Fruita Foundation

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Fruita Foundation

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The Fruita Foundation is a dedicated nonprofit organization committed to advancing and promoting Fruita, Colorado, and its surrounding areas.

Our mission is to empower our community through education, scholarships, and community outreach.

10/09/2026

Doors open soon! We can't wait to see everyone 🤩

09/17/2026

Meet our board! This is Jess Hearns. Jess brings a wealth of diverse public service experience, having worked as an educator, park ranger, and chair of the local Planning Commission. A resident of Western Colorado for over a decade, Jess was drawn to Fruita by its engaged residents, agricultural roots, and forward-thinking master planning.

Known for her dedication to detailed research, data, and community engagement, Jess is passionate about serving local residents and supporting our growing business community. Outside of work, she is an active volunteer, dog fosterer, and an impressive urban gardener managing 40 crops on her 0.1 acre property.

09/10/2026

Meet our board! This is Laura Smith.
A familiar face in the community, Laura has called Fruita home since 2011, and she couldn't imagine a better place to have raised her two sons, who both grew up here and graduated from Fruita Monument High School. When she isn't busy leading our board, you can usually find her riding her bike to her favorite local hangouts, Best Slope Coffee and Reckless Brewing, or serving up cold beers as a volunteer at one of our many fantastic Grand Valley festivals!

Professionally, Laura brings over 20 years of banking expertise to the table as a Treasury Management Sales Officer at Vectra Bank Colorado. She’s deeply committed to the civic and economic growth of our town, serving as an Election Commissioner for the City of Fruita and as a volunteer Ambassador for the Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce.

We’re so incredibly grateful for the unique mix of heart, professional expertise, and local spirit Laura brings to the Fruita Foundation!

09/08/2026

Our Kids in Business vendors at the Fruita Farmers Market continue to remind us what can happen when young people are given the opportunity to dream big, try something new, and discover what they’re capable of.

That’s exactly what we want to build on with Future CEOs.

Launching this fall by the Fruita Chamber of Commerce, Future CEOs will give local youth hands-on opportunities to explore entrepreneurship, learn directly from business leaders, and begin turning their own ideas into something real.

And you can help us make it happen. ✨

Join us for Monumental Lights on October 9. Proceeds from the evening will benefit Future CEOs and help us invest in the next generation of entrepreneurs, leaders, and business owners.

🎟️ Tickets are limited! Reserve your seat and help us invest in BIG ideas at fruitafoundation.com

09/05/2026

Investing in Fruita’s future starts right here in our community.

The Fruita Foundation was created to strengthen our community through education, youth development, and preserving the traditions that make Fruita such a special place to call home.

In this video, Laura Smith, Fruita Foundation Board President, and Kayla Howell, Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce President & CEO, share more about the Foundation, the work we’re building, and why investing in the next generation matters.

And there’s a fun way you can be part of it! 🌟

🥂 Monumental Lights Gala | October 9

Join us for an evening celebrating our community while helping launch Future CEOs, our new youth entrepreneurship program designed to give young people hands-on opportunities to learn about business, entrepreneurship, leadership, and what it takes to turn an idea into something real.

🎟️ Luminary Tickets | $75

✨ Monument Table Sponsorships | $750 Includes a table for 8 and sponsor recognition.

Sponsorship opportunities are also available for businesses that want to make an even greater investment in the Foundation and the future of our local workforce.

Seats are intentionally limited, so don’t wait to join us!

🎟️ Purchase tickets and learn more at fruitafoundation.com

Together, we can create opportunities today that help Fruita’s future leaders shine tomorrow. 💫

09/03/2026

Meet our board! This is Dustin Wells.
Dustin is the Branch President and Senior Vice President of Grand Valley Bank’s Fruita Branch. A fourth-generation Fruita native, Dustin began his banking career as a teller in 2002 after graduating with honors from FMHS (2001) and Mesa State College (2005). He is a dedicated community leader who genuinely enjoys giving back and supporting all things Fruita! He has contributed to organizations like Family Health West, Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Downtown Advisory Board. Currently, he is the treasurer of the Fruita Foundation Board, a nonprofit he helped create four years ago. This board is particularly special to him because of its’ mission and funding opportunities for the next generation of Fruita leaders. Outside of work, Dustin enjoys spending time with his wife, Aubrey, and their two daughters. The family stays busy attending their daughters' various sporting events and recreating in the great outdoors across Western Colorado.

08/28/2026

Meet our board! This is Robbin Gibbons.
Robbin, a retired teacher, and her husband Chris moved from NJ to Fruita in 2019. The move was precipitated by their 3 children moving westward from the northeast. After checking out Montrose and Grand Junction, they just knew that Fruita was the town for them. It offered a great town center, lots of hiking, and great people. Robbin spends many days walking into town and enjoying all it has to offer, so when she was asked to join the Fruita Foundation Board, it was a no brainer. As an educator, she has always been someone who likes to give back, and what better way than to support the youth of Fruita.

Learn more about the Fruita Foundation here and what we do here: https://www.fruitachamber.org/fruita/foundation

08/21/2026

The board that works together... plays together! 🏌️♥️

From sunrise setup to the last putt of the day, our Fruita Foundation board members showed up in full force (and full teal!) to make the Caddy Shack Classic happen. Behind every smooth tee time, every laugh on the course, and every dollar raised is this incredible group giving their time to support scholarships and community outreach right here in Fruita.

Thank you for being the heart of this tournament, year after year.

08/19/2026

Congratulations to all of our winners! 🏆⛳

And thank you to everyone who came out to golf, volunteer, and support the Caddy Shack Classic this year! Your generosity is helping fund scholarships and community outreach right here in Fruita. Noonan, we couldn't have asked for a better tournament. See you next year! 🐿️

08/17/2026

What a day at the Caddy Shack Classic! 🏌️⛳

From sunrise tee times to the last putt, this year's tournament was one for the books! Thank you to every golfer who came out swinging, every sponsor who made it possible, and every Fruita Foundation board member and volunteer who kept things running smoothly all day long.

Huge thanks to our themed hole sponsors who brought creativity, laughs, and a whole lot of fun to the course, including our Yacht Rock Hole, Carl's Explosive Drive, and Lacey's Love Game. And of course, a special shoutout to all those gophers who made their appearance throughout the day. They may be small, but they're the heart of this tournament!

We're so grateful to our sponsors, including Networks Unlimited, Alsco, Nisley & Associates, Grand Valley Bank, Vectra Bank, and LeafFilter Gutter Protection, for their generous support. Together, we're helping fund scholarships and community outreach right here in Fruita.

To everyone who golfed, volunteered, sponsored, or cheered us on, thank you for making this year's Caddy Shack Classic a huge success. Be right back, we're already dreaming about next year! 🐿️🏆

Address

Fruita, CO
81521

Telephone

(970)8583894

Website

https://www.fruitachamber.org/fruita/foundation

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