Focus on Roswell Summer 2016

SUMMER 2016

THE MUSIC SCENE IN ROSWELL

An Interview with Klas Ahman Roswell Symphony Orchestra Creating Unity Through Music The Roswell Jazz Festival Chamber Ribbon Cuttings & More!

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inside this issue SUMMER 2016

Helping Seniors in Roswell Live Healthy, Happy, and at

Home!

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FROM THE EDITOR

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SECRET CIRCUS AND ROSWELL

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ROSWELL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA FAMILY. MUSIC. FUN.

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MUSIC IS IN HER BLOOD MARIE MANNING

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CREATING UNITY THROUGH MUSIC

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TURNING TRAGEDY INTO TUNES

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LIVE AND AMPLIFIED: PURE CREATIVITY

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ROSWELL CHAMBER NEWS: NEW MEMBERS RIBBON CUTTINGS

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ABOUT THE COVER The band Secret Circus - read their story starting on page 6.

Photo by Sallie Sioux Gleewood Staci Guy, Editorial Director - Kristy Crockett, Advertising Photography by Contributors & Submitted Photos Special Contributors: Ben Mattice, Brooke Linthicum, & the Roswell Chamber of Commerce FOCUS ON ROSWELL IS PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY AD VENTURE MARKETING

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SUMMER 2016 | A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

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from the editor

Where words leave off,

MUSIC BEGINS S

ince childhood I have been captivated by words, their uses and the power they wield. I surround myself and my family with positive, insightful aphorisms around our home and even on our clothing. I believe, and always have, that words have power.

STACI GUY

Editorial Director

FOCUS ON ROSWELL

Music, though, takes those words to a whole other level. I’m not musically inclined and can’t hold a tune to save my life, but I love music and would sacrifice just about anything for the ability to sing well. Don’t get me wrong, I still sing, just not well!

Depending upon my mood, music serves one of many purposes: it soothes me, uplifts me, rejuvenates me, encourages me…it helps me escape or reminisce or pumps me up when I’m working out. My iPod playlist includes everything from alternative rock to country, Christian to hip hop. Music has a way of speaking to my soul in a way nothing else can.

As German poet and writer Heinrich Heine explained, “Where words leave off, music begins.” Yes, words are powerful and meaningful, but there’s something about putting those words to music that takes them from being “words” to something more, something deep and personal, something profound and lifechanging.

feelings regarding a lack of interest in and attendance of the concerts he works hard to book at the center. He and the other volunteers there are convinced music is a surefire way to unite the youth of Roswell, which explains their frustration with the low attendance at the concerts and other musical events.

In talking with Marie Manning, a solo artist who often plays at Stellar Coffee, her love of music was apparent from the moment we began our interview.

I could immediately tell it was a love affair with a long history, and as we visited I learned about her upbringing and the monumental role her mother played in fostering her love of music.

Her story is the story music is made for!

One of my favorite pieces in this issue of Focus on Roswell was a Q&A session Ben Mattice did with Klas Ahman of the local band Secret Circus. It’s an indepth look at the making of the band, and Ben wrote it in such a way that it is sure to make you, the reader, feel as though you were there in the room with them for the interview. You don’t want to miss it! It’s a fun, light-hearted read that will likely change the way you look at Klas and his band!

As always, we tried to create a wellrounded issue that will resonate with readers all across the board. If you like jazz, we’ve got you covered. Rock, classical, metal…you’re sure to find something in this issue that will pique your interest.

Until next time!

- 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 Roswell and Focus on Artesia. She can be reached at staci@ad-venturemarketing.com.

In this issue of Focus on Roswell, we wanted to take a look at the music scene in Roswell. We included some expected stories, such as the wellknown band Secret Circus and the ever-popular Roswell Symphony Orchestra, but we also wanted to explore some other musical venues and entertainers, such as the Unity Center and acoustic artist Marie Manning. In my interview with Bobby Garcia at the Unity Center I was struck by his honesty and the candid manner in which he explained his

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FOCUS ON ROSWELL | SUMMER 2016

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and Roswell

I

first saw Klas Ahman at Stellar Coffee Company a year ago. I came to see a friend perform, and Ahman was the supporting act. At the time, I was unaware of the music scene in Roswell, so I certainly had never heard Ahman perform. With a foot drum, guitar and microphone, he was a one man band. It wasn’t until later I realized he was actually part of a three-man band and that Secret Circus made the Roswell music scene what it is today. As he played, woolly in his gray sweater, red scarf and beat-up jeans, I could feel the well-worn soul and years of dubious adventures underlining every word.

Over the next year, we brushed shoulders many times as both our lives were entrenched in Roswell’s art world. But the Swedish hippie with the long, blonde hair remained a mystery until I sat down and interviewed him, this time in Stellar Coffee Company’s Satellite Room where we shared coffee and he bared his soul.

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When and how did Secret Circus start?

It started when I moved to Roswell.

I started making music when I had a lot of time. I came from an advertising career in Stockholm (Sweden), and I was really burned out and tired from it. So I took a year off to figure things out. During that year was when I realized I was really burned out and really didn’t like the advertising world.

I needed some distance to see how I felt about it. I’m one of those people who just kind of accepts what is going on. “Oh, everything’s great. I’m alive.

I’m working hard. I’m making results.”

But inside there was something that wasn’t right. I wasn’t passionate anymore. I was just really, really tired.

I felt numb.

When I first came over (to the U.S.), I went through a sort of posttraumatic stress thing. It was pretty intense, the career I had. During that year, I couldn’t pick myself up. I just couldn’t find any motivation. When I looked for a job, it just really seemed pointless. The stuff that was available wasn’t something I could see myself

by Ben Mattice

doing. I started my own company when I was 18, so I really never had a “job.” I guess my ego wouldn’t let me work for somebody else.

So, that year kind of turned into many years. But what I found the motivation to do—what I was doing with my time—was making music: writing songs, recording some songs, and then starting to perform them at house parties. A friend of mine named Alfredo started to sell my stuff on Myspace and started inviting me to music parties he would host. He was in a band called Most Wonderful People Ever, kind of the originator of the Roswell music scene. He died a few years ago.

[Alfredo] really encouraged me to make something. I thought I sucked.

I was just doing it—writing songs— and maybe someone else would sing them. Maybe. I was terrified of being on stage. I didn’t want to do that at all, but I also thought I wrote really well.

I wrote songs I was really proud of, and I wanted them to have a life so I started performing them anyways.

The world can be kind of scary when PHOTO: Twin brothers Joel and Klas Ahman in the ring Photo by Sallie Sioux Gleewood

SUMMER 2016 | A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

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you are a twin and you’re not with your twin. I was living here, and my twin brother was living in Sweden.

It was the first time I had been without him.

We were born together, grew up together, and I had always taken that for granted. The world was a lot scarier when I was by myself. So I told him we should start a band, and he booked a couple of little shows in Europe. I [went] over there for the summer. I had been here [in Roswell] for about a year. We went on this little acoustic tour. It was just (expletive) around. We didn’t even have a band name.

He lost his wallet in Amsterdam after our one “real” show. The rest of [the shows] were house parties. We were out in the “red light district” checking out the weirdness, and he was like “Oh (expletive). My wallet’s gone. I’m not kidding.” I had like eight Euros.

We had deposited all the money into a card, and the card was in the wallet.

We had no money left.

We were supposed to go back home, but we were stuck. That’s when the adventure started; our journey started as a band. We had to make a living right then and there on the street, booking little shows in towns we came to, asking, “Can we play here for tips?”

And all of the sudden we had to be good and connect with people. We were just playing our way home.

At the border patrol in Germany we sat down and used all our algebra to make sure we had enough (gas) in the tank to get to Copenhagen.

Using graphs and stuff to calculate, you know—there’s no wind, and no hills in Denmark—and we registered exactly how much we could get out of each gallon. We used the rest of the money for beer. It’s way cheaper in PHOTO ABOVE: Captain Klas PHOTO RIGHT: Captain Klas and Joel Ahman on the frontier Photos by Sallie Sioux Gleewood

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Germany than it is on the other side of the border. We stocked up on road beer. There aren’t really any towns in Denmark. A town will be like a structure, nothing more. So we cruised into Copenhagen on fumes, headed downtown, parked in the first spot we could find in town, bought a loaf of bread, finished our last beer, played our guitars on the curb, then wrote a song about it. It starts, “I lost my wallet in Amsterdam…”

The next morning as soon as the sun popped up, we hit the streets with our guitars. As it turned out, we were just around the corner from this famous street known for busking. It was about four in the morning. We found this bottleneck by this bank that was closed for the weekend. It had these steps that made this natural stage, and the storefront windows on the other side bounced the sound back at us. It was the perfect spot where a few performers might lose teeth over.

Right next door there was a cafe that wasn’t open yet.

We shared the last beer for breakfast and hung out, tuned our guitars.

People opened up the coffee shop and we decided to start playing. We played the song we wrote the night before…jammed it; kept adding new stuff, jamming that song for about 40 minutes. There was a line going into the coffee shop. People would buy their stuff and then drop their change in our hat. They had just started accepting Euros, and I don’t think people realized how much Euros [coins] were worth. They were used to larger money being bills. Two Euros are like $2.50, and our hat was over the brim full when we looked down. So we said, “(Expletive) this!

Breakfast!” and we bought one of everything behind the glass [at the cafe]. Cheese Danishes and real coffee for the first time in a month.

We had enough to buy the bridge fee back to Sweden. It cost about one hundred

bucks to drive across the bridge, so we thought we would be stuck in Copenhagen for a while.

Fat and happy, we were driving across that bridge. It was still early, around 10 a.m., and there was a little haze over the water, and we had the sunroof back and the birds were flying back and forth and we had one of those moments where we realized this is going to stick. This is now our lifestyle.

Our troubles are over, but we can’t go back. We realized how hooked were on [the adventure].

How did you come up with the name “Secret Circus”?

When we were kids, we were always into circus stuff, like tumbling and juggling and stuff. We could stand on each other’s shoulders and juggle.

And we were twins. Even when we were really young, that set us apart.

We knew we were special. We could do things other people couldn’t. We would always threaten our parents, “If you don’t shape up we’re running away to the circus. We’re twins, we can juggle.”

When were on this tour, we were just messing around. It wasn’t really a commercial endeavor, so we didn’t really tell anyone we were going. It was a secret, so, you know, Secret Circus.

How is the band connected to Roswell?

We were both exchange students here in 1997-98. I went to Goddard High and Joel went to Roswell High. During that year I met a girl. Her name was Amanda. It stuck and we got married.

Now 17 years later, we’re over here.

We moved back to Sweden for a bit, but 10 years ago we moved back here.

I’ve spent about half my life here in Roswell. It’s definitely home, although people still see me as “that Swedish guy.” But I’m ok with that. I kind of encourage it. I promote myself as Swedish, and we promote the band as a Swedish band. When we are in Sweden, we promote the Roswell thing, you know, aliens and stuff.

At first, we would tour in Europe every summer. After that first tour, we decided that’s what we were doing.

There weren’t really any music venues here. I didn’t know anything about what was going on in New Mexico at all. I honestly just hibernated here, spending four or five months in Sweden during the summer and just hiding out here in my little studio [the rest of the year].

After a while we couldn’t really get anywhere in Sweden. It’s very Top 40: it’s really hard to “make it.” You’re really just stuck in a “demo” scene.

They don’t really call it an “indie” scene. Which means you play for free in hopes an agent will be at the show.

And it had started to work here [in Roswell] on its own. Our fan base, for some reason, was really starting to pick up in New Mexico even though we would just winter here and record our albums.

There were only a few articles written about us and a few reviews of our albums. So we immediately started booking shows. I instantly realized how much easier it is here. Things are farther away, but the gas is cheap so it doesn’t matter.

And then when we started on this tour, we were like, “Forget Sweden.” Now things are the opposite.

When I go to Sweden,

we just hide out there, go to my cabin, write and record, and then we tour over here. New Mexico has become our main hunting ground. Our tour is pretty much Arizona, Utah, Colorado and Texas.

What is in the future for Klas and Secret Circus?

I really hope to get my brother over here on a more permanent basis, start expanding the circle. It’s really fun to travel in the United States—so many awesome places. People are really colorful. It’s really interesting.

I’d like to get the band out to the coast, at least the West coast.

We have a new album coming out this year. We have eight songs recorded.

We are aiming for this fall to release it. It’s about the lifestyle of travel. It’s been a really interesting project, our third album. Our first album took several years. A lot of songs I had written over a long time. The second one was a lot faster. We had gotten a lot better at it. This one, we took our time on this one. It’s definitely our strongest material. I feel really good about it. I’m hoping it will be popular and get some rewards.

own bed. And the rest of [the nights] were just traveling in a lot of other places, about a night or two in the same place. I’m gearing up for a break or a meltdown. This summer is gonna be spent in the woods. I think a lot of songs are going to come out; I can feel them brewing. It’s hard to write new stuff at that pace. You need to stop and let it soak in. You need some peace and quiet and doing nothing for it to start coming out, and then it just kind of, blah, comes out.

I’m hoping we can make another album next year. Secret Circus is starting to be a project that I would like to make a living from. I haven’t had to make a living very hard. I’ve just been kind of cruising and getting good at being broke. But Secret Circus is really what I want to do. I want it to be something fantastically weird. I don’t want it to just be a small touring band. Most of it is a DIY budget. We can do a lot with it, but it would be cool to have some serious artistic freedom. I want a Secret Circus show to be a big show with acrobats and dancers and weird stuff happening.

We recorded 70% of it here and about 30 to 40% of it in Sweden. We record here mostly because we have the studio here. It’s a project to get it to work because we live on different continents, and we try to be together when we record as much as possible.

When we are together we capture an insane amount of material, including other people’s art.

SecretCircusVideo (on YouTube) isn’t just for Secret Circus. It’s a factory for art, for video and music. The studio is open for other bands. I do mostly onetake sessions where I mic everything up and see what happens. Bands come here and I capture the performance.

I’ve never been a cut and paste, splice and edit sort of producer. I like to just capture it really well and mix it. You know, keep the life in it. That’s really hard to do sometimes. It’s so easy to lose the soul of it.

Looking back, I really don’t know how I’ve made all this stuff. The past year or two I’ve kind of been at a crazy pace.

Between October [2014] and October [2015] I spent about 30 nights in my SUMMER 2016 | A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

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Roswell Symphony Orchestra

by Brooke Linthicum

That’s the gist of the free Labor Day concert put on annually by the Roswell Symphony Orchestra (RSO).

Hosted at Spring River Park and Zoo, the Labor Day concert is the perfect way to expose families of all ages to the symphony. “The concert usually features several well-known pieces that listeners of all ages will recognize,” said Kate Graham, RSO operations manager. This concert is given to the community by the Roswell Symphony Orchestra as a thank you for the wonderful support given throughout the year. It’s a wonderful opportunity for children to experience the symphony, learn more about music and participate in the “petting zoo” of instruments. Bring a blanket or chairs and some snacks and make it a great end-of-summer ritual!

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Now in its 55th season, RSO’s musicians come from all major cities within a 200-mile radius of Roswell: Lubbock, Amarillo, Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Las Cruces, El Paso, Portales, Alamogordo and Roswell itself. The RSO has earned a reputation for musical excellence by sharing with the underserved target audience of Southeast New Mexico the talents of professional musicians, many of whom have performed renowned symphonies across the United States as well as in Canada and Europe.

The Subscription Concert series is made up of five concerts performed October through May. Subscription Concerts are held at New Mexico Military Institute’s Pearson Auditorium. These Subscription Concerts bring classical orchestral

MAESTRO JOHN FERRER

Family. Music. Fun.

music, performed by professional musicians, to the area. Music written

by Tchaikovsky, Sibelius, Mozart, Strauss, Wagner and the like are performed, often with internationallyknown guest artists, ranging from violinists to classical guitarists. In addition, the season will feature many other special events.

Under the direction of Maestro John Ferrer, RSO was a recipient of the Governor’s Award for Excellence and Achievement and nominated

by Senators Pete Domenici and Jeff Bingaman as a Trustee of the National Symphony Orchestra. Over the years, the Roswell Symphony Orchestra has woven into the very fabric of the community many opportunities for the citizens of Roswell and the surrounding communities to be part of their family. The fourth grade Young Person’s Concert is, for many, the beginning of a lifelong love of music, instruments and the arts. The Shadow Experience program allows the best musicians from high schools around the area to perform with a professional orchestra and be mentored by some of New Mexico and Texas’ finest musicians. In addition, RSO’s educational materials library is open to all area teachers and provides on-going support to the educational community.

projects in order to make sure that anyone who wants to enjoy the musical arts is given every opportunity to do so.

Regardless of culture, heritage, economic situation or upbringing, one thing is certain in this part of New Mexico: music plays an integral part in our society. Often, those cultural events which are the domain of larger cities are neglected in the smaller, more rural communities of Southeastern New Mexico.

It is for this reason that the RSO Board of Directors is so committed to providing Roswell, Hagerman, Dexter, Artesia, Ruidoso, Alamogordo and other areas of Southeastern New Mexico with a large number of

Labor Day Concert September 5, 2016

The 2016-2017 concert schedule will be out soon. Graham said that they are currently finalizing the details for an August 16 Symphony Night cosponsored by the Liberty. Check out their Facebook page or website (RoswellSymphony. org) for more information.

Tentative Schedule:

Subscription Concert 1 October 1, 2016 Subscription Concert 2 Christmas Classics December 4, 2016 Subscription Concert 3 February 4, 2017 Subscription Concert 4 April 15, 2017 SUMMER 2016 | A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

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Music is in Her Blood

by Staci Guy

As a child Marie Manning knew music as simply a way of life. As the daughter of an artist, Manning and her sister often accompanied their mother to poetry readings and open mic nights and even performed acapella with her from time to time.

“My mom was an artist and she sang; she was always singing,” Manning recalled. “I have loved music since I was born. As a kid my mom would give me a dead mic at her work, and I’d just walk around and talk on it and sing all the time!”

During those formative years of her youth, Manning’s mother made sure her daughters were surrounded by individuals who would help foster their creativity. “My mom always put us around people that were musically talented, and it encouraged me to write and sing music,” she divulged.

Her mother’s plan must have worked because by the fourth grade, Manning was already playing guitar and learning other artists’ music. “I had a guitar teacher, Tina Lout, and she encouraged me to sing, too, so I did. I played guitar and sang.”

Thanks in large part to the creative freedom her mother allowed and the confidence she helped instill, Manning

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and a couple of her friends started a band while she was only in middle school. They named themselves the Frozen Oranges and performed at talent shows, friends’ birthday parties and other small shows. Still, it was a bold move for an adolescent girl.

Also during her middle school years she developed her knack for writing and even had a poem published titled “Never Go to Bed Angry.”

After middle school and the Frozen Oranges, Manning segued into a solo career and began writing and performing her own material. At age 15 she wrote her first song. She became the “house band” for the Unity Center, a youth-centered organization, and played acoustic shows there on a regular basis. “My first show, other than opening at the Unity Center, was a metal concert.

In between metal bands I played my acoustic guitar and sang,” she chuckled.

Many musicians can attest to the fact that being a solo artist in Roswell isn’t always easy, especially if you’re a onewoman acoustic show. “It’s hard when you’re a solo act,” she shared. “A lot of bands here are metal or cover bands and some rock and roll…It’s been

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hard to get people together that are interested in the type of music I like.

I have collaborated with a couple of other acoustic artists in town, but for the most part it’s just me.”

Having grown up around music and performed in one form or another most of her life, Manning said her music flourished when she was in high school. She played tuba in band from elementary school until she graduated and even enjoyed a stint with the Roswell Community Band for a couple of years after graduation.

“Music was a great outlet for me as a teenager,” she expressed. “It still is.”

Today Manning plays mostly as an opening act at venues across Roswell and has recently begun traveling as far off as Florida to perform. She has also been hitting the studio to record her own albums. “About two years ago I got with William Robles, who owns Galaxy Entertainment, and he talked

me into recording something,” she revealed. “I recorded some albums and started getting booked more, and then another producer named Jeff Cabana wanted to record me. He basically got me another almost full album. He got me even more bookings and got me hooked up with Tom Kwiat, a film guy, and he asked if I wanted to do Live and Amplified.”

In the midst of playing and recording, Manning started working at Stellar Coffee, booking events and shows.

“I liked their venue and asked if they ever had live music, and they said ‘No.’ After like four months of doing all these music events here (at Stellar), the manager asked if I’d like a job here, and I said ‘Yes,’ so here I am, booking shows here!”

Manning said her musical influences range from country to rock to rap and lots in between, even opera. “I’ll listen to anything,” she admitted.

PHOTO: Marie Manning has loved music since she was child. She began writing her own songs at an early age and performs mostly acoustic shows around Roswell and across the United States.

“Music is a great outlet; it’s an escape for me from the stresses of the world.

When you’re writing and performing your own music, it’s a way to connect with people and just escape.”

Going forward Manning plans to continue writing and playing music and says she will “advocate for music in schools and for people to learn [to play] instruments. We can’t let music die out in our schools,” she stressed.

Her main goal, however, is to write music that other artists want to record.

“I would love for other artists that don’t write their own music to buy my music. I would love to sell my music to a really big artist! I love being in the limelight, but I would love to sell my songs to bigger artists and still continue to perform all over.”

After appearing on Live and Amplified, Manning got a portfolio together and started sending it to bigger cities such as Miami and New York City. “I ended up getting people interested in booking stuff!” she beamed. “I actually went to Miami in January and played some shows out there. It was an amazing opportunity.

It was nice to go there [where] no one knew me and hear them tell me they liked my music.”

Since returning from Miami she has received interest in booking some shows in California, but unfortunately, heartbreak in her personal life has put those plans on hold. “My mom got sick two months after I got back from Florida, and then she passed in April.

I took care of her the whole couple of months she was sick, and I haven’t had time since she passed to really book anything or travel.” Even on her deathbed her mother encouraged her to continue doing what she loved— playing music. So that’s exactly what she did. “I would make sure someone could sit with my mom, and I’d go play a local show. When I would come back, she would want to hear all about it.”

She plans to continue playing music and has shows booked in Miami and Dade County in June. “It’s been a sad couple of weeks, but my mom was an artist and musician, and I couldn’t imagine being so sad that I couldn’t sing again,” she reasoned. “I have used my music the past couple of weeks to help me grieve, and I’ll use it going forward to grow and for therapy.”

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FOCUSNM.COM

by Staci Guy

M

ost Roswell residents likely have an idea in mind when they think about the Unity Center. One prevailing thought tends to be that the youth who hang out there are “weird” or “outcasts” or just plain “different.”

Perhaps to an extent that’s true, even according to the students themselves, but for the most part it’s just a bunch of teens being teens. They play and listen to music, shoot pool and play video games, plant gardens and even do volunteer work, all under the supervision of caring adults who want nothing more than to see them succeed in life and make good decisions.

“I honestly believe the Unity Center is a great place for kids to go,” confided Baudelio (Bobby) Garcia, center director. “My mom used to always

say, ‘Idle time is the devil’s time.’ Kids need a place to go and hang out and be themselves, and they can do that here.”

Garcia has only been the official director of the center for about a year, but his time there actually dates back nearly 13 years. When he was a freshman in high school, his older sister and brother worked and hung out at the Unity Center. Since their mother was working on her college education at the time and taking night classes, Bobby didn’t really

have a choice but to tag along. He, too, eventually started helping out at the center, volunteering his time and attending the events they hosted. “For the most part it’s a teen center run by teens with adult supervision,” he explained. “That’s what I liked about it the most. When I was a teen they let us learn and fail at the same time, see what worked and what didn’t.”

Garcia’s older brother Matthew described their time at the center as a stark contrast from how they were

“I HONESTLY BELIEVE THE UNITY CENTER IS A GREAT PLACE FOR KIDS TO GO. KIDS NEED A PLACE TO GO AND HANG OUT AND BE THEMSELVES, AND THEY CAN DO THAT HERE.” SUMMER 2016 | A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

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in high school. Both of the Garcia boys were into sports and didn’t really want to associate with “those kids” at the center. Things changed though when they decided to give the center a chance. “It was the music that brought us here,” Matthew recalled. “The music is what it’s all about and a great way to bring these kids here.”

Bobby was so taken with the center that during his senior year of high school he “took over whole thing” and began booking shows and coordinating events. For eight years he performed those duties as a volunteer, but he became a full-time employee in 2015. “We had a very generous donor that helped with the building and with paying for my salary, so I am able to do this as a full-time job now,” he noted.

Bobby takes his job at the center seriously and works hard to host events that he hopes will bring youth through the doors. “Back in the day, they just did dances,” he shared. “The dances were a big deal, and they would get big turnouts, but now it’s more PHOTO: Pictured are four barstools, the only items remaining from

the original Unity Center building at the air force base. “I love these stools,” Garcia admitted. “They remind me of the old center…good memories.” Photo by Staci Guy

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FOCUS ON ROSWELL | SUMMER 2016

about hosting concerts. We get pretty big names in here, and honestly, it’s quality entertainment and it’s cheap.

We only charge $10 to get in.”

As Matthew mentioned, the music is what gets kids through the doors, and it’s the one thing that has the power to unite cultural, economic and social divides. “The shows we book cover all genres,” Bobby revealed. “We’ll do anything from hip hop to heavy metal to acoustic to someone just making noise on a laptop!”

He continued, “We’re trying to have more dances, like they used to, because the Unity Center has this stigma attached to it that it’s for weird kids, outcasts, gothic kids, emo… whatever you want to call it. Everyone associates the center with that, but it’s not accurate. All the kids are just normal kids.”

To date, Bobby said the biggest shows at the center have been Voodoo Daddy, ABK and Turtle Fest in 2009.

“We had more than 300 people at that show,” he exclaimed. “We usually host that event—Turtle Fest—in March because that’s when South

by Southwest in Texas happens, so we get a lot of good bands coming

PHOTO: Jane Batson, a long-time community volunteer and advocate, was instrumental in getting the Unity (Understanding Needs in Today’s Youth) Center started and worked tirelessly until her passing in 2014 to ensure its success. “Jane really strived to make sure the kids felt like they were 100% a part of it by having them run it. If it wasn’t for Jane, I don’t think any of us would be interested in keeping this thing open, in working so hard to keep it going like we are,” according to long-time center volunteer Marie Manning.

through the area.” Bobby said they also hosted a canned food drive, suicide prevention booths and had local bands play along with the out-of-town bands at that particular event.

But that was then. Today, attendance has dwindled dramatically and they

are finding it increasingly difficult to find ways to get youth out of the house and involved in anything that’s not online. “We want kids to get involved and play music together, but they don’t seem to want to do that,” he mused. “It’s easier for them to stay home and just mess around on their computers or phones or whatever, play video games.”

Alice, Bobby’s mother, offered another possible explanation for the low turnout at the weekly concerts.

“Maybe some parents don’t want their kids out on a school night,” she considered. “But most of them end early enough that a parent would be okay with it. They are over by 10 at the very latest.”

“And we welcome parents to come in and check up on the kids,” Bobby interjected. “Parents are always welcome here to see what’s going on and what their kid is doing here.”

Marie Manning, a local musician who got her start in the house band for the Unity Center and still volunteers there, also speculated on the low Employee Carlos Jauregui loves his job at the Unity Center and says it’s “his favorite place.” Through a program offered by Eastern New Mexico UniversityRoswell, Carlos is able to work at the Unity Center while at the same time obtaining his GED. Photo by Staci Guy

PHOTO:

N PROPERTY O S N O P A E W R O S G U R • NO ALCOHOL, D O RE-ENTRY D • NO LOITERING • N ES AND E-CIGARETTES ARE ONLY PERMITTE • SMOKING CIGARETT AREAS AND NOT INSIDE THE BUILDING IN DESIGNATED BULLYING • NO FIGHTING • NOOR SEXUAL CONTACT • NO INAPPROPRIATE ND OTHERS • RESPECT ONESELF A DRINK • NO OUTSIDE FOOD OR

turnout: “I think it’s probably a lot of factors. There’s not enough local support, for one. Also, we don’t serve alcohol. The students aren’t allowed to hand out flyers (promoting the concerts) at the high school any more….Maybe it’s our name? I don’t know really. We spend a lot of time here trying to figure out how we can get more kids through the doors, but not much seems to be working.”

One thing that does seem to be working, however, is something today’s youth definitely seem to relate to: video games. In the past year, staff and volunteers have organized a couple of video game tournaments that have proven relatively successful.

Students form teams and pay an entry fee for the tournament. Most bring their own gaming systems, and they all compete against one another for prizes.

Proceeds from the tournaments benefit the center and local charities.

And it all goes to pay for music and the

bands. “That’s why we do the gaming tournaments and the haunted house, which is a big event for us each year: to pay for the bands,” Bobby remarked.

“Our goal for each show is to get enough people through the doors to pay for the band, but that doesn’t happen very often. We only charge $10 per ticket, and lately we might have five people at a concert. The bands tonight cost $350.” (As of show time on the night of this interview, two students were shooting pool and planning to stick around for the concert, and one student showed up specifically for the concert.)

“I don’t know, really, but it’s very discouraging,” Bobby admitted.

“You’re getting good bands, quality entertainment right here in Roswell, but no one seems to want to come.

We get people from Albuquerque, Socorro, Carlsbad, Artesia…They come down just for the shows, but we can’t really get anyone from right here to come. Bands come through and say

they wish they had something like this in their town. Honestly, it might go over better if it was in another town. I don’t know.”

Perhaps it really is a lack of transportation or the cost of admission, as stated by some former patrons, that prevents teens from experiencing all the Unity Center has to offer. Maybe today’s youth don’t have time to enjoy playing or listening to live music. Or maybe kids today really are too absorbed in social media and the online world to appreciate a local center dedicated to making their lives better by offering music, free counseling, free tutoring and the likes.

More than likely it’s a combination of everything stated here as well as countless other reasons yet to be discovered or discussed. Whatever the reason, Bobby Garcia and his staff are dedicated to finding out what it is, remedying it and doing what they can to breathe new life into a decades-old staple in the Roswell community.

PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT): Members of the New York metal band Sabella pose for a photo at their merchandising booth prior to a May concert at the Unity Center. •

The sound room at the Unity Center gets plenty of use thanks to the weekly concerts hosted at the facility. • Visiting bands are asked to sign the wall, a tradition that dates back to the beginning of the “concert days.” Additional signatures can be found on the walls of an office just south of the sound stage. • Director Bobby Garcia is proud of the graffitied walls on the south and east walls of the Unity Center. He commissioned the artists to paint the walls and hopes to eventually cover the entire east wall. One wall reads “Unity” and the other “Peace.”

Photo by Staci Guy

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FOCUS ON ROSWELL | SUMMER 2016

CARLSBAD

History, Culture & Always an Adventure!

Visual Arts • Music • Dance Theater • History & Cultural Events and so much more! www.cityofcarlsbadnm.com/crcmag.pdf Courtesy of City of Carlsbad Lodgers Tax

Turning Tragedy

into Tunes

by Brooke Linthicum

In the fall of 2005, Dr. Roger Dickerson was a victim of Hurricane Katrina and was forced to evacuate his home. He soon found his way to Roswell, New Mexico where he has since put down his roots.

Upon his arrival, Dickerson, Michael Frances and other community leaders developed a committee to organize a number of local jazz concerts.

The Roswell Jazz Festival’s first concerts held at the First Presbyterian Church and the Roswell Museum and Art Center on November 20, 2005 brought in about 200 grateful attendees. From that point forward, the Roswell Jazz Festival has blossomed. Musicians from all over the country have performed over the years and continue to come to Roswell to perform.

Every year, one of the

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FOCUS ON ROSWELL | SUMMER 2016

key components of the festival is an educational program. Area high school and college instrumental players, singers and dancers are invited to receive one-on-one time with the jazz artists. This is an important focus for the festival committee as it provides the young artists additional inspiration to continue their work.

Planning for the 2016 festival is well underway. Saxophonist Harry Allen is this year’s guest of honor. Allen has performed at jazz festivals and clubs worldwide,

frequently touring the United States, Europe and Asia.

Some of the other renowned names Allen has also performed with include Rosemary Clooney, Flip Phillips, Harry ‘Sweets’ Edison, Tony Bennett, Johnny Mandel, Tommy Flanagan, James Taylor and Sheryl Crow, among others.

Allen is featured on many of John Pizzarelli’s recordings including the soundtrack and an on-screen cameo in the feature film The Out of Towners starring Steve Martin and Goldie Hawn. He has also done a series of commercials for ESPN starring Robert Goulet.

Allen was born in Washington, D.C. in 1966 and was raised in Los Angeles and Burrillville, Rhode Island. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in music in 1988 from Rutgers University and currently resides in New York City.

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Live and Amplified:

Pure Creativ

by Ben Mattice

Nathaniel Banks sported a black button-up with a white tie, Jeffrey Cabaña relaxed in a green Polo and jeans, and Tom Kwiat wore a t-shirt and a black cap with a green logo.

They all sat in the Satellite Room of Stellar Coffee Company in downtown Roswell around two white plastic tables and a well-worn MacBook Pro, its hinge Live and Amplified, pictured from left, includes Brady Chambers, Tom Kwiat, Jeffrey Cabaña and Robert Mendoza.

PHOTO:

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plate missing and the wires connecting the screen to the computer exposed. They were the Live and Amplified crew sans two, and they were there to make dreams come true in the 48 Hour Song Challenge.

Live and Amplified’s conception happened back in 2013 when Kwiat, while working in Bowling Green, Kentucky, encountered an internet video show dedicated to bands and their music videos. He thought to himself, “That’s a cool idea, but I can take it a step further. Let’s have them play a series of songs, then talk about the history of the band, cool road trip stories, and inspirations and adversity they had to overcome, because a lot of these artists think differently and are very much in tune to things other people just brush off.”

When Kwiat brought the idea to Banks, he thought Kwiat was on point. “Pain inspires music a lot of times,” Banks acknowledged. “If you can really get inside a musician’s head and see what propels them to make this type of music,

vity you’ll find that in their creation stage, life experience and things really can create some of the greatest music.”

Cabaña saw in Live and Amplified the chance to work with artists he would not generally get the chance to work with. “Many artists can’t afford to go to a studio or hire a professional engineer because they don’t have money. They have talent but they just don’t have money.”

Kwiat feels that one of the greatest advantages of playing for Live and Amplified is that no one is asking the artist for financial compensation in return. “We give them the opportunity to make their own money. When we do an episode, we do four songs. We do a music video and professionally record it. After the [main] episode releases, we release each song individually as a music video. And then we give them the mixed and mastered songs to release as an EP (extended play record, with fewer songs than a traditional album).

The whole point behind that is ‘that we’re giving [them] this stuff for free. Hopefully, when [they] make it big, [they will] say ‘Hey, this guy is the reason why.’”

Cabaña believes the noncompensation model also helps the artist to “relax and give better performances” (while recording with Live and Amplified).

Banks holds up the example of Entangled Dreams, two female singer/songwriters from Albuquerque, as to why artists would come to Live and Amplified.

“Entangled Dreams is a beautiful group; they sing wonderfully, [but] their CD (submitted to Live and Amplified) was mixed and done horribly. You could not tell that these girls were incredibly talented.

And it cost them a lot of money.

After they listened to what we recorded, they gave what they had

spent so much money on a D and our album an A++. It was like their first CD wasn’t expressing who they are and it was holding them back. The CD that we did for them actually shows the incredible talent and vibrant nature of their music.”

Eryn Bent, an artist from Albuquerque who has recorded multiple albums with multiple other studios, reported that her solo recorded with Live and Amplified was the best recording she has ever heard.

As an independent filmmaker, Kwiat understands what it is like to not have any money to do anything. “You need equipment or access to equipment if you want to make something, and it’s the same with musicians,” he expressed. He says the real reason he started Live and Amplified “was to get people who couldn’t afford to get a decent sounding mix of songs together and help them promote themselves.”

When asked how he would describe Live and Amplified, Kwiat noted that “it is an in-depth look at the creative process that all musicians share.” Banks added that it is “pure creativity,” while Cabaña finished by saying that “Live and Amplified adds two... passions together: film and music.”

For a new show like Live and Amplified, the future changes from month to month. With five episodes edited, 10 episodes shot and three more scheduled to film, the team recently signed a distribution deal with MaddyGTV on the Roku Streaming Service.

The future of Live and Amplified on the streaming service depends how well the MaddyGTV audience accepts the show.

Certainly Roswell’s rapidly growing music scene launched Live and Amplified, yet small town artists around the country are exactly who will carry Live and Amplified forward from here on out. According to Cabaña, “The large cities are too pretentious for a service like Live and Amplified.

They are always looking for the strings. But you go to these small communities like Roswell, and they’re excited. They’re super talented.”

The crew looks to do a second season on MaddyGTV or YouTube, YouTube being their previous main platform. If the Roku deal does not succeed, YouTube is prime territory for the show. Live and Amplified’s

views and revenues from the Google-based streaming service top many new YouTube channels on the network and are a viable future option for the show. Even international acclaim is not far away for the crew as their views in Russia are the highest of any country.

Live and Amplified wants to tour all around the country. They want to touch on every genre all over the country and find those who do not have the money for publicity.

To accomplish their goal, Live and Amplified set in motion an Indiegogo campaign in hopes that someone feels their own goals align with the show’s mission. The crew dipped out of their own pockets to launch the show and keep it running.

Where is the next stop for Live and Amplified? Montana, according to Kwiat. Thirty bands from the greater Montana area expressed interest in being on Live and Amplified. Although Kwiat dreams of having a “posh” tour bus with expandable walls, the reality for the moment is much simpler. The crew will pack up an RV and head to Montana in the near future to spread the excellent publicity the show could bring. Yet the real goal isn’t just to tour, but to put Roswell and New Mexico on the map by bringing touring bands to Roswell.

In the last month Kwiat has signed nine bands who desire to bring their shows to Roswell and perform publicly.

The creativity of the Live and Amplified crew is never static.

They came to Stellar that early May afternoon to listen to entries for the 48 Hour Song Challenge. Many people tell Kwiat that they have no motivation to create. In the contest, Kwiat determined to give people motivation. Each entrant received a topic and an artist to emulate.

The winner would receive a free five-song EP recording from Live and Amplified. Of the 14 people who completed the contest, Jamie Wyman from Montana won Best Original Song. At every new level they reach, Live and Amplified are living their dream and bringing pure creativity to a streaming device near you.

Entangled Dreams on Live and Amplified • Robert Mendoza sets up to record singer/ songwriter Eryn Bent. • Captain Klas Ahman records at Live and Amplified.

PHOTOS (TOP TO BOTTOM):

chamber news

Your Roswell Chamber of Commerce is here to work for you!

At the Chamber, it’s our business to help your business. We’re here to support you and your customers. And beyond your current customers, we want to help you find new customers and grow your business. We do that by helping you get the word out about your products and services. We’re also dedicated to making Roswell the very best place to live and visit. We work hard to relocate families to our beautiful city, and to increase retirement in Roswell. We are often the first stop for visitors on their way in, and as we greet each one of them with a smile, we encourage them to stop at all the wonderful local attractions.

And as always, we partner with other organizations to promote community pride and spirit.

Our mission is to promote economic and social prosperity, assist in business development and tourism, and foster community spirit and pride.

WELCOME NEW CHAMBER MEMBERS! Roswell Chamber of Commerce is proud to welcome the following new members: FEBRUARY 2016

ALAMO MVD DRAGON TAMER ENTERPRISES – HOT BODY FOR YOU ELLIOTT ELECTRIC SUPPLY LOS PAISANOS AUTOBUSES, INC. TBK TACTICAL, LLC TRAINING & INVESTIGATIONS

MARCH 2016

ONCE UPON A TIME GRAVES FARM AND GARDEN PERK-N-JERK DONOHUE COATING NICK MISTRY LIVINGSTON AUDIOLOGY BUDGET INN DR. RODRIGUEZ AUDIOLOGY & HEARING CENTER ED & KATHY COOK PHOTOGRAPHY & MUSIC LA CASA BEHAVIORAL HEALTH HEALTHY MEALS TO GO WHITNEY FARMS, LTD. PORTOFINO ITALIAN RESTAURANT EL TORO BRAVO HOWARD’S SERVICES DOLLAR CAB

APRIL 2016

ALIEN INSIGHT CONTINENTAL LOANS EDWARD JONES – JAMES MCCLELLAND

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FOCUS ON ROSWELL | SUMMER 2016

APRIL 2016 (CONT.)

INSURANCE SERVICES OF NEW MEXICO LIGHT HAMMER FABRICATION, LLC PAMPURRED PAWS PECOS VALLEY PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. SOUTHEASTERN NEW MEXICO TREE SERVICE STATE FARM INSURANCE – MICHAEL MCKEE AGENCY SUPER MEAT MART ADOBE ROSE RESTAURANT THE ROCK HEALTH AND WELLNESS TOBOSA DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES SHOES TO BE HAPPY EL GUERRERO MEXICAN FOOD CHINA KING SUPER BUFFET, INC. MEDTRANS OF NEW MEXICO LA SALSA RED HOT POKER FARMS READING PLUMBING, HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING ALIEN CITY DRAGWAY, LLC

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MEET THE CHAMBER STAFF

CANDACE LEWIS Executive Director

TAWNIE HONEY

Membership Coordinator

ESTER GARCIA

Communications / Event Coordinator

The voice of business in Chaves County since 1918!

131 WEST 2nd STREET • ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO 88201

1-877-849-7679 • 575-623-5695 W W W . RO S W E LLN M. O RG

CO NG R ATULATIO N S TO THESE

CHAMBER BUSINESSES of the MONTH

FEBRUARY 2016

MARCH 2016

Congratulations Waide Irrigation Service & Supply, February’s Business of the Month. They are located at 6436 Old Dexter Highway. Stop by or give them a call at 575-622-4416.

Congratulations Herb Atkinson – State Farm Insurance, March’s Business of the Month. They are located at 110 W. Country Club Road, Suite 1. Stop by or give them a call at 575-622-0010.

WAIDE IRRIGATION SERVICES AND SUPPLY

HERB ATKINSON STATE FARM INSURANCE

APRIL 2016

MAY 2016

Congratulations Chaves County J.O.Y. Center, April’s Business of the Month. They are located at 1822 N. Montana Street. Stop by or give them a call at 575-623-4866.

Congratulations Aflac – Sonya Woods, May’s Business of the Month. For all your insurance needs give her a call at 575-317-9337.

CHAVES COUNTY J.O.Y. CENTER

AFLAC – SONYA WOODS

SUMMER 2016 | A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

25

chamber news

ELLIOTT ELECTRIC

The Roswell Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting for Elliott Electric Supply on February 16 to celebrate the grand opening of their new location at 907 E. 2nd Street. Among the topranked electrical parts distributors in the nation, Elliott Electric Supply is a regional leader in the electrical supplies distribution industry with over 130 stores throughout the southern U.S. Their unparalleled focus on providing every customer with the highest quality service for the lowest cost since 1972 makes Elliott Electric Supply the smartest and most dependable option when it comes to choosing an electrical supplier. For more information call 575-2081571 or visit their website at ElliottElectric.com.

ERNIE’S SIGNS

The Roswell Chamber of Commerce celebrated the ribbon cutting of Ernie’s Signs on February 20. Owner Ernie Hacker introduced his staff and showed off the wide array of quality signs and vehicle wraps to help promote your business from his location at 107 E. Gallina Road. For more information call 575-622-6493 or visit their website at ErniesSign.com.

FOUR PAWS PET PANTRY LOS PAISANOS

The Roswell Chamber of Commerce celebrated the grand opening of Los Paisanos Autobuses, Inc. with a ribbon cutting on February 20. Executive Director Luis Sarinana introduced his staff and gave tours of the new facility and their plush new charter buses. Stop by their location at 1400 W. 2nd Street, Suite K in the Monterey Shopping Center or call 575-623-9999.

The Roswell Chamber of Commerce and St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church held a ribbon cutting ceremony for St. Andrew’s Four Paws Pet Pantry located at 505 N. Pennsylvania Avenue to celebrate their grand opening. The Four Paws Pet Pantry strives to ease the burden of feeding furry family members due to a temporary lack of resources whether caused by difficult economic times or emergencies. Our pets not only give us companionship and unconditional love, they may be our only source of comfort when we are alone or facing hard times. The volunteers at Four Paws are working to do what they can to keep pets where they should be— in their forever homes.

PECOS VALLEY REHABILITATION SUITES

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FOCUS ON ROSWELL | SUMMER 2016

The Roswell Chamber of Commerce and Casa Maria Healthcare celebrated the grand opening of the Pecos Valley Rehabilitation Suites with a ribbon cutting ceremony located inside Casa Maria Healthcare at 1601 S. Main. Casa Maria Healthcare’s mission in Roswell is to deliver services in a homelike environment to the members of our community when it is most needed. Doctors and staff gave tours of the new private rehabilitation suites where they provide clients with technically advanced, clinically sound rehab services with integrity, professionalism and compassion. For more information contact 575-623-6008 or visit their website at CasaMariaHCC.com.

ALAMO MVD

The Roswell Chamber of Commerce celebrated the Grand Opening of Alamo MVD on March 24. Alamo MVD is a private motor vehicle division licensed by the State of New Mexico that offers title, transfer, lien, registration and inspection services. They are located at 104 E. Linda, Suite A. For more information call 575-623-9233.

DR. RODRIGUEZ AUDIOLOGY & HEARING CENTER

The Roswell Chamber of Commerce, along with Dr. Angelica Rodriguez and her staff, celebrated the renaming of Dr. Rodriguez Audiology & Hearing Center with a ribbon cutting on March 21. Formerly known as Audio Acoustics, they may have a new name but their services are still top notch. They provide hearing consultations and evaluations, hearing aid fitting and programming, balance and diagnostic testing and follow-up care services. For more information stop by their location at 1000 W. 4th or visit their website at RoswellHearing.com.

TOTAL PRODUCTIONS

The Roswell Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting to celebrate Total Productions’ grand opening at their new location on March 28. Total Productions offers everything from musical instruments to talent booking and show productions. Come see their new location inside the Roswell Mall at 4501 N. Main, Suite 36, visit them on their website at TotalProductionsOnline.com, or call them toll-free at 1-888-625-1955.

EL POLLO BRAVO

The Roswell Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting ceremony for El Pollo Bravo on April 5 to celebrate their grand opening at 102 W. 1st Street. El Pollo Bravo is a quick service restaurant located around the corner from El Toro Bravo. Their menu includes such items as Charbroiled Chicken Sinaloa Style, micheladas and acompañelas with your favorite beer. For more information about El Pollo Bravo, call 575-622-9280 or check them out on Facebook.

NMMI BASEBALL FIELD

On April 7 the Roswell Chamber of Commerce and New Mexico Military Institute (NMMI) celebrated NMMI’s renovated baseball field located east of campus across Main Street. Also on the NMMI campus are the two fields of J.P. White Field including the NMMI Ballpark where the Colts and Broncos play. Our New Mexico legislators were present to pitch the first ball in the brand new field.

For information on game schedules please contact the NMMI Athletics Department at 575-622-6250.

SUMMER 2016 | A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

27

chamber news

ROSWELL CONVENTION CENTER

The Roswell Chamber of Commerce, along with the City of Roswell, held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Roswell Convention and Civic Center on April 12 to celebrate the grand opening of their new overflow parking lot and block renovation.

The overflow parking lot, also used for parking during football games and other events at DeBremond Stadium, is located between Richardson and Pennsylvania Avenues, west of the Convention and Civic Center and south of the stadium. The completed project includes irrigation and drainage improvements, sidewalks, lighting and landscaping along with 9th Street’s new pavement, sidewalks, curbs and gutters.

ROSWELL PUBLIC LIBRARY

The Roswell Public Library celebrated their 110th anniversary with a meet and greet celebration on April 2. The original building was remodeled in the 1940s and again in the 1950s. The city endured a 1966 controversy about “hippie poetry” presentations at the library. A new library building was opened on Pennsylvania Avenue in 1978. The children’s area was expanded in 1989.

Internet availability came to the library in 1996. The building was renovated and expanded between 2000-2002. The numerous services and resources that can now be accessed by patrons on remote computers and mobile devices are making the library’s services available beyond its walls today. “The Roswell Public Library has a wonderful history of service and commitment to the citizens of Roswell and Chaves County,” said Betty Long, who has served as library director since 1985. “As we celebrate milestones such as the 110th anniversary, it is nice to look back and reflect on the efforts of the women of Roswell to bring culture to Roswell at a time when New Mexico was still a territory. I hope they would be proud of their legacy, how the library has evolved through the years, changing and adopting new technologies and adding services as the needs of the community have evolved.” Stop by their location at 301 N. Pennsylvania Avenue or call 575-6227101 for more information. You can also visit their website at RoswellPublicLibrary.org.

SAM’S CLUB

The Roswell Chamber of Commerce celebrated the grand reopening of Sam’s Club on April 22 at 4400 N. Main. Sam’s Club showcased their commitment to the community by awarding grants to several non-profit organizations including Chaves County Cancer Fund, SENM Veteran’s Transportation, First Tee of Roswell, Grace Community Prison Ministry Summit and Big Brothers Big Sisters of SENM. The Roswell High School Charlie’s Angels performed the dance that won the national championship.

Sam’s Club has worked diligently to ensure the renovation will cater specifically to the needs of the Roswell community and we thank Sam’s Club store manager Kristin Wolf and her wonderful staff for all their hard work and dedication to our community. For more information about Sam’s Club call 575-627-9852 or visit them at 4400 N. Main.

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FOCUS ON ROSWELL | SUMMER 2016

VISITING ANGELS

The Roswell Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting ceremony for Visiting Angels on April 6 to celebrate their grand opening in Roswell at 711 W. Alameda. Visiting Angels has been providing elder care services to families across the nation since 1998. Assisted living facilities and nursing homes aren’t the only option for your loved ones anymore. With Visiting Angels as your elder care service provider, your loved one can continue living at home with a personalized care plan customized for each individual.

For more information call 575-622-6539 or visit their website at VisitingAngels.com.

CINCO DE MAYO CELEBRATION

The Roswell Chamber of Commerce along with the City of Roswell celebrated the ribbon cutting of this year’s Cinco de Mayo Celebration that took place May 7-8 at the Russ DeKay Soccer Complex. The event was filled with food, music and entertainment for the entire family.

KIDS ON THE MOVE

On May 1, the Roswell Chamber of Commerce celebrated the grand opening of Kids on the Move at Church on the Move.

Kids on the Move provides a high energy, age-specific service and teaching for age six through sixth grade. Kids on the Move is located inside Church on the Move at 901 W. Brasher Road.

For more information call 575-622-7011 or visit their website at cotmroswell.com.

LA CASA BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CENTER The Roswell Chamber was thrilled to be a part of the ribbon cutting for La Casa Behavioral Health Center. La Casa Family Health Center is an innovative, community-based total healthcare organization committed to quality, evidenced-based primary care for the entire family. Their emphasis is on the medically underserved in southeast New Mexico. La Casa Behavioral Health Center is located at 110 E. Mescalero. Give them a call at 575755-2272 or visit their website at LaCasaHealth.com/behavioralhealth.

PAMPURRED PAWS

The Roswell Chamber of Commerce celebrated the grand opening of Pampurred Paws at 3405 Janus Drive with a ribbon cutting ceremony on May 9. Pampurred Paws is a privately owned and operated licensed family grooming business. They provide the best, most thorough services available with no breed restrictions including bathing, brushing, nail trimming/grinding, play time, walking, feeding (by request) and haircuts. Pickup services are available upon request. Set up your appointment today at 575-4915809 or visit their Facebook page for pictures.

SPRING RIVER LUXURY APARTMENTS

The Spring River Luxury Apartments groundbreaking ceremony took place on May 10 to celebrate the 256-unit apartment complex coming to the northwest area of Roswell. Located at Sycamore Avenue and College Boulevard, Spring River Luxury Apartments will include a pool, spa, exercise room and business center. The units will have one to three bedrooms and rent is expected to start at $800 a month. Work will begin on the apartments on June 1. For more information contact the Economic Development Corporation at 575-622-1975.

STAGE GRAND RENAMING CELEBRATION The Roswell Chamber of Commerce celebrated the grand renaming celebration of Stage on May 7. We are thrilled to have them in our community. Check out all the great deals they have in the refreshed Stage store located at 4501 N. Main or visit their website at stagestores.com.

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ArtesiaArtsCouncil.com 5 7 5 .746.42 1 2 Artesia Arts Council’s O C OT I L LO P E R F O R M I N G A RT S C E N T E R

AVAILABLE IN JULY 2016-2017 Entertainment Guide

June 18, 2016 THE JUNGLE BOOK

July 15-16, 2016 THE WIZARD OF OZ

MISSOULA CHILDREN’S THEATRE

YOUNG PERFORMER’S EDITION

July 23, 2016 WILL BANISTER

August 12-14, 2016 I LOVE YOU, YOU’RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE

NATIONAL DAY OF THE COWBOY

WAY WAY OFF BROADWAY

CODY CANADA & THE DEPARTED

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At Eastern New Mexico Medical Center, you have access to some of the most advanced care, right here at home. You also have access to something else very important – our pledge to treating you better.

A progressive, 162–bed, full service hospital, ENMMC is fully accredited by The Joint Commission. We have built a 106-year legacy of blending technology and skill with compassion and healing, and we continue to grow to meet the area’s needs.

Cardiology Cardiovascular Services Dentistry Emergency Medicine Family Practice Gastroenterology General Surgery Geriatrics Internal Medicine Laparoscopic Surgery

We are committed to the health and wellbeing of our community and our technology and facility echo that. With technology such as MRI, 64-slice CT, breast MRI and Image Guided Radiation Therapy for cancer patients most patients can receive the care they need without ever leaving home.

Nephrology

Eastern New Mexico Medical Center is also proud to offer our 30-minute ER Pledge to our community. We are committed to getting our you in and seen by a provider as efficiently as possible. And if you or your loved ones ever experience chest pain or signs of a heart attack, rest assured, we have Interventional Cardiology Physicians on call.

Ophthalmology

Whether you’re here for surgery, outpatient tests, or emergency care, we go out of our way to make you feel calm, comfortable and well cared for. Our staff take pride in taking care of our patients and our community.

Neurology Nuclear Medicine Obstetrics/Gynecology Oncology Oral/Maxillofacial Surgery Orthopedics/Surgery Otolaryngology/Allergy Pain Management Pathology Pediatrics Physical Therapy Podiatry Psychiatry Pulmonology

To learn more about our full range of services and programs visit www.ENMMC.com. .

Radiation Oncology Radiology, Including Nuclear Medicine, CT, MRI Specials, PET/CT Rehab Services Outpatient/Inpatient Respiratory Therapy Rheumatology Sleep Studies Urology Vascular/Endovascular Surgery Wound Care