Tribute gifts in memory of Wanda Welch may be made to the Friendship Park Playground Fund in lieu of flowers. The family has requested funds be used for a bench and shade cover to honor Wanda’s commitment to the project. Further, they have requested that funds beyond those be transferred to the CARC Inc. Fund. We offer our condolences to the Welch Family. Wanda will be greatly missed in our community.
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In memory of Elinor Fergen
In lieu of flowers, Tribute gifts in memory of Elinor Fergen may be made to the Doc and Helen Furr Memorial Veterinary Scholarship Fund. Our condolences to Mrs. Fergen’s family.
In memory of Mary Fielder
Tribute gifts in memory of Mary Fielder may be made to the Richard and Mary Fielder Carlsbad Public Library Fund. Mrs. Fielder established the fund in 2016 and was recognized by the Foundation’s Board as a Benefactor. Our sincere condolences are extended to Mrs. Fielder’s family and friends.
In Memorium
In lieu of flowers, families have requested Tribute Gifts in memory of their loved ones. Please click on the links for details and fund information.
Grant awarded to benefit Allied Health Program
The Foundation has awarded a grant to Southeast New Mexico College’s Allied Health Program to support some of the travel costs that will be incurred by surgical technology students, who must travel to complete required clinical rotations. The grant was requested by Allied Health Department Chair Erin Kuh (center) and Interim President Andrew Nwanne (not shown). Also in the photo are Foundation Executive Director Mike Antiporda and SENMC Vice President for Student Services Juanita Garcia.
Chevron continues generous partnership
In September, Chevron made a $95,000 donation to the Carlsbad Community Foundation. The funds are to support multiple charitable needs in the community, including the Carlsbad 16th of September Fiestas Fund, the Martin Luther King Celebrations and Scholarship Funds, the Foundation’s Founders Fund and the Chevron Catalyst Fund. Chevron’s Community Affairs Representative Beverly Allen presented the donation to Executive Director Mike Antiporda. Chevron is one of the Foundation’s Organizational Benefactors and we are so appreciative for their partnership and support to help people in our community!
Upcoming Chevron Catalyst Grant Awards announced
The grant recipients of the 2023 Chevron Catalyst Grant Program have been announced! The competitive grant program is a partnership between the Carlsbad Community Foundation and Chevron. Chevron established a fund at the Foundation in 2016 and has generously continued to support it each year. The Foundation is responsible for managing the application process and selecting the recipients based on the guidelines established in the fund.
“The Chevron Catalyst Grant Program has been a highlight for us for six years,” said Foundation Executive Director Mike Antiporda. “We are honored for the continued support and trust that Chevron has placed in us to benefit local nonprofit organizations.”
The Foundation will formally award the grants to 21 organizations at an award reception in February. Representatives from Chevron will also be there, so the Foundation and the recipient nonprofit organizations can visit with them and thank them for their generosity.
The recipients for 2023 will include:
- Assistance League of Carlsbad
- Boys & Girls Club of Carlsbad
- Carlsbad Battered Families Shelter
- Carlsbad Community Concert Association
- Carlsbad Community Theater
- Carlsbad LifeHouse
- Carlsbad Literacy Program
- Carlsbad MainStreet
- Carlsbad Museum
- Carlsbad Prep Academy
- Carlsbad Transitional Housing and Homeless Shelter
- CEHMM
- Christian Women’s Job Corps of Carlsbad
- Desert Willow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center
- Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Eddy County
- Friends of the Carlsbad Public Library
- Girl Scouts of the Desert Southwest
- Madison Lee Memorial Fund
- SENM Community Action Corporation
- Southeastern New Mexico Historical Society
- Time for American Ministries Incorporated
Trio joins Foundation Board
The Foundation is pleased to welcome three new members to the Board of Directors! The first is JJ Chavez. He works for Nuclear Waste Partnership and is actively involved with the Carlsbad Anti-Drug/Gang Coalition. He is currently serving on the Carlsbad City Council.
Also joining the Board is Gemma Ferguson. She just recently completed her term as the Eddy County Assessor. Her community involvement includes being an active member of the Carlsbad Heights Lions Club and singing in the choir at St. Edward Catholic Church. She has been a Foundation Benefactor since 2019.
The third new Board Member is Justin Parraz. As the Dean of Students at Loving High School, he has the unique perspective of the Foundation through our endowed scholarship program. After hours, his dedication to students continues, as he also serves as one of Loving High School’s football coaches.
Their terms of office are for three years and board members are eligible to serve two consecutive terms.
Positive possibilities for 2023
I admit it, I’m a glass half full kind of guy. Always the optimist, my annual New Year’s outlook typically focuses on the positive possibilities that lie ahead. Of course, not all years have met my rose-colored vision and a few of them haven’t even come close. But considering the philanthropic acts of kindness and caring that I see in our community every day, how could I be anything other than positive?
In the following pages, you can see multiple examples of how the Foundation’s year has ended on a strong note. And I have every reason to believe that 2023 will be equally successful as we continue to achieve our mission of improving lives of people in South Eddy County.
We’re already off to a fast start, as we have been meeting with high school seniors at the local public high schools about scholarship opportunities. Our endowed scholarship program has continued to grow due to the generosity of donors to individual scholarship funds and also due to the generosity of First American Bank and the Cockburn Charitable Trust in the last few years that has strengthened our ability to consistently award scholarships from many funds each year. This year, we plan to offer more than 136 scholarships with a value of more than $175,000!
In January, we’ve also continued to support the Martin Luther King Jr. Celebrations. Organized by the MLK Scholarship Committee, the Carlsbad MLK Community Choir, banquet, church observance, march to MLK Park and Kuumba Festival serve to share Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream with the community.
In February, we’ll be distributing the Chevron Catalyst Grants (See Page 3) to benefit many local charitable projects. We also anticipate the opening of applications for the Benjamin P. Duke Memorial Grant program to benefit animals, domestic and wild, in April.
There’s so much to look forward to in 2023. Thanks for your continued support and joining us on this great ride!