The High Plains has always been populated by generous, community-minded people that look after one another in good times and bad. So this week we welcomed representatives from two of Amarillo’s most prominent service organizations in the barrio neighborhood on our city’s north side. Liz Rascón Alaniz is the Executive Director at Amarillo Wesley Community Center (AWCC) which celebrates 70 years; Mary Bralley is President of Los Barrios de Amarillo (LBdA), now celebrating 50 years. They’re celebrating a combined 120 years of work for local communities, and they stopped by to share the news with HPPR listeners.
These two affiliated nonprofits work together “to see lives changed” and “tackle issues on social justice, mental health, education, poverty, accessibility and more” for surrounding residents. They’ll be kicking off their anniversary celebration on April 14th with a Piñata Party featuring special guests that’ll take a crack at the giant, handmade creation. It’ll begin at 12 pm CT at AWCC (1615 S. Roberts St., Amarillo). They’re also excited to announce that the United Supermarkets Charity Classic Golf Tournament on June 7th has selected AWCC/LBdA as recipients of this charity fundraiser. All proceeds from this tournament will help fun after-school programming and summer camps for kids. To participate or donate, contact Liz at (806) 372-7960. They’ve also got an exciting mural project in the works, thanks to Blank Spaces. More events will be announced throughout the year, so follow them both via AWCC Facebook and LBdA Facebook.
If you’d like to get involved with these organizations, donate, or learn more, give them a call at (806) 372-7960. You can also reach Liz and Mary online. To hear our full interview, click the link below.