Las Animas is a caring, loving and generous community, where one may feel safe, cared for and proud.
The community takes pride in all the school events. If the school attends a state playoff the community gives a sending off. Old timers come out of the woodwork to support us and join in on the fun; it is like a reunion for Las Animas High School. Parents and grandparents send sack lunches for all of the kids, coaches, and bus driver to all the out-of-town games.
Also, Las Animas is a dedicated baseball town with a strong Little League program. There is no shortage of people willing to coach, and when the State Championship was won in the year of 2005, half the town journeyed to Pueblo to be spectators at Runyan Field. Our new ball field is something to be proud of and was built with volunteer labor.
We have the biggest after prom party in the valley, and the folks that put it on don’t have any children attending school. They do it with all their heart. There have been no accidents or police records of any incidents on prom night. We as a community have the longest running school event in history and that is Santa Fe Trail Day. It takes many long hours and about six to eight months of planning for a one-day activity; the town comes alive.
During the blizzards of 2006 and 2007, farmers used their own tractors to transport sick people to the nursing home for care, waiting for the roads to be cleaned to transport them to the hospital. They and many others also volunteered time to get roads, driveways, parking lots, and sidewalks cleaned.
You can go grocery shopping, forget your money, and they will let you take your groceries home to come back later and pay.
When there is a funeral in the community it doesn’t matter what religion or race, the women of this community collaborate to serve the family a funeral dinner.
Las Animas has a top-notch nursing home that provides employment for many people. Numerous volunteers spend hours providing services and enjoyment to the residents. Our unique feature is the day care housed in the same building. I had the privilege of attending this in my younger years and benefited greatly from contact with the elderly.
4-H has always been a large part of my life, starting when I was eight years old. There never has been a shortage of willing and capable leaders, and at fair time, the entire community provides support. Businesses and individuals support participants by paying a good price for animals during the livestock sale.
Varied employment opportunities are available for high school students during the summer, and I am fortunate and grateful for the jobs I’ve had every summer.
Our town is built on people that have graduated from here and stayed or came back to make their home here, to keep it a generous, loving and caring community.
Thank you for considering me for this scholarship.
