8-01-2024 12:49pm

Casa Motors Big Give and Holloman AFB Volunteers Making a Huge Commitment to Community

Chris Edwards Editor

Holloman AFB Community Volunteers as part of Casa Motors Bog Give at Dudley Community Center and at Puerto Rico Street Community Gardens

Casa Auto Group has been working this month in partnership with volunteers of the Holloman Air Force Base as a partnership in community volunteering that Casa has marketed as the" Casa Big Give."

Via this partnership volunteers from Casa Motors together with Air Force personnel have been contributing thousands of volunteer hours to worthy organizations that make up the fabric of the Alamogordo community. Two worthy projects and organizations have recieved signifiant work from the volunteers and the impact is visible to all of the community.

The first huge project is the Dudley School Community Center project. The building had fallen into decay and disrepair and was on a list to potentially be condemned at one point.

Located in the old town district near the boarders of the original Chihuahuita neighborhood the building is a transformational development for the neighborhood as reported in other recent stories, and this building is a cornerstone to spearhead a revival of the Chihuahuita neighborhood.

The Tularosa Basin Historic Society has taken the lead on this project and in partnership with City Commissioner Sharon McDonald has championed its revitalization and reinvention into a community center that pays tribute to the contributions of Hispanic and African American community members that once attended when it was a segregated school of learning

The transformation into a living operating center of history and culture and a community center is an example for other cities. Understanding it's significance to the revitalization of this historically neglected neighborhood volunteers from the Air Force's 6th Attack Squadron partnered in volunteering to build, paint, lay floor and ceiling panels and do the demanding work of restoration. This group included 16 volunteers from the 6th Attack Group that has put in long hours ro bring the building to 95% of completion.

Per a statement from Joe Lewandowski spokesperson and project lead from the Tularosa Basin Historic Society, "These great individuals jumped right in and showed the pride of being involved in this great endeavor. This is part of the "Big Give Back" sponsored by Casa Motors, with many AF groups working on numerous jobs throughout Alamogordo. We were honored this group selectes our project and we owe them a huge debt of gratitude for their hard work."

Another project the volunteers from Holloman Air Force Base and the Casa's Big Give that is very visible and is also improving another of the inner city neighborhoods is the work being done on the Puerto Rico Avenue Community Gardens in collaboration with the group responsible for the Community Gardens - With Many Hands Alamogordo. The volunteers for this project come from the AFSA Chapter 1257 at Holloman Air Force Base. This group according to With Many Hands Alamogordo team leader, Courtney McCary, "showed up in a big way and were able to make a huge impact on getting the garden ready for the fall growing season. They put in over 600 volunteer hours of work! The garden looks exponentially better and check out the awesome rendering they created that we can aspire to once the garden is fully planted."

Tomorrow, Friday August 2nd 2024 is the celebration at Casa Motors at 5 pm where winners will be announced of the Big and Small Teams that will be awarded a total of $10,000. The awards are a part of the Casa Motors give back to the community.

Now there is an element that includes the public in this process. The public is asked to come and vote for the project that is "The Peoples Choice" for an award as part of the Big Give. The public vote in for the People's Choice Winner sponsored by USA Insurance Inc is important.

The two worthy projects featured above with their cheerleading program leaders; Joe Lewandoski ane Courtney McCary, ask that you drop by Casa Motors and vote for your favorite community project. While there thank the Casa Motors team for their commitment to community and of course join the celebration Friday at 5 pm and meet many of the commited Air Force volunteers that are helping to make the Alamogordo community a much better place.