Month: July 2022

America First Saddles Up and Helps Out on Pioneer Day

 

America First volunteers were heavily involved with preparations for the Pioneer Day weekend celebration in Ogden. They painted the numbers on the south bleachers of the Ogden Pioneer Stadium, followed by cleaning the venue before the upcoming celebration. Volunteers also showed up after the events were over to help take down signs and wrap up another successful year of the rodeo.

AFCU volunteers help put numbers on the south bleachers at Ogden Pioneer Day Stadium. 

McKaylie Richins, former Miss Rodeo Utah and America First’s Events Planning and Management Coordinator, knows the importance of the work that takes place before and after events at the stadium. “It is awesome that America First Credit Union not only sponsored the Ogden Pioneer Days rodeo and celebration, but also had the opportunity to volunteer with them this year,” she said. “From painting the bleachers to garbage cleanup, we had so many willing employees volunteer. It takes a village to put on such a spectacular production and how awesome is it that we could be a small part of it! Thank you to the Ogden Pioneer Days committee for this opportunity.”

Ogden Pioneer Days was established in 1934 and draws more than 30,000 people a year. Their annual rodeo is consistently ranked as one of the top outdoor rodeos in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.

While the Days of ‘47 celebration honors the arrival of Mormon settlers into the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847, Ogden Pioneer Days commemorates Ogden’s own storied past. The celebration played a vital role in the economic health of the community during The Great Depression. The event capitalized on the rodeo interests of wealthy cattle ranchers and tourists while lifting the spirit of the community.

America First Charitable Foundation plays important role at Davis School District Teen Center

Jordan Gibson, Mady Dawson (left) & Kloe Bartruff (right) help package & organize hygiene kits at DSD Teen Center in Clearfield, UT

America First Charitable Foundation volunteers spent the morning of July 1 sorting items, packaging hygiene kits and organizing them for distribution at the Davis School District Teen Center.

It’s part of the program known as The Greater Good, which looks for opportunities to enrich the lives of those in neighboring communities.

America First’s Events Planning and Management Coordinator, McKaylie Richins was ecstatic about the turnout and how productive the event was. “I am so glad we were able to organize items at the DSD Teen Center Warehouse to aid the homeless teens in Davis School District,” she said. “I encourage everyone to either volunteer with them or donate items.  All too often we take for granted what we have, and I am grateful we got to volunteer and be a small part of this program.”

More than 1,300 teens in Davis County are classified as homeless and go without the basic daily items necessary to help them succeed, while 16,000 kids in the district are financially insecure.  The teen center gives them as safe place to shower, do laundry and access resources.

Teen Center Warehouse Manager, Ginger Coulam, was overjoyed about the impact of the project: “We can’t thank America First enough for their time and effort organizing hygiene kits at the foundation warehouse. Having hygiene kits available truly makes a difference in the day-to-day lives of our students in need. Many of these kids lack access to the most basic of essentials that we so often take for granted. The extra hands and smiles made a world of difference. What would normally take us days of work, they got done in just a few hours.”

The Davis Education Foundation continues to be valuable to so many kids in need.  They recently raised more than $86,000 at their annual fundraising gala sponsored by America First Credit Union at the Megaplex Movie Theatres in Centerville, Utah.

“We’re so grateful for the help and community partnership of America First.” Ginger said.

The Davis Education Foundation started in 1982 and has helped 72,000 students, 8,000 teachers and 90 schools. Anyone wanting to be involved in helping with the Teen Center or the Davis Education Foundation should contact Ginger Coulam at GCoulam@dsdmail.net.