This week’s featured image is from The Food Depot Night At The Warehouse, where Rotarians from Los Alamos and Santa Fe and other community members were treated to a tour of the facility. Did you know they feed more than 40,000 individuals across northern New Mexico every month? That’s a lot of logistics!
This Week’s Speaker – District Governor Tom Simon
This week’s speaker will be District Governor Tom Simon. Missed our recent meeting with FSN Director Jen Demas? You can watch it on YouTube. Last week, Tom McCrory spoke on the wonders of geology. We’re working on uploading a recording to our channel. Have an idea for a speaker? Let us know at info@rotarylosalamos.org.
We are partnering with the Santa Fe Passport Club to host a Peace Conference October 3 at La Fonda Hotel in Santa Fe. Tickets are limited to 100 participants.
Students are free and encouraged to submit art for the charity art auction. The deadline for submissions is September 15. See our Peace Conference page for more info.
Thanks for your interest in volunteering for our Clean Up Los Alamos Day events on Saturday, September 20, 2025. We will be cleaning up trash and loose yard waste at LAHS Memorial Garden9:00-10:30 AM and the PEEC Treehouse at 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM. Email info@rotarylosalamos.org for more info.
Los Alamos Family Strength Network’s annual Lucky Ducky Day is September 27, 2025. It’s a ton of fun and a great way to support an organization that has a huge impact on local families. You can hear FSN Director Jen Demas talk about it at our recent Rotary meeting here.
August is almost over. The weather is starting to cool and the summer energy is waning, but there’s a great Latin band Severo y El Grupo Fuego playing at the summer concert this Friday Aug 29. Instead of just doing an outreach table, what if we break out the party tent and have a little club party? Let me know if you’re interested in joining because I don’t want to set up that huge tent by myself.
I had a great time attending the Rotary Club of Española’s breakfast meeting on Friday. Both our governor and vice-governor were in attendance as well. I learned about their upcoming blood drive on September 27, which coincides with our movie at SALA, Purple Mountains. We also talked about collaborating on future service projects and hosting a multi-club dinner at Gabriel’s sometime soon.
This Week’s Speaker
This week, we are pleased to welcome Jen Demas, representing the Los Alamos Family Strengths Network.
Family Strengths Network is a cornerstone in our community—providing education, support, and connection for families of all kinds. From parenting workshops and playgroups to teen programs and resource sharing, FSN helps strengthen the bonds that hold families and our community together.
Jen has been deeply involved in this important mission, working to ensure families in Los Alamos have the tools, networks, and encouragement they need to thrive. She brings not only professional expertise, but also a strong passion for supporting resilience, connection, and growth across all stages of family life.
Clean Up Los Alamos Day Sep 20
Don’t forget about our Clean Up Los Alamos Day projects. Starting at 9am, we’ll clean up LAHS Memorial Garden followed by the PEEC Treehouse at 10:30.
The Path to Peace Conference will take place on Friday, October 3, 2025, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at La Fonda Hotel in Santa Fe, NM. This full-day event invites participants to reflect, engage in dialogue, and take action as we explore the many ways peace is built—through history, reconciliation, and personal responsibility.
Featured speakers include Manuel Montoya, Ph.D., presenting an alternative perspective on economic diplomacy and nuclear nonproliferation; Eria Matsumae, sharing global lessons of peace and reconciliation from Hiroshima; and Denise Moore, LPCC, discussing how peace begins with each of us, even in times of conflict. Additional sessions will feature Rotary leaders, peacebuilders, and international partners.
The day will conclude with the unveiling of a Peace Pole at Thomas Macaione Park, led by Rotary District 5520 Governor Tom Simon. Registration is $50 per person (including lunch) or $25 for students (including lunch), with seating limited to 100 participants. Early registration is encouraged at this link. The conference is hosted by the Rotary Santa Fe Centro Passport Club and the Rotary Club of Los Alamos.
One of the most powerful ways Rotary changes lives is through our youth scholarships and exchange programs. By opening doors to education and global experiences, we give young people the chance to grow as leaders, explore new cultures, and build friendships that span the world. These opportunities plant seeds of understanding and peace that ripple out to strengthen entire communities.
Here is a letter we received from JoyMei Lincoln, one of last year’s scholarship recipients:
Dear Mrs. Linda Bullock,
I would like to express my deepest gratitude for naming me as one of the recipients for the Rotary Service Award scholarship. I am sorry that I was not able to send this earlier, due to some medical complications, but I really appreciate you and the scholarship committee reading over and taking the time to consider my application. Your generous gift will help me to pursue an education at NMSU where I hope to study Criminal Justice or Forensic Biology. Once again, my sincerest gratitude and I hope that one day, I can give back to the community just as you have.
Many thanks, JoyMei Lincoln
We also recently welcomed our exchange student Marlies, from the Netherlands!
This Week’s Speaker
Today’s speaker is Interact President Alyssa Sun, giving us an update on the new school year. We may also have our outbound exchange students stop by.
Rotary Club of Española Meetup Aug 22
Rotary Club of Española meets on the fourth Friday of the month at 7:00 AM at Denny’s on Riverside Dr. Our Club President James Wernicke will be attending this month’s meeting to see if there’s opportunities for us to collaborate. All are welcome.
Bear Dinner Aug 22
The annual Bear Dinner at PEEC is this Friday. It’s always good food and company. Tickets are still available at http://peecnature.org/events.
Night At The Warehouse Aug 27
The Food Depot would like to extend a warm invitation to members of the Rotary Club of Los Alamos to their Night at the Warehouse evening on Wednesday, August 27th, at 5:30 p.m. This monthly event is an opportunity to build connections between civic organizations, the local food bank, and the communities we serve. It provides the opportunity to celebrate our current collaborative efforts while giving us a chance to discuss new opportunities to positively impact Northern New Mexico.
Clean Up Los Alamos Day Sep 20
Come join us for cleanup events next month at the LAHS Memorial Garden and PEEC Treehouse. More info on the calendar.
Purple Mountains Sep 21
Come watch a movie and tell all your friends, too! We’ll be co-sponsoring the event with Citizens Climate Event and sharing about Rotary’s impact on the environment and fellowships like the Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group (ESRAG). Watch for tickets to go on sale at SALA’s event page.
Help Save The Arts In Los Alamos!
Los Alamos Arts Council is critically low on funds and may have to close this year. You can help by purchasing memberships, gifts, or signing up for classes. Find out more info at https://www.losalamosartscouncil.org/.
Our guest speaker this week will be Jessica Martinez, Director of Policy and Coalition Building at the New Mexico Immigration Center. Jessica works to shape state-level immigration policy, strengthen community coalitions, and advocate for the rights and well-being of immigrant families. Her talk will explore current immigration challenges in New Mexico, how policy impacts local communities, and the role of coalition-building in driving meaningful change.
Exchange Student Welcome BBQ This Saturday Aug 9
Join us at the Metcalfs this Saturday at 2:00 PM to welcome our 25-26 exchange student Marlies. For directions, contact info@rotarylosalamos.org.
Afterwards, some of us will be attending Tokyo Nights at SALA at 7:30 PM to watch an anime movie.
Hal Davis Memorial This Sunday Aug 10
There will be a celebration of life for Hal Davis at Fuller Lodge this Sunday at 2:00 PM. Hal gave several presentations to our Club about his travels abroad, featuring selections from his vast collection of acclaimed photographs. You may remember him most often being in the company of his wife, Anne (Rotary, 2008-2016), and his daughter, Laura Loy (Rotary, 2012-2022).
Join us at Rufina Taproom this Sunday at 4:00 PM for the kickoff of the International Peace Conference in Santa Fe! This social event is to enjoy great conversation, a welcoming atmosphere, and the opportunity to meet others who are passionate about creating a more peaceful world.
Since we’re talking about peacebuilding, there’s a movie at SALA this Tuesday at 7:00 PM about the ongoing crisis in Gaza. Rotary International has published a statement on the war between Israel and Hamas and supports peace in the region. Here’s an interesting article about the Rotary Club of Jerusalem, which was chartered in 1929 and continues to provide humanitarian aid in both Israel and Palestine.
We have no speaker this week, but we do have some club matters to discuss. First, I attended the District Assembly last Saturday where I learned a few things about club management. I spent some time this weekend reviewing our bylaws and would like to discuss some proposed updates. I also want to remind members to please pay their dues in a timely manner. In my breakout session, I heard about a club that had to dissolve because nobody enforced dues and their cash reserves were quickly depleted. Only about half of our membership has paid dues, so if you haven’t already, please bring a check to Vince. The due date was July 1 for the first half and January 1 for the second half.
Another takeaway was to get creative in inviting members of the community to Rotary and don’t forget to listen to your existing members. To that end, I’d like to pursue Brian Newnam’s suggestion of bringing back lunches. If you would like to participate, please email or text me with your Ruby K’s order before 11 AM. Also, congrats to Chuck Tallman who is featured on this newsletter’s cover photo with his NINTH Paul Harris Fellow pin!
We also need to be more visible in the community if we want to recruit more members, which we can do through more service projects and community-oriented events like the summer concerts. Please consider wearing your Rotary t-shirt when you’re out and about. You never know who might ask you about it.
We don’t have much planned for events in August, but if you have any back-to-school ideas, please let me know. There’s a Peace Conference Kickoff at Second Street Brewery on Aug 10 4:30 PM. In September, we have two events: BBBQ at Bathtub Row on September 7 (time TBD) and an opportunity to partner with Citizens Climate Lobby to screen the documentary Purple Mountains at SALA on Sep 27 12-3 PM.
This week, the Los Alamos Local Business Coalition is hosting their fifth and final forum on local business this Thursday 5:30 PM at SALA. If you’re a local business owner or just want to be support local businesses, it would be a great event to attend.
On a somber note, former Rotarian Hal Davis passed away recently. A Celebration of Life will be held August 10 at 2:00pm at Fuller Lodge. All who knew Hal and his family are invited to come and share a story about him. Donations may be made to the Los Alamos Historical Society’s Oppenheimer House Preservation fund at https://losalamoshistory.networkforgood.com/projects/22122-everyday-giving.
Last but not least, last week’s speaker Adam White asked for donations to the non-profit Waves4All, which helps teach people with disabilities to surf, sail, and experience the ocean.
If you missed last week’s meeting, you can view Adam’s presentation on New Mexico summits on our YouTube channel.
Thanks to everyone who came out to our year-end party last week! To everyone who couldn’t make it, we missed you. I hope you’re enjoying your summer! Here’s the Year-End Report and here’s the 24-25 Rotary Photo Album.
Adam was born and raised in southern Louisiana. From an early age, his fascination with mountains and remote places took hold of his imagination and he would spend hours upon hours reading National Geographic and consuming books about explorers. In college, he often skipped his Monday classes and opted instead for long weekend excursions to westward destinations. He seized an opportunity to permanently leave Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina and relocated his family to northern New Mexico.
Adam now spends much of his free time hiking, biking, climbing, and photography in the alpine mountains and vast deserts of the Four Corner states. He enjoys sharing his knowledge of the area with visitors to New Mexico and will often take friends from out of state to some of his favorite places.
He is co-founder and CEO of “TruFit” – a workout app designed to guide users of all abilities in adaptive fitness exercises, empowering them to meet their health and fitness goals. He is also Executive Director of “Waves 4 All,” an adaptive surfing and sailing non-profit organization.
Upcoming Events
Coffee & Connections every Tuesday
Every Tuesday morning, the Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce hosts Coffee & Connections for local businesses to meet with each other.
Friday Night Concerts
Join us at the summer concerts every Friday 5:30 – 7:30 to share with members of the community what Rotary does and has to offer. Please contact James Wernicke for more info.
District Assembly Jul 26
Join us for an enriching District Assembly on Saturday, July 26, from 9-11 AM (Mountain Time) on Zoom!
This engaging session will provide valuable insights into the function of a club board of directors and key roles, including Membership, Secretary, Treasurer, and Public Image. Whether you’re stepping into a leadership position or looking to deepen your understanding, this session is designed to empower and support you.
Should We Bring Back Weekly Meals?
Some members have expressed bringing back weekly meals. I’m willing to pick them up if there’s enough interest. Vote here.
Sorry for the short notice, but we’ll have a collection box for Ruidoso emergency supplies and bottle caps for benches at tonight’s year end dinner. It’s also not too late to submit photos for the slideshow!
The best way to support Ruidoso is to make a cash donation to Community Foundation of Lincoln County, but if you have any of the following items in your pantry or closet you’d like to donate, bring them tonight:
As people of action, we are called to support our fellow New Mexicans in their time of need.
Earlier this week, the village of Ruidoso was devastated by a sudden flash flood triggered by intense monsoon rains over recent wildfire burn scars. The Rio Ruidoso rose more than 20 feet in a matter of minutes, destroying homes, displacing families, and tragically claiming several lives. Over 200 homes have been damaged, and many residents are now without shelter, basic necessities, or access to clean water.
The Community Foundation of Lincoln County (CFLC) is on the ground, actively supporting recovery efforts through their Shelter Fund, which provides direct assistance to those affected — including emergency housing, cleanup supplies, and essential needs. Please consider making a cash donation at www.cfolc.org or by clicking the button below.
There’s no lunch meeting this week, but there is an end-of-year party. Don’t forget to bring a side or dessert, and more importantly, a friend! See you this Tuesday at SALA Event Center for socializing at 5:30 PM and dinner at 6:30 PM. Also, don’t forget to send your Rotary 24-25 photos to info@rotarylosalamos.org for the end-of-year slideshow.
Accessibility Working Group Seeks Community Feedback
The Los Alamos Accessibility Working Group has published a survey seeking feedback to get a better idea of what Los Alamos County is doing right and where it can improve on accessibility. This will help them make recommendations to County leadership on how to make things more accessible.
We finally have a budget ready for your review. The dues are now $343, but I think it gives us the opportunity to increase our impact. If you approve of it, you don’t have to do anything. If you have any objections, please bring them up at the next meeting or send them to board@rotarylosalamos.org. If there are no objections, please pay your club dues as soon as possible by either bringing a check to the next meeting or mailing it to Rotary Club of Los Alamos, P.O. Box 988, Los Alamos, NM 87544. If you need to use a credit card, please email info@rotarylosalamos.org so we can accommodate. Thank you for your renewed support in our club.
Yours in Rotary,
James Wernicke, Club President
Pancakemonger Vince Chiravalle expressing how I’m feeling after finishing the budget.
This Week’s Speaker
This week’s speaker is Tracie Stratton who will be speaking about her role as a health care provider and, most recently, CEO of Los Alamos Medical Center. Come listen to how community hospitals like LAMC continue to deliver high-quality care, recruit crucial clinical staff, and meet the evolving health needs of our community.
Tracie has been a nurse since 1998 when she graduated with her associate degree in nursing from Casper College in Casper, Wyoming. She obtained her Master’s Degree in Nursing Administration in 2011 while simultaneously serving as Chief Nursing Officer of Mountain View Regional Hospital in Casper. Her family came to Los Alamos in 2012 to manage clinical operations at Los Alamos Medical Center. From 2015-2021, she served as Lifepoint’s VP of Clinical Operations for the Western Division. In 2022, she returned to Los Alamos Medical Center to serve as CEO.
End Of Year Party July 15th At SALA
You’re cordially invited to the Rotary Club of Los Alamos End of Year Party. It will be held at SALA Event Center on July 15, 2025. BYOD Social Hour starts at 5:30 PM and dinner will be served at 6:30 PM. Please bring a side dish or dessert and RSVP by emailing rsvp@rotarylosalamos.org or filling out this form. Also, please attach your Rotary in Action photos for the slideshow!
Membership Committee Members Needed!
I need at least two members to join me in brainstorming ideas for increasing membership. Our District Membership Chair Kathie Williams has generously offered to meet with us this Monday, July 7 to discuss recruitment ideas.
As we begin the 2025–26 Rotary year, I am honored to serve as your Club President and to work alongside each of you to make a meaningful difference in our community and beyond. At today’s meeting, we will review our priorities, commitments, and resources. While a few details remain in progress, I am excited to share some highlights of our initial club goals for the year ahead. We’ll discuss the complete plan at today’s meeting.
Grow Our Membership
Goal: Grow our membership to 40 members, sponsoring 19 new members, with a focus on welcoming younger professionals and community leaders. Plan: Form a Membership Committee of at least 3 members who will take membership training by August. Host at least 4 membership drives at summer concerts and participate in a community volunteer fair. Update outreach materials like business cards and info cards focusing on benefits for younger professionals and what makes Rotary unique (professional networking & development, international presence & travel, youth exchange, Rotary action groups, etc.). Develop member referral incentives and ways to make meetings more accessible (e.g. Zoom, evening socials with food and/or drink and/or sports, etc.).
Enhance Service Impact
Goal: Complete at least four hands-on service projects (Treehouse/Memorial Garden cleanup events, Meals of Hope, Project Greenhouse, Purple Pinky) benefiting Los Alamos and neighboring communities, and partner with another club on at least one international service project (Peace Pole). Plan: Form a Service Committee of at least 3 members who will take service training by August, and partner with local nonprofits and schools to identify projects that align with Rotary’s areas of focus. Attend Rotary conferences to identify partner clubs.
Support Rotary
Goal: Achieve Every Rotarian Every Year (EREY) participation, with an average member contribution of $100. Plan: Form a Foundation Committee of at least 3 members who will take foundation training by August, track member contributions through Rotary Central, create a monthly giving spotlight, and recognize members’ contributions through our newsletter and club website. Have 1312 support the activities of the club.
Youth And Vocational Engagement
Goal: Support the LAHS Interact Club, establish a Rotaract Club, provide at least nine scholarships to high school students, support at least two exchange students and two RYLA students. Plan: Form a Youth Committee of at least 3 members who will take youth training by August, engage with LAHS and UNM-LA staff to build relationships and identify applicants. Hand over Memorial Garden responsibilities to Interact.
Public Image and Awareness
Goal: Produce a club video, at least 2 local news media features, and at least 12 social media features over the year. Plan: Form a Public Image Committee of at least 3 members who will take public image training by August, schedule interviews with local and regional media outlets and Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce, ensure website and social media accounts are maintained, and gather photos and videos of club activities and members.
Club Vibrancy and Fellowship
Goal: Host at least four social events, End of Year dinner, and Winter Party. Plan: Survey members about preferred activities and schedule them quarterly.
I want to be clear: I can’t do this alone. Achieving these goals will take all of us working together with the same spirit of service that has defined this club for decades. You can help by inviting guests to our meetings and events and sharing Rotary’s mission with colleagues, neighbors, and friends who might be inspired to join us. If you have ideas for service projects that are close to your heart or see unmet needs in our community, please bring them forward. I also encourage you to consider stepping up as a committee chair, project lead, or volunteer for an event. Your voice, vision, and leadership makes a difference. Finally, one of the most powerful things you can do is help tell our story by sharing our club’s activities, accomplishments, and impact through conversations, social media, and your personal communities.
Let’s make this a year of meaningful action and fellowship, and I am grateful to have each of you by my side. Thank you for all you do to keep Rotary strong in Los Alamos.
Yours in Rotary,
James Wernicke, Club President
Pancakes On The Plaza This Friday
Don’t forget about Pancakes On The Plaza this Friday, July 4th starting at 8:00 AM. Tickets are $12 or 4 for $40.
End Of Year Party Jul 15
See you all at SALA Event Center July 15th! BYOD social hour starts at 5:35. Dinner starts at 6:30. Instead of a fully catered event this year, we’d like each member to bring an interesting side or dessert dish, and the club will provide the main course – probably enchiladas or something – and refreshments. Please RSVP with any dietary restrictions to rsvp@rotarylosalamos.org by July 5th so we can order enough food. And if you have any Rotary photos for the slideshow, you can include those in your RSVP email.
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