Focus on Carlsbad Summer 2010

SUMMER 2010

Reading, Writing and Rattlesnakes

The Living Desert Leadership Carlsbad

A Top Secret Look at a Local Program

Boy Scouts of America

Celebrating 100 Years of Service

Discover the Excitement of a New Home!

Spring Hollow Homes offered by Means Real Estate and Ken Thurston Homes

Low interest and affordable pricing make now the time to buy!

Ken Thurston homes has the right home for you! Our 34 years of innovation in affordable housing has made Ken Thurston Homes an industry leader in Carlsbad and the surrounding area. In fact, we help more local families move into EPA-qualified, Energy Star certified homes than any other builder. • There is a lot of smoke and mirrors when it comes to buying a new home, especially when you look at energy efficiency. Every builder will tell you they are an energy efficient builder, but truly they are not doing any more to their homes than the minimum standards set by the code requirements. • At Ken Thurston Homes we stand behind our statement as an Energy Star Certified Builder. Every Ken Thurston Home is verified by a third party inspector that it meets and exceeds all Energy Star standards set by the US Department of Energy. • There has never been a better time to invest in the quality of living in Carlsbad. You truly can afford quality with a Ken Thurston Home.

Ready to be impressed?

Visit our model home today at 1834 Hays OPEN: Weekdays 3-5 • Saturdays 10-2 • Sundays 1-3

Oran & Shirley Means

Associate Brokers

575-885-6664 575-361-0207

Denise Griffith Broker

Multi-Million Dollar Producer

575-361-1181

Lanette Rostro Duarte

LaVern Johnston

Million Dollar Producer

575-361-1885

Associate Broker

575-200-5954

Associate Broker

Multi-Million Dollar Producer

SUMMER 2010

Focus on the Chamber Focus Community Events From the Editor

04 07 08

Focus on Community

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Focus on the Road

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And BINGO Was Its Name Oh Road Trip - Ft. Davis, Texas Focus on Education

The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens

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Carlsbad, Carlsbad How Does Your Garden Grow?

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Carlsbad Characters

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Focus on Sports

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Focus on Service

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Meet the Robots

W e A r e C o m f o r t K e e p e r s®

Disc-Oh-Golf Craze Catching On • Meal Preparation • Housekeeping and Laundry • Errands and Shopping • Incidental Transportation • Respite Care • Grooming, Dressing Guidance • Medication Reminders • Personal Care Services: – Bathing, Hygiene – Incontinence Care – Transferring and Positioning Emergency Response Technology

Leadership Carlsbad Focus on Business

Kindermusik® Helping Young Minds Grow Focus on History

Boy Scouts Turn 100

206 W. McKay Carlsbad, NM 88220

Focus Business Directory

575-887-4999

Each office independently owned and operated.

W W W. C o m f o r t K e e p e r s . C o m

Focus Restaurant Guide © 2009 CK Franchising, Inc.

s e r v i C e s

Comfort Keepers® provides in-home care for clients needing assistance for a few hours a day to around-the-clock. Care is provided by our Comfort Keepers® who are carefully screened and trained to provide compassionate care and companionship. Call us today for a free in-home visit.

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Editorial Content by Kyle Marksteiner Photography by Kyle Marksteiner - along with submitted photos Special Contributors: Jeff Keller, Bianca L. Granado & John Safin Focus on Carlsbad is published quarterly by Ad Venture Marketing.

Ad Venture Marketing, Ltd. Co. toll free: 866.207.0821 www.ad-venturemarketing.com All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without permission of the publisher is prohibited.

Every effort was made to ensure accuracy of the information provided.

The publisher assumes no responsibility or liability for errors, changes or omissions.

on the chamber

Chamber heads out on the road….

tourism corner

The Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce spent its winter on the road promoting tourism for Carlsbad. Lisa Boeke, Tourism Director, attended several shows throughout the winter season in hopes of encouraging potential visitors to Carlsbad. The winter show season kicks off with the Winter Texan show in McAllen, Texas which is followed by the Snowbird Extravaganza show in South Padre Island, Tulsa Outdoor Boat and RV Show, LA Times show in Los Angeles and wraps up with the Chicago Tribune show, which is held in Chicago the middle of March.

The Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce partners with Carlsbad Retirement Council, New Mexico Tourism Department and the city of Alamogordo each year to help further their ability to cover over 20 shows per year. Each year over 50,000 brochures are given out at trade shows and conventions to help promote tourism in Carlsbad. If you need any further information about the shows the Chamber of Commerce attends, please contact Lisa Boeke at 575-887-6516.

What are some of the things the Chamber has been doing?

In February and March we:

• Had ribbon cuttings and grand openings for LaBella Gift Boutique, Navarro Research and Engineering, and In Your Dreams Bed & Bath Shop • Cut the ribbon celebrating the completion of Lea Street’s road construction • Helped New Mexico State University – Carlsbad break ground for their the Allied Health Science Building • Celebrated Church Street Grill’s 15th Anniversary • Took 6,875 Visit/Relocate/Retire Guides to trade shows • Shared 1,100 Place to Call Home retirement brochures with trade shows • Sent 625 Visit/Relocate/Retire Guides to other visitor’s centers in New Mexico • Gave out 62 relocation packets • Provided 300 information bags to conventions held in Carlsbad • Greeted over 350 visitors to the Chamber office • Had 9,879 people visit the Chamber’s web site and 197 visit the Retire in Carlsbad web site • Welcomed twelve new Chamber of Commerce members

Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have questions, needs…or just want to visit!

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on carlsbad

Your Chamber of Commerce Team

Letter from the ceo

Warm weather is here and with it comes a host of events, people, and fun!

Carlsbad is a wonderful vacation destination because we have a lot to offer. The Pecos River provides swimming, skiing, tubing, boating, and barbequing with all the trimmings. People come from all around to spend the weekend on the water.

The beach area provides water, sun, shade, and a family atmosphere that can’t be found anywhere else.

The Carlsbad area has the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Brantley Lake State Park, Guadalupe National Park, and Sitting Bull Falls Recreation Area. There is something for everyone, right here in our own back yard!

Combine those with softball tournaments, baseball, soccer, golfing, hiking, mountain trail riding, a car show, shopping downtown, theater, and productions at the library. Carlsbad is truly a SUMMER VACATION DESTINATION! But, what makes all this the very best place is the friendly people who live here.

Thank you! Hope you have a great summer and please be friendly to all those who visit us.

Welcome!

New Members ABBA Technologies Avon Sales Rep., Ann Ferguson In Your Dreams Bed & Bath Sarina’s Donuts Simian Support Sixtus Publishing Stacy Bogan-Green, Licensed Massage Therapist Stanley Bode Top Flyt Entertainment University of Phoenix Watkins Products, Grady Ferguson What’s Up? Wireless

.................................................................

For more info or to join the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce 302 South Canal Street (575) 887-6516 www.carlsbadchamber.com

Robert P. Defer Chief Executive Officer

2009-2010 Board of Directors Matt Leroch,

Chairman of the Board URS Washington Division

Russell Hardy,

Incoming Chairman of the Board NMSU-Carlsbad

Susan Crockett,

Treasurer & Positively Carlsbad Chairperson Springtime Cleaning & Janitorial

Roxanne Lara,

Past Chairman of the Board Lara Law Firm

Dave Rogers,

Ambassador Chairperson CARC, Inc

Bonnie Bakal,

Governmental Affairs Chairperson Individual

Michael Calvani,

Christmas on the Pecos Chairperson Calvani’s Carpets

Marsha Drapala,

Retirement Council Chairperson Landsun Homes, Inc.

Bobby Forrest,

Tourism Chairperson Best Western Stevens Inn

Rudy Dominguez, Board Member Intrepid Potash NMLLC

Darold Haug, Board Member

Washington TRU Solutions

Tom Hollis, Board Member

Bob Yeager, Board Member

Century 21 Associated Professionals

Honorary Board Members

Carlsbad National Bank

John Benjamin,

Lodger’s Tax Representative Living Desert State Park

Jerri McTaggart, Board Member Simply Enchanted Events & Rentals

Alison Bryant

Wes Carter,

Susan Owen, Board Member

Ken Britt,

City Council Representative City Council

Lakeview Christian Home

Mayor Dale Janway,

Sousorrone Viento Bed and Breakfast Inn

City of Carlsbad Mayor City of Carlsbad

Chris Bird,

Young Business League Chairperson Carlsbad National Bank

Tina Britain, Board Member

Tom Saulino, Board Member

Mark Schinnerer, Board Member

CARC, Inc

Johnna Stephens, Board Member

Carlsbad Caverns National Park Carlsbad Community Anti-Drug/Gang Coalition

John Lujan

Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Guy Lutman

Eddy County Commission

Ernie Mendoza

Eddy County Sheriff Office

Carlsbad Mental Health

Jim Stovall

Brenda Suggs, Board Member

Bureau of Land Management

Curves International

Western Commerce Bank

John Waters

Janet Carbary, Board Member

Judith Waters, Board Member

Dr. Sheri Williams

Kirstin Carlson, Board Member

Ernie White, Board Member

Carlsbad Medical Center Carlsbad Mental Health

First United Methodist Church

Carlsbad Department of Development Carlsbad Municipal Schools

Individual

Your Chamber Staff Robert P Defer, CEO

Janell Whitlock, Director of Retirement

Albert Elizondo, Administrative Assistant

Brenda Whiteaker, Director of Operations

Roland Caudill, Facilities Manager

Gilbert John Gonzalez, Facilities Maintenance Arthur “Dewey” Griffith, Facilities Maintenance Danny Strain, Facilities Maintenance

director@carlsbadchamber.com

retirement@carlsbadchamber.com

operations@carlsbadchamber.com

facility@carlsbadchamber.com

Lisa Boeke, Director of Marketing & Tourism

Donna Cass, Administrative Assistant

tourism@carlsbadchamber.com

carlsbadnm@carlsbadchamber.com

temp@carlsbadchamber.com

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Grand Openings ribbon cuttings ground breakings

The staff of Church Street Grill and Chamber Ambassadors celebrate their 15th Anniversary! Church St. Grill is located at 301 W. Church St.

Annette Mihelic, Tom Wilbur, Sen. Carroll Leavell, Russell Hardy, Rep. John Heaton, Roxanne Lara, Ray Perez, and Joni Newcomer and the Chamber Ambassadors break ground for the new $6,000,000 Allied Health Sciences Complex at NMSU-Carlsbad.

Joy Spring, owner of In Your Dreams Bed & Bath Shop – 318 W. Mermod – celebrates the grand opening of this new business.

LaBella Gift Boutique recently moved to a new and larger location at 113 S. Canyon St in downtown Carlsbad.

Carlsbad Satellites celebrates the grand opening of their new location – 528 N. Canal

Former Mayor Bob Forrest, City of Carlsbad officials and Chamber Ambassadors cut the ribbon celebrating the opening of Lea Street after completion of resurfacing project.

Navarro Engineering & Research recently celebrated the grand opening of their second location in Carlsbad at 405 W. Greene St.

CARLSBAD:

THE PEARL OF THE PECOS According to “Gone to Texas” magazine, 10% of Americans will relocate after retirement.

You may know that retirees visit an area 3 to 5 times before deciding to relocate there. You may also know that retirees purchase homes with values above that community’s average value. But did you know that for every retiree, 1.5 to 2.5 jobs are created to serve their needs. These jobs help represent the “bread and butter” of our city. A healthy city must have a mix of employers and employees to be attractive to retirees. Walt Disney believed, “If you can dream it, you can do it.”

The action plan of the Chamber Retirement Initiative includes: Improve the livability, appearance and image of our community With the launching of “Take Pride in Carlsbad” led by the Beautification Committee, we are working to improve the appearances of businesses and homes in our City. We have to cultivate our local flavor. Carlsbad is a “diamond in the rough.” Our assets include low cost of living, affordable housing, recreation, wonderful environment, education possibilities at NMSU-C, great climate and low taxes.

We need to become an Eagle Community. By keeping a positive attitude we can help our town become successful. We need to keep our focus on what we need and want and how to achieve it. We don’t want to look backwards but look forward to a bright future for Carlsbad. Retirees are a great asset to any community and Carlsbad is A PLACE TO CALL HOME. Let’s keep them coming!

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

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on carlsbad

community events May 6-9

July 16

This annual Mescalero Apache interpretive and ceremonial event at Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park will begin at 10 a.m., May 6, with the mescal pit blessing. May 7th and 8th will feature a Native American arts and crafts show all day, an interpretive roundtable at 2 p.m., and an Apache feast dinner at 6 p.m., followed by Apache war dances and the Dance of the Mountain Spirits. The event will conclude May 9 with the mescal pit opening and mescal tasting ceremony at 11 a.m. Tickets for the dinner and dances are limited to 500 each night and are $15 each. For more information, call Linda Frank at the park at 575-887-5516.

Look through large telescopes at wonders of the night sky at Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park. There is no fee. For more information, call Kathryn Law at 887-5516.

Mescal Roast

May 14-16 Shoot Out

Seven Rivers Regulators will host the 9th Annual Seven Rivers Shooting Shindig, “Shoot Out On The Pecos,” at the city range on Happy Valley Road. For more information, please call Rita Wall at 575-885-9879 or 575-200-5406 or Leslie Lewis at 575-887-5659

June 4

7th Annual Desert Starlight

(7-11:45 p.m.)

This two-day astronomy event at Brantley Lake State Park begins on Friday with door-prize drawings for astronomy merchandise. Friday and Saturday evenings will both feature astronomy PowerPoint programs followed by laser constellation tours and telescope viewing until midnight. On Saturday afternoon, there will also be solar observation through large telescopes with special filters.

June 5

Car-A-Fair 2010

(8 a.m.-5 p.m.)

A judged outdoor car show for all motorized vehicles, stock and modified classes for all makes, models, and years--held at the Beach Band Shell. For more information, see www.carsclubofcarlsbad.com Contact Joy Springer at 575-887-8853 or 575-8873440.

June 12

Ducky Affair

(11 a.m.-5 p.m.)

The 21st Annual Ducky Affair will feature a splash down at noon at the irrigation canal.

For more information, please call Linda Faulk at 8875947 or the Assistance League of Carlsbad at 8853333

Star Party

July 19-23 & July 26-30 Zoo Camp

(8:15 a.m.-12 p.m.)

Children have fun while they learn at Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park zoo camp. The camp features music, crafts, special activities, guest speakers and more. This year’s theme is Conservation and Ecology.

The first week is for 7-9 year olds, and the second week is for 10-12 year olds. Fees are $40 per child and $30 for Friends’ children. Pre-registration is required and begins June 15. For more information or to pre-register, call 887-5516.

July 24

Mariachi and the Moon

(7-7:45 p.m.)

Listen to a concert by the Mariachi Unidos. The concert is free; however, regular entrance fees apply for the Moon Walk that follows at 8 p.m.

Other Events Full Moon Walks

May 27 (8-8:30 p.m.)

June 26 (8:15-8:45 p.m.)

July 24 (8-8:30 p.m.)

August 21 (7:45-8:15 p.m.)

Stroll through Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park by the light of the full moon. This is a beautiful time to experience the park. The entrance time is limited to a half-hour. Regular entrance fees apply. For more information, call Kathryn Law at 887-5516.

Fridays

Friday Focus

(7:30-9:30 a.m.)

Friday Focus is a great opportunity to market your business and network with other Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce members at the Stevens Inn. Place a business card in the basket, and when called on, introduce yourself and your business. Distribute

business and promotional material on tables. (Collect before leaving.) Networking opportunities are endless.

Call the Chamber for more information at 575-8876516.

Fridays

Preschool Story Time

(9:30-10:30 a.m.)

Story time takes place every Friday morning when school is in session at the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park Visitor’s Center. Songs, a story, a short walk in the park (weather permitting), and crafts are offered for preschool children and accompanying adults. Free. For more information, call Linda Frank at the park at 575-887-5516.

Saturdays

Farmer’s Market

(9 a.m.-noon) Local growers gather at the south side of the Eddy County Courthouse lawn during the summer to sell home-grown vegetables, herbs and plants.

Contacts

Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce www.carlsbadchamber.com • 575-887-6516 Carlsbad Department of Development www.developcarlsbad.org • 575-887-6562 City of Carlsbad www.cityofcarlsbadnm.com • 575-887-1191 City of Carlsbad Police Department www.carlsbadpolicedepartment.com • 575-885-2111 Eddy County www.co.eddy.nm.us • 575-887-9511 Eddy County Sheriff’s Department 887-7551 Carlsbad Municipal Schools www.carlsbad.k12.nm.us • 575-234-3300 New Mexico State University www.artemis.nmsu.edu • 575-234-9250 Carlsbad Medical Center www.carlsbadmedicalcenter.com • 575-887-4100 WIPP www.wipp.energy.gov • 575-234-7200 Carlsbad Caverns National Park www.nps.gov/cave/ • 575-785-2232

June 8-20

Roadrunner Gem and Mineral Show

(9 a.m.-5 p.m.)

This annual show, held at the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park visitor center, features the exhibit and sale of minerals, fossils, and jewelry. There is no fee to attend. For more information, call Kathryn Law at 887-5516.

June 25-July 4

CAAA Living Desert Show

(9 a.m.-5 p.m.)

The annual Carlsbad Area Art Association Living Desert Show features the exhibit and sale of desertthemed artwork, including pottery, jewelry, sculpture, paintings, and more. There is no fee to attend. For more information, call Kathryn Law at 887-5516.

June 26

Music and the Moon

(7-8 p.m.)

Listen to popular music performed by the Carlsbad Community Band. The concert is free; however, regular entrance fees apply for the Moon Walk that follows at 8:15 p.m.

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from the editor

Confessions of a Facebook Newbie So this whole Facebook thing is taking some getting used to.

A month or two ago, “Focus on Carlsbad” developed its own Facebook persona. I then joined the party as “FocusMagazine Carlsbadeditor” which was my super secret Facebook identity.

Turns out, lots of you are already there. There’s this whole new universe where gobs of Carlsbad people are playing virtual farm and restaurant games and swapping pictures. If you think it’s a slow day in Carlsbad, chances are that the party is going strong online.

I feel like a foreign exchange student. I’m from some jungle somewhere, and now I’m looking around in the big city, and I really have no idea what is going on. By all means, please take me by the hand and introduce me to your new world. Here’s what I know so far: There are walls. Sometimes I can find the walls, and sometimes I cannot find them. You can write on your own wall, and you can even write on other people’s walls, which you are typically not allowed to do in real life.

There are friends. Facebook is pretty much the friendliest place in the world. Every now and then, someone new will invite you to be their Facebook friend, thus allowing you to expand your social empire.

There are applications. Facebook has all sorts of applications like the virtual farm game and the Family Ties trivia game and the virtual payday lender game. In fact, Facebook is so friendly that you even get updates about how your friends do while they are playing these games. To be frank, I haven’t really figured out why Facebook decided I need to know how high my friends score while they are playing the virtual farm game.

I avoided Facebook for the longest time because I felt it was some sort of strange world where everyone just talked about themselves and nobody was really listening or responding.

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on carlsbad

It turns out that people on Facebook are listening to each other. Just the other day, for example, I wished everyone a happy Easter. A few hours later, I received two different “(person) likes this message” on my Easter wish. I don’t know how they did the whole “likes this message” thing because I’m still a Facebook newbie, but it sure is nice to see people being polite.

Once I learn how to do this, I promise a whole wave of liking other people’s messages.

So anyhow, if you see me wandering the streets of Facebook, alone and confused, stop and help a brother out. After all, some day I may be the one giving you an update on how I scored playing the virtual farm game.

And if you’ve never been to Facebook, drop by and say hi.

Who are we? In case you’ve ever found yourself

wondering just who these “Focus on Carlsbad” people are, I’m here to give you an answer. Focus on Carlsbad is a quarterly magazine featuring events and personalities of Carlsbad. It is published by Ad Venture Marketing. I’m the magazine’s editorial director, while Alyx Duncan is the advertising director. We’re both Carlsbad residents.

We have a number of partnerships in the community.

The Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce, for example, provides us with quarterly updates about its important ongoing activities. Other Carlsbad residents also contribute regularly to our magazine.

If you would like more information about Focus, please e-mail me at editor@ad-venturemarketing.com, or you can always come find us on Facebook.

Facebook is a registered trademark of Facebook, Inc. Kyle Marksteiner is the editor of Focus Magazine.

He can be reached at editor@ad-venturemarketing.com

on the community road

It’s a Sunday afternoon in April, and Debbie Pearson’s Buddhas are in place.

The Buddhas–there’s about a squadron of them–are flanked by ceramic elephants and pictures of Pearson’s grandchildren. Together, their job is to bring Pearson good luck during bingo at the Boys & Girls Club’s facility at 206 E. Pecan St. Do they help?

“It don’t hurt,” Pearson shrugged, but said she’s had to recently put a stop to making any new additions into the collection. “My bag was getting too heavy to carry,” she said, noting family members often wanted to help supply new good luck charms. “I had to tell the grandkids they’ve got to quit it.”

Pearson is one of Carlsbad’s loyal bingo players, folks who gather at the Boys & Girls Club and other locations a few times a week to have fun and try to win prize money.

“I used to come almost every night,” Pearson said. “Now I’m down to two or three times a week. It’s a chance to get out of the house, and everybody is friendly.”

Sunday afternoon started off on a high note for Linda Przeslak. She won $299 before the actual bingo even started. In addition to the main event, there are a host of side games and scratch-offs that participants can play. “Those make this go from real affordable to being kind of expensive,” said Pearson, who hadn’t won $299 that day.

Przeslak said she typically plays with her sister, but her sister was on a bus trip to a casino in Albuquerque that afternoon.

ago. She used to bring special items designed to bring her good luck. Many bingo players–such as a woman two tables away from Przeslak who set an entire suitcaseful of ceramic turtles on her table–have elaborate rituals designed to bring them good luck.

“They take it very seriously” said Sylvia De Los Santos, executive director of the Boys and Girls Club of Carlsbad. “Some people are very superstitious about who is getting what card. A lot of people have their own rituals, too.”

“It can get ugly,” admitted Pearson.

“You wouldn’t think bingo could ever be a contact sport.”

De Los Santos said the organization has hosted bingo since 1993. Bingo is a large part of the club’s annual fundraising effort, accounting for about a third of the club’s total annual operating budget of about $370,000. With that money, the club assists thousands of Carlsbad boys and girls each year.

The Boys & Girls Club hosts bingo on Sundays and Mondays, but other local organizations, such as San Jose Catholic Church and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, offer events on other days. Most of the club’s bingo players are regulars who also participate in other local bingos, De Los Santos said.

Przeslak said she’ll typically play two or three times a week, depending on how she does.

“It’s extremely addictive,” she admitted.

“But if I don’t win, it goes to a good cause.”

Debbie Pearson, supported by several statues of Buddha, awaits the start of bingo at the Boys and Girls Club facility.

But Przeslak said she often has her share of good luck. “I usually do very well,” she said. “You can ask anybody.

They get nervous when I walk through the door.” The other bingo players are usually supportive, she said, but things do get a little heated if one person starts winning over and over again.

Pearson, a smoker, said she’ll sometimes drive to Hobbs to participate in bingo events there that also allow smoking.

She always sits in the same spot while playing at the Boys & Girls Club. “I don’t really know why that is,” she mused.

She’ll sometimes bring her daughter to play with her, she said. Her grandchildren love bingo, but are too young to participate.

About 12 years ago, Pearson won a $10,000 prize at a special bingo in Santa Fe. “That’s how they get you,” she joked.

“Some weeks you will really do good and have a winning streak.”

The $10,000 prize, incidentally, even got Story continues on page 10

“It’s fun,” Przeslak said about her hobby.

“All of the workers at all the local bingos are super.”

Przeslak said a friend in Michigan got her started with bingo about 40 years

9

on the community road Story continued from page 9

Pearson featured in the “Bingo Bugle,” a trade publication.

About 65 people occupied the main room of the facility during the recent Sunday afternoon bingo session.

Another 20 men and women, including Pearson, played in the nearby smoking room. Overall, it was a fairly diverse crowd in terms of gender, age and ethnicity.

There was some socialization before the game. Participants bought burritos and stocked up on some of their side game scratchers. Everybody in the room purchased one master pack for $7.50.

Most players also spent $2.50 for at least one extra pack and then forked over quite a bit more to participate in the plethora of side games. The veterans all lined up their collections of special bingo markers. There wasn’t much talking once the game actually began.

Bingo consisted of four $100 rounds

and one $800 grand prize. A different shape was played for each event, such as an X, a big diamond, a kite or a flag. When the caller read off the number drawn, participants marked the spots on their card with that number. If they formed the pattern for that specific event, they won. Televisions throughout the facility also showed what number was about to be called, and a large electric board kept track of what numbers had already been called.

Linda Przeslak sets up for another round of bingo during a Sunday afternoon session at the Boys & Girls Club of Carlsbad’s facility at 206 E. Pecan St. Przeslak said she’s played bingo for 40 years.

The Boys and Girls Club offers special appreciation nights each month with discount packets. De Los Santos said she is also thankful for all of her staff for assisting with the event. “I know Sundays can be killer, and I really appreciate all of my staff,” she said.

De Los Santos also said she can’t keep away for too long.

“For a while I found a bingo manager,

and I wasn’t going as often, but I really did miss it,” she said. “It’s very enjoyable to speak with everyone. You learn a lot about Carlsbad. They really do know what’s going on.”

Przeslak does have some advice for would-be bingo newcomers.

“I recommend they stay away,” she said, smiling. “That way, I have a better chance to win.”

“It’s like ‘Cheers’ here,” Pearson concluded. “Everybody knows your name.”

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Ford Lincoln Mercury

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on carlsbad

on the road

by Bianca L. Granado Fifteen minutes before you reach your actual destination, you become overwhelmed with an awe-inspiring feeling.

The landscape changes from dry, dusty desert to one surrounded by rolling green hills and majestic mountains; the frequent sighting of wildlife is not unusual.

You’re hit with the realization that you are no longer in a modern-day world and instead are driving to a well-preserved pioneer village–a village where it is not unusual to see buildings dating back more than a century still standing and still being used. It is a village where everyone you meet greets you with a warm smile and a helping hand.

daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Central time.

A walking tour includes more than 20 historic structures, including a general store, post office, schoolhouse, hotel, bank, churches and cottages–a history lover’s dream.

Many visitors take advantage of the multitude of outdoor activities such as biking, hunting, horseback riding, camping and, of course, hiking. There are several scenic trails that are appropriate for everyone from the most novice of wilderness lovers to the most experienced.

Fort Davis is also home to the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center and Botanical Gardens, a “desert-learning place.”

Here, Neugent said, visitors can enjoy interpretive exhibits, botanical gardens, hiking trails and much more.

You’ve just entered the village of Fort Davis, Texas. Tucked away in the Davis Mountains Scenic routes like this one along Highway 118 out about three hours south of Carlsbad, Fort of Fort Davis make for an outdoorsmen’s paradise.

Davis was founded in 1854 and originally served as a stop along the original El PasoNeugent added that one of the most unique attractions of Fort San Antonio stretch of the Butterfield Company’s Overland Davis is nearby McDonald Observatory, one of the premiere Stagecoach Line road (also known as the Overland Trail). astronomical research facilities in the world. The Frank N. Bash Here, troops protected emigrants, freighters, mail coaches, and Visitors Center offers a variety of public programs and is open travelers from Comanche and Apache attacks. both during the day and at night.

History buffs, outdoorsmen, astronomers, and relaxationIf relaxation is what you seek, then a visit to Davis Mountains seekers will all find a day trip to this mecca of culture and State Park and the Indian Lodge Hotel is the place to go. history worthwhile, according to Lisa Neugent, executive The Indian Lodge was built in the early 1930s and opened director of the Fort Davis Chamber of Commerce. “There to the public in 1939. Not too long ago, the readers of is so much here that people can enjoy,” Neugent said. “Our Texas Highways Magazine named it as the number one beautiful, natural mountainous setting and our climate and our accommodation in Texas. history make Fort Davis a great place to visit.”

History lovers are also able to visit the Fort Davis National Historic Site, one of the best preserved frontier forts in the Southwest. It’s where original buildings and ruins still remain, as do the stories of Buffalo Soldiers, battles with Native Americans and those of an old frontier life. The park is open

Whether a traveler’s interest is in history, science, rest and relaxation, or some outdoor adventure, Fort Davis has it all.

For more information, call 1-800-524-3015 or visit www.fortdavis.com.

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on education

The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens Carlsbad’s educational ace-in-the-hole Children love animals, just ask any elementary school teacher in America.

Math, language and science lessons become exponentially more interesting when they suddenly involve dividing bears, reading giraffes or tabulating tarantulas.

Carlsbad’s Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park, therefore, provides local educators with exactly what is needed–a hook to make lessons interesting.

Sandra Cosand, a retired teacher who helps develop curriculum for the Living Desert, remembers surveying her students at the end of the year and almost always finding out that their favorite lessons involved animals.

“They just love them,” she said.

“That’s what we want for them to take, not just knowledge, but fascination and appreciation for our plants and animals.”

“When kids are born everything is new to them,” said Kathryn Law, instructional coordinator and regional interpretive ranger for the Living Desert.

“Some fortunate adults have also never lost that wonder of nature.”

Law said education and interpretation has always been a part of the Living Desert’s mission statement.

“Our entire facility is about the Chihuahuan Desert and the interpretation of it,” she noted. “We’ve also decided to teach people, including children, about habitats and geology and even the night sky.”

organization’s treasurer.

The Living Desert has two local support groups–the Carlsbad Horticultural Society, which runs the gift shop, and the Friends of the Living Desert.

The Friends of the Living Desert was originally formed to help with the state park’s annual Mescal Roast, but the organization now assists with a wide variety of activities, and members help obtain craft supplies for preschool story time.

The park’s docent program has about 35-40 participants, with about 12 very active members volunteering on a regular basis, Young said. “We’re training some new people, and we have high hopes for more,” she noted.

The Living Desert also receives help from other volunteers. For example, Boy Scouts working on their Eagle badge often volunteer their services to help with specific projects.

Programs

Every Friday at 9:30 a.m., when school is in session, the Living Desert’s docents host preschool story time at the visitor’s center. The program has been going on for 14 years, and children from birth through preschool age are welcome.

“We’ll sing songs, and we’ll have a story about an animal, usually,” Young said.

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But now and then there won’t be a matching animal. “We don’t have a Leprechaun,” Young said with a smile, referring to the recent story “Shamrock Sean.” The preschoolers will also participate in a craft activity related to the story.

“Susan has an art background from college, so she really is crafty,” Law said.

For older children, the Living Desert offers summer zoo camp during the final two weeks of July. There’s a one week program for children ages 7 to 9 and a similar program for children ages 10 to 12.

“We’ll have a topic for the week. We’ve developed different topics so that it’s not the same lesson,” Young said. “We’ll take a tour and have a guest speaker every day.”

Cosand helps out with zoo camp’s science programs. “It’s something that will appeal to the children and help them learn more about the subject but still be fun,” she said.

Zoo camp lasts from 8:30 a.m. to noon. The cost is $40 per child, or $30 if the family is a Friend of the Living Desert. Officially, each zoo camp has a maximum of 30 children.

“But we’ll get ‘If my best friend can’t come, then I can’t come,’” Young said.

“We’ll usually end up with 35.”

Beyond zoo camp, older students interested in the Living Desert can participate in the park’s junior docent program. There has even been one student who then went on and became a senior docent.

But the Living Desert’s educational outreach efforts took a huge leap forward when Susan Young began helping.

Young started the park’s docent program in 1994 and never looked back.

Today, she serves as docent coordinator and as president of the Friends of the Living Desert. Cosand is the

“We’ll take them to whatever creature in the park is closest to the story.”

On Tour Preschool story time is one of the more popular youth activities at the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park.

The Living Desert also offers tours for groups for all ages. If it’s a large enough group, Young will station docents at

different locations around the park to answer questions about specific animals.

The park is a regular field trip destination for children’s organizations around Southeastern New Mexico.

The Living Desert’s educational efforts go on the road as well. Once a month, for example, preschool story time is held at CARC’s Child Development Center and at the local AWARE program.

In addition, the state park is willing to visit local schools, libraries and other facilities to put on a wide variety of hands-on nature programs.

“I have a snake program,” Law said. “I also do a skull program, an invertebrate program and a nocturnal program.

People will basically call us up and say their kids are studying a specific thing.

If they tell us what age group, we can usually do it.”

Most of the Living Desert’s animals can’t participate in “road shows” because of quarantine rules. However, a rat snake that normally hangs out in the visitor’s center is available for duty, as is a millipede traditionally stationed inside a cage in the park ranger office.

Local schools will also soon have more detailed information from the Living Desert, thanks to an extensive curriculum developed by Cosand. It’s for grades 3, 4 and 5, and it meets the state educational benchmarks related to a wide variety of subjects.

“It all ties together with our plants and animals of the Chihuahuan Desert,” Cosand said. “There will be lots of hands-on activities, and there will be special field trips connected to the activities.”

“I’ve included some songs that they can teach that my sister and I have written,” Cosand said. “We’ve also developed a PowerPoint that they’ll be able to download to use to go along with the lessons.”

Cosand said the hope is to have the curriculum in the hands of local teachers by next fall. “We still have to meet with the curriculum coordinator and the superintendent of the school district,” Law said. “New Mexico State Parks is involved with what is called the Outdoor Classroom Initiative. We are working with the Department of Public Education to develop classroom curriculum based programs.”

Through the program, the Living Desert is able to pay Cosand a small stipend for development. Other nearby state parks are also developing similar programs.

Dances, an annual week-long event celebrating the culture of the Mescalero Apache people.

One goal of the Living Desert for years has been to increase the number of visits

by Carlsbad residents. The park has seen a measure of success in this effort by focusing, to some degree, on what Young called “personality animals.”

The personality animals are the celebrities of the Living Desert. The obvious best example is Maggie Oso, whose star status simply by virtue of her being a bear is further enhanced by the fact that she’s a bear who paints.

Children at the park, of course, want to know all there is to know about Maggie.

Young said she’s already written four different stories about Maggie. And Maggie’s celebrity status also brings Carlsbad children and their families to the park.

Story continues on page 14

The educational mission at the Living Desert doesn’t only involve children.

“We’ve got 61 RVers coming soon,” Young pointed out.

The park also has a number of special activities throughout the year, such as March for Parks, Wolf Awareness Day, International Vulture Awareness Day, Holiday with the Animals, and the Mescal Roast and Mountain Spirit

Local children design cards celebrating the birthday of Maggie Oso, the Living Desert’s resident bear.

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on education Story continued from page 13

“People care about what they know about,” Law said. “From that caring will come concepts like conservation.”

There are lessons to be learned throughout the Living Desert. For example, the park’s other javelinas would not accept one javelina due to her scent when she was introduced to the pack. There’s a science lesson there in how animals operate, and maybe even a psychology lesson in how people should not operate.

“I’ll sometimes laugh and say ‘Why do animals have to act like animals?’”

Cosand pointed out.

What is clear is that there is no expiration date when it comes to animals. “Some of these programs, I’ve taken them from first grade all the way through high school,” Cosand said. “I’ll change it some, but they (students) are still interested in learning more about wolves.”

Wolves, of course, make for a pretty good subject for preschool story time, though it is probably worth noting that the Living Desert’s variety aren’t in the habit of eating trios of pigs or little girls going to visit their grandmother. The wolves, the bats and the snakes at the Living Desert usually wind up being the good guys.

The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park offers an abundance of educational resources for local teachers and children. The Living Desert also offers a home for animals that would not be able to survive in the wild.

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3/15/10 5:10 P

Carlsbad, Carlsbad

how does your garden grow?

With plenty of water, and lots of dirt, and local volunteers all in a row.

A group of residents are spending their free time helping to build Carlsbad’s first community garden.

Volunteers with the Carlsbad Community Garden Association have already spent many Saturday mornings over the past six months cleaning, tilling, and planting to convert what had been a vacant lot into a vegetable wonderland.

The result so far is a tidy, fenced-in, urban garden on Mesquite Street.

The garden includes compost bins on the property and a tool shed for storage. An irrigation system was recently installed.

Spring crops already planted include spinach, tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, eggplants, Swiss chard, peas and radishes. Vegetables will be shared with the Carlsbad Community Kitchen and other local assistance organizations.

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Organizers are calling it a demonstration garden – other gardens are planned for lots around the city.

One portion of the garden on Mesquite has been designated as a children’s play area. Kids will get to learn the ropes with wooden vegetables and dirt while their parents work nearby. Tiffany Sullivan-Owens, one of the garden’s coordinators, also plans to teach a gardening kid’s camp this summer at the location.

For more information about the garden and kid’s camp, call 885-5379.

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on carlsbad characters “These types of programs allow students to focus on things that are of personal interest to them,” said Bev Marrs, high school science teacher and MESA sponsor. “These types of educational experiences tend to be sparse in the traditional school day in most public schools, where students are kept in ‘lock-step’ with each other and don’t get a lot of opportunity to explore personal interests.”

Additionally, Marrs stated that such programs build selfconfidence and leadership “because students find themselves in a position where they actually know more about certain topics than the other students or even the teacher.”

Meet Bob, M.A.T. and Brooke, the three robots who will represent Carlsbad High School this year on May 1 at the 9th annual RoboRAVE International competition at the Albuquerque Convention Center.

The robotic trio isn’t quite ready for anything like world domination just yet, but if everything goes according to program, Carlsbad’s robots will do the best job of all the robots in the land by navigating through a small course, delivering a ping-pong payload to a tower and making it back to the finish line.

The three teams representing Carlsbad consists of members of the high school’s MESA (Math, Engineering, Science Achievement) chapter. In their free time, the students have been working on their robots throughout the spring semester.

Nick Gonzales, Andrew Tsai and Alex Appell examine M.A.T., their entry in the upcoming RoboRAVE competition. Abigail Buckholz is also on their team, NA^3.

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What is RoboRAVE? It’s an annual event in which elementary, middle and high school age students participate in a variety of robot competitions. RAVE stands for Robots are Very Educational. RoboRAVE International is a program of Inquiry Facilitators, Inc., a New Mexico nonprofit organization formed to assist students and teachers in using student research as a teaching method.

At RoboRAVE, scoring isn’t just based on how well the robot does on game day. Points at some levels are also awarded based on a submitted engineering report, a video and a blog.

To encourage diversity, bonus points are even awarded for each female team member. More information is available at RoboRAVE.org.

There are varying levels of competition also involving different budgets and material rules, but each robot this year starts with a Lego Mindstrom NXT kit. The NXT and corporate challenges focus on delivering a ping-pong ball payload to a tower, while a firefighting challenge

Louis Garcia poses with Brooke. The robot is named after Brooke Wiggins, who comprises the other half of team No-Itdea.

Zach Fox stands with Bob, his team’s robot. Ty Vincent and Cody Badgett join Fox on team Offalot.

involves finding and extinguishing four lit candles. Each robot has three minutes to complete a given task. You can’t use a remote-control either. The entire course has to be programmed in advance.

The robot kits come with some pre-set programming, but the students still have to do some programming, and they have to build the robot to accommodate existing code.

“For example, we have to program to make the engines turn on and run for a specific time,” said CHS senior Zach Fox. This year will be a return trip for Bob the robot, said Fox, one of Bob’s creators.

“Last year, we almost got second in the drag race competition,” Fox said, but noted that the tires became wobbly during a gear change. “It went flying into the crowd, and it kind of had fangs on the tip so people jumped up.”

Fox lost a couple of his team members earlier this year, but he said he talked two freshmen into joining his squad. The members of Carlsbad’s three teams assist each other with their robots, he added.

His team’s name, by the way, is Offalot. “It’s just because

we’re all goofs and we’re off by a whole lot,” Fox said.

This year’s freshman team “No-Itdea” was originally meant to be “No-Idea,” but there was apparently a typo on the entry form. The robot’s name is Brooke, after one of the members of the team.

Finally, Alex Appell, Andrew Tsai, Abigail Buckholz and Nick Gonzales comprise the team NA^3, which is a play on their first names. Their robot is named Mechanical Adventurous Thingy, or M.A.T. “We’re more confident than last year,” Appell said.

Appell said he enjoys participating because he likes to challenge his brain, and he also likes the innovative nature of the event.

“We’re trying to make it as light as possible,” he said about the team’s robot. “One of the problems last year was that we made it too heavy.”

Oh, and in case you were wondering…

“We do have an official RoboRAVE dance,” Fox said.

“During intermission, everybody takes a break and does the RoboRAVE dance.”

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on sports

G

oblins, Destroyers and Skeeters are taking flight daily in the Lower Tansil area of Carlsbad, but residents need not be concerned. These are but three of the multiple types of discs that are being flung by Cavern City residents at Carlsbad’s newest sporting attraction, the Carlsbad Disc Golf Course.

discs when he plays but said the sport can also be played with just one disc by beginners. He said the sport of disc golf is challenging and it is a great way to make new friends.

“It is free to play,” Bruce said. “It is outside, and you meet a ton of great people when you play.

It is a very friendly sport, and people of all ages and skill levels can have fun playing it. You can always learn something new each time you play.” Bruce added he would love to see Carlsbad establish a disc golf club.

The sport of disc golf has been around for decades and features many of the same rules as regular golf with the obvious exception of the equipment used. The object is to get your disc from the tee to the basket in as few throws as possible. Players use driving discs, mid-range discs and putting discs, each with unique names.

Disc golf has steadily grown in popularity throughout the nation and Sports and Recreation Director for the City of Carlsbad John Lowe said several citizens approached him over a year ago requesting that Carlsbad install its own course.

“We were approached by a group of individuals who enjoyed playing the game,” Lowe said. “They came and sat with us and worked on the design with us. I did a little research on the game and went and played a course in Ruidoso, and I learned more about disc golf. So we sat with that group of individuals and came up with the design of the course, and that is kind of how we got the layout of the course and the location.”

The course sprawls across the Lower Tansil recreation area into Martin Luther King Jr. Park.

One of the individuals who initially spoke with Lowe about bringing a disc golf course to Carlsbad was Dan Clayton. Clayton has lived in Carlsbad for about four years and said he thought the course would be a nice addition to Carlsbad.

“I played (disc golf) before we moved here,” Clayton said of the sport. “There is a course in Roswell, and I had played there and wanted us to have a course in Carlsbad just for the proximity, and I thought we could help Carlsbad improve.”

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Clayton said he initially looked around town for a good spot for a course and then began to calculate the numbers for the cost. He then met with the mayor, followed by the city council and finally Lowe. Clayton said the entire process from the initial proposal to the project being funded took about a year. Lowe said installation of the 12-hole course began in September 2009 and the cost of the project was $12,500.

The course was a welcome site to local house renovator and avid disc golfer Win Bruce.

The 36-year-old Dallas native has lived in Carlsbad for a year and said he was thrilled when the course opened.

“I was very excited,” Bruce said. “It has saved me a ton of money on gas. (Before Carlsbad got its course) I was new to New Mexico, and being from Dallas, I would drive to Dallas every once in a while with my wife and play the courses there.”

Bruce has played disc golf for 15 years and said he enjoys playing the Carlsbad course. “I think it is pretty cool,” Bruce said of Carlsbad’s course. “I would definitely like to see another six holes.

But I know they are kind of limited on space there so I am happy with 12.”

Bruce usually carries a bag of about 27

Lowe is pleased that the new disc golf course has provided another sporting opportunity for the citizens of Carlsbad. “The benefit is that we want multiple recreation opportunities for people who enjoy different sports here in Carlsbad. Disc golf was something that we never had but we had a great deal of interest from people.

I think it is unique, and the course is already heavily used. If you go down there on the weekends, there are a lot of people playing.”

More than a year after he initially approached the city about installing a disc golf course, Clayton said he is happy with the results. “I am very pleased with how it turned out. I have played it a bunch of times with a bunch of different friends. I am very happy when I drive by and see people playing it that I don’t know - people that have found out about it just by word-ofmouth.”

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on service

The following exposé is a behind-the-scenes look into one of Carlsbad’s longest running programs for educating emerging community leaders. While the views expressed by the writer are sometimes whimsical and light-hearted, the information put forth in this article will demonstrate the tremendous value Leadership Carlsbad delivered to the Class of 2010.

The repercussions will benefit each student’s employer with a positive impact that will ripple through the entire Carlsbad community. No bowling balls were harmed during the course of this year’s Leadership Carlsbad class.

By John Safin

I

t was a wonderful September weekend in southeastern New Mexico. The days were sunny and comfortable; the nights had star-filled skies and the autumn chill was easily dispelled with a camp fire. The twoday opening orientation for Leadership Carlsbad 2010 was held at Washington Ranch. Located about 20 miles south of Carlsbad, Washington Ranch is a great place for a retreat, to hold a meeting, or for a weekend get-away from the chaos of “daily routine.”

up with the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce and recruited Mark Schinnerer, CEO of CARC, Inc, as the facilitator for Leadership Carlsbad 2010. “I saw this as a very valid program. After a hiatus, Carlsbad Rotary felt it was time to bring Leadership Carlsbad back and they asked me to put it together.”

Schinnerer was familiar with the original curriculum for the program and wanted to add another component to bring more depth and value.

But, I’m getting ahead of myself.

“The core of Leadership (Carlsbad) remained the same. Each month’s meeting would focus on a specific industry that affects our community: government, medical, education, tourism, and others. I incorporated a professional leadership training series into the basic Leadership Carlsbad program. This would give the Class of 2010 the opportunity to develop new skills and improve existing ones.”

Set the Way-Back Machine to May 2009. This was about the time Carlsbad Rotary Club and the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce announced there would be a 2010 Leadership Carlsbad class.

Leadership Carlsbad has a reputation of shaping and influencing careers.

Many of the current leaders in business, government, and community organizations are graduates of Leadership Carlsbad. This was a good reason to get into the class. Carlsbad Rotary Club provided some history about Leadership Carlsbad, which began in 1997. “It is designed to provide a foundation for a lifelong commitment to effective leadership.

The course curriculum educates and challenges participants on key issues affecting political, business, human service, and cultural activities in the area, while encouraging and facilitating positive change through volunteer involvement.” Fortunately, I submitted a WONDERFUL application and Carlsbad Rotary delivered my acceptance letter a few weeks later. I also received a cool polo shirt. Woo Hoo! Even a class on leadership needs a leader. Carlsbad Rotary teamed-

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With the facilitator selected and curriculum set, it was time for the learning to begin at the orientation session. That’s when I got stuck with the watermelon.

There are many aspects to becoming and being a leader. Schinnerer was very ardent about giving the information all of us needed to become a true leader for Carlsbad. One of the first lessons the class learned was to work as a team. To emphasize the point some team members might require more assistance than others, Schinnerer introduced two new “team members” to the group. One was a bowling ball and the other was a watermelon. I don’t really want to talk badly about these two classmates, but they were lazy. They just sat there. Oh, sure, they’d roll around a bit when someone

gave them a push, but they lacked self-motivation. Schinnerer created a few rules regarding our two noncontributing members: we couldn’t abandon our new teammates, we had to ensure they were included in all our events, and we had to protect them from harm. I was reminded of the rules when it was discovered I had locked the watermelon in my car. No, that wasn’t mistreatment. I thought he looked tired. I cracked the window for some fresh air and put on the seat belt to prevent him from rolling off the car seat. I didn’t pay much attention to the bowling ball’s activities. He always seemed to be wide-eyed with an open mouth.

Unlike the two roly-poly members, my 17 other classmates were intelligent, active team players. Carlsbad should be proud to have this group of dedicated professionals serving our community and making it a great place to call “home.” Leadership Carlsbad 2010 was composed of eleven women and seven men. The youngest student was 19 years old. All of us worked in Carlsbad in a variety of industries including banking, government, non-profit, retail, service, law, education, manufacturing, agriculture, engineering, and others.

This is a clear example how a great group is made from great individuals.

After the orientation, the Class of 2010 met a few weeks later for the first formal instructional session. The entire Leadership Carlsbad program ran from October 2009 through May 2010.

As Schinnerer described, Leadership Carlsbad started each session with an hour of formal leadership education followed by a full day of interacting with the current leaders who make an impact on Carlsbad’s community. All the presenters volunteered their time and resources to be part of this year’s Leadership program. Some of the people are well known, such as thenMayor Bob Forrest, Dr. Sheri Williams from Carlsbad Municipal Schools, County Commissioners Guy Lutman and Jack Volpato, and Eddy County Sheriff Ernie Mendoza, to name a few.

Many people who influence and help the community are almost hidden

Leadership Carlsbad from the public eye, such as the men and women who work at the County Detention Center, the people who work at the city library and museum, hospital and hospice workers, police officers and firefighters, and everyone at the Living Desert Zoo and Carlsbad Caverns, and a whole lot more. Each person showed, in a very gracious and humble manner, how their business helped the people of Carlsbad.

There was one community leader whose story and mission inspired the Leadership Carlsbad class to make a difference.

Teri Able is manager of the Carlsbad Community Kitchen. You look at her and know she is somebody’s grandmother.

When you talk with her, you soon realize she is grandmother to everyone. And, she isn’t armed with a wooden spoon to smack you for reaching into the cookie jar. Teri invited the entire class plus Leadership Carlsbad alumni to lunch at the Carlsbad Community Kitchen (102 S. Alameda St.).

During our very delicious meal (an understatement), Teri recounted stories of the kitchen’s volunteers, and about the people, families, and children who enjoy a hot meal at the community kitchen. She stressed very firmly, “I don’t care who you are. There will always be a hot meal for you here.” They literally serve a hundred meals per hour during the normal days and the holidays are busier. When asked about her biggest need, Teri was trying to get a commercial stove because their existing one was too old and not working correctly. That was when Leadership Carlsbad 2010 took action.

The entire class made a commitment to raise the funds to cover the cost of a stove and professional installation. Less than two months later and thanks to the generosity of the businesses and residents of our community, the class collected enough to cover the cost of a 10-burner commercial grade stove and have it delivered and installed and the old one removed.

“Leadership Carlsbad has always been dedicated to community service and to do this (fundraising) was a little surprising,” said Schinnerer. “The part that surprised me was how quickly the Class of 2010 moved together. Usually, it takes time for a bunch of individuals to start working together as a team. The cohesiveness of this group is just cool. They came together, formed a plan to help Teri, put it into action, and accomplished the goal.” The plan had a rippling effect throughout the community. Teri told Leadership that our

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fundraising efforts had spread throughout the Carlsbad community and several thousands in additional funds were donated to help with other repairs.

The goal of getting a stove for the community kitchen was an impromptu endeavor above the requirements to graduate from Leadership Carlsbad. Each Leadership class is tasked with finding a project that will help the community–a reflection of Rotary’s principals of community service. The Class of 2010 has two projects: enhance the enjoyment of Heritage Park and increase awareness of our community’s senior citizens. Both projects are scheduled for completion before the end of the program.

In addition to all the classes, meetings, and projects, there is quite a bit of fun in the Leadership Carlsbad class. There are 20 intelligent, unique personalities making for lively discussions, debates, and the occasional bursts of humor. Schinnerer does a good job of keeping the class in control without stifling the creativity and exuberance of the class. “The biggest challenge is time. The guest speakers have a lot to say and there are always questions at the end of the presentation. This is part of the class; learning other points of view and about each other. It seems there is too much information to share in too little time, but it’s all good.”

Schinnerer added that Carlsbad Rotary has already started planning Leadership Carlsbad 2011, which is scheduled to begin later this year. It is another opportunity to educate existing and emerging leaders who can contribute to the prosperity of Carlsbad.

Writer’s Note: After the orientation weekend, the bowling ball was last seen rolling in some alley. The watermelon gave its all as a tasty dessert.

About the author: John Safin has a background in business operations, marketing, event planning, and public relations. Originally from Upstate New York, John moved from Glendale, AZ to Carlsbad, NM, which he now calls “home.” www.johnsafin.com

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21

on business “Through music, children develop vocal sounds, and it helps them learn words,” she said. “It also helps with their coordination.”

This spring, she instructed “Family Time” Kindermusik classes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. There were 10 sessions in the program, each lasting about 45 minutes.

The classes may seem like all fun and games. “But everything we do has a reason,” Clark said.

When it comes to helping young brains develop, a little bit of music each week can go a whole long way.

That’s the philosophy of Kindermusik, a method of early childhood education focusing on music and movement. The philosophy is founded on the beliefs that every parent is the child’s most important teacher, every child is musical, and music nurtures a child’s development.

In other words, it’s a great activity for parents to do with their young children or grandchildren. Local Kindermusik classes are offered throughout the year.

“Music is so important because of the way it shapes the brain,” said Martha Clark, Carlsbad Kindermusik instructor. “Numerous studies have shown that music will help with children later on in their development of mathematics, sports, almost anything you can think of.”

Clark, who is also a private music teacher, became a Kindermusik instructor in 2003. She said she tries to keep the cost as low as possible, and the program fee is effectively paying for at-home materials supplied.

“Basically, I felt like it was so important that young children be exposed to music that I was willing to donate my time to try to keep the program going in Carlsbad,” she said.

She became a Kindermusik instructor following several months of online training. The certification process involved both mentoring and group phone calls, she said. She also is required to get recertified each year.

Clark said the program is designed for newborns up through age 7.

“I like that it is not a performance-oriented goal,” she said.

“Our goal is to practice music and help the child develop.”

And even if it seems like a child isn’t participating in class, they are still catching on. “I’ve had mothers tell me that during class their children seem to be shy and don’t sing, but when they go home they will,” she said, noting that participants receive a kit of materials for use at home.

Clark said some parents of children who need physical therapy supplement their therapy though such music programs.

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on carlsbad

A typical Kindermusik class will start with an opening song and end with a closing song. “That’s to give them stability, to have a routine to follow, which is good,” Clark said.

In between, there are different songs to bounce and move to, which helps build coordination and balance. There is also instrument play, which helps develop rhythm and fine motor skills.

“We also do quite a bit of listening,” Clark said. “We listen to specific sounds. That’s to get the child geared up for listening because it’s quite different than just hearing Isaac McCraw gets a ride from Kindermusik instructor Martha Clark during a recent class at First Baptist Church. something. We work on different instruments, so we have an idea what tones sound like.”

There’s also a story time. “It’s very important because literacy is starting out at that age,” Clark said. “Also, sometimes what we do in class is to help the parent. In some ways, it’s a parenting class at the same time as there is a music class for the children.”

The Family Time sessions are for infants, toddlers, preschoolers and young children. There are also other Kindermusik programs designed for specific age groups.

“I taught those for awhile, but we sometimes would not have enough children of a specific age to have a class,” Clark said. “When Family Time was introduced, I was happy because this way I can get all the ages together and we can have bigger classes.”

So, parents in tow, babies and preschoolers will learn together during the classes. “It’s much more fun and more of a family-oriented experience,” Clark said. “Children are not only learning from parents, but sometimes siblings and older children.”

Clark said she has a following of about 15 families, some of whom sign up for the program repeatedly. She has four

different units for the Family Time program.

“One family has taken the same unit at least three times, but that doesn’t seem to bother anybody,” she said, noting that children are often in different stages of development when they return to the class.

Clark’s spring classes took place at First Baptist Church. She isn’t certain yet if she’ll be doing summer classes, but if not, she will begin offering free demonstration classes for the fall program in August.

“I always have a policy of come out and try it first,” she said. “If you like it fine, but if you don’t think it’s worthwhile, then don’t come.”

The program isn’t for everybody. “Some people expect me to teach notes. I had one grandmother who told me we were just playing,” Clark said. “I try to explain that children need play. This is how they are practicing to be adults – through their play.”

Clark said anyone wanting more information about local programs can contact her at 885-3929.

For more information on the Kindermusik program or philosophy, visit Kindermusik.com.

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on history

Boy Scouts Turn 100 But It Sure Doesn’t Show

The Boy Scouts of America turned 100 this year, and Carlsbad’s Scouts have been along every step of the way.

British General Robert Baden-Powell founded the Scouting movement in England in 1907. Two years later, as legend has it, Chicago publisher W.D. Boyce was visiting London when he became lost in the city’s dense fog. An unknown Scout helped Boyce find his way and informed the man that he was simply doing his daily good turn.

Boyce was so inspired that he founded the Boy Scouts of America when he returned to the United States. In 1916, Congress chartered the Boy Scouts of America as a national youth development organization.

“To put things in perspective, the first Boy Scout troops in Carlsbad were started in 1914,” said Matthew Corp, the district executive for the Scouts’ Chisum Trail District, which consists of all of Eddy County and a bit of Otero County. The Chisum Trail is one of four districts of the Conquistador Council, which basically covers all of Southeastern New Mexico.

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In fact, Scouting’s origins in Southeastern New Mexico are well documented in the book Saga of the Potato Canyon by Minor S. Huffman. Huffman reports that the first troop was organized in Roswell in 1913.

Scouting began in Carlsbad the following year with the Rev. Houston W. Lowry, a

Presbyterian pastor, as Scoutmaster. The Roswell and Carlsbad Scouts would often camp together along Black River, Huffman reports. He also noted that one of Carlsbad’s first Boy Scouts was a young man named Etienne Pelissier Jacques de Bujac, who would later change his name to Bruce Cabot and become a world-famous actor.

In 1922, explorer Jim White agreed to guide a party of Roswell Scouts on a tour of Carlsbad Cavern. According to Huffman, the Scouts left Roswell in the morning, but didn’t arrive at the cavern until 4 p.m. White led the young men down into the cavern in a bucket two at a time. They spent the night in the cave and reportedly had the adventure of a lifetime.

Other early Scouting trips included visits to Washington Ranch, Sitting Bull Falls and Ruidoso. Local competitions involved activities like hatchet throwing, archery and knot-tying.

In 1940, local Boy Scout troops assisted when a crew from Ripley’s Believe it or Not visited Carlsbad Caverns National Park. By then, the Cub Scout program, which catered to younger men, was in full swing nationally.

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According to Corp, the Conquistador Council was originally chartered as the Eastern New Mexico Council in 1925.

The name change took place in 1953. The Conquistador Council has three camp facilities in the region, including the Dowling Aquatic Base along the Pecos River near downtown Carlsbad.

“We provide every BSA aquatics badge, with the exception of whitewater rafting,” Corp said. “We’re working on trying to solve that problem.”

The aquatic base, located near Lower Tansill Dam, draws Scouts from around the country each year. Very few camps in the area have facilities for both swimming and boating.

“We’ve had troops from as far away as Florida come to our camp over the years,” Corp said. “We tend to get a good draw from folks outside of our council because of our broad aquatics curricula.”

The aquatics camp also has its own unique history. Acting on a donation by Mr. and Mrs. Jarvis Meade, the camp was originally built on land near what is now the Pecos River Village Conference Center, but the land was ultimately sold to an amusement park in the area. The center eventually relocated to its present location following a donation from Oscar and Frances Dowling. The location, incidentally, was also the site of several Mescalero camps dating from 900 A.D. The other two nearby scouting camp facilities are Wehinahpay Mountain Camp, located in the Sacramento Mountains, and Camp Jim Murray, located near Hobbs.

Scouting Today Local Scout programs include the Cub Scouts, a program for boys ages 7 to 10; Boy Scouts, a program for boys 11 to 18; Venturing, a high-level adventure program for young men and women

ages 14 through 21; and Exploring, a career education program for young men and women ages 14 to 20. Eddy County, according to Corp, currently has eight Boy Scout troops, four Cub Scout packs, four Venturing crews and one Career Exploring crew. All told, about 300 young people are involved in the county’s Scouting program, Corp said, while 150 adult volunteers are participating.

“We’re always looking for willing and capable adults to help out with our programs,” Corp stated.

The Cub Scout and Boy Scout programs consist of the traditional combination of

Scouting Facts The first Eagle Scout to earn all available merit badges was Leon Wallace in 1922.

After the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaiian Scouts set up first-aid stations and emergency kitchens, helped evacuate civilians, served as messengers and manned 58 air-raid sirens around Honolulu.

More than 1.5 million pinewood derby cars are sold each year. If the cars were lined up end to end, they would stretch 166 miles.

Of the 12 men who would eventually walk on the moon, 11 were Scouts.

Presidents John F. Kennedy, Gerald R. Ford, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama were Scouts as youth, and Jimmy Carter was a Scoutmaster.

President Kennedy was the first Scout to become president; Gerald Ford was the first Eagle Scout president.

working on rank advancement, monthly outings, activities and camping trips.

Venturing crews are more specific, and are open to young men and women. Each Venturing crew focuses on an area of interest such as mountaineering, scuba diving and caving. The Career Exploring program is designed to help youth explore potential careers. Corp said the local council’s goal is to expand its career Explorer plan.

“The statistics are pretty shocking,” he noted. “One person on our district committee is currently a medical practitioner in Artesia. She was a member of a medical career Explorer group. Out of the 12 youth who participated, six of them are now licensed and degreed medical practitioners.”

While 300 is an impressive number, Corp said a membership analysis shows that there is plenty of room for growth.

“One thing we’re doing in our organization is trying to reach out to lower income families,” he said. “We believe that every boy deserves a chance to be in Boy Scouts and it’s our job to make that possible. We have a responsibility to the youth and the families to make sure they are given the opportunity to become a Scout.”

To help out, the scouts have special camp scholarships so families in need can obtain assistance with uniforms and equipment costs. Local pledges help support such programs, and also go to maintaining area camps, paying for office staff and providing training.

The local Boy Scouts are also supported by the United Way. “They are very generous and maintain a commitment to our organization,” Corp said.

The Scouts are also actively trying to recruit volunteers from a variety of cultures in order to reach out to all young men.

Story continues on page 27

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Corp himself was a Scout throughout most of his childhood.

“When I was growing up, Scouting was just the thing to do,” he said.

Cub Scouts become Boy Scouts at around age 11. They start at the Tenderfoot rank and gradually work their way up toward being Life Scouts. “And if you work hard enough, you obtain the coveted rank of Eagle,” Corp said.

Scouting teaches important lessons.

Corp said that 87 percent of the FBI’s agents were Scouts, as are most of the people who gain admission to U.S. service academies.

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Locally, community leaders such as Bob Kehrman (WIPP), Steve Massey (retired Eddy County administrator) and Ken Britt (Living Desert Zoo and Gardens) were all active scouts, Corp said.

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“It’s something that stays with you through your lifetime,” he said.

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The Boy Scouts’ official 100th anniversary was on Feb. 8. Corp said the local chapter has been celebrating the centennial throughout the year.

“We’ve been reaching out to a number of service clubs and throughout the council and trying to found out who was a Scout,” he said. “We want to get these folks together and show the impact that scouting has.”

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The national Boy Scouts of America organization even has an online registry for Scouts, Corp said.

New Mexico is fairly significant to the national Scouting movement due to the presence of the Philmont Scout Ranch in the northern part of the state. It’s the largest youth camp in the world.

Another Scouting mainstay, the pinewood derby, was postponed at the Carlsbad level this year because local Scouts had another important project.

“We had to move it back,” Corp said.

“Every Scouting group in Carlsbad called and said they were participating in Riverblitz (a local cleanup activity).

I’m really proud of them.”

For more information on the Conquistador Council Boy Scouts of America, call 575-973-2195.

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