Please help us honor America’s first inhabitants and Tribal Nations as we celebrate and recognize Indigenous Peoples Day. We will learn about the Tribal Nations that make up New Mexico and make some memorable projects to take home.

Register a Service Project Here! https://forms.gle/Nxzd4b3FDzCdnc8z9 Day of Caring is a powerful way for United Way of Lea County to join forces with companies and individuals to create action across our county. It is a day that underscores how essential volunteers are to making a difference in our community. Our volunteers complete projects that agencies may not have the ability to complete on their own. Day of Caring kicks off Saturday, October 15th at 8am. Deadline to register a service project will be September 15th.   Join us as we ignite the spirit of community collaboration, giving, and civic engagement to improve the lives of those in Lea County. If you are interested in registrering to volunteer or registering a team, please contact Marcus Sparenberg at campaign@uwolc.org or 575-964-3040

Celebrate and learn what has built our Lea County Community!

David Caffey and Chasing the Santa Fe Ring: Power and Privilege in Territorial New Mexico Join us for an evening of discussion with author David Caffey about the "rings" of men who collaborated to use the powers of wealth and government for their own enrichment in NM in the late 1800s. Chasing the Santa Fe Ring During the Gilded Age, from about 1870 to 1900, great enterprises were built, fortunes were made, and opulent lives were lived. One of the features of the day was the appearance of “rings”�"combinations of men who collaborated to use the powers of wealth and government for their own satisfaction and enrichment. The Tweed Ring in New York was the first to attain fame for its corruption, but the term was soon applied to cliques across the country. In the West, no alliance was more enduring or broad in its ambitions than the Santa Fe Ring in New Mexico. David L. Caffey set out to examine the who, what, why, and how of the Santa Fe Ring, producing a book, Chasing the Santa Fe Ring: Power and Privilege in Territorial New Mexico, which he will discuss through this illustrated lecture. David Caffey David L. Caffey grew up in Abilene, Texas, and became enthralled with New Mexico’s history in twelve summers on staff at the Philmont Scout Ranch in Colfax County. He later lived in New Mexico for thirty-three years, serving as Director of the Harwood Museum in Taos, and later in administration at San Juan College and Clovis Community College. His forthcoming book, When Cimarron Meant Wild: The Maxwell Land Grant Conflict in Colorado and New Mexico, will be published by the University of Oklahoma Press in spring, 2023. He and his wife now live in Lubbock, where they are watching a little girl grow up.

The JF Maddox Foundation and University of the Southwest are pleased to welcome Ben Napier and Erin Napier, hosts of “Home Town” on HGTV, as the next speakers in the Jack Maddox Distinguished Lecture Series. The lecture is scheduled at 7 p.m. Saturday, October 22 at R.N. Tydings Auditorium on the Hobbs High School campus. After the lecture, Ben and Erin Napier will host a book signing in the lobby of the auditorium. Ticket information for the event can be found by visiting jfmaddox.org or by calling 575-492-2141. Both Ben and Erin Napier share a passion for small-town revitalization. Ben Napier is a woodworker, author, and entrepreneur with a degree in history, founder of Scotsman Co. and co-owner of Laurel Mercantile Co. He is also a past president of Laurel’s Main Street America chapter dedicated to promoting the rebirth of their historic downtown district. Erin Napier is a designer, author, and entrepreneur with a fine arts degree who started her career in corporate graphic design before founding her own international stationery company, Lucky Luxe, and is a founding co-owner of Laurel Mercantile Co. They live in Laurel, Mississippi with their infant daughter, Helen, where they restore homes on HGTV’s Home Town. “Ben and Erin are both dynamic individuals and their focus on community pride, revitalization, and economic development will be valuable for Lea County,” said David Reed, Chief Operating Officer at the JF Maddox Foundation. “We are grateful that they share the Foundation’s vision of using creativity, authenticity, and imagination to make progress for communities and we look forward to having them share their message with our guests.” Since 1989, the JF Maddox Foundation and University of the Southwest have partnered to host the Jack Maddox Distinguished Lecture Series. The series aims to contribute to the quality of life in Lea County, New Mexico, and the surrounding area by providing nationally recognized speakers for intellectual stimulation and entertainment. Past speakers from the lecture series include Former First Lady Laura Bush, Mike Rowe, and General Colin Powell. For additional information on the Jack Maddox Distinguished Lecture Series, please visit jfmaddox.org or call 575-492-2141.