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CCAB At Work Sign Martina Burnam | Submitted
CCAB with Santa during past Light Parade.
Martina Burnam | Submitted
CCAB Donation to Washington DC kids field trip.
Martina Burnam | Submitted
Copper Basin News
The Copper Community Action Board (CCAB) is a non-profit organization that was founded by a few members of the community that volunteer to clean up, promote and build up the Copper Basin communities. The group is working toward the future prosperity and pride of the Hayden/Winkelman, Kearny and Dudleyville communities.
Some of the members have grown up in these communities, moved away and then moved back. They enjoyed living in the small communities and want to help the older generations and the youth that are here. CCAB tries to work with local business owners, building owners and residents in cleaning up the local communities. CCAB has hopes and dreams of attracting new businesses, creating long-term jobs and bringing back the pride in our communities.
Some of CCAB’s past projects have been: breakfast on the historical Winkelman Luten Arch Bridge, built in 1916, and is a historical marker! It is a bridge between Gila and Pinal counties. Breakfast on the bridge was provided by Town of Winkelman and CCAB; cleaning up streets in the town’s of Hayden and Dudleyville; donation of a cooler Nora Arbizo; $100 scholarship’s were given last year to a Ray Senior and a Hayden Senior they were based solely on community service; donation to the Hayden students field trip to Washington DC; community concerts; raffles for different items and even for cash; pool tournament at Los Hermanos in Superior; ice cream social in Kearny and painting residential homes and area’s around the communities.
CCAB plans to continue working on improving the communities with trash pick-up days, painting area’s that need improvements and helping the residents of the communities in any way they can. Upcoming events are painting the rails on San Pedro Sept. 20; participating in the Winkelman 100 year celebration on Oct. 11 at the Winkelman Flats; community concert at Ray School Auditorium (singers, dancers, comedians, all entertainers) Nov. 15.
Our local communities are fortunate to have a group like CCAB to be so selfless and giving. The CCAB members volunteer their time and efforts to help keep our communities clean and to provide local entertainment.
If you would like to volunteer, donate or help CCAB in another way the email address is: coppercommunityactionboard@ymail.com or visit them on Facebook at Copper Community Action Board. The website is http://coppercommunityactionboard.webs.com/ in which you can fill out a form for “request for assistance” if you or someone in our community needs assistance.
What does CCAB mean to its volunteers?
Some of the CCAB members took a little time out of their busy schedules to explain what CCAB is about and what they hope to accomplish. It was a pleasure to spend time with Martina Burnham, Leysa Rought and Gloria Ruiz. Each of these ladies grew up in the Hayden and Dudleyville areas, then moved away and returned. They have great passion for the local communities and truly want this area to grow and have more to offer residents and tourists.
When did you first become interested in public service in the community?
Leysa Rought said, “I grew up in Winkelman and it was a nice town. When I moved back I started my own business, I like it here and people were putting it down, so I thought what can we do to make it better? After about two weeks of returning home, I realized the town was run down and I want to help make it better. Through Martina I became involved in CCAB.”
What is your proudest achievement thus far?
Leysa Rought replied, “finding the career that was right for me, starting my own business and bringing a needed service to the community.”
Gloria Ruiz said, “provide services to the community and the gratitude the people have towards the events and activities we at CCAB do. It’s nice to know that we do make a difference. One of our projects cleaning up Valentine Road we had over 25 trash bags filled, they were the 55 gallon bags too. People were honking, waiving and some people even stopped to help us out.”
Martina Burnam said, “being proud of who I am and trying to show others they can be prideful in a small town as well. If you move away and return, as I have, you realize there are many opportunities right here.”
What additional improvements to the Copper Basin do you strive to achieve?
Leysa Rought said, “I would really like to see the area cleaned up.”
Gloria Ruiz said, “I would like to knock down the burnt homes in Hayden, they are an eye sore and it would be so nice not to have the burnt homes around. I would like to see Hayden like an artsy colony, where people would come to see on the weekends or vacations, something similar to Jerome, Bisbee, etc. I continue and will continue to do my part to help Hayden improve.”
Martina Burnam said, “We know our elderly get left behind and we would like that to change, we would like to improve the schools, improve jobs, exhibit the opportunities for small towns to others including the youth. For the competitiveness to be shown in schools, but during other times enjoy your neighbors and your neighbor communities. Don’t just stay in your town, the towns close by may have other activities and opportunities to participate in as well.”
Who are your personal heroes?
Leysa Rought said, “My granny, she taught me to do for others and she was always positive, encouraging and taught me to be family oriented.”
Martina Burnam said, “I guess it is a toss for me, I never got to meet my grandfather on father’s side but he was the Town of Hayden’s Town Magistrate, he was involved in getting the pool and the library here, in fact, the library was started in him home. I wish I could of met him but from the stories I have heard I would like to emulate him. The other person is my nana, Jaquita Morales, she was a spit-fire, she would fix things around the house, she took care of the children and she was very neighborly. She inspired me to have pride in my community.”
Nina Crowder is a resident of Mammoth. She volunteers in several local organizations. She covers events throughout the Copper Corridor and Superior Town and School governance.
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