection District, Upper Huerfano Fire Protection District, Dorcas Circle, and the Rye Fire Protection District. We have been invited to partner with many local agencies and churches, and the Colorado City Metropolitan District.
"Enriching Lives and Celebrating Nature in Southern Colorado."
We bring that mission to life by maintaining continual contact in our communities with citizens and local leaders to discover unmet needs and receive input on our projects.
Sangre de Cristo Volunteers for Community (VFC) is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3), founded in 2009 by Susan Kalman, along with nine other interested citizens, with the simple idea that members of a community are in the best position to bring about positive changes within their communities. Our first project was an open pantry, serving a handful of families. Today our monthly pantry serves an average of more than 40 households and we partner with Care and Share Food Bank for Southern Colorado.
Our second project was holiday gift-giving for underserved families. In 2009, our volunteers purchased gifts for 14 children. We now budget about $4500 each year to provide gifts to approximately 100 children. We have 90 members working on over 20 projects in three counties. We volunteer in our schools and libraries, hold an annual Easter egg hunt, clean highways, provide cardboard recycling, knit caps and scarves for kids and seniors, sponsor the Greenhorn Valley Community Garden, hold an annual community-wide low-cost yard sale, successfully petitioned Pueblo County to install larger and safer signs along Highway 165 through Colorado City, and provide support to school projects and local libraries. We have recently completed renovating an old unused golf course clubhouse into a low-energy-use, environmentally responsible community center, with a multitude of programs planned for everyone from toddlers to seniors. We recently wrote a successful planning grant for a system of trails throughout the Greenhorn Valley area which will unify our currently very disconnected neighborhoods, provide a safe route to schools for children, and allow easier access to our local businesses and amenities. The community center will be a trailhead for this trails system.
Organization name
Sangre de Cristo Volunteers for Community
other names
VFC, Sangre de Cristo Volunteers for Change
2009
Tax id (EIN)
26-4297819
Category
Community Improvement & Capacity Building
Organization Size
Small Organization
Address
4705 Santa Fe DriveMailing
PO Box 19402Pueblo County, CO, US