What do electricity and a hometown sports field have in common? Both are easy to take for granted — unless you don’t have them.
Many rural communities do not have a local field for soccer, baseball, and other sports and recreational activities. Participating often means traveling at least once a week for practice and once a week for games — sometimes more. Not all families can afford to travel back and forth to larger cities multiple times a week.
But one southern Colorado community has rallied together to create a home field for the home team.
The new multipurpose field in Colorado City’s Greenhorn Meadows Park is the first completed phase of an ambitious, four-part project led by Valley First, a nonprofit fueled by local donations, grants, and grit. The effort is largely driven by a volunteer board and Valley First Executive Director Misty Sprague.
Overwhelmed with gratitude, Misty credits donations from local small businesses and partners including San Isabel Electric. The electric co-op and its cooperative partners CoBank and Basin Electric Power Cooperative each donated $10,000 for a total of $30,000.
“Funding has come from so many corners we never expected,” Misty said. “It’s been four years, hundreds of grant applications — and now we’re close to meeting our $4 million goal for the first three phases.” She was tearful talking about watching preschoolers and kindergartners use their hometown field for the first time.
In May, the nonprofit began the completion of the football field, track, and concession stand. That phase of the project is expected to be ready for use later this year. “
One small ripple can make a wave,” Misty said, hoping that what has been accomplished in Colorado City will put waves in motion for more nonprofit organizations in southern Colorado to create opportunities close to home.
To learn more about Valley First and to donate, visit valley-first.org.
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