Focus on Artesia Spring 2015

SPRING 2015

making a

DIFFERENCE in the lives of others

Big Brothers Big Sisters Help for Girls in Crisis The Nailon Family Estelle Yates Enriching Lives Going the Extra Mile Chamber News & More!

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SPRING 2015

04 07 10 14 18 20 24 28 32 36 37 38 40 42

FROM THE EDITOR FOCUS ON MENTORSHIP

BIG BROTHERS, BIG SISTERS, BIG IMPACT FOCUS ON BUILDING A LIFE

A PLACE TO CALL HOME FOCUS ON CARING

HELP FOR GIRLS IN CRISIS PREGNANCIES FOCUS ON EDUCATION

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ONLY IN ARTESIA!

FOCUS ON THE FAMILY

A NEW NAME - THE NAILON FAMILY FOCUS ON FRIENDSHIP

DIFFERENCE MAKING FOCUS ON THE ARTS

ESTELLE YATES ENRICHING LIVES FOCUS ON THE UNITED WAY

GOING THE EXTRA MILE FOCUS MAN ON THE STREET

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WHO HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR LIFE? FOCUS ON HOMETOWN HEROES

SANDI LANNING & ELIZABETH STEPHENS FOCUS ON GIVING BACK

THE KEY TO SUCCESS FOCUS ON THE CHAMBER FOCUS BUSINESS DIRECTORY

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ABOUT THE COVER

David and Beth Nailon and their seven adopted children (from left) Kerri, Matthew, Joshua, Elizabeth, Autumn, Cody and Seth.

Read their story on page 20! Photo by Devon Rae Photography.

Staci Guy, Editorial Director - Jessica Kirk, Advertising Photography by Devon Rae Photography & Submitted Photos Special Contributors: Liana Swarengin, Danielle Brady, Sandra Borgess, Kyle Marksteiner, Scott Takacs & the Artesia Chamber of Commerce FOCUS ON ARTESIA IS PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY AD VENTURE MARKETING

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

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

SPRING 2015 | A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

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F O C U S from the editor

BE the DIFFERENCE A STACI GUY

Editorial Director

FOCUS ON ARTESIA

year or so ago when we were planning our upcoming editions of Focus on Artesia, my intent for this issue was to focus on volunteers in the community. As I began hashing out story ideas though, I realized that all of the people and organizations and families I wanted to include did more than just volunteer—they made a significant difference either in the community or in the lives of others. So I tweaked the theme just a bit to focus on everyday difference makers right here in the City of Champions.

In this issue you will read about organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS), Habitat for Humanity and the Pregnancy Help Center of Artesia. All three organizations are vastly different, yet all three play an equally huge role in shaping and transforming people’s lives. You’ll get to take a peek not only at the organizations themselves but at the lives impacted by their work and the tireless volunteers who make it all happen.

We know not all difference makers are

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FOCUS ON ARTESIA | SPRING 2015

lumped in with an organization, so for that reason we included a couple of individuals whose benevolence and compassion will knock your socks off!

I mean, have you ever been moved to donate a kidney to a complete stranger or adopt a family of siblings after your own children are grown and out of the house? You won’t want to miss these stories! Not only are they fascinating, but they are guaranteed to inspire you to go out into the community and make a difference!

I couldn’t possibly put this magazine together without the assistance of some fantastically talented freelance writers, a motivated advertising sales representative and a graphic artist who has a knack for making everything look so much better than I even imagine when the process begins.

Focus on Artesia is a group effort and I am grateful for everyone who contributes to its success.

I know I sound like a broken record when I say this, but I am constantly in awe of the spirit of this community!

Once again, I had a much harder time narrowing down story ideas

than I ever did coming up with them.

I realize there are plenty of worthy people and organizations out there that were not included in this issue. It just simply is not feasible to include everyone when you have a town full of difference makers! Our intent was to shine a light on a few of them and say “thank you for making a difference in our community.” I hope you will take time to read through this issue and that you, too, will take a moment to say “thank you” to the people and organizations featured here.

Make sure to “like” us on Facebook and check out our website, FocusNM.com, for additional stories, weekly columns, and local events. If you have an event you would like to include in our Around Town section, you can shoot me an email or send us a message on Facebook.

Blessings, - Staci Guy, Editorial Director

A B O U T T H E E D IT O R

Staci Guy is the editorial director of Focus on Artesia. She can be reached at staci@ad-venturemarketing.com.

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F O C U S on mentorship

by Staci Guy

Stephen Spielberg had Jerry Lewis, Christian Aguilera had Mariah Carey and Nick Saban had Bill Belicheck. Whether on stage, on the field or even in a classroom, having a mentor can be one of the driving forces behind a person’s success.

No one knows that better than the volunteers with the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization (BBBS).

BBBS of Artesia is a non-profit organization that pairs children in need of positive role models with appropriate mentors. “Our main focus of mentoring is we want to see kids with better academic performance and stronger social skills,” stated Stacy Heacox, a BBBS match supervisor.

A major aspect of the BBBS community-based program is that it exists as a prevention program. “We try to make sure kids don’t engage in risk taking behavior,” explained Heacox. “We define it as fighting, skipping school, engaging in underage drinking and drug use.” The role of a mentor is to establish accountability for the children. To ensure the children do their part, the organization asks every child that is matched to sign an agreement stating he or she will “do their best at home, in school and in the community.” “The staff works hand-in-

hand with the mentors to define what that means,” Heacox said, adding, “The kids I work with do take it seriously because I emphasize that they are representatives of the program.”

Nine-year-old Charisma Baca, a third-grader at Roselawn Elementary School, is one match who takes her pledge seriously. “My Big Sister’s name is Joy, and I love when she comes to my school,” she exclaimed during the Bowling for Kids’ Sake Fundraiser in February. “She helps me with my school work, swings on the swings with me, we walk around and just talk…She’s just really fun and easy to talk to!”

Joy visits Charisma at school once a week, and Charisma looks forward to that visit with eager anticipation. “I like when she visits me. It makes me feel special and it makes me want to try harder in school,” she beamed.

The feelings expressed by Charisma are echoed by other students at

A PERF ECT MATCH

Kaylie and Jazmin have been matched since November 2014. These girls go together like peanut butter and jelly. Both have aspirations of joining the medical field. Kaylie is a junior at Artesia High School and is studying hard.

When she graduates from high school she wants to pursue her dream of getting into medical school which will prepare her for her ultimate goal of practicing pediatric medicine.

Jazmin has big dreams, too. She wants to be a nurse when she grows up, but right now she is a hard working honor student at Roselawn Elementary. It’s not all work for these two, though; sometimes girls just want to have fun! These two have a great time together and love hanging out on the playground every Thursday during their school lunch time.

Roselawn as well. “The principal (Tina Perez) has talked about, and I’ve noticed, how kids are meeting academic goals, hitting their goals for reading and math better, primarily because the Bigs are encouraging them to do well,” Heacox expressed.

SPRING 2015 | A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

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Another interesting finding at Roselawn is that the Littles seem to respond very well to the high school students who mentor with the program. “They (Littles) are willing to accept tutoring from them, and I think a lot of it is that they are a little closer in age to them and they don’t feel like it’s a teacher. They are opening up to them and really look at them as big brothers and big sisters,” Heacox noted.

While many Bigs visit their Littles at their respective schools, others choose to spend time outside the classroom instead. “A lot of matches like to eat together,” Heacox said. “One Big takes her Little to the Chinese place because they like the sushi. We have one match

A P E R F E C T M AT C H

who loves to go bowling, several who like going to the Jahva House to hang out. It’s those very simple interactions that happen in the community that are helping the kids learn better communication and social skills.”

In true mentor fashion, several Bigs include their Littles in their altruistic efforts as well. Heacox’s memory is like a Rolodex, full of examples of successful matches and their stories and easily accessible when she wants to make a point. “One mentor volunteers with Packs of Love and takes her Little with her to pack the backpacks for the kids that are less fortunate and need those weekend meals,” Heacox confided. “Some of the kids are already on that path, so I paired them with mentors who are altruistic. One boy was using his money to donate to a cancer fund, so I paired him with a mentor who does a lot of volunteer work with his church.”

Another favorite memory Heacox recalled was at a recent Christmas party the organization hosted for their matches. “I noticed one of the mentors was vacuuming and the Little told her ‘Why don’t you sit down and relax?’ and he finished vacuuming for her.”

The efforts put forth by the Bigs and Littles alike bring to mind a quote by well-known philanthropist Mother Teresa: “We cannot do great things

Big Sister Brandi is well known around town for her big heart, so it wasn’t a huge shock when she made room in it for Little Sister Kaileen. Brandi and Kaileen met for the first time in August 2013 and have been having fun ever since. Kaileen views Brandi as a role model and recently told Big Brothers Big Sisters staff about the many reasons why she likes having Brandi in her life. The main reason was that Brandi showed her the importance of helping others. Prior to Thanksgiving, Brandi took Kaileen with her to volunteer with the local Packs of Love program. The time volunteering really made a strong impression on Kaileen. Kaileen has made an impact on Brandi, too. Brandi has often spoken about trying new things for the first time while spending time with Kaileen, such as her first taste of sushi and seeing a favorite band live for the first time.

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FOCUS ON ARTESIA | SPRING 2015

on this earth, only small things with great love.” The matches that are lasting and impactful seem to abide by that notion. “After the kids have been with their mentors, they get what that means to do small acts with great love,” Heacox observed.

In addition to the community-based program, BBBS also offers a Lunch Buddy program where volunteers visit kids at school once a week and eat lunch with them. Volunteers range in age from high school students to adults. Impressively, two Lunch Buddy matches started when the kids were in third grade and both students are now freshmen in high school. “Those longterm matches have been really nice to see,” Heacox commented. “The kids really have their minds set on positive goals, they have good manners, and they are a good representation of what the program is about.”

BBBS, which got its start in Artesia 13 years ago, is currently serving 25 students in the community. While the program is slowly growing, Heacox remarked she is encouraged by the impact the organization has had in the community and looks forward to its future growth. “This is just a special community,” she shared. “The kids are special and they really touch my heart.

I love this town and the volunteers in the community, the donors…it’s such a great place!”

PHOTO BELOW: Big Brothers Big Sisters hosted its annual Bowl for Kids’ Sake fundraiser in February at Artesia Lanes. The organization was able to meet its fundraising goal with the very successful event. Pinheads teammates are Kelcey McCaleb, Ronnie Ellis, Hoby Barrera, Jesus Acosta and Krystal Franco. Team Pinheads was sponsored by Holly Energy Corp. PHOTO RIGHT: Team Spare Me, also sponsored by Holly Energy Corp., is pictured from left: Bob O’Brien, Greg Tutak, Curt Pittam, Rainer Bass and Gary Davis.

A PE R F E C T MAT C H

Building a

Community Together!

Rakayla and Kelly were matched in September. They have been enjoying the benefits that small town life in Artesia has to offer. The comfortable atmosphere of Jahva House and the amazing local library have made for fun outings for this match so far. Rakayla was pretty familiar with the powerful impact that a great Big Sister can have when she came into the program. One of her best friends had been matched for a while when Rakayla became interested in having a mentor of her own and was matched with Kelly. Recently, she got a unique opportunity to take a behind-the-scenes look at the other side of the Big Brothers Big Sisters program in Artesia. Kelly is on the local Bowl for Kids’ Sake committee and brought Rakayla along for a meeting. This gave Rakayla a glimpse at the fundraising efforts that go into making matches like theirs possible.

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F O C U S on building a life

A Place to Call Home

by Staci Guy

I

f you ask a Habitat for Humanity volunteer in Artesia how the organization got its start locally, they’ll jokingly tell you, “It’s all Kathy’s fault!”

In early 2002, Kathy Phipps found herself retired from teaching and in need of a past time. Little did she know she was about to embark on a journey that would not only give her “something to do,” but would change dozens of lives in her small community as well.

“I retired from teaching and I knew my husband would still be working,” she shared. “I never really had a hobby because I had three kids, but I needed something to do.” That’s when an idea struck her. “My brother in Orange County, California was always telling me how blessed he was to be a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity out there. Anyone who has lived here for any length of time can look around and see there’s a need for housing, so I went to my local pastor and asked him for guidance and prayer. From there we formed a steering committee in February 2002, and all of the sudden there were 22 people involved!”

PHOTO: Pictured with Cammie Agour are her two daughters, Dayna and Brittney, during their home dedication in 2007.

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FOCUS ON ARTESIA | SPRING 2015

“See, it’s all Kathy’s fault!” quipped local volunteer Dan Banks.

After an 18-month affiliation process, the organization was able to begin the very first family selection process once they were fully affiliated in June 2003.

“The first one took a while because we weren’t completely familiar with everything yet, so that family was able to move in in 2005,” Phipps remembered.

From that moment on, she was hooked. “She got infected with Habit-itis!” Banks joked. “That’s what we call it when people get involved,” added his wife, Carolyn. “We’ve all got Habit-itis!”

Since then, the organization has gone on to build a total of nine homes in Artesia, which have provided 30 local children with decent, affordable, safe places to live. “Those children have been able to attend school from a stable environment and progress toward a meaningful adulthood,” Banks commented.

In addition to the families that benefit from Habitat homes being built, the organization says the community benefits as well. Vacant lots are replaced with new homes, which

means city and county governments receive tax revenues from them. As neighborhoods improve, neighbors are more likely to improve their homes because the new homes set a higher standard.

There’s more to Habitat though than meets the eye. “Most people think it’s just about signing up and getting a free house, but that’s not it at all,” noted Cammie Agour. And she should know; she was one of the first recipients of a Habitat home in Artesia.

In 2007 Agour was a single mother working as a receptionist for the City of Artesia. She was raising two teenage daughters, and although they were both bright, gifted children, Agour’s dreams for them consisted of keeping them safe and putting food on the table but not much more. Her outlook changed one day when she opened the newspaper.

“I was living in a situation that was not okay,” she admitted. “I was reading the paper one day and I saw that there was an opening for Habitat recipients.

At the time, my situation was pretty desperate. I had just moved into the housing authority when I read about Habitat, so I filled out the paperwork

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PHOTOS: Volunteers with Habitat for Humanity of Artesia put their skills to use during a blitz build.

and turned it in the very next day.”

At the time, Agour said she had no prior knowledge of Habitat other than “it was out there.” She explained, “All I knew at the time was that I was not in a good situation and I had been praying for something to change. This was it!”

As time progressed she would learn that she was not being given a house, but rather was being provided the opportunity to earn her own home.

“After I applied and was selected, they came out and interviewed me, checked a few things out, assessed my needs, and then had me start coming to board meetings,” she recalled.

“While you’re on the waiting list, you help out with the current house being built. That’s where your volunteer hours come from.”

As per the program requirements, Habitat recipients are required to complete 500 hours of volunteer work with the organization. While recipients are required to earn 200 hours themselves, the remaining 300 hours can come from friends and family who want to volunteer their time in the recipient’s honor.

Some of the other ways in which recipients earn volunteer hours are by taking finance, maintenance, and home ownership courses and by volunteering with various committees.

So what did earning a Habitat house mean for Agour? It meant her girls could finally have a safe place to call home, which in turn meant the three of them could direct their focus elsewhere. “I could barely afford to raise the kids as it was,” she shared.

“It gave me a sense of pride, a sense of belonging. I didn’t have that fear of being homeless again like we were for a few months when we lived in Arizona. It also gave me a little more freedom to push them to be successful.”

this bottom level, you have no selfesteem; your kids have no self-esteem.

You’re scrounging for everything you do. But when you go up a level, like I did with Habitat, you start feeling more secure in yourself and you become more selective about who you allow into your life.”

Both of her children were able to go to college and are working on bettering their lives. Her oldest daughter, Brittney, graduated from Cornell University with a bachelor’s degree and went on to earn a master’s degree from Harvard University. Her youngest daughter, Dayna, is currently in her fifth year of a seven-year program with the pharmacy school at the University of New Mexico. “I am so proud of my girls and I know a lot of their success had to do with us receiving a Habitat house,” Agour expressed.

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN While there’s no denying the benefits to Habitat recipients, many volunteers are quick to point out

“When you’re concerned with your finances,” she continued, “[or] your housing situation, you’re not concerned with supporting and encouraging your children to go on to college. You’re just focused on putting food on the table and a roof over their heads. It goes far because if you’re at

CRITERIA FOR RECIPIENTS OF A HABITAT HOME

• Income must be between 25-60% of median income for Eddy County. Family size will also be a factor.

• Recipient must be willing to partner with Habitat and complete 500 hours of sweat equity. A total of 200 hours must be completed by recipient; the remaining 300 hours can be completed by family or friends.

• Recipient must show a need. A home visit will be conducted to evaluate the current home/place of residence.

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the fact that being on the other side is equally rewarding. “A lot of times the recipients don’t get as much psychological, emotional, spiritual satisfaction out of the process as the volunteers do,” Carolyn Banks commented. “It goes back to, it’s better to give than to receive,” Banks insisted.

As a Christian ministry, the work of Habitat for Humanity is driven by the desire to give tangible expression to the love of God through the work of eliminating poverty housing.

Habitat’s mission and methods are predominately derived from a few key theological concepts: the necessity of putting faith into action, the “economics of Jesus” and the “theology of the hammer.” This means volunteers will pray at work, hold weekly devotions, and dedicate houses to Christ.

Locally, volunteers write prayers and well wishes on the lumber during the building process as a way to bless the house. Additionally, after a house is complete, a local pastor will come to the dedication ceremony and bless the house and everyone prays over it. “It was a big deal,” Agour acknowledged. “When you have the dedication and everyone is there, expressing how happy they are to help…it gives me goose bumps just talking about it!”

“When the children see that and realize someone took the time to express those things…that’s powerful for those kids,” Dan Banks reiterated.

in all shapes and sizes, but they also come from various economic and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Take Habitat’s most recent build at 1007 Missouri Avenue, for instance. Prisoners from the Roswell Correctional Facility were able to earn community service hours for work they completed at that particular Habitat house. “It benefited everyone,” emphasized Habitat board member Glenna Wilson. “The prisoners were so proud of themselves when it was done and they really felt good about the work they had done.” Volunteer Mary Lea Barron maintained, “They wrote little prayers and then wrote their name on the boards…they were just so proud!”

“It gave them a sense of accomplishment, and now they can drive by and say, ‘I helped build that house!’ for years to come,” contended Banks.

Veteran Owned & Proud of All Who Served!

FAMILY SELECTION COMMITTEE

People willing to interview and work with families who have made an application to be a partner with Habitat. These people will also check to make certain the application families meet proper criteria.

FAMILY SUPPORT COMMITTEE

People who have good social/people skills to work with partner families both before and after construction to be sure the families know what is required of them, as well as helping with budgeting and home maintenance.

CONSTRUCTION COMMITTEE

PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMITTEE

People who can write articles for newsletters and can work with local media to help get the word out about Habitat.

SITE SELECTION COMMITTEE

People who are interested in identifying potential sites for construction.

Those who like to dabble in real estate would be ideal members.

VOLUNTEER RELATIONS COMMITTEE

People who will help organize and contact other volunteers to set up times and places to work, whether in the office or on the job site, and keep track of volunteer hours.

FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE

People to identify and approach potential donors for either cash or inkind gifts of material, labor, property or support. These people also help develop fundraising material and help with grant writing.

CHURCH

People to organize the connection between the churches and Habitat.

SAFETY

People to review safety rules before each Blitz Build.

Donate to Artesia’s Habitat for Humanity Program by Joining our Builders’ Club!

Learn more and download the form at:

If you’ve ever thought about volunteering with Habitat for Humanity but don’t know how your services could be utilized, or if you’ve ever thought, “I’d like to volunteer, but I’m too _____(fill in the blank), to swing a hammer or use heavy equipment,” check out the committee list below. Each committee is vital to the overall success of the organization, and with committees ranging from manual labor to office work, there’s bound to be something for all skill sets.

People who have an interest in and knowledge of home construction.

It has been several years since Agour and her family moved into their Habitat home, but the relationships she formed remain intact today, and she has forged many others along the way as well. “The volunteers are wonderful,” she beamed. “They become part of your family. I keep in touch with several of the other recipient families as well because you just kind of form a bond when you’re working on one another’s home and when you have that connection.”

ArtesiaHabitat.org/joinbuildersclub.pdf

Not only do volunteers come

Habitat Committees

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For more information about Habitat for Humanity of Artesia, visit ArtesiaHabitat.org.

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F O C U S on caring

Help for Girls

by Staci Guy

in Crisis Pregnancies

Amanda Ramsey knows firsthand the difficulties of being a pregnant teen and a teen mom.

When she was just 15 years old, she became pregnant and suffered a miscarriage. It wasn’t long, however, before she found herself back in the same situation. At 16 she was pregnant again and this time gave birth to a healthy baby girl. “I guess because of all that, I’ve always had a heart for teen moms and teen pregnancy,” she mused.

So how did Ramsey go from “having a heart for teen moms” to launching a local organization aimed at helping women who are in crisis pregnancies?

She will tell you it was a “God thing” that came about after a chance meeting with local advocate Debbie Wilbourn.

Having lost a child to abortion at the age of 19, Wilbourn said she never fully dealt with that part of her past until much later in life. She felt God was leading her to a place of repentance and later to a desire to reach out and help women who were walking the same path she had walked. In 2008 she came across a study through her church’s statewide publication called Surrendering the Secret, a Bible study and DVD series aimed at post-abortion recovery. She purchased the kit for the program, and that summer she worked through it on her own. In September 2008, she introduced the study to her home church and began an abortion recovery ministry there.

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FOCUS ON ARTESIA | SPRING 2015

TWO LIVES INTERTWINED

Surrendering the Secret and about the need for a help center of some sort here in Artesia.”

On that fateful day she shared her heart-cry with Ramsey and ended up planting a seed that would later bloom into the Pregnancy Help Center of Artesia.

“[In 2013] I attended a continuing education conference in Washington “After Debbie approached me, I on abortion recovery, and as I was started reading about abortion and sitting there with these women, I got what it’s like here in New Mexico,” a real heart-cry,” Wilbourn confided.

Ramsey continued. “Once I started “I realized there’s PHOTO BELOW: Amanda Ramsey, Center Director - Pregnancy Help Center of Artesia. nothing here [in PHOTO RIGHT: The Board of Directors (from left) - Justin Raburn, vice chair, Olympia Artesia] for girls Posey, Denise Gunderson, secretary, Jessica Prude, treasurer, Ramsey, Jennifer who need it, so I Walker, and Ben Parsons. Not pictured is Sondie Stockton, president. started praying.” She might have known something needed to be done on a local level to help women in crisis pregnancies, but given her situation at the time, she knew she was not the right person to take on such a task. “I approached a couple of people about running it, but it just didn’t work out,” she conceded.

Then one day fate intervened at a community Bible study. “I was at Bible study one day and I found Amanda (Ramsey) there,” Wilbourn recalled. “I thought she would be a good fit so I started talking to her about

getting interested in abortion and learning about it from a Christian standpoint, it just seemed like it was everywhere I looked. God has a way of doing that to us, you know.”

It wasn’t exactly an easy decision for the married mother of four to make, but she took a leap of faith and jumped in head first. Her first step in absorbing herself in the pro-life scene was attending a conference in Albuquerque, followed by a Care Net (a network of 1,100 pregnancy centers in the U.S. and Canada) conference in Denver with Wilbourn. Both conferences offered valuable insight about operating a crisis pregnancy center, courtesy of women who are walking similar paths in other communities.

From there the women got to work on opening the Pregnancy Help Center of Artesia. They had their first meeting in May 2013, hosted a general interest meeting that September and selected a steering committee shortly after.

After several months of prep work, the steering committee finished their

portion in April 2014 and passed the torch to the newly elected board of directors. “In June (2014) I told the board they needed to start looking for a director for the Center and they said, ‘We don’t need to look; we want you.’

I was already pretty invested anyway at that point, so nothing really changed for me other than it was an official paid title.”

At that point everything was set except for the location. They knew they wanted something close in proximity to the high school and the building had to have at least two bathrooms – one designated for pregnancy testing and another for the staff. A house would be ideal. After months of searching, Ramsey said they finally found the perfect location, a house in the 600 block of Quay Avenue owned

by Ralph Nix. “They were so good to

us,” she confessed. “We told them we wanted to rent the house in August and they worked with us for months to hold the property until we could rent it in December!”

Since its inception, Pregnancy Help Center of Artesia, a 501(c)(3) organization, has hosted a couple of fundraisers. In September 2014 they hosted their first banquet, dubbed “Laugh for Life.” Held at the Total Life Center, it was complete with a pro-life comedian and a catered dinner. The event was a huge success and helped the Center raise nearly $60,000 to be put toward start-up expenses and training.

Another successful money maker has been the Baby Bottle Fundraiser, which brought in nearly $14,000 last year and another successful

“Once I started getting interested in abortion and learning about it from a Christian standpoint, it just seemed like it was everywhere I looked. God has a way of doing that to us, you know.”

SPRING 2015 | A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

15

sum this year. “We hold the Baby Bottle Fundraiser on Sanctity of Life Sunday—the anniversary of Roe v.

Wade—and we hand out baby bottles that people fill with change, dollar bills, or checks,” Ramsey noted. Last year seven churches participated and a local business took one bottle for every employee.

Ramsey disclosed that the Center plans to host two large fundraisers each year in addition to the baby bottles. “We don’t get any state or federal money, so we rely solely on donations,” she remarked. “Most grants require that you be up and running for a couple of years, so right now we are just hoping to get help from some churches, hopefully to be included in their annual missions budgets.” Ramsey is currently the only paid employee at the Center, while eight other individuals ( Jamie Heady, Andrea Gilchrest, Leah Joseph, Tejay Zuniga, Rita Harden, Heather Navarrette, Heather Wyatt, and Brenda Brunson) volunteer their time to keep the Center running.

Additional volunteers are always needed.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

• Medical counselors are not on staff; however, peer counseling will be available. “If we are seeing some red flags that she is suicidal or having problems, we have a certified Christian counselor we will send her to,” Ramsey shared. The only counseling done at the Center will be peer counseling with Center volunteers. Ramsey presumes most younger girls will feel comfortable opening up to the volunteers, many of whom can relate to their difficult situations.

• Volunteers at the Center are mandated reporters for abuse of any type; however, they are not required to report pregnancies in minors. “If a 14-year-old comes in for a test, we do not have to report it or contact her parents,” she maintained. “That’s the way the law works in this state.

Everything is very confidential.”

• According to New Mexico law, a girl as young as 12 can get an abortion without her parent’s consent. Ramsey and her volunteers are aware of the laws as well as the facts. “We are fundamentally pro-life, but we will present her with three options: keeping her baby, giving the baby up for adoption, and abortion,” she stated, adding, “One of the key differences between us and abortion clinics is that the clinics do not provide the girls with all the facts.

They are telling them it’s a ball of tissue. We have fetal models that show what a baby looks like at each stage and that really makes it real to them.

We won’t try to sway them but we will use our testimonies and give them all the facts.” The Center will also work closely with Lifeline Ministries, a local adoption agency set to open in the near future.

of training over a one-week span.

Potential volunteers must also submit to a background check and application process, will be interviewed, and must be able to provide a pastoral reference.

“We are ministering to vulnerable girls and you have to have a good foundation yourself to be able to do that kind of work,” Ramsey explained.

“It doesn’t matter which church. We are a non-denominational Center but we are affiliated with Care Net, and they have a statement of faith that our volunteers must abide by.”

For more information about the Pregnancy Help Center of Artesia, visit pregnancyhelpcenterofartesia.com, call 575-736-6400 or stop by 610 W. Quay Avenue.

• Pregnancy tests are free and confidential. Parking is available in the back of the Center and if desired, visitors can use a back door for entrance. Someone from the Center is available to answer the phone 24 hours a day.

• Abortion recovery is available for girls that decide to proceed with the termination of a pregnancy.

Debbie Wilbourn will hold classes as part of the Surrendering the Secret ministry. Information is available at the Center.

• Males are welcome at the Center as well. “We do help guys, too,” Ramsey pointed out. “They can take the parenting classes, and we will help them in any way we can. Sometimes they need help working through these issues, too, and we want to be here for them as well. In the future we hope to have a full-blown men’s ministry.”

• To quality for volunteer work at the Center, one must complete 24 hours

PHOTOS: Visitors at the Pregnancy Help Center open house hold a model baby that is the same size and weight as a fetus in the 24th week of pregnancy - and - various fetus models ranging in size from seven weeks of conception to 10 weeks of inception.

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F O C U S on education

Only in Artesia!

by Staci Guy

W

THE CHASE FOUNDATION MASTER’S PROGRAM

hat value would you place on the impact a good teacher has on a student’s life? Most people would say very high, if not priceless. But did you know that if teacher pay had risen in proportion to per-pupil spending since 1970, the average teacher today would make $120,000 per year. Do you know of any teachers that make even close to $120,000 per year?

That’s not to say our school districts aren’t doing a good enough job of paying teachers well, but rather that the funding simply isn’t there.

Knowing the sacrifices that teachers make and the money for which they do so, the Chase Foundation set out to help alleviate some of that burden.

Their method: offering to pay for any teacher in the Artesia Public School (APS) system to obtain a master’s degree. “The program will provide teachers with valuable education that can be used in the classroom to improve student learning, and teachers will also receive higher compensation for having a master’s degree,” stated Richard Price, Chase Foundation director.

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FOCUS ON ARTESIA | SPRING 2015

In other words, teachers with master’s degrees make more money than those with just a bachelor’s degree.

The problem is that teachers earn a teacher’s salary, which often makes it financially difficult to afford additional education. The Chase Foundation Master’s Program changes everything.

“When we first heard about the opportunity for a master’s, Melissa and I were thrilled,” revealed recipient Matt Conn, an Advanced Placement (AP) calculus teacher and coach at Artesia High School. “We have two small children and have put off master’s work because of the cost.” His wife, Melissa, is a first grade teacher at Yucca Elementary School, which means their household operates off of two teacher’s salaries.

In New Mexico, teachers are categorized as either a Level 1, 2, or 3 educator. For every level a teacher moves up, the compensation increases by $10,000

per year. A master’s degree allows a teacher to move up one level.

Matt, who has ambitions of going into school administration, and Melissa, who is working toward a master’s degree in content and pedagogy, will bring in a combined $20,000 in additional income once their master’s work is complete. For a family of four, the extra income is significant.

With both Conns taking two classes per semester in addition to their full-time teaching jobs, Matt said the master’s work is time consuming but insightful. “We want to personally thank Richard Price, Dr. Caton, and all that are involved in the process that made this happen,” he expressed.

“We are truly blessed. Artesia is a great place to live. Some districts require their teachers to get a master’s within five years or get fired. We get offered the opportunity to advance!”

The Conns are just two of the 32 APS teachers currently working on obtaining their master’s degrees through the Chase Foundation program.

The benefit to teachers to make more money for the work they do is obvious. What might not be as obvious is the benefit to the students when their teachers are better educated. “These teachers will be receiving information and knowledge that they can pass along to their students,” asserted Dr. Crit Caton, APS superintendent. “Everyone has something to gain from teachers receiving more training and education.”

The School District’s Side

The third benefactor of the Chase Foundation Master’s Program is the Artesia Public School System.

Once again, it all comes down to money, which in the world of education plays a significant role. “The school district is funded based on several factors, training and experience (T&E) being one of them,” explained Caton. In the past three years, the school system’s T&E funding has decreased by more than $900,000. This is due in large part to a number of experienced teachers retiring and the district replacing them with new teachers, many of whom are fresh out of college. “The more training and experience you have the more money you get,” he added.

“We were losing a lot of money so we had to do something to stop the bleeding.”

That’s when APS decided to partner with the Chase Foundation to help teachers get the education they needed. It’s a win/win/win!

“We partnered with Chase Foundation for [several] reasons,” Caton shared. “First, and most importantly, to help the kids in the classroom. The teachers

are able to pass along their knowledge to the kids, and that’s our primary focus. Second, it also helps the teachers make more money.” And who can argue with a school district and a community coming together to help teachers earn more money?

Caton went on to list yet another reason the Chase Foundation Master’s Program will be a blessing for many.

“Another benefit of the program is that I really think it will be a selling point for the Artesia Public School system and our community,” he suggested. “We will be able to attract top notch educators if they know they can come to work here and get a master’s degree.”

The Chase Foundation Master’s Program is administered through Eastern New Mexico University.

The teachers have more than a dozen different degree plans to choose from in the field of education, and they have three years to complete their degree.

Since the program’s inception in January of this year, 32 APS teachers have begun work on their master’s degrees and another cohort is planned to begin in the fall. “Initially we had decided to cap it at around 25, but the Chase Foundation came back and said, ‘We don’t want to turn anyone away that wants an education, so if you have more, we’ll go ahead and send all of them,” Caton maintained. “Only in Artesia does stuff like this happen. Only in Artesia!”

He concluded, “The bottom line is, without the Chase Foundation, we couldn’t do it.

We’re appreciative to them for not only helping the teachers but the kids as well.”

The Foundation responded, “The Chase family is very intent in providing teachers the necessary resources to make an impact on students during their educational years and preparing them for higher education opportunities.

[We are] excited to provide this opportunity in our commitment to giving back to our community through educational programs.”

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F O C U S on the family

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FOCUS ON ARTESIA | SPRING 2015

by Liana Swarengin

PEOPLE WILL FACE MANY DEFINING MOMENTS DURING THE COURSE OF THEIR LIFETIME. Some of these moments may come in the form of small, every day decisions.

Others will require great change and the willingness to take on new challenges that may seem impossible.

Still others may ask for sacrifices.

These kinds of moments will test whether or not the needs of others will be put before our own.

For David and Beth Nailon, their great defining moment encompassed all of these aspects. Their defining moment asked that they take in and raise seven young children.

David and Beth first became interested in foster care over a decade ago after adopting their great-niece, Kerri.

“Kerri was three years old at the time,” Beth remembered. “After adopting her, we decided we would adopt one more so that she wouldn’t have to grow up alone.” The Nailons already had five children of their own, but they were all grown and out of the house by that time. Beth and David were able to adopt a young boy named Cody and were glad that he and Kerri would be able to grow up together.

“A few years later, we received a call from

CYFD (Children, Youth and Families Department) that they had several children in need of foster care but they had nowhere to place them,” Beth maintained. They agreed to take the children in and were told that another baby was about to be born who would also need a place to go. The oldest of the children eventually was moved from their home, but Beth and David kept the younger ones and took in the newborn straight from the hospital.

Over the course of several years, these children were moved back and forth between the Nailons and their biological families.

David, a tall and rugged-looking cowboy, found this harder than he expected. “I thought I was pretty tough,” he admitted. “I realized that I wasn’t. It was too hard having the kids taken from us and sent back into homes that we knew weren’t good environments for them.” Finally, he and Beth had had enough and pushed for adoption of the five children.

“We just wanted to give these kids a chance,” David added. “As great as Artesia is at supporting the youth, the reality is that not all kids here have a real chance given their family situations.” Beth agreed. “We learned that if you really want to break the cycle of drug abuse and domestic violence, you can’t keep sending

PHOTOS: David and Beth Nailon and their seven adopted children - Top from left: Autumn, Cody, Kerri and Matthew - Bottom from left: Seth, Elizabeth and Joshua.

Photos by Devon Rae Photography

SPRING 2015 | A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

21

children back to broken homes.

If you take the kids out of these situations early enough, they won’t fall into the same bad patterns as their families.”

Beth and David certainly have their hands full with seven kids at home, but their hearts are also full of love for the children whom they have the privilege of raising. “God had a much bigger plan than we had,” Beth laughed. The Nailon home now consists of Kerri (17), Cody (15), Autumn (11), Elizabeth (9), Matthew (9), Seth (8) and Joshua (7). “There is never a dull moment at our house,” David said with a grin.

“It seems like we are always picking up and dropping off kids at their different events.”

Kerri is involved in cheerleading, and Cody is in FFA. The five younger kids are involved in sports and enjoy raising animals to show at the Eddy County Fair. Autumn is planning to show a pig at this year’s Fair, while Elizabeth would like to show a goat that she wants to name Little Bit. Matthew is torn between either a pig or a goat, but his two younger brothers, Seth and Joshua, plan to show pigs in the booster class. The family also enjoys taking trips together and agreed that their vacation to Silver Dollar City was one of their favorites. “Seth and Autumn are a little more on the timid side when it comes to the big rides,” Beth remarked with a smile. “Elizabeth and Joshua are our thrill seekers.”

they were extra special because we got to choose them. The older they get, the more we will tell them. And when the time comes, we will eventually give them their whole court case so that they can learn more about their past and how they came to be with us.”

“I’m glad I am adopted,” 11-year-old Autumn chimed in.

“It means that I am special and that I was picked.” Her brother, Matthew, agreed. “When kids ask about being adopted, I just tell them that we needed better parents.” David and Beth’s daughter Jodie put together a photo album and a blanket comprised of pictures of the children when they were young. All the kids enjoy looking over the photos and seem to take great pride in their new family.

“As far as their identities go, I don’t think they’ve ever struggled with being adopted,” Beth contended. “They came to live with us at such a young age, that being a part of our family is all that they have ever really known.” When Beth and David adopted their kids, they also gave them new names.

“All of them have names that are Biblically based,”she noted.

As the children have grown older, questions have arisen that David and Beth do their best to answer. “When one of our older daughters was about to have a baby, the kids began to ask questions about being in my tummy,” Beth revealed. “I had to explain that they never lived in my tummy, but that

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“We also named each of them after a member of our family.”

good grades in school and have positive goals for their futures.”

Once the adoption process was complete, the family participated in a special ceremony at church. “We each chose a different color of sand, and then poured them into a vase,” recalled David. “It shows that we are all blended together,” Beth affirmed. “And I have the vase up in our home on display to always remind us of that.” David marveled that he’s also found that their kids really stick up for one another.

“If one of them ever gets picked on at school, their siblings are quick to jump in and help them out.”

Autumn asserted that when she grows up, she would like to be a veterinarian. Elizabeth would like to be a doctor so that she can “help people” and take care of her parents “when they get old.” Joshua wants to be a policeman so that he can “get bad guys.” Matthew is interested in playing football and joining the Navy. Seth replied that he might also want to be a cop, but his rambunctious personality suggests that he will be able to do anything he sets his mind to.

As Beth reflected on their story, she had a word of encouragement to leave with anyone considering foster care or adoption. “A lot of times people get scared when they see these kids who need to be adopted because the biological parents have so many issues,” she conceded, “but none of our kids have any disabilities or defects based off their parents’ mistakes, and I simply cannot imagine our lives without them.” David was in total agreement. “All of our kids are smart and capable. They get

“Taking classes through CYFD is the first step to becoming foster parents,” Beth explained.

“After that, they will come and make sure that you have a ‘kid safe’ house. CYFD and CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) will meet with both parents and kids separately to make sure that everything is going well. Sometimes, it’s a long process,” she warned, “but let me assure you, it is totally worth it.”

More information regarding foster care and adoption can be found on the CYFD website, cyfd. org or by visiting AdoptUsKids.

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F O C U S on friendship

Difference Making Through the Eyes of a Friend

by Danielle Brady

“The purpose of life…is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” - RALPH WALDO EMERSON Emerson’s quote seems so easy and so simple to understand, but there are few of us who respond accordingly.

In this world of doom and gloom, there are sometimes everyday saints among us; Brandi Shetterly is one of them. The daughter of Mike and Cindy Shetterly, Brandi graduated from Artesia High School in 2000.

Immediately following graduation, she

answered the noble call to service in the United States Marine Corps. She was honored in 2003 with the award of “Marine of the Year” for the VNU1 Unit. During her time of service she developed a passion for charity work, in particular with the Muscular Dystrophy Association. She had the opportunity to work at their summer camp for teens and has willingly been

PHOTO LEFT: Brandi poses for a photo with her dear friend, Ryder Champion. PHOTO RIGHT: Brandi shares a hug with her “Little Sister” Kaileen. The two were matched with the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization and have formed a tight bond.

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FOCUS ON ARTESIA | SPRING 2015

arrested in the annual MDA Lock-Up numerous times.

How do you begin to describe the most generous person you have ever known? I decided to ask a few people whose lives I knew she had directly impacted. “Brandi is truly the biggesthearted person I know. I have yet to meet another soul like hers. She truly lives to help and serve others,” pointed out Sarah Bernin with the Packs of Love organization. “She is a blessing to everyone she comes in contact with and I am proud and honored to call her my friend. She would help out every Thursday that she had off work and would always bring Ryder (Champion) with her to help.”

Ernest Andrus of Coast 2 Coast Runs had the opportunity to spend a few days hitting the pavement with Shetterly and her family and friends. He remarked on what a great help she was in raising awareness about him and his organization. He is a 92-yearold veteran who is running from coast to coast in under four years to raise money to restore and return the USS LST 325 to the U.S. coast. He mentioned there are some areas where he runs alone so he appreciated the company and the smiling face.

Shetterly currently volunteers with Big Brothers Big Sisters, which has proven to be a blessing to all those involved.

As a Big, Shetterly developed a close relationship to her Little, Kailene. Their bond was further forged when she joined Kailene on two firsttime experiences: eating sushi and attending a concert by her favorite band, One Direction.

Through her active dedication to service, she is teaching another young person to give willingly of her time and talents by inviting her to volunteer for other organizations throughout Artesia.

Ryder Champion and his family are other locals who can tell us a thing or two about Shetterly. Champion acknowledges that they were friendly in high school, but it was about 10 years ago that their friendship really blossomed. He confided he loves that she has completely welcomed him into her family.

Some of the things they do together include going out to eat at restaurants, hanging out and watching movies. He is an avid sports lover, so it comes as no surprise that his favorite memories are cheering on Shetterly’s niece, Riley, at her sports games. Champion’s mother, Janis, praised Shetterly as the most caring, loving and supportive best friend she

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could ever have hoped for her son.

She stated that Shetterly’s family is so closely intertwined and has been such a blessing. She appreciates the additional peace of mind of having extra family members looking out for him and inviting him to join them for family events. His relationship with Shetterly gives his parents opportunities to travel more and do things that they enjoy. Anyone who has had the pleasure of spending time with them together could argue that it’s hard to determine which one is more popular around town. I would be willing to wager money that he is definitely the one keeping her out of trouble.

“You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.” - Kahlil Gibran Surprisingly, Facebook provided Shetterly an opportunity to give a part of herself and save a man’s life in the process. Ray Plunkett, who lives in Cartwright, Oklahoma, was in need of a new kidney. His life was saved when Shetterly saw his aunt’s plea for prayers on Facebook. After she prayed, she realized that God had called her to do more. In August 2012, she gave Plunkett a kidney, and he and his wife, Vanessa, would never be the same. “I can’t even think of what to say. She gave me a life back. It is very difficult to put into words what she has done for me and how much my family and I appreciate her random act of kindness,” Plunkett confessed in a recent email. “She served our country to help retain our freedom.

She personally gave me freedom from

spending my life tied to a machine.

She is my hero.”

Plunkett was touched by this stranger’s act of kindness, as was his family, his community, his co-workers and friends. “I would like to tell how much difference she has made in my whole family’s life. Ray is able to work and live a whole life without being attached to a machine three days a week for four hours. My grandson, Bailey, now has a daddy that is able to do things with him because he is doing so much better than he has done in years!” exclaimed Ray’s parents, Martha and Jim Plunkett. “For someone like Brandi to give of herself in such a way for someone she did not even know says a lots about her as a person and how she was brought up by her parents. Words can never express the love we have for her for what she has done for us as a family by giving Ray the gift of life.”

Mahatma Gandhi once remarked, “In a gentle way, you can shake the world,” and Shetterly continues to this day to do this by showing compassion and caring to many people for whom she has taken on the role of caregiver. She dedicated different parts of her life to taking care of elderly friends and ill family members. When she completed her service from the Marine Corps, she returned to Artesia to support her family through the passing of her grandmother, Donna Friesner.

She spent the better part of a year in Canada with her sick grandmother, Joann, and grandfather, Bob Shetterly.

She loved and cared for a dear friend, Elizabeth Roberts, who passed when

she lived in California. She helped her friend, Barbara Chacon, battle through the final stages of cancer. She bears the scars and the joy of each of these relationships through her tattoo artwork.

Not one to shy away from new foods and experiences, she travels when she gets a chance, like her recent trip to visit a friend in Abu Dhabi.

When in town she spends her free time training for and competing in the local color runs and various charity 5Ks and travels annually to both the Spartan Race and the Bataan Memorial Death March at White Sands. She also spends time with her extensive local family including her parents, her grandfather Harold Friesner, her brother and sister-in-law and various aunts, uncles and cousins, usually around a meal of some sort.

Her favorite times are spent with her nieces, Riley and Marlie Shetterly, who fittingly have always called her “Sunshine.” She loves her friends as deeply and passionately as she loves her family. Travis, Devynne, Nolan and Charolotte Kelsey have become so dear and special to her in the last year.

Some things I want you to take away from this story about my best friend: Attack life with vigor and compassion.

Love with equal parts of tenderness and desperation. Spend time with those you love when you get a chance because you don’t know how many more chances you might have. Do the things you enjoy without being afraid to embarrass yourself. And never turn down a free meal or waste a good drink!

PHOTO LEFT: Pictured with Brandi, center, is Ray Plunckett, far right, and his family. Brandi donated one of her kidneys to Plunckett, a complete stranger at the time, several years

ago after reading about his dire situation on Facebook. Also pictured is Danielle Brady, Brandi’s friend, who traveled to Oklahoma to be there with Brandi for the surgery.

PHOTO RIGHT: Brandi is all smiles during a recent trip to Abu Dhabi.

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FOCUS ON ARTESIA | SPRING 2015

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F O C U S on the arts E S T E L L E

H .

Y A T E S

ENRICHING LIVES

through Education and the Arts

by Sandra Borgess

In December of 2010, Mrs. Estelle H. Yates graciously welcomed me into her home for the first time.

We spoke about her foundation, the Estelle H. Yates Foundation, established in 2009. She had a very clear vision of all the things she wanted to accomplish through her foundation. She wanted to encourage and assist individuals toward personal independence through education and the arts. It was very clear that she cared about her community. I just remember thinking, “What a beautiful human being.” I felt inspired!

As the weeks went by, I learned more about Mrs. Yates. I was intrigued by her story, her journey from Boston, Massachusetts to Artesia, New Mexico.

Mrs. Yates married S.P. Yates in Boston in 1940 and moved to Artesia, their lifelong home as a couple. She was a graduate of Boston’s Girls’ Latin School and had studied design at the Chamberlain Design School in Boston. She brought to New Mexico a keen interest in the arts. Once established in Artesia, she graciously stepped into the traditional role of the pioneering woman who would bring

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culture to small towns throughout the West.

Despite the significant differences between Boston and Artesia, Mrs. Yates quickly became active in her new community. She was recruited to the Artesia Library Board, where she went to work on plans to design and construct a new building for the library that at the time was housed in the basement of City Hall on the corner of Fifth and Main Streets.

Finally, with Mrs. Yates as president of the library board, the library opened in its new building at 306 W. Richardson Avenue in July 1951. True to her passion, she instigated and

supported the development of the new Artesia Public Library more than 60 years later. She volunteered as a local Girl Scout troop leader for many years and served nine years on the National Girl Scouts Board of Directors.

She was a charter member of PEO Chapter AQ and remained a member of the organization for 65 years. She was a founding member of Artesia Arts Council and made significant contributions to the growth of the organization and the development of the Ocotillo Performing Arts Center.

Mrs. Yates firmly believed that education and the arts were strong tools for enriching lives and improving a community.

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She was an avid supporter of education by initiating several education programs with the cooperation of Artesia Public Schools.

Mrs. Yates was never boastful about the things she had done to better our community. She did not want or need recognition for the contributions she made, and her family often teased her that her name should be “Mrs. Anonymous.” In order to discern her true impact on

the community of Artesia, I had to go back and research, speak to those who had known her and worked with her. Her son, Peyton Yates, was always by her side to help her carry out new projects or ideas.

Mrs. Yates firmly believed that education and the arts were strong tools for enriching lives and improving a community.

She quietly demonstrated that belief over the years by enlisting friends and others to become involved. She knew that building a community,

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adding value to a place, isn’t just about providing financial support or simply donating. It also requires the aspirations and desires of many to build a project and make it last.

One of the many projects the Estelle H. Yates Foundation has helped fund is the renovation currently underway of Woodbine Cemetery. After 2008, Mrs. Yates would make many visits to Woodbine Cemetery to visit her beloved S.P. and noticed the need to renovate the cemetery. She wanted to help create a beautiful space to honor those that were laid to rest there, hopefully filling those who visit Woodbine Cemetery with peace.

Some of the other causes and organizations to benefit from the Estelle H. Yates Foundation include the Artesia Public Schools, Artesia Arts Council, Grammy’s House, Assurance Home and New Mexico Boys and Girls Ranches. The Foundation has made it possible for people in the community to enjoy performances at the Ocotillo Performing Arts Center and has enabled Artesia’s fourth graders to study under and perform with the National Dance Institute. Recently, the Foundation also funded the renovation of the high school auditorium, which in turn was renamed the Estelle H. Yates Auditorium.

The Foundation’s contributions to the community, however, could be considered priceless.

In March 2013, Mrs. Yates was recognized by the New Mexico State Legislature in House Memorial #81 as a “New Mexico Treasure,” honoring her for her philanthropic commitment to New Mexico.

Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable— if anything is excellent or praiseworthy— think about such things. - Philippians 4:8 Mrs. Yates, who passed away in September 2013, always had a noble cause and always did what was right for the people around her and for her community. She inspired us all to think about the beautiful things that could happen when we all work together to make our community a better place.

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FOCUS ON ARTESIA | SPRING 2015

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F O C U S on the United Way

The United Way Going the Extra Mile to Make a Difference T

by Kyle Marksteiner

he North Eddy County United Way helps Artesia’s difference makers do more. Whether it is guiding troubled teens, feeding the hungry or simply guiding local boys and girls who are looking for a few more extracurricular activities, the United Way’s 15 member agencies make a daily difference.

Artesia PATHway, Inc. was one of several groups to join the United Way this past year as a member agency.

PATHway is operated by parents and friends of individuals with special needs or physical or mental disabilities who live in the community.

PATHway’s Joyce Munoz said United Way funds are earmarked to take the Special Olympics Pecos Valley Track

and Field Team and Bocce Teams to attend the state Summer Special Olympics. The money goes toward the hotel and meal costs with a side trip to the aquarium.

“The money from United Way is used to help fund outings for people with disabilities of any age and either mental or physical disabilities,” Munoz explained. “It allows people with disabilities to be able to participate and enjoy different types of recreation and hobbies out in our community.”

Funds also help support PATHway’s Unified Bowling, and a tournament is planned for March 21 in Rio Rancho.

Artesia’s 702 4 U Youth Outreach Center, Inc. has received grants from the United Way for the past two years and uses the funding to run

PHOTO MAIN: Unified Bowlers and family members celebrate a group outing with Artesia PATHway, Inc., a non-profit organization run by parents and friends of individuals with special needs or physical or mental disabilities.

PHOTO INSET: Three youth, pictured during their graduation from the 702 4 U Youth Outreach Center, Inc.

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FOCUS ON ARTESIA | SPRING 2015

the Center’s youth programs. “We have a dance, music and art program,” divulged Director Caley Armstrong.

“The youth are able to use these outlets when participating in our 12 week program,” which also includes activities throughout the week that focus on life and social skills, anger management, communication skills, career exploration, academic continuity and many others.

702 4 U is named for the program’s address—702 W. Chisum Avenue— and serves as a help center for troubled youth, according to North Eddy

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Member Agencies North Eddy County United Way 702 4 U Youth Outreach Center, Inc. Artesia Drug and Crime Coalition, Inc. Artesia Emergency Relief Artesia Literacy Council Artesia Meals on Wheels, Inc. Artesia PATHway, Inc. Big Brothers Big Sisters Boy Scouts, Conquistador Council CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) Esperanza House, Inc. Grammy’s House Girl Scouts of the Desert Southwest Habitat for Humanity of Artesia Southeast New Mexico Community Action St. Vincent de Paul Society of the Pecos Valley, Inc.

2015 Campaign Volunteers Ben Harvey

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County United Way First Vice President David Grousnick, who also serves as pastor of Artesia’s First Christian Church.

“United Way has been able to give us the funds in order to facilitate our programs, and we are very thankful for the support we have received from them and the entire community,” Armstrong stated.

The North Eddy County United Way runs a seasonal campaign that begins in September each year. “We spend our first month getting organized and going through requests, and then we try to ramp it up,” maintained Grousnick.

Most of the effort is voluntary; however, Executive Director Toni Cano is paid to assist the program during campaign season. “We always stress that 99% of all our contributions stay in the greater Artesia area,” she

observed. “There’s a concern that when you are giving, what part goes elsewhere? It’s less than 1%.”

The agency’s 2015 campaign, conducted in the fall of 2014, reached its goal of $175,000, Grousnick disclosed. “We felt really good about that, since it was in the midst of the beginning of [an oil and gas] down turn.”

The United Way plays an important role because it helps its partner agencies fill the gap between funding they may receive and what it takes to meet all their obligations, Grousnick stated. After all, some smaller organizations, especially, have their resources focused on the services they provide, not fundraising.

Additionally, some donors feel especially comfortable with the United Way brand. “It helps to identify that it is going to a recognized

PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT): Youth and staff present their “All About Me” posters at the 702 4 U Youth Outreach

Center, Inc. The Outreach Center is a member agency of the North Eddy County United Way. • Team Poly Hockey with Artesia PATHway, Inc. • Evy Rodriguez at miniature golf in Albuquerque with Artesia PATHway, Inc. • Basketball Action Play with Artesia PATHway, Inc.

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FOCUS ON ARTESIA | SPRING 2015

organization that has a track record,” he added.

Volunteers handle most of the United Way’s campaign, with different individuals running the various divisions such as agriculture, business and education. Many of the division chairs have been involved with the program for decades.

Sometimes some surprises arise with the campaign. “Two years ago, we received a large donation from Concho Oil and Gas that just blew us past our goal,” Grousnick recalled.

On the other end, member agencies provide information to the United Way’s finance committee, which then examines requests and funding and makes a recommendation to the larger board.

The United Way’s office is located at the Artesia High School Annex Building at 1207 W. Richardson Avenue. The office can also be reached at 575-308-2702.

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Who has made a difference in your life?

F O C U S man on the street

My husband... he has taught me so much about myself, God, love and life. I am so thankful to share my life with him.

- Holly Delgado My mom and dad have made the biggest difference in my life. The biggest reason why is their unwavering commitment to loving me and raising me to know the importance of loving and helping others, the importance of hard work and the desire to always try to learn, improve and grow in all aspects of life.

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God! Because I honestly don’t know where I’d be without his love!

He has blessed me in so many ways even when I don’t deserve it!

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I’d have to say the person that’s made the biggest difference in my life would have to be my dad. Aside from all the things a father should teach his son, he’s taught me how to deal with adversity. He’s taught me what it means to have faith and that it’s ok to question it every now and then.

- Daniel Zamarron Beth Spencer has made a difference in my life profoundly so. She is a humble, kind and serving force for the Lord. She breathes positivity, encouragement and love into me at every contact we have. I am extremely thankful to the Lord to call her friend and sister.

- Arlas Blackwell

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In January at the Chamber’s Power Lunch, two women were named the newest Hometown Heroes. Although they both have many commitments individually to family, friends, church and civic organizations, it was their tireless efforts towards one specific, albeit very substantial project: the Artesia Public Library.

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Sandi Lanning and Elizabeth Stephens were asked to serve on the library board at the onset of planning the new facility. There are far too many tasks, trips, research projects and decisions to list that would detail that vast amount of time and energy this dynamic duo spent on a project that has now become the newest highlight in Artesia. What’s more notable is they both did all their work quietly and patiently, without question or need of recognition.

Today they’ve organized a Friends of the Library organization, serve on the board and continue to volunteer on a very regular basis at the library. They started this project in 2008 and they haven’t given it up yet! Sandi Lanning and Elizabeth Stephens truly are our Hometown Heroes.

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F O C U S on giving back

THE KEY TO SUCCESS I

SCOTT TAKACS Owner / Broker SCOTT TAKACS REAL ESTATE

f you polled the top 1,000 business men and women in America and asked them what the keys are to their success, several of the answers would appear again and again. “A strong work ethic” and “a desire to be the best at what you do” would be among the top traits listed, but other common themes would be repeated by most, if not all, the executives polled. “Education, passion, a strong sense of ethics,” and “building the right network of friends and allies” would likely be other common answers.

You can probably imagine others that would recur as well. One common answer given by anybody who has achieved what we consider “success” in our society typically is “giving back.”

Volunteerism has always had a special place in the American ethos. The subject doesn’t grab the headlines nor does it drive TV ratings like the tales of American greed or the excesses of the rich and famous, but the truth is that in American society, those who have the most typically give the most.

Sometimes their generosity is in the form of donations of money or property, but often, the wealthy in America feel they owe it to society as a whole to do something for others. So, frequently the very successful will create charitable foundations for a specific purpose or to assist a particular group of people to help rise above their circumstances.

Others open schools or begin business incubators to give young people the opportunity to make a great life with some guidance from those who have done so before them.

Most Fortune 500 CEO’s will tell you they learned early on in their careers the value of giving back to their communities. They would tell you that giving their money, expertise, and time to a cause or causes was not only profitable for their spirit, but in the real sense of profit as well.

What you might not hear in business school or while getting your MBA is just how valuable it is to make your time available to volunteer in some effort which aligns with your beliefs or passions. Studies have shown that those who regularly volunteer are happier and healthier as a result. The act of selflessly giving yourself to worthwhile causes has a positive effect on your mental and physical health. The very unscientific sentiment of the upper echelons of commerce and government is that volunteerism was the key to their rise to higher positions and levels of pay. The un-studied connection between the two is a well know secret amongst the successful.

It’s no different in small towns like ours.

I wish I had learned earlier the value of volunteering my time and effort to

worthy causes. Now, I give my time to several causes in which I believe and there are tangible benefits as well as intangible ones. The intangibles are that I serve with others who share a passion or goal and work on a team toward a common goal greater than ourselves and it is good for the soul.

The tangible benefits have come in the form of meeting people from other areas of the community with whom I might never have interacted if not for serving on a committee or working together on a fundraising effort. Meeting these people from outside my “sphere” enlarges my network. The larger my network, the more opportunities there are for our shared economic interests to overlap.

When you hear business types speaking about “networking” opportunities, volunteering is one of the best ways to do this.

So, here’s to the volunteers who make our city, community, and country better through selfless acts of service. So many great things are accomplished through the efforts of volunteers from all walks of life. If you don’t volunteer, I encourage you to start – somewhere, somehow.

Not only is it noble and a lofty goal, but it has proven to be good for your health both physical and mental. You just might find that it has some tangible benefits to your economic health as well.

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F O C U S on the chamber

ARTESIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BUSINESS OF THE MONTH PROGRAM The Artesia Chamber of Commerce and the Trailblazers proudly recognize a Chamber member business each month.

We take pride in our Chamber members and enjoy celebrating their service to the community and their commitment to the Chamber! Here are our most recent Businesses of the Month...

Listen to member station KSVP and check out the Artesia Daily Press to see who next month’s Business of the Month will be.

DECEMBER 2014

JANUARY 2015

FEBRUARY 2015

811 W. Texas Avenue 575-748-1198 During the holidays in December, Artesia Trailblazers opted to select a service organization rather than a Business of the Month to recognize. Trailblazer volunteers gathered supplies desperately needed by the domestic violence shelter and donated them in the spirit of giving and celebration of the holiday season. Grammy’s House is a local non-profit organization offering victims of domestic violence shelter and a variety of programs designed to help clients in need of intervention, education and support in a confidential and safe environment.

110 W. Mahone Drive 575-748-2042 Artesia Animal Clinic is a long time Chamber member and business in Artesia dedicated to the health and wellness of your animals both large and small.

They provide daily surgical services, appointments and walk- in services during business hours. On-call emergency service is available after hours to take care of your pets when the unexpected happens. Operating hours are 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday.

2001 W. Main Street 575-748-3357 Fenn’s Country Market isn’t just a grocery store in our community, it is the place that keeps you coming back because of their excellent customer service.

Being greeted by friendly and helpful staff in their newly remodeled building allows for the best in your grocery shopping experience. While getting your groceries you can stop by the deli and brand new salad bar to get lunch. For birthdays and special occasions, their bakery is the place to go for your specialized cakes and other sweet treats!

GRAMMY’S HOUSE

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FOCUS ON ARTESIA | SPRING 2015

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F O C U S on the chamber

MEET THE CHAMBER STAFF WELCOME NEW CHAMBER MEMBERS! HAYLEY KLEIN

Executive Director

DEBBIE

VICKIE

VAN DER VEEN GROUSNICK

Director of Administration

Events & Marketing Coordinator

KELCEY McCALEB Membership Coordinator

MICHAEL BUNT

Artesia’s Economic Development Director

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Artesia Chamber of Commerce is proud to welcome New Horizons Wellness Center to Artesia’s business community. New Horizons is an office of Marathon Health, which provides healthcare to employees of the Chase companies. New Horizons Wellness Center is a convenient place for all eligible participants to obtain preventive and sick care as well as health coaching and condition management. They are dedicated to bringing quality health services to employees by providing primary medical care, guidance to help you better understand your health risks and conditions, and support to help you manage your health.

KEEPING THE DREAM ALIVE ORGANIZATION P.O. Box 1634 Artesia, NM 88210 575-746-3204

For information about how your company may participate in New Horizons / Marathon Health for your employees, please call Artesia Chamber of Commerce, 575-746-2744.

SPRING 2015 | A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

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• Paul Acerra, PA-C • Cindy Phillippi, CNP Front Row (left to right) Katie Porter, PA-C ator • Dr. Marshall Baca • Tracy Towles, RN – Joint Care Coordin Back Row (left to right) Dr. Zhinian Wan nister, CNP • Dr. William Baggs Darla Ban

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