Since 2015, the Valley Backpack ladies have donated over $80,000 to children at Rye Elementary, Craver Middle and Rye High School. And, like each of the years past, the non-profit group is mobilizing their forces and their funds to help meet the educational needs of the community’s children, especially in the area of back packs, warm clothing, and school supplies.
In a telephone interview last week, treasurer and one of the four original founders of the group, Eloise Martucci indicated the 2022-23 school year would be one of reorganization.
“We have a couple of things we want to get done this year,” shared Martucci. “To begin with we want to recruit two or three people who love our mission and are just a little bit younger.” She added, “I’ve moved to Pueblo, Stella Dunn has moved to Arizona, and Nancy Romine and Kathleen Cassidy are still in the valley.
We will always want to be a part of Valley Backpacks but we hope for some fresh faces and fresh ideas.”
If you would like to share in their mission contact Romine at (719) 676-4218.
Martucci continued. “We also want to take a look at our fundraisers. Pre-COVID we always had the Valley Tea and the Wine and Cheese Tasting with a Silent Auction. As we look at things we may want to have one major event like a Gala.
The group actually began in 2014, under the wing of Volunteers for Community. But for Martucci, Romine, Dunn and Cassidy it soon became obvious that they would need to focus all of their efforts on the backpack and school supply idea with an abundance of need in the area. They had a friendly split from the larger group to make their own way. The four of them were the organization for the first three years.
Romine, as President, and Pam Jones, as secretary, join Martucci as officers.
No one who has ever served on a board or committee in the Greenhorn Valley has not met all or most of the Backpack ladies, who made their way from meeting to meeting to meeting to raise money to outfit valley students with the school supplies they needed.
With COVID, the contact with donators became less personal and gift cards replaced vouchers, but the heart of the organization is still the same and has remained so since 2014.
“Nancy and I go see the contact people at each school and find out the students who will need help and ask the schools what they need. Last year Valley Backpacks supplied $4,400 to Rye Elementary for Promethean ACTIV panel. Although Martucci tried to explain it to me, suffice it to say that is cutting edge technology to enhance learning.
Rye Elementary School also received 27 Walmart, DD’s and Ross gift cards for warm clothes at $75/each. There were also two $200 Costco gift cards for school supplies Craver Middle School received 20 Walmart gift cards for warm clothing at $100 each. In addition, $2,000 for school supplies.
Rye High School received 24 Walmart and Ross gift cards for warm clothing of $100 each. RHS also received $2,000 for school supplies.
“Without this community we wouldn’t have been able to do this,” shared Martucci. “Over the years, friends and neighbors helped us with whatever we needed. Organizations stepped up and the schools have been a joy to work with. So many have donated their money and their time for the area children.”
We are anxious to get started for this year,” summed up Martucci. “Lots to do in the next months.”