Dear Rotarians and Friends,
Dear Fellow Rotarians,
April is National Donate Life Month. This month, we honor those who have given the gift of life, celebrate the renewed lives of recipients, and encourage others to consider registering as donors. Across the United States, more than 100,000 people are awaiting transplants, with a new person added to the transplant waiting list every 8 minutes. Each donor has the potential to save up to eight lives through organ donation and enhance the lives of over 75 individuals through tissue and cornea donation.
Engaging in donation not only benefits recipients but also offers health advantages to donors. Regular blood donation, for instance, has been linked to lower blood pressure, reducing the risk of heart attacks, blood clots, and strokes. Additionally, frequent blood donors have shown beneficial genetic changes in their blood stem cells, potentially reducing the risk of certain blood cancers and enhancing resilience to stress.
Living organ donors also tend to lead healthier, more active lives post-donation than their non-donor counterparts, in addition to the fulfillment of contributing to another person’s well-being. The human liver’s ability to regenerate, for example, allows living donors to donate a portion of their liver, which then regrows to near its original size, underscoring the resilience inherent in our biology.
I encourage you to consider registering as a donor. By registering and discussing our decisions with loved ones, we can be a more compassionate community dedicated to saving and healing lives.
This Week’s Speaker

Los Alamos County Emergency Management Director Beverley Simpson has over two decades of experience in emergency response and homeland security. Beverley has been instrumental in enhancing our community’s preparedness for various emergencies, including natural disasters and potential wildfires. Under her leadership, the county has secured significant grants to bolster our emergency readiness and is in the process of establishing a dedicated Emergency Operations Center to improve disaster coordination. Beyond her professional commitments, Beverley is deeply invested in our community, having lived in Los Alamos for over 13 years with her husband, Robert, and their two sons.
In case you missed our last speaker, Los Alamos County Manager Anne Laurent, check it out on our YouTube channel!
Save Your Bottle Caps For Benches

Remember to save your bottlecaps for the Bottle Caps To Benches program, which transforms recycled plastic caps into durable benches for our community, promoting environmental sustainability and community engagement. To make this endeavor more engaging, we are introducing a friendly competition: the member who donates the most bottle caps by weight by our last meeting in April will win a special prize. Please ensure that all caps are clean and free from any paper or foil inserts. Acceptable caps include those from water bottles, soda bottles, milk jugs, and similar items. For a detailed list of acceptable caps and lids, please refer to the guidelines provided by Green Tree Plastics.
Governor’s Wheelchair Project

On our way back from vacation last weekend, my family had the opportunity to meet with fellow Rotarians including District 5520 & 4110 Governors Yasser Murga and Sergio Tejeda Navarrete for dinner at Restaurante Viva Mexico in Juarez. The show was amazing showcasing the many cultures of Mexico. Rotary Club of El Paso President-Elect Joe Gudenrath even got to be part of the show!
The reason they were down there was to distribute wheelchairs to people in need in Juarez. Next week, they’ll be traveling to Chihuahua to distribute more. Only $100 provides a wheelchair, but any amount helps. If you’re interested in learning more, email YasserRotary@gmail.com.

Rotary Leadership Institute April 4-5 in Ruidoso

If you haven’t been to RLI before, this weekend is a great opportunity to do so. The Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) offers quality education in Rotary knowledge and leadership skills to Rotarians seeking to enhance their participation or prepare for club leadership. The program equips members with valuable skills for both their personal lives and volunteer service.
District Conference April 24-26 in El Paso

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