ALAMOSA — La Puente Home, Inc., has been a ubiquitous force for nearly five decades.

It has provided San Luis Valley’s people with emergency shelter, housing with support services, homeless prevention resources, family resource center and nutritious food — among many other things.

For all of this and much more, Valley-Wide Health Systems and Adams State University Theatre have partnered for nearly 30 years of holiday season to “Share the Magic” in support of La Puente on Saturday.

Before the play “Treasure Island” on Saturday night Share the Magic honored many of the businesses and people in the community that have supported La Puente during its 40-plus years of existence.

“Our driving purpose at Adams State University is to provide equitable access to education to all,” Adams State President Cheryl Lovell said. “We promote successful and engaging lives by caring, connecting and challenging our students, our staff, our faculty and our community.

“As Colorado’s premier-(serving) Hispanic institution, Adams State draws on its rural location in the San Luis Valley to serve our students. …

“We have an exciting mission, we are dedicated to our community, here, so we’re honored to partner with Valley-Wide Health Systems to co-host this event.”

President and CEO of Valley-Wide Jania Arnoldi said she wanted to make sure everyone who made the event possible was thanked.

“The Valley-Wide team worked really hard, La Puente, Adams State and Treasure Island’s actors and actresses have been working very hard,” she said.

“We’re excited to see the play.” 

La Puente Executive Director Lance Cheslock, who earned the Trailblazer of the Year award from the Colorado Community Resource Center last week, spread the accolades.

“How lucky we are to have this world class theatre,” Cheslock said. “Thank you to Adams State and the theatre department.

“When you have Valley-Wide for 30-plus years working with La Puente, then 29 years with this event, it’s kind of like working with NASA on your team.

“It’s so organized, they have so much             to bring to the table and we have such a     shared vision.”

Cheslock introduced La Puente Board Chairman Chet Choman, who will be retiring this month after 40 years of serving the community.

“Back in 1977-78, he began his work with community folks,” Cheslock said. “He worked with the community and got that old building at State Street, but he has stayed right alongside us for all of those years.”

Cheslock said Choman’s last board meeting was in November.

“He is going to be retiring and he totally deserves that, but for the incredible impact he has had on my life and La Puente’s mission,” Cheslock said. “No one has been involved longer in the mission of La Puente than Chet and his big heart.”