Year-round giving: Community Health Care Foundation lends support in many ways
DEMING – T’is the season for giving and at the forefront of this holiday season is the Community Health Care Foundation of Luna County. For that matter, CHCF is in the year-round spirit of giving to local charities and nonprofits.
How it began
Founded in 1990 as the Mimbres Memorial Hospital Foundation, The CHCF broke away and became a more civic organization once the hospital became a for-profit primary health care facility.
Supported by local physicians, health care workers and first responders, CHCF focused on promoting health care initiatives for residents of Deming, Columbus, NM, and Luna County.
“We are here to help,” said CHCF representative and City of Deming Municipal Judge Edgar Davalos. “We want to get the word out and we are proud to have supported many organizations and events in Luna County including The Healing House, hospice, Deming Senior Center, school nurses, Deming Literacy Program, CHANCES, Cancer Support of Deming and Luna County Inc.”
The organization was built from a trust fund and continues to financially provide scholarships for nursing students, EMT’s, firefighters, Diabetes awareness programs, children’s reading programs, and the local Coats for Kids campaign, just to name a few. “If it is related to improving health care in Luna County, we are here to help,” Davalos told the Headlight.
The scholarships program grew from the need for more trained health care professionals in rural areas of New Mexico like the southwest corner and Luna County.
“We are particularly proud to sponsor the Steve Bean Memorial Scholarship which provides scholarships to individuals entering the emergency medical field,” Davalos said. “Our board is made up of local individuals who have dedicated themselves to promoting health care in Luna County and are honored to continue to serve our residents.”
Steve Bean Memorial
Steve Bean was a Deming Firefighter/EMT who helped established a vital working relationship between the local hospital and the Deming Fire Department which provided ambulance service for all of Luna County.
In the 1990s, Bean also trained firefighter/EMTs in Deming, Luna County and neighboring counties in life-saving techniques that are still implemented today. Bean’s life was cut short due to illness in 1995 and the CHCF and the Deming Fire Department began a scholarship fund for students interested in a career in the medical and health care fields.
A golf tournament is held annually in his memory and has become the chief fundraising event for the scholarship.
Many present – and past – firefighters/EMTs have benefitted from the scholarship, including Davalos. “Students can enter nursing, paramedic training, or a broader spectrum within the medical field, all thanks to the fundraising efforts of the CHCF, DFD and the golfing community,” Davalos said.
During Bean's life, he was able to fuse together a working relationship between the DFD and Mimbres Memorial Hospital which only helped expand life-saving procedures in emergency medical situations.
Bean was the Deputy Medical Investigator, and in November of 1991, he was recognized by New Mexico Region II of the Emergency Medical Services for contributions in promotion and development in the region's medical system.
Invested in you
Recently, the Community Health Care Foundation donated two checks to two non-profit organizations in Deming. CHCF presented Play Sharity Children's Museum and Resource Library with $5,000 for its ongoing efforts to provide a safe learning environment for children and their families. CHCF also presented the Rotary Club with $2,500 for the Imagination Library which provides children’s books for students and families in Deming and Luna County.
Also receiving a check for $2,500 was the Luna County Coats for Kids Foundation. The nonprofit works with the Deming Public Schools to provide winter coats for students on a need basis. The program annually hands out close to 500 winter coats each year.
The Cancer Support of Deming and Luna County Inc. has also generated the interest of the CHCF. Cancer Support raises close to $80,000 annually to help cancer patients in Luna County. The COVID-19 organization. Pandemic has severely hampered fundraising efforts for the group and that’s where the foundation could lend support.
Deming High School also benefits from the foundation’s trust. Graduating seniors can apply for scholarships awarded annually.
“CHCF is invested in improving the health and well-being of the community of Deming and Luna County,” Davalos told the Headlight.
The Honorable
Davalos began serving the City of Deming as a Firefighter/EMT back in 1995 and worked his way up the chain of command to Battalion Chief, and eventually Chief, where he served for six years. Davalos retired for two years and returned to the department as Battalion Chief under Chief Raul Mercado for the past four years.
He was appointed Municipal Judge last year.
Future of foundation
Davalos had no hesitation when he was approached to become a liaison between the foundation and the Steve Bean Memorial Golf Tournament. “It was a good fit,” he said. “I would keep the committee informed about the tournament each year and stay in tune with what was going on in our community in terms of how we could help.”
The CHCF continues to provide an extension of its funding to local groups in hopes of improving and promoting health care in Luna County.
The pandemic has not slowed down the foundation’s work. “We think it is important being that we help in health care fields,” Davalos said. “Education is important, especially during this pandemic.”
Applications for funding can be obtained by seeking out a committee member. The applications are filled out and submitted to the foundation for approval.
Bill Armendariz can be reached at 575-546-2611 (leave a message) or biarmendariz@demingheadlight.com.
This article originally appeared on Deming Headlight: Year-round giving: Community Health Care Foundation lends support
