Santa Fe Community Honors the Memory of Guardian Mortgage Employee with “Move for the Museum” Fundraising Event
To the First National 1870 community, the late Michaelann Perea was not only an outstanding Guardian Mortgage Area Manager in New Mexico, she was a beloved and accomplished colleague and a generous friend. When she tragically passed away on September 7, 2022, her death not only affected her bank family but the entire community of Santa Fe, New Mexico.
A statement shared from the bank reflected on her impact: “Michaelann was one of those incredible individuals that you were so honored to work with and prouder to call ‘friend.’ She impacted employees and customers across the footprint and made an impression on all those she met.”
Impact on Santa Fe Community
While being all those things to so many people at work, Michaelann still found the time and the energy to be a pillar in her Santa Fe community. Her contributions and accomplishments in Santa Fe were significant through her tireless participation in philanthropic and business organizations.
Even what she was doing at the time of her passing, biking to raise money for others, represented the way she lived, selflessly and charitably. The Santa Fe community was left with a void to fill and found a beautiful way to honor the legacy of a woman who made a large impact on their community: dedicating an annual fundraiser to Michaelann’s honor.
Move for the Museum 5k in Memory of Michaelann
The Move for the Museum 5k Run/Walk, held in memory of Michaelann Perea since 2023, is an annual fundraising event that pulls the Santa Fe community together to support the Santa Fe Children’s Museum. The Children’s Museum is a prominent nonprofit institution in Santa Fe that promotes education, exploration, and fun for all ages through memorable learning experiences across various subjects. Proceeds from the 5k fundraiser support all the programs of the museum and help provide scholarships for low-income families to be able to experience all that the Children’s Museum has to offer. Michaelann had been a passionate support of the museum, serving as Director of Development Trustee and Board Member, and helping to create a mobile museum to better serve children in the area.
To honor Michaelann, First National 1870 and Guardian Mortgage have been financial sponsors of the event in each of its first two years in addition to providing volunteer support and encouraging employee participation.
Michaelann Perea embodied our mission, “Bringing out the best in the lives we touch…Creating Possibility,” in everything she did. We are proud to have called her a member of our bank family and we are inspired that she continues to be a light for her community.