STORY AND PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK

ARCH Community Housing Trust, the Wood River Community Orchestra and the Wood River Land Trust’s Hailey Hot Springs Ranch acquisition project will be among the three nonprofits 100 Men Who Care will consider funding when the organization meets on Tuesday.

100 Men Who Care will meet at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 8, at Ketchum’s Community Library in a meeting open to the public.

Attendees will listen to pitches from representatives of the organizations under consideration. Each attendee may then decide which organizations or, perhaps even all organizations, to write a check.

ARCH COMMUNITY HOUSING TRUST

The organization employs federal programs to finance housing for households earning less than 80 percent of the area median income. It also uses private funds for households earning up to 140 percent of area median income because the federal programs cap income at 80 percent, whereas there are significant numbers of households in the Wood River Valley who earn too much for the federal programs but not enough to live here. They include teachers, first responders and medical staff.

ARCH is also seeking funds for the second phase of the Ellsworth Inn redevelopment in Hailey. A 50 percent matching grant is in place, which would apply to any funds raised by 100 Men Who Care. The historic inn has been remodeled into six 1-bed units. The second phase would build new units around the property.

WOOD RIVER LAND TRUST HAILEY HOT SPRINGS RANCH

The Wood River Land Trust is seeking to purchase more than 2,300 acres of rich wildlife habitat and biodiversity one mile west of Hailey in Croy Canyon that has long been a popular place to recreate.  The acquisition would prevent residential development on 360 acres of the Hailey Hot Springs Ranch, which would threaten migration corridors and habitat for elk, mule deer, moose, pronghorn and sandhill crane and compromise public access.

Acquisition would allow the Blaine County Recreation District to build a public hot spring facility and a separated bike path out Croy Canyon to get kids and gravel riders off Croy Creek Road. It would also provide a living laboratory for students and researchers from the University of Idaho, as well as afterschool programs.

Ron Greenspan, a longtime supporter of both 100 Men Who Care and the Wood River Land Trust, has offered to match donations for the ranch purchase up to $25,000.

THE WOOD RIVER COMMUNITY ORCHESTRA offers four free concerts each year, including a popular holiday concert at The Argyros. It offers a place for woodwind, string, brass and percussion musicians ranging from high school students to retired people to play music together.

Small groups of orchestra members also perform at community events, including the Sawtooth Botanical Garden and memorial services.

100 Men Who Care has given cash gifts of $548,970 since its inception several years ago. Recent beneficiaries have included The Shoshone Project, The Advocates, Blaine County Charitable Fund and The Senior Connection.

The grassroots group meets four times a year to consider nonprofit projects to fund.

“What we’re doing is pretty awesome and important,” said Marty Lyon, founder of 100 Men Who Care.

Those who cannot attend Tuesday’s meeting may send checks to Lyon at 106 Red Cloud Way, Hailey ID 83333. Questions? Call Lyon at 253-209-4586.