Angel
Fire Community Foundation has a rich history in the Moreno Valley. Originally
named the Angel Fire/Southern Moreno Valley Community Corporation (AF/SMVCC), the
AF/SMVCC was formed in March 1978 as the first non-profit corporation in the
valley. The original name came from a topography lesson—the boundaries of the
fire district stretched over both the Village of Angel Fire and the southern
end of the Moreno Valley.
Before
a town entity was created in 1985, residents needed medical and fire services
to protect their way of life. A gentleman named Jack Stromberg passed away in
the Moreno Valley in 1978 because of the lack of emergency medical services,
and after his death the Stromberg Family was integral in the funding and
creation of the AF/SMVCC. The AF/SMVCC met the community’s needs in two ways.
First it raised funds for necessary services, and second it accepted tax-exempt
donations for entities under its non-profit umbrella, including the Stromberg
Memorial Center, the Angel Fire Library, the Angel Fire Fire Department, Angel
Fire Search and Rescue, Angel Fire EMTs, and the Chapel. All donations are
dedicated to promoting and providing charitable, religious, scientific,
educational, and literary services to the community and for the protection,
health, safety, and general well-being of area residents and property owners. The
AF/SMVCC’s goal is to work toward planning for future needs of the area and
coordinating efforts to fulfill those needs, act as a tax-exempt custodial body
for the organizations under its umbrella, and receive and disburse monies from
fund drives and donations.
The
year 1978 also marks the first year of the successful Annual Dinner and Live
Auction, an excellent fundraiser for the Foundation and well received by the
community. In 1981, the AF/SMVCC was integral in establishing the annual Flea
Market, which is now the Shuter Library of Angel Fire’s “Trash to Treasures”
event and money maker. In 1984, local contractors volunteered to construct a
home at cost which the Foundation would then offer for sale; this venture
brought in more needed funds for the community.
After
1984, the AF/SMVCC went to ‘sleep,’ so to speak, and left the fundraising
enterprises to the umbrella entities. Board meetings were held twice a year or
so through 1995, at which point the AF/SMVCC was faced with the critical
question of whether to dissolve or revive. And that’s when things got exciting
again. In 1995, President Bruce Lawrence, elected in 1992, gathered a group of
interested people and a new Board was elected, including current President Stan
Harrell and current Vice President Rich Hill.
Beginning
in 1995, the AF/SMVCC’s activities picked up again in full force. Over the next
three years, the Foundation received a variety of donations from area groups and
created the “Adopt A Fireman” Fund and the “Ice Rescue Equipment” Fund. It also
made a number of grants for area improvement, such as a grant for playground
equipment at the Angel Fire Community Center. In 1999, after it was apparent
the library was outgrowing its space at the Stromberg Memorial Center, Angel
Fire Resort donated land for a new library building, and the Foundation created
the “Love Your Library” Fund, aptly named such by former Board Director and
Treasurer Martha Lassetter. The Shuter Library of Angel Fire and its volunteers
moved into the new building in 2002. That same year, Rebecca McCracken joined
the Board as Secretary and breathed new life into the Foundation.
The
Board’s talk between 2002 and 2007 focused on where the Foundation was going
and how it would get there. The Board began discussions with the New Mexico
Community Foundation regarding collaboration and formalized their agreement in
2008. In the spirit of rejuvenation, the name was formally changed from the
Angel Fire/Southern Moreno Valley Communication Corporation to Angel Fire
Community Foundation (“the Foundation”) in June 2008. Current Director Charles Wilson and Treasurer
Bill Mason were elected to the Board in 2004. Barbara Cottam joined in 2008. After
expanding the Board from seven to nine directors in 2009, and the tragic loss
of Rebecca McCracken, a devoted Board member, the Board nominated Bonnie
Bowles, Jim Trott, and Richard Moore to fill the vacant positions. In January
2010, Margaret van Antwerp was nominated to fill the final vacant position.
The
Foundation manages the Jeffrey Loving Memorial, which focuses on improved
health for Moreno Valley residents. The Memorial is a vibrant donor-advised
fund that most recently matched funding for two new heart monitors for the
Village of Angel Fire.
The
Angel Fire and Moreno Valley communities have come a long way in 30 years. The
Foundation is proud to continue being an active partner in offering donors a
number of flexible, efficient, and rewarding ways to accomplish their
charitable giving. The Foundation works with attorneys and financial advisors
to assist their clients with incorporating charitable giving into their financial
and estate plans.
Through the generosity of many people in Angel Fire and the greater
area, the Foundation supports the Valley’s best nonprofits and the
extraordinary people who make our community a great place to live.
