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TWC AmeriCorps Program
TWC announces the award of the 2015-2016 State AmeriCorps grant to place members working on community projects across Catron, Grant, Hidalgo, and Luna counties in southwestern New Mexico. Placements will start soon, so anyone interested can click on our Jobs and Volunteer Opportunities link in the boxes on the left side of the page. Scroll to the bottom for an application and call Christy or Brittany at 575-534-0665 for more information. |
Grant County Youth Entrepreneurs/Art Program
Dave Chandler from Aldo Leopold Charter school will be leading a new program "The Grant County Youth Business Incubator Program". The Grant County Youth Business Incubator, a program collaboration between Aldo Leopold Charter School District and Cobre Consolidated School District, will inform 400 students about “What it Takes to Start a Business” with in class presentations, train 40 students in the 75 hour “Youth Entrepreneurs Program” and help 20 students start a business. The program is designed to accelerate the emergence of physical or virtual businesses owned and run by young people ages 11 to 18. Thanks to funding and support by 2014 Freeport McMoRan Community Investment Fund and other Community Partners. RELEASE DATE: November 25, 2014 CONTACT: Dave Chandler Program Location: |
The Wellness Coalition Implements Transition Plan
The Wellness Coalition Implements Transition Plan The Wellness Coalition (TWC) Board of Directors are currently implementing a Transition Plan to ensure continuity in services and programming during the time needed for our new Executive Director, Christy Ortiz to get accustomed to TWC. Current Executive Director Sam Castello left in March. The Plan includes meetings, discussions and updates with community partners in Catron, Luna Grant and Hidalgo counties. All programs will be operating as planned. The SPOT Youth Center will maintain regular hours until funding ends and the TWC Youth Conservation Corps project will start as planned this spring in Grant, Catron and Hidalgo Counties. Program staff and TWC AmeriCorps members are continuing to plan for community based youth summer programming. TWC was founded in 2004 as a regional non-profit dedicated to improving the quality of life of the people of southwest New Mexico by bringing resources and programs to the area. Our Mission Statement reads, "The Wellness Coalition develops and supports the vitality of the people of southwestern New Mexico and the community organizations that serve them." Anyone interested in hearing a detailed description of the TWC Transition Plan is welcome to contact Christy Ortiz at The Wellness Coalition. RELEASE DATE: February 20, 2014 CONTACT: Christy Ortiz The Wellness Coalition 409 N. Bullard St. Silver City NM 88061 575-534-0665 christy@wellnesscoaltion.org |
The shifting tides of TWC
The Wellness Coalition’s Executive Director, Sam Castello, is leaving his post as of March 4th, 2014. Sam has been with The Wellness Coalition since February of 2004 and has served as its Executive Director since January of 2007. During his tenure, Castello brought The Wellness Coalition’s Youth and Conservation Corps programs into the State and National spotlight more than doubling the number of AmeriCorps Members in our region and buil ding a robust Youth Conservation Corps that employs more than 30 youth annually from Catron, Grant and Hidalgo counties. He also worked to raise the profile of Positive Youth Development in the region – a model of Youth Engagement that treats young people as assets to be supported rather than problems that need to be “fixed”.“We appreciate the dedication Sam has shown to our communities and this organization,” says The Wellness Coalition Bo ard Chair Christie Ortiz. “It’s always tough to see someone leave, but we wish success in his future endeavors.” The Wellness Coalition Board has a transition plan in place to seek a new Executive Director and expects to make a job opening announcement very soon. Board members and staff are upbeat and excited about the future. Board Member Earl Montoya stated, “We want to thank Sam for his service and are looking forward to working with a new Executive Director to secure a great future for The Wellness Coalition and the communities we serve.” |  |
Time to Play with CLAY
Silver City, New Mexico August 1, 2013  As part of its Summer Block programming, The Wellness Coalition’s Youth Volunteer Corps (YVC) hosted a class entitled: ‘Time to Play with CLAY’. Within this 4-day project, YVC members received a tour of Syzygy’s tile-making factory, got a first-rate tour of the Silver City Museum, and then after a tour of Downtown Silver City’s tile mosaics, the team made their very own tiles! It was an effort of skill and imagination, of mechanics and molding, and following the basic theme of “nature, community, and water,” YVC Members harnessed the softness of clay and expressed into an entirely new medium. Owner of Syzygy Tile, Lee Gruber, remarks about Time to Play with CLAY: “Just give them some clay, and then see what comes out of it. Let them have fun with it.” And that they did. You can see the colorful collection of tiles as a window display at The Wellness Coalition’s Youth Center, The Spot, which is located at 409 N. Bullard Street. For more information about The Wellness Coalition, its service-based programming, or The Spot, give us a call at (575) 534-0665 or stop on by our downtown location. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact information: The Wellness Coalition Kimberly Ann Brown kim@wellnesscoalition.org |
Hydroponic Workshop at The Spot
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact information: The Wellness Coalition Anna Lande anna@wellnesscoalition.org Kimberly Ann Brown kim@wellnesscoalition.org Hydroponic Workshop at The Spot Silver City, New Mexico July 12, 2013  Hydroponics is an excellent way to produce a large amount of food within a small space. TWC decided to install the growing system at the The Spot to act as a model for innovative gardening techniques for the desert ecosystem. The class designed a structure from the internet using a few PVC pipes, a pump, some scavenged plastic water bottles, and a smattering of vegetables, culinary herbs, and air-filtration plants. The Spot’s new hydroponic system was constructed with the assistance of several YVC, TWC staff and Americorps Members over the course of a few weeks. Local garden expert, Genevieve Morgan, also provided her assistance with transplanting. Silver City’s own natural medicinal shop, Bear Creek Herbs, donated a some basil and oregano plants. Ace Hardware provided the construction materials for the project, as well. Many visitors ask about the strange, serpentine apparatus in the front window of The Spot, project leader and Americorps Member, Kimberly Brown explained: “In a desert clime, water is a scarce resource, so it makes sense to teach Silver City’s youth how to grow food using a system that conserves water.” Future plans for the hydroponic system include a fresh rotation of microgreens and seasonal produce, which will supplement The Spot’s newly opened concession stand. To learn more about TWC’s YVC Programming, visit us at 409 Bullard St. in Downtown Silver City or give us a call at 575-534-0665. |
YVC Girls Get SASS-y
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact information: The Wellness Coalition Anna Lande anna@wellnesscoalition.org Kimberly Ann Brown kim@wellnesscoalition.org YVC Girls Get SASS-y Silver City, New Mexico July 18, 2013  SASS representatives joined with Youth Development Specialist, Jacqui Olea, to complete various comprehensive activities and discussions towards building healthy self-esteem. Topics included the effect of media influences, such as eating disorders and low self-esteem among females. “We also talked about different types of physical, emotional, and mental abuse,” states Olea, “We had an intense focus on the power of choices and consequences. In one activity, we highlighted the differing levels of relationship health statuses, by letting the girls independently take situations and put them under the flashcards of: healthy, unhealthy, and depends. After they had finished the exercise, we sat in a circle and discussed each choice.” Silver Regional Sexual Assault Support Service (SASS) offers free and confidential consultations regarding legal advocacy, survivor support, and information on sexual violence, around the clock. To learn more about TWC’s YVC Programming, visit us at 409 Bullard St. in Downtown Silver City or give us a call at 575-534-0665. |
YVC’s Summer Program Makes a Statement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact information: The Wellness Coalition Kimberly Ann Brown kim@wellnesscoalition.org YVC’s Summer Program Makes a Statement Silver City, New Mexico July 16, 2013  The Wellness Coalition’s Youth Volunteer Corps (YVC) sponsored a project called “Make a Statement”, which supported local nonprofits with youthmade advertisements. Over a 4-day period, YVC participants learned how words and images can be used to proactively represent businesses and community causes. Armed with this information, YVC participants met with two local nonprofits, The Gila/Mimbres Community Radio and the Silver City Farmers Market, and collectively determined how to support their respective missions within the immediate community. Gila/Mimbres Community Radio (GMCR) Board of Directors, Kyle Johnson, discussed with youth the importance of its official slogan: “Your Voice, Your Choice.” He shared with the group that GMCR produces in-depth resources that directly relate to the local community. The radio station offers more accessibility for community members to share and express their expertise, and keeping the radio circuit local means that the station is a quick communication source for potentially hazardous situations.  Project participants took these shared perspectives from each respective organization, and then paired-off to carve these concepts into linoleum blocks. Careful planning and coordination produced two creative representations, both of which used reflective imagery, thereby capturing the essence of each nonprofit. Power and Light Press proprietor, Kyle Durrie, explained the mechanics of printing presses, how to ink and roll, center and space for balanced composition, and then showed YVC participants how to construct an advertisement using an older printing press from the 1950s. Durrie then let the youth run the show, who easily accomplished their desired goal and the results were exceptional. Printed posters were used for GMRC’s open house, and the Farmers Market adopted the idea for their own promotional purposes. All in all, the “Make a Statement” class was a success. TWC plans to continue to support such projects for its collective community impact potentials. To learn more about TWC’s YVC Programming, visit us at 409 Bullard St. in Downtown Silver City or give us a call at 575-534-0665. |
The Wellness Coalition Dehydrates with the Guadalupe Montessori School
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact information: The Wellness Coalition Anna Lande anna@wellnesscoalition.org Kimberly Ann Brown kim@wellnesscoalition.org The Wellness Coalition Dehydrates with the Guadalupe Montessori School Silver City, New Mexico July 12, 2013  And, to make the deal with dehydration even sweeter: the process is relatively quick and easy! The Wellness Coalition’s Americorps Members, Anna Lande and Kimberly Brown, thought that teaching young children the benefits of dehydration would be an exceptional way to add a little fun and flavor into the kitchen over at the Guadalupe Montessori School (GMS). Last week, both women did just that with a class entitled: “Shrivel up or Dry.” Over the course of a 3-day period, the students of GMS learned how to prepare and dehydrate various fruits and vegetables. The selection was diverse, ranging from cherries to pineapples and mangoes, to garlic and dill flavored kale chips. The student chefs also learned clean-kitchen basics, teamwork, and knife-safety. Luckily for the group, the pilot light on the school’s stove provided the necessary temperature to dehydrate over a 24-hour period and at the beginning of each class the children had an opportunity to taste what was made the day before.  At the end of the class, all the children were pleased with the results, citing that they learned a lot, got a bit more confident in the kitchen setting, and had fun at the same time. |
Youth Chalk the Streets
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact information: The Wellness Coalition Kimberly Ann Brown: kim@wellnesscoalition.org Anna Lande: anna@wellnesscoalition.org Youth Chalk the Streets Silver City, New Mexico June 26th, 2013   Last week, strolling citizens of the Silver City downtown were delightfully surprised to find their feet trotting over youthmade artwork. Chalk the Block, The Wellness Coalition (TWC) sponsored Youth Volunteer Corps(YVC) art project, provided a creative outlet for youth to express their personality via chalk and sidewalk. In order to prepare their art for the public, the youth volunteers did some online research to study the various mediums and dimensions available to sidewalk art. Next TWC’s director, Sam Castello and Youth Development Specialists, Jacqui Olea and Byron Byrd, provided the concrete dimensions and challenged the youth to think outside the box within the confines of their sidewalk square. “Then we let them go for it…let them run, they had really good ideas,” said Byrd, “It inspired and enticed me to mirror a day of dead skull, drawn by youth, Mariah Palomarez.” Not only were there sugar skulls, but a varying range of cartoon characters such as: Pokemon, Minnie Mouse, My Little Pony, and a dichotomy of science fiction heroes and villains. One daring youth, Gayla Dawn Lacy, attempted a 3-D image, not once but three times, in the forms of a fathomless hole, flower, and treasure chest. For more information, stop on by: The Wellness Coalition is located downtown at 409 N. Bullard Street. |
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