Heroes 2015 by The Taos News

Citizens of the Year AND

Unsung Heroes

Section 1

Citizens of the Year: The Randall Family

Section 2

Addelina Lucero, Bruce McIntosh

Section 3

Liz Moya Herrera, Walter Allen, Mary Anne Boughton

Section 4

Thom Wheeler, Carl Colonius, Melissa Larson

FIFTEENTH ANNUAL

Tradiciones honrar a nuestros hĂŠroes

Heroes

Katharine Egli

Charles, Paula and Dorothy Randall pose for a portrait in their lumberyard in downtown Taos, Aug. 11.

Citizens of the Year The Randall family

By Joan Livingston

andall Lumber and Hardware was founded in 1921 — making it the oldest business in Taos. Beginning with Elisha Randall, the business has been a building source for local people building and repairing their homes, a steady employer and a generous benefactor. Of course, one can’t separate the family business, now in its third generation, from the family. When asked about the Randalls’ legacy in Taos, Elisha’s son Charles Randall, says modestly, the family has been “part of the community and filling in when needed.”

When asked about the Randalls’ legacy in Taos, Elisha’s son Charles Randall, says modestly, the family has been ‘part of the community and filling in when needed.’ “Elisha set the base — honest and straight forward,” he said. And for being an integral part of the community, The Taos News honors the Randall family as this year’s Citizens of the Year.

Origins When Elisha and Erna Randall were interviewed on radio station KKIT in 1971, it was the day after Amarillo Hardware gave them a gold hammer to mark their business’ 50th anniversary. “You’ll have to come by the store and see it,” Elisha said in a heavy Maine accent in the recording. “It’s quite a sight.” Elisha was 7 when the family arrived May 5, 1903 after a five-day trek by train from Maine to Tres Piedras. The Randalls were going to help at a San Cristóbal ranch owned by relatives. Randall continues on page 6

Heroes

Joan Livingston

Members of this year’s Tradiciones Selection Committee from left: Eloy Jeantete, Gabriel Romero, Mary Ellen Ferguson, Elizabeth Crittenden Palacios, Kathleen Michaels, Angel Reyes, Stella Mares McGinnis, Marilyn Farrow, Barbara Wiard and Esther Garcia.

Involvement

Congratulations on A JOB WELL DONE The Randall Family

Committee makes Heroes possible

cts of kindness and selflessness by those who quietly go out on a limb to make a difference in other peoples’ lives are Taos’ unsung heroes.

For the 14th year, The Taos News honors a group of citizens for making notable contributions to the community. To help recognize those who oftentimes don’t want to be recognized, The Taos News gathers an assembly of citizens for our annual Tradiciones selection committee. The 2015 committee included Eloy Jeantete, Gabriel Romero, Mary Ellen Ferguson, Elizabeth Crittenden Palacios,

Citizens of the Year

Kathleen Michaels, Angel Reyes, Stella Mares McGinnis, Marilyn Farrow, Barbara Wiard and Esther Garcia.

and

Overseers of the process included publisher Chris Baker, editor Joan Livingston, advertising manager Chris Wood and former special sections editor Andy Jones. No staff members were involved in the selection process. The paper’s management staff, however, did make the final selection for Citizens of the Year from a list of nominees presented by the focus group.

Unsung Heroes of Taos! Your commitment, hard work and perseverance have built a legacy for Taos’ future.

The Taos News staff sincerely thanks the 2015 Tradiciones committee for making this entire series possible. — Scott Gerdes, special sections editor

FIFTEENTH ANNUAL

Tradiciones honrar a nuestros héroes

Staff

Robin Martin, owner • Chris Baker, publisher • Joan Livingston, editor • Chris Wood, advertising manager • Scott Gerdes, special sections editor • Michelle M. Gutierrez, lead editorial designer • Virginia Clark, copy editor, Karin Eberhardt, production manager • Katharine Egli, photographer • Editor Joan Livingston, staff writers Cody Hooks, J.R. Logan, Andrew Oxford, Rick Romancito, Gabriel Weinstein

Contributing writers

Wanda Lucero 575.737.5433 wandalucero.com

Cindy Brown, Andy Dennison, Teresa Dovalpage

On the cover

Dorothy, Charles and Paula Randall pose in front of their family’s business, Aug. 11. Photo by Katharine Egli.

94 Years, 3 Generations,

One Family.

Heroes aren’t born. They’re bred through hard work and perserverance.

94 years of business ownership has thrown us plenty of challenges and hard times. But the joy of serving our families and friends of Taos has always kept us going.

Stop by for a cup of coffee and learn about the Randall difference. “the home experts” 315 Paseo del Pueblo Sur 575.758.2271

www.randalltaos.com

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Thank you Thom... “Congratulations for your generous dedication to the community of Taos and your life long commitment to causes that are dear to your heart.” -With Our Friendship, Bridget & Chuck Centers “Thanks for all you do to help make Taos such a great place for us all.” -Peggy & John Hamilton “Thank you for your friendship and your generosity. You make Taos a better place to live!” -Love, Tom & Kaye Tynan “My Amigo - Congratulations, Thom. You are a Hero with a big heart for the Town of Taos and all your contributions to so many nonprofits.” -Ed Sandoval “Congratulations, Thom for your continued support of the Taos Community.” -Kirk & Jeri Clark

Heroes

“Well deserved, Thom! You are no longer ‘Unsung’ …Just a Hero.” -David Robinson & Marcia Waldorf “Thom and Lavinia are a great conduit to friends and we are very happy and proud to have been included.” -Tom Work & Joyce Alapa “Thank you for being my friend. I love you.” -Louis Codoné “You have given unselfishly to this community for so many years. Today is your day to realize that all you have done and continue to do has not gone unnoticed and is appreciated by so many. You’re a beautiful soul.” -With heartfelt love, Kellie Harris

...for being our Unsung Hero

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Courtesy photo

Charles H. Randall, right, stands with two lumbermen after they had cut down a particularly large tree.

Courtesy photo

Elisha Randall stands on a horse-drawn carriage though a lumberyard.

The Randall Family Citizens of the Year

Randall continues from page 2

‘He didn’t talk a lot but when he had something to say it was really important, and when you were in trouble you knew it right away ... ’ — Dorothy Randall

e returned briefly to Maine for high school and served in the Merchant Marines before settling in Taos. The family first ventured into logging, a full days work with a team of horses in the canyons. “Change was very slow then,” Elisha said in the recording. “The streets were deep in mud. Practically all the houses were adobe and there was one store.” Elisha opened the lumberyard in 1921, and

eventually it began selling hardware a little at a time to meet customers’ requests. As for her role in the business, Erna, who married Elisha in 1930, said succinctly, “I try to hold up my end of it.” Charles Randall said his father was “a typical New Englander.” “He didn’t talk a lot but when he had something to say it was really important,” Dorothy Randall, who is married to Charles, said. “And when you were in trouble you knew it right away. He liked me a lot. I was on his good side mostly.” Erna’s family moved from Oklahoma to Moreno Valley; she came to Taos to work at Burch’s store on Taos Plaza. “She was a farm girl, a hard worker,” Charles said of his mother. “She worked alongside dad right from the beginning.” Elisha and Erna had four children: Charles, John, Merlin and Minnie Lou. Paula Randall Ervin, Charles and Dorothy’s daughter and one of the business’ current owners, says it’s fortunate she and her siblings got to know their grandfather before he died in 1972.

Heroes

Everybody knew Erna as “Grandma Randall.” She lived next door at “the big house” and was a constant presence at the store. Even a few years before she died in 1999, she sat and said hello to customers so they’d feel welcome. “He seemed like he was gruff and had a New England accent he never lost,” she said. “He was fun. He loved reading and he read to us a lot. He always wore suspenders. It was always a favorite game to run up behind him and pop his suspenders and then he would chase us.” Paula recalls her grandmother was “very German.” “Cleaning was the most important thing,” she said. “You always had to be cleaning something. The guys around here were always glad that she wore a hard heel so they could hear her coming. They could get busy when she came around the corner. Everybody knew Erna as “Grandma Randall.” She lived next door at “the big house” and was a constant presence at the store. Even a few years before she died in 1999, she sat and said hello to customers so they’d feel welcome.

Next generation Charles Randall, like other members of the family, started working at a young age. “From the time I was big enough to handle anything I was stacking lumber or receiving boards from the planer or the saw, ” he said. After college and serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, Charles worked in the family business for its construction division. He built roads and did earthwork for utilities. Brother John managed the store. Merlin had a moving and storage business before he got into construction and power tools for the store. Minnie Lou worked with the Forest Service. Charles and Dorothy, who married in 1954, have three children — Paula, David and Pamela. When their youngest was a year old, Elisha asked Dorothy if she wanted to work part-time at the store. Randall continues on page 8

Courtesy photo

Mini Mariah Randall poses for a picture with a car.

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Katharine Egli

Charles Randall

Katharine Egli

Dorothy Randall

Katharine Egli

Paula Randall Ervin

The Randall Family Citizens of the Year

Randall continues from page 7

“I

was dusting,” Dorothy said. “I didn’t like that much. That went on for a year. I got interested in the accounting office so I started learning that part.” She worked while the children were in school as the accountant. That turned fulltime until she retired last year after 52 years. Third generation Prior to the third generation taking over, Randall Lumber had 17 stockholders — all of them family members but only a few actually working in the business. In 1997, Paula Randall Ervin, David Randall, who lives in Fort Collins, and Britt Bland, their brother-in-law, became the sole owners. Pamela Randall Britt owns Unicorn School Supplies next door. Paula was 6 or 7 when she had her first job at Randall’s — dusting and licking stamps and envelopes on statement day. “I’ve loaded lumber and cement,” she said. After graduating from Randolph Macon Women’s College, where she majored in physics, she returned to Taos after graduation, as she knew she would. She and her husband John Ervin, who worked as a blacksmith, built their home on Blueberry Hill. Paula said lumber and hardware is the best business for the family because it is providing something people need. “What’s more important than sound housing?” she asked. Randall Lumber has survived during economic downturns by being conservative. “We don’t owe money,” Paula said. “We make do. We have a forklift that is 25 years old that’s still working. We’re proud in this downturn we didn’t lay anybody off. We managed with some attrition, not replacing anybody. Everybody pitched in and cut our hours and did what we could.” Plus Randall Lumber has generations of loyal

customers. “I remember their grandmothers coming in and my grandfather would give them credit to repair their roof,” Paula said. “These sweet little old ladies would come in with their $5 or $10 to pay on their account. We knew they had a roof that didn’t leak or windows that were secure.” Randall Lumber has 39 employees; the average stay is 15 years. Many of their employees are related, an arrangement Paula says works very well. Frank Concha retired in August after 56 years. Six generations of the Concha family have worked at Randall Lumber. Contribution to Taos Being a part of the community means more than selling what it needs. Elisha set that example as Taos’ first fire chief. He was a “firefighter for life.” During World War II, he spent evenings and weekends fixing roofs and tackling other repairs for women whose husbands were in the service. Charles has been involved with the Taos Historic Museums starting back in the ’50s, including serving as chairman for 20 years and on its board. He has his workshop, where he built the “Broken Wheel” float commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Taos Society of Artists for this year’s Fiestas parade. He and Dorothy helped start the Sangre de Cristo Church in 1991. Charles worked on the church’s construction. Dorothy is its treasurer. As for Randall Lumber, one of its favorite causes is Habitat for Humanity of Taos. Besides donating construction materials, it presents a toolbox to the new homeowner. And at the Taos County Fair 4-H livestock auction, Paula stays until the end to bid on the animals the youngest children show. “I love our business and I love what we doing for our community,” she said.

As for Randall Lumber, one of its favorite causes is Habitat for Humanity of Taos. Besides donating construction materials, it presents a toolbox to the new homeowner.

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Courtesy photo

The Randall Family gathered to celebrate the 65th Anniversary of their lumber business in Taos.

Congratulations Randall Family from our family to yours. We appreciate all you have done for our community. Congratulations to the Unsung Heroes.

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2 0 15 Tr a d i c i o n e s â&#x20AC;˘ T he Ta o s Ne w s

Katharine Egli

Addelina Lucero checks her blue corn fields at Taos Pueblo.

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Katharine Egli

Unsung Hero Addelina Lucero stands in her blue corn field at Taos Pueblo, Aug. 21.

Addelina Lucero A long journey home

By Teresa Dovalpage

ddelina Lucero’s life journey took her from New Mexico to California — the latter her mother’s home state — and then back to Taos Pueblo where her roots are now firmly planted. “I was born at the Indian Hospital in Santa Fe and lived in the Pueblo until I was 8 years old,” she said. “When my dad passed away in 1979, my mother moved the family to the West Coast. Up to that moment, my understanding of society was that of a little girl whose parents made a living off their land in a tight-knit community. We knew all our neighbors, so moving to Los Angeles turned out to be a shock.” At first she felt alienated — contrary to what had happened at Taos Pueblo — because everybody “was a

stranger in Los Angeles,” she recalled. The differences, ‘I worked with former gang however, made her aware of her cultural identity. members so they could get funds “Later in life, though I worked as a brand manager for big companies like Donna Karan and Tommy Hilfiger, and had and have a place to meet, and a successful career in the clothing industry, I still longed for offer their performances. Most home,” she said. “I knew in my heart that I belonged here and that I would come back.” of them played heavy metal and Metal Momma Productions underground music.’ While she was working and raising her three children in California, Lucero found time to devote to young people — Addelina Lucero who needed help. “I worked with former gang members so they could get for those young people who, like herself, felt out of place in funds and have a place to meet, and offer their performances,” an urban environment. she said. “Most of them played heavy metal and underground music.” Lucero continues on page 14 Her company, Metal Momma Productions, was an outlet

Heroes

Katharine Egli

Addelina Lucero checks her blue corn fields at Taos Pueblo.

PHOTOGRAPH BY LENNY FOSTER

Walter Allen

LIONS CLUB MEMBER SINCE MAY 7, 2007

OUR HEROES... Honoring Walter & Thom, who have shared their spirit of being a Lion by giving through community service.Â

Thom Wheeler

LIONS CLUB MEMBER SINCE OCT.18, 2012

Heroes

Katharine Egli

Lucero holds beans picked fresh from her farm at Taos Pueblo, Aug. 21.

EDUCATION

is the development and honing of the abilities of the mind.

TRAINING

is the practical application of education to a particular art, trade or profession.

UNM-Taos salutes our own LIZ MOYA-HERRERA and all the other

Unsung Heroes who devote themselves to the honorable profession of teaching.

UNM-Taos 1157 County Road 110 Ranchos de Taos, NM (575) 737-6200 | taos.unm.edu

Heroes

Lucero continues from page 12

Addelina Lucero A long journey home

‘I

t was a very rewarding experience,” she said, “which encouraged me to continue helping the youth when I came back.” Coming home Six years ago, Lucero felt it was time to return to New Mexico and go back to college

as well. “I took a sociology class at San Bernardino Valley Community College that helped me reconnect with my tribal self and motivated me to continue studying,” she said. “I began researching university programs and decided to attend (University of New Mexico), which granted me a full scholarship through Student Family Housing. It was an answer to my prayers; I could come home and learn about our language and culture.” She is still attending UNM and plans to get a bachelor’s degree in Native American Studies and Indigenous Education. “I learned how to teach, how to create a curriculum and implement learning strategies,” Lucero said. “Then I thought of applying these new skills to my community. I returned to Taos in the winter of 2012, ready to restart my life here. I dreamed of my sons hunting and being part of the tribe, of growing our own corn.” The educator: The youth programs at Red Willow Center Lucero is currently an educator at the Red Willow Center, where she just finished teaching a class through the Summer Sustainability Institute. She is also the project coordinator for a sustainable food

system at Taos Pueblo that offers nutritional training to the youth. “I fulfilled my dream of being here and working with young people,” she said. “We help them get access to different programs that are connected to the Red Willow Farmers Market, the CAMP program at UNM, the greenhouse program and the high school credit recovery program, which they can take when they are ready to graduate but need some science credits.” Students learn about irrigation, the use of solar panels and cooling systems, the agricultural traditions of American Indians and how to preserve them. “These are very hands-on, science-in-action classes,” Lucero said. “The kids also work in the garden and sell their produce in the Red Willow Market that takes place every Wednesday.” They have also partnered with community gardens at the Taos Waldorf School, the Taos Pueblo Senior Center and the Head Start program. Every semester the course has a different theme. The most recent was “Our food is our medicine” and dealt with how food can be used for healing purposes. “Whatever we put into our bodies has an effect on it,” Lucero said. “We eat every single day, so we have to be careful with what we use for nutrition.” The entrepreneur: Dancing Butterfly Naturals Lucero uses the same approach in a line of personal care items she has developed. The lotions, soaps, body scrubs, bath salts and shampoos she makes are all natural and organic. She uses ingredients

such as goat milk, aloe vera gel, sunflowers, coconut, pure vitamin E, essential oils and mineral clay. “I never put into my products anything that I wouldn’t like for me or my family to be in contact with,” she said. “And I should say that my whole family has been very supportive of this venture. My daughter helps me make the products and we have so much fun working together.” She named her business Dancing Butterfly Naturals. Dancing Butterfly is her Native name and she chose it to honor her roots. Lucero plans to develop more items soon. “My goal is to create products that are good for the skin and the planet, and that also help my clients’ beauty shine in a natural way,” she said. “That’s why my motto is ‘love yourself from the inside out.’” Reconnecting with the ancestors Besides developing her business and teaching at the Red Willow Center, Lucero is also farming her own plot of land. “My mom gave me her blue corn, red bean and pumpkin seeds,” she said. “They are very meaningful to me; symbols of how I am reconnecting with my ancestors’ traditions.” Her youngest son, Julian Alarcon, is also on a path to unite with his heritage. He went through his initiation ceremony a few months ago. “It’s called ‘traditional commitment’ and connects him directly with our language and our people,” Lucero said. “I’m very proud when I see my children integrating so well into our community. This is the main reason why I came back — we are home.”

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Heroes

Katharine Egli

Bruce McIntosh and Gabrielle Sanchez do a mirroring exercise on stage at Metta Theatre, Aug. 21.

Congratulations to Our Longest Standing Member:

Randall Lumber and Hardware

Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re An Exceptional Example of Business Success!

Taos County Chamber of Commerce celebrates Tradiciones and our Unsung Heroes throughout Taos County by continuing their traditions of excellence and caring for the community! The Chamber is 53 years strong!

For more information call 751.8800 www.taoschamber.com

Heroes

Bruce McIntosh Acting is a kinship

By Cody Hooks

ruce McIntosh, a selfdescribed “skinny white guy from Connecticut,” heads up Metta Theatre and Metta Young Artists, a theater company that’s more than a place to put on plays. He describes the cadre of actors young and old as a little family. And a family, like any production, play or poetry reading that graces the tiny stage in El Prado, is a collective effort. McIntosh knows, from the actors onstage to the volunteers taking tickets, “what has been accomplished is yours alone by no means. It is the coming together of many people.” McIntosh came up professionally in the hardscrabble Los Angeles theater scene, making next to no money doing plays in a city with more than 200 little black-box theaters. “I was not a working, commercially successful artist by any means,” he said. Still, McIntosh admits his fortunes were luckier than most — he was in a play that put him on the road for several years after he and his wife, Michelle, had just moved to Taos. He sent home what money he could. A couple of plays he wrote were turned into films and he’s had plenty of professional acting gigs on films and TV, here and there. It was a chance kind of remark from a volunteer drama teacher that got McIntosh

Teaching adults was fine. But deep down, he wanted to work with emerging artists in their teens and 20s. into Taos High School in 2006. “They’d go to high school their whole classroom day, do after-school acting classes a couple days a weeks, go grab a bite to eat and be down at the theater to keep acting for a few more hours in the evening.” Teaching adults was fine. But deep down, he wanted to work with emerging artists in their teens and 20s. That trajectory was never really the plan. But McIntosh quotes a 13th century poet who said, “events and plans seldom agree.” “That’s when it solidified,” McIntosh said, and Metta Young Artists was born. “In two seconds I fell in love with all these high school guys.” “Some of these guys — when I say guys, I mean the young women and the young men — don’t have an idyllic home scene,” he said. Taking a cue from a gang rehab program in L.A., Homeboy Industries, McIntosh discovered that acting isn’t necessarily the core of Metta. It’s kinship. McIntosh continues on page 19

Katharine Egli

Unsung Hero Bruce McIntosh poses for a portrait on the Metta Theatre stage, July 27.

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Katharine Egli

Bruce McIntosh leads a group in grounding Tai Chi movements as a warm-up before a young actors workshop, Aug. 22.

Congratulations, Carl!

Roberto “Bobby” J. Gonzales

State Representative District #42 Democrat

Congratulations to the 2015 Citizens of the Year and Unsung Heroes. Your hard work and commitment make Taos the special place it is. Thank you Taos County for your ongoing support.

Thumbs up to your commitment to youth development, rural vitality and conservation.

If I may assist you please call 575-770-3178.

You’re our hero!

LAND& WATER Issues

C O N F E R E N C E

October 23-24

State Representative Roberto “Bobby” J. Gonzales District 42, Democrat

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For more information, visit www.taoslandtrust.org or call (575) 751-3138.

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McIntosh continues from page 17

Bruce McIntosh Acting is a kinship

‘W

here is kinship? Where does a kid feel welcome no matter what kind of mistakes he’s made and no matter what kind of background he’s in?” he asked. The answer has evolved over time as the little family of Metta has grown, morphed and helped emerging artists find their way to confidence, skills and the places of their dreams. “We’ve had a Cinderella story,” he said. Not only have young Metta actors ended up in the big cities (admittedly a hardscrabble route like his), but others have also been on sets and gotten their union cards right here in New Mexico where the work is heating up because the industry madly craves talented, trained young people. So in rehearsals and workshops, McIntosh brings his dedication to match the indomitable drive and passion of the multitalented artists around him. “One of the benefits of theater is you can’t fake it,” he said. “It’s going to take you some hours to memorize this and it ain’t gonna get memorized ’til it’s memorized. I’m not beating them up, I’m just saying there’s no getting around it if you’re in the last part of your last scene and the lines start to wobble.” It’s a fact of life that, “Yeah, it’s on you. You’re responsible. That’s valuable, that kind of discipline,” he said of his own life lesson, adding, “Theater saved my butt when I was a kid.”

But McIntosh thinks what he teaches the young folks pales next to what they end up teaching him — especially at the Taos County Juvenile Detention Center (JDC). Since October, he’s co-led an acting and creative writing workshop for three days a week at the detention center with Jacquelyn Cordova, a 2009 graduate of Taos High School and board member of Metta Theatre. “You’re trying to create the vibe of a theater in a detention center,” she said, “where naturally talented young people (singers, songwriters, screenwriters, and yes, actors) have to deal with a lot of isolation and unknowns.” “I have this Zen teacher who says ‘give yourself unreservedly,’” McIntosh said. “The core activity is the same in the detention center. You’re up there trying to give it your all.” When the young people at the JDC give it their all, another side of acting takes the stage. “I like to see what’s real,” he said, recalling young people’s struggles with poverty and substance abuse, hardcore gangs, sexual violence and the beginnings of what could be a long haul in the criminal justice system. “This is Taos,” he added, where the tragedies are just as important as the shiniest of successes. “They might be wondering if tomorrow they’re going home or going to an adult detention center. Maybe a family visit didn’t happen. They’ve got a lot of stuff they’ve seen and experienced. They’ve got a lot of stuff going on,” McIntosh said.

“How many emotions you got today?” he’ll ask them. One guy from Taos nailed it — “I don’t know man. Like a zillion.” The thing about acting is it’s about the right now, McIntosh said. “When I went to New York for acting school, a teacher said something to me that was a foreign concept — you have the right to your feelings. You don’t have any emotions that are incorrect. This art form requires you to express truthfully your actual emotions, not what’s wanted at home or expected at school.” “I want to know your truth,” he tells them. Because in acting just as much as in life, “it’s only when there’s genuine, true emotion that it touches somebody.” To help young people get in touch with their truths, McIntosh shares a method, not for acting, but for cleaning out their heads. A Zen mediation practitioner for about 17 years, he’s seen that something as simple as counting your breaths can chill these kids out, help them sleep and feel a little better. And hopefully, acting and a little mediation can help them accept the situation as it is, and accept themselves as they are. The situation? Not insurmountable. Themselves? Labeled as screw-ups, but talented humans with so much to contribute. Navigating the criminal justice system, putting on shows and getting young people to where they want to be comes with plenty of challenges. But for every challenge, McIntosh meets it, greets it and makes art with the little Metta family around him.

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Heroes 2 0 15 Tr a d i c i o n e s â&#x20AC;˘ T he Ta o s Ne w s

Katharine Egli

Mary Anne Boughton paints artists' palettes, July 7, for the Taos Historical Society's replica float for the 2015 Fiesta Historical Parade.

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Katharine Egli

Unsung Hero Liz Moya Herrera poses for a portrait on UNM-Taos’ Klaur Campus, Aug. 10.

Liz Moya Herrera Solving for Taos

By Andrew Oxford

iz Moya Herrera did not find much encouragement in math class as a student at Taos High School. “My, we’re getting brave, aren’t we?” a teacher used to say when students would raise their hands in math class. “Let’s pretend you’re not very smart. That isn’t hard, is it?” he would sometimes say to the students. It was an era when, as Moya Herrera describes it, “you could either hack it in the classroom or you couldn’t.” “There wasn’t a lot of support,” she says. Moya Herrera’s experiences as a high school student did not turn her off math. Instead, she learned to love it. As an educator, Moya Herrera taught students to love math, too, and became an evangelist for a better way to engage youth with numbers. While she would go on to graduate from Taos High School, it was there she had her worst experiences in math. And while Moya Herrera would go on to graduate from the University of New Mexico (UNM) with one of the school’s first degrees in bilingual elementary education, it would be several years into her teaching career that she would come to

truly love the subject. Moya Herrera moved back to Taos after graduating from UNM and began teaching in 1974, but was in her seventh year of teaching when she attended a workshop that would change the way she saw math — and the way hundreds of students would learn it. The workshop taught her not to merely toss equations at students and ask them to solve for “x,” but to ask them questions that would lead them to untangle the problem on their own. “So I tried to teach my fourth-grade students things that weren’t in the fourth-grade curriculum just to see if I could,” Moya Herrera recalls. “I could.” After moving beyond her own negative experiences in math, she became an advocate not just for the love of numbers but for a more effective style of teaching the subject. “I think that’s really why we’ve developed so many people that don’t think they can do math or don’t do well in math or don’t like math,” she says. “Just because of the way it has been taught for so long.” Math should be accessible, Moya Herrera says. “Math is in music. Math is in sports. Math is in every

As an educator, Moya Herrera taught students to love math, too, and became an evangelist for a better way to engage youth with numbers. aspect of our lives and we don’t even realize that it’s one thing in life that makes things beautiful — the space and the shapes that we move around in,” she says. But Moya Herrera has come to see that her quest to improve math education is not merely a matter of instilling a love of learning in her students. It’s also about improving the quality of life for their community. This was the subject of a running argument between Moya Herrera and a former colleague. Math can be a key to economic development, as she sees it.

Heroes

Katharine Egli

Liz Moya Herrera tutors students at UNM-Taos in math at the Klaur Campus, Aug. 10.

“I tell my students they can’t have a bad attitude about math. You have to let go of those negative experiences and learn to love it. Otherwise, they’re just going to keep perpetuating what we have now,” Moya Herrera says. And if anyone has fought to change the status quo, it’s Moya Herrera. Moya Herrera grew up in Santa Rita, where her father worked in the copper industry. His work took the family to Silver Bell, Arizona. They settled in Taos when she was in high school after he landed a job at Questa’s molybdenum mine. Moya Herrera’s father only had an eighth-grade education. But he was a union man. Moya Herrera recalls her family hosting meetings with labor leaders in their home when she was a child. And she credits him with having inspired her own activism. As an elementary school teacher, Moya Herrera says she was concerned educators were too often left out when administrators made decisions that impacted their students’

learning. “The school district wasn’t listening to the teachers,” she says. Taos was home to a chapter of the National Education Association, but Moya Herrera describes it as having been ineffective. It didn’t have a contract, either. “What we decided we needed was collective bargaining. We decided we needed a say in what was going on in the education of the children in our community,” she recalls. At the time, New Mexico did not have a collective bargaining law, making it a steep uphill battle. A group of educators decided to organize a chapter of the American Federation of Teachers. But rather than organize an election, the organizers asked colleagues to sign union cards. Teachers were fearful, however, school board members

2 3 g n i 3 t 8 3 a r Y ears 015 91 Celeb ily Owned Busin Fam

Moya Herrera tutors Rachel Lujan, left, and Thomas Fernandez, Aug. 3.

ess

El Taoseño Congratulates our Unsung Heroes and Citizen of The Year

The Randall Family

would learn of their support for the union, Moya Herrera says. To assure confidentiality, she recalls the union asked a librarian and a priest to tally the union cards so administrators would not see who had signed. Most of the school district’s teachers wanted a union, she says. But the school board dismissed the union’s “hard card petition.” “We decided the only way we’d get a bargaining agreement is if we had a school board who supported us,” Moya Herrera recalls. So the union recruited a slate of candidates to run for school board. They won the election and the union won recognition. Taos Federation of United School Employees continues to represent teachers and staff at Taos Municipal Schools. Herrera continues on page 25

“Heroes are never perfect,

but they’re BRAVE, they’re AUTHENTIC, they’re COURAGEOUS, DETERMINED, DISCREET,

and

THEY’VE GOT GRIT.” - Wade Davis

I’m honored to serve Taos County’s community of heroes. Your dedication and tireless work inspires my service.

Congratulations to the Randall Family and all of the Unsung Heroes.

Jim Fambro Taos County Commissioner • District #1

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Katharine Egli

Unsung Hero Moya Herrera poses for a portrait on UNM-Taos’ Klaur Campus, Aug. 10.

Congratulations to Citizens of the Year, the Randall Family And to the Unsung Heroes. BILLY J. KNIGHT, CLU Investment Advisor Representative

KNIGHT Financial Ltd. Wealth Management Group

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Heroes

Herrera continues from page 23

Liz Moya Herrera Solving for Taos

hat battle of David vs. Goliath would also characterize another one of Moya Herrera’s contributions to the district. Daniel Hedges, a teacher whose classroom neighbored Moya Herrera’s, taught chess to some students with special needs. Some of her own students learned, too, and the teachers would occasionally pair up students to play together. “Kids you wouldn’t think would play chess were learning to play chess and they were great thinkers,” Moya Herrera recalls. Hedges proposed forming a team and joining a league of Northern New Mexico schools. Moya Herrera agreed to help, but is the first to admit she does not have a particular knack for the game. “It’s not that we were such great chess players because I’m not a great chess player, but I’m a good teacher,” she says. The Knighthawks performed well, however. The team traveled to tournaments on weekends through the fall and into spring. Teams even traveled the country, from California to Florida. The Knighthawks were often smaller and younger than their competition. Moya Herrera recalls walking with an elementary school student through a hotel conference hall full of teenagers huddled around chess boards at a national tournament. When she escorted her student to the chessboard where he would play his next match, the teenager on the other side

Ever the advocate for teachers, Moya Herrera remains concerned educators have too little say in the decisions that impact their students’ learning. looked at them askance. “I’m going to play him?” she recalls the high school student asking, referring to the 7-year-old beside her. “Yes, you’re going to play him,” Moya Herrera replied, offering a lesson to her students that they should never be deterred. Moya Herrera also traveled the country mentoring and training other educators with organizations such as the American Indian Science Engineering Society, Inter-Tribal Education Coalition, Resources for Indian Education, the California State Dept. of Education, the Science Teacher Enhancement Project and the Northern New Mexico Network for Rural Education. Moya Herrera also served as principal at Enos Garcia Elementary School and as instruction and accountability director for Taos Municipal School District, working in the district for a total of 31 years before retiring.

The school district made a big impression on her personal life, too. At the school mariachi program’s practices, she met Walter Herrera, a father who would later become her husband. They were married in 2000. Today, she teaches math for elementary school teachers at UNM-Taos. Her only child, Louis Moya, followed her in working for the school, where he is now director of development and media services, as well as chair of the Digital Media Arts Program. Ever the advocate for teachers, Moya Herrera remains concerned educators have too little say in the decisions that impact their students’ learning. “I think accountability is important, but that we’ve gone a little crazy with that,” she says, referring to the current-day debate over standardized testing. “I think teachers spend too much time on that aspect of their jobs. It’s hard for them to find the time to do good teaching.” And she is concerned charter schools may be doing more harm than good — by drawing the most advantaged or promising students and undoing some of the advances in racial integration. “A lot of the kids who go in there — they’re kids who are going to make it anyway because their parents have the resources and realize the importance of education. The kids who need support are the ones who are not getting it,” she says. “I like the idea of small schools,” Moya Herrera adds, “but I really wish there was a way to do it that better represented the demographics of the community.”

Heroes

Katharine Egli

Unsung Hero Walter Allen poses for a portrait at St. James Episcopal Church where he is an assistant minister, Aug. 3.

YOU CAN BE A HERO TOO!

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Heroes

Walter Allen A compassionate spirit

By Andy Dennison

n the face of it, a young Walter Allen would hardly have been anyone’s candidate to be an Episcopal priest. After all, he spent much of his professional life as a commercial developer in his native Houston — one of the fastest growing cities of mid-century America, and home to all manner of dispassionate growth and capitalism. “Those were high times in Houston,” Allen said as he sat in his office at St. James Episcopal Church in Taos. “Those were the days when you could walk into a bank and negotiate the rate on your terms.” But, all along the way, there were hints that he would eventually heed a higher, more compassionate calling. He came from an Episcopal family. As a developer, he found that new, highly profitable construction projects didn’t interest him as much as rehabilitating distressed buildings. He realized how much he enjoyed the relationships he had with the tenants in his buildings. Consequently, he felt deeply for them when they fell on hard times and couldn’t pay the rent. “I enjoyed building so much, but I also got to see into the hardships when they hit people personally,” Allen said. “But Houston had a way of convincing you that any problems were short-lived, so I hung on longer than I should have.” In 1990, Allen felt a “calling” and enrolled in the Episcopal Church’s shortcut course to the priesthood. But the seminal moment of spiritual awakening came in 1992, when both his parents and his brother died. “I said to myself, ‘OK, it’s my turn now,’” he recalled. “Where do I want to live and what do I want to do with the rest of my life?” Walter and Elaine Allen left Houston in 1992, spent 12 years in Vail, Colorado, during which time Walter became an Episcopal priest, before they eventually landed in Taos

and at St. James Episcopal Church. The people of Taos are thankful that the Allens’ journey ended up in Northern New Mexico. Because of his work at St. James Episcopal Church and as a KidSight chairman with the Taos Lions Club, Walter Allen has been named one of the Unsung Heroes of 2015 by The Taos News. Leaving Houston, Allen’s motivations were clear: Get closer with family and join the priesthood. He and Elaine moved to Vail where their daughters and grandsons lived. Championed by Bishop Winterroad in Denver, he was soon ordained and became a priest at a Vail-area church — at the age of 65. As for why Taos, Elaine has to take credit for that. For years, she subscribed to New Mexico Magazine and had read about Taos. She was an artist, not a skier — the Colorado winters had begun to wear on her — and she knew where they were going next. “She was determined to live here,” Allen said. “We bought a house here in 2004, and we moved in 2007. But I moved kicking and screaming because I had lost my ministry in Vail. I had no idea I would get involved with St. James.” In 2003, St. James had lost its priest and The Rev. Walter Allen, new to town, filled in. For the next five years or so, he headed up religious practices at St. James. And as most anyone in Taos knows, there’s always something going on at St. James to help the community. Soon, church member Bill Waugh of the Lions Club got his hooks into Allen. Waugh took him to the Geezers Club and meetings of the Taos Lions Club, and soon Allen found a new calling. KidSight has been a staple Lions Club program since the mid-1990s, with the specific task of screening children’s eyesight before they get too far in school. The belief is that if you get a child’s eyesight corrected at an early age, the chances for success in school and beyond are greatly magnified. The Rev. Allen took to this job as he had with all others

‘You know that people, given the opportunity, can be generous with their time and treasure ... ’ — Walter Allen — with love and determination. In 2005, he became the chairman of the KidSight program for the Taos Lions and oversaw some 2,000 screenings a year in Taos County, Eagle Nest and Cimarrón. “We are now the top-screening Lions Club in New Mexico,” he said, wanting to note that the late Rich Sanders worked closely with him. “It’s a huge give-back to the community.” Soon, Allen got an adult eyecare program going with the help of local optometrist Jane Compton, the Eye Bank of Albuquerque and Eye Associates in Santa Fe. “My belief is success in life comes from the contacts you make with other people,” Allen said. “These people had no contacts because of poor eyesight, and we were helping make contact again.” Even at 82 — and now an assisting priest to Father Mike Olsen — there’s no way Allen can stay still. He’s put his devotion and dedication into preservation of the Tio Vivo Carousel, one of two known “flying jenny” carousels in America; the expansion of the Lions Club scholarship program to promote local job growth; St. James’ Food Pantry that feeds 450-500 people a week; the Empty Bowls fundraiser; and others. “You know that people, given the opportunity, can be generous with their time and treasure,” said Allen. “My life has been like chapters of a book. After my spiritual awakening, I found I had a lot of chits out there because my life has been so good. “I want to take advantage of all of them as much as I can.”

Congratulations to the 2015 Unsung Heroes and Citizen of the Year

Honoring Our Heroes, Jeff Trammel and Stephen Plyler In recognition of Walking Rain Productions’ commitment to Stray Heart’s mission and success, we offer our deepest thanks and gratitude to Jeff and Stephen.

Also pictured: Maggie, Lilly and Eddie. Photo by Katharine Egli, The Taos News

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Heroes

Katharine Egli

Unsung Hero Mary Anne Boughton, who is heavily involved with the Taos Historic Museums, poses for a portrait in the Hacienda de los Martinez, July 7.

Mary Ann Boughton Service through volunteering

By Cindy Brown

ary Ann Boughton has a deep love of Taos that is evident whenever she talks about its arts, culture and history. Her enthusiasm is contagious. Perhaps that is why she is such an effective educator and guide at the historic museums of Taos. Since coming here 20 years ago, Boughton has been the museum educator at the Harwood and Kit Carson Museums and given tours at the Martinez Hacienda and Millicent Rogers Museum, as well as the Blumenschein and Couse-Sharp homes, sharing her knowledge and enthusiasm. She says that she is just enough of a ham to enjoy teaching and entertaining those who attend her classes and tours. Boughton especially loves the santos that are part of the

collections of several Taos museums. These pieces were carved from wood for churches and homes in Northern New Mexico. The flat pieces are called retablos and the 3-D figures are referred to as bultos. Boughton says, “I love the santos because they were part of daily devotions and were important to the people and still are. The santos offer support and comfort, and receive our prayers. They are very beautiful and unique to Northern New Mexico.” One of her favorite spots is the Martinez Hacienda, which was built in 1804. Boughton says, “It is important to me. It reflects so much of the history of the valley.” She says it is a lot of work to keep the house maintained and plastered. The hacienda is supported through grants, along with entrance fees and funds raised during special events like the Trade Fair, held each year in late September. Before moving to Taos, Boughton was a docent, giving tours at the Dallas Museum of Art for more than 20 years.

She says that she is just enough of a ham to enjoy teaching and entertaining those who attend her classes and tours. She also worked in the education department, planning programs and tours for kids and adults. Art and history have been lifelong interests for her. She says that the docent program at the Dallas museum was outstanding, with weekly lectures from experts about items in the collection.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE

RANDALL FAMILY A great event inspires more than just the attendees. It inspires the entire community.

At U.S. Bank, we are committed to making the communities in which we work and live a better place. Our commitment means supporting the programs and organizations that enrich the quality of life for our neighbors.

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“The Randall family and their employees offer quality and service, and have a long history of supporting our community. Back in 1979, they were the very first to extend credit to me as a young builder; that has meant a lot to me over the last 36 years.”

With appreciation,

Wayne Rutherford

usbank.com Member FDIC

219 Cruz Alta, Taos, NM • 575-751-7028

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For breaking news go to taosnews.com

Build on our Experience. We do.

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Month X-X, 2010

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With the support of the Jesuits, McNichols worked with the AIDS Hospice team of St. Vincent’s Hospital in Manhattan. received a master of fine arts from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, N.Y.

ichols a blessing at a in Arroyo Seco.

od at it because he is “dyslexic s.” her dissuaded him from going ary, McNichols went to college gain he heard the message to ile he was painting. The next to the seminary in Florissant,

dained as a Roman Catholic ishop James Casey, in Denver,

tudied philosophy, theology ouis University, Boston College, sity, and Weston School of ambridge, Mass. In 1983 he

Working with AIDS patients McNichols said about the time he graduated from Pratt, AIDS — then called GRID for Gay-Related Immune Deficiency — was in the news. He received a call from Dignity, a Catholic gay organization, requesting he say Mass for people with AIDS. He had just finished reading a book about Father Damien, who worked with lepers in Hawaii, and given the hysteria then surrounding AIDS, he saw a connection. “I knew when I got the call, this was not just a Mass,” he said. Afterward, McNichols was approached by people who asked that he help people they knew who had AIDS. The first man he visited was so weak his caregiver fed him drops of orange juice from a straw. With the support of the Jesuits, McNichols worked with the AIDS Hospice team of St. Vincent’s Hospital in Manhattan. He met with people of all faiths and learned about their beliefs. Sometimes he saw patients for only one visit, sometimes a week or a year. “I wanted to talk with them,” he said. “This was the very Katharine Egli end of their lives.”Boughton poses for a portrait by a doorway of La Hacienda de los Martinez, July 7.

When Boughton came to Taos she didn’t know a soul, but her love of art and history led her to the Kit Carson Museum, which was part of the Taos Historic Museums at that time. She worked with the education efforts there. She says there were many stories to tell about Kit Carson, who spoke 10 languages. Skip Miller, who was the co-director of Taos Historic Museums, worked with Boughton during her time there. He says that Boughton’s knowledge and dedication made her a premier volunteer. “She is a true, consummate volunteer within the cultural institutions in the community. Without such dedicated volunteers, these landmark museums would not be able to function.” Boughton is modest about her contributions and says there are hundreds of active volunteers in Taos, and all she has done is show up when there was a need. She says she tried other forms of expression such as painting, pottery, weaving and sewing — all without success “And cooking is sketchy,” she adds. It seems that through her service to the museums, Boughton has found her true talent. Mary Ellen Ferguson, also a museum volunteer and board member, who nominated her says, “Mary Ann stands out among volunteers. She is generous with her time, contributing to the community at large

on a whole variety of levels. Mary Ann has been very involved in the arts and culture of Taos — volunteering and serving on the boards of the museums.” Hilary Stewart, membership coordinator at the Millicent Rogers Museum, adds that Boughton is one of their best volunteers. Stewart says that “if something needs to be done, Mary Ann does it willingly.” In addition to her work at the museums, Boughton is an active volunteer at the St. James Episcopal Church. She serves on the altar guild, preparing the altar for weekly services and special events such as weddings and funerals. She is also part of the pastoral care committee that responds to the needs of congregation members, providing meals when people are ill and or in need of other support. As part of that committee, Boughton has been involved in the effort to create a six-week series called “Graceful Aging, Graceful Dying.” She says it is free and open to the public and will feature an interfaith panel. For more information, go online to stjamestaos.org. Boughton’s service to Taos reflects her love of the community and her dedication to service. Without her work and the work of others like her, our cultural institutions could cease to function and the heart and history of Taos might gradually be lost.

Father Bill continues on page 14

AQUÍ EN TAOS

Our Friday Motors Family— Our Everyday Heroes Serving Taos For 44 Years

AQuÍ En TAos

Our Friday Motors Family— Our Everyday Heroes Serving Taos For 42 Years

, .

J.D. Powers Powers says says J.D. “Chevrolet wins wins “Chevrolet the most of any the most of any manufacturer.” manufacturer.”

Questa Mine salutes our

2015 Unsung Hero

PHIL HOWARD and recognizes his many contributions to the mine, the Village of Questa and to Taos County.

After 42 years in mining, with more than 17 years at the Questa Mine, Phil will retire in December of this year.

says

2014 Silverado "Best Truck Ever”

2015 COLORADO Truck of the Year!

Beyond his role as General Manager of the mine, Phil’s service to the community includes serving on the board of Taos Habitat for Humanity, and a strong supporter of Nonviolence Works and the Food Pantry.

The Questa Mine thanks Phil for his years of service.

Congratulations on your retirement!

Heroes

OCT

SAVE THE DATE :

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Heroes Heroes

2 0 15 Tr a d i c i o n e s â&#x20AC;˘ T he Ta o s Ne w s

Katharine Egli

Unsung Hero Melissa Larson of Wholly Rags sews a quilted bag together, July 20.

Heroes

Katharine Egli

Unsung Hero Thom Wheeler and his cherished paintbrush holder.

Thom Wheeler Ingrained giving

By Rick Romancito

f there’s a good cause to raise money for and if a party is involved, chances are Thom Wheeler is in the middle somewhere. Wheeler is one of this year’s Unsung Heroes, selected by a focus group made up of former “heroes” and community members. Staff of The Taos News are not part of the decision process. His selection is for good reason. Wheeler is one of those people who make philanthropy a word that doesn’t exactly feel right when spoken. That’s because his sense of giving back to the community is so ingrained in his larger-than-life personality, it’s simply what he does, because it’s the right thing to do. And, it’s not just for the living either. His work to help renovate the Sierra Vista Cemetery off Paseo del Pueblo Norte where many notable Taos artists and their families are interred is laudable, especially since he and his wife, Lavinia, have a plot set aside to join them farther down the line. In a recent “10 Questions” column for Tempo magazine,

Wheeler, an internationally collected artist, talked about why he likes to work on “wall jewelry” as big as the wide open spaces of Alice, Texas, where he came from. “I have always been fascinated with how things are made and fit together,” he said. “I began making things and taking them apart as a very young child. I worked alongside my dad in his workshop for as long as I can remember. I never thought I could make a living with my art and went to college to study business with an art minor. My senior art project turned into a sale and then a commission, and the rest is history. I have always made my living with my art.” In addition to his art, another thing for which he’s known is his support for the relatively new Lilac Festival in Taos. That event, held in in the spring, brings together various art galleries, businesses and individuals in celebration of the fragrant flower that seems to pop up everywhere in Taos. “I love gardening and I love looking at beautiful things,” he said. “Taos has so much natural beauty and the extraordinary lilacs here are a part of that. I saw that many of the old plants were in need of care and rejuvenation. I am

Wheeler is one of those people who make philanthropy a word that doesn’t exactly feel right when spoken. a clean-up freak and thought celebrating our lilacs could also help clean them up.” He said other parts of the country celebrate their plants and gardens with azalea, lilac and magnolia festivals that have been going on for years. “I’m always up for a party, so I thought why not have a lilac festival here in Taos to beautify the city and bring tourists to town when it is a very quiet time of year? My wife Lavinia and I, and our good friends John and Peggy Hamilton, launched the Lilac Festival from the grassroots and it has now grown to be what I hope is a long Taos tradition.” His lust for life and helping out others has proven a

Heroes

Katharine Egli

Thom Wheeler on the steps of his home, July 28.

wellspring of hope among people less fortunate. “I have lived a very good life and enjoyed many blessings,” he said. “I don’t take that for granted. I believe we are responsible for one another. I am responsible for leaving my small part of this world a little better and hopefully through my art, more beautiful than I found it. It is how my mother and father raised me and how they have lived their lives. I hope to pass that same sense of responsibility on to my fine son, Monty, and beautiful daughter, Bailey.” After serving as a sergeant in the U.S. Army Medical Corp from 1969-1971, he attended Sam Houston University and graduated in 1975. His art career began in Houston, Texas, as a sculptor of monumental works of stone, wood and metal. The size of these pieces allowed him more canvas to interpret the feelings his clients wanted to convey. In 1985, Wheeler left the big city for Taos. His sculpture and painting turned to a very distinct New Mexican theme.

Wheeler fires a piece of metal in his welding studio, July 28.

‘I have lived a very good life and enjoyed many blessings, I don’t take that for granted ... ’ —Thom Wheeler He creates aluminum, bronze and copper wall sculptures that resemble giant pieces of jewelry, embellished with semi-precious stone. More recently he has taken to painting with the same sensibilities used in his sculpture.

Wheeler has gained much recognition for his religiousthemed art. His knowledge and fascination with history and a variety of religions has taken him on an interesting journey. He enjoys mixing Southwest or American Indian beliefs with those of other religions to cast a more modern approach on how we view religion in our lives. A Celtic cross can have a Zuni bear embedded in the middle or a butterfly might flutter onto a Star of David. Anything is possible. Wheeler’s love of his family and friends is of utmost importance to him. He is devoted to helping others and has given tirelessly of his time and his art to fundraisers for a wide variety of community and individual causes. His love of Taos and eagerness to give back to his community is evident in his service on the board and as president of the animal shelter for eight years. Visit thomwheeler.com.

Congratulations to the Randall Family and all the unsung heroes who give to our commuity. We thank you.

and team Special congratulations to our client and friend, Thom Wheeler.

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Katharine Egli

Unsung Hero Carl Colonius poses for a portrait on his mountain bike along the South Boundary Trail, July 21.

Carl Colonius

Challenging youth to work hard for their community By J.R. Logan

hen Tony Struck finished high school, he had already been a gang member for six years. His dad wasn’t around. His mom left when he was just 16. He was working at Walmart and most adults wrote

him off as a lost cause. But Struck says the encouragement of Carl Colonius helped turn his life around. “I definitely think Carl’s one of the main reasons I am where I am today,” says Struck, who is now recreation supervisor at the Taos Youth and Family Center and a group facilitator with Men Engaged in Nonviolence. “He showed me a positive direction. He showed me patience and taught me to focus on the future. Without him, my life could have gone in a whole different direction.” For more than 20 years, Colonius had a similar impact on thousands of young men and women who were taught the value of hard work and leadership through Rocky Mountain Youth Corps. A co-founder of the program in Taos, Colonius became a nationally recognized champion of the

youth corp model, which puts kids in their teens and early 20s to work on projects that benefit their communities and nearby public lands. Colonius, a self-described “farm boy from northeastern Ohio” fell in love with Taos’ landscape and culture. He’d done stints as a public school teacher, a ski instructor and an outdoor-education leader. But those jobs didn’t “feed his soul.” Then he found youth corps. In the early ’90s, Colonius and three friends — Steve Patrick, Seth Miller and Horacio Trujillo — took the existing youth corps model and created Rocky Mountain Youth Corp. Together, they mounted an aggressive campaign to drum up support. “You had to be a showman to a certain degree,” Colonius remembers. “We talked about it all the time — at town council and school board meetings. We were all pretty good at promoting the organization and the mission.” Part of the pitch was that Taos was perfectly suited to benefit from what the corps had to offer, especially to young people. “If you fall out of the public education system here, you’re

‘He showed me a positive direction. He showed me patience and taught me to focus on the future. Without him, my life could have gone in a whole different direction.’ —Tony Struck in a world of pain,” Colonius argues. “What are you going to do? Work at a hotel? Work at a ski area? That’s seasonal stuff. This was an opportunity to take a model and really apply it to an area that was on the edge of poverty, and that had some beautiful public lands that need a lot of help.” Corps co-founder Steve Patrick remembers Colonius’ sheer dedication to getting the program going. Colonius would supervise a crew and outwork everyone while teaching them skills, write grant proposals, have lunch with a potential donor and even design the logo the corps still uses today.

Heroes

35 Katharine Egli

Carl Colonius (right), a co-founder of the Rocky Mountain Youth Corps and its executive director up until last year, poses for a portrait with Tony Struck, recreation supervisor at the Taos Youth and Family Center and former member in the RMYC in front of a wall built by the Youth Corps to create a tag-safe space, July 21.

“Carl’s abilities and sheer capacity to get so much done is directly proportional to his size (he is 6 feet 6 inches tall),” Patrick says. “He has a big brain and a huge heart, but Carl also epitomizes the old saying that you should: Never ask someone else to do something that you would not be willing to do yourself.” Patrick also stresses Colonius’ devotion to the kids who get hired on. “Carl believes in young people,” Patrick says. “He trusts them, he wants desperately for them to succeed and he is fiercely loyal.” In some cases, Patrick says agencies that hired the corps for projects doubted a ragtag crew of kids were capable of doing the job. But time and time again, Colonius and the crews surprised them. “Don’t bet against the young people he has led, and never bet against Carl,” Patrick says. Colonius explains that the youth corps helps young people of all stripes by offering an experience they can’t find anywhere else, and changing the way they relate to one another. “We’ve had dozens of valedictorians on our crews right there next to the kid who got kicked out of school in the 10th grade because he was disruptive,” Colonius says. “But he was disruptive because the classroom setting didn’t work for him. And on the crew, he’s got this amazing leadership capacity. All of a sudden, the valedictorian is coming to the dropout for help restringing a Weed Eater. That’s changing the power dynamic. And that’s a really cool way to allow kids to revision themselves.” Once the corps got a few seasons under its belt, Colonius says the program spoke for itself. And in the 20 years since its inception, it’s only gotten bigger and stronger. Every year, young crew members learn valuable skills

Proudly producing

Heroes...

‘He has a big brain and a huge heart, but Carl also epitomizes the old saying that you should: Never ask someone else to do something that you would not be willing to do yourself.’ — Steve Patrick and earn certifications that make them more marketable to other employers. At the same time, projects make tangible improvements on the ground. Crews have built trails, weatherized homes, done beautification projects on public parks, and an array of other community-oriented jobs. Looking back, Colonius is especially proud of the youth

corps’ proactive efforts to recognize the increasing threat of wildfire and tackle forest-thinning projects that reduce fire risk. Last year, after two decades of living, breathing and sweating the youth corps, Colonius decided to leave the organization. It was the right time, Colonius says. Twenty years sounded poetic, and there were good people to take over the reins. His co-workers honored him with the title “director emeritus.” He’s now working as a consultant, helping to create a comprehensive trails inventory and find ways to improve trail connectivity in the Taos area. Though he says it’s challenging, Colonius has kept a promise to make a clean break from the corps and leave it in the capable hands of those now running it. “It’s not easy, but I have very strong faith in the staff that’s still there and in the momentum of the organization,” Colonius says. “They believe in the mission.”

...for over

10 years

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Heroes

Katharine Egli

Unsung Hero Melissa Larson of the nonprofit Wholly Rags poses for a portrait at Wholly Rags, July 20.

Melissa Larson

Rethreading the fabric of a town By Gabriel Weinstein

hen Melissa Larson looks at a piece of cloth, she sees more than just a collection of fibers. “There’s an imprint of culture in the cloth itself. It reflects eras,” Larson says. “With good cloth you

can say there is an era to it. It really is a part of culture.” Many Taoseños know Larson for her wizardry with textiles and recycled materials. Through her nonprofit Wholly Rags, Larson organizes the annual Arte de Descartes art show, which showcases pieces made from a variety of reused material. For years Larson was part of a group that helped run the Taos Free Box, which kept tons of old clothes from rotting in landfills. In the past she worked

with the CAV Thrift Store to get old clothing to children in need. In addition to her work with Arte de Descartes and the Free Box, Larson has introduced hundreds of Taos youth to sewing and quilting through her work with the Rocky Mountain Youth Corps, Ensueños y Los Angelitos, Taos Academy, Chrysalis Alternative School and several local elementary schools.

Heroes

37 Katharine Egli

Larson stitches a quilt together, July 20.

Larson had a feeling she would end up in Taos long before she permanently moved to town in 1987. She felt a connection to Northern New Mexico as a teenager when she visited the town in the 1970s to see her older sister, who was already living in Taos. The region’s wide open skies, laidback lifestyle, strong arts community and strong ties to the land resonated with her. “I genuinely liked the place and the people here,” says Larson, who grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. Growing up in San Francisco during the height of the hippie movement, Larson developed a strong belief in going back to the land and living in harmony with the natural world. She started making items out of recycled material in high school. One of her first projects was refashioning an old sheet into a dress for an oceanography class field trip to Mexico. Later trips to Mexico, Nicaragua and Guatemala gave her even more ideas of ways to use recycled material. In Central America she saw how locals used tin cans to make stoves and crafts from various recycled items. Around 1995, Larson and a group of friends worked with then town manager Gus Cordova to open the Taos Free Box

... Larson developed a strong belief in going back to the land and living in harmony with the natural world. She started making items out of recycled material ... at the Taos Recycling Center. The Free Box that Larson and her colleagues helped launch replaced an earlier free box. The group’s goal was to reduce the amount of tonnage that ended up in landfills. Over the years the Free Box grew. One summer Habitat

for Humanity and the Rocky Mountain Youth Corps helped add another room. Eventually, the town installed a permanent free-standing building to house the Free Box. The Free Box was a treasure trove for artists looking for new and innovative materials and a trusted resource for residents with limited means to secure clothing, according to Taos artist and massage therapist Carol RippetoeZamora, a good friend of Larson’s. Larson spent countless days working to maintain the Free Box. At times, she put in as much time on the Free Box as a full-time job. But the large workload did not diminish Larson’s passion for the project. Larson continues on page 39

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Heroes

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Heroes

Larson continues from page 37

Melissa Larson Rethreading the fabric of a town

‘I

enjoyed the moments of watching people finding what they loved. There was a lot of good energy that happened over there,” Larson says. While working on the Free Box, Larson was busy launching Wholly Rags. The nonprofit began in 1998 at the Taos County Economic Development Corp. It’s mission is to “To piece together and rethread the fabric of our community by gathering the cloth of the past to conserve the culture of the future.” Once textiles land in a landfill, their chances of survival dramatically decrease, says Larson. They are not like glass and metals, which are able to withstand the harsh conditions of a landfill. “We’re trying to hold onto this old material to make way so there is always some material so people can sew. The cloth can get lost. If it goes in the landfill that’s the end of it. That’s why we have to conserve the material. It can turn into trash. We don’t want it do that. It can be made into art, and

‘Melissa has so much respect for any kind of individual that she might run into. She is very respectful towards these guys and they can tell. They love it.’ —Katharine Yamazaki beauty and fun,” Larson says. Larson has also made a name for herself as a talented artist. Her quilts have hung in the Roundhouse in Santa Fe. Her quilts, book covers, book covers and handbags fill the Wholly Rags store on Gusdorf Road. Every week a group from Ensueños y Los Angelitos

You Are All Our Heroes! A big THANK YOU to every donor, all community members and businesses which once again pledged their hard-earned dollars during the CAV Radiothon at KTAOS Solar Radio.

comes to Wholly Rags to work on sewing projects. Larson has helped the group’s participants produce art that exceeded the expectations of their family and friends, says Katharine Yamazaki, a life skills trainer with Ensueños y Los Angelitos. “Melissa has so much respect for any kind of individual that she might run into. She is very respectful towards these guys and they can tell. They love it,” Yamazaki says. Rippetoe-Zamora says that Larson has helped the community understand the value of recycling and reusing older materials. Her vision, passion, drive and connections with diverse groups of people have helped bring the community together she says. But the most important piece of wisdom RippetoeZamora has learned from Larson has nothing to do with manufacturing crafts and textiles. Larson has taught Rippetoe-Zamora that “we’re not all what we seem to be. We’re all a lot deeper than what we present.” Just like a piece of old fabric.

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Mail or drop your donation to CAV at: 945 Salazar Road, Taos NM 87571, visit us online at TaosCAV.org or call 758-8082 to donate by credit card. 24 Hour Crisis Hotline 575-758-9888 Community Against Violence 575-758-8082 www.TaosCAV.org

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Heroes

â&#x20AC;&#x153;To visit Taos Pueblo is to walk in a sacred place where life continues from the earliest of human existence.â&#x20AC;?

Taos Mountain Casino is proud to honor those who both exemplify the best of the past and who help us weave it into the future. These people are our own links in what continues to be an unbroken circle of tradition at Taos Pueblo.

LEFT TO RIGHT:

War Chief, Robert Espinosa Lt. War Chief, Leonard Archuleta War Chief Secretary, Michael A. Martinez