Country Bounty Staff

November 18th, 2008, we celebrated the contributions of our mentors with authentic Mexican food at Country Bounty.  Thirty-two mentors and guests joined us to remember highlights from the year and lessons learned – to share stories and enjoy the company of others who are committed to helping youth one-on-one in this community.  After a delicious meal, Eleanor shared the annual program update given to the county commissioners in August.  She also introduced Menessah Nelson, who is spearheading Mentors Plus, a sister program in which mentors are paid to work with youth ages 14-18 on specific goals. 

Following the program update, Eleanor and Heather acknowledged new and steadfast volunteers through the following awards:

New Volunteers / Mentors who were matched in the last year:  Brad Marquardt, Keith Krebs, Frank Godshall, Jen Denevan, Himani Ellis, Kelly Creely, & Steve Phillips.

Mentors who celebrated their 1-year anniversary with their mentee in the last year: Kathy Keidel, Jennifer Dempsey, & Laurie Coggins.

Mentors who have been matched for 2 or more years: Jane Provorse, Jude Silva, Denise Morthole, Laura Knelange, Lee Sohl, Dave Morgan, Angie Jenson, Cherith Marchase, Glenn Mallory, Camille Ziminski, Lawton Eddy, Jack Chivvis, & Jen Pyle.

The majority of mentors attending our dinner have been matched for over two years.  We are incredibly grateful for the longevity of their commitment and know that such consistency allows for the greatest impact on our youth. 

In addition to the volunteers listed above, many other mentors offer their time weekly to a kid.  We recognize that all the Chaffee County Mentors volunteers are the heart of this organization and form a foundation of support for local youth that reminds us that with a little time, you can make a BIG difference.

We concluded with an inspiring send-off from Heather that reflected on the ideas of the ee cummings quote that launched the evening:  “We do not believe in ourselves until someone reveals that deep inside us is something valuable, worth listening to, worthy of our trust, sacred to our touch.  Once we believe in ourselves we can risk curiousity, wonder, spontaneous delight or any experience that reveals the human spirit.”