The city is dressed in holiday sparkle, each of us is seeking the perfect gift for those we love and nonprofits throughout the community are engaged in their final push to meet their annual budgets, to enable them to further advance their respective missions.
Having been a development professional for more than 30 years, on numerous occasions I have been told “I would never want your job.” My heartfelt answer to people who comment on the art of fundraising ... it is my honor to provide a path for individuals to accomplish, through their shared precious time, through their generously offered talents and/or through their financial investment, that which I believe is imprinted on each of our hearts, to make a difference.
La Plata County has 300-plus registered nonprofit organizations, each offering services, programs and activities that enrich our community by serving our children, youths and adults. This work is made possible through amazing and dedicated volunteers together with generous donors.
This holiday, I invite you to take a moment and reflect on the profound impact made each day by Big Brothers Big Sisters, hospice and respite care volunteers and adaptive sports partners, people who provide transportation assistance to individuals traveling for cancer care or training service dogs. Consider docents who share their love of art with elementary school children or the individuals preparing and serving meals at Manna Soup Kitchen or the local Volunteers of America shelter, La Plata County Search & Rescue volunteers, as well as youths and adults who travel out-of-area on mission trips, serving as ambassadors. Most recently, the tremendous team of people who made the annual community Thanksgiving dinner an occasion for sharing and gratitude, and the individuals making Project Merry Christmas a joyous event each year. Durango is a community alive with a pulsing heart.
While the holidays spotlight opportunities for giving, among the many privileges we enjoy in the nonprofit sector, is the opportunity to celebrate our sincere appreciation for our volunteers and donors. At the Durango Arts Center, we are proud to serve as the community’s hub for the visual and performing arts, ever mindful that we were created by and for the community, to enrich the spirit of arts and culture.
Therefore, on behalf of our community of nonprofits, it is with tremendous appreciation that we offer our gratitude to the incredible business leaders and residents who share generously throughout the year, making Durango a dynamic and compassionate community.
Kathrene Frautschy is the director of development of the Durango Arts Center.
To give
If your holiday, year-end giving intention includes donations to Durango’s nonprofits, Colorado Gives (www.ColoradoGives.org) offers a safe and secure electronic platform for making a contribution to organizations, including the Durango Arts Center. Consider making a $10 recurring monthly donation, a great gift for the recipient organization that will make a difference.
