The Cortez Celtic Fair donated $2,100 to the small food pantry housed in the Montezuma County Public Health Department.
Delilah Darland told a Journal reporter that Randy and Kathleen McKnight donated the funds, proceeds from their beer tent at the Celtic Fair in June.
Every year, the McKnights donate the proceeds from their beer tent to a nonprofit organization in the area. This year, the food pantry was chosen, thanks to the volunteer work that a few employees from the health department did at the fair.
The Journal spoke with Randy McKnight, who puts on the Celtic Fair each year. He said that the donations to a nonprofit organization have been something they’ve done since Day One.
In 2018 and 2019, the Piñon Project received donations. In 2021, they donated to the Four Corners Child Advocacy Center. Southwest Open High School, Gardner’s Homestead, and Kwiyagat Charter School received donations in 2022.
This year, the McKnights were inspired by a good friend who helps run the Celtic Fair to donate to the food pantry at the health department. They found out the need in the community, and wanted to do something, McKnight said.
The McKnights plan to continue their donations to nonprofits in the community, and the continuous support from the community certainly helps. He estimated that between 3,500 and 4,000 people attended this year’s Celtic Fair. Eighteen nonfood vendors were involved, and six food vendors joined in.
“We are trying to make the kid’s area more fun and interactive. We want to make a day for families to come and enjoy the day,” McKnight said.
The food pantry at the health department was born out of COVID-19, Darland said. They said they saw a definite need in the community through the families they serve through their Women, Infants and Children program.
The health department received a small United Way grant that helped start the pantry, which is housed in one of the smallest offices in the building. The Ute Mountain Ute Tribe also received a lot of food at the beginning of the pandemic and donated some of it to the health department.
“We are always looking for small grants,” Darland said. She estimated that they serve 25 to 30 families a week, and each family comes in about once a month. The health department also refers those families out to other food pantries in the area, such as the Good Samaritan, which has also helped the health department’s operation in the past.
“It was a great donation, and quite a bit of money,” Darland said. “We really appreciate the support.”
The food pantry aims to help families who qualify for their WIC program, but who don’t qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. The health department doesn’t advertise the food pantry very much because many of the families who need it know about it.
Cortez has several food pantries that offer assistance to those who need a little extra support when it comes to feeding themselves and their families. These resources can be found on the Montezuma County website under Food Resources.
