Focus on Roswell Winter 2015

WINTER 2015

Food for the Table and the Soul Dale Miller and the J.O.Y. Center Tobosa Developmental Services Gerina Mendoza Piller of Roswell A CELEBRATION OF VOLUNTEERISM IN ROSWELL Chamber Ribbon Cuttings & More!

B E H A V I O R A L H E A LT H S E R V I C E S Outpatient Mental Healthcare Available in Carlsbad and Artesia One out of every five individuals will experience a mental disorder that disrupts their life.

With proper medical attention and emotional support most behavioral health issues can be successfully treated.

Whether it’s depression, panic attacks, grief, suicidal thoughts, anxiety or stress, help is available!

For more information about Outpatient Mental Healthcare, please call:

575.725.5562

Dementia & Depression Care Behavioral Health Services for Senior Adults The Senior Care Unit at AGH is designed to meet the needs of adults 50 and older, suffering from behavior or personality changes including those related to dementia and its complications.

For more information about the Senior Care Unit at AGH, please call:

575.736.8175

WINTER 2015

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FROM THE EDITOR

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FOCUS ON SENIORS

12 16 19 22

FOOD FOR THE TABLE AND THE SOUL FOCUS ON COMMUNITY SERVICE

FROM OPPONENT TO ADVOCATE AND TIRELESS VOLUNTEER

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FOCUS ON A LOVING HEART

TOBOSA EMPLOYEES SERVANTS AT ALL HOURS FOCUS ON CHARACTER

GERINA MENDOZA PILLER OF CHARACTER FOCUS ON THE CHAMBER

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS RIBBON CUTTINGS

Focus on Roswell is a 100% PrintReleaf™ Certified Publication.

Learn more on page 25.

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ABOUT THE COVER Long-time volunteer Dale Miller poses for a photo on the patio of the J.O.Y. Center Roswell, where he has volunteered since its opening in 1998.

Photo by Staci Guy Staci Guy, Editorial Director - Jessica Kirk, Advertising - Adrian Martinez, Advertising Photography by Staci Guy & Submitted Photos Special Contributors: Ben Mattice & the Roswell Chamber of Commerce FOCUS ON ROSWELL IS PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY AD VENTURE MARKETING

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

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

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

WINTER 2015 | A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

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F O C U S from the editor

Service of Others in the

HELLO, ROSWELL COMMUNITY!

STACI GUY

Editorial Director

FOCUS ON ROSWELL

It is with great excitement that we are launching our newest publication – Focus on Roswell! With sister publications in Carlsbad and Artesia, we knew the Roswell community would be equally as excited about shining a positive light on this great city. At Focus on Roswell, our aim is to share with our readers everything that makes Roswell so unique, from the people and places to the events, organizations and quirks that set it apart.

When we sat down for a brainstorming session for our first issue, we definitely had our work cut out for us. There are countless topics worthy of coverage, but we had to narrow it down to one. What better way, we figured, to kick off a new publication highlighting the “best of Roswell” than by featuring some of the people that make it a city like no other – volunteers! As freelance writer Ben Mattice wrote in his article featuring employees at Tobosa (which you can read about on page 16), the strength of a community depends on the amount of time and effort people feed into the community. Another person we found who feeds into the community is Dale Miller, who has spent the past 67 years volunteering in several capacities, most notably as a constant presence at the Roswell J.O.Y. Center. You can read about his service on page 12. And then there’s you, the community, who give selflessly to events such as the annual Feed Seniors Now food drive, ensuring local senior adults have food at home when needed.

One thing is for certain–Roswell is blessed with an abundance of people who are dedicated to making it a better place to live! In any given community, it takes volunteers–

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people who give freely of their time and energy and resources–for it to thrive. Roswell is no different. From personal experience, I’ve found that it’s not necessarily a case of volunteers having the time to make a difference, but rather the heart. Volunteers are just like everyone else in that they lead busy lives, but rather than just checking out at the end of the day, they check in; rather than waiting for “someone else” to accomplish a task, they step in and say, “I’ll do it.” And do you know what I have found to be true when I volunteer? Without fail, I am the one who seems to benefit even more so than those I am serving. I liken it to a quote by Gandhi in which he said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” That has absolutely been the case in my life. The more I give of my time and resources, the more I learn

about myself. And consequently, the more I give, the more I seem to receive. I don’t believe that is a coincidence at all, do you?

Friends, I hope as you read through the pages of our inaugural issue of Focus on Roswell, you will be reminded of the great people and organizations this community has to offer, and I hope it will inspire you to get involved as well! We look forward to seeing how this publication grows and we are excited to be able to help shine a positive light on this community!

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

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F O C U S on seniors

FOOD FOR the TABLE AND the SOUL

by Staci Guy

ACCORDING TO STATISTICS, NEW MEXICO RANKS SECOND IN THE NATION FOR THE NUMBER OF SENIOR RESIDENTS WHO GO HUNGRY EACH DAY. In fact, many seniors must choose between filling medical prescriptions, paying bills and putting food on the table. According to the American Association of Retired People (AARP), nearly 10 million older adults are at risk of hunger and malnutrition – 10 million people!

If that number seems staggering, it should.

The true depth of hunger in America is not widely understood, primarily because it is often a problem that hides in plain sight. Most seniors in particular don’t want to talk about the issue and they don’t exactly wear large placards around their necks that say, “I’m hungry and need help.”

Many have a difficult time even acknowledging that they need some form of assistance. “It’s often an issue of pride,” revealed Wendy Cook, marketing and communications director for Comfort Keepers of Roswell, Carlsbad and Artesia. “They don’t want to admit they are deciding

between paying bills or buying groceries, so it’s very important that we support our seniors in all the ways we can.”

The face of hunger in America is changing. Due in large part to a weakened economy and an aging population, the problem of senior hunger, or food insecurity, in America has deepened. The status of older adults in the job market has worsened, with the unemployment rate for Americans aged 50 and older having doubled in just the past four years.

On average, people 55 and over who lose their jobs are out of work for an average of an entire year. All of this makes putting food on the table increasingly difficult.

Feed Seniors Now Food Drive Each year, Comfort Keepers offices around the country hold Feed Seniors Now food drives to benefit the Feeding America® network and applicable local food banks. Comfort Keepers of Roswell, Carlsbad and Artesia is no exception.

Beginning February 15th, Comfort Keepers, along with J.O.Y. Center Roswell, will host their annual food drive benefiting congregate participants at the J.O.Y. Center, a bustling hub that offers activities and meals for local seniors.

According to Executive Director Monica Duran, hundreds of senior adults visit the Roswell J.O.Y. Center each day, many of whom receive assistance with transportation. A smaller number of seniors are able to drive themselves to the center, yet something as seemingly simple as driving to the grocery store, shopping, purchasing and transporting the food back home is not as feasible. The food collected at the Feed Seniors Now food drive is designed to combat the struggles that seniors face when it comes to putting food on the table.

“The food

Now that we’ve given you the statistics and shown you the need, let’s move on to the more positive side of things and focus what on some local people and organizations are doing to make a difference.

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drive is making a difference for them because they are taking the food home, and it’s one less worry for them,” Monica explained.

“Sometimes they can’t go grocery shopping, or if they do have the means, they don’t have anyone to take them shopping or help them unload their groceries. This food drive is big.”

Another reason the food drive is important for congregates at the center is because while their noon-time meals are provided, the center does not provide evening or weekend meals since they are closed during those times. “The food drive is a way for us to make sure they have food at home when they’re not here with us,” Monica asserted.

When items are donated to the food drive, they are separated into categories. “We want to make sure they have things like fruits, vegetables, proteins like peanut butter; they are very important,” remarked Wendy.

“We know that even if they can’t get to the grocery store, they have protein and the basics in the house.”

Food Drive: February 15 - March 31 “This is such a special program for Comfort Keepers to bring to Roswell. Ensuring that our seniors have healthy food available at home is our duty as a community. Adding the art bag component for the Home Delivered Meals Program last year really kicked up our ability to help and was such a joyful gift to those who received the bags.”

- Cindy Lewis, Owner of Comfort Keepers of Roswell, Artesia and Carlsbad

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Art Bag Contest W

hile the Feed Seniors Now campaign has been an annual event for several years, last year the local group decided to add an art bag contest into the mix, according to Wendy, “to make it more impactful and more than ‘just a food drive.’”

It is important to note, however, that the food drive and the art bag contest are two separate events benefiting two separate segments of the senior population.

As soon as Peggy Krantz heard about the art bag contest last year, she knew she wanted to jump on board. “Peggy was immediately behind us 100 percent,” Wendy beamed. “There is no way we could have launched the bag part without her!”

As artwork starting trickling in, Peggy opted

to remove some of her own artwork on the walls at Main Street Arts and displayed the decorated bags instead. “I just believe that you can use art in your community to stimulate creativity and conversation about things,” she reasoned. “So we put them on the wall and then when tourists or guests come in, they ask about them and we can tell them how Roswell backs these kinds of things and supports these things! It’s so exciting!”

“I was so proud to tell tourists how Roswell supports things like this,” she continued. “It was so encouraging to see how people would buy a $10 bag, paint it and bring it back, and to know a senior would receive it and enjoy it. Who wouldn’t be excited about that!”

As appreciative as Wendy was of Peggy, the feeling seemed to be mutual.

“I’m really tickled that she asked me to be a part of it. She could have asked anyone, so the fact that

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she asked me was so special.”

Peggy said they will display the bags again this year. “I hope to fill up my whole gallery!” she exclaimed.

For a $10 donation, participants receive a brown paper bag that they are asked to take home and decorate any way they see fit.

After being judged and displayed at Main Street Arts, the bags are then used to transport food to participants of the Home Delivered Meals portion of the Roswell J.O.Y. Center. According to Monica, the proceeds from the contest aid the center in purchasing the raw foods used to prepare the meals that are delivered to home-bound participants.

When broken down by the numbers, it costs approximately $10 to feed a senior for one day, which includes transportation costs for the six paid delivery drivers at the center. Meals are delivered five days a week, Monday through Friday; however, seniors who are identified as nutritionally “at risk” may qualify for evening meals and possibly meals on the weekends as well.

Wendy and Monica both hope this year’s food drive, and especially the art bag contest, fair better than last year’s. “Being a first-year program, some people were intimidated because they thought they had to

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be artists to participate,” Wendy admitted. “But that’s not the case.

Anyone can decorate a bag. That’s why we had different categories.

We just wanted each participant to have decorated bags, so we ended up decorating a lot of them ourselves since we had so many left.” Monica added, “A lot of people donated money but didn’t want to have to decorate a bag, so we turned around and decorated bags. The adult day care group decorated some as an activity, and a lot of staff, and a lot of people at the center helped out, too.”

The contest is broken down into categories, including nonprofessional artists, professionals, and children. “It’s just a fun way to raise awareness as well as lift the spirits of the homebound,” Wendy expressed. “It’s fun and it’s special to a senior that doesn’t get to leave their house to receive the beautiful, thoughtful bags. It brightens their day to know someone is thinking of them.”

Last year the program set a goal of 350 bags but fell short by about 100. “The idea that we didn’t meet our goal was a little hard, but we are hoping to spread the word and maybe it will pick up some momentum,” Wendy confessed.

“If you think about there being 365 meals a year and we are only covering one, you can see how important it is.”

Non-Perishable Food Donations for Seniors (S U GGE S TE D I TE M S )

FRUITS • Canned Fruit (packed in light syrup)

• Individual Servings of Fruit or Applesauce • 100% Fruit Juices (apple, grape, cranberry) • Raisins, Prunes, Dried Mixed Fruits • Fig Bars

VEGETABLES • Mixed Vegetables (low sodium)

• Chickpeas, Black Beans, Baked Beans • Canned or Stewed Tomatoes • Jarred Salsa • Canned Beets

PROTEINS • Canned Tuna, Salmon, Mackerel (packed in water) • Canned Chicken & Canned Beef • Peanut Butter • Ensure® Nutrition Shakes & Protein Bars • Canned Nuts (no salt added) and Trail Mix

SOUPS • Low-sodium Soups

WHOLE GRAINS

• Brown Rice • Instant Oatmeal (low sodium or heart healthy) • Cream of Wheat® • Whole Grain / Wheat Pasta • Dry Cereals (Cheerios®, Shredded Wheat®) • Crackers • Muffin and Bread Mixes

DAIRY • Evaporated Milk & Nonfat Dry Milk

F O C U S on community service

From Opponent to Advocate and Tireless Volunteer

IN

by Staci Guy

1998, Dale Miller and his wife attended a meeting to protest the building of a new adult activity center in their neighborhood. Little did he know, nearly 20 years later he would be credited with playing a vital role in the success of that very establishment.

The proposed site of the new facility, the J.O.Y. Center Roswell, became a topic of debate with residents in nearby neighborhoods and opposition quickly began to grow. Dale remembered, “My wife and I went to an opposition meeting because we didn’t know what it amounted to. We knew it would have a lot of vehicles and stuff, and we didn’t want a parking lot here.” He went on to explain their concern in greater detail: “They were originally going to put it at the dead end and there was no way out except 19th Street, which would have caused traffic problems, but they moved it down here (to its current location on Montana Avenue) and made two outlets.”

As plans for the center progressed, Dale’s contention gave way to excitement. A new senior center in his neighborhood meant that dancing and volunteering would soon become a lot easier since all he would have to do is step out his front door. “I watched and

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took pictures as the building was being built,” he shared. “When they got pretty well finished they let me come in. I visited with them and learned what they were doing and it changed my perception. After we found out all the activities they would have here, we decided to get on board and support it!”

Executive Director Monica Duran will tell you that Dale Miller does more than just “support” the center,

“This place would be so lost without him. We just would. We get locked out and we call Dale; the alarm goes off and he’s the number one contact. The alarm company calls him before they call me! He’s just our lifeline here. He’s so important – just as important as the staff here!”

According to Monica and others on staff at the J.O.Y. Center, it is difficult to quantify Dale’s value. He does everything from unlocking the doors

While he’s primarily known today for his dedication to the J.O.Y. Center, Dale’s reliability and spirit of self-sacrifice actually predate the center by nearly five decades. though; he is vital to its day-to-day operations. “I get a kick out of him because I always ask him if he’s ready for a raise,” she quipped of Dale’s tireless volunteer efforts. “He never gives himself enough credit for what he does, and I get that because most volunteers don’t.” She continued,

each morning to starting the coffee to yard work and maintenance. During my interview with Dale, I saw firsthand how much he contributes to the center. As he took me on a tour of the facility – which, by the way, Monica told me she would do but Dale beat her to the punch – we passed through

PHOTO: Long-time volunteer Dale Miller poses for a photo on the patio of the J.O.Y. Center Roswell, where he has volunteered since its opening in 1998. Photo by Staci Guy

FOCUSNM.COM

the kitchen area a couple of hours after lunch had ended.

He showed me how he checks freezer and refrigerator doors to make sure they are sealed and locked properly and how he checks the door that leads from the kitchen outside. As we passed through the kitchen, he stopped mid-sentence as we passed by a dripping faucet. Without missing a beat, he stopped and tightened the faucet to eliminate the dripping. Since it was close to 3:30 in the afternoon at that point, there’s really no telling how long the faucet had been dripping, so suffice it to say, the drip would have likely continued well into the evening if it hadn’t been for Dale. No one asked him to do so and no one other than me saw it happen. It led me to wonder just how many other unnoticed tasks he completes in addition to all of the ones that are acknowledged.

If anyone knows the grounds at the J.O.Y. Center Roswell, it’s Dale Miller. For nearly 18 years, he has spent five days a week at the facility yet has never taken home a paycheck. He even eats lunch at the center every day, but says because he can afford to, he pays for his own meals. With the exception of one employee, he has outlasted every paid staffer at the place and can walk the halls of the facility with his eyes closed.

Well, maybe not completely closed, but close. “I’m pretty much the only one that knows everything about this building,” he proclaimed. “I was here from the ground up.” He can recite from memory the dates of each addition to the facility, and he knows precisely which room is used for what purpose, by whom, and on which days. He knows the layout of the sprinkler system, where the fence around the side yard came from and the history of the mosaic-topped bench on the patio. He’s only a volunteer, but he has his own set of keys to the building, and every day around 3:30, he begins the process of

checking doors and locking up.

“He’s like clockwork,” joked Monica. “When he’s back in the afternoon, we know what time it is!”

While he’s primarily known today for his dedication to the J.O.Y. Center, Dale’s reliability and spirit of self-sacrifice actually predate the center by nearly five decades. “I’ve been volunteering for 67 years,” he reminisced. “I decided to join the [National] Guard when I was 20 years old, and I served for 30 years.” While stationed with the National Guard, he was known to go above and beyond the call of duty. “I’ve just always enjoyed volunteering with different things,” he mused.

“It gives me satisfaction.” If you’ve lived in southeastern New Mexico for at least one full year’s worth of seasons, you know how tricky driving conditions get in inclement weather, especially for the other drivers. “When I was with the Guard, they’d call me for snow duty. People would get stranded and I’d rescue people in the snow here in Roswell and the outlying county,” he recalled of his volunteer duties.

“It happened quite a bit. And I used to drive the truck and TOW gun in the Eastern New Mexico State Fair parade too.

We’d give demonstrations on the gun, showed them how it worked, things like that.” The gun he is referring to is the same device used for launching TOW missiles (Tube-launched, Optically tracked, Wire guided) that can be found sitting outside the Roswell courthouse today, which has since been disabled and permanently fixed to its location. “I used to fire that gun at the courthouse for training,” he divulged. “We’d train to shoot down airplanes and it was used to shoot in the desert at Fort Bliss.”

Dale’s service to the Guard coincided with his tenure with the Roswell Daily Record, where he spent 30 years working as the newspaper’s printer, or pressman.

After retiring from the paper

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and the Guard, he occupied his spare time volunteering at the Roswell Adult and Senior Center near downtown, where he taught dance lessons, did some volunteer maintenance work and enjoyed line dancing with his wife, Jeannine.

“We really enjoyed it there, but when they opened this place (the J.O.Y. Center), it was just more convenient for us to come here, so that’s why I started volunteering here instead,” he explained.

And so, for the past 17-plus years, Dale has devoted an incalculable amount of time to volunteer work for the center. When asked why he is so passionate about lending his services, skills and time to the facility, he was quick to reply, “Helping seniors is why I volunteer here! I didn’t realize what all went on until I got involved. I get satisfaction from their smiles and just from knowing I’m helping out.”

Fortunately for Dale, his wife shares in his passion for volunteering – she spent 35 years as their church’s volunteer librarian – and is more than understanding with the amount of time he devotes to the center. “She doesn’t complain when they call me in the middle of the night if the alarm goes off or if I have to come over here all the time to fix things. She’s very understanding,” he confessed.

In addition to volunteering at the center every day, Dale serves as the Roswell representative on the board of directors for the J.O.Y. Centers.

“He is so humble about his service,” Monica admired. “He is here every day and helps us more than we even realize sometimes. He is vital to what we do here!”

When he’s not volunteering at the J.O.Y. Center, you can catch him square dancing with his wife every Thursday night at the Roswell Adult and Senior Center.

PHOTO RIGHT: Dale pours over a folder of old blueprints and

plans as he reminisces about his years spent volunteering at the J.O.Y. Center.

PHOTO BELOW: Every afternoon around 3:30 Dale makes his

rounds, checking every door at the center to make sure each is properly closed and locked. Photos by Staci Guy

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F O C U S on a loving heart

Tobosa Employees

by Ben Mattice

WE TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY AS IF IT WERE A THING UNTO ITSELF, AS IF IT JUST APPEARS “EX NIHLO” AND YOU EITHER CHOOSE TO JOIN THE COMMUNITY OR IGNORE IT. Yet, a community is nothing more than the sum of those who choose to contribute their time and energy into changing their environment. The outcome of this change creates community.

Without change, without the people who choose to change their environment, a community cannot exist. And certainly, the strength of a community depends on the amount of time and effort people feed into the community.

Tobosa Developmental Services has been a bastion of community creation for more than 30 years.

Their main mission has always been the increase of independence among the developmentally disabled across all levels of ability. And with that increase in independence comes an increase in community participation.

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Those whom Tobosa employees serve end up creating their own community here in Roswell and feed into the overall Roswell community throughout their lives. They are present in various aspects of Roswell employment and are always active in the Keep Roswell Beautiful campaign. They participate in classes at the Roswell Adult Center, join

activities at the J.O.Y. Center and are members of local fraternities and clubs.

Although the human services field already contributes energy and resources into both creating and sustaining community, those who work and continue in human services—particularly the social aspect of human services—tend to lend more than their own working hours to the cause of fostering community and ultimately bringing about positive change. Some even swear early on that they won’t spend the rest of their lives in service, naming personal goals, ambitions, and dreams as outside motivators

Tobosa

Developmental Services Phone: (575) 624-1025

to leave the field. But the longer they spend serving and creating community through their job, the more something deep inside keeps them in place. And, somehow, their work isn’t enough. Could the drive to either create or serve community be a thing inborn or instilled? Or is it something you have to actively choose? Some feel they have been given a gift and must use their gift to serve. Some just find they are passionate about their work and want to extend this passion outside of their work environment.

Whatever a person’s motivations for staying and working and volunteering in the social human services, the work itself requires a particular kind of person with a particular kind of heart.

JOAN BLODGETT

One such person who found she had that particular gift is Joan (pronounced Jo-Ann) Blodgett, the executive secretary at Tobosa Developmental Services. When she started work at Tobosa in 1982, Joan never dreamed she would still be with them 33 years later. Having grown up on a farm in Michigan, Joan planned to move back to Michigan as soon as she could. Prior to relocating to Roswell, she had been a secretary at an elementary school in Michigan for 12 years. At the time, she had a son in college and a daughter in high school, and her husband was working in realty and the building trade. In the early ‘80s the interest rates on housing skyrocketed, leaving many unable to afford a mortgage. Thus anyone who sold or built houses for a living could no longer make a living.

Joan and her husband left their beautiful lake house on the cold shores of Michigan behind for the warmer weather and the thengrowing economy of Roswell, New Mexico. Her 12 years of experience “overqualified” her for the first job

she applied for once she arrived. She also applied for a position at New Mexico Military Institute but did not receive that position either. She then gained an interview at Tobosa with Joe Madrid, now CEO, and Pablo Martinez. Joan says that during both her interview and her visit to Tobosa, she felt very comfortable.

When she worked as a secretary for the school system in Michigan, the special education classroom was only two doors down from her office, and she had many opportunities to interact with the developmentally disabled students over the course of her working life.

When she had started at the school district in 1970, society perceived the people who were commonly called “retarded” as violent. Very few people at the time had contact with the developmentally disabled as many disabled individuals were kept locked away in the state hospitals of the era. Joan had the rare opportunity to interact positively with the disabled before taking a position at Tobosa Developmental Services in the early ‘80s.

Two weeks into her employment at Tobosa, Joan sent her mother-in-law a letter. “My job’s okay,” she wrote. ”The people are nice. The clients are fun. But I don’t think I want to do this the rest of my life.” Thirty-three years later, Joan is still at Tobosa, even after having retired once and come back. She attributes this to the fact that when you come to work at Tobosa, you “find a family, you find a place. You’re doing something that’s meaningful.” When she was working

full-time with Tobosa, her job was to help individuals connect themselves to the community. She involved individuals in Keep Roswell Beautiful and has continued to do so throughout the last 33 years. She provided individuals with volunteer opportunities across the city, including the Roswell Runners Club, which puts on several foot races each year. But when asked how her job makes a difference in the community of Roswell, she replied that she had never really thought of her job making a particular difference, but it had truly impacted her life in providing the family and friends she needs to keep her own personal community healthy.

Despite familial pressure to not pursue a college degree when she was younger, having been told that the pursuit would be a waste because she would eventually get married, Joan went on to graduate WINTER 2015 | A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

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summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in social work in 2008. She has since used her knowledge and continued energy to volunteer her time to groups such as the Altrusa Club, Reflections and Recovery, the Roswell Runners Club and Keep Roswell Beautiful. Joan believes that faith is one of the main motivations for her volunteer work. She regularly volunteers her time to her own church, Christ Church, greeting people, taking food to those in need, and helping out during children’s church.

STACEY ENNIS

Tobosa’s services begin long before adulthood. Tobosa employs a wide range of therapy specialists at their Early Intervention and Los Pasitos child services programs. Early Intervention provides in-home visits from therapists to determine cognitive and developmental disability at an early age and then continue treatment to those who might need such services. Early therapy intervention could mean great strides in ensuring that individuals with disabilities are more independently able to cope with the world around them and then contribute to their own community in some meaningful way.

One of the therapists employed at Tobosa’s Early Intervention is speech language pathologist Stacey Ennis. Stacey graduated in 2014 with a Master of Science in communicative disorders. After college she obtained a “professional

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job” as a case manager, but as she interacted with therapists of all types in her job, she quickly decided that she should move forward and become a therapist. Stacey attributes her involvement in human services to the fact that she always seemed to gravitate toward service jobs. In fact, before becoming a case manager, Stacey worked at Big Brothers Big Sisters recruiting volunteers.

Volunteering has been a part of Stacey’s life for a while. She started out with the Girls State leadership organization in high school and now, at the behest of her friend, Alice, volunteers her time with the Young Professionals for the Arts Collective of Roswell (YPAC), serving on the board as education co-chair.

Being a performing artist herself, Stacey has always wanted a way to connect the artists of Roswell and foster a sense of community among them. According to Stacey, “volunteering is a really great way to get connected and build relationships and give back to the community.”

Before YPAC, not much existed in Roswell to

centralize and unify the efforts of Roswell artists. Stacey sees YPAC not only as a way to unify artists, but a way to allow artists to involve the rest of the community in art. People complain that there is not enough for the young people of Roswell to do, but Stacey considers YPAC to be the first step in organizing more events and activities for the young people of Roswell. When asked whether she will volunteer for organizations in the future, Stacey promised, “There will always be something I’m happy to volunteer for!”

FOCUSNM.COM

F O C U S on character

Gerina Mendoza …of Character Piller T

here’s something about Roswell native Gerina Mendoza Piller that draws people in; something difficult to summarize yet impossible to forget. In late October, the City of Roswell hosted a ceremony honoring the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) player. Those in attendance included everyone from local dignitaries to pastors, former coaches to long-time family friends. One thing they

PHOTO: Professional golfer Gerina Mendoza Piller (far right).

Photo by Keith Allison - Creative Commons Use

by Staci Guy

all seemed to be in agreement on is that Gerina is as special off the course as she is on it. “I remember going to church and seeing her and I just knew she had ‘it.’ I don’t know what ‘it’ is, but there’s something special about her,” beamed Amy McVey Davis, president of Roswell Character Counts.

Maybe that “it” factor is a combination of Gerina’s jovial yet driven personality and her obvious passion for golf. Or perhaps

“it” is her inward beauty, which somehow even seems to surpass her outward beauty.

Maybe “it” is the manner in which she remains humble and proud of her roots while embracing the fast-paced life of a globetrotter touring with the LPGA. “It” is likely a combination of everything listed above, peppered with her competitive nature and seasoned with her love of Christ and her desire to share that love with others. Whatever “it” is, it surely caught the attention of her now husband,

WINTER 2015 | A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

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pro golfer Martin Piller, when they began dating in 2009. Martin, who was on hand for the celebration, was all smiles as his wife received accolades from half of her hometown.

Growing up in Roswell, Gerina excelled at many things, including volleyball and baseball, in addition to golf, and she credits a lot of her success to her upbringing. “I believe where you come from and how you’re brought up makes you the person you are today,” she expressed. “I couldn’t be more honored or proud to represent this community.”

As the daughter of a volleyball coach and a police officer, hard work wasn’t an option growing up–it was a way of life. During the ceremony, Becky Robertson, Gerina’s golf coach at Goddard High School, recalled several memories of her time coaching Gerina. One memory in particular drew chuckles from the crowd yet perfectly reflected her drive and passion to succeed. She once refused to leave the golf course until she was done practicing, even though the sun had gone down and she had to resort to using the headlights from her car so she could see. Robertson laughed as

she admitted she wished at one point Gerina would just put her clubs up so they could leave, but added that she admired her tenacity and work ethic.

“If ever there was a role model for kids to look up to... If I had a daughter, I would hope her role model would be Gerina,” she gushed.

Roswell resident Diane Taylor knows Gerina and her family and also thinks that Gerina is as close to a perfect role model as a young person will find.

“Gerina has a warrior’s heart, but a heart that’s willing to give back,” she expressed in a sit-down interview.

PHOTOS: The City of Roswell honored Roswell native and professional golfer Gerina Mendoza Piller in October during a ceremony at the Nancy Lopez Spring River Golf Course pavilion. During the ceremony, her childhood pastor, her former golf coach and the mayor all spoke to the crowd about Gerina’s character and contributions to the community.

Gerina also spoke, referencing her upbringing in Roswell, and visited with those in attendance and signed autographs afterward. Photos by Staci Guy

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FOCUS ON ROSWELL | WINTER 2015

As the local coordinator for the Chaves County DWI Program, Diane works in prevention and tries to intervene with youth that are having difficulties in life and are considered to be at-risk.

“So many times you hear about kids having trouble, making bad decisions, and then you have someone like Gerina. She comes from a good family. She has an incredible work ethic and commitment. She has stayed on track and made the right decisions. She’s a living dream!

The thing I love most about Gerina, though, is she never forgot where she came from. To me, that’s a true champion. Never forget where you come from and who you are.” Those sentiments led Diane to recruit Gerina to star in a commercial for the DWI program, not just because of her status as a professional athlete but because of what she stands for.

“Her message in the commercial is that you don’t have to be a professional athlete to make a difference in the community; you can be a coach, like her mother, or a police officer, like her father,” Diane explained, adding, “Every time Gerina comes back to Roswell the first place she heads is back to the schools to talk to students about working hard and staying in school. That’s just who she is.”

A large part of what makes Gerina Gerina is her Christian faith, and she and her husband are both quick to mention it when talking about their life together. But according to her childhood pastor Rick Hale, they do more than just talk about it; they live it. “They don’t just wear their Christianity on their sleeve, they wear it on their heart,” he pointed out.

As she approached the podium to speak during the ceremony last month, Gerina was visibly moved by her community’s outpouring of support. “I didn’t make it very long,” she joked about trying to remain dry-eyed as tears streamed down her face.

She said she’s always been proud to call Roswell her home and equally as proud to “put that yellow and red flag on [her] golf bag, even though most people don’t know what it is!” She credits the Roswell community and her upbringing with molding her into the person she is today.

When asked by someone in the audience how she manages to keep her head on straight when she’s faced with tough shots on the golf course, she pointed back to her faith. “I have a verse I say to myself when I get nervous, and it’s from Philippians 4:6-7,” she confessed, reciting the verse from memory: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, through prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

Gerina is a 2003 graduate of Goddard High School, where she won four tournaments her senior year, including the New Mexico state high school championship for golf. After graduation she played golf for the University of Texas at El Paso, where she became the first female golfer from her school ever to win the individual conference championship.

Gerina now plays for the LPGA and recently made history for being a part of the U.S. women’s national golf team that beat Europe to win the international Solheim Cup. Impressively, she sank the winning 10-foot putt for the Americans, capping off a fantastic year on the course, which included five top-ten finishes on the LPGA tour. She currently resides in Texas with her husband.

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F O C U S on the chamber

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.

AUGUST 2015

SEPTEMBER 2015

OCTOBER 2015

ANDREA MOORE DBA PREMIER DESIGNS

CHARLES PURCELL CONSULTING

ALL STATE SECURITY SERVICES

STARR JANITORIAL

FARMERS INSURANCE LUIS GONZALES AGENCY

ANDREW’S DONUTS CASA BELLA BOUTIQUE CLARY SAGE BED AND BREAKFAST

PANDA EXPRESS

DEO’S PETSITTING

CAPTAIN JIM’S HOME DÉCOR & MILITARY SOUVENIRS

FERGIE’S PLUMBING & HEATING INK PLUS JUDY SMITH

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QUALITY JANITORIAL

ST. ANDREW’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH

LAWSON FINANCIAL OCOTILLO FAMILY PRACTICE TOKAY BEADED ART

PALACE SPA

LULU SALON & DAY SPA

GALAXY CAR WASH

MAUPIN & BROWN DENTISTRY

ROSWELL MOVIE STUDIOS, LLC

MOTEL 6

CLOVIS SIGN SERVICE, INC.

PLANET FITNESS

ALL SAINTS CATHOLIC SCHOOL

ROSWELL INVADERS BASEBALL TEAM

TIFFANY SCHULTZ YOGA

SCUBA SHOP

PAPA JOHN’S PIZZA

SMILES FOREVER

ADMIRAL AGENCY

VALLEY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

LOS PASITOS EARLY INTERVENTION

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JOIN THE CHAMBER From free advertising, to great events, to connecting with the community and other members, there are many reasons to become a Chamber Member today!

Contact Candace Lewis for more information: candace@roswellnm.org (575) 623-5695 Or sign-up online right now! www.roswellnm.org FOCUSNM.COM

F O C U S on the chamber

PURE POSH SALON

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Congratulations Pure Posh Salon on your Grand Opening Celebration Saturday, August 1st. Pure Posh Salon has reasonable prices on haircuts, facials, manicures, pedicures and so much more.

They are located at 225 N. Virginia. For more information or to set up an appointment please contact Pure Posh Salon at 575-9103265.

Smiles Forever welcomed everyone to their Grand Opening Ribbon Cutting on Saturday, August 15th. Smiles Forever gave a tour and introduced their amazing staff! They are located at 4511 N. Main Street, Suite B in Roswell. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 575-208-2380.

Congratulations to Brenda Cruz on her Ribbon Cutting Celebration on Saturday, September 12th for her beautiful new Palace Spa. Palace Spa is located at 100 N. Pennsylvania. To set up an appointment contact Brenda Cruz at 575-623-0123.

Owner Roaa Saadoon, along with her husband, Yasser Saadoon celebrated their Grand Opening of Lulu Salon & Day Spa on August 3rd. Roaa Saadoon and manager Suzy Weller warmly welcome you into their breathtaking salon. They are located at 3020 N. Main, Suite C. For more information on their services or to set up an appointment please contact them at 575-622-4032.

Eastern New Mexico Medical Center celebrated the opening of the new Cardiac Catheterization Lab on Thursday, September 10th with a ribbon cutton and a reception for guests. The Cardiac Cath Lab operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Congratulations on the Grand Opening of Captain Jim’s Home Decor and Military Souvenirs! If you are looking for military souvenirs, flags of any kind or home decor at great prices, you need to come see Captain Jim at 108 W. 8th Street or call 575-208-2592.

WINTER 2015 | A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

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F O C U S on the chamber

RISING SUN MASSAGE THERAPY

WALKER AVIATION

ROSWELL FAMILY CARE

LA QUINTA INN & SUITES

Congratulations to Rising Sun Massage Therapy on their Grand Opening Celebration held on Friday, September 18th. Rising Sun has wonderful relaxing and therapeutic full body massages as well as essential oils. To set up an appointment contact Adriana Garcia at 575-937-1897.

The Roswell Chamber of Commerce celebrated the groundbreaking for Roswell Family Care Walk-In Clinic on September 30th. We are excited to announce that the new clinic will be located at 1107 N. Main with an opening date scheduled for May 2016.

OASIS BAR & GRILL

24

Oasis Bar & Grill welcomed everyone to their Ribbon Cutting on October 15th. They introduced their staff and displayed a great selection of food and drinks from their unique menu. Oasis Bar & Grill is located at 3620 N. Main - inside Holiday Inn. FOCUS ON ROSWELL | WINTER 2015

The New Mexico Historic Marker Dedication honored Gen. Kenneth Newton Walker on September 18th at Roswell Relief Route where it meets U.S. 285 South to Carlsbad. The Roswell Chamber of Commerce Redcoats were honored to take part in the Dedication Ceremony. For more information visit the Walker Aviation Museum located at #1 Jerry Smith Circle.

La Quinta Inn & Suites welcomed everyone to their Ribbon Cutting on October 8th to celebrate the new renovations to their hotel. La Quinta gave a tour of the new rooms including their very large suite! They are located at 200 E. 19th Street. For more information or to make a reservation, call 575-622-8000.

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