Anyone who has made a wish while tossing a coin into the fountain located on the Yavapai County Courthouse plaza has indirectly contributed to the Yavapai Exceptional Industries (YEI).
The fountain, also known as, “Lady Ermintrude,” won the 2019 Achievement Award for historic restoration by the National Association of Counties.
A news release from Yavapai County reported that the Yavapai County Facilities Department periodically cleans the fountain, removes the coins, and donates them to YEI, an organization that has been providing job training, employment, volunteer placement, and support services for developmentally disabled adults in northern Arizona since 1974.
YEI in return has provided four picnic tables to the County Courthouse plaza. The tables can be identified by the YEI brand burned into the woodgrain.
Yavapai County also partners with Ability of Arizona, a for-profit organization that provides care to individuals in the community through several special needs programs. Since 2010, Ability has offered programs that represent the needs of the community, including Group Supported Employment, Senior Care, Transition to Employment and In-Home Care.
A news release from Yavapai County noted, “Several members of their team, as well as those in care, can often be seen around the courthouse plaza cleaning restrooms, pulling weeds and hand watering the beautiful grass that borders our tree lined streets.”
The news release adds, “If you see these individuals working, thank them for their contribution to keeping the Prescott courthouse plaza beautiful.”
Information provided by Yavapai County.