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FOCUS ON PAGEANTRYOUTSTANDING TEEN & ONLY 14

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W I N T E R 2 0 1 4

A B O U T T H E C O V E R Miss New Mexico’s Outstanding Teen Lindsey Day visits the

Chapter House of the Assistance League with her grandmother, Brenda Day. See the story on page 6 >>>

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WELCOME TO 2014’S FINAL EDITIONOF FOCUS ON CARLSBAD.All in all, it has been a pretty good year, with my chief complaint being that the whole thing went by too quickly. Just a frenzy of dance recitals, soccer practices and Frozen Halloween costumes, and now here we are again, staring down another Thanksgiving and Christmas.

We kept it simple for this edition. “’Tis the Season” for Christmas tree auctions, church pageants and biker Toy Runs. We spoke with many of you about what you do to make this area’s seasonal celebrations unique.

We did tackle one slightly controversial subject this edition in that we interviewed a couple of vegans about how they organize their holiday feasts. I assure you this was not some attempt on my part to get you to stop eating meat – I’m not a vegan and will never be a vegan – but I do enjoy speaking with other people willing to

share their points of view. Carlsbad’s vegans should be applauded for having the courage to explain their choices, whether they are for health or moral reasons.

While we probably won’t all agree on dietary issues, the focus this time of year should really be on what we have in common. This becomes more apparent in the upcoming months when we will likely be gathering with larger groups of our family members for longer periods of time than during the prior ten months. We all share a common thread of appraising the value of our sibling’s presents to make sure we did not get ripped off; purchasing remote control sharks “for the kids” but really because we want one; sitting quietly and politely through arguments at our in-laws’ houses; secretly enjoying the cheap, boxed stuffing much more than the stuffing some aunt spent four days

working on; and laughing at how wonderfully outdated Rudolph’s Christmas special now seems.

Thank you, dear reader, for joining us for this “‘Tis the Season” edition of Focus on Carlsbad. Have a wonderful November and December and we will see you soon in 2015.

Finally, let’s all give a big welcome to Rachel Hughes, our new marketing consultant for Focus on Carlsbad. Rachel has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and marketing from Texas Tech University. Her previous experience includes management, retail sales and escrow. Rachel is married to Cas Hughes, and they have a one-year-old son named Braxton. She’s a die-hard Texas Tech Red Raider who grew up in Boerne, Texas. Swing by our office at 102 S. Canyon to say hi, or email her at [email protected].

ABOUT THE EDITORKyle Marksteiner is the editorialdirector of Focus on Carlsbad. He can be reached by email [email protected]

F O C U S from the editor

KYLE MARKSTEINEREditorial DirectorFOCUS ON CARLSBAD

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F O C U S on pageantry


SEVENTH GRADE IS A PRETTY AWKWARD TIME FOR MOST KIDS, BUT THAT WAS WHEN CARLSBAD STUDENT LINDSEY DAY FIRST DECIDED TO GIVE PAGEANTRY A SHOT.This summer, Day’s efforts paid off when she was crowned Miss New Mexico’s Outstanding Teen 2014. She has since spent a part of her already busy year touring the state with Miss New Mexico Jessica Burson, who comes from Roswell. Day is Carlsbad’s first Miss New Mexico’s Outstanding Teen (the program is in its tenth year) and the youngest person to ever obtain the title.

Not bad for a high school freshman.

During the upcoming holiday season, she will be helping to distribute toys at local children’s hospitals, waving to the crowds at parades and attending other events with Burson.

“I’d always watched the pageants on

TV and been fascinated by them, but it didn’t come to my attention that I could do something like that until I received a letter in the mail encouraging me to try,” Day confided. She noted that a group of women, including Donna Johns, Amy Johns and Mercedes Keller were trying to bring a pageant program back to Carlsbad and contacted young women they thought might be interested.

She entered her first pageant right after finishing her seventh grade year and just barely made the age cutoff for the teen competition.

She was first crowned Miss Carlsbad’s Outstanding Teen in 2013. She attended the state competition that year but did not advance beyond the initial round. Because contestants cannot win the same pageant title twice, this year Day entered and was crowned Miss Enchanted Forest’s

& ONLYFOURTEEN

PHOTO LEFT: Lindsey Day, Miss New Mexico’s Outstanding Teen, examines one of the Christmas trees being prepared by the Assistance League.PHOTO RIGHT: Lindsey Day receives her crown designating her as Miss New Mexico’s Outstanding Teen. Submitted Photo.



Outstanding Teen. That made her eligible to compete again in the state competition, and she was crowned as the organization’s Outstanding Teen representative for New Mexico on June 28 at the Spencer Theater in Ruidoso.

As the “little sister” organization to Miss America, the Miss America’s Outstanding Teen Organization has made available more than $4 million in cash and tuition scholarship assistance since its inception in 2005.

The state pageant week actually began June 22. Contestants spent the week in rehearsals at the Spencer Theater and making appearances at the Roswell Alien Museum, Ruidoso Sonic, Flying J Ranch and Ruidoso Downs. The previous week, a separate panel of judges met to assess the contestants’ scholastic achievements, worth 10% of the overall score. During the preliminary competition, Day won the talent award in the teen category. She wasn’t the only Carlsbad area resident to do well, however. Kamryn Hinojos won the preliminary lifestyle and fitness award in the teen category, and Faith Messer won the Little Miss talent show on Friday. There were 20 teens and 22 Miss

competitors at the state event. The competition alternates between the teen and Miss categories when announcing finalists. “I’d competed before, and I felt pretty good about it,” Day confided. “They announced the top ten, and then they had the final five on stage. I actually felt pretty confident.” After her crowning, Day and Burson drove from Ruidoso to Albuquerque to appear on the morning show of a television station. “Then I went home and unpacked,” she recalled. “Nationals was only a month away....We had a number of appearances and I worked on my platform.” Day’s platform is called the Music and Movement Project

PHOTO ABOVE: Carlsbad resident Lindsey Day, 14, represents the State of New Mexico as Miss New Mexico’s Outstanding Teen. Submitted Photos. PHOTO BELOW: Contestants in the 2014 Miss New Mexico’s Outstanding Teen competition. Submitted Photo. (themandmproject.org),


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which encourages academic development through song and dance. “Statistics show that music raises understanding in literacy and mathematics,” she explained, “so I’ve been traveling to the four corners of the state, teaching kids songs and dancing with them.” Day noted she has taught music to a child with autism and has enjoyed working with the boy due to the high interest he has shown. Day competed in the Miss America’s Outstanding Teen 2014 pageant in Orlando, Florida during the week of July 29 through August 2. There, she received a $1,000 cash scholarship and a number of major scholarship offers from a variety of universities. She contended the national competition defied any negative stereotypes about people who compete in pageants. “You hear these horrible things about national pageants, but it was the polar opposite,” she proclaimed. “I made 52 friends and everyone was extremely nice.” In addition to 49 other states, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Washington, D.C. all have competitors. Each pageant has several different competitions. There’s the interview portion, which consists of a ten minute question session. She said the judges at the state competition mostly asked her about her platform, but national judges asked more questions about how she would represent Miss America. “I think at nationals they really wanted to see if you would be mature enough to handle it all,” she reflected. “In a way, my national interview was a lot easier.” Instead of a swimsuit competition, the teen pageant has a lifestyle and fitness category. There’s also an evening wear category where competitors are judged on stage presence and poise, a talent portion and a stage question during the evening wear component. The teen competition largely mirrors the adult competition minus the swimsuit portion. There are also events for children between the ages of 3 and 12, but they more closely resemble a talent show than a competition. Day’s talent is dance, and she has

performed both lyrical and tap routines at various competitions. When she is not traveling the state, Day remains heavily involved in volleyball, choir, piano, dance and First United Methodist Church. The Miss America Organization supports the Children’s Miracle Network, and many of the events Day attends around the state this year will be to promote that organization. “For example, we’re going to IHOP (International House of Pancakes) to help celebrate National Pancake Day,” she affirmed. “It’s a crazy schedule, but even though it is rough, I enjoy it.” She attends many of the events, such as a fall trip to the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, with Burson. As the reigning Miss New Mexico’s Outstanding Teen, Day won’t be able to run again for that honor. She can run for Miss New Mexico after high school, but she revealed she does not plan to compete until she’s about 20. Day affirmed she has enjoyed having Burson as a mentor and is especially proud of her for receiving a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) scholarship, a program being heavily encouraged by the Miss America Organization. This year, other state pageant contestants from Carlsbad included Miss Cloudcroft Shawni Judah, Miss Carlsbad Cavern’s Outstanding Teen Ellen Cerny, Miss Pecos Valley’s Outstanding Teen Kamryn Hinojos, Miss Carlsbad’s Outstanding Teen Aryssa Bojorquez and Miss Zia’s Outstanding Teen Stormi Barnes. Participants in the local Little Miss Program included Sadie Bryant, Little Miss Carlsbad; Faith Messer, Little Miss Pecos Valley; Hana Holman, Little Miss Carlsbad Caverns; and Hannah Beason, Little Miss Eddy County. Next year’s Miss Carlsbad/Miss Eddy County Organization local pageant will be held January 16, 2015 at the Walter Gerrells Performing Arts Center. For more information, please contact Christ Bryant at 575-361-7779 or [email protected].

PRODUCTIONS ALWAYS MEMORABLE

A few Carlsbad churches put in extra effort when it comes to annual Christmas celebrations. First Baptist Church’s Carlsbad Christmas Pageant

draws guests from hundreds of miles around. While Paradise Chapel on Paradise Ranch has recently added an incredible live action experience, St. Edward Catholic Church also traditionally hosts a large production.

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCHKevin Pence, minister of music and worship at First Baptist Church, has been helping organize a production since he and his wife, Amy, arrived in Carlsbad in 1992. The church did a smaller event the very first year, but scaled up to a major production the following season.

Pence organizes his performance into two acts, though some years have included additional dramatic musical performances and some have been more of a variety show. “Usually, the first act is just some fun things to

draw the audience in. The second act is a full concert with a choir and orchestra,” he explained.

More than 100 people participate in the production by singing in the choir, playing in the orchestra or assisting backstage with costumes and props. About 75% of the participants are members of the church, Pence estimated. Free childcare is provided and the event draws an annual total of 800 to 1,000 guests.

The performance is always slated for the second full weekend in December. This year, three performances will be held at 7:00 p.m. December 12-14 at First Baptist Church, 112 N. Alameda Street.

Pence kicks off choir and orchestra practice in September. “We have what we call an ‘unwrap’ Christmas party where we unwrap our Christmas music,” he noted. Pageant rehearsals and worship practices are usually blended, but the choir and orchestra are not combined until the middle of November.

However, Pence himself starts listening to Christmas music in July as he begins selecting the year’s list of songs. “It seems kind of strange since it is 100 degrees outside,” he admitted.

Pence’s very first major performance, and still one of his favorites, was a rendition of “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” set in the 1940s. He had an antique car sitting outside the church on loan from Bob and Joy Springer. “That really got us going,” he smiled.

Things have generally gone very smoothly, though there was that one year where when a prop backdrop fell over in the middle of a scene change. Another year, a live sheep was planned as part of the scene, but the sheep was so terrified during rehearsal that it

F O C U S on the stage


Christmas

PHOTOS: First Baptist Church’s Carlsbad Christmas Pageant draws hundreds of guests each year.


didn’t come “baaaack.”

Pence has enjoyed having a lot of familiar faces through the years, but there are always a few new performers as well. He says he’s always on the lookout for local musicians interested in helping.

This year’s performance is going to touch on a little bit of recent and distant church history. Pence revealed there will be a component featuring some of the mission destinations where

members of the church went over the summer. “Additionally, in April 2015 our church will be celebrating its 125th anniversary,” he added. “Part of our pageant will be a preview of that celebration.”

He said he sincerely appreciates all of the help provided by the volunteers

and members of the congregation in making the event possible. “Music is a big part of worship,” he observed. “The Bible says God inhabits the praise of His people, and music is a very important part of what we do. We try to make this our Christmas gift to the community.”

PARADISE CHAPEL Bob and Jeri Prentiss, along with more than a hundred other members of their church at Paradise Chapel, knew that capturing a portion of “the greatest story ever told” was an ambitious effort, but they felt it was the right thing to do.

It all started when Jeri watched a similar production in Albuquerque about the birth of Jesus. “I tossed and turned about it all night,” she recalled.

“I felt like the Lord wanted me to do it.” She spoke with her minister, the Rev. Michael Lee, and he supported the idea. After an incredible amount of effort by every member of the church, Paradise Chapel’s “Journey to Bethlehem” was born.

The “Journey,” soon to begin its third year, takes place around the property of the Paradise Chapel and Ranch in the McNew subdivision north of Carlsbad. This year’s event will take place from 6:00-8:30 p.m. December 11-13. More than 600 people “make the Journey” each year. There’s no charge, but reservations are required and should be made well in advance by calling 575-200-5665.

“We were booked solid (last year),” Jeri pointed out. “We take people in groups of 15-25 at a time.” It’s an evening walk outdoors from bonfire to bonfire, so use a sturdy stroller.

Visitors are escorted through the chapel to “grandma’s house,” where they are told the story of the birth of Christ. “They go through a little presentation where they say ‘Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could go back in time?’” Bob noted. That’s when the lights go out and a Roman soldier comes in demanding to see everyone’s travel papers, and the journey back in time more than 2,000 years has begun. A member of the Gaddiel family makes peace with the Roman soldier and serves as an escort for the remainder of the journey. There are actually several Gaddiel families, and each escorts a different group through most of the production. You have to have a passport, and you are reminded to call out Hebrew greetings to your fellow residents, but not to the Romans.

The trip takes the guests to Joseph’s shuttered shop in Nazareth and then on the road to Bethlehem. More than 150

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members of the church serve as Roman guards, shepherds, market vendors and more. “There’s lots of interaction all the way,” Bob noted. “People are drawn to it.”

An encounter with the three wise men is next, followed by a sighting of the Angel of the Lord. “It’s up on a platform and she self-illuminates,” boasted Jeri. There are additional encounters with rabbis, robbers and Romans before the group winds up at a large Jewish marketplace. There’s also a trip past a jail and a tax station. “We’ve got everything from A to Z in the market.”

Next is a trip to the inn. The innkeeper informs the group that he’s all booked for the evening but suggests they look to the manger nearby, a place he recently recommended to a young carpenter and his wife also traveling to Bethlehem.

The manger scene is, of course, the

finale of the production. “We have a girl who sings a beautiful song about the baby Jesus being born,” Jeri stated. “Then one of the shepherds, who happens to be the church’s minister, tells the story of the true meaning of Christmas.”

“And all of a sudden, the light is on Jesus, but then the light goes up on a cross,” Bob beamed.

Speak with them for a few minutes, and it’s pretty clear that the Prentisses are quite proud of the production.

Members of the church began planning in January the very first year the program took place, but things have since settled down a little bit. Still, parts have largely been assigned by October and some groups are conducting practices.

Bob noted that the church values safety. They have coordinated with the local fire department and have

security on hand. “We’ve got security guys dressed as Roman soldiers,” he noted. Some young children are a little concerned, but overwhelmingly they enjoy experience. One woman thought the robbers on the highway portion of the program were real and took off running.

“One man told us that his teenage daughter recommended the event to him,” Bob added. “He was especially interested, because he said nothing ever impressed his daughter.”

Most of the costumes are handmade by members of the church. Church buildings are also covered in a tarp designed to make the whole setting look like the town of Bethlehem.

While visitors don’t leave with gold, frankincense or myrrh, they do go home with memories of an incredible experience, along with hot chocolate and cookies provided as refreshment after the program has concluded.

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BASS PLAYER JODY VÁSQUEZ HAS HAD HIS SHARE OF HOLIDAYS ON THE ROAD.Vásquez plays the bass guitar and sings backup for Polo Urias y su Maquina Norteña (Polo Urias and his Engine of the North). He’s played with the group for 19 years now, and most weeks involve traveling across the United States and Mexico. As with many members of the entertainment industry, Vásquez knows that holidays like Christmas and New Year’s Eve will likely be work days. “Usually, the members of the band have their pre-Christmas dinner with their families,” Vásquez stated. “Then on Christmas [day], we (band members) will go out to eat [and] do a little gift exchange.”

Over the years, Vásquez and his family in Carlsbad have also celebrated plenty of Thanksgiving dinners a week early due to concerts. “Kids’ birthdays are like that, too,” he shared. “If it falls on the weekend, we are usually out.”

While he knows that having to travel goes with the profession, Vásquez does miss spending holiday time with his loved ones. “You get sad once in a while,” he admitted. “It doesn’t matter how many years you’ve been doing it. Everybody thinks being a

musician is all fame and glamor, but I have to spend a lot of time away from my family.”

Polo Urias y su Maquina Norteña has received plenty of accolades over the years, including a Grammy nomination, the keys to the City of Roswell and numerous other honors. This year, the band was nominated for a Latin Grammy for best Norteño album. The band has put out 16 CDs and is one of the mainstays of Norteño music, which is a genre of Mexican music known for its use of the baja sexton and the accordion. “We’ve gotten our names engraved on certain places in Mexico,” Vásquez beamed.

Vásquez was born and raised in Carlsbad. He began playing drums for a local group when he was nine years old. “I remember fooling around with a couple of my buddies and wanting to get into my dad’s group,” he recalled. He later switched to the bass guitar and was playing for a local group that opened for larger bands when Polo Urias spotted him and recruited him.

The eight members of the band all live in Southeastern New Mexico, and band leader Polo Urias resides in Hobbs. They either fly or take the band’s van, depending on the location of that weekend’s concert. For example, on a recent week, Vásquez left for Hobbs at 10:00 p.m. on a Thursday. The bus left Hobbs for Alabama about an hour later. They performed in Alabama on Friday, Missouri on Saturday and Houston on Sunday, then headed back to New

Mexico. Performances were scheduled for El Paso and Phoenix the following week.

While missing birthdays and Christmas is the downside of the profession, Vásquez certainly enjoys quite a bit about his profession. “I’m making a career out of something that I love to do,” he acknowledged. “I’m actually getting paid for something I really enjoy. I love getting up on stage and performing and seeing new faces and some of the fans you’ve known for years and years.” After all these years, he still gets butterflies when he gets up on stage, but he relaxes when he sees members of the audience having a good time.

One change Vásquez has noticed is that the audience is actually getting younger, an observation he attributed to renewed cultural interest. “When we first started, all of our fans were 30 and up. Back then you would never find 13- and 14-year-olds listening to our music,” he explained. “Now we see a lot of younger people at our dances with their parents. You’ll see them commenting on our pictures on Facebook. You feel good knowing that the next generation is still listening to this type of music.”

Vásquez admitted that changes in technology have been a mixed bag for the group. The band does not sell as many CDs because people can download music off of the internet. On the other hand, the band is better able to communicate with fans through social media.

However, the best form of contact is still personal. Vásquez has a terrific list of inspirations stories, such as the time when a father brought his son, who had a physical disability, onto the stage. “He sang on the stage and then he started strumming strings of bass,” Vásquez recalled. “It was really nice to do something like that.”

A new CD is expected to be available by the end of the year. Vásquez said the band records at a studio in San Antonio, Texas, whittling 40 songs down to ten before releasing an album.

“We practice a couple of weeks in advance so we can go into the studio and just knock it out,” he noted. “We think about our fans who enjoy our music. Thanks to everyone for their support through the years, and hopefully we will see you guys here pretty soon again.”

F O C U S on music

PHOTO LEFT: Carlsbad resident Jody Vásquez on the road at a recent concert. PHOTO BELOW: The members of Polo Urias y su Maquina Norteña perform in front of another packed crowd. The Norteño band, based in Southeastern New Mexico, is an international sensation.

LOVES THE MUSICBUT MISSES HIS FAMILY


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CHANCES ARE, IF YOU SEE A MOTORCYCLE GROUP IN EDDY COUNTY, THEY ARE LIKELY INVOLVED IN SOME SORT OF PHILANTHROPY, ESPECIALLY AROUND THE HOLIDAYS. Locally, at least two groups come to mind: Guardians of the Children and Brotherhood of the 74. The aforementioned groups, which are charitable throughout the year,

tend to ramp up their efforts during the holiday season. Each group is synonymous with at least one large-scale event. A number of other biker groups in the area, such as the

American Legion Riders, also support local charities and activities.

GUARDIANSOF THE CHILDREN In 2006, a small but dedicated group of individuals in San Antonio, Texas saw a need to make their community aware of the effects of child abuse on children and their families. Operating on the premise that “the abuse of children is a problem that affects all

F O C U S

by Staci Guy

on biking

PHOTO BELOW: Pictured in front of the Eddy County Courthouse are some of the members of the Pecos Valley Chapter of Guardians of the Children. Top row from left: Cartoon, Jewlz, Chainsaw, Rocket, Monster, Bubbles, Bronco, Thumper and Tattoo. Pictured with Little Guardians on the bottom row is Momma Bear.


levels of society,” they aim to address the issue head-on, as is evident in their motto: “Don’t let your silence drown out their cries.” They are advocates, mentors, friends and protectors of children affected by abuse and neglect.

In March of this year, the movement made its way to Southeastern New Mexico, and the Pecos Valley Chapter of Guardians of the Children was born. “We’re not portrayed as a motorcycle gang or a club, we’re just a group of riders with a common interest: helping children who need help,” explained the Guardians’ president, who calls himself “Rocket.” Bronco, the child liaison for Eddy County, pointed out, “We’re not intimidators or anything of that nature. We are guardians and we offer support. We offer these children a family.”

To be a part of the Guardian family, a prospective Little

Guardian first has to have his or her parent’s permission. After filling out the required paperwork, the group then “adopts” the child into the Guardian family. Once adopted, it is for life. “Once a Little Guardian turns 18, they automatically patch in,” noted Bronco, a process typically reserved only for motorcycle-owning members.

Once adopted, Little Guardians find comfort in their new family members, especially in the courtroom. “Guardians show up at court and we sit on the front row,” Bronco shared. “We try to get as many members as possible in court to show support and make the kids feel safe.”

He went on to explain that often times children feel intimidated in a courtroom setting, since typically their perpetrator is sitting across from them while a room full of strangers watch their every move. The role of the Guardians is to give the

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PHOTO ABOVE: Pictured from left are four of the group’s officers: Thumper, sergeant at arms; Momma Bear, secretary; Bronco, child liaison for Eddy County; and Rocket, president. Not pictured are Cowboy, vice president; Cookie, child liaison for Lea County; Wizard, child liaison for Chaves County; and Bumble Bee, treasurer.

child familiar faces and a sense of protection. Bronco was quick to reiterate Bronco’s earlier assertion: “We’re not intimidators. We don’t threaten anyone or harm anyone. We’re just there for the kids; that’s our focus.”

He added, “They have a family with us. It might just be across the Pecos Valley, but it can be 6,000 strong if it needs to be.” Those numbers represent the total number of Guardians across the United States and now Canada. New chapters are popping up all across the country, which bodes well for the victims of child abuse and their families.

While the group has conducted several fundraisers and charity events since their local group formed earlier this year, they are currently focused on what will be their primary annual fundraiser: the Guardians of the Children Picture Scavenger Hunt. The event will start and finish at the Eddy County Fairgrounds in Artesia. Entry to the event is free, but toy donations will be accepted. The cost to participate in the scavenger hunt is $20 per car or bike; however, a toy donation worth $10 or more will reduce the fee to $10. Prizes will be given to the top three scorers in the hunt.

Guardians of the Children is a non-profit organization and donations are tax deductible. According to Rocket, the event will help their local chapter provide support for abused and neglected children in the Pecos Valley area. The group maintains that 100% of the proceeds from the scavenger hunt, as well as all other donations, directly benefits the children they adopt. “We don’t use any of the funds for our fees or vests or anything like that,” Bronco proclaimed. “We pay for all of that out of pocket, so everything we raise goes directly to things like buying school supplies, having cookouts for the kids, purchasing clothes and toiletries for them, stuff like that.”

The Guardians Scavenger Hunt will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 22 at the Eddy County Fairgrounds.

For more information about the hunt or about Guardians, contact Rocket at 432-553-7020 or Cowboy at 575-602-6343.

BROTHERHOODOF THE 74The Brotherhood of the 74 is another group of riders who, in addition to enjoying the camaraderie amongst fellow bikers, sets out to make a difference in their community.

According to Rowdy Schenk, Brotherhood of the 74, whose name hails from the 74 cubic inch motor on a Harley Davidson motorcycle, has a membership that is “less than 1,000 but more than two” across New Mexico, Texas and Colorado.

The Brotherhood conducts two fundraiser events in Carlsbad each year: a food drive in October and their annual Carlsbad Toy Run on the first Saturday of December, which starts at the Civic Center and ends at the Riverwalk Recreation Center.

Similar fundraisers are conducted in other chapters around the region, and members try to support each other. “Each one of our chapters does at least a couple of community events,” noted Spanky Harding. “We’re in touch with all the chapters to see what they are doing. Besides our members, we usually have a couple hundred [other] bikers from throughout the community who donate.”

“It’s a win-win [situation]. We get to do something with the community and the community gets to see who we are,” added Schenk.

According to the group, in the Run’s 15-year history, the record participation level was 426 toys three years ago. Some people bring toys and others give money, but all benefit Christmas Anonymous.

The food drive, which takes place in October, has been going on for six years now and is held in support of the Carlsbad Community Kitchen.

“On a personal note, I give cash and I’ll tell you why,” Schenk admitted. “We went down to the place where they store goods and distribute them and they were having trouble getting enough money to pay sewer and garbage bills. Everybody gives toys, but the hardest thing is sometimes to keep the building running. My donation is cash so they can keep the lights on.”

Anyone interested in helping with the Brotherhood’s charity events should contact Harding at 575-725-5085.

PHOTO BELOW: Members of the local Brotherhood of the 74 include, from left: Spanky Harding, Hoosier Belstra, Rick Franco and Rowdy Schenk. The Brotherhood’s annual Toy Run draws hundreds of area bikers.


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Last Weekend in March

Gus Macker 3-on-3 Basketball1st Weekend in June

Smokin’ On the Pecos BBQ ChampionshipLast Weekend in June

Fourth of July CelebrationClays Crusher Fun Shoot

3rd Weekend in September

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F O C U S on mainstreet

AMANDAMELVINExecutive DirectorCARLSBAD MAINSTREET

It’s that time of year when community residents can gather for holiday fun. Carlsbad MainStreet staff and volunteers are working steadily to prepare

the 2014 downtown holiday events and attractions.

The 2014 Carlsbad Downtown Farmers’ Market season was a success thanks to this years sponsors - Mosaic Potash, Wells Fargo Bank, Carlsbad Medical Center and Tate Branch Auto - and our amazing vendors and market customers. We hope community members enjoyed the fresh array of produce and the handmade crafts and the addition of event days at the market. With the help of the community, the market experience record-breaking numbers with total seasonal visitation at 10,019 visitors. Thanks to your patronage our vendors generated a total of $37,561 in sales. That is money that goes into the pocket of your neighbor and is reinvested in your local economy.

As the weather grows colder, we shift from costumes and treats to Thanksgiving and lights. This year we will be making a few changes to one of Carlsbad MainStreet’s fundraising traditions, Little Miss Merry Christmas. In recent years,

participation in the fundraiser has significantly decreased. In discussions regarding reinvigorating our primary holiday decoration fundraiser, Carlsbad MainStreet decided to expand the tradition to include any child under the age of 13. Beginning this year, Little Miss Merry Christmas will become the Little Miss and Little Mister Wintertime Fundraiser. As in previous years, participants will sell raffle tickets for a $500 downtown shopping spree. Both Little Mister and Little Miss Wintertime will be crowned and honored as ceremonial marshals in Carlsbad’s annual Electric Light Parade.

As downtown’s most popular event, the Electric Light Parade adds joy and entertainment to the Thanksgiving weekend. Scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m on Saturday, November 29, this year’s parade theme is “Prickly Pear and Cactus Honey.”

Most important, is to note the change in this year’s parade route. This year, the parade will be lining up on Mermod St.

and Guadalupe St. instead of its traditional location at Greene St & Canyon St. if you are interested in entering a float in this years parade, visit www.carlsbadmainstreet.org or call the Carlsbad MainStreet office at (575)628-3768.

Carlsbad MainStreet wishes you and yours a happy 2014 holiday season and hopes you will join us in celebrating the holidays. Oh, and one more thing, please remember to shop local and support our hometown merchants throughout the season and make sure you check out our downtown activities on Small Business Saturday on November 29.

DOWNTOWN HOLIDAY EVENTS APPROACHING


DOWNTOWN HOLIDAY EVENTS APPROACHING COMMUNITY SUPPORT

1 • Candlewood held a fundraiser this fall to support the Transitional Housing and Homeless Shelter.

CASA’S 25TH ANNIVERSARY2 • Members of Eddy County CASA’s board and staff celebrate the organization’s 25th anniversary.

HERITAGE DAYS3 • A performer begins her routine during this year’s Heritage Days celebration, which honored the Carlsbad Elks Lodge.

OIL BOOM DISCUSSION4 • Concho Vice President Gayle Burleson speaks during the Eddy County Mayors’ Energy Summit 2014.

FARMERS’ MARKET5 • Recent Farmers’ Market presentations included a demonstration of how a dairy farm works.

KID FIREFIGHTERS6 • Children line up for a chance to participate in the kids’ version of the Carlsbad Firefighter Combat Challenge.

JALAPEÑO CELEBRATION7 • Contestants line up to see how many jalapeños they can eat during the 16th of September Celebration at Ray Anaya San Jose Plaza.

HOMECOMING PARADE8 • Freshmen celebrate on the float during this year’s homecoming parade.

PUMPKIN SCOUTS9 • Local girl scouts were some of the many volunteers during the pumpkin unloading at St. Peter Lutheran Church.

JAZZY FAMILY FUN DAY10 • The Carlsbad Museum and Art Center sponsored a 5th Friday Family Fun Day this fall. The event included a live jazz performance.

SECRETARY MONIZ11 • Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz visited Carlsbad in August.

THE CELEBRATION BUSINESS12 • A vendor enjoys the business during 16th of September celebrations.

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F O C U S on the arts

alk into the Chapter House of the Assistance League of

Carlsbad any time between August and December and you will be confronted with a virtual explosion of festive Christmas decorations, smiling reindeer, ribbons, bows and of course the obligatory glitter.

Glitter is everywhere, on everything. It is essential and is referred to by long-time member Sandra Cosand’s husband, Paul, as “Assistance League glow.” One of their favorite sayings is “Women are born with glitter in their veins.” Glitter is a badge of glory which the League members wear proudly. It stands for so much more than Christmas. It stands for “paying it forward” in the community.

Every year, this group of dedicated ladies and gentlemen gathers to create outstanding works of art in the form of jaw-dropping Christmas trees. The Assistance League of Carlsbad is the only Chapter House in the United States which utilizes the Christmas tree auction as its main form of fundraising for the five extremely worthy programs

which it supports. Through the hard work of the ladies and the extremely generous community bidders, the League is able to accomplish so much.

Over the years, the trees morphed from humble beginnings as small, decorated wall hangings for bidders to view in a silent auction to fully decorated halves of actual six to eight foot artificial trees because the people wanted more.

At the Assistance League national

An Explosion of Christmas!

T H E A S S I S T A N C E L E A G U Eby Donna Birchell

PHOTO BELOW: This talented trio, left to right, Brenda Day, Ingrit Van Dyk and Nita Lynch, find great joy in decorating Christmas trees, but most of all in being able to help the children of Carlsbad. PHOTO ABOVE: Close up details of the festive and cheery tree designed by Ingrit Van Dyk. PHOTO LEFT: Texture and burlap are a huge trend for the in-the-know Christmas tree designer this year. Brenda Day’s tree uses this trend to the maximum.


conference, Cosand and Anne Most-Cross gave a presentation on the unique Christmas tree auction concept and illustrated the presentation with photographs of past trees. Conference attendees were amazed to learn that the Carlsbad Chapter not only created all of these trees themselves but without the help of professionals. They were even more astounded when they learned that most of the ornaments used were handmade by the club members.

The ladies were quick to point out that inspiration is found everywhere, often in things you might not think of, such as a piece of ribbon or a sprig of greenery. Most-Cross and Cosand attended the trade market in Dallas to garner ideas and supplies for the upcoming season. The most prominent themes they noticed included textures like burlap. Pewter was the most popular metal, apple green is still big and neutrals continue to dominate. Soft, shale

green was the star of the trade show and will be well represented in this year’s trees as well. The most popular themes for the trees seem to be Santas and snowmen, but one of the highest bids ever was for a tree featuring penguins.

Most of the ladies have been members of the Assistance League for many years and refer to the group as more than just a club. It’s a sisterhood. They work, eat, play and, most of all, have fun.

Because of sales, the Assistance League has been able to clothe 750 children last year alone through Operation School Bell. These stylish clothes are purchased wholesale by the group in Las Vegas, Nevada, which enables the League to help more children in the long run. When asked, most members’ favorite part of their mission with the Assistance League is dressing the children. The transformation of a child from one of embarrassment at not having what the

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PHOTO RIGHT: Sandra Cosand stands in front of one of her latest tree designs. Her passion for the Assistance League and what the club stands for drives her and her sister to produce four or five beautiful trees a year.

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other children in school have to a child who is joyful and all smiles is what keeps these amazing members coming back year after year.

Two of these creative ladies are Brenda Day and Nita Lynch, who are not only fellow Assistance League members but lifelong friends, as are their spouses. As neighbors, they raised five boys between them and enjoyed many great family trips together over the 55 years they’ve known each other. Day and Lynch generally work side-by-side on their trees, which are surprisingly different from one another. A friendly sense of competition exists between all the Assistance League members to out-do their last creations and each other, but ultimately, it is all for the children, which drives the women to raise more money each year to keep up with the growing community need. Day related, “We are inspired by the creativity of the other ladies. Everyone is so talented. It keeps us on our toes.” Cosand and her twin sister, Susan, who lives in Odessa, Texas, work together on four to five trees each year. Both of the women adorn their trees with their

handmade creations, generally in the form of painted or sewn ornaments. Nature, toys, and candy themes are favorites of the sisters, all of which are classic and will translate well year after year. Cosand is generally a perfect representative of the “Assistance League glow” and sparkles for several months.

“Magical” is the way the ladies described the Christmas tree auction. Each year, local companies, corporations and individuals register to be allowed the opportunity to bid on one of the ladies’ unique creations. Each bidder is presented with a packet, paddle and name tags. A winter wonderland is what the bidders stepped into when they arrived at the Chapter House on the evening of October 23. Thirty-two fantasy trees, including a tree filled with all things Cavemen, lined the walls of the room. Tables filled with delectable foods made by the League members are available for the participants’ enjoyment as well. With auctioneer David Rogers on hand, the evening was lively and filled with laughter. Auction night is also the grand opening

of the League’s Christmas Shoppe. In this boutique, everyone is encouraged to shop for one-of-a-kind handmade ornaments as well as ribbons, decorations and delicious food items. The ladies will also craft wreaths and swags for your home.

The real work begins once the auction is complete. The ornaments have to be disassembled from their respective trees and replaced on the winning bidders’ trees, which are already set up with lights. It is a good amount of work, and most likely by the time the season is done, the ladies are tired of Christmas, but the reward lies in the great work they can now do for the children and community with the money raised. The Assistance League is always looking for new members, so if you are creative and have a desire to help your community, please visit with any member at the Chapter House at 1100 N. Canal Street on the first Tuesday of every month.

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Here’s some trivia from a few ofeveryone’s favorite Christmas programs.1 • From A Charlie Brown Christmas: What does Lucy want for Christmas?2 • Also from A Charlie Brown Christmas: What traditional Christmas caroldoes the gang sing at the end of the show?3 • From the movie It’s a Wonderful Life: What does it mean when a bell rings? 4 • Also from It’s a Wonderful Life: How much does Violet spend on licorice? 5 • From How the Grinch Stole Christmas: The Grinch took the last can of what?6 • How much did the Grinch’s heart grow that day?7 • From Frosty the Snowman: Who was the original owner of Frosty’s magic hat?8 • What were Frosty’s last words at the end of the show?

Answers:

PEANUTS © 2014 PEANUTS Worldwide LLC | Editorial Use 25W I N T E R 2 0 1 4 | A C O M M U N I T Y M A G A Z I N E

MOST LONGTIME RESIDENTS OF CARLSBAD HAVE HEARD OF CHRISTMAS ANONYMOUS, THE PROGRAM THAT CONNECTS FAMILIES IN NEED WITH CHRISTMAS GOODIES AND HOLIDAY MEALS.Most longtime residents also associate the late Eddy County Sheriff, Juvenile Probation Officer and humanitarian Ray Anaya with the genesis of the program. But to paraphrase a familiar commercial, Ray Anaya didn’t make Christmas Anonymous, he made it better.

The hallmark of Christmas Anonymous is the toys and clothes which the program gives to children

from newborns up to age 14. Gently used clothing for adults and household items are also available as are meals at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Planning and organization go on year-round. Times have changed, of course, during the program’s more than 30 years, so the people and program have adapted. The

legacy of the founders and early organizers, especially Anaya, is the fuel that drives today’s Christmas Anonymous volunteers.

I sat down with some members of the Anaya legacy: Ray’s daughter and son-in-law, Geraldine and Chon Armendarez, and their daughter, Lindsi. “Christmas Anonymous,” explained Geraldine, “was founded by Virginia Fawcett, who was a social worker here. She was all about protecting children and was serious about it…people were afraid of her! Also there was Ida DeSaggio, or Mr. D, as they called him. He was the director of the Boys Club, and back then it was really just a club for boys. They’d get packages together before Christmas and give them to the kids. They made up bags with apples, oranges, Christmas candy, peanuts and maybe a doll or a fire truck. My dad was involved. He said ‘Let’s make this bigger,’ and...just kept going.”

The Armendarezes have served on the Christmas Anonymous Board of Directors in some capacity for the past 24 years, about as long as they’ve been

by Eve Flanigan

F O C U S story followup

CHRISTMAS ANONYMOUS:a tradition of caring and sharing


PHOTO ABOVE: Ray Anaya poses with Santa Claus during the 2012 Christmas Anonymous event. PHOTO BELOW: Members of volunteer Ray Anaya’s family pose with members of the Brotherhood of the 74 during the Brotherhood’s 2013 Toy Run. The annual event benefits Christmas Anonymous.


married. Geraldine recalls helping even earlier in what became the family’s charitable focus. “My mom would take the applications. She’d have a piece of paper with columns labeled “Pants” and “Shirts” [with] sizes down the side of the margin. She’d count how many shirts of this or that size were needed and how many pants. Then she’d spend a whole day at Kmart and JCPenney, when those stores were here, picking out each item according to her chart. We carried hundreds of pounds of clothes back to the little house in the middle of town where she used to lay everything out, and then she’d pick up each child’s application once again and pick out a matching outfit specifically for them.”

“A few years ago, my dad secured the use of a bigger place where we could store things year-round, with space to organize things. We call it the ‘sugar shack,’ because it’s where all the good stuff is at Christmas and it’s set up like a store.” The sugar shack isn’t the only change in the updated program, however. Armendarez confided, “My mom kept on doing it...all these years, but things had to change.”

“A mom would bring clothes back, saying, ‘My son doesn’t wear this.’ So now, on the application, we [ask] the kids’ ages. If they’re eight to 14, they get a gift card from Walmart....We spend thousands at Walmart, and they have an agreement with us. The cards are purchased specifically for each child, and stamped ‘CA,’ so they know it can only be used to purchase clothing or shoes. Likewise, those purchases get a marked receipt so the items cannot be exchanged for things other than boys’ or girls’ apparel.” More security, assured Geraldine, has been built into younger children’s toy distribution as well. “New toy bar codes are marked ‘CA,’ and the vendors know that means it can’t be exchanged, since it was matched to whatever the parent said on the application is their

child’s preferred theme, whether it’s Ninja Turtles or princesses or something else.”

The Christmas Anonymous application process has always been a serious exercise intended to insure that recipients are local residents and of low income status. Proof of income and residence and a parent’s social security number are collected. “We require official documents, not handwritten statements,” cautioned Geraldine, explaining the application process. “Everything we do--what donations come in and what goes out with people--has proof, and everything we do is confidential when it comes to who’s getting anything from the program.”

Speaking of “anonymous:” the term originally referred to the identity of the donors. The program has always been funded by local donations, and early on, the donors were a handful of wealthy locals who desired to help their neighbors but didn’t want publicity for doing so. Donor anonymity continues, though the base has expanded to include thousands of local people. The entire employee body of some companies donates. The anonymity of gift recipients is also taken seriously. Applicants are assigned an identification number that, after their income and residency is confirmed, is their only form of identification throughout the remainder of the process. On “D-Day,” the Christmas Anonymous name for the day of gift distribution, applicants are invited in groups of 20 to enter the sugar shack and do supervised shopping from the store of donated items the group curates all year in preparation for Christmas. “My dad taught us to be really careful,” Geraldine asserted, “to be sure each family, regardless of their number, had a choice of good things to pick from. So we set out a limited number of certain items throughout the day and monitor shoppers and supplies throughout the day.” Each

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recipient family also gets a food voucher and a new blanket.

The program is more than clothes, toys and household goods. The Elks Lodge donates funds for 100 families every year to have a complete turkey dinner, and Christmas Anonymous volunteers make the substantial shopping list for La Tienda, where workers assemble the baskets. Year after year, officers of the Carlsbad Police Department and the Eddy County Sheriff ’s Office have helped with basket delivery.

A way that the program offers something extra for children is the Angel Tree program, primarily at Carlsbad Mall. The Angel Tree is set up in the mall so that shoppers can pick an angel, which has a child’s first name, clothing sizes and an item or two from his or her Santa wish list. Shoppers purchase the items listed on the angel and turn them in with the angel to the Christmas Anonymous drop station at the mall. “It kind of falls apart when someone takes an angel and doesn’t return it and we can’t match items,” fretted Geraldine, “but it’s a popular program. We have entire companies that request angels, and the employees make that part of their shopping.” Chon added that many local people pitch in extra things. “Marsha Knight and Donna Lopez at the schools advertise the opportunity to students. Every year, P.R. Leyva (Middle School), Alta Vista (Middle School) and CHS (Carlsbad High School) students have been a big help, and Mario Carrasco at NMSU-C (New Mexico State University at Carlsbad) organizes his students to

help every year with a focus on bicycles. It’s just amazing how many people help.”

This year, the Christmas Anonymous family will mourn the loss of another important figure, Pastor Don Neighbors. “Don and his family would be there in the morning and give the blessing for the day,” emphasized Geraldine. “They made sure the people who came to pick up their gifts also got a Bible,” said Chon.

Geraldine recalled the year a local woman approached her about “adopting” a family or some of the mothers for a personal shopping trip as her contribution. “I had to tell her no. As nice as that was, we won’t reveal anyone’s identity. So she said to give her the names of some boys instead, like we do with Angel Tree. When she came back, she literally needed a trailer to carry everything she’d purchased. I couldn’t believe it. There were complete outfits, more than one for every boy, of the best, most popular designer clothes and shoes,” she recalled with excitement. “But what I remember most is that she had her sons with her, and she told me, ‘My sons are spoiled. They have everything they want and more. They need to learn and understand that it’s not like this for everyone.’ And that mom had those boys wrap every single gift they’d bought. They wrapped and wrapped. And she was so excited to do it, to teach them while helping people she didn’t even know.”

“And who can talk about Christmas Anonymous without talking about the Brotherhood of the 74?” she continued,

referring to the local motorcycle club that hosts an annual winter Toy Run, sometimes in the snow. “They’re incredibly supportive, and they even made my dad an honorary member. He thought that was fun. When the time came for his funeral, they were his pallbearers,” she said, misty-eyed.

It is a lot of work, but the need is great. “I wish I’d taken pictures of us back in the day when we’d go out on D-Day and deliver packages. The places I’ve been! People living without electricity in the cold... We’d be bundled up in coats, hoods and gloves...carrying all we could down alleys and everywhere for the whole day. It reminded us as kids of the blessings we had. It still does.”

Volunteers and supporters are always welcome to assist Christmas Anonymous. People wanting to provide assistance should call Geraldine Armendarez at 575-887-3097. Those wanting assistance from the organization must apply in person with Jessie Morales at the San Martin Center within San Jose Catholic Church at 1002 DeBaca Street. Applications are accepted on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 1:30-3:30 p.m. Applicants should bring proof of residence, income and social security numbers for every parent and child in the household.

“My dad would say [that] even if you just make one child happy, it’s worth it,” Geraldine reminisced fondly. It is easy to see that the Christmas Anonymous team fulfills Anaya’s vision again and again.


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Quite a few visitors to Carlsbad grossly underestimate how cold it gets in the evening during winter, especially while riding a boat up and down the Pecos River. That’s where the

Blanket Brigade comes in. They are a group of volunteers who pass out warm blankets to participants of the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce’s annual Christmas on the Pecos event.

“One thing...is consistent every year,” said Blanket Brigade volunteer Mike Antiporda. “People say, ‘We don’t need it,’ and we say, ‘Why don’t you take one just in case?’ and they will come back and say, ‘Thank you so much!’”

“The Christmas on the Pecos event put on by the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce is very fortunate to have the Blanket Brigade volunteers,” proclaimed Robert Defer, executive director of the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce. “This is a group of individuals and families from WIPP (the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant) who come out and brave the cold and wet weather every December to provide warm blankets for those who are coming and visiting and enjoying Christmas on the Pecos.”

The Blanket Brigade began in 2003, according to Antiporda, who helped

organize the Blanket Brigade for much of the program’s history. Washington TRU Solutions, the former management and operations contractor for WIPP, began the Blanket Brigade as a company community service project. The company’s successor, Nuclear Waste Partnership (NWP), inherited the Brigade. Antiporda now serves as executive director of the Carlsbad Foundation, but NWP will carry on its Blanket Brigade tradition.

“I don’t remember exactly whose initial idea it was, but there was a need to do something in conjunction with Christmas on the Pecos,” Antiporda recalled. “It started out very small, but it expanded to all the departments and that really helped a lot.”

There are two shifts held each evening during Christmas on the Pecos. Volunteers pass out blankets to visitors who are boarding for a tour and field questions by guests. “Basically, we try to just be good hosts,” Antiporda added.

Antiporda volunteered with the Blanket Brigade for 12 years and coordinated most of those years. He

handed out his share of blankets whenever someone could not make a voluntary shift.

The blankets are owned by NWP and stored at the Skeen-Whitlock Building during the off season. They are professionally cleaned at the end of each holiday, “and now and then if someone will spill a cup of hot chocolate on one, it will be taken home and washed,” added Antiporda.

Antiporda said the blanket brigade has become a family tradition for many WTS and NWP employees. Volunteers will bring their kids and grandkids along to help. “It has become a part of their holiday tradition. Typically, once they do it [the first time], they will do it every year. It really helps get them into the holiday spirit.”

As some nights get below freezing, the holiday spirit and a very large stack of blankets nearby always come in handy.

F O C U S on Christmas on the Pecos

Nothing Beatsa Warm BlanketNothing Beatsa Warm Blanket

PHOTOS: Members of Carlsbad’s Blanket Brigade pass out warm blankets throughout the Christmas on the Pecos season. The Brigade consists of members of WIPP’s Nuclear Waste Partnership employees and their family members. 29W I N T E R 2 0 1 4 | A C O M M U N I T Y M A G A Z I N E

BEING BORN ON CHRISTMAS DAY MUST BE A TERRIBLE THING, RIGHT? EVERYONE IS SO CAUGHT UP IN THE BIGGEST FAMILY HOLIDAY OF THE YEAR THAT YOUR BIRTHDAY IS PROBABLY SWEPT UNDER THE RUG.Turns out, having a December 25 birthday isn’t really that big of a deal, except for maybe the year you turn 21.

Harold Coats was born at 8:01 a.m. on December 25, 1948.

He reasoned that he grew up with a Christmas birthday, so he’s not really sure how it could have gone any other way. “The positive was that there was always

family there,” he explained. “I’d usually get one present for Christmas and then one for my birthday.”

There might be a celebration the day before or after Christmas, but since the family’s birthday celebrations were usually fairly small, Harold had the advantage of a large group of family members being present for his birthday. He recalls generally being more excited about it being Christmas that it being his birthday.

“It’s not bad at all,” he surmised. “It’s just that your birthday and Christmas happened to be on the same day. And

it’s an easy birthday to remember.”

Sheena Berg was born on Christmas Day in 1983 and said having a Christmas birthday didn’t bother her much, either.

“I was actually lucky enough to celebrate my birthday with just close family after Christmas dinner,” she recalled. “It is a tradition to have cake for me and then open my birthday presents, then I would have a birthday party with all my friends at a later date.”

When she turned 16, a group of her closest friends threw her a surprise party at her home Christmas night. “It was the first birthday I remember where my friends came and celebrated with me on my actual birthday,” she laughed.

One downside was turning 21. Berg wanted to go out and celebrate by having a drink, but that’s generally not possible on Christmas day. A few

F O C U S on December 25th

PHOTO: Carlsbad resident Harold Coats, pictured in his favorite chair, said that having a birthday on Christmas Day was generally a good thing.


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years later, however, she celebrated her birthday at a casino with her father and cousin. “They joined me for my ‘dirty thirty’ later that evening after we celebrated Christmas with the family,” she remarked. “Unfortunately, there was no extra birthday luck for me, as I lost all my money.”

One year, Berg recalled having to work at a gas station during her birthday and Christmas. She was a little sad until her mom baked a cake and showed up and sang happy birthday in front of everyone.

“I feel very lucky to have my birthday on Christmas, because it means I spend every year with my family, the most important people to me,” Berg reflected. “Even as an adult, my close family gets me birthday presents and my mom still bakes me a cake every year. I count it as a win!”

Connie Linville Estes wasn’t born on Christmas Day, but her father, Bobby D. Linville, was. Linville was born in 1933 in West Virginia to a family of eight kids. He moved to Carlsbad to work in the potash mines when Connie was two.

“He was never a Christmas[y] person and would have been just fine if we skipped the holiday,” Estes conceded. “I always gave him a hard time, because I would tell him it is his birthday but everyone else gets presents.” Estes thinks her dad may have felt a little bit overlooked because he came from such a large family and

had his birthday on Christmas Day. “From what I can remember, we never really did anything special other than the typical birthday cake and birthday presents that were wrapped in Christmas paper!” she admitted.

Linville died January 19, 2011, from complications of pneumonia. A few days before his final birthday, Estes and her husband took him out to his favorite restaurant, Lucy’s. “He ordered so much food that we were certain he’d never be able to finish it all,” she remembered. “But he surprised us and didn’t leave one bite.”

She knew without a doubt that it was one time her dad really enjoyed his birthday celebration. He even stuffed his pockets with extra-crispy sopapillas to take back to his room for later.

“I’ll always be grateful that I had the opportunity to give him one-on-one time for his last birthday and make him the center of attention,” Estes concluded.

PHOTOS: Bobby D. Linville, father to Carlsbad resident Connie Estes (pictured at his gravestone), had a very special birthday and Christmas meal with his daughter before he died in 2011.

F O C U S on food

Carlsbad residents of all ages will soon gather together to celebrate the holiday season with their loved ones. While family

traditions vary from home to home, the one thing almost every seasonal celebration will have in common is a large feast. Whether it is a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, a 4th of July cookout or a Christmas feast, holidays and mountains of food seem to go hand in hand.

A few Carlsbad residents, however, will likely be making some adjustments to the traditional fare. While Southeastern New Mexico’s citizens are overwhelmingly fans of brisket, bacon and beef burritos, the area does, believe it or not, have its share of vegetarians and vegans.

Vegetarians eat no meat. Vegans are strict vegetarians who, in addition to eating no meat, consume no animal-derived ingredients, although some vegans occasionally add a small amount of dairy or eggs to their diet. Many also abstain from using animal products such as leather.

Amanda Melvin, for example, calls herself “95% vegan” because she’ll sometimes have goat cheese. Darlene Hooten uses a small amount of eggs (though they are organic and cage free) and a little cheese. “Most of the time, we’ll get soy cheese, but if we’re in a bind at a potluck we might eat some cheese,” she admitted. “We try really hard.”

Why do they do it? Carlsbad residents who have gone vegan say they are motivated by a combination of health and ethical reasons.

Hooten acknowledged she’s been a vegan or vegetarian off and on for much of the past 30 years. For the

past nine years, however, she and her husband, Ken, have been pretty consistent.

“We had been to Hobbs and had this big steak dinner,” she recalled. “We were on the way home when we started talking about the feedlots and

PHOTO: Carlsbad resident Amanda Melvin, who describes herself as “95% vegan,” shows off the contents of her pantry. Photo by Brand Eye Photography


what that animal went through. We started talking about how people who avoid meat and dairy live longer. By the time we got back from Hobbs, we made a decision.”Hooten said she originally turned away from meat years ago partly due to health reasons. Her husband at the time was having blood pressure problems, so the couple decided to avoid meat for a year. “It was easier when we started this time,” she reflected. “It’s also just so much healthier for the environment. It’s a combination of reasons. There are so many products on the market right now that taste a lot like the meat they are imitating, if you need to do it that way.” Hooten recognizes that many people in Southeastern New Mexico may not relate to veganism, but “from that day forward, I’ve never looked back. This was our decision. We realized that it was up to us.” There are options at local stores, but Carlsbad’s vegans sometimes have to make trips to larger cities to restock on supplies. “When I eat, it takes a lot of consideration,” Melvin explained. “I’ve learned a lot about cooking and balanced meals. My entire day is about balance.”Breakfast one recent morning for Melvin was granola with Brazil nuts and natural, local honey. Almond milk is the basic vegan replacement any time milk might be used. Lunch was going to be a salad. “Here in Carlsbad I keep things pretty simple,” she provided. “Every few days I stock up on vegetables and dry goods.” Margaret Barry, meanwhile, calls herself a “flexitarian:” she follows a strictly vegan diet at home with the exception of eggs from her own chickens, and she avoids processed and nonorganic foods. However, she will usually eat what people around her are eating when in a group setting. Barry confided she became a vegetarian in high school because she loved animals. She said she especially has a moral problem with slaughterhouses and the inhumane treatment of animals there. “But I have done it differently in my life as well, when we raised our own sheep and chickens,” she revealed. Hooten and Melvin, however, stick with their diet, even when on the road. “You always have to ask,” Hooten maintained. “If there are beans, is there lard or bacon fat? If it is Spanish rice, was chicken stock used?”

The women all contend that there is always a vegan option that is just as good.“I make a really good enchilada with bell peppers, onions and squash,” Hooten insisted. “I make my own enchilada sauce.”“When I go to potlucks, I bring my baked items, and people really like those,” Melvin added. Hooten is usually the hostess for the holidays, so she sets the rules. “Everyone brings something, but they don’t bring meat,” she stated. “We have a big Tofurky and it looks just like a turkey. I’ve brought it to church potlucks and it’s all gone.”“When I host a dinner, it’s going to be at a minimum vegetarian and at a maximum vegan,” contended Melvin. “If I attend a dinner, I’ll bring a vegan dish.” Being a vegan has caused her to take a different look at holiday traditions. She’s even learned how to pair wines with different vegan dishes. Melvin’s decision was originally due to health reasons, but her decision also has ethical merits such as an opposition to slaughterhouses. “I was lactose intolerant, and I also had a hard time as a child digesting meat,” she remarked. “It wasn’t something on my radar back then though.”As a young professional, Melvin worked in an environmental field with a number of vegetarians. “I began to become interested in everything that goes into my body,” she continued. “I realized that there were people living without meat and surviving.”About ten years ago, Melvin gave up eating all meat but fish. From there, she’s gradually moved into being a vegan. She became more and more interested in knowing what it was that she would be eating. For protein, she relies on peas and beans. She eats Portobello mushrooms frequently and gets her iron from dark green vegetables. Hummus is another vegan staple. “At

the beginning, it was a lot of work,” she admitted. “It truly requires you to make a conscious decision to make the change.” These days, Melvin keeps a list of all the vegan items offered at local restaurants. She knows where she can find each item to help her with a balanced day of meals. She’s even talked a few local restaurants into providing special items. She also recognizes that she is outnumbered. Some people just tease her about her veganism, but other people have become upset. “They said, ‘I may have an issue with a food item, but I never expect people to accommodate me,’” she relayed. “But I’m not pushing my view on anyone. All I ask is for people to respect my view.” Her family is accommodating of her veganism. “But they all do think it is strange,” she quipped. She certainly encourages event organizers to attempt to be more accommodating to dietary concerns. “But mostly, just let me know beforehand,” she offered. “Food is so central to social culture, and when you change the food, you start to pay attention to other things,” she pointed out. Substitutions may be necessary during Thanksgiving and Christmas for Carlsbad’s vegans and vegetarians, but the feast will be every bit as splendid.

Vegan Chocolate,Walnut andHoney Cookies

BASE INGREDIENTS• 1 c. flour• 1/3 c. soy flour• 2/3 c. steel cut oatmeal• 1 tsp. baking soda• 1 tsp. baking powder

LIQUID INGREDIENTS• 1/4 c. honey• 1 Tbsp. vanilla• 1/8 c. coconut oil• 1/3 c. sugar

ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS • 1/2 c. chopped walnuts• 1/3 c. chocolate chips• 1/3 c. almond milk

Walnuts and honey with a hintof chocolate make these cookiesa perfect cold day treat.

DIRECTIONSMix the base and liquid together.Add walnuts and chocolate chips to taste. Add almond milk to batter untilit reaches a cookie consistency.

Bake at 350° for 10 minutes.

Amanda says, “With most of my vegan recipes,

I observe the batter consistency when making

cakes, cookies, quick breads, etc. When adding the

almond milk, think of what cookie batter looks like

and add until it looks right. With this recipe it took

about 1/3 cup. The same goes for added items like

chocolate chips and walnuts.”

Recipe provided by Amanda Melvin.

A Carlsbad business that has helped celebrate its share of weddings and anniversaries is currently celebrating its own Diamond Jubilee.Cone Jewelers, located at 111 S. Canyon Street, is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, announced owner Byron Heiser.

Cone’s legacy began when Heiser’s maternal grandparents, Milton and Wanda Cone, opened a jewelry store in Crane, Texas, in 1954. The Cones later opened a store in Monahans, Texas. Heiser’s mother, Donna, helped with the family business during the summer. In 1970, Heiser’s father, Bill, in conjunction with his wife’s family, opened a store in Kermit, Texas. Heiser and his father later opened a shop in Carlsbad in 1993.

“Carlsbad had a busy downtown,” Heiser recalled. “There was a good, small town feel to it.”

The Kermit store moved to Odessa in 2004 and is still run by his father. Heiser runs the Carlsbad shop, but the father and son are co-owners of both businesses. “The main key to our whole business is our customer service and the fact that we do repairs in the store,” Heiser said. “We do expert repairs and we always will.”

Heiser has helped directly with the family business since he was in the seventh grade. He took a little break after high school, but then returned to jewelry. “I looked around, but it got

to the point where my dad needed my help,” he added. “My dad and I help each other, and we both have our hands full.”

The styles and interests have shifted over the years, and Heiser said business has shifted more and more into primarily diamond sales. As the price of gold has gone up, the interest in silver has increased. “Silver has come a long way. There’s some really great contemporary designs,” he noted.

In case you are wondering, Christmas outsells Valentine’s Day, but February is a solid second place for busiest time of the year.

Cone Jewelers is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on weekdays and has Saturday hours. For more information, please call 575-885-2213.

F O C U S business briefs

PHOTO: Byron Heiser and his staff at Cone Jewelers are celebrating the 60th anniversary of the business.

DOWNTOWN BUSINESS CELEBRATING60th Anniversary60th Anniversary


F O C U S on the chamber

FALL AND WINTER AT THE CHAMBERThe Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce kicked off the fall season with our second annual Business Expo and Job Fair. The event was held on Thursday, October 16 at the Pecos River Village Conference Center. The thirty-five local businesses who participated in this year’s event, including health care, non-profits, transportation, potash, oil and gas, communication and education, were as varied as the over 2,000 individuals who attended.

Fall is also the time to start thinking about Christmas shopping. We invite you to join us for the fourth annual

Carlsbad Winter Wine Festival on Friday evening, December 5 and Saturday, December 6 at the Pecos River Village Conference Center.

The VIP Party is on Friday, December 5 from 6:00-9:00 p.m.; tickets are $25 per person. Only 350 tickets are available, which will give you the first preview of the wines being offered for tasting and purchase from nine New Mexico wineries, shopping from over 20 vendors, hors d’oeuvres and lots of visiting with friends.

Saturday’s festival is from noon until 6:00 p.m. and advance tickets are $10 per person or $12 at the door. There will still be plenty of wine to sample and purchase and time to shop with the vendors.

Tickets may be purchased at www.carlsbadwinterwine.com and are also available at the Chamber of Commerce at 302 S. Canal Street.

Of course, don’t forget Christmas on the Pecos, which runs nightly from Friday, November 28 through Monday, December 31 (except for Christmas Eve…Santa is a little busy that night!). Tickets may be purchased online at www.christmasonthepecos.com.

Please contact us at 575-887-6516 or visit www.carlsbadchamber.com for additional events and announcements.

CDOD ADDS JOBFEATURE TO WEB SITE The Carlsbad Department of Development (CDOD) has recently added a feature to its website (www.developcarlsbad.org) to allow local businesses to post job opportunities.“We have companies from Lowe’s to CARC, Inc. utilizing the website, and it is one of the most-trafficked websites used by people looking to find opportunity in Carlsbad,” stated Shannon Summers, local development coordinator with the CDOD. Summers provided the following walkthrough for employers who want to share career information: • Visit www.developcarlsbad.org/jobs.aspx (or from the home page of www.developcarlsbad.org, click the menu link

path: Employment > Job Seekers > Job Openings)• Click “Manage Job Postings.” The first time you visit you will be asked to create a log in. Save your username and password. You’ll need this in the future to add additional jobs, remove positions, and make changes to existing opportunities. You will be sent a confirmation link to the email address you’ve provided to complete the sign up.• Start adding jobs by using the 3rd tab “My Job Postings.” You can revisit this tab anytime to make edits and revisit your open listings.

Best practices and additional information:• You may want to mention what the potential employee needs in order to apply: for instance, a resume, cover letter or list of references.• Include within the positing whether the applicant should apply online or email a resume. Provide contact information.• If possible, include a description of the ideal candidate and what qualifications are needed.

• Adding a salary and what benefits the applicant may receive can drive more applications your way!• The tab labeled “Carlsbad Dept. of Development Jobs” features jobs sent by the City and company confidential jobs.

Winter WineFestival

Carlsbad

With colder weather in the air, ‘tis the season for the snowbirds to return to

Carlsbad. Snowbirds, as you know, are people who leave their homes when the temperature drops and head for warmer climates. They are mostly retirees and business owners who can afford to to take the winter off. Many snowbirds leave the northern states between the middle of October and

the end of November. Some own homes in both the South and the North; others rent apartments or live in RVs. Many rent during the winter to test the waters and see if they would like to become permanent residents of a community. They enjoy the best of both climates by moving South to avoid the cold winters in the North. When the South heats up in the spring and summer, they move back North.

By doing this, snowbirds get to enjoy mild weather year ‘round and also get to see a lot of places. Climate is the number one attraction for snowbirds, but not the only attraction. Many are

interested in working part time and making money. They take up the slack for employers who need additional help during the holiday season.

Carlsbad has the climate, amenities and job opportunities to attract snowbirds. In 1985, Bill Stone and his wife, Marlene, heard from friends that Carlsbad was a great place. They love to square dance and play golf; the North Mesa Senior Center holds weekly square dances, so they decided to pay Carlsbad a visit. The Stones stayed for a week, visited Las Cruces, and then returned to Carlsbad. Since that time, they have been coming to Carlsbad in October each year and return to Iowa the first of May.

Roger Marks and his wife, Janet, visited Carlsbad twice before deciding to relocate from New Jersey. They have been residents now for 21 years. After receiving a book from New Mexico Magazine regarding retirement in New Mexico, they visited several New Mexico cities and fell in love with Landsun Homes.

Both Roger and Bill “coffee with the boys” at the Riverwalk Recreation Center most weekdays.

WINTER VISITORS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME IN OUR CITY!

Janell Whitlock, Director of Retirement,can be reached at 575-887-6516.


‘TIS THE SEASONFOR SNOWBIRDS

PHOTO: Coffee with the boys - a 30 year tradition.

One of New Mexico’s grandest holiday light shows can be found during Christmas on the Pecos in Carlsbad. Bundled up against the winter chill, you stare in fascination as your boat glides

through a fairyland of twinkling lights created by more than 100 Pecos River homeowners and corporate sponsors who spend hours creatively decorating backyards and boat docks with millions of lights.

Each display is unique. From the Christmas in the Desert Southwest theme at one home to Santa’s Play Land at another, Carlsbad residents show their creativity as much as their community pride. Each year, holiday season on the Pecos River wraps itself around the riverfront, illuminating backyards, boat docks and islands with lights. Wise men and angels glow on sloping lawns. Giant margarita glasses and bright stars reflect on the water. The Pecos River shimmers with color.

Christmas on the Pecos is a 45 minute boat ride. Boats set sail

12-15 times per night between 5:15 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. from November 28 through New Year’s Eve. Tours depart from the Pecos River Village, a quaint, turn-of-the-century park that is transformed into a wonderland of sparkling lights and delights.

For further information or to purchase tickets online, please visitwww.christmasonthepecos.com.

WINDING RIVER REFLECTS TWINKLING LIGHTS AT CARLSBAD’S ANNUAL CHRISTMAS ON THE PECOS


XCEL SERVICE CENTERElected officials, Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors and representatives from Carlsbad Department of Development and Xcel Energy celebrated the completion of Xcel Energy’s new service center located at 1601 Commerce Street.

FUSIONJane Cornwell, staff, friends and the Chamber Ambassadors celebrated the opening of Fusion Health and Wellness on August 4. Fusion Health and Wellness is located in suite 6G at 2402 W. Pierce Street and can be reached at 575-628-0331.


WELCOME NEW CHAMBER MEMBERS!Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce is proud to welcome the following businesses as new members.

BRADBURY STAMM CONSTRUCTION

CAMP WASHINGTON RANCH

CHILL YOGURT BAR, LLC

DESTINY’SNEW AGE PSYCHIC

EDDY COUNTY ABSTRACT & TITLE CO., LLC

FAIRWAY AUTOCLINIC, LLC

FUSION HEALTH& WELLNESS

FUSION MEDICAL SPA (RUIDOSO, NM)

HERBALIFE INDEPENDENT DISTRIBUTOR

ZIA QUILTING ANDSTITCHERY GUILD

For more information or to join the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce call 575-887-6516 or visit carlsbadchamber.com.

YOUR CHAMBER STAFFROBERT DEFER, Chief Executive [email protected]

BRENDA WHITEAKER, Director of [email protected]

LISA BOEKE, Director of Tourism & Marketing [email protected]

JANELL WHITLOCK, Director of [email protected]

DONNA CASS, Senior Admin. [email protected]

DOROTHY RIDGEWAY, Admin. [email protected]

RANDY BAKER, Director of Facility [email protected]

JESUS TORRES, Facility MaintenanceJAVIER LOPEZ, Facility Maintenance

CARLSBAD NATIONAL BANK Carlsbad National Bank celebrated its 90th anniversary with the help of friends, customers, employees and Chamber Ambassadors on August 8.

FUEGOFuego Wireless is now located at the Carlsbad Mall. Come see what Fuego Wireless has to offer.

HEATON HOUSE Lakeview Christian Home recently celebrated the grand opening of the Heaton House. Lakeview is located at 1905 W. Pierce and can be reached by calling 575-887-3947.

DESTINY’S NEW AGE PSYCHIC Destiny’s New Age Psychic is located at 3101 National Parks Highway. Call 575-496-0367 for business hours or more information.

EZ RENTAL EZ Sales and Rentals celebrated its 30th anniversary on August 7. EZ Sales and Rentals is located at 402 S. Canyon Street. Call 575-887-5506.


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There’s just something comforting about staying close to home that makes a difference when you’re fighting breast cancer. So it’s good to know that expert treatment is available right here in Carlsbad. Board-certified radiation oncologist, Becki S. Hill, MD, was fellowship trained at MD Anderson Cancer Center and has 14 years of experience treating cancer. We know you don’t want to wait to find answers. Dr. Hill is often available for same-day and next-day consultations. Choose Carlsbad Medical Center for advanced breast cancer treatment. Call 575-887-0272 to learn more.

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