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“The heart of a volunteer isn’t measured in size, but by the depth of the commitment to make a difference in the lives of others.� —DeAnn Hollis
Blaine County
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Wood River Valley Non-Profit Organizations The Advocates for Survivors of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault
The Advocates for Survivors of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault was established in 1991. The Advocates provides free support services and shelter to help women and their children leave violent relationships behind and rebuild their lives. The Advocates serves Blaine, Camas, Custer and Lincoln counties.  Your support enables The Advocates to provide more than 30 free essential services in English and Spanish, 24 hours a day, including a staffed shelter, crisis intervention, safety planning, support groups and legal assistance.  The Advocates’ mission is to prevent domestic violence and sexual assault in our communities through education, shelter and supportive services. Contact Tricia Swartling, executive director, phone 208788-4191, fax 208-788-4194, e-mail Tricia@theadvocatesaplacetogo.org, or write P.O. Box 3216, Hailey, ID 83333. www.theadvocates-aplacetogo.org
American Legion Auxiliary
The American Legion Auxiliary serves all war veterans. Their mission is to remember all who gave of their service for their country. Contact Mary Stratton at 725-5858 or e-mail her at sunvalleymary@aol.com
Animal Shelter of the Wood River Valley
The Animal Shelter of the Wood River Valley was established in 1982 to serve the residents of Blaine County and their animals. The Animal Shelter of the Wood River Valley promotes companion animal welfare by providing temporary shelter for homeless pets, adopting them to qualified homes, and reducing animal abuse, neglect and overpopulation through community education and spay/neuter services. Contact JoAnne Dixon, DVM, executive director/medical director, at 208-788-4351, or info@animalshelterwrv.org www.animalshelterwrv.org
ARCH Community Housing Trust
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Through the power of sport, Special Olympics Idaho is creating better communities by fostering the acceptance and inclusion of all people. Won’t you join us? MISSION
To provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults Photo courtesy Susan Valiquette
with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical ďŹ tness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.
SPECIAL OLYMPICS IDAHO INITIATIVES
For 40 years, Special Olympics Idaho has
Young Athletes Program Young Athletes introduces those aged 2-7 years with intellectual disabilities and their families to the world of Special Olympics by engaging children in activities to foster physical, cognitive, and social development; and also raises awareness of the abilities of children with intellectual disabilities. Special Olympics Healthy AthletesÂŽ Healthy Athletes is a multi-faceted program that helps Special Olympics athletes improve their health and ďŹ tness, embrace the sports experience and improve their well being, through a series of free health screenings offered by local volunteer medical professionals.
provided unique opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities, allowing them to become involved, contributing
Special Olympics UniďŹ ed SportsÂŽ UniďŹ ed Sports brings athletes with and without intellectual disabilities together on the same playing ďŹ eld to help develop speciďŹ c athletic skills, build conďŹ dence and self-esteem, and increase understanding of persons with differing abilities. Get Into It Get Into It is a school-based curriculum that helps teachers and students promote awareness and acceptance of people with intellectual disabilities, and is available to school districts via Special Olympics Idaho and Special Olympics, Inc. Partners Clubs The Partners Club is a unique school-based program that teams students with and without intellectual disabilities through sports training and competition in UniďŹ ed Sports, and also offers social and recreational opportunities.
members of our communities and of society as a whole.
Athlete Leadership Program The Athlete Leadership Program fosters personal growth and self-conďŹ dence by allowing athletes to explore roles previously considered “non-traditional,â€? such as serving on the Board of Directors or as a committee member, acting as a spokesperson, team captain, coach or sports ofďŹ cial.
ness, embrace the sports experience and improve their
ics Idaho is creating nce and inclusion
A partnership with Special Olympics Idaho is a partnership with our communities.
Special Olympics Idaho transforms communities by inspiring people to open
their minds, to
accept and include people with photo ŠRichard Corman
intellectual disabilities, celebrating
differences among all people‌ recognizing and respecting the
similarities we all share. Special Olympics Healthy AthletesÂŽ (above)
Project UNIFY Project UNIFY’s goal is to activate young people to develop school communities where all young people are agents of change — fostering respect, dignity and advocacy for people with intellectual disabilities by utilizing the programs and initiatives of Special Olympics. Some of the programs within Project UNIFY include: Annual Youth Summit, Youth Games, Youth Activation Committee and the Spread the Word Campaign. MATP The Special Olympics Motor Activities Training Program (MATP) is designed for persons with profound disabilities who do not yet possess the physical and/ or behavioral skills necessary to participate in OfďŹ cial Special Olympics Sports. The goal of MATP is for athletes to achieve their personal best during competition, in effect, they are competing against themselves rather than another athlete.
For as we hope for the best in them, hope is reborn in us. – Eunice Kennedy Shriver Executive Vice President, Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation Founder and Honorary Chairperson, Special Olympics
Wednesday 11.24.10
The ARCH Community Housing Trust was created in 2004 to serve the residents of Blaine County. ARCH is committed to preserving and strengthening Blaine County’s economic, environmental and social integrity by developing affordable housing Contact: Michelle Griffith, 726-4411, michelle@archbc. org. www.archbc.org
Bellevue Labor Day Celebration
The Bellevue Labor Day Celebration was first established in the 1950s to serve the community of Bellevue. The group’s intention is to draw visitors and locals alike to the community. The two-day celebration, the Sunday and Monday of Labor Day weekend, includes free live music, arts/crafts and food vendors, and a parade down Main Street (free to participants, but it also pays cash prizes to top floats in various categories). Contact Stefany Mahoney or Sara Burns at bellevuelaborday@gmail.com. www.facebook.com/bellevuelaborday
Big Brothers Big Sisters of SW Idaho
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Idaho was established in 1979 to serve the children and youth of Ada, Blaine and Canyon counties. We work with our Big Brothers and Big Sisters—people just like you—to bring magic to the lives of children in the Southwest Idaho area by matching positive adults with children in one-to-one friendships that expand the horizons of everyone involved. Contact Bronwyn Patterson Nickel, program coordinator, 208-578-5405, bronwyn.patterson@bbbs.org; or Heather Colvin, development coordinator, 208-578-5405, heather.colvin@bbbs.org www.bbbsidaho.org
Blaine Co. Community Drug Coalition
The Blaine County Community Drug Coalition was created in 2007. Its primary focus is youth, but it serves the entire community. The group’s mission is “to increase the health of the community by reducing drug and alcohol use among youth.� Contact Terry Basolo, executive director, at (208) 5785406, 578-5407 or tbasolo@blainecountycdc.org www. blainecountycdc.org
Blaine County Democrats
Also: Idaho Democratic Women’s Caucus, Blaine County Chapter Blaine County Democrats serve the people of Blaine County, Legislative District 25, the state of Idaho, and the nation. “Our goals are to recruit, help elect and support public officials who share our core democratic values. Please join us in promoting progressive and effective policies for the citizens of our county. Working together, we will make Blaine County a safe and healthy environment for all.� Contact Gini Ballou, chair, at 720-4347 or gini@dignifiedesigns.com. blainecountydemocrats.org
Blaine County Education Foundation
The Blaine County Education Foundation was established in 1992 “to serve all of the students and faculty of the Blaine County School District. We have provided grants and support to all of the schools from Carey to Ketchum, and all students from preschool to high school. Our mission is to focus community resources and raise funds for Blaine County School District, promoting academic excellence, equitable education and a healthy student environment.� Contact Heather Crocker at P.O. Box 253, Hailey, ID 83333; 208-578-5449 (phone); 208-788-3922 (fax); hcrocker@blaineschools.org. www.supportbcef.org
Blaine County Recreation District
The Blaine County Recreation District was first established in 1976. The BCRD serves Blaine County residents and over 50,000 visitors each year of all ages. The BCRD is a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing Blaine County’s quality of life by creating healthy, active, recre-
ational opportunities for all. Contact Kris Stoffer, director of development, at 5785455 (phone), 788-2168 (fax) or kstoffer@bcrd.org. www. bcrd.org
Boulder Mountain Clayworks, Inc.
Boulder Mountain Clayworks was established in 1997 and incorporated as a non-profit organization in 2007. We serve adults and children in Blaine County as well as visitors to the Valley. Our mission is to encourage artistic growth and development in the community by: offering instruction in clay and other media to adults and children; providing a creative atmosphere where clay artists can develop their vision; and scheduling events that are free and open to the public where the community can better appreciate the clay arts. Contact Susan Ward, president of the board and director, at 726-4484, or e-mail: bouldermtnclay@yahoo.com. www.bouldermtnclay.com
Building Balanced Communities in Idaho
Building Balanced Communities in Idaho was established in 2008. We currently serve the greater Bellevue area, but are established in a way to expand the presence as needed to fulfill community needs. Our mission is to enhance social, community and economic programs in small ways, creating big impacts. Contact Tammy E. Eaton 208-720-7160 phone, 208-7886309 fax, and bbcii@cox.net; Sara Burns 208-309-1513 phone; or info@bellevuehauntedforest.com. www.bellevuehauntedforest.com
Camp Perkins Lutheran Outdoor Ministries
Year-round Camp Perkins, established in 1955, serves those who have a need to get out of the ordinary busy-ness of life and be set apart for a time of temporary, intentional community. This includes children, adults, and families, both local and national. In addition to facilitating residential youth camp for seven weeks in the summer for children and families from the regional area, we host groups as diverse as Camp Rainbow Gold and St. Thomas Playhouse Conservatory Camp (SPACC), church youth groups from across the region and nation, family reunion groups and, of course, our association of Lutheran congregations. The mission of Camp Perkins is to support the ministry of its member congregations and to make and nurture disciples for Jesus Christ. The ministry provides Christian learning and renewal opportunities, thereby building up the community of believers and reaching out to the world. Contact Signe White, 208-788-0897 office; 208-7204371 cell; or signe@campperkins.org. www.CampPerkins. org
Camp Rainbow Gold
Camp Rainbow Gold first came into being in 1984, to serve Idaho children diagnosed with cancer and their families As a program of the American Cancer Society, Camp Rainbow Gold provides year-round programs such as medically-supervised camps, college scholarships and other emotionally-empowering experiences to Idaho’s children diagnosed with cancer, their families and support network. Camp Rainbow Gold is sustained by community fundraising, private donations and volunteer efforts. And it’s fun! Contact Elizabeth Lizberg, 208-422-0176 (phone), 208343-9922 (fax), or Camp.rainbowgold@cancer.org. www. CampRainbowGold.org or www.ShareYourHeartBall.org
Caritas Chorale
Caritas Chorale was established in 1999. The mission of Caritas Chorale is to encourage and promote musical education and appreciation in the Wood River Valley through the establishment of a non-denominational community chorus, presenting performances of classical and traditional choral music with instrumental accompaniment as appropriate. Caritas also strives to promote choral music appreciation and education in our community schools. Contact Candace Witt, president of the board of directors, 208-726-5349, ext. 25, or artistic director, Dick Brown, 208-721-7469. www.caritaschorale.org
Company of Fools
Company of Fools was established in 1996 to serve the Wood River Valley, the central-Idaho region and greater Idaho. Company of Fools is a professional theatre company driven by the power of the theatrical experience to connect artist and audience. Company of Fools offers world-class theatre and education programs that engage, inspire, entertain and transform. Contact Denise Simone, 208-788-6520, denise@companyoffools.org; or John Glenn, 208-788-6520, john@companyoffools.org. www.companyoffools.org
Crisis Hotline
The Crisis Hotline was first established in 1987 to serve the permanent population of Blaine County and surrounding counties, as well as those who visit the area on vacation. We are seeing an increased amount of calls from people living all over Idaho and in other states as well. With easier access to computers, callers are finding the Crisis Hotline phone number on the Internet via their Website and reaching out to them for help from all over the map. Their Resource & Referral Directory contains over 400 referral sources on the local, state and national levels and is used regularly by our volunteers who cover the phone around the clock. The mission of the Crisis Hotline is to provide 24-hoursper-day, seven-days-per-week crisis intervention and referral service to the residents of and visitors to the Wood River Valley. Contact Sher Foster, executive director, at P.O. Box 939, Ketchum, ID 83340; 208-788-0735 (phone/fax), or e-mail crisishl@qwestoffice.net. thecrisishotline.org