Blue Mountain Minerals is largely owned by its employees. Most of them live right here in Tuolumne County and, over the years, they, along with the company, have donated many thousands of dollars in cash and materials to community organizations and projects.

We are active in the community, volunteering countless hours to our local schools, business, civic and charitable groups, youth activities, churches and community projects, helping to make life better in Tuolumne County:

Blue Mountain Minerals helps Columbia Elementary School

Columbia Elementary School is facing a tough situation. They are in the process of building a new two-classroom wing in order to move children out of the portable buildings. Some portables are presently within a restricted zone of the Columbia airport flight zone.

During the excavation process, the contractor tried to pry numerous large boulders out of the ground, but they would not be budged. The engineers say the boulders must be removed, but the removal would constitute unplanned work and therefore unbudgeted costs. The contractor, Donniker Construction, estimates the additional charges for the rock removal to cost approximately $52,000. That amount of money is more than the equivalent of one fulltime teacher’s yearly salary. Donniker just doesn’t have the large heavy equipment needed for the job, and would have to bring in from elsewhere a huge excavator to break up the boulders.

Up stepped Blue Mountain Minerals, whose business is breaking rocks, and is located just a few miles from the school. The company offered the use of their equipment, a Caterpillar 235C excavator, with an Allied 785 rock hammer, along with an operator, to try to get the job done. Blue Mountain Minerals won’t be charging the school a dime for this service. Columbia School, however, will pay for the transportation costs to and from the rock quarry.

“We feel it is our responsibility to contribute to the local community, especially in this trying time of budget crunches,” said Carey Haughy, president of Blue Mountain Minerals. “We are grateful to have the opportunity to be a helpful neighbor.”

Not only is Blue Mountain Minerals helping the school with the rock breaking, but the company has committed to donate a portion of the funds from the sale of their aggregate rock materials to Columbia School, such as road base, sand, and fill. These materials will be used in this classroom construction project. The donated monies have been earmarked for several purposes, such as purchasing library books and new musical instruments. The current budget for library books is zero.

Ms. Haughy said, “If there are any funds leftover, after the purchase of the library books and musical instruments, I would like to see that additional money used to startup a Columbia School Foundation. I hope other business leaders in the Columbia community may want to get on board in helping the school also.”

 

Blue Mountain Minerals helps The Community Challenge Campaign For Our Seniors.

Last year, senior and disabled programs that serve so many in our community were facing a serious funding shortage of approximately $30,000, due to funding cutbacks from state and local sources. These programs include Meals on Wheels, lunch programs, rides to medical appointments and free delivered firewood. All of these programs are managed by Sierra Foothill Senior Management, a non-profit organization that operates the Senior Center.

Blue Mountain Minerals took action by challenging the Tuolumne County business community and the public to come to the rescue for so many seniors in need through the “Community Challenge Campaign for Our Seniors” last October and November, 2003.

Blue Mountain Minerals set out to help ensure the $30,000 shortfall was raised by asking several businesses to join them in contributing and pledging a total of $15,000 to these senior programs in a matching dollar-for-dollar fundraising program. The entire community was challenged to donate any amount which would be matched dollar for dollar up to $15,000 by these businesses during the six week campaign.

Blue Mountain Minerals was the major sponsor in the campaign and also paid for the printing of the campaign materials, posters and signs, so that the money raised from the program could go directly to help seniors and disabled in need.

The response from the community was tremendous and overwhelming. Over $125,000 was raised through the Community Challenge Campaign for Our Seniors.

We are proud to support the programs and efforts that help make life brighter for our community’s seniors and disabled, and we are committed to continue being a partner with the Senior Center and the programs managed by Sierra Foothill Senior Management.

 

Blue Mountain Minerals supports and participates in the Tuolumne County Alliance for Resources & Environment (TuCARE) educational program called Tours for Kids.

 

 

TuCARE was established to educate and advise the public on conservation and the wise use of natural resources. Their Tours for Kids program works with kids from all grade levels and is comprised of field trips, classroom presentations, and community events.

From schools throughout Tuolumne County, kids come to Columbia to learn about our limestone mine. The tours help kids make the connection between the real world, science and nature, and how natural resources like limestone become part of their every day lives as components in products, energy and agriculture. They learn how limestone products become part of the eggs they eat, makes the bottle that holds their favorite drink, and becomes part of the windows and roof of their house.

We proudly support the TuCARE Tours for Kids program and will continue to help hundreds of Tuolumne County kids better understand how important natural resources are in their every day lives.

Blue Mountain Minerals has always believed that business leaders should be community leaders. We proudly and continually support the following community and non-profit organizations in Tuolmne County: