Chapter P-R-O Fund
One of the Chapter’s most important functions is to offer support, financial support in particular, to the many worthy rail history venues in Colorado. We do that through our P-R-O Fund.
While dedicated and passionate volunteers perform many of the labor tasks involved in restoration activities, dollars are needed for various parts and paid skilled labor. The Chapter board and even some members have suggested various recipients during recent years.
It helps to have a proven “track” record of accomplishment, which so many of the organizations do. The Chapter Board of Directors discusses the virtues of eligible recipients and votes to approve the “P-R-O Heritage Grants.”
Our national organization also offers Heritage Grants, only through an application process. The NRHS has allocated $125,000 for 2023 Grants to applicants across the country. In 2022, our very own Denver, South Park & Pacific Historical Society was awarded a $5,000 Heritage Grant for the water tank project in Como. The Intermountain Chapter provided a letter of support for the Grant.
In recent years our Chapter has awarded P-R-O funding to the above- mentioned DSP&PHS, its relative the South Park Rail Society, the Colorado Railroad Museum, the Ridgway Railroad Museum, the Galloping Goose Society, the Ft. Collins Municipal Railway, the Pikes Peak Trolley Museum, the Denver Trolley, and the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad. Check out their projects and activities and consider joining and supporting them. They are what make Colorado rail history so very special.
Not only do the P-R-O funds assist in accomplishing projects but they also demonstrate that other like-minded folks appreciate the work of the dedicated volunteers and offer their financial and moral support. Plus, our funds can serve as a catalyst for other prospective donors, creating a domino effect.
The Chapter’s P-R-O Fund grows in proportion to our membership and their generosity. Annual membership dues and donations provide the majority of the funds. Donations can be cash or rail-oriented items such as books, artwork, and railroadiana, which members often bring to our monthly meetings. Most of these items are offered for sale, typically at the 2 annual train shows sponsored by the Rocky Mountain Division of the Train Collectors Association (RMD-TCA).
The Holiday Show occurs Thanksgiving weekend at The Ranch complex in Loveland and the Spring Show occurs the first weekend of April at the National Western Complex in Denver. Thousands of visitors attend these shows and purchase model trains and railroadiana of all sorts. The Chapter staffs a table or booth for visibility and sales offerings. Many members and friends from the larger rail community are usually spotted at these long-standing rail events, so stop on by, say hi, and buy (!)…and meet some new friends! It’s also gratifying to find new homes for treasured railroad artifacts.
