Majestic Living Magazine Summer 2015

$# $# !"

!

#

! #

"

!" !

#!

#

!

'

! $

"$

! #

"

" ! # # "

! #!

#

! ! # # & !! # "# # !)

' # ! # # ' # ! #$! " ! $ " " % ! ( (# # '# ! ! $# ! # ! # # ! ! & # & "& # " ! ! # " ! $# #

("#

( $! &

&"

$#& ! % " !% (

#(

4 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2015

!

!

" !

#

" ! " " $

#

"

$

$

contributors MarGarEt ChEasEbro has been a freelance writer for over 30 years. her articles have appeared in many magazines across the country. she was a correspondent for the albuquerque journal and worked for several local newspapers. she has four published books of children’s puppet scripts. a former elementary school counselor, she is a reiki Master and practices several alternative healing techniques. she enjoys playing table tennis.

Dorothy Nobis has been a writer and editor for more than 25 years. she authored a travel guide, the insiders Guide to the Four Corners, published by Globe Pequot Press, and has been a frequent contributor to New Mexico Magazine.

ElizabEth PEttyjohN-brotEN is a local freelance grant writer and resource Development Coordinator for the Four Corners Foundation. she enjoys cooking and traveling with her husband, Matt, raising her beautiful children and, while walking her yorkie, Nigel, contemplating life’s existential dilemmas.

josh bishoP is a graduate of san juan College with an associate degree in Digital Media arts and Design. he currently works at Majestic Media as a video producer and photographer.

WhitNEy hoWlE was born and raised in Farmington and is proud to call san juan County home. the richness of the landscape and the diverse people, culture and traditions are a photographer’s dream. Whitney has his ba in Visual Communication from Collins College in tempe, ariz. he is a co-owner of howle Design and Photography—a family owned studio offering graphic design, photography, market research and consulting.

publisher Don Vaughan

sales staff

Shelly Acosta, Clint Alexander

editor Cindy Cowan Thiele

administration

designer Suzanne Thurman

Lacey Waite

writers Dorothy Nobis, Margaret Cheasebro,

Elizabeth Pettyjohn-Broten

MAGAZINE Celebrating the lifestyle, Community and Culture of the Four Corners Vol. 7, No. 3 ©2015 by Majestic Media.

Majestic Living is a quarterly publication.

Material herein may not be reprinted without expressed written consent of the publisher. If you receive a copy that is torn or damaged call 505.516.1230.

6 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SPRING 2015

For advertising information

Call 505.516.1230

photographers

Josh Bishop, Whitney Howle

Cover photo Comments Follow us on

by Whitney howle.

Majestic living welcomes story ideas and comments from readers.

Email story ideas and comments to editor@majesticmediausa.com.

majesticmediaUSA

@MajesticMediaUS

summerfeatures:

16 10

The Toy Department of Life

When David Pierce was 14 his father bought a red trail bike to carry on the back of the family’s motorhome. Pierce rode it for the first time when his family visited him at Wasatch Academy in Mount Pleasant, Utah, where he attended boarding school.

Garden Oasis

Debbie and Glen Vavras’ home is comfortable — and large enough for their family and friends to gather and enjoy each other’s company.

By Dorothy Nobis

By Margaret Cheasebro

27

42 years as a Scoutmaster

After returning home from a two-day Creamland Dairy milk run to the Navajo Reservation in November 1972, Milburn (Mac) McNamee learned he had to go to Animas Elementary School that evening to talk about becoming a scoutmaster.

By Margaret Cheasebro

22

Creative motivator

In addition to being an artist, Michael Billie of Farmington has become a motivating force for American Indian artists, challenging them to become more successful and business wise.

By Margaret Cheasebro 8 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2015

36

No signs of slowing down

Louise Miller sat comfortably in the kitchen of her home, surrounded by memories and the things she loves. Dressed in a mint green dress, her hair and makeup carefully done, Miller shared stories of the more than 40 years she’s been helping others.

By Dorothy Nobis

48

Compassion and a sense of humor

When Brenda Shepherd left Dallas for Farmington she expected a great adventure.

58

42

Faith and forgiveness

Aerial Liese is an adjunct English professor and writing tutor at San Juan College, happily married, the mother of three children, and the author of five books, the latest one coming out this summer.

By Margaret Cheasebro

Always on the move

Dancing runs in this family!

The Winers, a local Farmington family, have danced their way into the hearts of everyone they know.

53

40 Years on the air

Dave Schaefer’s golden voice and on air personality have been making friends through the radio for almost 40 years.

By Dorothy Nobis SUMMER 2015 | MAJESTIC LIVING | 9

oasis

Seed catalogs are like Christmas to Debbie and Glenn Vavras story by Dorothy Nobis | Photos by Josh Bishop Debbie and Glenn Vavras’ home is comfortable – and large enough for their family and friends to gather and enjoy each other’s company.

The house sits on top of a hill and the views are spectacular. There are 25 acres of land surrounding the home, most of it rocks and sagebrush. For a couple who love to grow their own produce, the rocks and the sagebrush present a problem, as does the sloping land atop of

which the home sits.

Always looking at challenges as opportunities, the Vavras have created a beautiful oasis of gardens, along with a greenhouse that encourages seeds to become the fruits and vegetables the couple enjoys.

Glenn brings in soil for the multitude of gardens that surround the house. The compost includes chicken and cow manure, recycled paper, straw – but never

food scraps. “The chickens get the food scraps,” Glenn said with a laugh. He mixes the soil with compost in three large cells, located just west of the greenhouse. The greenhouse, however, is a work of art – literally.

“All of the woodwork was done by Glenn,” Debbie said proudly. The plants are set in beautifully designed wood planters. An intricately designed wooden arch provides stability for vines, and the SUMMER 2015 | MAJESTIC LIVING | 11

pond that recycles water was created by huge rocks. Many of the rocks have plants growing out of them – because Glenn wanted greenery mixed in with the rocks and the water, Debbie explained.

Glenn drilled holes in the rocks and planted seeds in the same mixture of soil and compost he uses in his gardens. The rocks were placed around the pond and, when the plants begin to grow, the pond becomes more than just a recycling center for water – it becomes art in motion.

The greenhouse is 40 feet high at the center of its dome, with walls that are 18 feet high.

Ventilation keeps the air circulating.

Tomatoes, chiles, peppers, lettuce, cucumbers, kale, squash, carrots, cabbage, spinach, and artichokes are just some of the many vegetables that get an early start in the greenhouse.

12 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2015

Fruit also is abundant in the Vavra gardens.

Raspberries, apricots, watermelon, and pumpkins can be found and relished.

On the opposite side of the house are an ever-increasing number of wooden flats that the Vavras use for other vegetables. Carefully groomed, and looking more like flower gardens than vegetable gardens, the flats contain vegetables of every kind.

The Vavras look at seed catalogs the way children do Christmas catalogs. They receive many catalogs and “We order from all of them,” Debbie said with a laugh.

The catalogs begin arriving in January, Debbie said. “And we like looking at them,” Glenn said, adding they usually order by the end of February, and the seeds begin arriving in early March.

SUMMER 2015 | MAJESTIC LIVING | 13

Treva Fox-Christy IMSD Associate Broker

4022 E. Main St. Farmington, NM 87402 Office: 505-.325.4153 Fax: 505.325.4205 Cell: 505.330.0584 trevafoxchristy@gmail.com

14 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2015

A recent order included 67 different varieties of squash. While the squash will “all taste about the same,” Glenn admitted. “I just wanted to see what they all look like. Some of them are ornamental, and I’ll have a hill of unusual squash.”

The fertilizer the Vavras use contains no chemicals. “Good dirt is the key to good vegetables,” Debbie said. “And we, as a country, need to start worrying about our kids and the food they eat.

We enjoy our gardens and the food is healthier.”

Daily soap and water baths ensure the plants are free of insects early in the growing season.

“And sunshine helps feed our plants,” Glenn said.

“We worry that one of these days we are going to have to live on what we raise,” Debbie added.

“We have to know how and what to grow, and our kids need to know that.”

The Vavras can most of the produce they raise – and it all fills the large pantry in the equally large kitchen of the home. Debbie has also learned the art of pressure cooking, “Once a week Glenn’s four daughters come over because they want to learn pressure cooking,” Debbie said. “And they all like to can –

cooking,” Debbie said. “And they all like to can – and we can everything! We can corn bread, green chile stew, egg noodles, sauerkraut.” If they grow it, they can it, she added with a laugh, adding that they raise 10 percent of the food they eat.

The gardens consume much of the Vavras’ time during the spring. “It’s a lot of effort and a lot of work, but once it’s going, it’s worth it,” Debbie said.

A lot of work and a lot of effort are the norm for the Vavras. Owners of several businesses and parents of eight children and 17 grandchildren – all of whom live close by – the couple enjoys family time. And family always comes first.

The perfect spot for Glenn’s 67 kinds of squash was not considered for his plants. “It’s where the kids play volleyball,” Debbie said, “so we picked another place.”

Glenn created several play areas for the grandchildren and is building outdoor ovens so they family can enjoy homemade pizzas and bread.

It is rare when some of the children and grandchildren aren’t visiting, but there is always something for lunch or dinner, thanks to the bounty of fruits and vegetables that now grow in the “rocks and sagebrush” areas of years ago.

And while Debbie does occasionally think about doing less gardening and more traveling, Glenn thinks only of how and where he can expand his gardens.

“My daughter has a place just down the road,” he said, gesturing to the south. “I think I’ll start a garden there.”

“For her, of course,” he added, with little conviction.

SUMMER 2015 | MAJESTIC LIVING | 15

tes r u Co

o ot h yp

toy

The

department of life Racing, collecting and repairing motorcycles a lifelong pursuit for David Pierce Story by Margaret Cheasebro | Photos by Josh Bishop When David Pierce was 14 his father bought a red trail bike to carry on the back of the family’s motorhome. Pierce rode it for the first time when his family visited him at Wasatch Academy in Mount Pleasant, Utah, where he attended boarding school.

“It sort of ran away with me from there,” Pierce said. “It was huge fun – and still is.” He competed in his first race on The Bluffs in Farmington in 1969 at age 18.

Today, Pierce doesn’t confine himself to trail bikes in motocross races.

Two-thirds of his races are on pavement. His specialty is vintage racing because he enjoys the older motorcycles. Vintage bikes are “1974 and earlier because that’s when the technology really started to change,” he explained.

“They’re easy to work on and fun to ride. It’s just a piece of history from my youth. In a lot of cases with vintage racing, what you see are guys racing bikes they had or wish they had back in the day.”

SUMMER 2015 | MAJESTIC LIVING | 17

Retired bank board chairman He has more time for motorcycles now that he’s retired from being chairman of the board at Citizens Bank. The last three years in a row he’s been a national champion with the vintage club, American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association, or AHRMA. He won in the CPL Systems Formula 250 class. He got that title by racing in about 10 national road race events throughout the year during which points are awarded based on each rider’s finish.

“I was able to accumulate more points than the next guy,” Pierce said. “That speaks to my willingness to travel as much as anything.”

Last year, he competed in races in California, Louisiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Alabama and Utah. He keeps journals about his experiences in his blog at www.motogeezer.com, describing such things as RV breakdowns, personal injuries and the accomplishments of fellow racers.

Injuries don’t stop him “I’ve broken my shoulder,” he said. “I had one pretty good concussion. I’ve had a broken

Injuries have not cooled his passion for racing.

In his 2,400-square-foot shop in Farmington he works mostly on restoring his own motorcycles.

“One I’m doing as a favor for a friend,” he said. “There’s another couple of guys who are good racers that I repair bikes for, but mostly it’s for my own amusement.”

Getting parts for the old bikes is no problem.

He either makes them or finds them through a worldwide network of people. Once Pierce contacts people in a search for parts, they often become good friends. “The whole social thing and the network is just a big part of it for me,” he said.

wrist and a broken collarbone. I never made it past the emergency room, and I’ve never had a cast.”

*** $ "# '&&!#%" &$ )'' + '$#%"(&% , 18 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2015

Makes lifelong friends One of those friends is Lynn Mobley, who owns Bultaco Parts in Minden, Nev. Pierce didn’t know Mobley when he called him about twenty years ago, looking for motorcycle parts. Mobley had what he was looking for, so Pierce stopped

by Mobley’s shop on his way to the West Coast.

He and Mobley got acquainted over lunch.

“He’s an easy going guy,” Mobley said. “We got to be good friends. We talk on the phone almost daily. He’s welcome here anytime he wants.”

When Mobley traveled this direction, he stopped at Citizens Bank. “We met in the lobby where there were people in three-piece suits,” Mobley recalled. “A guy in shorts and a tank top popped out of the elevator. It was David. He grabbed me and took me to his office. He had motorcycles there. One was leaking oil, and he had a Wall Street Journal under it so the oil wouldn’t get on the carpet.”

Another good friend is Ray McCarty of Mancos, Colo. Pierce maintains one of McCarty’s bikes in his shop. McCarty was the first American in the world to race motocross in Europe back in the late 1950s and early 1960s, and he still races.

“I can’t say enough good things about David,” McCarty said.

Another friend, Damon Weems, added, “David is an exceptional person in all the good ways. For more than 30 years I have watched him help those who could not help themselves, with quiet generosity.”

No trouble finding motorcycles Pierce has no trouble finding the motorcycles he repairs and races. “Sometimes people just drop machines off and say, ‘Get it out of my garage,’” he said. “It’s a whole process of disassembly, renewal. Some of them are restorations. Some are resurrections. One bike, a 1975 Husqvarna 400 WR, was in line to go through the shredder at a scrapyard in Knoxville, Tennessee. Somebody called up a racing buddy of mine, and he rescued it, but he didn’t do anything with it. He told me, ‘Why don’t you take it?’”

Pierce restored the motorcycle, and it ended up in his museum across the street from his shop with about 60 other vintage motorcycles. “It turned out to be a very nice bike,” Pierce said. “I’ve raced it a few times.”

Quality museum Doug Sandefer, owner of Doug’s Kawasaki in Farmington called Pierce’s museum quite impressive. “I don’t know if you could find one

of that quality in Albuquerque,” he said.

“David is an awful nice guy. He’s had a lot of success riding dirt bikes and vintage bikes.”

Added Sandefer’s wife, Pat, “He’s a gentleman, a really great person.”

Pierce’s 5,000-square-foot museum sits in an old warehouse along railroad tracks that once ran through town. When he finishes working on motorcycles that he owns, he moves them from his shop to his museum. He still races some of those bikes.

Knows motorcycles’ history The 210-pound CanAm bike that won him the AHRMA title the last three years in a row has a place in the museum. He still races it, and he knows its history.

“It’s a motorcycle that was produced by Bombardier in Canada,” he said. “That’s the company that builds Ski-Doos and that sort of thing. They had a motorcycle division for awhile from kind of 1971 to 1983. They built

some very nice off-road bikes, and a friend of mine corrupted this one into a pavement bike.

It has a good feel, excellent horsepower. It’s very rugged and very reliable.”

Partly because the CanAm has so few breakdowns, Pierce does well in the races. “It had been a championship winning machine before, so it was well thought out,” he explained.

Oldest cycle is 1924 Douglas At some point, he knows he’ll have to stop racing because of his age. When that time comes, he’ll have the museum to occupy his time. The oldest motorcycle there is a 1924 Douglas.

“It has a lot of bicycle DNA,” he said. “It has a carbide headlight like the old miner’s lamps.”

A friend of his had restored one, and Pierce rode it at a bike show. “Riding it is very interesting because it doesn’t have the controls as we understand them,” he said. “Instead of a throttle, it has a spark lever, an air lever and a

Experience has a local address.

Be confident that your finances are going in the right direction. You don’t have to go far. Because right here in Farmington, you’ll find a Morgan Stanley office with a capable, experienced Financial Advisor.

Adam Hewett Branch Manager Associate Vice President Investment Management Consultant Financial Advisor

I can help you sort through the complexity of wealth Management and investing. Call me today to set up an appointment and find the experience you need. Right where you need it. www.morganstanleyfa.com/hewettloleitpalmer

4801 N Butler Farmington, NM 87401 505-326-9323 adam.hewett@ morganstanley.com

© 2015 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC.

CRC1116558 02/15

SUMMER 2015 | MAJESTIC LIVING | 19

fuel lever. I got the thing going and got the levers where they needed to be, and it just tickled me.”

He was intrigued. Another friend had an unrestored 1924 Douglas, and Pierce jumped at the chance to buy it. He intends to make sure the bike runs and to preserve it in its present shape because, he said, “it’s all right to look like it’s 80 years old.”

Preserves history of the sport Ray McCarty thinks a lot of Pierce. “It’s fellows like him who give most of their time and energy and resources to the sport of motorcycle racing that preserve the history of the sport,” he said. “He has quite a motorcycle collection. It’s amazing that one person can do that. It’s almost like a religion to him.”

Every motorcycle in Pierce’s museum has a story. “This is the Husqvarna that I got from Doug Sandefer in 1972,” he said. “It’s still here and ready to go. That red tank with the chrome – the first time I saw one it was like seeing a spaceship. It was so trick and exotic.”

On some walls of the museum his motorcycles sit three tiers deep on metal shelves. Pierce isn’t planning to do much with those on the top shelves.

“It’s a bit of a project to get them up and down,” he said. “I have some guys come over from Farmington Construction. They have a lift,

so we just make a morning of it.”

Many motorcycle brands Among his motorcycles are brands that range from Bultacos, Harley-Davidsons, and Suzukis to Kawasakis, Husqvarnas and CanAms.

* Motorcycles

page 62

SPECIALIZING IN • Residential Projects • Commerical Projects Their knowledge and service exceeded my expectations.

I really appreciated the new technology they always inform me with.

— Sam R. Todd, RE/MAX of Farmington

Their concern and sense of urgency not only got the job done right but also on time.

— Joel Jurkins, President Octopus Car Wash

We are so grateful for Audie’s knowledge, patience and expertise in planning the electrical work in our home.

— K. Trilli of Farmington

• Industrial Projects • New Construction • Remodeling Additions • Service Calls • Repair & Replacement

Financing Options Available • Blueprints with estimates (not guesstimates)

505-327-7525 3005 Northridge Drive, Suite K www.basinelectricnm.com 20 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2015

When everyone forgets how to drive.

I’m your agent for that.

On those crazy days, just know that I have your back. With my help and the backing of my great team, I’ll have you back on the road and driving happy in no time.

Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.

C CALL ALL FFOR OR A QUOTE QUOTE 24/7.

24/7. ®

Ginny D Gil, Agent 3060 E 20th Street Suite D Farming ton, NM 87402 Bus: 505 -327-3771 ginny@insuremeginnyg.com

1001195.1

State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, State Farm Indemnity Company Blooming ton, IL

Creative motivator

Michael Billie helps American Indian artists find success Story by Margaret Cheasebro | Photos by Whitney Howle In addition to being an artist, Michael Billie of Farmington has become a motivating force for American Indian artists, challenging them to become more successful and business wise.

As an encaustic artist, Michael works with bee’s wax and Damar tree resin to form a medium with which he builds his creations. He also teaches the method.

In his job as motivator, he works for the N.A.T.I.V.E. (Navajo Artists Technology Innovation and Vision Enterprise) Project to help American Indian artists find greater success in their artistic endeavors. The project is a threeyear grant administered by Capacity Builders, Inc., a non-profit organization in Farmington.

He likes the opportunity to help artists.

Finding success as an artist, he said, is “extremely time consuming. It’s so discouraging, because you’re going to get so many rejections. You’ve just got to keep plugging at it.

Working with artists is exhausting but gratifying. The ones who want it bad enough will keep doing it. Others will give up after awhile.”

Powerful motivator Local sculptor Ambrose Teasyatwho thinks Michael is a powerful motivator.

“He twisted my arm and kicked me,” Ambrose said with a laugh. He says, ‘You’re not going to this show? Why is that?’ It made me think I should be doing these shows. You need

guidance, and he’s there. It’s a blessing for somebody to do what he’s doing. He’s not biased. He’s fair. It’s in his heart that he wants to do a good job.”

The N.A.T.I.V.E Project helps to pay artists’ registration fees at festivals, fairs and art shows, as well as vendor booth fees. It provides a mentorship program in which artists are paired with successful painters, film makers, sculptors and weavers to learn how to run a successful business. It provides microloans and builds websites with online stores for artists. It also offers business management workshops.

Helping Michael with the project are grant administrator Josey Foo and intern Kaylaya McKinney.

SUMMER 2015 | MAJESTIC LIVING | 23

Serves developmental needs The main goal of Capacity Builders, which was founded in 1995, is to serve the developmental needs of non-profit organizations, tribes, individuals, and government agencies all over the country, equipping them with what they need to create jobs, find economic independence, wellness and abundance.

“Our goal for the N.A.T.I.V.E. Project is to increase business opportunities for Native American artisans,” said Capacity Builders Executive Director Rachel Nawrocki.

Reconnects with his language Michael’s work with artists has helped him to reconnect with his own Navajo language. He used to speak it fluently, but by the time he was in his 20s, he had forgotten it.

Born in Gallup on Feb. 25, 1968, he grew up with his parents in Naschitti, where the only language they spoke was Navajo. He graduated from Highland High School in Albuquerque in 1985, attended the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque for two years and the Art Center, also in Albuquerque, for two more years, where he earned an associate degree in graphic design.

He got completely away from any contact with the Navajo language after he graduated from the Art Center and spent two years in Washington, D.C. There, he worked two weeks for a commercial design house that was experimenting with doing design projects in-house instead of farming them out. When the experiment didn’t work, Michael was out of a job.

Sends out resumés For almost two years he sent out resumés, knocked on doors, and went for many interviews, but no one was hiring, so he returned to Albuquerque. Back in Albuquerque, a D.C. company called to offer him a job, but by then it was too late. He found a job as a page designer at The Daily Times in Farmington.

“I didn’t think I would last because I’m not a rural type,” he said. “In the beginning it was hard, but it eventually grew on me. I like it here now.”

He worked there for several years before 24 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2015

finding employment at Majestic Media. Later, he returned part time to The Daily Times while pursuing his encaustic art on the side. He joined Capacity Builders in the fall of 2014 to help American Indian artists find success.

Visits artists on rez In his role at Capacity Builders he visits artists on the reservation. “A lot of them come up to me and say ‘hello’ in Navajo or try to talk to me in Navajo, and I say, ‘I’m sorry. I lost it.’ A very, very little of it is coming back.

I can recognize certain words now, but speaking it is another matter.” He often takes photo shoots of artists for a website and online store he will build for them. He taught himself web design, applying some of the skills he’d learned at The Daily Times, where he used Quark XPress and Page Design programs.

“The templates are the same, the drag and drop, the text boxes, they’re basically the same format,” he said.

Mostly self-taught Teaching himself new skills comes naturally to Michael. That’s how he began learning about encaustic art. He first saw it at a gallery in Albuquerque. “I didn’t know what it was,” he said. “I looked at this one painting, and you could look into it. I thought it was glass. I didn’t know you could work that way with wax.”

When he got home and googled it, he became fascinated by encaustic art. He began gathering tools and experimenting with it.

After a year, he knew he was doing something wrong, so he took a couple of workshops

from artists in Santa Fe and Tucson.

“I discovered there were a lot of things I was not doing the right way,” he said.

Melting process time consuming The process is time consuming. He buys 55 pounds of bee’s wax, because it’s cheaper to buy in bulk. He also purchases Damar resin, which is as hard as a rock. He mixes six cups of bee’s wax to one cup of Damar resin, puts them in a big pot and slowly melts them down. “If you melt it too fast, it’s going to burn the wax,” he said. “Once the wax is burned, it’s depleted down so it’s not usable.”

It takes him about two hours to complete the melting process. “I have these muffin tins and mini-loaf pans all over the counter to pour the mixture into,” he said. “It has to cool down and solidify, and that’s my medium. When I’m ready to use it, I have a big pancake griddle, and I put some medium on it and melt it down. I add my pigment to it, and then it’s called encaustics.”

He pours the wax mixture on a hard surface, such as a wood panel. The melted wax fuses to the panel. He continues to add wax until he has

about 20 layers. “That’s how I make my surface,” he said. “From there I usually add embellishments like bundles and sticks and sand and maybe an image transfer.” He even uses gourds.

Mother was a weaver He created a series of encaustic art that he called “A Navajo Rug,” in honor of his mother, Evelyn Billie, who was a weaver for many years.

As a child, Michael helped her with her weaving, including spindling the yarn. She used to weave purses.

“I was really proud of her, because I think she was one of the first crafters to do those purses,” he said. “As it started to grow and evolve, other Native American ladies started copying her in making those bags. Then she began making clutches.”

The encaustic series he made in her honor contains hints of Native rug designs.

Improves his skills Since he began doing encaustic art eight years ago, he continues to attend workshops to improve his skills, including the International En-

caustic Confere in Provincetown, Mass. Locally he has taught encaustic workshops at the Three Rivers Art Center in Farmington.

His artistic endeavors help him to understand better how to work with artists who come to the N.A.T.I.V.E. Project seeking help.

“You have to be very patient, because they’re just so all over the place,” he said with a smile.

“You have to keep their mind on things. I need this. I need it. It’s past deadline. Sometimes I feel like I’m herding cats. But it’s fun. It’s very rewarding.”

Builds websites Some artists want him to build them a website, but they don’t know how to use a computer and don’t have one. They just want to sell online. “They’re eager, but it takes a lot of educating, especially on the reservation,” he said He built a website for clothing designer Jolonzo Goldtooth of Huerfano, who has been featured in a New York City fashion show and is scheduled to be interviewed in Los Angeles by Project Runway.

“He’s taking it all the way to the bank,”

SUMMER 2015 | MAJESTIC LIVING | 25

! # # $

#

#

%

"

" ! #

& ! # !

$! #"

#"

"

26 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2015

Michael said. “If he gets on Project Runway, that’s going to blow up his career. He’s going back to New York this fall.”

Jolonzo credited Michael with helping him get interviews at local and regional magazines and newspapers shortly before he had his first fashion show in New York City in February.

“He’s helping me develop a website,” Jolonzo said. “He got me connected with outside sources.”

Travels to spread the word So far, Michael has built websites for nine artists, and is in the process of building six more. He spends part of his time traveling in New Mexico and surrounding states to spread the word about the N.A.T.I.V.E. Project and what it has to offer. A lot of his job is networking.

While he was looking for mentors to give artists guidance, he contacted painter Tony Abeyta, who lives in both California and New Mexico.

“I sent him a blind invite to be a mentor and decided to see what happened,” Michael said. “I didn’t hear from him for a couple of weeks. Then I got an email from him. He said, ‘This sounds interesting, tell me more, here’s my number.’ So I called him, and we talked for a little bit. He said, ‘Yeah, I’m interested.

I’m always willing to help up-and-coming.’”

Tony gave him the names of artists who

have studios in Flagstaff and Tucson, Ariz.

Michael went there and, with the help of those contacts, spoke to many artists about the N.A.T.I.V.E. Project and what it has to offer. He’s been to the Hopi Center in Arizona several times, and the project recently hired a photographer to do photo shoots with several artists there who want Michael to build them a website with an online store.

Artists in group shows Some artists involved with the N.A.T.I.V.E. Project will be included in a group show Michael curated at the Encaustic Art Institute during Indian Market throughout the month of August at the Railyard District in Santa Fe. Michael will conduct a workshop there about encaustic art.

“Being able to get them into a show in Santa Fe is great exposure for them, and rewarding,” he said.

Michael also helps with business management workshops for artists. He assisted with one in April at the Indian Cultural Center in Albuquerque before Gathering of the Nations.

He is low key about his work with the N.A.T.I.V.E. Project. “I’m just winging it as I go,” he said. “This is something that’s probably never been done, so all of us – we’re just maneuvering through it. We want it to work.

We’re excited about it. We think it’s a great program.”

for great entertainment at the

2015 San Juan County Fair tire g. 12 n E Mc y, Au e i a Sus nesd d We

Exile

& Juice Newton

Friday, Aug. 14

Tate S Thur tevens sday , Aug . 13

&

Wade Hayes Bryan White Saturday, Aug 15

“It’s a little intimidating to follow in his footsteps. Mac is a selfless individual. He gives of himself all the time.

— Russ Benson

28 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2015

42 YEARS

AS A SCOUTMASTER Selfless Mac McNamee has put a lot of kids on the right track Story by Margaret Cheasebro | Photos by Whitney Howle After returning home from a two-day Creamland Dairy milk run to the Navajo Reservation in November 1972, Milburn (Mac) McNamee learned he had to go to Animas Elementary School that evening to talk about becoming a scoutmaster.

His oldest son, Ed, was 11 and wanted to join Boy Scouts but couldn’t find a troop he liked. McNamee and his wife, Frances, had discussed the situation earlier. She volunteered him for scoutmaster, and the rest is history.

McNamee retired in 2014 after serving 42 years as a scoutmaster. Ed eventually became a scoutmaster himself.

In all those years with Troop 321, McNamee has seen 80 boys become Eagle Scouts.

Though he’s retired, he still sits on three scouting committees, one that oversees the paperwork of Eagle Scout candidates. At 83, he plans to camp out in a tent with the scouts this summer.

Always another Eagle candidate McNamee isn’t sure why he stayed in scouting so long. “I did it while my son was in scouts,” he said. “When he grew out of it, I just stayed on. I always had this bunch of boys that was working on their Eagle. I’d say, ‘When they leave, I’ll stop.’ Well, then there was another group working on their Eagle.”

When he first became scoutmaster, McNamee had no idea what he was doing. He’d

never been a scout himself because his parents were in poor health, and he worked so many hours while going to high school to support his family that he didn’t have time or gas money to attend scout meetings.

When he met with the Animas Elementary School PTA and the scouting district director back in 1972, he took on the challenge of being scoutmaster anyway.

troop until that club went out of business. For about 35 years, it’s been sponsored by the Elks Lodge.

Elks USA will present McNamee with the Marvin M. Lewis Award during a special presentation in Indianapolis, Ind., on July 6. A letter from the Grand Lodge Activities Committee noted, “Your work in Scouting and in Elkdom has been outstanding,”

Gets trained on the fly “The scout meeting was the next week, and I had three boys,” McNamee recalled. “The next week the district executive quit, and they didn’t have another district executive for about a year.”

So he called a lady who worked at the scout office in Albuquerque. “I’d call her and say, ‘I did so and so. Now what do I do next week?’ She’d tell me what to do. That’s how I got trained. They finally got a district executive, and I went up to his house on 24th Street and sat down in the middle of his living room one Saturday night, and I got trained by him.”

Three years after the troop started, three of its members became Eagle Scouts: Ed McNamee, Tom Johnson and Billy Schaaphok.

High standards as scoutmaster McNamee had high standards as a scoutmaster. When people saw a well set-up tent or camp or noticed something well organized, they called it a “321 operation,” because Troop 321 scouts were known for their excellent performance.

But he didn’t always go by the book. At McNamee’s Retirement Court of Honor on Sept. 13, 2014, one of his former scouts, John Goodman, noticed that adult leaders wore Black Sheep Patrol patches which McNamee had ordered for them.

In a book of memories he created about McNamee and his own scouting years, Goodman wrote, “The adults that served under Mr. McNamee did not do some things by the book if there was an alternative approach that was more efficient. They were innovative and unconventional, doing things their own way at times while still adhering to Boy Scout standards.”

Elks Lodge sponsors Troop 321 Troop 321 has had several sponsors. When the Animas Elementary School PTA went out of business, the Optimist Club sponsored the

SUMMER 2015 | MAJESTIC LIVING | 29

Midnight requisitioning For example, most scouts arrived on Sunday to attend week-long events at Camp Frank Rand, now called Gorham Scout Ranch, near Chimayo.

Members of Troop 321 came a day early so they could go through uninhabited camp sites and exchange their tents, fire buckets and other equipment in poor condition for better ones.

Goodman recalled, “Mr. McNamee called this ‘liberating’ or ‘midnight requisitioning’.”

His laid-back, unconventional ways may be one reason why there was standing room only at the Tyckson Scout Hut in Farmington when McNamee retired and handed over Troop 321 scoutmaster duties to Russ Benson.

Selfless individual “It’s a little intimidating to follow in his footsteps,” Benson said. “Mac is a selfless individual.

He gives of himself all the time. I’ve known Mac since 1998 when he was my mentor in scouting.

He always set me on the right track. He was the scoutmaster for both of my boys, who were Eagles.”

30 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2015

Cub Scout den leader and member of the Eagle Board Amy Henkenius calls herself one of McNamee’s biggest fans. “Mac has a way of working with people that brings out the best in them,” she said. “He works with both youth and adults. My husband, Mike, used not to be outgoing. Mac asked him to work with six boys teaching a small skill. Now Mike teaches skills to 200 people. Mac builds people up slowly in a way they don’t realize it’s happened.”

Besides working with Troop 321, McNamee was involved with many other scouting activities, among them the Order of the Arrow, or OA, Crow Chapter, part of Lodge 66 Yah-Tah-HeySi-Kess. He guided many of his scouts to be active in it, too.

No hazing or bullying He also encouraged them to attend Troop Leader Development at Gorham Scout Ranch, where they learned leadership skills and teamwork. During scouting events, he had older scouts help younger ones to develop leadership skills, and he insisted that all boys treat each

other with respect. He tolerated no hazing or bullying, and some scouts transferred to Troop 321 from other troops because of that, Goodman noted.

Because McNamee wanted scouts and their leaders to focus on advancement and on learning scout skills, he decided the troop would own no camping gear. Instead, scouts owned their own gear and learned to be responsible for it. As a result, the troop wasn’t burdened by fund-raising activities. That may be why they had at least 190 campouts, attended 42 summer camps, went to four national jamborees, one world jamboree, and participated in a host of other scout activities.

Camp near McNamee’s cabin Some of those campouts occurred near the McNamees’ cabin 20 miles north of Durango at Hermosa Cliffs, where scouts hiked, skied and enjoyed other outdoor activities.

“We had a mountain lion out behind the cabin,” Frances recalled with a smile. “It would yowl. When the scouts came up, it was late at

night, so they set up their tents in the dark. I told one of the assistant scoutmasters, ‘There’s a mountain lion up there.’ He said, ‘It will have to take care of itself. I’ve got these boys.’”

Scouts learned survival skills during some campouts. One skill was building a snow cave and spending the night in it. They also learned how to eat insects. During one summer camp, scout Richard Morehead, son of Ralph and Annette Morehead, became concerned when he saw an ant in his tent. He called out to McNamee, “There’s an ant in my tent. What shall I do with it?”

Recalling the story, McNamee replied, “Eat it.”

To which Richard responded, “Should I bite off its head first?”

Morehead went on to attend the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, where he sailed through survival training and had a long, successful Air Force career.

Plays tricks on scouts McNamee enjoyed playing tricks on the scouts.

One evening at Gorham Scout Ranch, scouts camped at Sacrifice Rock. McNamee made up stories about how people’s and animals’ heads were cut off on that rock. Before he began the story, he’d rigged up a nine-volt battery with some steel wool hooked to two long wires attached to a switch that he placed in a nearby tree. At the scariest part of the story he reached his hand into the tree and told the scouts, “Look, a fire started over there,” Then he popped the

switch, and the steel wool caught fire just as he planned.

“The kids all took off running in the woods,” he said with a chuckle. “I was hunting kids for quite awhile. I didn’t do that again.”

Scouts learn skills McNamee spends a lot of time training scouts so they know how to perform many camping skills.

“You stand around and ask if the boy needs help,” he said. “You go over and explain to him and show him how to put up a tent. Then you tear everything back down and say, ‘Now you put up the tent.’ Then you stand back and watch. The next time you don’t have to, because they know how to do it.”

Frances, who is a Girl Scout leader and supported her husband’s scouting interest, nodded.

“What Mac does a lot is take the parents for a walk so the kids will do what has to be done themselves, because most of the parents are used to taking care of their kids,” she said. “It’s the scoutmaster’s job to take the parents on a walk so that the next time the kid goes camping, he’ll say, ‘Dad, get out of here, I can do it.’”

Pitch tents in dark Because McNamee worked late on his route as a Creamland Dairy deliveryman, often he didn’t get home until 6 p.m. During scout meetings, he’d turn off the lights and teach kids how to pitch a tent in the dark.

$! $ # " &

8

+/ *//7#

2 6

2

,/,/ 0

$0

% 4

($ $! $

"

)

" #$

!! #$!" 5

$! 1

4-/-5,+.3*..+ '''0 % #

!"

!" 0 !

SUMMER 2015 | MAJESTIC LIVING | 31

“We’d roll the tents up and put them in a sack, and the scouts had to get them out of the sack,” he said. “They got so they could set them up in 65 seconds. If they messed it up, we put it back in the bag and they had to get it out again. We practiced that.”

Once when Frances was reviewing a scout for advancement to Tenderfoot, she asked him, “What did you learn in the troop?” Frances’ eyes sparkled as she remembered his reply. “I learned that you never, never go camping in the daylight. You have to put your tent up in the dark or you can’t put it up straight.”

National jamboree During McNamee’s first national jamboree, he took 36 scouts along, including 10 from the Navajo Reservation. Personnel from the CBS network children’s program, Razz Ma Tazz, came to film the Navajo scouts. The CBS crew separated the Navajos from the rest of the scouts to conduct the interview, and McNamee accompanied them. When one crew member urged the boys to speak in Navajo, they didn’t want to. But instead of refusing, one scout, from Dzilth-Na-O-Dith-Hle, said in Navajo exactly what he thought about the request.

After the crew left, the scout turned to McNamee. “Are they going to show that on TV?” McNamee replied, “That was the idea behind it.” With a gulp, the scout said, “I sure hope my parents don’t hear what I said.” McNamee recalled, “I knew what he said, and it wasn’t pretty.”

McNamee went on to attend three more national jamborees in 1981, 1985 and 1989 and an international jamboree in Canada in 1983, taking many scouts with him from this area.

# #

$

"

%

#

! %

$ $

%

"

" #

"

32 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2015

$

% "

Son brags on dad’s record McNamee’s scout experiences made a big impression on his son, Ed. “When I think of Boy Scouts, I always think of my dad,” he said. “He committed an enormous amount of time and energy to the troop and all other aspects of scouting. To this day I still brag on his record for nights camping, attendance at summer camp and the number of Eagles that his troop has produced. Scout Vespers says, in part: Silently each Scout should ask, have I done my daily task? Have I kept my honor bright? Can I guiltless sleep tonight? The answer to each of those for Dad is a resounding, ‘Yes!’”

UNLIMITED NATIONWIDETALK, TEXT & DATA

NO CONTRACT

We’ve Got You Covered Nationwide SM

powered po owerred by V Visit isit a st store ore ttoday oday or ccontact ontact us a att 1-844-BE NAKED (236-2533) or m mynakedmobile.com ynakedmobile.com SSome ome rrestrictions estrictions apply apply.. YYour our Nak Naked ed Mobile AAgreement greement includes yyour our ser service vice AAgreement, greement, and AAdditional dditional Terms Terms and Conditions Conditions available available at at www.mynakedmobile.com. www.mynakedmobile.com. Service Service is good for for a 30-day 30-day billing cycle. cycle. Your Your service service utilizes utilizes the Cellular Cellular One One network, network, and TT-Mobile -Mobile net network work via a rroaming oaming agr agreement eement bet between ween CCellular ellular OOne ne and TT-Mobile.

-Mobile. Da Data ta speeds ar aree not guaranteed guaranteed and unused data data does not rollover rollover to to the next next month. month. All All rates rates are are subject subject to to change. change. Your Your Naked Naked Mobile Plan remains remains subject subject to to Naked Naked Mobile’s Mobile’s excessive excessive use, use, and disproportionate disproportionate roaming, roaming, and Fair Fair Use Use Policies.

Policies. See See www.mynakedmobile/fair-use-policy. www.mynakedmobile/fair-use-policy.

SUMMER 2015 | MAJESTIC LIVING | 33

# '

"

!!

# "& #

#

%$ $!" ((

%$ ( " ) '' ' )$ %%" $ ,() #( $() ""

) ' ) ' $() "" 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

$

' ()

& %% #

5 --%!-. +%(!-.

0-* !.

5 0 / (! *%*# 5 - %* !2!- (! *%*# 5 % !+ - %* *.,! /%+* 5 (! /-+*% ! ' + /%+* 5 /!!2!- !,%,%*# 5 /$-++) %/ $!* !)+ !(%*#

#$%

/!- ! /!-. !"-%#!- /%+* 1 ,+- /%1! ++(%*# '"(+2 -!1!*/!- !./%*# +),(!/! . !-1% ! . !-1% !

- +* +*+3% ! !./%*# +),(!/! !,/% 4./!).

56 '$+! !-1% !

-!* $%*# 5 ( **! !-1% ! #-!!)!*/.

5 +0- )!-#!* 4 5 (( &+- -! %/ - . !,/!

5 /%." /%+* 0 - */!! .%* !

5 +0- )!-#!* 4 !-1% !

'%, '# $ )%$

+++ '

""

$

"&"*#

$

%#

Jae-Geo’s Bridal & Tuxedo 302 W. Main St., Farmington, NM

505-326-5240 www.jaegeosformalwear.com

DOWNTOWN

NO SIGNS of slowing down At 75 Louise Miller teaches computer classes with kindness, patience Story by Dorothy Nobis | Photos by Josh Bishop Louise Miller sat comfortably in the kitchen of her home, surrounded by memories and the things she loves.

Dressed in a mint green dress, her hair and makeup carefully done, Miller shared stories of the more than 40 years she’s been helping others. She had just returned home after facilitating a grief support group she and her friend, Jeanne Berhost, started three years ago.

That support group came after Miller suffered the devastating loss of her beloved husband, Max, on Oct. 14, 2010.

The day had been a good one, Miller remembered. “We had a wonderful day,” she said, her eyes misting with tears.

“Every night, we said the rosary together before bed. That night (after preying the rosary), he walked around the bed and told me how much he loved me.”

Max got into bed, but had a difficult time getting comfortable. Miller was adjusting the blankets for him, when he gasped for breath. Thinking he was having 36 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2015

a stroke, Miller called a friend, who called 911. With Max in the care of paramedics in the ambulance, Miller went to the hospital with her friend.

“A feeling came over me,” she said.

“An awesome, beautiful feeling came over me.”

The beautiful feeling turned to anger when the nurses at the hospital wouldn’t let her into the room to see her husband.

Not long after, the doctor came out of the room, knelt down beside her and said they couldn’t save Max. Her husband, her best friend, and the love of her life was gone. What remained, however, was her faith “That was a very difficult time in my life,” Miller said quietly. “I thank God for my faith. That helped me get through it.”

Support group The first year after Max’s death was extremely difficult, she said. “but the second year was much harder. The realization (that Max was gone) finally hit. There was

no one to help me get through it.”

Jeanne Berhost suggested to Miller that they start a grief support group. After researching the idea and recognizing the need, Berhest and Miller got the word out and the group began to meet. People who were struggling to get through the death of a spouse, a child, or a family member came to St. Mary’s Catholic Church hoping for help from the support group. While many came because of the death of a loved one, it’s not just death that causes grief to people, Miller said.

“Broken relationships can make us feel like we’ve lost our identity,” she said.

“And society today doesn’t really allow us to grieve. Whether it’s a family member, a job, a relationship or the death of a pet, losing someone or something you love hurts.”

By turning her attention to helping others through their grieving process, Miller said she has healed herself. Talking about the loss, sharing the multitude of emotions that go with it and praying for

emotions that go with it and praying for acceptance, the members of the group begin to heal. Miller is glad to be part of that group.

Grief causes people to build walls to protect themselves from further pain and to close doors, because opening them and dealing with what’s on the other side is frightening, Miller said. “It’s painful to share your hurt with others,” she said, “but its all part of the healing process.”

Opening doors Miller said she continues to benefit from the group. “I have doors I still don’t want to open either,” she said, adding that people can’t fully move on from grief until they recover from it. Opening those doors, as difficult as it might be – even for her – is the answer to moving on.

Miller’s love of helping others extends beyond the grief support group, however.

Miller has been a teacher for more than 40 years. She has taught Confraternity of Christian Doctrine classes for more than 40 years – and has been teaching CCD at St. Mary’s since the mid-’80s. In addition, she has taught ENCORE classes at San Juan College since 2008 and a computer basic class for the Center for Workforce Training for 38 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2015

several years as well.

Miller retired from San Juan College in 2007, after serving as an instructional associate for business and computers in the science department.

Teaching computers at 75 “I think God gave me a special gift as a teacher and I have a lot of knowledge to share,” she said. “I love the ENCORE classes.

Senior (citizens) have to know how to operate computers today.”

While all teachers prepare lesson plans for their students, Miller goes a step further. “I write my own handbook,” she said, adding the books she had been given to use were difficult to understand. “Every year, I update the handbook, because every year technology changes.”

At almost 75 years of age, Miller is older than most of her students. The average age of her ENCORE students is between 60 and 65, and her Center for Workforce Training students are slightly younger.

Brenda Blevins was one of Miller’s students. “At the age of 42, I enrolled in San Juan College to learn the basics of using a computer,” Blevins said. “Since I wasn’t familiar or comfortable with the computer and the classes moved very fast, I was totally

overwhelmed. So I began to stay after classes to work in the computer labs and that is when I met Louise Miller.”

“The day I met Louise changed my attitude on whether I was capable of going back to school.

She was there to tutor me for all of my computer classes and with her help, I not only passed the classes with an A but I learned so much more. My self-confidence improved so much that I applied to San Juan College for an administrative assistant position,” Blevins added. “I have had a successful career for 13 years at San Juan College and I consider myself very fortunate for having a chance to be taught by Louise.”

Nancy Sisson is the director for the Center for Workforce Training and has worked with Miller for many years. “Louise has been invaluable with editing the MS Office Excel and Word curriculum at the Center for Workforce Training,” Sisson said.

“She knows what is important for our students to learn, that is applicable to their specific work needs. She makes the students feel at ease in her classroom and encourages them with her patient, considerate manner.”

“We are so blessed to have her,” Sisson added of Miller. “She is priceless to us.”

Keeping up with the latest technology for her classes is demanding, but fun, Miller said, and she loves her students. “I was going to quit in January of 2010, and stay home, but Max talked me out of it,” she said. “He passed later that year and it (teaching) was a blessing for me. I needed to be with people and I thank God for putting me there. I enjoy helping people live better lives.”

Miller’s enjoyment of helping others extends to the children in her CCD classes. The children are fourth graders and “They love me!” Miller said with pride.

Making a difference “I want to make a difference in their lives,” she said, explaining why she continues to teach the classes after more than 40 years. “In this troubled world we live in, children need to have positive role models. I teach them the ‘number one’ rule – respect. Kids are just wonderful little people.”

Roundtree Children’ Children’s s Devel Developmental opmental Ser Services vices

"

(& -%"

+ $

( $

%$ '

%$ #

$$

'

'! $

!

,

%+ "(

* %# ""%

# ( %%

*** ) %+ ' ")+ %# ! + ' '# $ )%$ SUMMER 2015 | MAJESTIC LIVING | 39

In addition to her classes, her support group, her constant research of computer technology and maintaining the home she and Max bought years ago, Miller also sews and is a painter. She’s been sewing since she was in the fifth grade and taught adult sewing classes for years. She and Max were painters, and she still enjoys it. “I like to paint, but I don’t have time,” she said.

Her hobby room is filled with fabric, patterns, paints, brushes – and an ironing board. “God has given me talented hands,” she said.

With little time to “spare,” Miller is content with her life. “I’m almost 75 and I’m having so much fun,” she said. “I love my life. I love my children and my grandchildren. I’m a senior (citizen) and I hurt (physically) too, but I still keep going and growing as much as I can.”

&# !"$(' $(%

GREAT PEOPLE, GREAT FOOD, GREAT PLACE.

The Bridge Assisted Living maintains the highest standard of quality service, staff and care.

Call to experience The Bridge Assisted Living lifestyle!

(505) 324-6200

Come explore! t exciting activities t restaurant-style dining t housekeeping t DVTUPNJ[FE BTTJTUBODF UP meet each resident’s needs.

thebridgeatfarmington.com 1091 West Murray Drive Farmington, NM 87401 40 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2015

51947

Where Experience Matters

Patient and kind With a mother who is 95 years old and still lives alone and takes care of herself, Miller is confident she’ll be teaching and changing lives for years to come. “I’ve got at least 20 more years left and I’ll continue to teach until I decide it’s time to quit.”

“I’m a blessed person,” Miller added. “And I want to give back to God’s world what He’s given to me.”

Miller’s students have high praise for their teacher, said Liesl Dees, director of the San Juan College Learning Center that offers the ENCORE program. “The two words that appear over and over on Louise’s evaluations from students are ‘patience’ and ‘kindness,’” Dees said. “She meets student’s right at their current skill level without any judgment and walks them through computer processes until the light bulb clicks and they’ve mastered new tasks.”

“For our Encore students, this lack of judgment puts them at ease and opens up new worlds on the computer,” Dees added. “Louise is also an inspiration to our Encore students. As someone in their chronological peer group, they see the possibilities of being at ease with technology.

Whether learning to communicate with grandchildren, developing the skills to fill out online applications or creating personal documents, Louise has helped students fulfill dreams—all the time with a smile on her face.”

*-

& #

,(*0 (

&),#('

! % !'

"

1 ,(* /# ( ,,(*' 0

.

&

' ++ '

!

% #

!

% * + ' * %

! '

"

1 +, * ) " +"#'!,(' (+,

&

! #

!

% !

'

1 .* ' #+" * . (*$ #& + +,+ %%#'! -,"(* 2 &(#* ( #%$ *,(' # 3

&

! #

" %

!

'

1 #& *) ', * . (*$ #& + +,+ %%#'! -,"(* 2 " (.3

&

$

%

#

!

1 ('# ()) *

' ' *!* ++ " * +# ', ' - ' (%% !

, )- %#+"#'! (& -!-+, %

!

!

Faith Forgiveness and

Letting go of the past forges bright future for Aerial Liese Story by Margaret Cheasebro | Photos by Josh Bishop Aerial Liese is an adjunct English professor and writing tutor at San Juan College, happily married, the mother of three children, and the author of five books, the latest one coming out this summer.

Her success is a tribute to her choice to survive in spite of a traumatic childhood that left many scars. They didn’t begin healing until she sought help from a local psychotherapist and took advice from her dying sister, Jane, to forgive quickly, love deeply, and live thankfully with purpose.

Her newest book, Three Promises for Jane, is being published by Tate Publishing of Mustang, Okla. It tells the story of her life, from staring at the brink of madness to finding wholeness.

ally and physically abused as a child, Jane found meaning by protecting Aerial, who was a year younger. As Jane lay dying, she gave Aerial wise council after Aerial confided that her body felt in one place and her mind in a deep, dark pit.

“You are angry and have every right to be,” Jane said, “but the longer you hold onto the anger, the longer you’ll be stuck in the pit. Nobody can pull you out but you. You have always been God’s idea, meant for a purpose, just like me and my children, but you won’t fulfill it (the purpose) if you can’t let go of the past.”

However, Aerial wasn’t ready to let go. The memories were too vivid, the anger, the sense of guilt and worthlessness, too strong.

Mind in deep, dark pit Jane died of AIDS at the age of 33, the gift of a lover who abandoned her and left her pregnant with twin boys born with HIV. Sexu-

Born with many problems Aerial came into the world in Oakley, Kansas, on March 4, 1973, with many challenges. A colicky infant, she was born cross-

eyed, to a mother who did drugs when she was pregnant with Aerial. She never knew her father but heard he spent time in prison for armed robbery.

Uncertain what to do with her difficult child amid her own challenging circumstances, Aerial’s mother gave the baby to Aerial’s aunt and uncle. They already had seven children, five boys and two girls, all ages 10 and under. Aerial called them her brothers and sisters and addressed her new parents as Mother and Pops.

She knew her real mother only as Aunt Bubby, who visited her several times and showered her with love but never stayed long.

Mother was emotionally and physically absent, and Pops drank heavily. The children were often neglected and physically and verbally abused. Aerial bonded with her two sisters, Jane and Lee. They became inseparable and promised to always be there for each other, often telling each other, “I promise with your promise.”

SUMMER 2015 | MAJESTIC LIVING | 43

Brothers ridicule her When Aerial learned to talk it became apparent that she had a stuttering problem, and she struggled to make the correct sounds for certain letter combinations. Her brothers ridiculed her and chanted, “Mickey Mouse! Mickey Mouse! Who’s the dummy of the house?” In school a learning disability and emotional instability at home made it hard for her to sit still, focus and retain information. She repeated kindergarten twice.

Aerial had no idea she’d been given away by her mother until she was 4, when one of her brothers told her the truth.

“You don’t belong here,” he concluded. “You’re not one of us.”

There was little supervision in the large family, and Mother often left them alone during the day.

When Pops came home from work at the slaughter house and found the house in a mess, kids unsupervised, and no meal prepared, he screamed at his wife and kids, sometimes swiping them across the face with his huge hands.

Many moves In her book, Aerial recounts many different moves, some of them traumatic, as she had to leave friends and school programs she loved. When Mother ran off with another man and left Pops with all the children, he never recovered, and the household descended into even greater chaos. A series of different living arrangements followed, with Pops, with Grandma, or with Mother and her new husband.

Men were attracted to Jane, and early on they looked at her in ways that disturbed Aerial. On many occasions, Jane’s uncles sexually molested Jane, who locked Aerial in a closet to keep her safe. Aerial wanted to rescue her sister, and for many years she carried deep guilt, shame and a sense of unworthiness because she failed to protect her beloved sister.

Keeps a journal As a child, she began journaling her experiences and thoughts. Getting the feelings onto paper helped her cope. As the journals multiplied, she had to throw some away for lack of space. Later she threw away more for fear that people would read them and call her crazy.

44 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2015

Today, she encourages everyone to journal.

“You’re getting things out, and you see patterns of thought,” she said. “If I see patterns in my behavior or my thinking, it helps me. ‘Maybe I need to stop doing this.’”

Develops suicidal symptoms Over the years, Aerial developed suicidal symptoms, hallucinated, was bulimic and anorexic and developed unhealthy perfectionistic tendencies. Her first suicide attempt at age 14 left her throwing up after taking Pepto-Bismol and pills.

No one knew what she’d done. Four months later she began cutting herself with broken glass to provide short-term relief from deep emotional pain. No one seemed to suspect she had an eating disorder or suicidal thoughts. She felt unworthy of love, guilty and full of shame.

As a freshman in high school in Oklahoma, she ran seven or eight miles in the morning before breakfast to stay thin. Sometimes she blacked out from hunger and mental anguish. By then she had become a model student and excelled in school. Her second suicide attempt oc-

curred at age 16 when she jogged one morning and decided to throw herself into traffic. Before she could do it, she heard Jane’s voice in her head as clearly as though her sister ran beside her. “You can’t leave me! We promised with a promise, no matter what.” It convinced her to fight to stay alive.

Seeks help from counselor She sought help from a high school counselor, who reported to Mother that she was suicidal.

Mother chastised her for revealing family secrets and sent Aerial to live with Pops in a tiny trailer in Spencerville between Aztec and Flora Vista.

Jane had been living with Pops for some time, but not long after Aerial arrived, Jane moved to Virginia.

Aerial attended Aztec High School during her junior and senior years. Pops’ deteriorating alcoholism and his unwillingness to change led Aerial to leave home. She stayed with a friend for awhile, then slept and showered in the school gym until she reached out to high school counselor Jerry Parker for help. He bent over back-

ward to help her find a home, job, and treatment program for her anorexia, but she wasn’t ready to change. She graduated from high school in 1992.

Problems continue in college Her mental anguish and feelings of guilt over leaving Pops continued when she attended San Juan College. Through the college’s cooperative arrangement with other universities, Aerial earned her bachelor’s degree in education and her master’s degree in special education while dealing with an on-again off-again relationship with the man she met when she was 19.

In Sept. 1994, she married him. He was a heavy drinker like Pops. She divorced him seven years later, then remarried him three more times before she divorced him for the last time in 2012. She kept trying to make it work because she believed God could do anything, including change her marriage. She finally recognized that the relationship was doomed because during a period of mania during her first marriage, she’d had an affair, and her husband could never forgive her. She began to

! "

"

! !

$

#

#

!

"

"

!

%$$%

#OneCall Connects

505-325-9600

"

111 N. Behrend • Farmington, NM 87401 • SUMMER 2015 | MAJESTIC LIVING | 45

heal, thanks to help from a local psychotherapist and her own determination to get well.

Decides to be a teacher She chose to become a teacher so she could help students with challenging lives. “When I see a student who’s struggling, I can relate to that,” she said. “I tell them, ‘I know this is frustrating right now and you feel like you’re never going to get it, but you will. You just have to practice, and you have to keep at it. Don’t give up.’” She gives her students a lot of the strategies that worked for her.

She became a kindergarten teacher in 1999 but morphed into a college professor. “Teaching wasn’t fun anymore in the public schools,” she said. “It felt scripted, like you need to do this, this and this. The paperwork was unbelievable.”

So she took a leap of faith in 2007 and quit her teaching job to write. From 2009 through 2015 she penned five books, four of them involving learning strategies, and her latest one, the story of her life. Besides writing, she began teaching part time at San Juan College.

Likes teaching adults “I really like teaching adults,” she said. “It’s the best of both worlds. A lot of the writing I do is for children, and I get to help adults.”

She sympathizes with those who struggle, because she’s been there. It was in August 1999 that she experienced her first period of mania. She’d just taken her daughter to daycare after running seven miles. Then she went to her teaching job.

46 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2015

Things seemed normal until she experienced intense thirst after lunch, felt flushed, and perspired profusely. “My heart began pounding, and I was overwhelmed by an intense ringing in my ears,” she wrote in Three Promises for Jane. “I distinctly recall my energy levels shooting through the roof. It was as if strong, cold coffee coursed through my veins. My senses amplified. Everything turned neon and full volume. Colors jumped out at me. Every shade signaled an overwhelming emotion. Red was loud and terribly aggressive.

Purple – dreadfully forlorn.”

Can’t stop talking Sounds became piercing and painful, and smells overwhelmed her. She had no idea what ailed her, but she felt invincible and alive in a way she’d never felt before. She stormed through the mall one weekend in skimpy shorts and a filmy Tshirt. She spoke non-stop at full speed. “I never knew what was going to fly out of my mouth,” she said. “I literally couldn’t stop talking.” She scarcely could keep up with her racing thoughts.

“Days would elapse before I realized I’d slept only a few hours, but the more feverishly I worked, skipped meals and avoided sleep, the more manic I became.”

Her sex drive heightened, and she flirted with every attractive man she saw. She had an affair with an older colleague at work. Almost 13 months later, suicidal lows assaulted her after she confronted what she’d done during that period of mania. “I felt as if I had been sleepwalking through a bad nightmare,” she said. Screaming matches

with her husband followed, and her first marriage ended in 2001.

Medicine masks her symptoms She tried medication for her condition, but it left her an insomniac. Medication masks the symptoms and don’t help you get to the root cause of the illness, she said. Today she uses three strategies to stay mentally and physically healthy.

“I try to eat healthy,” she said, “I exercise almost every day. I also have a relationship with Christ. I pray. Those times when I feel overwhelmed, I instantly go to prayer. I try to refocus myself. When I get anxious, apprehensive or fearful, or I get this thought that I’m a worthless mom, that’s stinkin’ thinkin’. So I go to the Lord and talk to him. The more my relationship with Christ developed, I was in his Word and reading all these things like ‘I am fearfully (awesomely) and wonderfully made.’ (Psalm 139:14) The more I was getting healthy, the more I was coming through the fog of all that crap that I grew up with. You are not your past. You are not what the world says you have to be.”

times, I just remind her that she’s a glorious creation, and she was created to help others through their situation. When you get to know Aerial, you realize how extremely bright she is and how much vision she has for individuals and what they’re going through. That’s her passion in life, to help others.”

She is working on her PhD in education with a specialization in mental health issues.

Notes for her doctoral dissertation spill over her kitchen table. She’s writing it about the relatively new Potocki-Lupski Syndrome.

“It’s a syndrome that’s a duplication of a gene, and 80 percent of children diagnosed with it have features of autism,” she said. “It’s like they’re autistic, but they’re not. They’re usually small for their age and can’t seem to get going.

They have feeding problems and other issues.”

The syndrome was first diagnosed in 1995, and the first case study was written on it in 2000. Her grandson, Brody, has it. “There’s not a lot of research out about it,” she said. “I want to add to the literature.”

City Counselor Dan Darnell, a friend of Aer-

ial’s, called her a wonderful person. “She goes out on a limb to help people as much as she can,” he said. “I have a tremendous amount of respect for her.”

Promotes her book When she’s not teaching, tutoring, being a wife and mother or writing her dissertation, Aerial is busy promoting her soon-to-be-published book. Several people have endorsed it, among them New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas, New York Times best-selling author Lawrence Fisher, Kim and Cricket Carpenter, and San Juan College President Toni Pendergrass.

What she wants readers to take away from the book “is that if you’re not a forgiving person, you’re cheating yourself, and you’re cheating others out of who you really are,” she said.

“Hate and unforgiveness are such horrible things, because you’re literally locked in this prison. Tomorrow isn’t a guarantee, and allowing yourself to be a prisoner of past pain is futile. Today I am a fighter. Today I am forgiven. Today I know I am not my past.”

Makes choice to stay healthy When she feels herself moving toward mania or depression, she makes a choice not to go there. She calls two supportive girlfriends, who keep her accountable and talk her through challenging moments. Her husband of two-and-a-half years, Bill Liese, also helps.

“He’s so gentle with me,” she said. “God gave him to me as a gift. When I had a rough night, I sat on the bed and told Bill what I was thinking.

He said, ‘When you get anxious, what are you supposed to do? Did you do that?’ I make a choice to kick it and say, ‘Get away from me. I’m not going to listen to that. I know the truth. I am beautifully and wonderfully made.’ I can control it now because I know what the signs are. I have my days, but I’d rather deal with that than with the side effects of medication.”

Passion to help others Her husband, Bill, said, “Aerial has such a passion to stay well and to be what she calls normal.

When I see her in some of her less optimum SUMMER 2015 | MAJESTIC LIVING | 47

Compassion & A SENSE OF HUMOR Brenda Shepherd is heading up the foundation she loves Story by Dorothy Nobis | Photos by Whitney Howle When Brenda Shepherd left Dallas for Farmington she expected a great adventure.

“I thoroughly expected to see a fort with teepees – because that’s all I’d seen on television,” Shepherd said with a laugh.

The big-city 16-year-old moved to Farmington with her mother, who married Jack Drake, and they were to make their home at Navajo Missions (now Navajo Ministries), which Drake had founded in 1953 to care for disadvantaged Navajo children Moving from a big city home to a “lovely big home at the Mission” was an adjustment for the teenaged Shepherd, but the work done at the Mission would become part of Shepherd’s heart and soul.

“I lived at the Mission for two and a half

48 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2015

years, until I graduated from high school. I had been an only child, but at the Mission home there were 15 of us in the same house, all 16 years of age and younger,” Shepherd said. “At one time we had five babies under 1-year-old living with us – and that was before disposable diapers! I did a lot of babysitting.”

After graduation After graduating from high school, Shepherd enrolled at Calvary Bible College in Kansas City, Mo. She came home in 1974 with a bachelor’s degree and became a dorm mother at Navajo Methodist Mission School (now Navajo Prep), where “I had a great time,” Shepherd said.

In 1975, Shepherd got married and moved away, but in 1984, when her mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, she came home again to be close to her mother.

By then, caring for others was part of who and what Shepherd was all about. In 1990, Shepherd visited a friend who was in San Juan Regional Medical Center and stopped in the administration offices to say hello to a church friend, Karen Broten.

“Karen asked if I wanted a job – it would be a full time job, working as administrative secretary,” Shepherd remembered. “I still had kids at home and I didn’t know if I wanted to work full time. Karen told me to go home and pray about it. That night, about 8, she called and asked if I’d prayed about it yet.”

San Juan Regional Medical Center Shepherd met with Don Carlson, the CEO of San Juan Regional Medical Center, who explained the position. “It was office work, and I’d never done office work,” Shepherd said. “But when Don asked if I thought I could do the job, I had no doubt that I could. I got the job.”

That job was Shepherd’s first introduction to the San Juan Medical Foundation. “There was a drawer in a file cabinet and a box in the closet in administration (devoted to the Foundation),” she said with a laugh. “Karen did the secretarial work during (Foundation) board meetings.”

Making receipts for financial contributions to the Foundation, getting to know the members of the board and working with them had a big impact on Shepherd. “I fell in love with the Foundation,” she said. “I got to work with and get to know (Foundation board members) Dennis Peterson, Barbara Schwab, Mary Lou Jacobs, Althea Greer, Herb Cox, Myron Taylor, Blanche Wagoner and Daphne Morrison.“ Shepherd embraced the mission of the Foundation. Her first major event was the 1991 Can-

1

1

!,)&*%.+* 1 50 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2015

cer Walk-a-thon. “It was the 10th anniversary of the walk-a-thon and US WEST was our sponsor,” she recalled. “I remember being so excited because we had a record 100 walkers and raised $13,000. I loved it.”

Another sweet memory of that first event came in the form of YNS Twizzlers. “YNS (which had a plant west of town) donated a box of individually wrapped Twizzlers – and they were fresh.

You couldn’t get them that fresh anywhere.”

San Juan Medical Foundation In 2001, Shepherd left San Juan Regional Medical Center to become a full-time employee of the San Juan Medical Foundation, which had grown substantially from the one drawer in the file cabinet and one box in the closet. “The Foundation had an office on West Maple and they were moving to the Umbach Building (behind the hospital),” Shepherd explained. “Karen (Broten) was the executive director of the Foundation and she posted a position for an executive assistant. The Foundation was growing and I had that spot in my heart for it. I applied for the

1

!&*

.

1

position, got it and started working in June of 2001.”

In addition to her new responsibilities with the Foundation, Brenda volunteered two weekends each month at the Connelly House, which opened its doors in February of 2000. Since then the hospitality house has served more than 1,200 families. Over half of the families staying at Connelly House are dealing with cancer.

Other families are dealing with traumatic injuries.

“I went over (to the Connelly House) on Friday after work and stayed until Sunday afternoon,” Shepherd said, adding she did that for several years. “It was a wonderful experience for me to be there, to share in the lives of the cancer patients.”

When Broten left the Foundation in July of 2004, Shepherd said, “It was kind of scary. It was six months before a new director came, and Leslie Fitz and I were in that (executive director’s) position (during that time). I had two people who shared a secretarial position and we kept going and pulled off a (Cancer) Walk-a-thon that raised more money that year than it ever had.”

1

&,.(!*# 1

/// .,$!#/+,'- "+)

/0

Shepherd enjoyed working for the new director – and the two directors that followed. Even though Shepherd had done the job of the executive director and knew all about the Foundation, she continued staying in the background.

Always the dedicated worker, always the team player, Shepherd was content to “let them knit and I’d purl,” she said.

Shepherd becomes executive director All of that changed, however, in November of 2014. Her passion for the Medical Foundation was at its peak, and Shepherd decided it was her time to be the executive director.

“I knew it was my time to make it or break it,” she said about the position. “I had a strong feeling that if I didn’t speak up and tell the board of directors what I wanted (the position), it would never happen.”

If Shepherd was waiting for the “right time” to apply for the executive director’s position at the Foundation, her friends realized long before she did that she could not only do the job, but be successful and happy in it “She’s always had the ability,” said Vicki Thille, who has been friends with Shepherd for almost 30 years, “and finally, she had the self-confidence.”

“Brenda’s been through a lot,” said Randy Thille, Vicki’s husband and equally good friend of Shepherd, “and she has a good faith. She’s a good listener and she’s fun to be around. I love her sense of humor and we always laugh.”

The Thille’s believe that a sense of humor, along with her experience, loyalty and willingness to give the Foundation her best, make her a perfect fit for the Foundation’s director position.

Shepherd was named interim executive director in November of 2014. “God prepared me for this time,” she said.

Shepherd has a vision for how she wants to lead the Foundation into the future. Having grown with the Foundation, she realizes that the path the organization has taken in the past must change if it is to move forward.

The Cathy Lincoln Memorial Cancer Fund “The Foundation had been a ‘brick and mortar’ organization for years,” she said. “It owned the Cancer Center and raised money to purchase equipment

,%''" / ,!- 1 " ! $" &/(+", "+' "(").- 1 %," $ %)- (*,"

,.- )! ",0% " -.

%) 1

,(%)#.*) 1

SUMMER 2015 | MAJESTIC LIVING | 51

and enhance the center. When Cathy Lincoln, a nurse at San Juan Regional, passed away from breast cancer, her family and friends established a fund to help women with the mammograms they needed if they couldn’t afford to pay for them.”

The Cathy Lincoln Memorial Cancer Fund was a catalyst for the Foundation, adding a new dimension to its vision, Shepherd said. “George and Sonny Riley of Riley Industrial had a golf tournament to help with men’s health issues,” she said. “The Riley Men’s Health Fund’s golf tournament has become an annual event and those two programs have helped the Foundation expand to include more than just the Cancer Center.”

Another major factor has helped the Foundation financially. “In 1999, a personal representative of Robert W. Umbach walked into the hospital administration office and said that Mr. Umbach had left his entire estate to the Cancer Center.”

With the funding for the Cancer Center ensured, the Foundation has changed its focus to other health issues and concerns that need help.

“My vision for the Foundation is to make it fully endowed, so when I’m long gone the Foundation can carry on in the community. I want to seek grants and funding to help San Juan Regional Medical Center with needs it has and to help with the county’s indigent funding,” Shepherd said.

Accomplishing her vision Knowing she can’t accomplish her visions alone, Shepherd said she enjoys working with 52 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2015

the Foundation’s board of directors. “It’s more fun than I thought it would be,” she said of the position. “I see the board getting involved and it’s important that I provide the information they need to make the best decisions for the Foundation and the community.

When I share my vision with them, I get excited and that excitement spills over to the staff and the board.”

“I’m very passionate about the Foundation,” she continued. “I’ve been in the trenches as a (Foundation) volunteer and I’ve done everything in the Foundation at some time. The Foundation is in a position and with a good plan to grow. There are still people in our community who don’t know who we are

pened at least twice. We were so embarrassed that we made a pact not to sit together at church!”

“There’s always more you can do.

And always more you can learn.

I’m just getting started.”

— Brenda Shepherd or what we do – and we’ve been here, doing it for more than 30 years.”

Karen Broten, Shepherd’s longtime friend and co-worker, said her friend brings many strengths to the Foundation.

“Brenda loves people and our community,” Broten said. “She cares deeply about the Medical Foundation, its history and its future. She brings a wealth of knowledge to her new position.”

“Brenda is the most caring and compassionate person I know,” Broten added. “Plus, she knows a lot. She has had the most amazing life and work experience. And if she doesn’t know something, she’s eager to learn.”

Broten appreciates the friendship and the fun

she has shared with Shepherd over the years.

“Brenda and I have shared a million laughs – some during church services when, as ‘mature’ Christian women, we developed an uncontrollable case of the giggles,” Broten said. “This hap-

There’s always time for family While she’s busy with the Foundation, Shepherd is never too busy for her family. She has three children – Chris, who is married to Kristy, Danna and Autumn. Chris and Kristy live in Aztec, and Danna and Autumn live in Tempe, Ariz. She dotes on her two grandchildren, Emerald and London. Shepherd also has a dog, Gracie, who rules not just at home, but at the Foundation offices.

Heading up the Foundation she loves, working with people she enjoys and respects, and giving back to the community that has embraced her makes life not just good for Shepherd, but very good. But she’s determined not to just make her life better, but also the lives of the people she serves.

“There’s always more you can do,” she said.

“And always more you can learn. I’m just getting started.”

SUMMER 2015 | MAJESTIC LIVING | 53

Dave Shaefer’s smooth voice the heart of local radio in Farmington

S R A E 40 Y the

54 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2015

Story by Dorothy Nobis Photos by Whitney Howle

Dave Schaefer’s golden voice and on air personality have been making friends through the radio for almost 40 years.

Country music has been Schaefer’s chosen genre, but not his first choice when he went on the air in 1976.

“I intended to go into sports broadcasting because I thought that felt like an exciting thing to do,” Schaefer said. “But my first opportunity and my first full time job in Farmington was for (radio stations) KRZE-AM and KRAZ-FM. KRAZ was the second FM station in Farmington – KWYK was the first. I was a disc jockey (that’s what they called us back then!) and I was on the air for eight hours a day, four hours back to back on each station.”

things. There weren’t any mistakes and the quality (of the music) was so much better.”

From spinning records with a live microphone on an eight hour shift to today – the world of radio has changed dramatically. “Now, we don’t even touch the music,” Schaefer said, with a slight shake of his head. “At KRZE in the mid‘70s, we had more than 10,000 45s on a wall in the studio. It was the largest library of country music in New Mexico.”

Schaefer moved easily from 45s to the digital music – all on computer hard drives – we hear on the radio today. And if he still loves radio, he especially loves local radio.

“I’ve always felt that people will listen to their local stations. Most people don’t just lis-

“It wasn’t long after meeting Dave and his family that I was told he worked at the radio station as a DJ,” Walker said. “He has a very positive personality and was always friendly and fun to visit with. When he became a daytime DJ, I had the opportunity to listen to him and always found him to very knowledgeable of the artists, the music and the writers behind the songs.

“I’ve always enjoyed country music and it has always been a pleasure to listen to Dave DJ. I still make it a point to listen to his ‘Classic Country Café.’ Dave’s always been an advocate on the radio for good happenings in the community,” Walker added. “He always shares the good side of what’s happening in

ten to the music, but they connect with someone on the other end and they consider that someone a friend,” Schaefer said. “I think that’s how we’ve (local radio stations) withstood satellite radio. People still want to hear a local voice and they want to know what’s going on in their community, what’s happening, and what the weather’s going to be like.

Local radio still works.”

Johnnie Walker has been listening to Schaefer for years. Walker’s daughter, Crystal, and Schaefer’s son, Riley, went to kindergarten together. Walker and Schaefer visited during school functions and while waiting to pick up their kids.

our community and he always encourages people to help out and become a part of it. He has a passion to do the right thing.”

“I think that’s how we’ve (local radio stations) withstood satellite radio. People still want to hear a local voice and they want to know what’s going on in their community...

— Dave Shaefer

“That was tough,” Schaefer said of that eight-hour shift. “It was a strain on the voice and back then, everything (on radio) was live.

You had to be on your toes all the time.”

Technology: No more vinyl or CDs Technology has changed all of that, Schaefer said. “People under 40 don’t know what a ‘record’ is. They don’t know about 45s, LP (long playing) or 33 rpms (rotations per minute). In the 1980s, we moved to magnetic tape and we used big reel-to-reel cassettes.

We stopped using records that skipped or had scratches. That music format evolved into the digital world of CD’s, which really changed

A voice we all recognize Schaefer’s “radio voice” is slightly different from the voice he uses when he’s not on air.

“I don’t really think of it as my ‘radio voice,’” he said. “I enunciate my words more and I project, which makes my voice sound differently than when I’m not on the air.”

“I don’t want to be a “mush mouth” and I want people to understand what I have to offer,” he added. “And I think the way people use the English language is very important.”

SUMMER 2015 | MAJESTIC LIVING | 55

Schaefer is usually at his office with iHeart Radio at 3 a.m. As the senior vice president of programming for all of iHeart’s Farmington stations – KTRA (Number One Country), KAZX (Star 102.9) KOOL, KKFG (KOOL 104.5) KDAG (96.9, The Dog Rocks) and KCQL (Fox Sports New Mexico) – he gets his paperwork completed and prioritizes his daily “to do” list. At 6 a.m., Schaefer pre-records most of his radio show – the midday show on KTRA, which airs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. – then returns to the managerial duties that are always waiting. The majority of the staff comes in between 8 and 9 a.m., and Schafer keeps time open, to make himself available to those who need him.

“Since I oversee the programming for all five of our radio stations, I need to stay well versed in the products (we provide). I rely on the people here. They’re really good people and they’re professionals.”

Schaefer’s staff considers him to be more than just part of the iHeart’s management.

A great boss “It’s far more significant than Dave being a boss for a lot of us,” said Steve Bortstein, the program director and on-air personality for Fox Sports New Mexico. “He’s a voice of reason, for me in particular. He sees the third and fourth step down the road when it comes to decision making. He’s precise without being impulsive and he makes us all accountable for our decisions and our actions. At the same time, he trusts us to make those right decisions, which makes the team all that much more cohesive.”

“Dave is a genius about music,” Bortstein continued. “He’s literally forgotten more about country music – and a lot of other genres – than most people I’ll ever know. That’s one of the most fascinating things about him. Spending an hour with him in his office, listening to random songs that he’ll pull from his computer, is one of those moments I enjoy most with him.”

Sherry Curry worked with Schaefer for years, as a co-host of the Breakfast Flakes radio show on KOOL. “Dave is one of the

best bosses I’ve ever had the pleasure of working for,” Curry said. “He genuinely cares about his employees and he loves his family deeply and would do just about anything for any one of them – and the same can be said for his close friends.”

“Dave worries too much and he works too hard, but he also makes time for the things he enjoys, like gardening and making his infamous salsa,” Curry continued. “Not to mention (his love) of the Denver Broncos and the Colorado Rockies.”

“Dave is a reminder that there are good, hardworking people in this world who are more concerned with others than they are concerned with themselves,” she added.

Schaefer’s daily schedule differs greatly from that of his wife, Rhonda, who is the marketing director at San Juan College. The couple met at the radio station, where Rhonda was taping a series of health related radio features for her then employer, San Juan Regional Medical Center.

“I was impressed with him,” Rhonda said.

“He was not only excellent at his job, but he was also very kind and thoughtful.”

Still newlyweds after 15 years The couple was professional friends for “a long while,” Rhonda said. “Over a period of time, that friendship just evolved.”

They’ll celebrate 15 years of marriage in July and still act like newlyweds. A visit to Rhonda’s office during 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. will find her radio on and her husband’s voice coming from it. “Dave really relates to his audience,” she said with pride. “When we’re out, people will stop and talk to him. They feel like they have a relationship with him, and it’s heartwarming to know that he has connected with them or touched them in some way.”

With both of them having high pressure jobs, making time together is a priority. “We balance between work and home,” said Rhonda. “We touch base whenever we can throughout the day. He leaves for work at 2:30 in the morning and on my way to work, I’ll call him. We talk and text during the day and try to make eating dinner together a priority.”

56 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2015

The time they have together is always special, Rhonda added. “Dave has a wonderful sense of humor and he can make me laugh – a real belly laugh,” she said.

“Rhonda is my sunshine and lollipops,” Schaefer said with a wide grin. “I really think we balance each other out. While I consider myself to be pretty conservative and prefer to live inside the box, she’s one that isn’t afraid to color outside the lines. She’s very positive, has an upbeat and optimistic attitude and she helps me keep things in perspective.”

Balancing two demanding careers and making time for each other isn’t always easy. “I think it’s not the ‘quantity’ of time we spend together, but the ‘quality’ of time,” Schaefer said. “We still try to have ‘date nights’ – diner out and a movie, or just a quiet night at home.

We do things together as much as possible, whether that means going to the store for groceries, going to church, walking the dogs, or just cleaning the house. We try to find the time to do those little things together.”

“These 15 years (of marriage) have been the best of my life,” Schaefer said. “Honestly, they’ve been really great years.”

Those 15 years have included the couple’s three children – Kelli, Megan and Riley and two grandchildren, with another one on the way. A visit with the Schaefer’s is peppered with stories about their children and their grandchildren.

play one round!”

Schaefer’s loyal following doesn’t need to worry about him retiring any time soon, however. “I work a long day, but it’s not about the time (put in), it’s about the fun we have,” he said.

Walking away from the microphone and from his listeners will be hard for Schaefer and those who listen to him, said Phil Marquez, a longtime friend.

“When you happen to run into Dave, he always wants to talk radio – what’s hot and

what’s not hot, how the market is trending and taking time to visit with his staff,” Marquez said. “Mostly, Dave is always smiling and cheerful. He projects a positive attitude with everyone he encounters. Dave does nothing half-way – he gives every endeavor he undertakes 100 percent.”

“Over the years, his standard of professional excellence has made its mark,” Marquez added. “I am extremely honored to have had the opportunity to work with Dave. He is a real asset to our industry.”

Happy Dave Salsa In what little spare time he has, Schaefer “grows” the infamous salsa in his garden that Sherry Curry mentioned.

“I make two kinds of salsa,” Schaefer said with a laugh. “I make ‘Happy Dave Salsa’ and ‘Grumpy Dave Salsa.’ The ‘Happy Dave Salsa’ is a little on the hot side.”

While the Schaefers both love their careers, they do talk about and look forward to a time when they have less stress and more time to spend together.

“We’d like to travel – we love going to the beach. There’s nothing better than not having cell phones,” Schaefer said. “And I like to play golf, although it takes me four to five hours to SUMMER 2015 | MAJESTIC LIVING | 57

58 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2015

e Always on thmove

Dance is almost a full time job for the Winer family Story by Elizabeth Broten | Photos by Josh Bishop and Courtesy photos Dancing runs in this family! The Winers, a local Farmington family, have danced their way into the hearts of everyone they know.

Their story began 20 years ago with their oldest daughter, Venus, who began dancing as a Kelly Green at Farmington High School in 1993. Her All-Star team, under the coaching of Dance Force owner Sheila Mobley, won the state championship in 1995. After high school, Venus was a Sun Dancer at New Mexico State University. She

now teaches elementary school in San Antonio.

Older brothers Trevor and Taylor also danced competitively. Younger brother Taylor still enjoys dance and teaches gymnastics at Farmington Gymnastics Academy. The older siblings certainly influenced the younger siblings to get involved in the dancing world as a jolly way to stay active.

Today the younger three children, daughters Tiana 15 and Trinity 11, and son Takoda 9,

are following in their older siblings’ footsteps and carrying on the dance tradition.

Mother, Shelley Winer, says that while she and her husband enjoyed country western dancing together, they are not themselves dancers. “I don’t dance; I finance,” father Rick, a local computer programming consultant, likes to joke. While Rick and Shelley do not have a background in dancing, they encourage the kids to try dance as a sport and team-building experience.

SUMMER 2015 | MAJESTIC LIVING | 59

Ugly Concrete?

!

2

2 2 2

% #! $, ).(-, 2 +!! ,-$' -!, 2 )( ! (,.+! 2 !+/$(# && )" 60 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2015

! +, 0*!+$!( ! ( . ( ).(-1

Indeed, dance is a full-time job for this unique and talented family. The three kids are home schooled and dance six days a week from 3:30 in the afternoon until nearly 9 p.m. On Saturdays, they typically practice from 9 to 5. Among the three kids, they have danced in over 70 dances, 24 of those being formal dance competitions.

“Yes, we live in the car,” admits Shelley, holding up her Venti Starbucks coffee, smiling.

When asked what dancing means to each of them, all three kids expressed a deep love for the art. “We live and breathe dance. Dancing makes me feel free. Alive,” says Tiana who is an especially gifted lyrical dancer. Trinity’s favorite form of dance is jazz, and younger brother Takoda loves hip hop and breakdancing. “I just love it,” he shrugs. “Everything else, all life’s problems go away when I am dancing.”

Watching each of the kids perform their own routines, their love for this physical form of artistic expression is evident. They are each beautiful to watch when in their element. With their long limbs and lean bodies, anyone watching their performances on stage knows that these special kids were born to be dancers.

The Winers dance at two different local studios, Mann Dance Academy and The Force. Mann Academy offers traditional stage forms of dance: ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, modern and lyrical dancing. The Force specializes in competitive drill team dance.

Dancing at the different studios allows the kids to learn several different types of dance and lets them develop well-balanced skill sets.

Both dance studio owners confirm there is something exceptional about the Winer kids. Judy Mann, owner of Mann Dance Academy, says the Winer children brighten any room. “They are a wonderful and generous family with a positive energy that is contagious.” Sheila Mobley agrees, “The Winer kids are the most respectful, dedicated kids I’ve ever worked with. They are all talented, competitive, elegant dancers but, even more than that, they all have an incredible work ethic and are really sweet, respectful kids.” That’s enough to make any parent proud even without the hundreds of trophies and ribbons proudly displayed in their home.

Tiana, who also teaches toddler dance classes at Mann Academy, won First place at Kathy Roe this year for her choreography for younger siblings, Trinity and Takoda’s duet. Tiana hopes to be accepted to a professional dance school such as Juilliard to study dance and eventually to work in the industry as a dancer and choreographer.

As crazy and busy as their schedule is, the Winer family considers themselves very lucky to have the opportunities that competitive dancing brings. “It’s fun. We get to travel and meet all kinds of new people and dancers at competitions. “We make all kinds of good friends who like to dance as much as we do,” Takooda says.

“This [dance] works for our family. We are together, which is the most important thing” says Shelley.

All three of the Winer children will be performing in Mann Dance Academy’s next production, “Ella Enchanted,” at San Juan College.

* ' & !! $ !# ' & $ !# !&" $ * % ' #) !! * # % #!& % ! * %! ! %!# * ! !! % ""#!' $ * $$ $% (% ) ' * ) !&$ " & #) * ' & #!&" % ' % $ * ! ! !#% # !

* * * * * * *

&# !

!

' #! !

% %

# !# % $$ $% (% ) ' " %'% $ $ !# ! $& % ! % ! " $$ ! % % % # ' #$ ! ! #

%

$

%$

# ! " ! "

# #

#

! #

!

!

! " "

! #

!

# "

#

"

SUMMER 2015 | MAJESTIC LIVING | 61

Motorcycles

continued from 20

He pointed to a 1974 Bultaco Pursang 360 cc on the top shelf. “One of the fun things you get to do in this game is meet some of the old pros who come out,” he said. “A fellow by the name of Jim Pomeroy, who was the first American to win a world motocross event in Europe in 1974, started racing with AHRMA. He raced that bike in the Sandia Classic in 2005. We got to be pretty good friends.”

Works in family bank Though Pierce has liked motorcycles ever since he rode his dad’s trail bike as a teenager, they weren’t a steady part of his life for a long time. When he left college, he came home to Farmington to work at Citizens Bank, which was founded by his great-grandfather, Thomas Allen Pierce, in 1905. His grandfather, John Allen, went to work for the bank, and his father, Martin Allen, followed in his footsteps in 1948. Pierce started as a teller in the family bank in 1971 and retired in 2003 as chairman of the board.

“I did quite a lot of recreational trail riding and raced somewhat casually,” Pierce said. “As time went on, with getting a career started and a marriage going, it fell by the wayside, but I always had motorcycles right

62 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2015

along. Where racing really took off was in the 1980s, a terrible time in banking. I was in a position of responsibility and not having a lot of fun.

In 1989, my wife, Maxine, said, ‘You need a hobby.’”

Tries dirt, then pavement racing About that time, he saw an article in Cycle World about racing old motorcycles at Steamboat Springs, Colo. So he prepared one of his old motorcycles and in September 1989 rode in a motocross race for the first time in a long time. It was so much fun that he began racing on dirt tracks more and more. When he discovered pavement racing was available at Steamboat Springs, he entered his first pavement race there in 1999.

“I had nine kinds of machine trouble,” he said. “It was a totally unsuccessful outing, but I was off and running.”

Maxine has been an avid supporter of his motorcycle racing, handing him bottles of water to drink and sandwiches to eat when he might not think to eat or drink during the race. He supports her in similar ways when she shows dogs during dog agility competitions.

Pierce loves racing and the friends he meets along the way. And he loves working on his motorcycles. As he pointed to his machines, he said with a grin, “It’s the toy department of life.”

M L

Coolest Things

It seems like by the time we have chosen items for our popular Coolest Things list many of the items are already outdated or version 2.0 has already hit the market. So this time a number of our items are still in development but orders are being taken for their delivery later this year. It sure seems like technology is moving faster than ever and I don’t know about you but I’d like to push the NOT-SO FAST button sometimes.

Outdated in the blink of an eye!

1 2 3 4

1

no more reaSon to Get jacked up!

meet jaQ www.myfcpower.com

2

Grizzle adamS BeSt friend

the kniper www.urchinsky.com

The search is over – you’ll never have to More than a throwing knife, the Kniper plug into a power jack again. Ideal for packs a rangefinder, smoke bowl, and 19 everyday on-the-go living, JAQ is comother tools. The Kniper has a design and pletely off-the-grid. It’s always ready weight that’s optimized for effectively power, generated from water and salt con- throwing at targets in an accurate mantained in a slim power card. Electricity is ner. It also functions as a multi-tool with a self -generated when a fresh power card is selection of talents aimed at serving the inserted into the JAQ charger. The inserted outdoor adventurer. It is milled from a power card then provides 2400 mAh to en- single piece of 420 high-carbon stainless able a full smart phone charge. Once your steel. It measures 13 x 2.5 inches (length charge is complete, you remove the sinx width). gle-use power card and throw it away. It is FAA travel certified. $75.

10 cards should cost around $10, while the pouch will be $99.

64 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2015

3

drinknado!

Shark Shaker: create an ocean of killer cocktails www.potterybarn.com Do you like to make cocktails while watching show after show on Discovery Channel during Shark Week? Yes, it’s a cocktail shaker clad in the likeness of the notorious marine predator, so you can tell people you mixed that Bloodhound inside the body of a deadly shark. Yes, you’re lying, but technically you’re, somehow, still telling the truth. Somehow. The Shark Shaker actually consists of an erstwhile regular-looking stainless steel shaker that’s been modified to be encased permanently inside an aluminum shark $79

4

Suck it up, don’t Sweep it out

Bruno trash Bin www.brunosmartcan.com This trash bin eliminates the need for a dustpan. Cleaning the house is hard enough. Having to sweep the floors over and over because the dustpan won’t scoop all the dirt completely just makes it even harder. The Bruno, a trash bin with an integrated vacuum, eliminates that problem. Instead of scooping the dirt and dumping it into the can, you simply sweep it near the vacuum inlet until the sensors detect the presence of the broom and automatically trigger the suction mechanism, which automatically stops when it senses the broom has been taken away.

Starts at $139

5 6

8

7 5

immortalize your pets iN plush Form

6

Not just tacos oN tuesdays

cuddle clones www.cuddleclones.com

taco shell toaster www.amazon.com

Cuddle Clones specializes in producing plush versions of your beloved pets.

Each plushy is made by hand using premium materials, ensuring each one turns out soft and cuddly. Pricing will vary, depending on the actual size of your animal.

To order, upload one or more pictures of the pet you want to “clone,” specify any distinguishing features, and place your order. It takes a while to get the doll (four months), but the samples sure do look like they’re worth the wait. cuddle clones is set at $129 for small pets (rabbits, hamsters, and the like) and $199 for all the others.

This is perfect for making a crunchy taco shell from a fresh tortilla. At first glance it looks like a regular two-slice toaster for browning your morning bread, albeit with larger than usual compartments into which to slip the bread. It’s actually designed to hold the included taco cages, which will automatically shape the tortilla you place inside. Made by Nostalgia Electric, the dimensions are just slightly larger than two-slice toasters at 13.25 long by 7 wide and 8 inches high. $29.99

7

Virtually real

8

No magic, just magNets

First stab at Vr: the innovator edition www.samsung.com

air2 Floating Bluetooth speaker www.amazon.com

The headset can be purchased for $200 through Samsung or AT&T. Well, we say it’s $200, but because the headset only works when a Galaxy Note 4 is plugged in, you’ll need one of the $800 smartphones too. Otherwise, it’s a useless vision-obscuring facemask. The smartphone slots into the visor, where it becomes the heart of the Gear VR — offering up its Quad HD, 5.7-inch screen Snapdragon 805 processor and many different sensors to bring a 360-degree, virtual reality entertainment world to life. $200 – but can only be used with a galaxy Note 4s to 6s – $800

It’s weird we know, but yes, the speaker is floating. The Air2 is made up of a metallic base and a speaker unit with like magnetic charges, making the speaker unit levitate thanks to the power of magnetic repulsion.

It even spins around! A built-in microphone allows you to use the Air2 as a speakerphone, too. Battery life is so-so at five hours, but chances are you’ll just be leaving the Air2 on your desk, in which case the easily accessible Micro USB port will do just fine for power.

Air2 comes in black, pink, teal, and red. $200 SUMMER 2015 | MAJESTIC LIVING | 65

ADVERTISERS DIRECTORy Animas Credit Union..................................30 2101 E. 20th St., 3850 E. Main St. Farmington, N.M. 505-326-7701 405 W. Broadway Inside Farmer’s Market Bloomfield, N.M. www.animascu.com The Barnyard............................................15 550 County Rd. 350 Farmington, NM 505-632-8988 Basin Electrical Contractors .......................20 3005 Northridge Dr., Suite K Farmington, NM 505-327-7525 www.basinelectricnm.com Beehive Homes.........................................61 400 N. Locke, 508 N. Airport Farmington, N.M. 505-427-3794 The Bridge ...............................................40 1091 West Murray Dr. Farmington, NM 505-324-6200 Budget Blinds.............................................2 825 N. Sullivan, Farmington, N.M. 505-324-2008 City of Farmington....................................35 505-599-1144 DeNae’s Boutique.....................................12 3030 E. Main Farmington, N.M. 505-326-6025 Dentless Image LLC...................................32 1509 Schofield Lane, Suite C Farmington, NM 505-592-2603 Desert Hills Dental Care ..............................5 2525 E. 30th St. Farmington, N.M. 505-327-4863 866-327-4863 www.deserthillsdental.com The Dusty Attic .........................................35 111 W. Main Farmington, NM 505-327-7696 Edward Jones ...........................................26 4801 N. Butler, Suite 7101 Farmington, NM 505-326-7200 www.edwardjones.com Farmington CVB..........................................7 Lions Wilderness Amphitheater 1-877-599-3331 fmtn.org/sandstone

66 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2015

Farmington Family Dentistry......................38 703 N. Dustin Ave. Farmington, NM 505-564-9700 www.myfarmingtondentist.com

Orthopedic Associates PA .........................13 2300 E. 30th St., D-10 Farmington, NM 505-327-1400 www.oa-pa.com

Four Corners Community Bank...................32 Six Convenient Locations Farmington • Aztec • Cortez NM 505-327-3222 CO 970-564-8421 www.TheBankForMe.com

Parker’s Inc. Office Products .....................51 714-C W. Main St. Farmington, N.M. 505-325-8852 www.parkersinc.com

Golden Door Realty/Treva Fox-Christy ........14 4022 E. Main St. Farmington, NM 505-325-4153 - office 505-330-0584 - cell Highlands University.................................53 505-566-3552 nmhu.edu/farmington Jae-Geo’s Bridal and Tuxedo......................35 302 W. Main St. Farmington, NM 505-326-5240 www.jaegeosformalwear.com Kitchen and Bath Artworks ........................46 7525 E. Main St. Farmington, NM 505-860-8166 Le Petit Salon ...........................................47 406 Broadway, 5150 College Blvd.

Farmington, N.M. 505-325-1214 Aeriel Liese ..............................................41 www.tatepublishing.com Lujan Quality Carpet Cleaning ....................60 215-2188 Magic Roofing ..........................................18 1206 E. Murray Farmington, NM 505-324-1094 www.magicroofing.com Morgan Stanley/Adam Hewett ...................19 4801 N. Butler Farmington, N.M. 505-326-9323 www.morganstanleyfa.com/hewettloleitpalmer Millennium Insurance ................................44 2700 Farmington Ave., Building A Farmington, NM 505-325-1849 www.millnm.com Naked Mobile ...........................................33 1-844-BE NAKED (236-2533) www.mynakedmobile.com Next Level Home Audio & Video ................63 1510 E. 20th St., Suite A Farmington, N.M. 505-327-NEXT www.327NEXT.com

Partners Assisted Living ...........................45 313 N. Locke Ave. Farmington, N.M. 505-325-9600 www.partnerassistedliving.com Pinon Hills Community Church ...................68 505-325-4541 www.pinonhillschurch.com Presbyterian Medical Services ...................39 520 Dekalb Rd. Farmington, NM 505-327-7220 www.pmsnm.org Quality Appliance......................................40 522 E. Broadway Farmington, N.M. 505-327-6271 R.A. Biel Plumbing & Heating ....................34 Farmington, N.M. 505-327-7755 www.rabielplumbing.com Reliance Medical Group .............................56 3451 N. Butler Avenue Farmington, N.M. 505-566-1915 1409 West Aztec Blvd.

Aztec, N.M. 505-334-1772 www.reliancemedicalgroup.com ReMax of Farmington..................................3 108 N. Orchard Farmington, N.M. 505-327-4777 www.remax.com Rugs Galore & More ..................................31 3030 E. Main St. Farmington, N.M. 505-326-1662 www.RugsGaloreAndMore.com San Juan College ......................................67 505-326-3311 www.sanjuancollege.edu San Juan County Fair .................................27 Sanchez and Sanchez Real Estate................4 4301 Largo St. Suite F Farmington, NM 87402 505-327-9039

Sewing Studio & Vacuum Shoppe...............34 407 W. Broadway Farmington, NM 505-325-2688 www.sewingstudio.net www.vacuumshoppe.com Smiles 4 Kids............................................52 Farmington, N.M. 505-592-0226 Southwest Concrete Supply .......................60 2420 E. Main Farmington, N.M. 505-325-2333 www.swconcretesupply.com Southwest Obstetrics and Gynecology........25 634 West Pinon Farmington, NM 505-325-4898 www.Southwest-OBGYN.net State Farm Insurance ................................21 Ginny D Gil 3060 E 20th St., Suite D Farmington, N.M. 505-327-3771 Sun Glass .................................................24 602 West Main Street Farmington, N.M. 505-327-9677 www.sunglassfarmington.com 408 E. 8th Ave. Durango, CO 970-247-5112 www.durangoglass.net Sunray Gaming .........................................57 On Hwy 64.

Farmington, N.M. 505-566-1200 Tafoya Realty............................................39 5600 Mickey Dr. B&C Farmington, NM 505-599-0000 www.tafoyarealty.com Treadworks .............................................50 4227 E. Main St. Farmington, N.M. 505-327-0286 4215 Hwy. 64 Kirtland, N.M. 505-598-1055 www.treadworks.com Ziems Ford ...............................................51 5700 E. Main Farmington, N.M. 505-325-8826