Majestic Living Summer 2017

contributors MarGareT CheaSebro has been a freelance writer for more than 30 years. her articles have appeared in many magazines across the country, some of those articles have won state and national awards. She was a correspondent for the albuquerque Journal and worked for several local newspapers. She is the author of the young adult fantasy/reality novel, The healing Tree, set in aztec. She also wrote the non-fiction book, healing with Trees: Finding a Path to Wholeness. a retired elementary school counselor, she is also 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.

Debra Mayeux, of Farmington, is an awardwinning journalist with recognitions from the associated Press of New Mexico and Colorado and the New Mexico Press association and the Colorado broadcast association. She has covered stories throughout the Southwest and in Mexico and Jordan, where she interviewed diplomats and the royal family. after nearly 20 years in the business, she recently opened her own freelance writing and media business. Mayeux enjoys the outdoors, reading and spending time with her family. She is the coordinator of Farmington Walk and roll, a Safe routes to School organization. She is married to David Mayeux and they have three children: Nick, alexander and Peter.

beN braShear has called the Southern San Juans home for most of his life. he holds a b.a. in Creative Writing from Fort Lewis College and has worked for Cutthroat: a Journal of The arts, as assistant poetry editor. he is currently working as a freelance writer and photographer based out of Durango, Colorado.

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 b.a. 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.

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Clint Alexander Tonya Daniell

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writers Dorothy Nobis, Margaret Cheasebro,

MAGAZINE Celebrating the Lifestyle, Community and Culture of the Four Corners Vol. 9, No. 3 ©2017 by Majestic Media.

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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.

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summerfeatures: 6 The Gift of Music

A tiny miracle happens each time Gabriel Lucero picks up a pencil and paper. This 1981 Farmington High School graduate is an award-winning songwriter, who penned his first tune in 10th grade.

By Debra Mayeux

14 Young Writers & Storytellers A short bubbly woman dressed like a cat bounded into Jena Roberts’ fifth grade classroom at McKinley Elementary School.

By Margaret Cheasebro

20 Alex & Lucy make people smile Alex Burnham of Farmington is not your average 13-year-old. For many months, she has trained her rescue dog, a black and white Lab mix named Lucy, to be a therapy dog.

By Margaret Cheasebro 6 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2017

14 A little comfort during a sad situation The loss of a newborn is like no other. When compassion and love accompany this loss, and are offered to the parents and family, it helps them navigate through the unimaginable.

By Dorothy Nobis

enthusiasm 32 Passion, or working with kids On a busy afternoon at the Boys and Girls Club of Farmington. Executive Director Maria Rodman witnessed something heartwarming.

It captured the compassion, support and sense of community she’s emphasized since she took over in August 2015.

By Margaret Cheasebro

42 Honey House Distillery The subtle smell of sourdough wafts throughout the Honey House Distillery located 12 miles north of Durango, Colorado.

By Ben Brashear

38 Olympic state of mind Bryson Valdez was a shy 4-year-old when he first stepped on a wrestling mat.

By Dorothy Nobis

SUMMER 2017 | MAJESTIC LIVING | 7

The

GIFTOF MUSIC Songwriter Gabriel Lucero knows there’s a big hit coming Story by Debra Mayeux Photos by Whitney Howle

A tiny miracle happens each time Gabriel Lucero picks up a pencil and paper. This 1981 Farmington High School graduate is an award-winning songwriter, who penned his first tune in 10th grade.

“It was called ‘Watch me pee,’” Lucero said with a laugh, from his Farmington home, where music memorabilia covers the walls of his Green Chili Records studio. It is in this small rectangular room off of the family dining room, where Lucero sings into an old-fashioned microphone while strumming his Martin & Company acoustic guitar.

Not without his dad’s guitar The guitar is his favorite. He will not record a song without it, but one of Lucero’s favorite songs is about a 1962 Fender Jaguar. “It belonged to my dad,” he said.

“Growing up there was always a guitar in the house,” Lucero said.

His father, Rudy Lucero was a musician and lead guitarist of the band, The Rockin’ Cinders. The group was promoted by one of Farmington’s African American legends, Lamar Gunn, Lucero said, pointing to a large black-and-white portrait on the wall of the band with Gunn.

“My music all started with my dad,” Lucero said.

His wife Sara added that her husband just “can’t help himself,” because “a writer has got to write.”

8 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2017

He can’t help but write The couple met in Hollywood, Calif., where they worked at the May Company. Lucero moved there to become a member of the National Songwriters Association, while working on a career in music. It wasn’t his goal to be the next great country star; instead, he wanted to pen the next great country song recorded by the biggest vocalist.

“I’m waiting for that hit song to be sold,” he said. “I don’t want to be Garth Brooks. I just want to be a songwriter.”

Waiting for that hit song Lucero is still waiting for that hit song, and is well on his way with more than 200 songs under his belt, and a first-rate Nashville artist helping him in the process.

Lucero met Jim Sales on one of his many trips to Nashville, Tenn. He would travel there once each year to pound the pavement in search of a recording artist or music company interested in his songs. He told of one trip where his ankles were bleeding after a day of 10 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2017

guitar,” Lucero said. This dry recording is taken to Nashville, where Sales and Lucero work for a full week deconstructing and reconstructing the songs.

“The last time I was over there it was a religious experience,” Lucero said. When he returns to Farmington he has a CD recorded

by Salesof the finished product.

Best Country Song of the Year

going from door to door, in search of his big break. “I spent seven-plus days there and it’s nothing but work,” he said.

Meets Jim Sales It was on one of those trips that Lucero met Jim Sales, who has written songs for artists such as Randy Travis, John Schneider and Vern

Gosdin. Sales agreed to work with Lucero.

Gabe has a song process before traveling to Nashville.

The first step is writing the lyrics and melody to the song. Once that is done, Lucero fine tunes the piece and gets it ready for recording, which takes place at Eagle Sound in Durango, Colo. “It’s just me and a

There was some magic in this duo, because they won a Best Country Song of the Year award from the New Mexico Music Awards.

It was not Lucero’s first win.

It was in 2000, that Lucero first submitted a song to the New Mexico Music Awards, and in 2001 that song was named the state’s song of the year.

He won again in 2002, and in 2004, he won Best Country Song of the Year in a competition judged by Rascal Flatts.

A second Best Country Song of the Year came again in 2012.

SUMMER 2017 | MAJESTIC LIVING | 11

Run Emmitt Run Lucero said he was surprised he didn’t win the year that he wrote “Run Emmitt Run,” which is a tribute to Emmitt Smith. “I did get to sing that on the radio in Texas,” he added with a grin.

Lucero pens songs about all different topics.

His more serious songs have come later in life, as he reflects on times spent with his parents and the value of family. He has been married to his wife, Sara, for more than 20 years and the couple has two children, Mia Lucero, a sophomore at Farmington High School, and Lukas Lucero, 10.

Lukas, who enjoys reading Garfield comic strips aloud to the family, giggled as he shared the stories. When asked about his father’s career in music, he jumped up and down with a big smile and said, “Pretty good.”

When asked if he ever sings along in the Green Chili music studio, Lukas said, “I don’t have a good voice.”

Lucero said his son has a good voice and he just needs to learn how to use it.

This is something the pair will work on as Lukas grows older and recognizes his father’s six guitars and a bass, which can be found throughout the house.

You don’t need to be in Nashville to be a songwriter There are guitars in cases and guitars on music stands, and it was not difficult to discover Lucero’s passion for other songwriters and musicians.

He has rather large collection of Buddy Holly memorabilia and several record albums to play on a turntable in the studio.

You don’t need to be in Nashville to be a songwriter. His love for country music was visible in the photographs on the wall of of Harlan Hower, Buck Owens, Johnny Cash, Hank Cochran, Roger Miller and Paul McCartney. They are the inspiration behind this dream that is more than 30 years in the making. “He has a gift,” Sara said of her husband, who said he is just waiting for that hit song to be sold.

“It all started with me singing songs for relatives and at parties,” Lucero said. “You don’t need to be in Nashville to be a songwriter. You can be in Farmington, New Mexico. You don’t even need a computer to write, you can be outside and write and make a miracle happen.”

Young Writers & Storytellers Oral family history project boosts kids’ storytelling skills Story by Margaret Cheasebro Photos by Whitney Howle A short bubbly woman dressed like a cat bounded into Jena Roberts’ fifth grade classroom at McKinley Elementary School.

Over and over, she sang, “I am Beatrice, not girl but boy,” followed by verses that revealed her life as a cat. Inside that cat costume was Frances Vitali, a faculty member in the teacher education program at the University of New Mexico on the San Juan College campus. She was there to introduce students to an oral family history project that encourages them to tell a story about someone special to them, write the story down and perform the story as though they were that character. That storytelling method is called Chautauqua, in which students learn to 14 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2017

become the character they portray. They have to learn to move from talking about “my dad” or “my cat” to becoming that dad or that cat.

Learning experience for all It also gave college students who were training to be teachers a chance to work with elementary school students. The opportunity lets college students, as literacy coaches, spend about 45 minutes once a week working with fifth graders to help them develop their stories.

Students who are still in the early stages of their teacher training get the chance to mentor fifth graders and discover how teachers handle many

aspects of the teaching and writing process.

After Frances’ dramatic cat introduction, kids went to work in the fall semester of 2016 to bring to life a family character they chose. Once they had written the story, memorized it, and created a costume for their character, they were videotaped by Farmington High School students from a film class called FHS Live! The project’s finale was a family night in which parents came to watch their children perform.

Variety of characters Sometimes students chose a family member as their character. Other times it was a pet or their father’s favorite car.

“The kids worried if they didn’t pick their dad he would be mad or upset,” Jena said. “But once the story is done, they’re happy with who they picked, and their parents just love to come to the night when they perform.”

The fifth graders are treated as authors and storytellers, and teachers encourage them to edit and polish their work just like a writer would.

The college students have to create their own

16 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2017

characters as well so they will know what it feels like for students to face that challenge.

Through the process the students learned about the elements of a story as well as the importance of penmanship, having a main idea and all the elements that go into effective writing and good storytelling.

Nervous at first “I was kind of nervous at first,” said fifth grader Anakin Aikene. “I thought it was just going to be writing prompts. When I found out we were going to be videotaped, it was kind of scary. But I really wanted to do it at the same time.”

Anakin wrote about his kitten, Stampy, who disappeared when the cat was still tiny. He learned to describe the way the cat sounded and acted as he brought the character to life. During parent night, when students acted out their characters, Anakin presented his story in Spanish so his mother could understand it. It was on video, so his mom could take it home and watch it again.

Fifth grader Jadelyn Wilkins wrote a story about her mom, Teresa, who went with her to a specialist in Albuquerque when Jadelyn needed help with a medical condition.

Story meant a lot to her “She does everything she can for me,” Jadelyn said. “I picked a story that meant a lot to me.”

Though most students were videotaped, Jadelyn approached her project differently. “I didn’t actually have a costume,” she said. “I wasn’t videotaped. I was recorded with just my voice, and we made a slide show. It was pictures of me in the hospital and some pictures of my mom. We found pictures on the Internet of things that fit into the story.”

The students keep journals to help them decide who to choose as a character. Besides practicing writing and storytelling skills, they asked fellow students to listen to their character story drafts during peer conferences. As students provided feedback, they were urged to give descriptive words or asked for elaboration to help writers improve their stories.

See words in our heads

concerns were quieted when he presented me with his story. The way he used figurative language and brought the car to life was masterful. It was one of my favorite stories.”

Fifth grader Jayden Kelly learned to write about how her dog, Piggy, smelled and what he looked like. She worked hard on the costume. “I used some clips and put some ears on them,” she said.

“I was wearing an orange shirt, and I had a white spot on my stomach.” She participated in the project when she was a third grader in Jena’s class, too when she picked her mom as her character.

“The word ‘good’ is not part of the critique,” Frances said, “because ‘good’ doesn’t tell me how to improve anything. We can’t see it in our heads.”

Students encouraged each other to add a little more character description or use flashbacks, monologs and dialogs.

“We talk about all this so we can give them the language to talk about story,” Frances said.

Throughout the process the college students helped the children pick their characters and develop them. The college students kept journals of their experience, too.

Dad’s Mustang One student wanted to write about his dad’s Mustang convertible. At first, one literacy coach was dubious because he thought it might be too difficult for the young storyteller. “That

Pet lizard was his story, and I did not want to obstruct the storytelling process,” Frances said.

Jena confided, “I must admit, I had my concerns. This particular student has trouble paying attention and following instructions. My

TGIF

Elias Strong made his pet lizard come to life, and his mom helped him make a lizard costume when he “became” the lizard while he was being videotaped.

The process of describing his lizard gave Elias a taste of storytelling.

“Ms. Frances told us to write down our story

summer ’17 music & lunch in orchard park

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FRIDAYS — 11am to 1pm

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DICKEY’S BBQ

WILL BE ON-SITE SELLING LUNCH EACH FRIDAY!

June 30 — Terry Rickard July 7 — Donny Johnson July 14 — Mad Dog 20/20 July 21 — Grant & Randy

Information: 599-1144 SUMMER 2017 | MAJESTIC LIVING | 17

as a script, then memorize it and perform it,” Elias said. “I thought it sounded easy enough. Then she said, ‘Write down what your character smells like.’ I was kind of confused, so I wrote ‘bad.’ She said, no, say what it smells like, so I put sand or something. He doesn’t smell good. I used to find him sitting in his water dish, so I said he likes to swim.”

Darius Rensink wrote about his uncle, who is in the Marines. “He’s my favorite uncle,” Darius said. “I want to be like him.” Darius described what his uncle ate and how he had to get his food fast and not look up the whole time he ate.

Project began at Apache The oral family history project began in 2005 at Apache Elementary in Bradshaw’s fourth grade classroom. Charlotte, a teacher Alexa Parker, and Frances wrote a grant to get cameras and video equipment so they could video students interviewing family members and develop those interviews into an oral history project.

“We didn’t get the grant,” Charlotte said, “so we got instamatic cameras.” They decided to continue the project without the more elaborate equipment. “It was so fun because the students were in groups of three or four students with a UNM student.”

The fourth graders began to relate to the college student, and they formed a bond, Charlotte explained. They learned the importance of penmanship because the college students had to be able to read their writing when they typed up their stories. The typed stories became the drafts that eventually became a story anthology that included all the children’s stories. Each student got one to take home. The children began to blossom. Anthologies were given to the librarian to put in the school library.

Kids are less shy “Kids were less shy,” Charlotte recalled.

“They opened up and related to another person. They were proud of their family. They were happy to share their story. My special

needs students really benefited from it. If they couldn’t write their story, the college student would help them write it. It was a project kids looked forward to.”

Jena was one of the college students in Charlotte’s class. The program stayed at Apache for seven years. Eventually, Charlotte retired and another teacher, Alberta Smallcanyon, who helped with the project, also left.

Project moves to McKinley When Jena started teaching third grade at McKinley, Frances needed a classroom where she could continue the project. “I said I would take it,” Jena recalled. “It helps kids because they don’t get much writing, especially writing where they get to tell their own story. I was really worried about them being third graders because it’s hard for them to get out what they’re trying to say. The first year we had probably 10 UNM college teachers, so the groups were real small, and they could work one-on-one with the kids and pull those stories out of them and write for them if they needed to.”

After four years as a third grade teacher, Jena moved to fifth grade. Frances is again using Jena’s classroom to help college students work with kids on their writing and storytelling skills. “This year it’s been really nice because the kids are older and they know how to tell a story,” Jena said. “They can write for themselves. It was good to see the progress between what they did in third grade to what they’ve done this year in fifth grade.”

Students’ stories videotaped What made this year’s project different than in third grade was the videotaping element.

Jayden remembers her experience. “It was just me and the Farmington High School video students,” she said. “It was scary, because they were all looking at me and having the camera on. We didn’t get to see the video until we showed it to our family.”

Families come at the end of the semester on family night to see the videos of their children

* Young Writers 50 18 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2017

shop local

Alex and Lucy A determined girl and a shelter dog make an award winning team Story by Margaret Cheasebro Photos by Whitney Howle Alex Burnham of Farmington is not your average 13-year-old. For many months, she has trained her rescue dog, a black and white Lab mix named Lucy, to be a therapy dog. Every Tuesday, with the help of her mom, Carly, Alex and Lucy travel from Sacred Heart Catholic School during her lunchtime to visit elderly residents at the Beehive 2 Home at 404 N. Locke Ave. “When we’re driving to the nursing home, Lucy knows,” said Alex. “She gets so excited. Her eyes get all wide. Her mouth falls open. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a dog smile like Lucy smiles.”

In recognition of her volunteer work with nursing home residents, and the many hours she’s spent training Lucy, Alex was one of two New Mexico students to receive the Prudential Spirit of Community award in Washington, D.C., May 6-9. The other recipient was Peter Alarid, 18, of Silver City. From across the United States, a total of 102 middle school and high school students received the award in a program conducted

by Prudential Financial, Inc. in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals.

First trip in a plane The award not only meant recognition for Alex’s hard work, but it gave her a chance to travel. “I’ve never flown on a plane before,” she said. “I’ve never been anywhere outside of this region.”

The award included an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., for herself and her mom in addition to $1,000 pocket money and the chance to visit many important sites in the nation’s capital. She also met with some members of Congress.

Alex had no idea such an award existed in 2015 when she visited the Aztec Animal Shelter with her family to pick up their new rescue dog, a five-month-old pup named Lucy. A couple of years earlier, their dog, Utah, had died, and everyone missed her.

“Utah was a big fancy Lab with papers,” Carly said. “He died after seven years. I was, like, we’re not doing that again, spending 500 bucks on a dog that only lasted seven years. We decided to get a rescue dog.”

20 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2017

Lucy was adorable Alex remembers the moment she first saw Lucy at the shelter. “There’s this man holding Lucy,” she said. “It was adorable. We all sat down. Right after he put her down, she came and sat on my lap and snuggled right in. She’s so cute.”

“She did sort of pick Alex right off the bat,” Carly said.

Carly began taking Lucy to dog training under the tutelage of Kelly Everett, who offers free obedience training so people don’t give up on their dogs. Kelly is also the canine specialist for New Mexico Badlands Search and Rescue and the canine captain for Shiprock Alert, a search and rescue team on the Navajo Nation.

“I just wanted Lucy to be obedient,” Carly said.

Silver award Carly is the leader of Alex’s Girl Scout Troop 10471. “Mom came to me and said we

22 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2017

had to start on my silver award, which is the second highest award you can achieve in Girl Scouts,” said Alex. To get the silver award, a Girl Scout must put in 50 hours of volunteer work that makes a lasting impression on someone, and the scout member must be the leader of her own project.

As they discussed what Alex could do for her silver award, the idea of training Lucy as a therapy dog evolved. “We had gone to the Beehive many times with Girl Scouts for Christmas, Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day,” Alex said. “We would give them tray favors. We made little crafts and put them on their trays while they were eating.”

As the idea developed, Alex began going with her mom to Lucy’s obedience training.

Right away there was a challenge. Lucy and Alex had always been buddies. Now Alex had to be an authority figure. “Lucy was, like, I don’t want to do what Alex says,” Carly remembers.

“When Mom brought me to training the first time, it was horrible,” Alex recalled. “My goodness gracious, Lucy did not like me. It was absolutely frustrating. Everyone thought it was hilarious when Lucy would roll on her back and not get up.”

With Kelly’s help, Alex and Lucy became a successful team.

Not many visitors

Lucy not easy to train

One thing puzzled Alex about those visits.

She’d heard stories about people visiting elderly relatives in nursing homes, but Alex only saw staff members there. Could she create a silver award that would involve taking Lucy to visit nursing home residents?

“Lucy wasn’t the easiest dog to train,” Kelly explained. “She was a young dog but not a puppy. Her personality was already developed.

Alex had to really put forth the effort to train Lucy and encourage her to do the right thing.”

* Alex and Lucy 48

PrudentiAl SPirit of Community AwArdS

Alex Burnham essay details a journey she will never forget Story by Margaret Cheasebro Alex Burnham, 13, wrote the following essay that helped her to win the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards among New Mexico students in the middle school category. She was among 102 middle school and high school winners to win all-expenses-paid trips to Washington, D.C., May 6-9, to experience four days of national recognition events. During that trip, ten of those students were named America’s top youth volunteers of 2017.

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, now in its 22nd year, is conducted by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).

Prudential Financial Inc. (NYSE: PRU), a financial services leader, has operations in the United States, Asia, Europe and Latin America.

Prudential’s employees are committed to helping individual and institutional customers grow and protect their wealth through a variety of products and services, including life insurance, annuities, retirement-related services, mutual funds and investment management, according to a news release provided by Prudential Insurance.

The NASSP is the leading organization of and voice for middle level and high school principals, assistant principals, and school leaders from across the United States. The association connects and engages school leaders through advocacy, research, education and student programs. NASSP advocates on behalf of all school leaders to ensure the success of each student and strengthens school leadership practices through the design and delivery of high quality professional learning experiences. NAASP administers the National Honor Society, National Junior Honor Society, National Elementary Honor Society, and National Association of Student Councils.

In her own words – Alex’s essay: Hello. My name is Alexandra Burnham and I am an eighth grader who is passionate about scouts and determined to leave my mark on this world. I live in a small town in New Mexico called Farmington, and go to Sacred Heart Catholic School. I have been a Girl Scout for almost six years and have enjoyed all of it.

Scouts has taught me responsibilities and has given me challenges which I carry with pride because no one ever said it would be easy.

Being in Scouts has given me many different experiences and will continue to challenge me in many ways. I have recently completed my Silver Award project that has given me even more responsibility, but I will continue to work hard because not only do I love it, but I benefit from it.

A large thing that inspired me to do this project was my previous visits to a nursing home that is not far from my school. I had

visited the Bee Hive, a nursing home for elderly, with my troop many times. As I visited, I noticed the lack of visitors the residents receive on a regular basis. As the idea of a Silver project was needed, my thoughts wandered back to all my past visits. I also came up with the idea after going to a dog training with my dog, Lucy, and my mom. After talking with the

24 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2017

trainer and my mom, we thought it would be a great idea after I told them about what I noticed at the Bee Hive.

It took quite a lot of effort to start this project. Starting a routine with Lucy was very challenging. The first step was going to a class every Sunday for five to six months. I also had to start training her every day; all the required hours

came from training her. I knew that it was important that I put in 120 percent into our training and tried my best – which wasn’t always easy. It was also challenging finding the right equipment and a place to train Lucy with leashes, treats, etc. After a lot of training, I had gotten Lucy and me to a place where I thought we were ready to take the Canine Good Citizens (CGC) test. We passed in one try! The next step was taking a one-day training to learn how to take Lucy visiting. When this was over I started looking for the right place for Lucy and me to visit.

Now, after many months of hard work, training and searching, Lucy and I now go to the Bee Hive every Tuesday to cheer up the residents and workers there. Every Tuesday I give up my lunch break to go to the Bee Hive and when I return I share the awesome experiences that I have received.

I impact the residents by giving them something to look forward to and they have a new friend with my dog, Lucy. Everyone in the nursing home benefits from my visits, from the staff, to the residents, to myself and Lucy. We also have something to look forward to. I enjoy taking Lucy to the Bee Hive and my favorite part has been training Lucy and watching her learn. It is also putting a smile on everyone’s faces when I visit.

I discovered several things about myself while doing this project. One, I love animals. I found great joy in training my personal dog and going through all the exciting moments of seeing her improve. I discovered that I can complete a project. I believe I inspired other people with short videos I made for a few of my badges. It included the reasons why visiting a nursing home is important.

Thank you to everyone who has helped me grow and learn in this crazy project because honestly, without Miss Everett, Miss Starla, Miss Sipes and my mom I couldn’t have finished this project. These amazing women have helped Lucy and me grow so much. I thank them for all their help and thank you, Lucy, for sticking by me even when I didn’t know what I was doing or when I got frustrated. This is a journey I will never forget and will continue for a very long time.

A little comfort

during A sAd situAtion San Juan Regional Auxiliary makes tiny baby wraps for babies who have left this world for a better one Story by Dorothy Nobis Photos by Whitney Howle The loss of a newborn is like no other.

When compassion and love accompany this loss, and are offered to the parents and family, it helps them navigate through the unimaginable.

When a baby doesn’t survive through the pregnancy and childbirth process, the pain felt by the parents can’t be imagined by those who have not been through such a tragedy. That little baby had a name picked out, a room made ready and a closet full of baby clothes.

None of those clothes, however, will fit the baby, yet parents want something soft and beautiful to wrap around their child when they leave the hospital. The Crafty Creations volunteer group of the San Juan Regional Auxiliary makes tiny baby wraps for babies who have left this world for a better one.

Crafty Creations volunteer Almost 20 years ago, the members of the auxiliary made bereavement gowns for babies who didn’t make it, said Eileen White, who is the president of the auxiliary.

“That went by the wayside and the

Childbirth Center wanted us to start it up again. We were buying little boxes for about $100 each (to put the babies in),” White said.

“Then they asked if I could look into making something. I didn’t want to do it. It was depressing, but then I thought about making things for those babies who didn’t make it.

I made a little flannel wrap, and when the Childbirth Center told me how much the family appreciated it, because it was something for them to take home with, I changed my mind.”

Connie Schulz heard about someone in Albuquerque who was making little gowns for babies out of wedding dresses for babies.

“I had my wedding dress and my daughter’s wedding dress and I wanted to do something good with those dresses,” Schulz said.

A phone call to Teresa Becker, manager of Volunteer Services at San Juan Regional Medical Center, suggested that instead of little gowns, Schulz might want to visit with the nurses at the hospital to hear their thoughts on what might be appropriate and welcomed by grieving parents.

Schulz started making little pillows, with a pocket created with pieces of the wedding

dresses. The pillow offers support for the tiny babies and the pocket protects the baby, making it easier for the parents to hold.

Linda Benson, a current and longtime member of the auxiliary, was also looking for a good way to use her wedding dress. “I have trouble throwing anything away,” Benson admitted with a laugh.

“I happened on Eileen visiting with Teresa (Becker) and discovered Eileen was making these little things.”

Benson went home, found the box containing her wedding gown, and offered it to White.

While not all the fabric in a wedding gown is usable, much of it can be, Schulz said.

“It warmed my heart to hear families really appreciated the little wraps,” Schulz said.

“I make them one at a time and if it helps a family find comfort during a sad situation, I’m happy.

When I think about the moms and dads who will never get to know these babies, it makes every minute of the about three hours it takes to make these angel envelopes worthwhile.”

The wraps are about 10 inches’ square, SUMMER 2017 | MAJESTIC LIVING | 27

“We have received notes from some of the families, thanking everyone and sharing how appreciative and happy they are to have a memento or keepsake to remember their precious infant,” Whitney said.

Between 20 and 30 babies each year fail to live beyond birth. “The most heartbreaking and toughest loss a parent deals with is the loss of a child,” said Manager of Volunteer Services Teresa Becker. “Unfortunately, that sometimes happens. The best thing we can do for those patients and their families in their time of need is respect their wishes and try to bring them some peace and comfort.”

Angel wraps which is the size most of the babies fit into, Schulz said.

Losing a baby is heartbreaking for the family, said Deborah Whitney, manager of San Juan Regional’s Childbirth Center.

“At that point in time, families are still in shock (of losing the baby),” Whitney said.

28 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2017

“Before the baby wraps, nurses would often go to Hobby Lobby and buy, with their own money, keepsake boxes and things to put inside of them.”

The hospital’s volunteers also made tiny gowns that looked like miniature hospital gowns, Whitney added.

“That’s what a special group of our volunteers do,” Becker said. “They spend hours carefully crafting angel wraps for stillborn and premature babies who don’t make it. These wraps are made of donated wedding dresses and each one is unique.

“It’s a small gesture, but it’s something our staff members can give to grieving parents.”

“Unfortunately, stillbirths and preterm babies who do not survive are experiences that some families and nurses must face,” said Barbie Duckett, Labor and Delivery Nurse. “Most often, the Childbirth Center is a joyous area that celebrates new life. However, there are times when we all struggle with heartbreak.”

“Sometimes, the circumstance is known before the patient arrives to the department,” Duckett continued. “The provider may have discovered in the office that the baby’s heart has stopped, notifies the nurse and, mentally and emotionally, we begin to prepare before the patient arrives. Other times, the nurse discovers this news moments before revealing the findings to the mother and family.”

The grief the nurse feels can’t compare with the grief of the mother or the family, Duckett said.

“But the nurse can be just as stunned and heartbroken,” she said. “The nurse often turns to her peers or the provider to express her disbelief and may share tears with the family or in private, or sometimes waits until she is home to mourn the loss.”

Chaplains at San Juan Regional Medical Center or someone from the patient’s church may offer support to the family and the nursing staff.

The hospital’s chaplains also offer counseling or debriefing to one or more of the staff, including nurses’ aides, housekeepers, operating room staff or others who may have interacted with the family.

“The loss of a baby has never been easy on anyone,” Duckett said. “So that every employee is aware and shows respect and compassion for the family, there is a process in place to notify employees of this family’s loss. This allows these employees to be mindful and respectful of the situation when they encounter the family.”

While every situation is different – the age of the baby, the age of the mother, family support, other children, known or unknown pregnancy complications, religious or cultural beliefs – the nurses at San Juan Regional Medical Center try to make each situation the best possible, given the tragic circumstances.

Once the baby is born, the baby is placed in a wrap – or a gown if the baby was close to term – and offered for viewing by the family, Duckett explained.

“Families are allowed all the time with the baby they desire. They may hold the baby, take pictures, say prayers or have ceremonies,” she said.

“However, some families ask the nursing staff to care for the baby.”

Some funeral homes offer free service Many funeral homes provide a free service to families who have lost a baby and many families take advantage of those services. Depending on city or county laws, Duckett said some families may be able to bury the baby on their own land.

“Every family takes their own path of mourning and our job is to support them along the way,” Duckett said. “We are fortunate that our days are filled with many happy endings, but when they are not, we share in this devastation and support these families and one another.”

Gonzales’ loss comes full circle Bree Gonzales is the owner of Faith Photography and donates her time to take photos

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of the babies.

“In November of 2003, I unexpectedly lost a baby girl,” Gonzales said. “I named her Faith. Without letting me know, the hospital took a couple of photos of her to send home with me.”

“In the beginning,” Gonzales admitted, “I wasn’t sure how to feel about the photos.

They were simple Polaroid (photos) and the color and quality were substandard, to say the least.”

Despite the lack of quality of the photos, Gonzales said they became a treasure to her and helped her remember her little Faith, while helping her through the grieving process. Over the years, however, the photos faded.

“I found myself wishing the quality was better – something that I could display in my home and not hidden away in a box in my closet,” she said.

Gonzales decided she wanted to give to other families who lost a baby, something she herself didn’t have – photographs of the 30 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2017

baby they couldn’t take home with them.

“I mentioned my idea to a few people and I’m fairly certain they thought I was crazy for wanting to do this,” Gonzales admitted. “But I believe that unless you’ve personally experienced the loss of a baby, it’s difficult to fully understand how much photographs of the baby help a mother and the family.”

On what would have been Faith’s tenth birthday, Gonzales discovered a non-profit organization called Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, which has volunteer photographers throughout the world who provide photos to families.

“I knew instantly that this was what I was made to do. This was the reason I was a photographer and this was how God was going to use the heartache I had personally experienced,” Gonzales said. “It was finally going to come full circle and He was going to use me and my pain to help others.”

Gonzales completed an application to become a volunteer photographer and was approved in less than a week. But the actual

taking of the photographs came with much emotion. Shaking and crying on the way to the hospital, Gonzales said she prayed for strength to get through that first photo shoot.

A sense of peace and calmness took over, and Gonzales was able to take the photos and “fully embrace the moment to get the photos that were important to the family.”

When possible, Gonzales positions the baby peacefully sleeping. “I also make sure I get all the details of the baby – their nose, eyelashes, toes, fingers and hair,” she said.

“Parents and family members often want to be photographed with their baby as well, so I make sure to get any photos they request.”

“Being able to give families the gift of these photographs – knowing that this is the only part of their child that they get to take home – is why I do it,” Gonzales said. “I love it when families send me photos of how they have their baby’s pictures displayed in their home, which is something I always wanted to be able to do.”

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Passion, enthusiasm for working with kids

Maria Rodman nourishes the community at Boys and Girls Club Story Margaret Cheasebro Photos by Whitney Howle On a busy afternoon at the Boys and Girls Club of Farmington, Executive Director Maria Rodman witnessed something heartwarming. It captured the compassion, support and sense of community she’s emphasized since she took over in August 2015.

“This 7-year-old boy had an inexpensive piece of jewelry that was clearly precious to him,” she said. “It broke. He was upset. Along comes this 13-year-old. He said, ‘What’s up, buddy?’ The kid told him. The 13-yearold said, ‘I’ll fix it. No problem. I got it.’

This 13-year-old spent half an hour working with this little boy to fix the necklace for him and build that connection.”

Sense of community Lots of teaching, homework help, tutoring, and sports activities occur at the boys and girls club, but compassion, a sense of community and caring about other human beings matter most to Maria. “That is what takes us to where we can ultimately fulfill our mission of being a caring and responsible citizen of our

32 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2017

community,” she said. “I love seeing those moments when kids are being compassionate with each other and supportive of each other. I see examples of that on a daily basis.”

That emphasis has led to significant growth. “Our membership over the last three years has gone up 34 percent,” Maria said. “Last year we had over 2,600 members. We see on a daily basis about 450 kids between our five sites.”

Those sites inclide the main one on Sullivan Avenue, the Hilltop Unit at the Mesa Community on Troy King Road, and three elementary school-based sites at Bluffview, Apache and McCormick in collaboration with Farmington Municipal Schools. The club’s athletic program has grown 25 percent in the last 18 months with close to 800 kids. With the help of an athletic director and many volunteer coaches, the club offers co-ed basketball, boys’ basketball, girls’ basketball, volley ball and flag football.

Great sense of humor “Ms. Maria has impacted my life in such an amazing and positive way,” said

Jerica Mullins, who was the club’s Youth of the Year for 2016. “She is always there when I need someone to talk to or if I need help. She has the greatest sense of humor and always makes me laugh.

She brightens my day with a simple conversation. She is a great role model of being successful and having fun while getting the job done!”

Maria emphasizes with her staff the need to recognize that if kids are acting out, there’s a reason for it. “Our job is to take a moment and wonder, ‘What’s going on here?’ What could I do to change what’s happening and better understand?” she said.

Attitude bears fruit That attitude has borne fruit. “Maria has made such a difference in the whole organization,” said George Sharpe, the board’s immediate past president. “The club atmosphere is positive, successful and energetic. She has such professionalism in trying to put forward a really good product. She treats the kids and everyone with respect. Participation is way up.”

Office manager Jackie Archuleta noted, “Maria has done amazing things here. She pushes us and pushes us, and sometimes we’re exhausted, but she’s pushing us in good directions. We’re growing by leaps and bounds. She’s friendly. She’s understanding. If you have a problem, you’re not afraid to go to the director and say, ‘Hey, can we talk about this?’ She’s very personable.”

Born in Havana, Cuba The importance of community developed early in Maria. She was born in 1965 in Havana, Cuba, and lived there until she was almost 4. One of her earliest memories is of her as a 2-year-old sitting in the emergency room with blood dripping onto her shoelaces after she had an accident. “I remember my mother crying and me in my own way saying, ‘It’s okay.’ I think from a young age I was the ‘Everything’s going to be okay” kind of person.

‘We’re going to do this. We’re going to get through this.’”

Her parents didn’t want to raise Maria and her younger sister, Maggie, under the Communist regime of Fidel Castro, so they applied to emigrate to the United States. They were one of the last families able to do that before Castro shut the door on further emigration.

24 hours to leave As a requirement for leaving the country, Maria’s dad toiled in a work camp for three months. “One day,” she recalled, “government officials dropped him off at home and said, ‘You have 24 hours to get all of your things ready and be at the airport.

Otherwise you can’t leave.’ There were really tough decisions to make. Saying goodbye to the family, getting everything organized.”

They moved to West New York/New Jersey to be near Maria’s paternal grandmother, who had moved there from Cuba in the 1950s. Her parents never dreamed they’d be in the United States the rest of their lives. “They thought this would blow over, that

SUMMER 2017 | MAJESTIC LIVING | 33

Ran away from school

we would leave and in four or five years we could come back because it would be clear that the Communist way of life wasn’t going to be sustainable for the island and for the people,” Maria said. “But that didn’t happen.”

Spoke no English Maria attended kindergarten in West New York/New Jersey. She spoke no English. “I did what everybody else did,” she said. “If the kids stood up, I stood up. If they walked out, I walked out. If they raised their hands, I raised my hand.”

No one else in her immediate family spoke English, but she learned enough in kindergarten to become the family’s translator. “I remember translating at the hardware store and at doctor’s appointments from the time I was 5 or 6 years old,” she said.

When she was in first grade, the family moved to Orlando, Florida, where both of her parents worked at Disney World, which was then under construction. For Maria, first grade

34 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2017

was a challenge. “Part of it was language acquisition,” she said. “I wasn’t understanding what was going on. I felt like I didn’t belong there.

People were talking to me, and I didn’t know what they were saying.”

So she ran away from school. She got as far as the front steps, where a kind policeman tried to figure out what she was doing there.

She felt comforted by his compassion.

By second grade, Maria was a fluent English speaker. The family spoke mostly Spanish at home, but they also spoke English because her parents wanted to learn the language. She remembers translating information about Watergate for her father when she was 7. “I said, ‘Something’s going on with the president, Dad, and it’s not good.’”

Adjusting to the United States was hard, especially for her mother. As a little girl, Maria remembers sometimes waking up at 2 a.m. and finding her mother crying at the kitchen table.

She wasn’t sure why her mother was sad, but she comforted her and told her everything would be okay. Many years later her mother explained she was trying to write letters home to her family in Cuba, but she could never finish them. The task was emotionally too painful.

So for many years the family had no contact with their relatives in Cuba.

Made friends quickly In spite of that, Maria and her family formed new communities wherever they lived. “My parents were such kind, generous, fun-loving people,” Maria said. “They were beloved by everybody who met them, so we made friends quickly.”

Maria thrived in school. She had a wonderful English teacher who helped her learn to pronounce English words correctly. “The ‘sh’ and ‘ch’ were difficult for me,” she said. “It’s all about where you place your tongue and how you use your mouth. If you’re just telling somebody the word again and again without giving them the tools or the skill of what to do to say ‘teacher’ versus ‘teasher,’ it’s harder for kids to learn.”

There were hurtful moments too. Maria loved her sixth grade math teacher, but one day when Maria and Maggie were conversing in Spanish at school, the math teacher said, “No, no, we don’t speak Spanish here.” That was hard for Maria to hear. “In her context, I would imagine she was insuring that we would have the capacity to have the primary language we needed,” she said, “but it was hurtful. I remember thinking, ‘Why would she say that to me?’”

Everyone worked Everyone in her family worked, even the kids.

At age 10, Maria was the neighborhood babysitter. In high school she worked as a waitress to raise money for college. When she was 13 and her parents took an additional job cleaning buildings in the evenings, Maria and Maggie helped.

Blessed with academic aptitude, Maria won a lot of awards, was the math champion in junior high and valedictorian of her high school. She won a full-ride scholarship to the University of Florida at Gainesville, where she majored in elementary education with a specialty in reading.

Teaching is hard During her six months of student teaching, she discovered how hard it was to be a teacher. “I thought the world had come to an end,” she said.

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“It was eight hours a day holding that level of responsibility, trying to make sure kids were learning. I thought, ‘Am I good enough?’ Kids need the best. I wasn’t sure I wanted to not be the best at something when it was so important.

This was their education.”

Once she graduated from college, she took a summer job working for the Presbyterian Church US, the church’s southern branch. Its northern branch was known as the United Presbyterian Church. In 1987, the church unified under the name Presbyterian Church USA. Maria’s boss asked her to move to the church’s new location in Louisville, Kentucky, and work for him as the assistant to the director of global missions. She was only 22, and she loved the job.

Mother dies Her life changed in 1993 at age 28 when her 52-year-old mother died suddenly of a heart related illness. Maria was attending night school to earn a master’s degree when a police officer came to the classroom door to say her mother

was seriously ill in the hospital. “I went from there to the airport and got on a plane,” she said. “I traveled with a group of motorcyclists who were going to bike week at Daytona Beach.

They were having fun and joking, and I was crying. Some of them asked, ‘Are you okay?’ I said, ‘No, my mother is dying.’ The whole community of motorcyclists hovered around me with such love and kindness. It was so beautiful.”

Maria arrived at the hospital in Orlando three minutes after her mother passed away. “I got to see her body,” she remembered. “I said my goodbyes.”

Interested in politics She reassessed her life after her mother’s death. She’d always been interested in politics, so for three years she lived in Columbia, Maryland, and worked in Washington, D.C., for the Coalition of Northeastern Governors, comprising the six New England states plus New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. She enjoyed the policy work but missed working with people, especially

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36 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2017

children. When the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation recruited her as the program and development director in Asheville, North Carolina, she jumped at the chance. The organization raises money for brain tumor research through motorcycle rides all over the country. She loved working with the caring, compassionate motorcyclists.

When her husband, Richard, was offered a job teaching at the School for International Training in Brattleboro, Vermont, he convinced her to make the move because Fenway Park was close by. “I’m a huge Boston Red Sox fan,” she revealed. “He said we could go to Fenway Park on a regular basis.”

Earned master’s degree She worked part time at the School for International Training, handling finances in the study abroad program. As a job perk, she earned her master’s free, graduating with a degree in service, leadership and management.

Jobs that she loved followed in which she

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olympic

state of mind

Bryson Valdez stepped on the wrestling mat at age 4, his goal is the 2024 or 2028 games Story by Dorothy Nobis Photos by Whitney Howle Bryson Valdez was a shy 4-year-old when he first stepped on a wrestling mat.

If Bryson was shy, however, he wasn’t timid, his father said. “He was a tough little kid,” said TJ Valdez. “And he took to the sport (of wrestling) and as we kept challenging him with bigger and tougher competition, he kept rising to the challenge.”

“At his first match, he was the center of attention,” said his mother, Natosha. “He turned around and looked at me like ‘What are your doing to me?’ But once he started winning (matches), he figured it out (that it was a good thing).”

on the 2024 or 2028 Olympics.

But it’s not an Olympic medal that motivates Bryson. It is his dad, who is also his coach.

“When I’m out there in the center of a match wrestling, I don’t think about it (wrestling),” Bryson said. “I just don’t want to let my dad down. He really likes the sport and he’s one of my coaches.”

Eight years in the center of the wrestling mat have done more than help Bryson overcome his childhood shyness.

“It’s taught me a lot of things,” he said.

“You’re out there and it’s just you and the mat. You don’t have a team like most sports. And it helps my self-confidence.”

Olympic focus Bryson is now 12 and a sixth grader at Heights Middle School. The wrestling “thing” continues to challenge him and he has aspirations that go far beyond the next tournament or next match. Bryson wants to be an Olympic athlete and compete in wrestling. He has his sights set

38 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2017

Stout Wrestling Academy Since Heights Middle School’s wrestling program is only for seventh and eighth graders, Bryson, who competes in the 75-pound division, practices at Stout Wrestling Academy in Farmington and competes in tournaments in Virginia, Okla-

homa, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Texas and Missouri. Bryson will participate in the Heights wrestling program next year and will continue his training at Stout Wrestling Academy in Farmington.

Levi Stout is the owner of Stout Wrestling Academy and said for Bryson to be successful and move on to a higher level of expertise, travel is necessary.

“New Mexico doesn’t often offer next level competition,” Stout said. “Bryson is knocking on the door of that next level and his father and I talk about the direction he could go. I travel to about half of them (out-of-state tournaments) to coach Bryson and any others that make the trip.”

“Bryson chooses to travel to see that next level as much as possible,” Stout added. “So he’ll be ready (to advance) when that day comes.”

While traveling to other areas to compete is important to Bryson’s wrestling dreams, it is more than that to his dad.

SUMMER 2017 | MAJESTIC LIVING | 39

Quality time “When we travel, it’s all about the quality of our time,” Valdez said. “We’ve have some great trips and they’ve become great memories.”

“The big tournaments are more competitive and I have to get tougher and work out more,” Bryson said of the travel and meets. “My dad videos my matches so we can see what I did wrong, so I can practice that.”

Bryson isn’t one to do much “wrong,” however. “He’s a four-time New Mexico State Champ and will go for his fifth state title in Albuquerque in February,” his proud mother said.

“He’s also a two-time All American Wrestler, was nominated for the Outstanding Athletes of the Amateur Athletic Union and has received Outstanding Wrestler twice. We always have people compliment Bryson on his sportsmanship. When he loses, he still hustles to shake hands. As good as Bryson is, he could be arrogant and cocky, but he never is. We have taught him that he must be humble at all times. His positive attitude is contagious and kids are always cheering him on, standing in his corner.”

Bryson extended his accolades as a young wrestler this year. With his win at the New Mexico Junior Wrestling State Competition this year, Bryson is now a five-time New Mexico Junior Wrestling State Champion. His Stout Wrestling Academy wrestling team also won first at the state championships and, competing with the Pueblo Original Wrestling Association, Bryson

took first in his first freestyle tournament and second (only by one point) in his weight division.

The New Mexico Junior Wrestling season is over for this year; however, Bryson will continue to travel outside of New Mexico for freestyle wrestling and plans to attend several wrestling camps this summer.

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Along for the ride Before every season, TJ asks Bryson what his goals are. “I ask him to set goals that are important to him. As a coach and as his father, it’s easy to get the roles mixed. We have small goals and long-term goals, and I just make sure we’re headed in the right direction.”

“I’m proud of him,” TJ added. “Win or lose, it takes a lot for a kid to compete in this great sport. It’s a long road and I’m just along for the ride – and I enjoy every minute of it.”

That ride will get longer, be more difficult and include more time and travel if Bryson’s dream of being an Olympian comes true. No one is more aware of that ride than Bryson.

“I want to go to Oklahoma State University or Ohio State University on a wrestling scholarship,” Bryson said. “I have to keep working hard and get good grades. I have to go to the Olympic Trials and win my bracket and beat everybody in my weight class.”

“Bryson’s dad and I require our kids to keep a 3.5 and above,” said Bryson’s mother, Natosha. (Bryson’s sister, Tamika, is involved in dance.) “If your grades are bad, you can be the best athlete ever, but colleges won’t even look at you.”

Bryson’s focus and determination to get into a good college and pursue his goal of the Olympics is not lost on his coaches.

Mat time and focus “I’ve coached dozens of state champions, several state championship teams and multiple All Americans,” said Levi Stout. “Focus is exactly what Bryson has and what he’ll need to keep. A wrestler’s life is full of major distractions that could take a young man along a different path.

Bryson has and is compiling the mat time he needs. He’s very determined and has a great work ethic. He’s a very intelligent wrestler, especially for his age.”

“Olympic status is very difficult to obtain,” Stout added. “We’re shooting for the moon and if we miss, he’ll still be among the stars. He’ll be an All American or a champion. Either way, with his wrestling ability and study habits, I’ll bet he’ll get into a great school at a minimal cost.”

Bryson’s dad is aware, too, of the challenges and opportunities that await his son.

“To become an Olympic athlete is a big deal.

It takes tons of hours and training. He’ll have to get to certain camps and it takes a great sacrifice,” TJ said. “It means being away from home and sometimes missing out on important dates. If he stays involved and keeps being a student of wrestling, I see him being focused.”

Great support system “Bryson’s a very driven kid and he is surrounded by people – including his coaches, his sisters, Tamika and Brooklynn, my time, my money – whatever it takes to get my kids where they need to be. I’m grateful to Bryson’s coaches – Levi Stout, Steve Baker and Ricky Rhoanhourse. They’ve put in countless hours to help Bryson and to talk about wrestling.”

Keeping Bryson motivated is easy, however.

“When I win, I know I’m achieving my goals and

it helps me work toward harder goals,” Bryson said. “I also know my mom and dad are proud of my hard work.”

While wrestling is Bryson’s motivation and passion, he shares other interests. “I love to play Frisbee golf and regular golf, I play football with my friends at recess, and I love being outside, video games and cards.”

“And,” he admitted, “I like hanging out with my sisters.”

As a proud father, TJ is happy to have a son who is well rounded and goal oriented, and who has big dreams.

“The day he said he wanted to be an Olympic athlete, I almost cried,” TJ said. “If that is his goal, we’ll do whatever it takes by getting training, partners. Bryson has a great coaching staff and I believe he can achieve his dream.”

“Wrestling isn’t just a sport,” TJ said with conviction. “It’s a lifestyle.”

SUMMER 2017 | MAJESTIC LIVING | 41

Honey House Distillery

A combination of tradition and sweet innovation Story and photos Ben Brashear The subtle smell of sourdough wafts throughout the Honey House Distillery located 12 miles north of Durango, Colorado. It’s a distinct smell that rises from two open-air fermentation tanks, evidence of tireless yeast converting sugar into alcohol. A hard, corn-yellow cap forms over the top of the fermenting liquid, or what is known as “distillers beer,” and is one of many steps that goes into crafting an American bourbon and whiskey.

Kevin Culhane, co-founder of the Honey House with friend Adam Bergal and the support of Danny and Sheree Culhane of Honeyville, is giving a tour of the distillery. Honey House is a relative newcomer to the long game of whiskey but they have already won several gold, silver and bronze medal awards for their Honey Whiskey and Hex Vodka in competitions hosted from New York to Denver to San Diego.

Vision realized The vision of the distillery was realized over the course of a late night dinner conversation in 2008 between Culhane and Bergal. Bergal suggested that with the high population of craft brewers throughout town and the state, it would make sense to venture into craft distilling despite the fact that the two had little experience with the distillation process.

Culhane had a solid background in brewing, though, and the next step to crafting whiskey 42 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2017

did not seem that big a leap. He interned at Ska Brewing during his senior year attending Fort Lewis College and he brewed his own beer at home. The real learning process began once he and Bergal started to distill small batches of whiskey and rum in their Hillbilly still. In 2012 the two had arrived at a product in which they had confidence, and Honey House incorporated; and by 2013 they finally received their licensing to start selling their flagship Honey Whiskey.

Culhane continues the tour, pointing out the various components – tanks and filters involved in the distillation process. He treads the concrete floor in tan light hikers and wears blue jeans, a black ball cap and matching black Honey House polo shirt; his hands are in constant motion. As he walks past the fermentation tanks and toward the custom Vendome “beehive” column still, his hand moves from his pocket to his phone and then to the top button of his shirt – the anxious

movements of an expectant father.

His phone rings, “it’s my wife,” he says.

“She’s nine months along and it’s going to be any day now.” Smiling, he quickly tucks a tuft of hair behind his ear and excuses himself to take the call. He returns a few minutes later.

“No baby yet,” he says righting his ball cap.

Both Honeyville and Honey House are vested in keeping the family business of sourcing Rocky Mountain honey thriving through an innovative approach to the sweet medium. It is no small task, and one that requires adaptability and the acknowledgement that much of their livelihood is reliant on the whims of nature.

A legacy The Honey House and Honeyville owe much to the legacy of what will soon be a fifth generation family. Their story began in 1920 when patriarch Vernon Culhane settled in the area and started maintaining beehives and selling honey. His success came when he decided to mix whipped honey with jam. It was a hit and soon he could not meet the growing demand. Now, 97 years later, Culhane and Bergal have made the leap from whipped honey to single batch distilling and infusing raw honey into a unique line of whiskey, rum and vodka.

CCD has a big effect Colony Collapse Disorder seems to have reached its peak in 2011, but it is still affecting bee populations and the availability of honey. It also has the potential to turn their Honey Whiskey into a precious commodity, literally liquid gold. CCD is an unknown variable that has Culhane and partners looking toward the future with potential to expand into partnership with Guy Drew Vineyards in Cortez and also to utilize Palisade peaches for a unique take on brandy.

On average, 25 to 30 percent of active SUMMER 2017 | MAJESTIC LIVING | 43

beehive populations die annually and this has Honeyville and Honey House gathering honey from producers ranging from Southwest Colorado to Steamboat Springs – even extending into Wyoming and Montana.

“CCD has definitely affected our beekeepers, but by sourcing from a variety of places we are able to lessen the effects. It really all comes down to what Mother Nature has in store for us.

It’s a roller coaster sometimes, with some producers being hit hard while others have stellar harvests,” Culhane says.

Carving out a distillery niche With more than 70 distilleries throughout Colorado, it’s an epicurean dream but it’s a potential nightmare for any startup trying to carve their niche. For Culhane there was no question that the opportunity to stand on the shoulders of Vernon and the Honeyville legacy would distinguish their product from the giants.

“That’s the beauty of the craft industry,” Culhane says. “People don’t want to be told what to drink. Before, you only had Jack Daniels or Absolut, Coors and Budweiser and now there is endless variety, people have the freedom to buy based on taste.”

8

Ne w

Innumerable variables in flavor

Lo ca tio

n!

505-326-0064 2400 Farmington Ave • Farmington, NM

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Developing a product that people wanted to taste was their biggest hurdle. There are innumerable variables that affect the taste of any barrelaged spirit – type of yeast used, quality of the grains, environment, barometric pressure, elevation, barrel char – and even the weather during the life of the wood that made the barrel – all come into play.

Culhane and his staff are well aware of these factors, and once they arrived at a taste they all liked they sought out the feedback of local craft bartender and general manager of El Moro Tavern, Dave Woodruff.

Woodruff has been in the industry since early 2000 and constantly hones his skills as a mixologist since helping to open El Moro in 2013. He partnered with Culhane and marketing director Brett Rosenbaugh to refine the overall taste of their Honey Whiskey, Forgotten Barrel Rum and Hex Vodka. In doing so, he also created two sig-

nature cocktails, the “Symmetry,” which utilizes Hex vodka and the “We’re Gonna Need a Bigger Boat,” that uses Forgotten Barrel Spiced Rum. Both drinks are top sellers and were created to highlight the flavor profiles and characteristics of a honey-based spirit. “People love it when they can experience a locally made product,” Woodruff says.

Culhane continues the tour as he picks up a large metal spatula in both hands and leads the way to the backside of the still. There are three collection tanks marked, “Heads,” “Hearts” and “Tails.” He reaches over the edge of the collection tanks with the spatula and methodically stirs the collected alcohol in each tank from the first distillation run of many. He waves me in close, “Look here, you can see the alcohol is kind of cloudy,” he says as he churns up opaque cirrus clouds in the clear liquid.

“It’ll have to be distilled again, but first we have to proof it and, of course, taste a sample.” He smiles.

You just have to make sure to cut the Head “You just have to make sure to cut the Head off because there’s a little methanol and acetone in it and we can’t have anyone going blind,” he jokes.

He may be joking, but there’s a reason the axiom exists. Producing a desirable and safe product all comes down to basic chemistry.

The concept is that during the distillation process, as the mash and “distillers beer” boils, each element will begin to separate based on varying boiling points. Anything that turns to vapor before ethanol, at 173 degrees Fahrenheit, is captured in the Heads tank.

The Heads contain what are known as congeners, or the undesirables such as methanol, acetone, and esters that lend to the legend of moonshine making you go blind. The Hearts consist of the desired ethanol and congeners that help to shape taste and aroma. And finally, the Tails are collected and often contain a higher concentration of water and fusel oils.

Usually the Heads are discarded and the Tails are mixed in with the next batch to be distilled.

Drink Recipes by Dave Woodruff, bartender and general manager at El Moro Tavern

The Symmetry: Hex Vodka- 2 oz Lemon Juice- 1 oz Simple Syrup- 1 oz Shake!

Leopold Brothers Blackberry Liquor- 1/2 oz floated over the top

We're Gonna Need A Bigger Boat: Forgotten Barrel Spiced Rum- 1 1/2 oz Lime Juice- 1/2 oz Orgeat Syrup- bar spoon St. Elizabeth All Spice Dram- bar spoon Bitter Truth Golden Falernum- 1/2 oz Orange Flower Water- 1 dash Shake!

Testing Culhane collects a small sample into a volumetric flask and walks it into his small corner office. He runs it through a battery of tests and establishes the proof of the alcohol, among other criteria. The test comes back and shows that the alcohol is at 80 proof, or 40 percent alcohol by volume. The alcohol will have to run through the entire distillation process again in order to increase the ABV to between the desired 100-125 proof with a maximum of 160 proof in order to meet the many requirements for making bourbon.

What is it that makes true American bourbon? The basic recipe or “mash bill” of a tra-

ditional bourbon that at least 51 percent is corn, while the rest of the bill often consists of rye, wheat, and barley.

Honey whiskey recipe The recipe for Honey House Whiskey is a fairly traditional bourbon recipe with an increase in the percentage of corn; corn that is locally sourced from Towaoc. The increase in corn content brings out the subtle sweetness of infused honey while rye and malted barley help make for a smooth caramel finish.

The recipe may be traditional, but infusing raw honey is anything but. “Honey doesn’t always play nice with the whiskey. It can make it SUMMER 2017 | MAJESTIC LIVING | 45

cloudy,” Culhane says. “I can remember countless times of being sprayed in the face with whiskey trying to filter the cloudy appearance.

We finally found a solution from the craft brewing side of things using a basic filter press that polishes the whiskey while leaving the honey flavor.”

A high-risk game of wait-and-see Distilling, it would seem, is a high-risk game of wait-and-see. Currently 14 barrels of whiskey are aging in the warehouse. With such a small production batch any variability in flavor between barrels will have a great impact on taste and has Culhane and crew vigilantly monitoring the whiskey as it ages for a minimum of four years. They also have to pay taxes on any alcohol, ready to sell or aging, and they often have to worry about evaporation or what is known as the “angel’s share.” In the

Rodman

desert Southwest that can be a substantial amount and can even leave a barrel completely empty by the end of the aging process.

“We have to constantly wet the barrels,” Culhane says as he runs his hand over one of the barrels. “You can see this barrel here is leaking pretty badly and we’ll have to figure out how to seal it or transfer the whiskey to another barrel. It’s the lack of humidity, the dry desert air, that causes them to shrink and leak constantly.”

“Can you imagine explorers like John Wesley Powell and others coming here from back east where it was humid and their food barrels were plump and sealed and then they finally get here to the desert and the barrels are so dry that they just fall apart?” Culhane muses.

“It’s the little things you don’t think about in the beginning but it’s all in how you adapt to them.”

continued from 36

worked with children and families. She learned how to create conditions for safety that reduced trauma. When Richard retired from teaching in 2015, the couple decided to move closer to their two grown children and three grandchildren who live in Denver and Albuquerque. They had always loved vacationing in the Southwest.

Finds job in Farmington “I started exploring options,” Maria said.

“Every time I’d worked in any community, we’d always had positive relationships with boys and girls clubs because it’s such a cornerstone of the community and provides support for families. The first job that came up was at the Boys and Girls Club of Farmington. We chose this club because I could immediately see the community’s commitment to the club and to children. The board was engaged and had ideas and dreams and visions.”

“We’re lucky to have Maria,” said Shay Davis, chair of the club’s board of directors. “She’s a tremendous find. Since she’s come on board, the club was the club of the year for New Mexico. At a regional boys and girls club conference she was named the newcomer of the year for

2016. Our average daily attendance is up by 100 kids since she came. She has a compassion for what she does, a huge heart. I could not feel more blessed to have her run the organization.”

Positive change in club Board member and parent Melissa Meechan agreed. “I’ve had kids attending the boys and girls club on and off for 10 years,” she said.

“Since Maria came on board, I have seen such a change in the environment, everything from how the kids engage to the activities that are offered. It’s really made me proud of the center.”

“Maria is incredible,” said Sarah Kaynor, retired president of the Economic Council Helping Others and a club volunteer. “Her passion and her enthusiasm for the kids, for the program and for the whole concept of what boys and girls clubs do is amazing.”

Maria emphasizes with her staff that children don’t exist in isolation. They’re part of a family and community, the glue that has held Maria’s world together all her life. She and her staff work hard to create a place of physical and emotional safety, where healthy relationships blossom. That’s vital, she said, “so kids can learn and grow and have fun.”

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Coolest Things

After we make it past the hot, cold, wind, freeze, thaw, snow, sunny, cloudy weather that makes up the multiple personality disorder that is spring in New Mexico, fingers crossed, summer will finally be on its way. Enjoy every minute of fun this summer with your family and friends. Below are some items to enhance those moments. Enjoy!

Spring is on the way

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IT’S A BREEZE

Stadler Form Q Metal Fan www.amazon.com, www.ruelala.com Spruce up your interiors with the Stadler Form Q Metal Fan. This high-functioning fan provides a powerful breeze to move the air throughout your space. In doing so, the Q Fan allows the air to remain fresh and well circulated. The Q Fan comes in your choice of bronze or a chrome-like metal to suit any style of décor. The Q Fan works at an impressive rate to circulate your air. In fact, it can circulate up to 85,000 cubic feet of air for rooms and areas measuring 430 square feet. Even with this rejuvenating energy, it has a 40watt power rating. $169.99

2

SOUNDS GOOD TO ME

Francois et Mimi Elite RuggeX Bluetooth Speaker www.ebay.com, www.sears.com Get used to crystal clear sound with less battery consumption by using the Francois et Mimi Elite RuggeX Bluetooth Speaker. It delivers incredible sound from a tiny machine. The product fits in the palm of your hand and delivers rich and clear sound with its 40mm drivers. This speaker will help you enjoy up to eight hours of continuous playback. The rugged exterior design of the speaker makes it waterproof, shockproof and dustproof. $27.31

3

HAPPY FEET

ZAKISTAR – Comfortable & Classy Pebble Covered Flip Flops www.smartshoppingja.com, www.mygadgeto.com Imagine the feeling of warm sand between your toes massaging your feet with every step. Now you can have that feeling every single summer day, be it in your home, on the streets, in the workplace, while shopping or just hanging out with your friends with the ZAKISTAR flip-flops.There are three basic models from which to choose, such as the signature yellow flip flops with red Zaki mark, white with natural beige straps and yellow with beige straps. $20

4

NOT JUST HOT AIR

FUTO – The World’s Most Ultimate Air Mattress http://getfuto.com The last air mattress you will ever need!

Futo takes only 20 seconds to inflate and can hold up to four adults (650 lbs) for eight hours. Futo is a Queen-sized mattress – comfortable, durable, colorful and easy to carry, with a headrest that will be useful for any occasion when you would like to rest or even take a nap. All you need do is simply open the Futo and catch the air around you, (it inflows evenly to four tubes). Take a rest. Anywhere. $79 air mattress $29 air pillow SUMMER 2017 | MAJESTIC LIVING | 47

Alex and Lucy continued from

22

Kelly was impressed with Alex’s enthusiasmand determination. “Alex is such a great girl,” she said. “She has a heart of gold. I have known the Burnhams all my life.

They’re wonderful, wonderful people. Her mom is so supportive and encouraging. Alex was a sponge, wanting to learn everything she could about all factors of training dogs.

She was easy to teach, and she tried so hard and worked hard to make sure that Lucy learned everything she needed to. She has been so consistent in working with her dog. I couldn’t be more proud to be a part of that.”

Not only did Alex, Lucy and Carly attend the once-a-week training with Kelly from September-December 2015, but every day Alex took Lucy to the park and worked with her for 15 to 30 minutes. She also took her other places so Lucy would be familiar with different floors and a variety of environments. “A couple of times a month or so, Ms. Everett would come and give me pointers, tell me what to do,” Alex added.

I’m always the boss The constant routine led Lucy to accept Alex as an authority figure.

“It wasn’t like, oh, today I’m the boss but tomorrow I’ll be your friend,” Alex explained. “It was, like, I’m the boss right now, all the time. Even around the house if I saw her doing something kind of bad, I’d get after her. I trained myself to watch those things. You have to be aware of what your dog is doing all the time.”

In December, Kelly told Alex and Carly about the Canine Good Citizenship award. “It’s a basic obedience test you have to take for your dog,” Alex said. “We took the test, and we passed the first time. Some things she had to do were to sit still and sit quietly. Then I had to go into another room, and she had to be okay with a stranger. She had to smell ‘dog’ and be okay with that. She had to reject treats, so if there was food on the ground, she had to leave it and keep walking. No barking, no jumping, no scratching. She’s pretty mellow, so we passed.”

Even more training After they earned the award, Alex kept training Lucy. She wanted to start taking Lucy to the Beehive, but she couldn’t until Lucy began taking therapy classes so she could become a certified therapy dog. “The first class to get certified wasn’t available until April 2016, so we had to wait to take that,” Carly said.

48 | MAJESTIC LIVING | SUMMER 2017

When they were finally able to enroll, there was a lot to learn. “It was training for Lucy, and it was training for me,” Alex said.

She thought her first task when Lucy visited people would be to greet the person and then make sure Lucy was okay. But it was the other way around. “It was more like make sure Lucy’s okay, then greet the person,” said Alex. “Lucy was always put first because she’s in a position where she’s kind of vulnerable. She relies on me to make sure she’s always safe and comfortable. I had to watch for signs if her tail was tucked or her head was down, if she looked sad or if she was cowering. Then I would have to get her away from the situation that was scaring her.”

Lucy excited to visit In May 2016, when Alex was in seventh grade, she and Lucy, along with Carly, made their first visit to Beehive residents.

They continued their visits in the summer when Alex was home from Girl Scout camps. In August, when Alex was an eighth grader, Carly took her and Lucy to the Beehive every Tuesday during lunchtime. She missed part of her physical education classes, but the Sacred Heart staff was supportive. Lucy wore a vest that said “Therapy dog in training.” Once she completes the therapy training, her vest will say, “Therapy dog.”

When Lucy arrives at the nursing home, she sits by a resident’s wheelchair. She lays her head on the person’s lap and soaks up all the petting she receives. The smile on Lucy’s face lets Alex know she loves these visits “Alex does an excellent job with her dog,” said Beehive caregiver Dolores Duran. “The residents can hardly wait to pet her beloved animal. One of them even gives Lucy kisses.”

Lots of volunteer hours Earning her silver award didn’t just involve visiting the nursing home.

Alex also had to answer lots of questions to get the project approved by the Girl Scouts of New Mexico Trails in Albuquerque. Once the project was completed, she had to fill out a report on what she learned, what she did, and what impact her project had. By the time she earned her award, she had put in well over the required 50 volunteer hours.

She also made several short videos about the importance of visiting nursing homes, and she shared some of her experiences with her Sacred Heart classmates. After Alex earned her silver award, she and Carly kept

taking Lucy to the Beehive because they enjoy doing it.

When Carly told Alex about the Prudential award in the fall of 2016, Alex applied for it. She used information she’d compiled for her silver award to write an essay for the application.

Alex loves her essay “I love my essay,” Alex said. “I love creative writing and poetry. That’s my passion. And reading and being a nerd.”

This March, Carly discovered she’d won the award. “I was jumping up and down, screaming and squealing because I was going to Washington, D.C., on a plane and I was going to do a cruise on a boat!” Alex exclaimed. “In Washington, D.C., we get to do another service project. We get to read to kids and give them books, which is cool.”

When Alex googled the award and read about other winners’ projects, she was amazed. “She said, ‘I don’t know how I got picked,’” Carly related. “I told her, ‘Your project is amazing too, but you don’t see it that way because you’re in it every day.’”

Future visits?

Alex wants to continue visiting Beehive residents with Lucy this fall, but she’ll be a ninth grader at Piedra Vista High School. It’s a lot farther from PV to the Beehive, so she might have to visit on Saturdays.

“We haven’t figured that out for next year,” Carly said, “but we like doing it.”

Alex hopes to help people train dogs when she grows up. “A lot of people give up their dogs, or their dogs go astray because they don’t know how to train them,” she said. “That would be a good side job. I don’t know if I would be able to make a living off of something like that, but I definitely love animals.”

“She’s a kid to watch” Janet Grinage, who was Alex’s kindergarten teacher at Sacred Heart, keeps in touch with her school progress. “I’ve been impressed with her throughout the years,” she said. “She has her hands in everything, and she does a good job with everything she touches. She is a kid I want to watch, because I expect her to do great things.”

Young writers

continued from 18

performing. Thanks to a grant from the Connie Gotsch Arts Foundation, there’s enough money to give each parent a thumb drive with the video of their student on it. The grant also provided money for supplies, taping and editing costs incurred by the FHS Live! film class.

Focus on Olympic athletes This spring, students are focusing on writing stories and creating the characters of Olympic athletes such as Michael Phelps and other lesser-known-athletes. Again their performances will be videotaped.

Frances’ goal is to see the oral family his-

tory project in every classroom, but she hasn’t figured out the logistics of that yet.

“I refer to the students as writers and storytellers, because it’s self-fulfilling prophecy,” she said. “They’ll think of themselves as writers and storytellers, and they will become writers and storytellers.”

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