Bella Energy Community

Commitment to Community Empowerment

As responsible environmental stewards and community builders is so important to us that it is embodied in our mission statement.

• Community empowerment means our team members’ involvement in their communities and local organizations.
• Community empowerment means supporting projects that make clean energy available to all sectors of society, all around the globe.

2009’s Community Empowerment Commitment

Each year Bella Energy undertakes selected “Special Bella” projects to realize our mission of community empowerment.

In May, Bella Energy volunteers traveled to South Dakota’s Pine Ridge Reservation to participate in a tree planting program with the Fort Collins-based non-profit Trees Water People. We planted 72 trees at nine residences: seven wind-blocking and two shade trees for each property.

In gratitude, Pine Ridge residents hosted a feast with buffalo and drum performances. Jim Welch, Bella Energy’s CEO, was honored at the feast for his role as the creator of a successful solar air heating program on the reservation in 2004. Low-cost solar air heaters, assembled on the reservation, are heating several hundred tribal homes, displacing expensive dirty coal power. Using American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) funds, this program is planned for replication on other Native American reservations.

In recognition of Jim’s work, he was presented with a Lakota Warrior Ribbon Shirt, which honors the sun’s role in Lakota culture and Jim’s role as a solar energy “chief.”