Category: Service

25.05 Herbold on NM School for the Deaf, May is Youth Service Month

Greeting Rotarians and Friends,

This past Saturday was the Epic Day of Service. I’d love for us to participate next year as a club. Check it out some of the events shared on Facebook for some ideas for next year! Although we didn’t have an organized club service event, I hope you still found ways to contribute to the community this weekend.

My son & I drove to Kansas this weekend to chase storms. It’s a field of study in which he’s become very interested and driving around for hours on end with some exciting moments makes for some quality family time. We use radar and real-time communication from fellow chasers to find interesting weather events. We weren’t having much luck on Sunday and were about to call it a day, but decided to check out one last developing system. It turned out to be massive.

Thankfully, the tornado we chased didn’t hit any towns directly, but it did flip some train cars and took out power in several communities. As you may have heard, Kentucky and Missouri experienced much more devastating tornadoes over the weekend. One organization that is providing disaster relief to the affected communities is District 6510 Charities. You can also follow them on Facebook.

This Week’s Speaker

This week’s speaker is Dr. Jennifer Herbold, Superintendent for the New Mexico School for the Deaf. Dr. Herbold holds a notable distinction of being the 10th and first Deaf woman to lead the school in its 140-year history. Born in Silver Spring, Maryland, Dr. Herbold was immersed in the Deaf community from an early age, growing up near Gallaudet University. She earned her bachelor’s degrees in English and Secondary Education, as well as a master’s in Deaf Education, from Gallaudet, and later completed her Ph.D. in Language, Reading, and Culture at the University of Arizona. She began her career at NMSD in 1999 as a middle school English teacher. Over the years, she has served in various roles, including literacy specialist, assistant principal, principal, and Director of Instruction, before being appointed Superintendent. Under her leadership, NMSD continues to provide comprehensive educational services to Deaf and Hard of Hearing students across New Mexico, from infancy through high school. The school emphasizes a bilingual approach, fostering proficiency in both American Sign Language and English.

May is Youth Service Month

More than 350,000 young people every year develop leadership skills and a desire for community service through Rotary youth programs. During Rotary Youth Service Month in May, Rotary members celebrate these future leaders’ impact on the world. Find ways to highlight youth programs and read this blog post from Ivan Vianna, who has more than 50 years’ experience in the Rotary Youth Exchange program. Ivan took part in his exchange from Brazil to the United States in 1968.

Summer Concerts Start This Friday May 23

The Los Alamos Summer Concert Series starts this Friday with Dzaki Sukarno. Join us at the Rotary table in the non-profit aisle from 5-7 PM and enjoy some New Mexican homegrown country!

Volunteers Needed To Help Pack Pinon & Chamisa Classrooms May 27-29

Pinon and Chamisa are ready to move to their new buildings. The teachers need to pack up their classrooms and they need help with packing (not moving – that will be done by the school). Kiwanis, Rotary, and the School Foundation Board would like to help the teachers. The available times are:

  • Tuesday, May 27 – 9 am – noon
  • Wednesday, May 28 9 am – noon
  • Thursday, May 29 9 am – noon

Please respond to abqlaura@gmail.com if you are able to help, which day, and which school.

Governor Installation June 14

25.05 McCrory on Geothermal

Dear Rotarians and Friends,

On Saturday, Los Alamos hosted the annual Jemez Mountain Trail Run, an event that draws some of the world’s elite ultrarunners to run up to 50 miles from the Sheriff’s Posse Lodge to the top of Pajarito Mountain and back with a few scenic detours along the way. I was a volunteer at the Guaje Aid Station, 9 miles from the start. We had our first runner show up 1 hour 16 minutes into the race—an incredible pace. The event raises money for the Los Alamos cross country teams and other local organizations.

Once the first wave of runners had passed, I headed off to Tres Piedras for the Los Alamos Mountaineers Climbing School. I’m hoping to hone my skills well enough by next month to climb Es Pontas in Mallorca where my family will reconnect with our youth exchange student Joan Gurrera from last year. The day ended with the sold-out YIMBY Film Festival, an event to promote our natural world and community-driven projects to make Los Alamos an even better place to live. The event was organized by Kyle and Turin Dickman who lead Tuff Tykes events every Saturday.

We are looking for three people to serve as committee chairs for the 25-26 Rotary Year. This is a great way to be more involved in what I’m committed to making a productive year.

  • Membership Chair: Oversees member recruitment, retention, and engagement.
  • Service Chair: Coordinates community service and hands-on volunteer projects.
  • Foundation Chair: Promotes donations to The Rotary Foundation, Rotary 1312, and oversees global grant activity.
LEARN MORE

This Week’s Speaker

Tom McCrory (third from left) joins a panel of other industry leaders discussing geothermal development at New Mexico Tech in 2023.

Tom McCrory’s extensive career has been dedicated to addressing environmental challenges, particularly in the realm of groundwater and soil remediation. His expertise encompasses a broad spectrum of remedial technologies for site cleanup and environmental restoration. He is currently serving as a Senior Geologist at S&K Mission Support, LLC, contributing to projects that safeguard our environment and public health. Tom is also affiliated with DeltaT2V LLC applying his geological expertise to advance geothermal energy solutions. His work in this area underscores the intersection of environmental stewardship and sustainable energy development.

Can’t make it in person? Join us on Zoom every Tuesday 12:00 – 1:00 PM.

Join On Zoom

If you missed last week’s meeting, you can view past meetings on our YouTube channel. Los Alamos Public Schools Superintendent Jennifer Guy gave us an update on what’s going on in LAPS and Climate Activist Sara Mason told us about Citizens Climate Lobby (CCL) and bipartisan climate solutions to Congress. Want to help send two Los Alamos CCL students to Washington this year? Donate here.

Help Pinon & Chamisa Teachers Pack Up Classrooms May 27-29

Pinon and Chamisa are ready to move to their new buildings. Teachers need to pack up their classroom materials. The school district will then move the boxes to the new buildings. Packing (not actual moving) help is needed at each school. Kiwanis, Rotary and the School Foundation Board will be helping. Volunteers are needed for:

  • Tuesday May 27 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
  • Wednesday May 28 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
  • Thursday May 29 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

If you can help any of these times, please email Cheryl Pongratz.

Interact Club & Barranca Mesa Collect Items For Local Food Banks

LAHS Interact Club put up a donation box for The Food Depot and LA Cares at Barranca Mesa Elementary and the community answered by donating 243 items!

Mariannridge Math Tutoring Project Update

The project started in mid 2020 as a small pilot programme. The Rotary Club of
Durban Umhlatuzana and the Umhlatuzana Education Fund NPC in collaboration with
approximately 30 university students from UKZN (University of KwaZulu-Natal) deliver
mathematics instruction on Saturday mornings during the school year, to learners at Mariannridge Senior Secondary School. Initially, the free tuition was provided to 12th graders preparing for the matric exam, and the pass rate increased from 66% in the previous year, to 87%.

Based on this success, it was decided to expand the programme, offering the free Saturday instruction to 8th grade learners. This has grown to serve over 200 students in grades 8 – 12. The result has been a 100% matric pass rate in Mathematics and Science for 2024 and 300 more learners registering at the Mariannridge Senior Secondary School in 2025 than the year
before. Mariannridge is a peri-urban township outside of Durban, originally established in the 1970s for the Coloured population. Presently the vast majority of the students are Zulu. Over 97% of the beneficiaries of this project are Black South Africans as per the B-BBEE Codes of
Good Practice.

This rewarding, cost effective project owes its success to the UKZN tutors who generously volunteer their time each Saturday. Refreshments and transportation to and from Mariannridge for the tutors is provided. Textbooks are provided for the learners. The members of the Durban Umhlatuzana Rotary Club (founded in 1978) donate their time to the management of this project and no Rotary Club member receive any remuneration. More project details can be found on the website (https://umhlatuzana-education-fund.org/)

The Umhlatuzana Education Fund, NPC is a registered South African Non-Profit Company (registration number 2022/383364/08). Donors are eligible for a Section 18a certificate for exemption from SARS (Tax reference number 9236978251 PBO reference number 930076439).

Your contribution will help to open up opportunities for these learners both in terms of accessing university and other post-high school career opportunities, as mathematics is the basis of modern science and technology, which is becoming increasingly central in all areas of society and economic life. For more information about the programme or more financial
details, please contact us.

Club President: Deon Delport, 082 571 3324 | deonhome2011@gmail.com
The Mariannridge Mathematics Tutoring & Enrichment Project
(https://umhlatuzana-education-fund.org/)

Apr 15: Laura Gonzales on Rotary Projects

Dear Rotarians and Friends,

As the weather warms up and the days get longer, it’s the perfect time to re-energize our commitment to Rotary. There’s many opportunities coming up to get involved in community service, reach out to potential new members, or help lead the club in the 25–26 Rotary year. Here’s just a few coming up in the next few weeks.

Wednesday April 23, we’ll be cleaning up the PEEC Treehouse at 5:30 in preparation for their Earth Day Festival. Bring your work gloves, a rake, and let’s get it done! April 24-26 is the District 5520 Conference. You can still sign up if you want to see what’s going on around the district and help me start getting buy-in for the Navajo Water Project. Sunday May 4, we have our Pancake Breakfast at Sheriff’s Posse Lodge. We could use volunteers from 7 AM – 10 AM and 9 AM – 12 PM, but if you don’t have time for that, at least spread the word!

Today’s Speaker

District 5520 North Asst. Governor Laura Gonzales will speak about collaborative projects between District 5520 and District 4110. These initiatives, including recent wheelchair distributions in Juárez and Chihuahua, Mexico, exemplify Rotary’s commitment to service across borders.

Don’t Forget About Our April Contest!

We’re collecting plastic bottle caps to build benches. Bring your bottle caps on Tuesday April 29 to enter a drawing to win a prize!

What is ESRAG?

worms eyeview of green trees
Photo by Felix Mittermeier on Pexels.com

In accordance with Rotary International’s guidance for Action Groups, the Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group, ESRAG, gathers individuals, experts and partners whose goal is to provide awareness, dialogue, resources, and best practices for the environment. ESRAG, assists the Rotary family to plan, run, and evaluate projects, programs, and practices that support actions in the Environment Area of Focus and address the triple planetary crisis. 

April Is Earth Month

From https://www.rotary.org/en/rotary-and-earth-day

Fifty years ago, the first Earth Day was held on 22 April, 1970, launching a wave of action to protect our environment, including the passage of landmark environmental laws in the United States. Other countries soon followed suit. Every year since, the day has been set aside to focus on mobilizing for action to protect our planet.

As people of action, Rotarians have been shaping the conversation on the environment for years, from addressing climate change that threatens entire food systems to fighting pollution that clogs our air and water. Rotarians are well-suited for the challenge. They use their connections to find creative solutions and take action to safeguard our vital resources. 

The Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group (ESRAG) assists Rotary clubs, districts and multi-districts in building awareness, inspiring action, and planning service projects that focus on environmental sustainability, awareness of climate change, and actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Don’t forget we’re having a friendly competition to see who can collect the most bottle caps for benches this month. Bring your caps for counting to the April 29 meeting.

No Speaker This Week

We are having a general assembly this week. Here’s a recording of last week’s meeting with County Emergency Manager Beverley Simpson in case you missed it.

Governor’s Project Delivers Wheelchairs To Chihuahua

This past weekend, Laura Gonzales joined other Rotarians from District 5520 and 4110 to deliver wheelchairs to people in Chihuahua, Mexico.

Apr 23: PEEC Treehouse Cleanup

Let’s clean up the treehouse on April 23 at 5:30 PM to make it look good for PEEC’s Earth Day Festival on April 26. Please brink work gloves, a rake, and trash bags.

Apr 24-26: District Conference

Registration is still open for the annual District Conference in El Paso, TX April 24-26. This year’s District Conference celebrates The Magic of Rotary—the power we have when we come together to serve, lead, and connect. Join in for a blend of Rotary updates, hands-on service, youth program showcases, and evening festivities.

May 4: Pancake Breakfast

May the Fourth be with you this year as we serve pancakes at the Sheriff’s Posse. The event starts at 6:00 AM and goes until 12:00 PM and we need people to cook, serve, bus tables, and promote the event. Contact Linda Bullock to sign up for volunteer duties.

May 17: Rotary Epic Day Of Service

On Saturday, May 17, 2025, more than 800 Rotary clubs and 30,000 Rotarians across the world will volunteer in their communities for an Epic Day of Service, collecting clothes for homeless, refurbishing parks, and more. Save the date and roll up your sleeves for a day dedicated to service, community, and connection.

Jan 21: District Governor Yasser Visits, RYLA 2025 Kicks Off

Greetings Rotarians and Friends,

This week, we honor the life and legacy of civil rights activist, Dr. Martin Luther King. King believed life’s most persistent and urgent question is, “What are you doing for others?” As Rotarians, we have the opportunity and duty to carry forward his vision by addressing the pressing needs in our communities and promoting peace, equality, and justice. Whether it’s through local service projects, global humanitarian efforts, or mentoring future leaders, our actions should reflect that shared belief in the dignity and worth of every individual. Let’s take inspiration from Dr. King’s dream of a more unified world and continue his legacy by recommitting ourselves to building bridges of understanding, empowering those in need, and leading with purpose.

Yours in Rotary,

James Wernicke

This Week’s Speaker: District Governor Yasser Murga

Join us this week as District Governor Yasser Murga visits us in Los Alamos. Yasser was first introduced to Rotary through RYLA in 1996. He is currently working with District 4110 to provide wheelchairs to individuals in Juarez, Mexico, promoting RYLA 2025, and focusing on membership growth.

He also mentioned our next District Conference wiil be in April, in El Paso TX.

Email yasserrotary@gmail.com to get in touch!

District 5520 Podcast

Did you know District 5520 now has a podcast? Check out the most recent episode with Yasser to learn more about his priorities before his visit!

RYLA 2025 Registration Now Open!

RYLA scholarships are now available for $950 per camper. The RYLA kickoff was on January 7, but there will be additional meetings throughout the year. The boys’ and girls’ camps are July 13-19 and 19-25 respectively.

RYLA aims to empower youth leaders entering their senior high school year through exposure to experts in a variety of fields at camp held at the Manzano Mountain Retreat. These include astronauts, judges, lawyers, physicians, and business owners who offer tools and support to help campers develop leadership skills they can rely upon for the rest of their lives. 7-10 campers will share a cabin with 2 Counselors for the entire week who will support and guide campers through the 4-Way Test in a fun way through games and physical activities.

District 5520 Conference April 24-26

Join us for the “District Celebration: Unveiling the Magic of Rotary at the El Paso Frontier,” April 24–26, 2025, in El Paso, Texas!

Experience the “Magic of Rotary” with exciting events: a welcome at the new ”Children’s Museum at La Nube”, networking with fellow Rotarians, a night of baseball with the Chihuahuas, and hands-on service projects.

Don’t miss this magical celebration! 🌟

Tonight: County Proclamation For Los Alamos Gives, Support Your Favorite Non-Profits For A Surprise $1000 Grant

At tonight’s meeting, the County Council will recognize community organizations and Los Alamos Gives. Show your support by wearing your community organization shirt and nominating them for a chance at a $1000 grant. Visit https://losalamosgives.org for more info on how you can support location community organizations.

Nov 9: Please Help Us Provide Meals of Hope!

Please join us tomorrow morning November 9 at 8:30 AM at Crossroads Bible Church to help us pack 25,000 meals for families around New Mexico. Please also consider making a tax-deductible donation to help us offset costs.

A special guest—District Governor Yasser Murga—will be joining us. As a token of our appreciation, we are giving him a gift basket containing things that symbolize Los Alamos. If you would like to include something, please bring it tomorrow morning to add to the basket.

Nov 5: Jessica Taylor on Junior Achievement, Meals of Hope Nov 9, Bi-District Conference Nov 14-15

At today’s meeting, Jessica Taylor will discuss junior achievement. If you can’t join in person, please join us on Zoom.

Meals of Hope Nov 9

Please join us this Saturday at Crossroads Bible Church at 8:30 to help pack 12,000 meals for local food banks! Please sign up here as it helps us track performance for future funding.

Bi-District Conference Nov 15-16

The Bi-District Conference is just a week away! See you in Ciudad Juarez! Questions? Contact Raul Cota.