#C4C County 10 Spotlight: First Fun Friday Night, First Stop Help Center, Fremont County 4-H, Fremont Symphony Orchestra, Lander Climate Action Network, Lander Swim Club

The Lander Community Foundation (LCF) annual community-wide fundraiser Challenge for Charities, or C4C, is back at again for 2026, and as of May 1, the LCF will match any donations made to eligible local nonprofits through July 10.

Since its inception in 2011, LCF has collectively raised and distributed nearly $7 million dollars to help local nonprofits help our community. Money raised during this period ensures programs continue to run and that doors stay open.

We’re highlighting a few of the participating charities in this year’s Challenge:

First Friday Fun Night for TEENS (FFFN) was formed in February 2023, because we wanted to provide a fun and safe event for teens without the use of drugs and alcohol. We wanted consistency so teens always knew when and where our next event was. So the first of every month, from 7-10 PM, at the Wind River Community Church, you can always find something going on. FFFN is a free monthly event for all middle school and high school aged youth. We meet every single month, except for July, regardless of what else is going on in the community.

At our first event back in 2023, we hosted a sock hop and had over 70 teens. FFFN has started off strong and over the years, it has continued to grow. During 2025, FFFN decided we needed to form FFFN as our own 501C3. We took a little break in 2025, so we could get organized and get FFFN set up as we felt it needed to be done. In January of this year, we welcomed back the teens with another Sock Hop.

Over the years, FFFN has hosted a variety of events. Dances seem to be the teens favorite and the most requested song at every single dance is the Virginia Reel. We have hosted game nights, Minute It To Win It games, a murder mystery party, halloween party and so much more. And at every FFFN event we have food. Some events coming up include a USO dance in June, cornhole tournament in August and Alice in Wonderland Party in September. One of the most unexpected benefits of FFFN is that teens are seldom on their phones. They are forming connections with their peers and having conversations with adult chaperones. It’s been fun building this bridge between teens and adults.

“First Friday Fun Night is where we come together as teens to dance, play games, meet new friends, laugh a lot, and make memories! We love going and talk about it long after the music stops!” says Dannika and Logan David, regular attendees of FFFN.

Please consider donating to First Friday Fun Night. The funds will help support our operational expenses along with the monthly expenses of decoration, prizes and food to make these events happen. And teens, if you haven’t checked out FFFN yet, please do. Everyone has a great time.

The First Stop Help Center is dedicated to helping people in crisis, especially those facing homelessness. Our most important goal is to help people achieve financial stability and long-term sustainability.

Some folks are in crisis, close to homeless, or about to have their utilities shut off. We help people of all ages, including veterans, the mentally and physically handicapped, and the elderly. We serve families only in the Lander community.

We provide emergency financial assistance for rent and utilities and help people apply to energy assistance programs, federal and state programs, and provide referrals to community agencies. Also, we have an Emergency Cupboard with toiletries, baby and household supplies to help people in need.

The Salvation Army chooses to partner with us in Lander as the international organization trusts us to be the best liaison with the needy.

As the costs of rent and utilities have skyrocketed, so too have the number of people needing emergency assistance. State and federal programs have been cut, so we are looking more than ever into our community for help.

Fremont County 4-H is proud to participate in this year’s Challenge for Charities campaign, with donations accepted from May 1 through July 10 to support positive youth development opportunities across Fremont County.

For generations, 4-H has helped young people build confidence, leadership, responsibility, and life skills through hands-on learning experiences. Fremont County 4-H currently serves more than 400 youth members with the support of nearly 100 volunteer leaders who dedicate their time to mentoring and encouraging local youth.

While many people recognize 4-H through livestock projects and fair participation, Fremont County 4-H offers a wide variety of educational and leadership opportunities throughout the year, such as showmanship, gardening, photography, quilting, and aerospace clinics. They also support 4-H Camp, judging teams, volunteer and youth leadership development, awards programs, and much more.

“4-H gives youth opportunities to discover their passions, develop important life skills, and build meaningful connections with caring adults and peers,” said 4-H Educator Tanya Santee. “Support from our community helps ensure these opportunities remain accessible for youth across Fremont County.”

Funds raised through the Challenge for Charities campaign directly support local 4-H programming and help provide quality educational experiences for youth of all backgrounds and interests. Donations help offset program costs, provide resources and supplies, support leadership development, and create opportunities for youth to participate in hands-on learning experiences that prepare them for the future.

Community members interested in supporting Fremont County 4-H can donate online at:
https://lander.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=1629&fbclid=IwY2xjawSEK5NleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFkM0pSZE5ZM2FqUkNsdXhjc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHn-nNkbyPxNM5Gw-Ub8x8XbxecXppC33FX3qNYxAOZ2r2A2kD12rxD8cq2H0_aem_Z1IUhPKIojKyWYN44WzI6g

Donations may also be mailed by check payable to Lander Community Foundation with “Fremont County 4-H” in the memo line and sent to:

Lander Community Foundation
PO Box 1131
Lander, WY 82520

Every donation helps provide local youth with opportunities to learn by doing, build leadership skills, serve their communities, and grow into confident, capable leaders.

For more information about Fremont County 4-H or ways to get involved, contact Tanya Santee at 307-857-3654 or tanya.santee@uwyo.edu.
Your gift helps make the care and attention to grow a compassionate community together possible!

Fremont Symphony Orchestra develops and promotes classical music for the people in Lander. We not only provide a high level orchestra for our members to perform in, but also bring local and nationally renowned soloists to perform with FSO. Our concerts bring an audience from not only within the county but from the entire state of Wyoming.

How donors can give to your C4C campaign= https://lander.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/list

Lander has a long lasting tradition of celebrating the 4th of July with fireworks. There is no where in the United States that celebrates like Lander. The Independence Day Fireworks committee was created from Lander citizen, who love this tradition, during the fall of 2023. This committee plans, organizes and executes a spectacular fireworks display to celebrate our nation’s independence. We have learned a lot about fireworks during the past few years and every year this display gets better and better and this year we are anticipating an amazing display to celebrate our 250th year of independence.

The Independence Day Fireworks display will take place behind the Wyoming Life Resources Center at 10:00, following the rodeo. The fireworks display will be performed by Piranha Productions, based out of Laramie. If you wish to see the display up close and feel the “BOOMS” of the fireworks, there is plenty of parking behind WLRC. Parking will be available in the DEQ lot accessed from Chittem Road. The parking lot will open at 8 PM, so that you can arrive early and visit with your Lander neighbors and maybe meet some new friends from the many visitors that Lander welcomes each 4th of July. We will have port-a-potties this year and hoping for some food vendors.

Please join us as we deliver a breathtaking fireworks show that brings joy, excitement, and a sense of unity to our citizens as we celebrate 250 years!

LANDER, WY — The Lander Climate Action Network (LCAN) is proud to announce its participation in the 2026 Lander Challenge for Charities (C4C), encouraging community members to support local climate solutions while maximizing their giving power.

Donations to LCAN through Challenge for Charities go towards local projects and programs that reduce greenhouse gas emissions in our community. For example, LCAN’s recycling program at Lander Presents concerts takes aluminum cans out of the waste stream and back into production. Each can recycled saves about 95% of greenhouse gas emissions when compared to mining aluminum and producing a new can,

Another popular program LCAN co-hosts is Walk & Roll to School. This program focuses on getting kids (and families) out of their vehicles and actively commuting to school. LCAN helps make this a safe and welcoming event by coordinating police escorts, crosswalk volunteers, and public visibility. Our hope is to instill a desire in our young people to be active commuters so that it becomes a habit for families to opt for the active, non-polluting commute.

LCAN also uses C4C funds to further climate resilience and adaptation efforts in Lander. Currently, LCAN is working with Fremont County Public Health to see how we can distribute more air quality sensors throughout the county and provide air purifiers to vulnerable populations during wildfire smoke events. “LCAN acknowledges that wildfires are getting larger and more intense due to climate change. We want to do our part to help Lander’s citizens adapt to this new reality.” remarks Kara Colhoff, Executive Director of LCAN.

You may also notice LCAN hosting public events that increase public awareness of local climate impacts. We call attention to the changes we are all noticing on the ground and rally around practical climate solutions. Our goal is to empower individuals and organizations to make a difference in our community through climate action,

By participating in Challenge for Charities, LCAN aims to expand these efforts and deepen its impact throughout the region. Donations can be made easily on the C4C website during the campaign period. Supporters are encouraged to give between May 1 and July 10 to take full advantage of the matching funds available through the Challenge for Charities.

To learn more about the Lander Climate Action Network and its mission, visit landercan.org.

Media Contact:
Kara Colhoff
info@landercan.org

The Lander Swim Club has been empowering athletes of all ages to grow and achieve their personal best through excellence in swimming in a safe and supportive environment since 1972. The program is designed to enable swimmers to grow from minimal swimming ability to competitive swimming ability at the local, state, regional, and/or national levels according to the swimmer’s desire and ability. Chances are, you or someone you know has been a part of this swim family. Now is a great time to support the program and the next generation of Lander swimmers.

When you donate through the Lander Community Foundation’s Challenge for Charities, the Lander Swim Club receives your full donation plus a matched amount. Donations allow the club to keep dues affordable and provide the high level of service our swimmers and their families have come to expect.

To donate, send a check to Lander Community Foundation, PO Box 1131, Lander, WY 82520 (note it’s for the Lander Swim Club) or donate online at https://www.landercommunityfoundation.org/ now through July 10. All donations are greatly appreciated and will support Lander swimmers.