r SANTAQUIN — The owners of White Feather Rocks on Main Street have partnered with the community to provide warmth and safety this winter to members of the Native American community whose good they sell.
White Feather Rocks owners James and Loretta Mosier have been collecting funds in a jar on their shop counter to help Native American families. This, along with a few events, raised $539 to buy a heating/cooking stove for a native family through the Southwest Indian Foundation.
“Everybody was throwing change in the cup and we had some huge donations from our fundraiser auction. We even had someone volunteer to come in and do psychic readings,” Loretta said. “Everybody did some service to do this. It was pretty neat the way everybody came together.”
James said the Southwest Indian Foundation is one of the outlets they go through to buy Native American jewelry, arts and crafts. “It’s stuff that the Native Americans make so they can go ahead and make a living,” he said.
After one of their visits to New Mexico, the Moshier’s discovered the need for cooking and heating stoves in the homes.
According to the Southwest Indian Foundation, 54 percent of Navajo homes burn wood for heating, but many use makeshift stoves that are notoriously dangerous.
“Going down there, these people live in cinderblock houses in the high desert and it is cold. Right now they’re cooking and heating with half barrels and it isn’t safe,” Loretta said.
She said it’s nice to know that there will be a family that will be warm and safe this winter.
“Through donations of our patrons we were able to go ahead and get a stove,” James said. “We are going to go ahead and do it again next year and possibly do it for two stoves.
The Moshier’s raised the money over the course of a year and will be collecting funds again all year long.
“We’ve been very honored to represent the people in this way,” James said. “Come down and see the shop and make a donation.”
