More than two dozen Questa locals gathered at the Questa Public Library on a sunny, breezy Saturday afternoon last month. The mood was cheerful as teams answered trivia questions about Questa’s community projects that locals have led over the last 18 months, with the support of the LOR Foundation.
For example, did you know that one Questa Independent School District music teacher created a five-week workshop to teach students about mariachi? Or that as of March, local animal rescue group High Desert Hounds was on track to help between 150 to 175 dogs and puppies in 2024?
The spring event, put on by LOR Questa Community Officer Maria Gonzalez, celebrated Questa’s champions—locals who have been working to make life in the village even better. Since January of 2023, Questa champions have led more than 50 community projects, strengthening local financial literacy, curbing water loss, and creating new science programs for students, to name just a few projects.
“Without the energy and dedication of Questa’s champions, none of the projects LOR has supported would have been possible,” says Gonzalez. “We want to say thank you to every Questa champion. Your efforts lead the way, and we’re proud to support all of the incredible work you do for our community.”
Ordinarily, LOR-supported projects have just one or two champions, but one of Questa’s most recent community projects was special because it involved collaboration between multiple champions. Questa’s acequia system supplies residents with all-important water. Yet, despite serving as a lifeline, Questa’s acequias have desperately needed investment. Many of the headgates in local ditches are broken, leaking, or nonexistent, impeding proper water flow and leading water to leave Questa before replenishing the local aquifer. With LOR’s support, Questa’s local acequias are receiving newly installed headgates and other equipment to better control water flow and minimize leaks, keeping more water in the Questa community.
“This solution was a true community effort,” Gonzalez says. “The local associations were united around the need for headgates and agreed to join forces to make this project happen. By working together, they will improve the lives of Questeños for generations.”
Over the last year-and-a-half, Questa’s community projects have taken many shapes and sizes. No matter how small, each has made a difference for locals. If you’ve got a solution to share, you can reach Gonzalez at maria@lorfoundation.org or (575) 665-2001.
LOR works with rural communities
in the Mountain West to enhance livability and prosperity while preserving the character that makes each community unique. LOR supports locally led community projects that improve transportation, housing, the environment, education, civic engagement, water, health, and the economy.
