On Colorado Gives Day, Tuesday, December 8th, 2015, CRIA invites the public to support their efforts to provide a meaningful, enjoyable educational experience through interpretive tours and special programs and to the long term preservation of Chimney Rock National Monument by donating to CRIA.
For the sixth consecutive year, Community First Foundation and FirstBank are partnering to present Colorado Gives Day. Colorado Gives Day is an annual statewide movement to celebrate and increase philanthropy in Colorado through online giving. Donations can be made on or before December 8 through ColoradoGives.org.
As a participating nonprofit on ColoradoGives.org, CRIA will benefit from this initiative in many ways. "The donations CRIA receives on Colorado Gives Day help to ensure our education and preservation mission," states Danyelle Leentjes, Administrative Director for CRIA.
Without public support, CRIA would be unable to provide the services that keep the interpretive programs at Chimney Rock National Monument an attraction for the more than 11,600 visitors annually.
Chimney Rock experienced a 28% increase in visitation in 2015, which is the largest increase on record. With more visitors comes an increase in operating expenses. CRIA is blessed with more than 80 volunteers running the day to day operations at the monument. CRIA would like to continue to offer free family events and complimentary tours to area school groups, and Colorado Gives Day makes this possible.
CRIA is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization that runs the daily operations and interpretive program at Chimney Rock National Monument in partnership with the USDA Forest Service and the San Juan National Forest. CRIA relies on tour fees, donations and grants and does not receive any federal funding for the daily operations at the site.
Give where you live and support the local Archuleta County non-profits by going to www.coloradogives.org. Gifts can be scheduled now for December 8.
SUPPORT THE WORK OF WOLFWOOD REFUGE ON COLORADO GIVES DAY
WolfWood Refuge is honored to be a part of Colorado Gives Day. Donations designated for the Refuge help provide a safe haven for rescued wolves and wolf/dogs. With an annual operating budget of only $110,000, donations from this campaign can make a huge, positive impact on these animals.
This is the first year WolfWood Refuge was accepted to participate and you may find our profile at: https://www.coloradogives.org/Wolfwoodrefuge/overview.
"The donations we receive on Colorado Gives Day help us do more to support the community and ensure rescued animals receive medical attention and a quality environment for life," says Paula Watson, Executive Director. "Our goal is to raise $15,000 this year, which is a big part of our annual operating budget. We also want to get a share of the $1 Million Incentive Fund, which could help us to open our visitor welcome center."
$1 Million Incentive Fund
Community First Foundation and First Bank each contributed $500,000 to create the $1 Million Incentive Fund, one of the largest gives-day incentive funds in the country. Every nonprofit receiving a donation on Colorado Gives Day receives a portion of the fund, which increases the value of every dollar donated. For example, if Wolfwood Refuge receives 10 percent of the donations made on Colorado Gives Day, Wolfwood Refuge also receives 10 percent of the $1 Million Incentive Fund.
. WolfWood is a state and federally licensed 501(c) (3) non-profit refuge for wolves and wolf/dogs. We are engaged in rescue and rehabilitation, NOT breeding and selling. These special animals come to us from all over the country to where they are provided a safe haven and high quality environment for life.
. WolfWood provides a safe refuge for unwanted and homeless wolf/dogs. All animals live in large enclosed areas. No animal is ever chained. All efforts are made to provide the best physical, mental, social and psychological environment for each animal. Each wolf/dog is considered and treated as an individual with unique needs and qualities.
. WolfWood provides comprehensive information and education on wolf and wolf/dog behavior and the issues surrounding them. Seminars and educational programs are presented to schools, state parks, the general public, other animal care facilities, and various institutions. We provide information and instruction about the human behavior required when dealing with wolf/dogs. We provide service-learning projects for over forty different youth organizations and have extensive outreach programs to target at-risk youth.
Community First Foundation, an Arvada-based foundation dedicated to fueling the power of community to drive positive change, and FirstBank Colorado's largest locally owned bank, have partnered to present Colorado Gives Day for the past six years. By making fundraising simple for nonprofits and easy for donors, Colorado Gives Day is one of the most successful of its kind in the nation. Last year, $26.2 million was raised for Colorado nonprofits in just 24 hours. Since its inception in 2010, $83 million has been donated on Colorado Gives Day.
For more information about Colorado Gives Day, please visit ColoradoGives.org. Donations can be prescheduled online to post on December 8th, so there is no worry that people would forget to access the site during the designated 24 hours of giving.
