Not outlined in this article are individuals and for-profit entities that have made wonderful contributions to the school. An exhaustive list including those individuals and entities would require multiple pages in the newspaper!
While I know that I will fail to recognize contributions by every entity, the following text outlines many community partnerships of which I have become aware in the past year.
The ERBM Recreation and Park district has provided assistance with multiple youth programs and activities, first-aid training for school staff, and $400,000 to be used for the track and football field renovation project currently underway.
The Meeker Library District has furnished funds necessary for the software utilized to catalog and track usage of library materials, has provided manual labor necessary to update the school’s libraries and has pledged support for purchase of classroom sets of novels.
The Freeman E. Fairfield Foundation has granted funds for a multitude of educational opportunities including, but not limited to, visual and performing arts needs, school district music programs, Meeker High School auditorium upgrades, educational student trips and college scholarships for students.
The Meeker Education Foundation has been instrumental in raising thousands of dollars for a well-developed grant program to meet individual classroom needs, major purchases of curriculum materials and funding for the track and football field renovation project currently underway.
Pioneers Medical Center and Pioneers Healthcare Foundation have contributed concussion education for coaches and have been instrumental in providing other health-related educational opportunities and scholarships for students and staff.
Meeker Volunteer Fire and Rescue has paid the annual monitoring and maintenance fees required for the school district’s fire alarm systems and purchased a new fire alarm system for Barone Middle School in 2015, valued at approximately $80,000.
The Town of Meeker has been a gracious partner by eliminating tap fees for necessary water access and by charging the school district in-town water rates.
The White River Electric Association has partnered with the school on the recently completed Meeker Solar Garden providing mutual benefit to both entities. The WREA has also been instrumental in providing AEDs for each building, needed funds for the annual 6th grade trip to the YMCA of the Rockies, art supplies and financial support for the school district’s Chromebook initiative.
The Meeker Cemetery District has supplied funds for student travel associated with classroom work, performing and visual arts programs, professional development for teachers, Meeker High School auditorium updates and curriculum materials.
Rio Blanco County has been a wonderful benefactor to the school district through use of the fairgrounds for school activities, a robust technology infrastructure partnership with the school, and CCITF and other county funds that have allowed the district to continuously update student technology.
Each of these organizations has provided resources in accordance with their operating mission and/or through guidance by their legal counsel. The benevolence of these organizations has provided opportunities for students that otherwise would not be available because of the funding constraints currently in place for K-12 education in Colorado.
Meeker is a wonderful community in which to serve, and the preceding text is only a small portion of the evidence supporting that statement.
These partnerships give me further reason to state that I am proud to be a Meeker Cowboy!
