Rotary Club of Los Alamos

Nov 26: Happy Thanksgiving!

Dear Rotarians and Friends,

As we enjoy delicious meals and cherished company this holiday, let’s take some time to reflect on all we have to be thankful for, and extend our gratitude to the community that supports us, the partners who join us in our efforts, and each one of you who dedicates your time and talents to making an positive impact in our community and beyond. Thank you for being an integral part of this Rotary family. May your Thanksgiving be filled with warmth, joy, and food comas.

Yours in Rotary,
James Wernicke

LAHS Interact Club Raises $1334 To Combat Human Trafficking

Dear Rotarians,

Bob and I attended the Interact fundraiser last night in support of Vos Tambien, a non-profit in Argentina that works to prevent human trafficking. A representative from the organization gave a very informative presentation about Vos Tambien’s work and the heart-breaking circumstances they try to alleviate, especially among women and children. A sobering comment: “Drugs can only be sold once; a child can be sold over and over and over.”

With donations, a bake sale, and silent auction, Interactors raised $1342. They are to be congratulated for their hard work, attentive planning, and enthusiasm. We are so fortunate to have them representing Rotary!

See you on December 3rd. In the meantime, best wishes for a healthy and abundant Thanksgiving!

– Linda H.

Flowers For Linda

Dear Rotarians,

On behalf of our Club, I ordered this arrangement from Flowers by Gillian
for Linda Bullock as she recovers from her recent fall. She assured me the
flowers are beautiful and lifting her spirits!

– Linda H.

RYE Student Annabelle Rosette On Spain

Last week, Annabelle Rosette presented on her experience with Rotary Youth Exchange last year in Spain. During her time abroad, she fully embraced the culture, immersing herself in the language, traditions, and daily life of her host community and international friends. In addition to Spanish, she took Latin and Greek classes, walked the Camino de Santiago, and hiked the Pyrenees.

2025 Zone Institute Early Registration Ends Nov 30!

After an absence of 15 years, the Zone 26/27 Institute will be held in Albuquerque next October 23-25, 2025. This is a wonderful opportunity to experience Rotary beyond our communities and our District. Every Rotarian is welcome to attend the Institute but, based on my experience as a Club President and Governor, Club and District leaders will especially benefit from the Zone Institute experience!

You’ll meet Zone leadership as well as Rotary International and Rotary Foundation leaders. You’ll meet Rotarians from our Zones with lots of programs and ideas. Rotarians from West Texas to Hawaii, from New Mexico to the northern border (and even Vancouver, BC) will be there!

Experience peer-to-peer sessions, presentations on topics as diverse as AI, experiences of our Peace Fellow, a Polio Day project, dedicating a Peace Pole and, of course, presentation of District 5520 Governor-Elect Jeff Weinrach and Clare.

Early registration at considerable savings is available now through the end of November. Register now HERE or using the link on the attached flyer! See you there!

Tom Walker
District 5520 Zone Institute Support Co-Chair

Nov 19: Youth Leadership, Interact Silent Auction Nov 23, Bi-District Conference Recap

This week’s speakers will be Malin Eidenbenz and Annabelle Rosette, who will share their experiences with Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) and Rotary Youth Exchange (RYE). If you can’t attend in person, please join us on Zoom.

Interact Silent Auction Nov 23

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A post shared by Los Alamos Interact Club (@lahs_rotaryinteract)

The Los Alamos High School Rotary Interact Club is hosting a silent auction supporting a local anti-human trafficking program called Vos Tambien! The event will be on Saturday, November 23, 6:30PM to 8PM at Fuller Lodge! There will be a guest speaker, a live string quartet, baked goods, and hot chocolate! Many local businesses have donated coupons and products to auction off, so this is your chance to get lucky!

Bi-District Conference Recap

This past weekend, I attended our Bi-District Conference in Juarez, Mexico to see what’s new with our southern neighbors in District 4110.

Friday’s icebreaker was an opportunity to meet new members and reconnect with old acquaintances over glasses of sotol, Chihuahua’s agave-based social lubricant. The conference ceremonially opened with a warm welcome of the conference back to Mexico and exchange of gifts between District Governors Sergio Tejeda and Yasser Murga.

After the opening ceremonies, it was off to the dinner hall where members traded flags of their home countries and were treated to a mariachi performance.

I shared a dinner table with our District 5520 Immediate Past Governor Richard Haas, Truth or Consequences Club President Stephen Buckley, and members of the Monclova Club in Coahuila, Mexico.

At Saturday’s Project Fair, the Monclova club presented their work providing purified water to schools in their hometown. Many students in their community suffer from diabetes and other health effects due to drinking sugary drinks because there is no safe water available to drink in their schools.

Other Global Grant projects included the prevention of Rickettsial (tick-borne) disease, improving math education through gamification, a sensory chamber for children with neurological impairments, and cooling chambers to reduce the harm of oxygen deprivation in premature births. Other projects included providing cataract surgeries, meals for afterschool programs, orthopedic surgeries, wheelchairs, heart surgeries, and an ambulance to communities in need. More details about these projects can be found at 4110-5520.com.

There’s a big world of Rotary outside of our club. Here’s some links to learn more:

Meals Of Hope Packs 25,000 Meals!

Thank you to everyone who came to Meals of Hope! Here are some photos from the event.

Nov 12: Schoenberg on Fusion

This week, Kurt Schoenberg will present his follow-up talk on fusion energy.

Kurt is an accomplished physicist and scientific leader with over 30 years of experience at large and complex R&D organizations, facilities, and projects. At the Los Alamos National Laboratory, he developed and led major research initiatives in neutron-based science, high energy density physics, inertial confinement science, magnetic fusion energy, plasma-based manufacturing, plasma-based space propulsion, and more. Most recently, Kurt was a member of the senior management team at Los Alamos, where he was Director of the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) and Deputy Associate Laboratory Director for Experimental Physical Sciences. As LANSCE Director, he led the Laboratory’s premier accelerator-based facility for national security, energy security, isotope production, and fundamental science research. He also directed experimental physical science research in material science, nuclear physics, and plasma physics within the Physical Sciences Directorate at Los Alamos.

Today, Kurt is managing partner of Applied Science Enterprises LLC, a scientific consulting company providing science-based counsel to government and industry. He also serves as the Spokesperson for the High Energy Density Physics Collaboration (HED@FAIR) at the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR).

Kurt received his B.S. in Engineering Physics with high honours from the University of Illinois in 1972 and earned his Ph.D. in Physics from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1979.

Welcome Our Newest Member, Victoria Garcia!

Last week, Victoria Garcia was inducted into our club. Victoria is a dedicated and results-oriented Sales Manager with over a decade of experience in the Senior Care industry. She combines strong client relationship management skills with a deep commitment to enhancing the lives of seniors through compassionate, safety-focused service. Bilingual in Spanish, she excels in cross-functional communication, project management, and training development. She obtained her Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Development and is a Certified Dementia Practitioner. She also designed this year’s Meals of Hope flyer. Welcome, Victoria!