Hearts of Miami Engaged

By Patti Daley

“Miami needs a lot of sprucing up, but you have to start somewhere,” says Evelyn Vargas, leader of the new non-profit organization Hearts of Miami Engaged (H.O.M.E.). H.O.M.E. is a dedicated group of citizens with a common purpose.

Historic Keystone Stairs Project

“It’s not an artistic endeavor. This is to honor our copper miners,” Vargas says. “We want people to feel what the miners felt climbing those stairs, to see what they saw.”

That purpose?

“Economic development,” says Phil Stewart, a local business owner and the group’s treasurer. “We want to help enhance public spaces and preserve the historic and cultural significance of our town.”

When the small group learned that Arizona Highways was going to shoot an episode in Miami, they got to work right away, cleaning up around the businesses that would be on camera. Beginning in late July, all the way up to shoot day in early October, the “night crew” pulled out weeds and cleared trash to spruce things up. It was a good way to begin, the team agrees. It let them see who would show up to put in the time and labor.

“We’re a hands-on group,” says Britta Crone. “We all met with our shovels, and it was a lot of fun.”

Building H.O.M.E.

“It happened organically,” says Melinda Baeza, a Miami native, “by walking and talking and working together.”

The legal organization emerged from Cobre Valley Regional Aquatic Center, the non-profit organization formed to raise funds for a new aquatic center in the tricity area. When the eight-year effort ended as CVRMC shifted their matching funds of $1.5 million to the Globe Community Center Pool, donors were offered three options: get a full refund, split their donation between Globe and Miami water activities, or leave it in the aquatic center’s 501c(3) to be repurposed.

“Most took the third option,” Vargas says.

H.O.M.E. is now receiving new donations. In turn, they’ve donated $250 in candy to the town’s Halloween celebration and $500 toward a small-town Christmas. The group recently applied for a T*mobile grant to kick off their first big project, the Historic Keystone Stairs.