WORLAND – After the magic of Pinnacle Bank's Festival of Trees in December, the Pinnacle Bank staff chooses which organizations will receive the proceeds. Organizations that wish to be considered need to submit their request in writing to the bank before a specific deadline. The Pinnacle Bank also offers their Pinnacle Star Award, which is considered the "grand prize." To receive the grand prize, organizations must also include extra information about why the money is needed, who would benefit and how the overall community would benefit.

This year Owl Unlimited was selected for the Pinnacle Star Award. "Our organization works with people who have developmental disabilities and acquired brain injuries. The programs we offer include supported living, supported employment and day habitation which includes curriculum, healthy living and community outings," Owl Unlimited owner/ program director Carolyn King-Marcus said.

Owl Unlimited is funded through donations, fundraisers and Developmental Disability Waiver. According to the health.wyo.gov website, "The Adult Developmental Disabilities (DD) Home and Community Based Waiver is intended to support individuals with developmental disabilities and their families so the individuals can remain in their home communities and learn skills that will assist them in becoming more independent."

Owl Unlimited received the award for the residential group home that they are in the process of opening. "The residential group home is designed to provide 24-hour supervised care, training and support for individuals with development disabilities in Worland. This residential facility will provide room and board as well as an array of services to residents. This group home is designed to serve individuals with complex medical needs, as well as those with challenging behavioral needs," King-Marcus stated in her request to the Pinnacle Bank.

The group home is costing Owl Unlimited $90,000 for the renovations needed. "My husband and I have done a lot of the work ourselves, that we could do, to help keep costs down," King-Marcus said. Owl Unlimited received around $1800 for the Pinnacle Star Award.

Besides allowing participants to stay in the community, the creation of the group home has saved jobs and created more. "It (group home) keeps jobs here in Worland because if I didn't open the home, the participants would have to move out of town and everybody who was working with them would have lost their jobs," King-Marcus said. "The participants, they will continue to stay here (Worland) and spend money in the community and I've hired six new employees to run the group home," she added.

The group home will be opening sometime between Feb. 15 and March 1. At this point four people are ready to move in and the home has the capacity for two to four more. "The benefit is that the residents get to stay in town with their families. That's a big thing," King-Marcus said.

The Pinnacle Bank Festival of Trees raised $23,790 and was distributed between 37 local organizations.

This is the first in a weekly series of articles highlighting the recipients of the Festival of Trees funding.