Lt. Governor Dianne Primavera Commemorates 9/11 National Day of Service with Visit to Farmer in Training Program in Southwest Colorado

HESPERUS - Today, Lt. Governor Dianne Primavera commemorated the 25th anniversary of September 11, 2001 and the National Day of Service and Remembrance with a visit to the Team Up AmeriCorps Farmers-in-Training (FIT) Program at the Old Fort in Hesperus, Colorado. During the visit, Lt. Governor Primavera met with AmeriCorps members helping to strengthen food security across Southwest Colorado. After the tour, she volunteered alongside the team in honor of the Day of Service.

"It was amazing to see the Team Up AmeriCorps Farmer in Training program in action at the Old Fort. These AmeriCorps members get hands-on professional development all while they support people and communities in rural Colorado," said Lt. Governor Dianne Primavera. "It's fitting that this visit falls on September 11th. Today's National Day of Service and Remembrance, and the 9/11 Day Kindness Campaign, ask all of us to turn one of the most challenging days in our history into positive impact for our neighbors and communities, and that's exactly what these AmeriCorps members do, every day, for Southwest Colorado."

AmeriCorps members, like those in the FIT program, are part of a national service network that is administered by Serve Colorado. Housed in the Office of the Lt. Governor, Serve Colorado ignites community transformation by partnering with AmeriCorps and local organizations to tackle pressing challenges across the state and empower individuals to serve while also developing the workforce in critical sectors. Last year, Serve Colorado had 1,221 members serving across 38 total programs. The FIT program is run by Team Up AmeriCorps, a Serve Colorado grantee based in Durango. The program supports youth and families across Archuleta, Dolores, La Plata, Montezuma, and San Juan counties.

"It has been a great experience working with the Lt. Governor's office and Serve Colorado for the last eight years to support over 100 AmeriCorps members in their service to southwest Colorado's youth, families, and people in need," said Lynn Urban, Chief Executive Officer of Team Up AmeriCorps.

The program operates in partnership with Fort Lewis College, on land that was previously used for the Fort Lewis Federal Indian Boarding School. The Old Fort and Fort Lewis College have committed to reconciling that history. They have developed a number of programs and opportunities for Native and Indigenous students and community members to connect with the land and Indigenous traditional agricultural practices in ways that make sense for them, like the FIT program and Blue Corn Planting & Harvest. Many students who engage with these programs return to their Tribal lands to start agricultural businesses or other agricultural work that benefits their communities.

"The National Day of Service is about turning remembrance into action and doing something good for others. The work of our Farmer in Training participants reflects that spirit. They are learning Indigenous traditional agricultural practices and gaining hands-on skills they can take back to their own communities, strengthening food resilience across our region," said Fort Lewis College President Heather Shotton.

Since 2023, FIT members have led farm tours for nearly 100 middle school students, partnered with the La Plata Family Center Coalition's garden education program, supported Manna Soup Kitchen and Fort Lewis College's Grub Hub pantry, and served hundreds of clients through SNAP outreach and Good Samaritan's Food Pantry.

"Every day, I get to see firsthand the impact our Farmer in Training program has not only on members, but in our community, where they're supplying produce to food pantries, leading SNAP outreach, and, once they finish the program, starting their own agricultural projects in our community and back home. I'm excited that Lt. Governor Primavera got to see the program's impact firsthand today," said Emily Bell, FIT program manager.

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