The paint gleams with freshness on the walls of what will open next week as La Alianza, a multicultural information, education and service center in Hailey.
The center will officially open its doors Wednesday, March 31, from 4:30-6:30 p.m. in Room 201 of the Community Campus in Hailey,
When the Community Campus was the Wood River High School, the room was a foreign language lab. But when La Alianza Executive Director Rebecca Hornbach put out a call to the community for donations of computers, office supplies, furniture and paint, the room took on a new look. Donations included tables, a TV and a DVD player, and College of Southern Idaho, which also has a center in the Community Campus, donated computers.
Sal Lopez of Hailey has lived in the area since 1992. A senior master sergeant in the U.S. Air Force, he served all over the world and settled here after retiring with his wife, Marguerita, who works for Sun Valley Smiles, and three children who now live elsewhere. In 2000, he started a painting business, In Living Color.
"When I read in the paper that Rebecca needed paint, I told her, 'Why should I give you paint and brushes when we can do it ourselves?'" Lopez said. "It was a slow time, so I said, to my guys, 'Let's go.'"
Lopez and his crew, which includes Carlos Lopez—no relation—started painting the main room and an office in the morning, and finished before Hornbach returned in the afternoon from an appointment.
"She was out here painting too," Lopez said.
La Alianza is funded through grants from the Wood River Women's Charitable Foundation, St. Thomas Episcopal Church, public contributions and private donations.
"The idea is that this will be the one place people can go if they're interested in doing something for or with the community," Hornbach said. "We want it to be a center everyone can use, where we'll celebrate differences and diversity. I am very excited about La Alianza's mission and goals. I hope to work with a variety of local organizations and community members to make the Wood River Valley an even better place to live--for all our residents."
Everyone is invited to La Alianza's opening.
"There will be food and music and a chance to see what we're doing," Hornbach said.
Sal Lopez and his wife will be on hand helping.
For more information, call 578-5408.
Carlos Lopez, Rebecca Hornbach and Sal Lopez take a break in the office of La Alianza.
