The Chaco Culture Conservancy is excited to bring you special year-end news!
With your help, the CCC raised just over $30,000 in donations in 2023. This year, our fundraising efforts included a community partnership with WildEdge Brewery, Sip and Speak events at Aztec Ruins National Monument, and a special tour of Shabik’eshee Village. It has been a busy year for the CCC, and we can’t wait to bring you even more in 2024!
As we move into the holiday season, we’d like to reflect on the past year and all that you’ve helped us accomplish. Keep reading to learn more about the projects that your generous contributions have supported at Chaco Culture NHP and Aztec Ruins National Monument.
A note from Denise Robertson, superintendent of Chaco Culture NHP and Aztec Ruins National Monument:
This year we celebrated 100 years of Aztec Ruins National Monument. I acknowledge a lot has changed in 100 years through the life of the monument. Today, the ways we talk about the monument’s history include more diverse voices and perspectives. We discuss topics around an uncertain future related to climate change. We are proud of our accomplishments and openly acknowledge where we could do better. I am proud to be a part of this very special time in history.
I am a planner, a dreamer, and a worker with an ever-expanding list of priorities. I also believe in collaboration and that many hands make quicker more enjoyable work for all. Support from the Chaco Culture Conservancy and generous donors like you can make all the difference in protecting and preserving our national parks.
Moving into the new year, the preservation of trails is at the top of my priority list. Walking in the footsteps of the people and creatures that came before us can be a powerful and quintessential national park experience. The magic one feels on the trail is irreplaceable. To walk on trails around sites of this significance, age, and history is like no other experience on earth. Chaco Culture National Historical Park has over 30 miles of trails, and each requires a significant level of care and upkeep to ensure safe and special experiences for visitors and community members.
Alongside intangible experiences had on our trails, I value the tangible objects that represent the rich history of the parks. The Chaco and Aztec museum collections are the second largest in our region for the National Park Service. The collections include over 1 million items and over 900,00 archival records. With support from the Conservancy, park staff have improved the protection, storage, and access of these items. Expanding the digital collection in a way that will improve visitor access and education is another top priority for the park.
Looking ahead my heart is full of hope for a bright future at Aztec Ruins National Monument and Chaco Culture National Historical Park. There is light as I face East toward a new day, new opportunities, new stewards, and new ways to support our endeavors.
With your help, the growth and expansion of the Chaco Culture Conservancy have been significantly valuable to our national parks. Thank you for your continued generosity and support of the Chaco Culture Conservancy.
With all my thanks,
Denise Robertson
Superintendent
Chaco Culture National Historical Park and Aztec Ruins National Monument
Government funding allows parks to do what is required by law. Private funding enables parks to do what is required by conscience.
-Mike Finley, former superintendent for Yosemite and Yellowstone National Parks
Here are some of the park projects that your donations supported in 2023
- Wifi at the Chaco Culture NHP Visitor Center
- For the past several years, your donations have funded a WiFi subscription at Chaco Culture NHP. This WiFi connection is free for visitors and has helped everyone stay connected while in the canyon. Most importantly, WiFi enables visitors to contact loved ones or emergency services, like tow trucks, while in the park. With limited phone signal and no other network connectivity in the canyon, this has been an important project for the CCC to support.
- Cultural Demonstrations
- In 2023, both Chaco Culture NHP and Aztec Ruins National Monument hosted Indigenous dance groups, cultural demonstrators, and guest speakers during special events. Funds donated to the CCC have gone towards supporting these individuals as they travel to and perform at the parks. Our largest contribution this year went to the American Indian Cultural Arts Festival in July, where your donations supported lodging for the artists, a performance tent, and the Acoma Pueblo Enchantment Dancers. Your financial support for these cultural events enriches the visitor experience at both parks and provides affiliated tribal groups the opportunity to practice and share their traditions in these sacred places.
- Additional Accession Cabinet at Aztec Ruins
- This in-progress project will provide a new museum-grade, fire-safe filing cabinet to store irreplaceable museum documents. This project will be critical for the curation staff at Aztec Ruins National Monument to ensure the safety and preservation of documents at the park. Park staff foresees the completion of this project in early 2024.
- Chaco Archival Resources on the New Mexico Archives Online (NMAO)
- This project is underway and will provide greater public access to archival documents, like historical images. Many of these records are currently stored in a National Park Service database that is inaccessible to non-NPS employees. Moving them to the NMAO will allow general users to search and explore the many paper records available. Park staff foresees completion of this project taking place in December 2023.
Will you donate $25, $50, $100, or $500 today to support our National Parks?
With your help, we hope to DOUBLE our fundraising efforts in 2024 to support even more park projects. The CCC plans to offer more community events, and more tours, and to bring you more ways to support your public lands. This December, the CCC is focusing on our goals for the coming year, and we encourage you to do the same! As you think about making an end-of-year contribution, consider how supporting our organization in safeguarding public lands can become your lasting legacy.
The mission of the Chaco Culture Conservancy is to inspire people to support, connect with, and learn about Aztec Ruins National Monument and Chaco Culture National Historical Park through philanthropy and volunteer activities – thereby ensuring the preservation of Chacoan architectural landscapes, natural resources, and cultural heritage for present and future generations.
Your continued support allows us to meet our mission year after year, and a contribution today can help us fund even more important projects in the coming year!
Donate now by clicking the button above, becoming a Friend on our website, or following us on social media! If you want to learn more about making a legacy donation, contact us at donor.relations@chacoculture.org.
Other ways to show your support include signing up for our newsletter on our website and sharing our social media posts. Do you have friends or family that also love the National Park Service? Share our website, share our social media, and share our mission!
From all of us at the Chaco Culture Conservancy, thank you! Thank you for your generous and continued support of this organization, and for being a part of our community. Your commitment to our mission and to the protection of these sacred places is endlessly inspiring to our team.
We hope that you have a very happy holiday season.