Sustainable Tourism in Gallup and Native American Communities

Valerie

·Northwest New Mexico Community Development Corporation

·Gallup Trails 2010 Inc. / Gallup Development Commission

Charles

·Community Garden/Greenhouse, Downtown Promotion (El Morro Theater Association and the GDC), and Web Development

Barry

·Navajo Nation Tourism Department / Churchrock Tourism Action Council

Stephanie

·Soil and Water Conservation District / Churchrock Chapter

Ally

Laura

·Junior Achievement / VITA

·SATNAC Coordinator / Gallup Development Commission

Colleen

2003-2004

Along with the arrival of five new VISTAs to the McKinley site, the 2003-2004 season saw many changes.  Colleen Marchand and Charlie Koehler stayed on as second-year VISTA's with Colleen returning as a VISTA site supervisor.  In late August, Laura Runyan, Ally Snell, and Valerie Wendell all arrived to begin their term in Gallup.   Their current projects involve VITA/ JA, SWCD/ Church Rock Chapter, and the Community Development Corporation, respectively.  In November of 2003, two new VISTA's were appointed to McKinley Co, Stephanie Petrella and Barry DeHaan.  Stephanie is continuing Laureen's work with the Churchrock Tourism Action Council, while Barry will be working on sustaining the community garden project started by Kristen Grote, downtown promotion and web development .

The VISTA headquarters were also relocated to downtown Gallup in the basement of the Gallup Development Commission (GDC).   With John Guffey and Mike Case, two previous VISTA supervisors gone, the current VISTA program supervisors are Colleen Marchand, Karl Lohmann of Connections INC, and Mike Enfield of the GDC.

VISTA Duties

Specific duties according to VISTA worksite placement include: personal finance assistance, small business development, organizational development, community based tourism, cultural and historic preservation, youth engagement, alternative energy development, alternative building construction, environmental sustainability, community food security development, high desert gardening, adventure sports development, trail development.  General duties for all McKinley Co. VISTA members include: grant writing, volunteer recruitment - management, entrepreneur support - mentoring, community outreach - development - mobilization, group facilitation, an ability to become immersed into rural, culturally rich and diverse communities.  It is important that the VISTAs work within the organizations is in support of the VISTA and SATNAC missions and that these missions, along with the partnerships being formed, are sustained after the VISTA program is over.

VISTA Housing

El Rancho