High West Energy presents a check from the co-op and its business partners for $20,000 to the Pine Bluffs Beautification Fund (PBBF). Pictured are, from left, High West Energy CEO/GM Brian Heithoff, PBBF members Keith Marquardt and Larry Silvey, and High West board president Ed Prosser.
For more than 80 years, High West Energy has called Pine Bluffs its home. This year, High West and two of its longtime business allies have teamed up to donate $20,000 to the Pine Bluffs Beautification Fund (PBBF).
Founded in 2020, the PBBF is a nonprofit organization dedicated to completing projects that will beautify Pine Bluffs and make it a more vibrant, attractive community for current and future residents and business owners.
The first such project – entitled “American’s Fallen Heroes” – will be a mural on the back of the Pine Bluffs Branch Library building on 2nd Street. The dedication for the mural is tentatively scheduled for Friday, May 14.
High West Energy is a not-for-profit organization, so for more than 30 consecutive year the co-op has been returning money to its members. When that money is unclaimed, it goes into an account which High West can use to help the community. In late 2020, High West donated $7,500 from that account to the PBBF, and then applied for matching funds from two partner organizations, CoBank and Basin Electric Power Cooperative.
CoBank, with its headquarters in Colorado, is a national cooperative bank serving vital industries – including rural power – in all 50 states. Basin Electric, based in North Dakota, is a generation and transmission co-op owned by 141 member cooperative systems in nine states, including Colorado, Wyoming, and Nebraska.
“The co-op spirit is to find ways to improve the quality of life in the communities we serve,” said Brian Heithoff, CEO/GM of High West Energy. “We’re fortunate to have generous partners like CoBank and Basin who recognize the importance of projects like this to rural communities. We thank them and everyone who is supporting the Pine Bluffs Beautification Fund.”
Other contributors to the PBBF include:
- Larry Silvey
- Laramie County Rec Fund
- Jonah Bank
- State of Wyoming
- Eisenhower Legion Auxiliary
- Eisenhower Legion
- Pine Bluffs Sportsman’s Club
- The Town of Pine Bluffs
Because this is a 501c(3) charitable organization, contributions are tax-deductible. The Pine Bluffs Beautification Fund is interested in additional projects and welcomes donations as well as donations of labor in-kind. For more information, people are encouraged to contact Kevin Marquardt at 307-575-7370.