Tag: community

25.10 Airport Manager Gary Stoddard, Tri-District Conference & Project Fair Weekend

Greetings Rotarians & Friends,

Our speaker this week is Los Alamos County Airport Manager Gary Stoddard. His career path began with a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology in 1998, after which he worked as an architectural designer and builder in Oakland, CA. In 2014, he earned a master’s degree in systems engineering from Iowa State University’s Industrial Engineering Department and joined Los Alamos National Laboratory as a building automation controls engineer. At the lab, he collaborated with both the Facilities Engineering and Sustainability Program teams, focusing on high-performance sustainable buildings with an emphasis on energy conservation, analysis, and optimized building control systems. For the past twenty years, he has also pursued his passion for hang gliding and piloting airplanes.

Next week, we’ll have geologist Tom McCrory followed by Megan Jackson from Big Brothers Big Sisters on October 21. You can view last week’s speaker Los Alamos Arts Council Brandi Engeman (and other past speakers) on our YouTube channel.

International Project Fair This Weekend

The International Project Fair (formerly known as the Tri-District Conference) will be held this weekend in El Paso, Texas. Come join us to see what Rotary clubs are doing to help their communities and beyond! If you’d like to support our club’s projects, visit our page on LosAlamosGives.org.

Just across the border in Juarez, our club president James Wernicke will be racing in one of the most extreme mountain bike races, the Chupacabras 100K!

Advancing Plant Forward Food Policy

Join the Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group (ESRAG) this Wednesday October 8 at 2:00 PM for a conversation on plant forward food policy. This presentation explores how cities, universities, and public institutions can begin shifting toward more plant-based food policies to reduce environmental impacts and support public health.
It draws on Canadian case studies including six municipal wins and a national university initiative to highlight practical strategies and lessons learned.

TODAY: Cultural Exchange Lunch Opportunity

Greetings Rotarians,

Please join us for lunch at Ruby K’s today at 11:30 AM to meet our Peace Conference Speaker Eria Matsumae. We will be touring Bathtub Row and Los Alamos History Museum before lunch and Bandelier National Monument after lunch if you would like to join us!

25.09 Youth Exchange Speakers, Volunteers Needed This Weekend

Greeting Rotarians and Friends,

At this week’s lunch meeting, we have Lance Metcalf and Luke Creel speaking about the experiences abroad in youth exchange.

We also have a busy weekend ahead and volunteers are much needed.

Wednesday @ 4:30 PM we’ll be carving and painting foam and decorating our homecoming float. Email info@rotarylosalamos.org or contact James Wernicke for directions.

Friday @ 1:30 PM we’ll meet at Canyon School for the homecoming parade. Please be there on time because the parade won’t wait.

Saturday @ 9:00 AM we have Clean Up Los Alamos Day at the LAHS Memorial Garden and @ 10:30 AM we’ll be switching over to the PEEC Treehouse. Contact After that, come up to Pajarito Mountain for Ullr Fest!

Sunday @ 5:30 PM we have a Rotary Friendship Dinner at Gabriel’s in Pojoaque. Clubs from Espanola and Santa Fe will be there.

You can also find our events on our Calendar.

2024 Homecoming Parade
2024 Homecoming Parade
2024 Clean Up Los Alamos Day at the Memorial Garden
2024 Homecoming Parade
2024 Clean Up Los Alamos Day at the PEEC Treehouse

Purple Mountains Sep 21

It looks like Interact will be helping us with the table at Purple Mountains, so why not just show up and watch the movie to support us instead? Follow the link for tickets. Movie starts @ 1:00 PM.

Purple Mountains
Purple Mountains

Peace Conference Oct 3, Volunteers Needed

The Pathways to Peace Conference is quickly approaching. Get your tickets before they’re gone! We are urgently looking for an overnight host on September 30 for our Peace Conference guest. Please contact James Wernicke if you have a spare room.

25.09 District Governor Tom Simon

Greetings Rotarians and Friends,

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.

Til Valhalla 5k Sep 13

Come run or cheer on runners this Saturday, September 13 8:00 AM at Sullivan Field. This event supports LAHS NJROTC and Mission 22.

TICKETS

Peace Conference Oct 3

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.

TICKETS
VOLUNTEER

Clean Up Los Alamos Day Sep 21

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 Garden 9:00-10:30 AM and the PEEC Treehouse at 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM. Email info@rotarylosalamos.org for more info.

VOLUNTEER

Lucky Ducky Day Sep 27

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.

25.08 Jen Demas, Family Strengths Network

Greetings Rotarians & Friends,

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.

Rotary Leadership Institute Oct 3-4

Rotary Leadership Institute is Oct 3 & 4 in Truth or Consequences. Sign up by contacting secretary5520.gmail.com@clubrunner.email.

Rotary Peace Conference Oct 3

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.

25.08 Jessica Martinez on Immigration

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).

Donations in his honor can be made to the Los Alamos Historical Society’s Oppenheimer House Preservation Fund.

Peace Conference Kickoff This Sunday

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.

25.07 Assembly Meeting

Greetings Rotarians & Friends,

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.

You can visit https://rotarylosalamos.org/calendar for the most up-to-date info.

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.

Yours in Rotary,

James Wernicke

25.07 Adam White on New Mexico Summits

Greetings Rotarians & Friends,

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.

This Week’s Speaker

Our speaker this week is Adam White, author of New Mexico Summits.

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.

Reminder: Collecting Ruidoso Relief And Bottle Caps Tonight

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:

  • Bottled water/drinks
  • Non-perishable food
  • Hygiene products (shampoo, toothpaste, soap, feminine hygiene, deodorant, etc.)
  • New clothing, socks, undergarments, and shoes
  • Baby products (diapers, formula, wipes, diaper bags, etc.)
  • Blankets and bedding
  • Laundry soap
  • Dog/Cat food and litter
  • School Supplies (maybe fill a backpack with stuff for easy transport)
  • Anything else anyone can think of that might help

And don’t forget bottle caps!

25.07 Ruidoso Needs Your Help

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.

DONATE NOW

No Lunch Meeting This Week

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.