STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

100 Men Who Care will kick off the Year 2022 with an opportunity to gift three nonprofits in the Wood River Valley.

Men involved with the philanthropic organization nominated seven organizations and Gerry Morrison selected three in a random drawing. Learn more about the nominees in a ZOOM meeting at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 11 at: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81361574692?pwd=em9MeWllSVEzeEtHSXVua2cybngyQT09

The Meeting ID: 813 6157 4692. The Passcode: 064431

The three organizations are:

• WOOD RIVER COMMUNITY ORCHESTRA

  Formed in 2007, the orchestra offers musicians of all abilities and ages the opportunity to play as an orchestra and in small ensembles for various community events. It gives the community an opportunity to enjoy three free concerts a year.

  The orchestra relies on donations to fund an annual budget of $30,000, which covers such expenses as the conductor’s salary, sheet music, publicity and programs and the cost of renting rehearsal and performance venues. The orchestra also pays for instrument maintenance and lessons for musicians who request those services.

  The orchestra fields about 30 musicians who play everything from Mozart to Schubert to holiday favorites for more than 200 audience members. The smaller ensembles play at such events as the Sawtooth Botanical Annual Garden Tour at no cost.

• ACADEME GROVE

  This group is partnering with the Blaine County School District to raise $25,000 for the purchase of a Threat Assessment Planning Program (T.A.P.)

  The program is based on recommendations made by the Idaho School Safety and Security Program after the shooting at Rigby Middle School in 2021. It provides school staff with tools to identify and support students at risk of harming themselves or others.

  The program consists of end-to-end software allowing schools to maintain their threat assessments in one location and collaborate remotely to help students. It will be provided to the Wood River High School and Middle School, Carey School and Ernest Hemingway STEAM School for the next three years.

• ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE CENTER (ERC)

Founded in 1993, this organization provides environmental education programs and initiatives to reduce waste and toxins, ensuring healthy soils and water.

The ERC provides in-school and afterschool programs and overnight summer camps for youth and is requesting funding to support the third year of its Summer Fellowship Program. The eight-week program trains local high school, vocational school and college students to tackle an environment issue of their choice.