ArchivesThe Panhandle Gives… and we’re grateful
The Panhandle Gives… and we’re gratefulThe 8th Annual Panhandle Gives ended just over a month ago, and donations were up across the Panhandle but down in Dallam County. Still, the eight local participating non-profit agencies are grateful for every dollar donated. “Our agricultural economy is tight right now,” explained Joyce Bezner, local coordinator for The Panhandle Gives. “Our larger donors gave smaller amounts, and our smaller donors, unfortunately, weren’t able to donate anything this year because they were buying groceries and gas instead. We’re all just hoping that it will get better.” The annual donation week known as TPG is organized and hosted by the Amarillo Area Foundation and held the Monday before Thanksgiving through Giving Tuesday. Each participating group keeps one hundred percent of all donations raised during this time and has opportunities to earn additional money as well through the Amplification Fund. Taking part this year from Dallam County were Brick Street Community Center, Care Net, CASA 69, Dallam Hartley Counties Healthcare Foundation, Friends of the Library, Good Samaritan, Rahll Activity Center and XIT Museum. “Some people think that we have too many agencies involved, and that’s why donations aren’t higher,” Bezner said. “I don’t agree. I think it’s important that people be able to match their passion, whether it’s taking care of newborns or children, feeding the hungry, educating or reading, healthcare or whatever… If you’re looking for a cause to donate to, you can find one here!” A couple of local groups met or exceeded their TPG fundraising goals. CASA 69 trains community volunteers to act as Court Appointed Special Advocates to serve abused and neglected children’s best interests while they are in the court and foster care system. The organization historically sets its TPG goal as one of the lowest locally, and as far as anyone can remember, always reaches it. CASA 69’s 2024 goal for The Panhandle Gives was $20,000; it raised $29,530. “We are so grateful to all our donors,” said CASA 69 Executive Director Evinn Wyatt. “We are blessed to have the support that we do, and we really appreciate it.” The money will go toward travel expenses for advocates to visit their CASA kids, who are placed all over Texas and, occasionally, outside the state. The Friends of the Library organization was fresh to the campaign this year. The membership-based group was formed a year ago to support and advocate for the Dallam Hartley County Library. It set its TPG goal at $10,000 and raised $10,570. The money will be used for special outreach and programming for the community, including digital literacy classes for senior citizens and ESL (English as a Second Language) students, portable hot spots and other technology, said Friends of the Library President Debbie Powers. The organization also welcomes new members; anyone interested in joining should inquire at the public library. Two more agencies came close to their goals. Good Samaritan Christian Services provides food, clothing and household goods to those in need. Their goal for the 2024 TPG campaign was $65,000, of which they raised $59,133. This money will be used to pay off the building, for day-to-day operations, to assist with prescriptions for the elderly and to help pay utility bills for senior citizens of Dallam and Hartley Counties. XIT Museum officials had hoped to bring in $35,000 in TPG donations to go toward repairing the stucco on the outside entrance and creating a new branding wall. Museum Director Nick Olsen said that the total of $26,250 raised, together with additional funds awarded, will be enough to pay for the majority of work on these projects. “We’ll get started on these as soon as it gets a little warmer outside,” he said. Directors for Brick Street Community Center had set their target for $125,000, to complete the remodeling project and create a new entrance with lighting, new front doors and an awning. They raised $48,705, and fund allocation will be decided at next week’s Board of Directors’ meeting. The Dallam Hartley County Hospital District Foundation, which is dedicated to improving healthcare services and supporting local families, set its sights for $50,000. Of that, $20,000 was to be spent on a Safe Haven Baby Box, where newborn infants could be safely surrendered, and $30,000 was for healthcare scholarships. The non-profit raised $22,275 and will decide at its Jan. 21 Board of Directors meeting how to allocate the funds. Care Net of Dalhart, a Christian-based organization, has a mission to provide life-giving education and essential services to families with children, those preparing for children and those facing difficult decision-making circumstances about childbirth. The group had hoped to raise $75,000 to renovate a larger but older building to suit its growing needs. It raised $35,750 and will use the money to begin that project. “If we need to raise more money, we will,” said Amanda Burns, Care Net Director. “But so often, when you start something, things just start to come your way. And we believe that will happen here.” Rahll Activity Center leaders set their goal at $50,000; donations were $192,125. Many regular annual donors, who receive advertising privileges with their gifts, made a special effort to give during TPG week rather than at another time. The money raised will be used to keep membership and playing fees low so that everyone can participate, said Rahll Activity Center General Manager Dannie Claycomb. For the full story SUBSCRIBE to the online edition of The Dalhart Texan, call (806) 244-4511 to setup a subscription to our physical paper or pick a copy up at one of our many convenient news rack locations. 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