Summer 2015
THE ARTS FURNITURE WITH A SOUL & PINHOLE PHOTOGRAPHY
PEOPLE
CONSERVING RESOURCES, PRESERVING HISTORY AND BREWING CRAFT BEER
MEDICAL
A CROSS SECTION OF MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS
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hade Shutter, S
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When Victor A. Nwachuku, M.D., FACOG, interviews prospective employees for his
The medical staff includes Dr. Nwachuku;
Cassie Health Center for Women, he looks for “somebody compassionate, who fits into the
a fellow MD, Michelle Diaz, and a
framework of our office,” he says. “Somebody with the same philosophy we have.”
Certified Nurse Midwife, Gail Stamler.
Cassie Health Center for Women is a blessing to female patients in the area. In
The
Medical
Assistants
are
Hydie
its 12 years of existence, Cassie has delivered more than 4,000 babies to women
Dominguez, Lisa Aguirre, Melissa Vega,
coming from all over Southwest New Mexico and even eastern Arizona. Its 15-
Sarah Marquez and Alice Macfarlane.
member staff has garnered a reputation for being positive, skilled, caring and
Maria Marquez is the new Sonographer.
supportive health care providers, says the staff’s boss. “They are protective
The front office staff consists of Justine
of the clients and of the center. We’re like a family here,” he says. “Our goal
“Munoz, Bonnie Carrillo, Wendy Torres and
is always to provide good care to the women in this catchment area.”
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Cynthia Leonard.
Berna Morales is the Billing Manager and Tenisha Flowers is the Practice Manager. Originally from Nigeria, Dr. Nwachuku has a B.A. in biology from California State University,
an
M.D.
from
Jefferson
University Medical School in Pennsylvania,
doctor’s office in less than an hour that works with th your
and served his residency at Einstein
body to create a natural barrier against pregnancy. ncy.
Medical Center in Philadelphia. He is board-certified in OB/GYN. He and his wife,
You’ll never have to worry about
Nkechi, founded Cassie Health Center for
unplanned pregnancy again.
Women in Silver City in 2003. He has served as chief of staff at Gila Regional Medical
Call us at 575-388-1561 To learn more -
or toll free 888-388-1562 to speak with a staff member.
Center and currently is a member of the GRMC board. Nkechi Nwachuku is an RN at GRMC, and the couple has four children. They also help subsidize the Mbutu public health clinic in Nigeria. Due to the sectarian violence in Nigeria, they have been unable to return for nearly three years, but the clinic, he says, still is running and still is helping people.
Contentss
SUMMER 2015
28
On the cover: At an elevation of nearly 6000 feet in America’s Southwest quadrant, Silver City landscaping combines distinctive desert elements with Rocky Mountain flora to generate a beauty all its own. Photo by Robert “Jaime” Ramirez.
34
The Source
Features 12 Robert Winston. The master craftsman carefully manipulates wood patterns to capture the soul of the tree in furniture that he creates. 14 Richard Felger. A Sonoran Desert botanical authority has researched and developed native arid land plants for use as energy and water conserving food sources. 22 Serina Pack. Honors accumulate for the creation of literacy and environmental programs as this young individual strives to make a difference. 26 Morava & Gunter Schaa. Holistic modalities are integrated with traditional medical treatments by this Silver City couple to restore body, mind and spirit. 28 The Pinhole Resource. Nancy Spencer and Eric Renner direct a non-profit group that provides materials and education about pinhole photography. 30 Fort Bayard Historic Preservation Society. Saving what remains of an important historic site is the goal of a dedicated area group. 34 Dave Crosley & Teresa Dahl Bredine. The owners of Little Toad Creek Inn & Tavern recently opened City Toad in the historic district, serving craft beer, spirits and fine pub food. 38 Silver City’s Medical Community. Acquaint yourself with a cross section of the community’s medical professionals.
6 – SILVER CITYLIFE
39
Departments 10 Financial. Establishing a manageable approach can simplify your Estate Planning. 16 New Faces In Business. New businesses, business owners and leaders compliment the city’s economy. 24 Recycle. Turn your T-Shirts into baskets. 24 Advertisers Index. 25 Summer Birding. The antics of species with black in their wardrobe or name can be quite entertaining. 18 People Making a Difference. Whether it’s providing electricity, insurance or benefits, here are a few individuals who are community-minded citizens. 34 Out & About. Snapshots of recent local events. 36 Happy Endings. Local residents’ animals find happy adopted homes.
S3 Southwest New Mexico Attractions S4 Trail of the Mountain Spirits National Scenic Byway S5 Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument S6 Geronimo Monument S8 Lake Roberts S10 Mimbres Valley S12 Historic Pinos Altos S14 Continental Divide Trail S16 Historic Downtown Silver City S18 Silver City Museum S20 Big Ditch Park S22 Silver City Area Events S24 Galleries & Shopping S26 Silver City One of a Kind Shops S28 Silver City Portfolio S28 Western New Mexico University (WNMU) S30 WNMU Museum S32 WNMU Campus Map S34 Area Maps S36 Santa Rita Mine Observation Point S38 Fort Bayard National Historic Landmark S40 City of Rocks State Park S42 Deming S44 Rockhound State Park S45 Pancho Villa State Park S46 Palomas, Mexico S48 Hatch S49 Hillsboro S50 Lordsburg & Rodeo S51 Area Birding & Rockhounding S52 Cliff & Gila S54 Glenwood & Alma S55 The Catwalk & Mogollon Ghost Town S56 Health & Wellness S58 Gila Regional Medical Center S60 Health Care S62 Index of Advertisers
BREWERY • RESTAURANT
MON-THU 11:30 A.M. TO 9:00 P.M.‚ FRI-SAT 11:30 A.M. TO MIDNIGHT‚ CLOSED SUN
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Sun-Thurs 11am-9pm • Fri-Sat 11am-11pm
575.388.1964
601 N. Bullard St. Suite C (in the Hub Plaza)
Mark Erickson has shot just about everything in his 50-plus years of photographing Silver City. One fabulous memory is photographing the famous golfer Billy Casper when he returned to Grant County to put on the benefit Billy Casper Classic for many years. “Mr. Casper autographed every image as well as caps and golf balls. He was a great fellow,” Mark says.
photo by Pat Erickson
Contributors
Eugene Lewis began serious birding in eastern Kansas in the 1950s, eventually roaming the entire state in his pursuit of the avian species. Upon retirement in 1991 he moved to Silver City, where he has continued his lifelong quest. Kate McGraw is a longtime Santa Fe journalist and author who describes her recent work on New Mexico Traveler and Silver City Life as the most fun she’s had in a long time. “Doctors,” she states emphatically, “are not boring!” Robert “Jaime” Ramirez, Zia Publishing’s new senior photographer and New Mexico sales manager, earned a BFA in Art with an AA in Graphic Design this spring from WNMU. He believes that “if you have a vision and a strong urge to share it, it’s merely a matter of time and hard work to find a way to express yourself.”
Mike Rowse born in Silver City, Mike and wife, Linda met as students at WNMU. Careers took them around the western U.S. but they returned home in 2001 to run KSCQ radio. Their two daughters worked in the business making a true family affair. Mike is now back in insurance with Farm Bureau. Judy Wuthrich is a locally cosmetologist. Her interests include writing, photography, creating dolls, making jewelry from recycled material and supporting the ethical treatment of animals. She lives in Silver City with her dog Gizelle. Dr. Dale A. Zimmerman is an ornithologist, botanist, naturalist and Professor Emeritus of Biology at WNMU, where he taught for 31 years. He is also a recognized bird illustrator, nature photographer and author with field experience on every continent.
8 – SILVER CITYLIFE
, r w , n s o r d
SILVER CITYLIFE Terri Menges President & Managing Director
Joseph Burgess Vice President & Photo Journalist
Arlyn Cooley Staff Accountant
Mark Erickson James Edd Hughs Eugene Lewis Kate McGraw Mike Rowse Judy Wuthrich Contributing Writers
Joe Burgess Mark Erickson LeAnne Knudsen Robert “Jaime” Ramirez Debra Sutton Judy Wuthrich Dale Zimmerman Contributing Photographers
Laura Howell Terri Menges Yessica Nograro-Borquez Debra Sutton Designers
LeAnne Knudsen Jeanne Martin Mary-Catherine Meek Jesse Ochoa Olivia Ochoa Robert “Jaime” Ramirez Advertising Sales
Special Thanks Bruce Ashburn John & Cecilia Bell Tom Blanchard Jackie, Julie & Luci Bourque Jerry Boswell Dave Crosley Brian Cunningham Teresa Dahl Bredine Kathy & Spunky Eaton Mark Erickson Richard Felger Tenisha Flowers Monica Garcia James Edd Hughs Dr. Jonathan Jones Joe Kellerman LeAnne Knudsen Bill & Dorothy Kupke Germaine & Hallie Leveen
James Marshall Dr. Nicholas Mittica Dr. Victor Nwachuku Lucas O’Laughlin Serina Pack Dr. Justin Porter Yvette Pursley Erick Renner Murray & Molly Ryan Robert Rydeski Dr. Kaiyra Salcido Morava & Gunter Schaa Dr. John Sherman Cedar & Gracie Smith Nancy Spencer Sherry Terrazas Faith Varela Abe Villareal Ansel Walters Robert Winston
Silver City Life is published bi-annually by Zia Publishing Corp. P.O. Box 1248, 116 McKinney Rd. (deliveries only), Silver City, NM 88062-1248 Phone: 575-388-4444, Fax: 575-534-3333 e-mail: info@ziapublishing.com Silver City Life Online: www.ziapublishing.com ©Zia Publishing Corp., 2015. This issue of Silver City Life is copyrighted under the laws of the United States of America. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without permission of the publisher prohibited. For permission to use any portion of this publication email: info@ziapublishing.com. All submissions of editorial or photography are only accepted without risk to the publisher for loss or damage. Every effort was made to ensure accuracy in the information provided. The publisher assumes no responsibility or liability for errors, changes or omissions.
SILVER CITYLIFE – 9
FINANCIAL FOCUS
“STEP-BY-STEP” Approach Can Ease Estate-planning Process COURTESY OF JAMES EDD HUGHS AT EDWARD JONES®
Auto
•
Boat
Business
Home
• •
Mobile Home
•
Bonds
Motorcycle •
Contractors
Worker Compensation
Bob and Alma Carson, Owners / Agents
Corner of 19th & Swan • Silver City, NM
575-538-3787
www.CarsonInsuranceAgency.com
10 – SILVER CITYLIFE
carson@zianet.com
Like many people, you may enjoy investing. After all, it can be invigorating to put away money for your future, follow the performance of your investments and track the progress you’re making toward your longterm goals, such as a comfortable retirement. However, you might be less excited about doing estate planning, dreading the perceived time, effort and cost. Yet, you can make the entire process more manageable by breaking it up into specific tasks. What are these tasks? Everyone’s needs are different, but here are a few suggestions that may be applicable to your situation: • Purchase life insurance. If something were to happen to you, would your family be able to stay in the house? Would your children be able to go to college? You should have sufficient life insurance to take care of these and other essential needs. You might hear about various “formulas” for how much insurance you should purchase, but you may be better off by working with a financial professional — someone who can evaluate your assets, goals and family situation, and then recommend an appropriate level of coverage. • Draw up your will. For most people, a will is probably the most essential estateplanning document. Regardless of the size of your estate, you need a will to ensure that your assets and personal belongings will be distributed according to your wishes. If you die intestate (without a will), your belongings will be distributed to your “heirs” as defined by state laws — and these distributions may not be at all what you had in mind.
• Consider a living trust. Depending on your situation, you may need to go beyond a will when drawing up your estate plans. For example, you might want to create a living trust, which can allow your assets to go directly to your heirs, avoiding the public, timeconsuming and expensive process of probate. A living trust offers other benefits, too, so you may want to consult with a legal professional to learn more about this estateplanning tool. • Check beneficiary designations. The beneficiary designations on your insurance policies and retirement accounts, such as your IRA and 401(k), are powerful and can even supersede the instructions left in your will. So it’s in your best interests to make sure you’ve got the right people listed as your beneficiaries. Over time, you may need to update these designations to reflect changes in your family situation. • Make final arrangements. Whenever you pass away, it will be a stressful time for your loved ones. To ease their burden, consider establishing a “payable-on-death” account at your bank, and then funding this account to pay for your funeral and related expenses. • Share your plans. The most comprehensive estate plan in the world may not be of much value if nobody knows of its existence. Share your plans with your loved ones and heirs. It’s important that everyone knows their roles in carrying out your wishes. When dealing with any estate-planning issues, you’ll want to consult with your legal and tax professionals. And by taking a stepby-step approach, you can keep the process moving forward — without feeling that you’re being overwhelmed. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Copyright © 2014 Edward Jones. All rights reserved. Member SIPC. This site is designed for U.S. residents only. The services offered within this site are available exclusively through our U.S. financial advisors. Edward Jones' U.S. financial advisors may only conduct business with residents of the states for which they are properly registered. Please note that not all of the investments and services mentioned are available in every state.
James Edd Hughs, AAMS® Financial Advisor 210 Hwy. 180 W, Suite 100 Silver City, NM 88061 (575) 534-1221 www.edwardjones.com
SILVER CITYLIFE – 11
right: Rob roughs out a seat. above and below: Rob considers Rockers his “Signature” pieces. opposite: Lumber that has been slabbed on Rob’s sawmill.
Robert Winston Master Craftsman Working to Find the Soul of the Wood WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY MARK ERICKSON
12 – SILVER CITYLIFE
Robert “Rob” Winston and his wife Ann came out West from Pennsylvania to be with their son and daughters and grandkids in 2002 bringing with them a 35,000 pound load of slabbed walnut, oak and cherry that they had harvested. He has since moved into working with local hardwoods such as walnut and mesquite. Rob and his son Thatcher operate their own sawmill and, as one can see from one of the images, have slabbed up Western trees for furniture making. Rob explained that he looks for patterns in the wood to carry the soul of the tree into the finished product. Two of Rob’s major influences were Sam Maloof from California and George Nakashima of New Hope, Pennsylvania. Rob states that rockers are what he would call his “signature” pieces and explains that the type of joinery is so strong that if you were to throw the furniture the wood might break, but not the joint. He also knows where every tree that he utilizes has come from. He used to show at Lois Duffy’s Gallery until she retired. He currently is showing only at the Shidoni Foundry and Gallery in Tesuque, New Mexico but has not elected to find a local gallery yet. Rob can be contacted at 575 534 4960. SILVER CITYLIFE – 13
I
Richard Felger Fit the Crop to the Land, not the Land to the Crop* WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY MARK ERICKSON
nteresting people seem to find their way to Silver City and ethnobotanist Richard Felger is no exception. In his biographical sketch from the University of Arizona Herbarium, it is noted that he is a leading botanical authority of the Sonoran Desert Region and has conducted research worldwide as well as being active in local and international conservation. His Ph.D dissertation analyzed the vegetation and flora of the islands and Gulf Coast of Sonora, Mexico. In the Fall 2014 issue of The Plant Press, Dr. Felger states that the Sonoran Desert Region is rich in plant diversity, and rich in plants used for indigenous cuisine. Two of the interesting plants are the Big Sacaton and Apache Red Grass which are prevalent in this area. As is mentioned in The Plant Press, Apache Red Grass is a large perennial grass native to mountains in the Southwest and northern Mexico. You can easily strip off the ripe Red Grass grain by hand into a paper bag. Like other grains and seeds, it is essential to get them dry as soon as possible-all moldy seeds and grains need to be avoided. Like many wild grasses including millets, Apache Red Grass grain is gluten free. In the Newsletter of the Native Plant Society of New Mexico for October, November, December of 2014, Dr. Felger makes mention of searching the world for new aridland/ salt tolerant food crops and now finds some of the best ones right here in our back yard in New Mexico. For example, the Gila Region of southwestern New Mexico has a native flora of about 1,500 species of seed plants. He also states that it is reasonable to estimate that Native Americans have used at least 15% of the seed plants in the Southwest for food. We want resilient crops with high yields. This includes no-tillage land use and perennial native plants that have been harvested since ancient times. The implications for energy and water conservation are huge. Also, at this time, Dr. Felger is involved in actually developing these new crops including growing and initial farming. Richard and his wife Silke Schneider reside in Silver City. Read more about Richard Felger’s professional background at http://ag.arizona.edu/herbarium/ people/rfelger *Dr. Felger: “I thought of that myself, but then found similar words by Russell Smith, Tree Crops, 1929.”
opposite: Richard Felger with Big Sacaton
14 – SILVER CITYLIFE
in Business
NEW FACES James Marshall
Assistant Manager, Town of Silver City WRITTEN BY KATE McGRAW I PHOTOGRAPHED BY JAIME RAMIREZ
Former Silver City Mayor James Marshall rejoined municipal government as the new assistant city manager in October 2014. “In my time as mayor, I found it was a great team, and am glad to be back as a part of it,” he says of Silver City’s government. James’ current duties include looking at operational needs and developing efficiencies to improve the operations, he says. “In implementing new processes, we have to look at how we measure them, and develop a working plan to make sure that whatever goals we set, we’re actually meeting,” James says. James’ family moved to Silver City when he was in the seventh grade. After high school, he started working in emergency medical services. “That was always my dream,” he says. His father was a volunteer fire chief and he began his career by helping to develop rescue services for the volunteer fire departments. That segued into starting work at Gila Regional Medical Center-EMS, where he worked for 27 years. He ran for mayor in 2006 and was re-elected 2008, 2010 and 2012. James additionally supervised the Project Development department at GRMC. He is glad to be back in harness at town hall. “Everything the town works on affects everybody in the town,” James says.”It’s rewarding when we can implement processes and procedures that provide services and do it in an efficient manner to better utilize public funds.” He’s still new at the assistant city manager job, but points to accomplishments while he was mayor: “clean audits; increased infrastructure for children and adults, like the new sports activities complex; the skate park, the tennis courts and the development of a disabilities resource center.” “I’m just trying to have a diverse impact on the town,” says James Marshall.
16 – SILVER CITYLIFE
Jerry Boswell Writer Smeltertown Shenanigans WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY JUDY WUTHRICH
Jerry Boswell decided to write a book about growing up in Hurley because friends kept telling him, “Dude, you should write a book about all of the crazy and fun things you did as a kid.” He and his friends would get together and spend hours sharing stories and reminiscing about the good old days when they were young. As Jerry began writing his stories, he realized he would have to give some historical background information on Hurley in order for the reader to gain a sense of context and relevance. In his spare time, he visited various libraries and museums researching newspaper and photo archives. He scoured through old issues of the Chinorama which was a magazine published by Kennecott Copper Corporation. Jerry also interviewed former and current residents of Hurley trying to piece together things that were happening as he was growing up there. “As the manuscript began to take on a definite form, the gist of the book began to flip-flop on me. What started out as a few funny stories chronicling my life as a youthful prankster using Hurley history as a backdrop, somehow morphed into a history of Hurley from 1950 to 1970 with my anecdotal stories bringing life and color to the history,” says Jerry. “Just think of Smeltertown Shenanigans as a local history book with a little mischief thrown in for good measure.” Smeltertown Shenanigans is available through Amazon.com as well as several local retail outlets.
William J. PERKINS
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SILVER CITYLIFE – 17
It’s the People... Making a Difference! WRITTEN BY KATE McGRAW PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROBERT “JAIME” RAMIREZ
Bruce Ashburn PNM Silver City Manager
Bruce Ashburn and his wife Charlene moved to Silver City 14 years ago to put down roots, and they are deeply dug in now. “Silver City has been very good to us, all the way through,” he says. “We’re raising our four kids here and the whole family loves it.” Bruce is community manager for the Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) for Grant, Luna and Hidalgo counties – a huge area of responsibility that he took on two years ago and has shouldered well. “I try to find ways PNM can make a difference,” he explains. In Silver City, that meant partnering with Main Street Silver City to write a grant proposal for the restoration of the old SILCO movie house. The proposal persuaded the PNM honchos to provide a generous slice of the monies needed to get started. (That glamorous SILCO sign outside the still-emerging theatre was paid for with PNM funds.) “I fought for a proposal that would open their eyes, and I’m proud to say PNM came through for us,” Bruce says. Bruce grew up in Streetsboro, Ohio, about 50 miles from Cleveland. He worked for Domino’s Pizza, both in Ohio and in Houston, where he married Charlene. He gained a reputation as a corporate troubleshooter, a “fixer” placed with franchises having problems—but the cost of that reputation was that the family was moved five times in seven years. “That’s no way to raise a family,” he says. He and Charlene opened Domino’s Pizza outlets in Silver City, Deming and T or C. After 10 years, they sold those businesses. Bruce spent two years with the WNMUaffiliated Small Business Development Center and then went to work for PNM. Charlene is human resources director at Western. A real community booster, Bruce also is on the boards of the Chamber of Commerce and the Mimbres Region Arts Council.
18 – SILVER CITYLIFE
Robert Rydeski Rydeski & Company When Robert Rydeski thinks of his hometown, he feels overwhelming gratitude for the community that has provided opportunities for four generations of Rydeskis. “I am very thankful to this community for being so good to my family,” Robert says. His grandparents George and Geraldine Rydeski moved to Silver City in 1947. George was a successful auto parts manager for three dealerships. Geraldine (Gerry) worked at the original Hillcrest General Hospital. They raised three children, Carole, Dave and Don. Their son Dave married Barbara Hooker and they both attended WNMU and earned their teaching degrees. They taught in the Silver School District for years.
Dave was inducted into the WNMU Teachers’ Hall of Fame in 2014. His brother Don, also a graduate of WNMU, has been a science teacher at La Plata Middle school for 35 years. He will be inducted into the WNMU Teachers’ Hall of Fame in May. Robert, Dave and Barbara’s middle child, married Beckie Rogers and they have three children, Beth, Dani and Doug. Robert and Beckie have been working in the community for over 20 years, Robert through his business, Rydeski and Company, and Beckie as a Registered Nurse. Dani and Doug are currently juniors at Silver High and Beth graduated from UNM with a degree in Strategic Communications. She recently has moved home to join the family business. “This is a new experience for me,” Beth says, “but I am enjoying learning a new facet of helping people.” Rydeski and Company has five employees and sells individual and employee benefits including health, dental, vision, life and longterm disability. Robert recognizes the challenges in the changing landscape of health insurance and his goal is to understand it to the best of his ability in order to help individuals maneuver through it.
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SILVER CITYLIFE – 19
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your family peace of mind and
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There are two outstanding reasons to check out Tom Blanchard for your insurance needs. The first is experience: he’s been associated with the insurance business for 39 years, including working in management for insurance companies. The second reason is that he’s an independent agent: he’s working for you, not the insurance companies. Tom moved to Silver City for the climate and the small-town diversity two years ago. He spent most of his career on the Western Slope of Colorado and in Springfield, Missouri. In his tenure in Silver City, he’s gained a reputation as the man to see about health insurance, whether you’re looking for a personal health-care plan or a supplement to Medicare. He’s an expert on health insurance, certified as such by the federal government under the Affordable Care Act. “I totally understand Medicare,” he says, “and I can put together a plan for a Medicare supplement that will give you peace of mind.” “I am an independent agent for life insurance, disability, long-term care insurance, Critical Illness Insurance, and Dental, Vision and Hearing, and I can explain it to people in language they can understand. Plus, my clients receive personal service. I answer my own phone and my toll-free number comes directly to my cell. My clients can call me anytime they need me,” he says. Rural counties have different medical systems than major cities, he says. “Whatever I sell, I make sure my clients can use it here and out of state. Being an independent agent, I represent the clients, not the companies. That’s very important to people. Over the years, I’ve found that people would much rather sit down with their agent.” Tom also handles retirement planning, including annuities, which can provide an income for life or a favorable short-term interest rate. Life insurance, he adds, has a variety of uses – to cover final expenses, provide an estate or to save money for future needs. So if you need insurance – don’t call 1-800-I-DON’T GIVE A HOOT – call Tom Blanchard at 575-956-6394 in Silver City.
Billy Casper (1931-2015) Billy Casper was one of the greats in the golfing world and a true friend of Silver City. The recipient of the PGA 2010 Distinguished Service Award and ranking seventh all-time in career PGA Tour wins at 51, Billy agreed in 1989 to participate in Silver City golf exhibitions to raise money for medical purposes. The exhibition funds purchased the first big ambulance for Gila Regional Medical Center and subsequent earnings from Billy Casper Benefit Golf Tournaments contributed to the renovation of what became Billy Casper Wellness Center. Casper also raised money for the nursing program at Western New Mexico University. In his younger years, Billy spent summers with his grandfather, Adolf Casper, who had a store in Santa Clara. It was Adolf who began teaching Billy to play golf at the age of 4½ years old, often playing a round on the Fort Bayard course with stabilized-sand “greens.” Billy’s mother, Isabel Williams later returned to Silver City to work at the Drifter Motel and volunteer with the Chamber of Commerce. above: Billy Casper started his Golf Classic here to remember his grandfather Adolf who taught him how to golf. below: Billy Casper at Fort Bayard Golf Course. Photos courtesy Mark Erickson.
Serina Pack Read For Joy Program
WRITTEN BY KATE McGRAW I PHOTOGRAPHED BY JAIME RAMIREZ
Serina Lee Pack, a 21-year-old Silver Citian, leads a purpose-driven life. She says, “I want to make a positive difference in the world.” Volunteering for others is her life. She has been doing it for as long as she can remember. Serina’s family considers working for others to be a family value, she says: “it’s just what we do.” A list of her many offices and awards can be found on her website, readforjoy.org. Her highest honor so far was meeting President Barack Obama at the White House in the summer of 2012. It was a ceremony honoring the Girl Scouts of America and eight girls who had done meritorious volunteer work in connection with their scouting. “I was honored to go there and to talk about my work with President Obama in the Oval Office and talk with top White House staff about reading initiatives
22 – SILVER CITYLIFE
and their importance in our schools to raise the literacy level because New Mexico is ranked last when it comes to its reading literacy levels,” she says. Serina was recognized for a program she created called “Read for Joy,” which she takes to elementary classes in Grant County schools. “I go with a book I think they’ll enjoy. Usually it’s a book about patriotism,” she says. “We play interactive games, discuss the importance of reading and they paint their favorite scenes from the book. The point is to encourage a love of literacy, share the importance of education and of patriotism and most of all, encourage children to overcome their reading challenges,” she says. She has so far taken the program to more than 500 students and would like to expand it statewide. The program also has included distributing more than 10,000 books to children and involved motivating older youth mentors to get involved in the elementary classrooms. In summer 2014, her literacy work was honored at the Tri-Annual International Girl Guides and Girl Scouts conference in Hong Kong, where “Read for Joy” received the OLAVE AWARD. This is the first time the United States has received this international honor. Serina also is National Post-Secondary President of Business Professionals of American and Jr. Past Grand Worthy Advisor of NM for International Order of the Rainbow for Girls. She is a proud member of the American Legion Post 18 Auxiliary serving as Unit and District 7 Chaplain. Serina’s award-winning environmental research has addressed leachate contamination from abandoned mine sites in New Mexico. More than 300 such sites exist in Grant County. Her work has bridged more than five years of research to find natural, vegetative solutions to reclaiming the land. She has a double major at WNMU in business management and environmental sustainability. Her ambition is to be “a CEO of a non-profit, one that makes a difference in the world.”
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SILVER CITYLIFE – 23
Summer 2015
Index of Advertisers
Try This
Great Green Project BY JUDY WUTHRICH
T-Shirt Coil Bowl
T
shirts seem to aaccumulate in our closets. While working on messy projects, it’s nice to have an old junky k tky t-shirt to wear. After awhile, they really aren’t for public viewing. There are many craft f s tha ft crafts that can be created using an old ratty t-shirt. A coil bowl is one of them. It will only add m more pizzazz if they are splattered with paint and/or ripped and holey. lis of supplies needed are: one or more t-shirts depending on how big you The small list want to make yyour coil bowl, scissors, large embroidery needle and yarn or cording. sl Cut the neck and sleeves off of the t-shirt. Save them for another project. Starting at the bottom edge of the t-shirt, start cutting a continuous piece about an inch or more wide to create your strip. The wider the strip, the chunkier the bowl. Keep cutting the continuous strip until you reach the armpits. At the armpits, you’ll have to just cut back and forth until you reach the neck. These strips will have some points sticking out, but don’t worry about that. T-shirt material will automatically start to roll up but you may gently stretch the strips to make them roll more, forming strips for your coil bowl. Roll the strips into balls like yarn for easy usage. Starting at one end of the strip, fold it in a circle to start your coil. Thread your needle with your yarn or cording and feed it through your circle, working back to front do the blanket stitch around with enough tension to keep the strips together but not so tight you are denting the strips. The blanket stitch is created by poking the needle from back to front, poke your needle about ¼ inch farther down the coil back to front again, then run your needle back to front through the loop that is formed and pull gently keeping the cord running along the top edge of the coil. As you go, start taking smaller sections to make your project take shape as a bowl. If you need to add more strips, just tie two ends together and let the edges sticking out add personality to your piece.
Supplies 24 – SILVER CITYLIFE
Starting Center
Bowl Progress
3 Questions Coffee House . .S41 Ace Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . .S37 American Dental Care . . . . .S47 American Legion . . . . . . . . . .S39 Angelwings Home Care . . . .S57 AVESA Holistic Therapies . . . .27 Azurite Gallery . . . . . . . . . . .S28 Bear Creek Motel & Cabins . S13 Bear Mountain Lodge . . . . . . .S2 Bedroom Shoppe, The . . . . . . .33 Big O Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Blackwell’s Antiques & Gifts . S26 Bright Funeral Home . . . . . . . . .27 Carson Insurance Agency . . . .10 Casitas de Gila Guesthouses . S53 Cassie Health Center for Women . . . . . . . . . .4-5,S61 CATS - Community Access Television of Silver City . . .S15 Dandelion Wish . . . . . . . . . .S26 Dement Electric and Alarm . . .33 Deming Luna County Chamber of Commerce . . .S43 Dior Optical . . . . . . . . . . . . . .S47 Edward JonesJames Edd Hughs . . . . . .10-11 Encore A Retail/Resale Marketplace . . . . . . . . . . . .S21 Farm Bureau Financial Services Mike Rowse . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 Farm Bureau Financial Services Susan Sumrall . . . . . . . . . .S41 Farmacia Express . . . . . . . . .S47 Fierro Canyon Gallery, The . .S29 Finn’s Gallery . . . . . . . . . . . . .S28 Finishing Touch Home Interiors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 First New Mexico Bank . . . . . .14 Fort Bayard Federal Credit Union . . . . . . . . . . . .S39 Frumpy Fox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 Fry House, The . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Furniture Gallery . . . . . . . . . .S41 Gila Eyecare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Gila Hike & Bike . . . . . . . . . .S27 Gila Regional Medical Center . . . . . . . . . . .45,48,S59 Griffin’s Propane/ Fuel Centers Plus . . . . . . . . .25 Grinder Mill, The . . . . . . . . . .S31 Habitat for Humanity ReStore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .S11 Hang “EM” High . . . . . . . . . .S27 Hester House Candy & Gifts .S26 HMS Hidalgo Medical Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 Holiday Inn ExpressSilver City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S7 Horizon Home Health . . . . . . .43 Horizon Hospice . . . . . . . . . . .43 Humphrey’s Enterprises, Inc. . .23 Imperial Flooring . . . . . . . . . . . .3 J & S Plumbing & Heating . .S13 Javalina Coffee House . . . . .S15 Jim Foy & Associates . . . . . .S25 JW Art Gallery . . . . . . . . . . .S29 Laws & Co., LLC . . . . . . . . . . S37 Life Quest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .S57 Living Harvest Bakery . . . . . .S41
Lois Duffy Studio . . . . . . . . .S29 Lopez, Dietzel & Perkins, P.C. . 17 Lotus Center . . . . . . . . . . . . .S31 Manzanita Ridge . . . . . . . . . .S27 Manzano’s RV Park . . . . . . . .S23 Melinda’s Medical Supply . . .43 Millie’s Assisted Living Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Millie’s Bake House . . . . . . .S17 Mimbres Region Arts Council .S23 Mirror Mirage . . . . . . . . . . . .S37 Molly Ramolla Gallery . . . . .S29 Morning Star . . . . . . . . . . . . . .S9 My Real Estate Company . . . .27 Original Prints & Drawings . .S28 Palace Hotel, The . . . . . . . . .S19 Peppers Supermarket . . . . . .S43 Prudential Silver City Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .S7 Q’s Bistro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Raven’s Nest, The . . . . . . . . .S26 RE/MAX Silver Advantage . . .19 Rose Valley RV Ranch . . . . . .S15 Rodeway Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . .S9 Rydeski & Company . . . . . .2,S33 Seedboat Center for the Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .S29 Sherman Dental . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Silver City Art Association . .S25 Silver City Care Center . . . . . .41 Silver City Food Co-op . . . . . S25 Silver City Dental, PC . . . . . . .13 Silver Health CARE . . . . . . . . . . . Silver City Grant County Chamber of Commerce . . . S39 Silver City MainStreet Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .S17 Silver City Museum Store . .S19 Soul River Studio . . . . . . . . .S27 State Farm Insurance Chuck Johnson . . . . . . . . . .17 Stone McGee & Co. CPA’s . .S37 Structure Metal Roofing . . . . .37 Super Salve Co. . . . . . . . . . .S57 Syzygy Tileworks . . . . . . . . . .S26 The Marketplace . . . . . . . . . .S17 The Pink Store . . . . . . . . . . . .S47 Tom Blanchard Insurance . . . .20 Town & Country Garden Club Thrift Store . . . . . . . . . . . . .S17 Townsend Insurance . . . . . . .S62 Tres Amigos . . . . . . . . . . . . .S53 United Country Mimbres Realty . . . . . . . .S21 UPS Store, The . . . . . . . . . . .S41 Vibrations Gallery . . . . . . . . .S28 Vicki’s Eatery . . . . . . . . . . . . .S19 Victoria Chick-Cow Trail Art Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . .S28 Victoria J. West . . . . . . . . . .S25 Western New Mexico University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Western New Mexico University Museum . . .23,SC4 Whitewater Motel . . . . . . . . . .S Windows, Etc. . . . . . . . . . . . .S37 Yada Yada Yarn . . . . . . . . . . .S27 Yoya’s Bar & Grill, Market, Station & Car Wash . . . . . . .63
Birding WRITTEN BY GENE LEWIS PHOTO BY DALE & MARIAN ZIMMERMAN
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The male Phainopepla. Mon.-Fri. 9am to 5pm • Sat. By Appointment
575-388-9002 Many of the feathered friends we see in our area are black in some way or carry black in their name. As I began listing them I was surprised at finding ten we might see about town, not counting warblers with black in the name. We know Redwinged and Yellow-headed Blackbirds because of their distinctive colors but the Brewer’s Blackbird hides behind a person’s name. And then there are those birds with different first names such as Brown-headed and Bronzed, but these are Cowbirds. Speaking of the Bronzed Cowbird, I call it “red-eyed”, a distinction more easily seen than bronzed as far as I am concerned. And then there is the European Starling, not common around here but the Christmas count listed a few. They can be in overwhelming numbers in other places. Looking up in the sky you can see either the Common Raven or the Chihuahuan Raven, the latter for many years called White-necked Raven. In Silver City, and close around, it is the Chihuahuan that is the one we usually see but, according to Dr. Dale Zimmerman, this has changed off and on through the years, with sometimes the Common being here. Of course, the Common Raven is indeed common farther west and north of town. A near relative of the ravens is the American Crow, but it is only seen regularly up at the Lake Roberts area, and only a few at that. The Great-tailed Grackle is here, and the male and female have generally the same color but he flaunts his ego by swishing around his extra long tail. And now for a special bird we don’t think of as a blackbird but it is jet black, at least the male is. The Phainopepla is indeed that bird and it has an erect black crest and a bright red eye. The female is more of a dark gray although it has tinges of brown to it. These birds are here pretty much all year and the December 20 Silver City Christmas Bird Count listed 20 of them. Phainopeplas seem to like to sit on top of medium-sized trees from which they wander out to show off that elegant crest. Actually, they eat mostly berries of various plants especially those of the mistletoe, but they do eat insects when they want, especially during the breeding season. Keep an eye out for any of the black birds and watch their antics. They can be very entertaining. Next time I will bring you more black birds. What can they be?
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575-388-4433 800-924-4437 SILVER CITYLIFE – 25
Morava & Gunter Schaa Avesa Holistic Therapies WRITTEN BY MICHAEL ROWSE I PHOTOGRAPHED BY JAIME RAMIREZ
Fate is a funny f nny thing; you never know when someone special is going to walk into your life. fu life f . Morava fe Morav a a and Gunter knew almost right av away a ay aw a that fate f te had lead them to each other. Morava fa Morav a a had left av f a career in traditional medicine and was working in a gift ft f store in Old ft Mesilla. Gunter was returning to Houston after two months traveling. He isn’t sure why he stopped in Old Mesilla or walked into the store where Morava was working, but he did. The pair felt an immediate connection and talked for hours. Then Gunter left but felt he should go back or risk never seeing Morava again. While contemplating what he should do, Morava sent him a text wishing him a safe trip. That was the sign that he should go back and he did. They went to dinner and discovered they both had a deep, passionate interest in holistic medicine. Morava was learning about different modalities involved in the holistic healing arts while Gunter had practiced Buddhism for a decade and was involved in homeopathy and other natural practices. 26 – SILVER CITYLIFE
My Real Estate Company “Experience Matters” Paul J. Ciano
Broker/Owner Former Realtor of the Year Helping People with Real Estate since 1995 Associate Broker Home Stager
Rosalee Sirgany
Search Listings, Rentals & the MLS at Avesa Holistic Therapies was soon born. Morava and Gunter believe they can help clients to restore their body, mind, and spirit by integrating holistic modalities with traditional medical treatments. Among the services they offer are ozone therapy, steam sauna, bio-energetic treatments, energetic re-alignment, and self-ascension counseling. But where should they set up their business? Morava had lived in the Mimbres area previously and loved the small town life offered by Silver City. She described Silver as ‘earthy’ and ‘laid back’ where you can get to know people. After living in Houston for 15 years, Gunter was longing for a place where you could walk anywhere, get to know people and experience diverse cultures. They both love being near the wilderness with its beauty and tranquility; not to mention the live music offerings at various locations around town. Once again, the universe had provided an answer to their question. They have a vision of expanding their existing relationships with other traditional medicine providers as well as holistic healers, making Silver City a destination for those seeking guidance. Morava and Gunter love the energy of the area and the people, believing Silver City offers everyone an opportunity to find and follow their own paths. The pair look forward to helping others discover their unique healing and evolutionary journey.
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575-388-1449 524 Silver Heights Blvd. ◆ Silver City, NM 88061
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www.AvesaHolisticTherapies.com SILVER CITYLIFE – 27
The Pinhole Resource Interesting people... interesting photography. WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHY OF ERIC RENNER AND NANCY SPENCER BY MARK ERICKSON PINHOLE IMAGES BY ERIC RENNER AND NANCY SPENCER Nestled off Royal John Mine Road in the Mimbres is the home of Nancy Spencer and Eric Renner and the non-profit Pinhole Resource which they direct. For thirty years the Resource has been providing materials and education to those who are interested in plying this old art form. There is currently a show that Spencer and Renner curated entitled "Poetics of Light" at the New Mexico Museum of History in Santa Fe which will run through January 10th, 2016. Here is an excerpt from their website: http://pinholeresource.com above: Nancy Spencer and Eric Renner "Thirteen Moons" from series "on deaf ears" 23" x 29" pinhole photograph 2001-2007 above top: Nancy Spencer and Eric Renner "Self Portraits, Pony Hills" 20" x 16" pinhole photograph top right: Nancy Spencer and Eric Renner "End of the World" from series "on deaf ears" 29" x 23" pinhole photograph 2001-2007 opposite: A lens image of Eric Renner and Nancy Spencer in front of the large camera obscura on their property.
28 – SILVER CITYLIFE
In April of 2012, Pinhole Resource donated 6,000 pinhole photographs from 500 photographers from around the world, 60 pin-hole cameras, and 200 books and catalogues to the New Mexico Museum of History, Palace of the Governors Photo Archives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA. If you go to their website http://econtent.unm.edu/cdm/search/ searchterm/pinhole%20resource/order/title you will see the Pinhole Resource Collection already has more than 1300 or more photographs from the Pinhole Resource Collection represented, which will give worldwide access to this unique collection.
Fort Bayard Historic Preservation Society Attempting to save an important piece of the past.
WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY MARK ERICKSON Established in 1866 as a United States Army installation to protect miners and other settlers, Fort Bayard was set aside as the Fort Bayard Military Reservation by presidential order in 1869. General George Crook and 2nd Lt. John Pershing are among notable officers at the post during the 1880s. Mostly of note were the Buffalo Soldiers, members of the 9th Cavalry Regiment and members of the 10th Cavalry Regiment on detached duty. A bronze statue of then Corporal Clinton Greaves, Medal of Honor recipient, is in the center of the parade grounds. After the capture of Geronimo in 1886 the post was scheduled for deactivation, but Surgeon General George Miller Sternberg chose Fort Bayard as an Army tuberculosis hospital and research center. The hospital was transferred to the Surgeon General’s Department in 1900 and then to the Veterans Bureau in 1922. In 1966 it became a long term care facility for the state of New Mexico. It received National Historic Landmark status in 2004. The original Fort Bayard Cemetery became part of the National Cemetery system in 1973. Construction of a new hospital facility began in 2008 and was opened in 2010 vacating the former hospital area and the housing for the employees. Now in horrible disrepair, old Fort Bayard is slowly going back into the earth. The Fort Bayard Historic Preservation Society is trying all avenues to save what is left of this beautiful property. Please call one of these members at http://www.silvercity.org/stilltheoldwest/historic_fort_bayard.php?CID=wfhx8 if you would like to participate.
opposite: John Bell as Col., doctor, commander of Fort Bayard U.S. General Hospital from 19031917. Cecilia Bell as Josephine Clifford, 1st Officer's wife at Fort Bayard, September 1866. top, from left, seated on sofa: Bill Kupke, artillery sergeant. His usual role is as Major Albert Morrow, 9th Cavalry, Commander of Fort Bayard 1876, Commander of all forces in Southern New Mexico during Victorio Campaign. Ansel Walters, treasurer of the FBHPS as Captain Charles D. Beyers who came to Fort Bayard in 1875 with his wife and sons, was with the 9th Cavalry. at piano: Dorothy Kupke, Officer's wife both Bill and Dorothy were in FBHPS orgazation in 1997. seated in chair: Cecilia Bell as Josephine Clifford. above, top: Reenactors at the Buffalo Soldier monument. above: Bill and Dorothy Kupke in front of Officer’s Quarters. John and Cecilia Bell have been involved in FBHPS since 1997 when Dr. Dale Giese and wife Jeanette organized the group to celebrate the centennial of the closing of the transforation of Fort Bayard from a U.S. Army Post to a U.S. Army Hospital in 1899.
SILVER CITYLIFE – 31
Dave Crosley & Teresa Dahl Bredine Little Toad Creek Inn & Tavern, Distillery and Brewery WRITTEN BY MICHAEL ROWSE PHOTOGRAPHED BY JAIME RAMIREZ
So many people growing up in small towns can’t wait to leave and never come back. Sometimes they return home but rarely, do they plan to come back. While their lives took separate paths, both always knew they would come back to Silver City once they’d seen something of the world. Teresa got her degree from Yale and Dave literally travelled around the world but neither ever felt like they found a place as unique as Silver City. Besides their love of Silver City, which they agree has a unique blend of diverse cultures, tolerance, and a laid back attitude, both have a diverse career background. And neither really knew what they wanted to be when the ‘grew up’. Teresa has a love of theater and the arts, having worked in video production and theater. She’s also held jobs in construction, woodworking, and many other hands on type jobs. Dave has taught school, held maintenance jobs in a variety of industries and is widely considered to be a Jack of all trades. A few years ago they reconnected and fell in love. They began to discuss going into business. Dave was passionate about brewing beer, not only because he really likes beer, but Dave also saw the growing trend towards craft breweries. He thought residents of Grant County would love the idea.
32 – SILVER CITYLIFE
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388-5555 Teresa was not so sure and convinced Dave to try their hands at running a restaurant and motel. They soon purchased what would become The Little Toad Creek Inn and Tavern near Lake Roberts. Soon, they opened to rave reviews. Dave would add a small brewery to craft his own beer. He admits it was tough at first but soon it became clear to the duo that the brewery was going to be the part of the business that would be most successful. That revelation led to them opening what they call the ‘City Toad’, the brewery and pub in downtown Silver City. They both get great enjoyment from creating a variety of craft beers and watching people go from drinking mainstream beers to enjoying their local brews. Shortly after, they added a distillery producing vodka, rum, whiskey, and tequila. Both are happy that they returned to Silver City, where they found each other and as it turns out, found something they love to do, now that they are ‘grown up.’ Watch closely, they have more big plans.
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SILVER CITYLIFE – 33
out & about Photo by Judy Wuthrich
WITH ROBERT “JAIME” RAMIREZ
The Tour of the Gila brought out Jill Olson, Pilar Padilla, and Sue Patterson. Eddie Carbajal, Christine Steele and Val Foy. Buck Burns, Jack Brennan and Kasha Geels Blair, Michelle Geels and Elizabeth Salas.
The World is our Stage theater group headed by Buck Burns won 1st place at the Zombie Apocalypse during Chocolate Fantasia which offers tasty treats in shops, galleries and restaurants downtown on Columbus Day weekend.
Ellie Perrault at 4th of July parade.
Michael Metcalf works on a Sphere of the Sun for a future sculpture. The Advanced sculpture class at WNMU poses for a group photo.
send us your photos We want your photos of recent local events. Send to: materials @ziapublishing.com Include the name of the event, a description and the names of people in the photos.
34 – SILVER CITYLIFE
Amos Torres entertained at the Coffee Bean-e-fit organized by Jason Burke to raise money for Javalina. Jean Eisenhower displays a solar oven at the event.
Brandon Perrault and Mike Boner Toast Last Night at the Buffalo Bar.
James Edd Hughs of Edward Jones with Marek Blaskovich of American Funds who made a presentation in Silver City entitled Understanding Mutual Funds . Photo by Mark Erickson.
Around Town Dianne serves Valentine’s Day desserts. Cissy McAndrew, David Berry, Jim Cobe and Nick Seibel and Melanie Zippin at Harry Benjamin Celebration. Atziry Apodaca and Olga Sarli try on big hats. Brandi Tanner and Mareda Shurts cruising downtown and Danny Reyes, Jaime Ramirez and Sonya Orosco enjoy lunch at the Mi Mexico Viejo.
Alfred Perrault having fun at the 2014 Blues Festival and Michelle Suitt serves up a beer and Danielle Schnebelen plays the base guitar.
Jayden Hotchkiss
Members of the Southwest New Mexico Green Chamber of Commerce and Silver City MainStreet Project toured the Lotus Center renovation made possible by talented community members. Photos by LeAnne Knudsen.
SILVER CITYLIFE – 35
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Living with a disabled pet doesn’t have to be more complicated. When considering adopting a pet, don’t let a pet’s disability be a distraction. Most animals adapt to a disability better than humans. humans If an animal is blind, most of them have a very keen sense of smell, hearing and touch that can help them navigate through the yard or house. A deaf pet can function just fine by using sight and vibrations for commands. Some animals are born without a leg or lose a limb by accident. Living with such a pet need not be cumbersome. It’s important to make sure they are not overweight since they have three legs bearing all of the body’s weight. Trimming the toenails frequently ensures proper traction on smooth surfaces. The pet might need help getting off the furniture if they are missing one of their front legs. above: Kathy wanted to show that even while missing a front leg, it doesn't keep Spunky from begging for treats.
36 – SILVER CITYLIFE
Murray and Molly
Jackie & Luci
Molly’s previous owner did not want her. Murray’s granddaughter brought her home and she became Murray’s best friend. She is now 14 years old. “She’s a great comfort to me,” says Murray as he pats Molly. “She sleeps on my bed every night and sits on my lap during the day.” “Murray’s caregivers take as good of care of Molly as they do of Dad,” said Kathleen, Murray’s daughter, with a laugh. “She’s our little princess.”
Jackie Bourque rescued Luci right before the animal control officer was able to pick her up. Luci was dirty and completely covered with mats in her hair. Obviously, she had been on her own for a while. Jackie tried to locate her owners but was unsuccessful. Now, Luci has her own bedroom. She gets to go for rides in the truck with her dad, Don Anderson. She gets to go for runs with her mom, Jackie. “She enjoys bones, belly rubs and going everywhere with her dad,” says Jackie. “She’s the smartest dog I’ve ever met. She just knows what you want her to do and she is eager to please.”
Gracie Gracie was rescued from an animal shelter. According to Gracie’s current owner, Cedar Smith found out the shelter kept her from euthanasia longer than most because she had such a good temperament and beautiful markings and coloring. The person who originally adopted Gracie had health problems that prevented him from keeping her. He surrendered Gracie to Cedar Smith. Now, through the summer, Gracie goes every Saturday with Cedar to the local art market to help sell her mom’s copper and silver creations. “She’s very social and loves being around people,” says Cedar.
Julie
Germaine & Hallie
Kathy & Spunky
Julie was rescued from an animal shelter. Jackie Bourque wanted a cat for her birthday so she went to the shelter to pick out her present. She wanted an adult cat thinking an adult probably was most likely to not get adopted. Jackie chose Julie because all of the other cats wanted attention and Julie sat in her cage and ignored them. Now, Julie does yoga in the mornings and afternoons. She likes to watch birds out the window while lounging on her bed perched on a kitchen table. She likes to lie on her dad, Don Anderson’s chest and drools. This is why she’s also called ‘Drooly Julie.’
Dolan and Germaine Leveen’s favorite place to eat is busy and they have to wait until alerted when a table is free. A pet store is nearby but Germaine didn’t want a dog so avoided going in, but Dolan loved pointing out all the cute puppies. During one of these waits, Germaine spotted a certain puppy. “It seemed like she spoke to my heart and said “I love you” and my heart sent her a message saying “I love you,” said Germaine. While Hallie was visiting her family in Silver City, fireworks frightened her and she was lost a couple of times but was rescued by kind people. “When she got home, everyone was so happy to see her. She gave me a look saying, ‘I won’t do this again,’” said Germaine.
Spunky had three different homes before he was a year and a half old. Somewhere along the way, one of his front legs was injured and it had to be amputated. At his last home, the other dogs were abusive and the owner wanted to find him a new home. Spunky found his forever home with Kathy and Art Eaton. He has a big sister named Katie whom Kathy rescued several years ago. “Spunky’s favorite thing is snuggling. He loves to go for walks. He keeps all of the deer and bunnies out of the yard,” says Kathy. “We love him to pieces!” SILVER CITYLIFE – 37
SILVER CITY’S
MEDICAL COMMUNITY WRITTEN BY KATE McGRAW PHOTOGRAPHED BY JAIME RAMIREZ
Brian Cunningham CEO, Gila Regional Medical Center “It is no secret that both giving and receiving health care has become more and more complex in the U.S.,” Gila Regional Medical Center CEO Brian Cunningham acknowledges, “with changes in reimbursement, insurance and requirements around quality improvements. GRMC has been on an intensive process to improve care and reduce costs.” “Part of the mandate under the five-year-old ACA was to improve quality of care and decrease costs,” he says. Since 2012, GRMC’s scores on six core health care measurements ranging from heart attacks to surgical care to pneumonia has risen from 80% of the top 10 levels in the U.S. to 98%, according to GRMC publicly reported data. At the same time, GRMC has been on an intensive push to bring costs down. While in many hospitals the cost of care has been increasing, at GRMC, the average daily cost for running the hospital has decreased by more than $10,000 per day. “One key, Cunningham says, “is the commitment toward greater collaboration with the physicians who care for our communities. It is because of the commitment of our Board of Trustees, medical providers, employees and our community that we are continuing to partner in ways that will serve our communities’ healthcare needs even better.” Another challenge in this rapidly changing health care environment is the need for the public to be educated about access to care, what services are available, what insurances are available and health care in general, Cunningham says. To that end, the hospital sponsors and supports various educational events such as “doc talks” by physicians and healthcare education events put on by other community agencies related to accessing services and insurance. “The new landscape can be intimidating,” he acknowledges, “and sometimes when people don’t know where to go or how to access the available services, they may wait longer than they should to seek treatment. Our goal is to help to remove those barriers to care for those we serve.”
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Millie’s Assisted Living Community Small Home, Big Heart
Nicholas M. Mittica, Jr., M.D. Gila Eye Care It was bicycling that brought Nicholas Mario Mittica, M.D. to Silver City. He’d spent his educational career in schools—first Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, then an internship in Chicago and an ophthalmology residency at the University of Illinois, and finally cataract and glaucoma fellowship training at the University of Michigan—bicycling as a recreation every chance he got. He studied Silver City and realized the trails and climate were perfect for him. So 10 years ago he started Gila Eyecare, his board-certified general ophthalmic practice, and established ocular surgical privileges at Gila Regional Medical Center. He met and married Shannon, who is a certified ophthalmic technician in the practice, and the couple had two daughters. He doesn’t bike so much anymore, he says with a laugh. But the family loves small town life in Silver City and consistently getting outdoors. “We’re pretty dug in,” he says. Gila Eye Care is a busy practice, but it is always accepting new patients when possible, Dr. Mittica says. He has a surgical specialty in cataracts and glaucoma, and offers comprehensive eye care. The nicest things about practice in Silver City, he says, are that he doesn’t have a long commute to work and doesn’t have to deal with a really large medical system, two disadvantages to working in a big city. Southwest New Mexico offers a large enough catchment area to keep him busy. “All of medicine is challenging, no matter where you are,” Dr. Mittica says. “But good outcomes are the most rewarding aspect.” His practice has a devoted staff, and state-of-the-art equipment.” As medicine advances he is pleased to offer the latest in early glaucoma detection and prevention. If you’re feeling the high and dry climate of southwest New Mexico, he is also pleased to offer the latest in dry eye and ocular allergy treatment. “We stay pretty busy. We enjoy the area. We love the outdoors. The people are very friendly. It’s a good place to be and most of all we give thanks to Jesus Christ for allowing us to help people see,” Dr. Mittica sums up.
A small, family-owned and operated assisted living center serving Grant County for over 11 years.
Residents are valued and loved in a healthy, nurturing and stimulating environment.
Extensive community involvement and daily activities. Small pets welcome.
600 N. Hudson St. Silver City, NM 88061
575.534.9172 admin@milliesassistedliving.com
SILVER CITYLIFE – 39
Faith Varela, OTR/L Occupational Therapist and Director of Rehabilitation Silver City Care Center Faith Varela OTR/L, is a hometown girl who lov loves her people, especially the older ones ones. She is the hometown people occupational therapist and director of rehabilitation at Silver City Care Center, a multi-service care center. She started her career at Silver City Care Center about 10 years ago as a certified occupational therapy assistant. Within two years she was promoted to the Director of Rehab. During her employment she pursued and achieved a master’s degree as an occupational therapist at Western New Mexico University in 2011. As an OT, she does evaluations (based on doctors’ orders) of incoming patients and designs therapy programs to meet their needs. Long Term residents of the center need continual assistance; others are short-term, who receive rehab services after surgery, accidents and or illnesses. Silver City Care Center offers many services. The center has full time rehab staff with expertise in occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech therapy. “We have a variety of diagnoses to manage,” Faith says. “What we want is to get people back to the optimal level of function and improve independence to re-integrate them back into the community.” Depending on the assessed “deficits,” the rehab process can be simple or complex, sometimes involving orthopedic and or neurologic deficits, she says. “It’s very rewarding. We do work a lot with the geriatric population, and I like that. I enjoy seeing people who knew my parents and grandparents. I feel connected to them. It’s a very special group of people.” Born in California, Faith moved to Silver City with her parents at age 16. Her father owned a restaurant where she worked, and she also worked at Albertson’s supermarket for a while, so she knows a lot of people. “It’s a good feeling to be able to give back to the community that shaped me,” she says.
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Touching Lives Through Mobility & Rehabilitation "After coming out from my coma, Silver City Care Center helped me learn to speak, write, walk on my own and get my strength back by motivating me to extend my physical capacity and get my vigor back", one resident stated.
THERAPY, RESPITE CARE, WOUND CARE AND RESTORATIVE NURSING
SERVICES PROVIDED
Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapy. Short term stay for administered care during caregiver time away. Care for surgical wounds, knee and hip replacement and open areas to skin. Maintain physical function of resident after therapy.
ALZHEIMERS AND DEMENTIA UNIT Memory Care Unit with 24 hour supervision with private dining room and patio area.
IV THERAPY AND RESPIRATORY MANAGEMENT Administer and monitor intravenous medication and fluids. Maintain adequate oxygen levels via oxygen and medications.
SOCIAL SERVICES & PHYSICIANS VISITS Patient advocate for legal, appointments and discharge. Physician visits for care.
• Professional Welcoming Team • Daily Dressing and Hygiene • Medication Administration • Pleasures of Daily Life • Friendly Atmosphere • Clean Environment • Social Interaction • Dining Room • Activities • Family Members and Pets welcome • Off Site Transportation • Cable TV • Wireless Internet • Beauty and Barber Shop
DIETARY NEEDS AND DIABETES MANAGEMENT Special diets for low sodium and food allergies. Diebetic diet, and monitoring blood sugar leves to maintain optimum level of health.
We highly encourage the community to come for a tour of Silver City Care Center. Medicare, Medicaid, Private Insurance & self-pay accepted. Professionally Licensed as 100 bed facility.
3535 FOWLER AVENUE, SILVER CITY, NM 88061 575.388.3127
FAX: 575.388.4061
WWW.SILVERCITYCARE.COM
Monica Garcia, PA Silver Health CARE
John B. Sherman, D.D.S. Sherman Dental John Sherman, D.D.S. is a general dentist who makes it a rule to always accept new patients. He is the only credentialed dentist in implant dentistry as well as a cosmetic dentist in the southern half of New Mexico. These are professional services many Silver Citians thought they had to go out of town to get. “There are differences between dentists and huge differences in training,” he says. “I’m one of the few dentists in the state who does implants and has the state-of-the-art equipment to put them exactly where they need to be. I have more than 400 hours of implant training as opposed to someone with a weekend course.” He has a 3D x-ray machine that makes it possible for him to accomplish this. Dr. John B. Sherman came to Silver City more than 13 years ago. He fell in love with the beauty of Silver City, the surrounding wilderness, the small-town atmosphere and the people he has served here. He has done televised makeovers that have amazed people. “Surveys show 75 percent of people believe the condition of their teeth are related to how they are perceived in the work force. We can help them make a better impression.” By dint of much study and examination-passing he has been accepted as a Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry and as an Associate Fellow of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry. These are the only legitimate professional organizations recognized around the world. Dr. Sherman still practices family and general dentistry as well. He graduated from UC Berkeley and the University of Missouri Dental School with honors in oral surgery. “I enjoy taking care of whole families, from the young to the old. Not everyone wants cosmetic dentistry and not everyone needs implants. It’s really about delivering the highest standards,” he says. “I make a promise to my patients that I will treat them the same way I want to be treated. That includes the highest quality products and uncompromised care.”
42 –SILVER CITYLIFE
Monica Garcia is a new Physician Assistant at Silver Health CARE who joined the practice at the beginning of the year. She is a Silver City native, who recently returned to her hometown after living in Alaska for the past six years. The most challenging part of her position so far has been identifying the most reasonable medical resources for her patients living in this rural area. “There is more to consider compared to other places I’ve lived where most specialty services are within the same community,” she says. The most rewarding part of her job is the challenge of being a new provider and the amount of knowledge she gains every day. She enjoys living in a small mountain town and the sense of community it brings. “It is especially an honor to serve the community I grew up in,” she says. A physician assistant is considered a mid-level provider who is able to diagnose and treat patients. Unlike nurse practitioners, who can set up a practice autonomously, PAs must have a designated collaborative physician to work with. Silver Health CARE, she notes, is a unique facility, with a medical staff of doctors who are primarily internal medicine physicians. The group has three clinics in Silver City, one in Bayard and one in Deming. “There’s a wealth of knowledge among all the providers at Silver Health Care.” she says. “I am grateful to have such a supportive team to utilize as resources. The patient population ranges from pediatrics to geriatrics.” Monica studied at the University of Washington School of Medicine MEDEX/Physician Assistant program. This program provides four different training sites, three in Washington and one in Alaska. Monica spent most of her training in Alaska, where she met her fiancé Lucas O’Laughlin, a mental health therapist who returned to Silver City with her and also works at Silver Health CARE. “We’re both from the Southwest, and met while fishing for Salmon in Alaska,” she says with a laugh. “It’s so nice to be back in the land of sunshine and green chile.”
• Oxygen & Respiratory Equipment • Incontinent Supplies • Power Lift Recliners • Hospital Mattresses & Beds • Bathroom Safety Aids • Diabetic Care Supplies • 24 Hour Emergency Service • Motorized Scooters • Orthopedic Supports • Medicare, Medicaid & • Koi Scrubs • All Natural Supplements Private Insurance Accepted for Men & Women • Sanita Nursing Shoes • Medicare accredited through The Compliance Team. Inc. • Mastectomy Products • We Deliver
910 East 32nd Street • Silver City, New Mexico
575.534.4013 • 866.534.4013 nursing visits medications delivered ♥ medical equipment ♥ emotional support ♥ respite ♥ 24 hour availability ♥ ADL assistance ♥ chaplain services
bereavement support experience ♥ compassion ♥ medical supplies ♥ confidentiality ♥ volunteers ♥ local cultural knowledge
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Open 8am to 4pm Monday - Friday
High Quality, Experienced and Compassionate Care.
Serving Grant & Hidalgo Counties
Medicare, Medicaid, VA, private insurance & self-pay accepted
Medicare Hospice Benefits cover all services
“Taking care of you in the comfort of your own home.”
575-534-1800 • Toll Free: 877-534-1801
Joint Fx: 575-388-1768 • www.horizonhospicenm.com Commission Accredited 2584 N. Silver St., Bldg. A • Silver City, NM 88061
“Taking care of you in the comfort of your own home!”
• Certified in Manual Techniques for Geriatrics • Offering Mobility Therapy, such as Kinesic Taping • Occupational Therapy • Physical Therapy • Speech Therapy Contracting with and accepting ALL Insurances!
Victor Nwachuku, MD Medical Director / Owner
Yvette R. Chavez, RN Admin / Owner
(575) 388-1801 Fax: (575) 388-2742
Speech Therapy • Occupational Therapy 1260 E. 32nd St. • Silver City, NM 88061 Skilled Nursing • Physical Therapy www.horizonhomehealth1.com Certified Nursing Assistant
SILVER CITYLIFE – 43
Justin C. Porter, D.D.S. Silver City Dental Justin Porter DDS has been in practice in Silve Silver City for 10 years, and loves it. He is mainly involved l d in ffamily l d dentall practice and d generall d dentistry but he also does some specialized treatments– for instance, crowns done within an hour in the office! “We have CEREC technology, which makes a computerized impression so we can do in an hour what used to take more than one visit,” Dr. Porter says. “People sometimes think they need to go to a big city for this kind of (treatment), but we can do it right here.” Dr. Porter and his eight-member staff do everything a general dental practice does, he adds, “from cleanings to dental implants. We also do digital 3D x-rays that aid in dental implant placement and IV sedation, sometimes called ‘conscious sedation,’ for surgeries like wisdom teeth,” he says. “We can use IV sedation as well to help people who are very nervous about dental procedures. It makes people more calm and comfortable with the whole experience.” Dr. Porter grew up in Safford, Ariz., a small town on the eastern side of that neighboring state. He did his undergraduate work at the University of Arizona in Tucson and went to dental school at Marquette University in Milwaukee. After graduating, he learned that the dental practice of the retiring Dr. Anthon Andersen was for sale in Silver City. “It was an opportunity,” he says. “He retired on Friday and I took over on Monday. There was a quick learning curve.” He and his wife Kristi, also from Safford, fell in love with Silver City, and enjoy raising their four children here. The kids range in age from high school down to the third grade, he says, and he's been involved in the community from coaching peewee sports to church activities. Running into patients in these everyday situations is a perk of small town life, he notes. “I enjoy being in a small town and helping great people like the people in Silver City,” Dr. Porter says.
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Lucas O’Laughlin, BA, MSW Mental Health Therapist Silver Health CARE Lucas O’Laughlin, BA, MSW, is the new clinical social worker for Silver Health CARE. He provides psychotherapy for patients, and consultation with physicians, at the Main Clinic in Silver City and in the group’s Family Clinic. “I consult on matters that pertain to mental health diagnoses and treatment,” Lucas explains. He agrees that there is almost always a mental health component to recovery from serious or chronic illness or injuries. “Especially with chronic illness and pain, there is a high correlation of stress,” he says. “It’s my job to find ways to help people deal with those stresses. “My main focus has always been on treating adverse effects on people’s mental health and well-being,” he adds. “I am treating the mind-body connection.” Lucas grew up in Durango, Colo. and attended Colorado University in Boulder and Fort Lewis College. He earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and fine art, and then got his master’s of social work from the University of Denver. The area of focus for his master’s degree was work in rural communities and with native peoples, so he took a job with the Alaskan Native Medical Center. After four and a half years in Alaska, he says, he missed the Southwest. Silver City “ticked a lot of boxes, for my ideal town,” Lucas says. “For its size, it has a lot of diversity. And the proximity to the Gila Wilderness is a perk.” Cycling is his main passion, but he and his fiancée Monica Garcia also like hiking and camping, and he is a skilled photographer. Lucas says the most challenging thing about his job at Silver Health CARE is working with the geriatric population: “That’s a new area of learning for me to focus on.” Collaborating with the doctors of Silver Health CARE is the most rewarding part of the job, he adds. “They really look at treating the whole person.”
Michael D. Rowse Agent
575.597.0206 Mike.Rowse@fbfs.com 215 W. College Ave. Silver City, NM 88061
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SILVER CITYLIFE – 45
Jonathan Jones, D.O. Hidalgo Medical Services - HMS WRITTEN BY KATE McGRAW PHOTOGRAPHED BY JAIME RAMIREZ
Jonathan Jones, D.O., is an osteopathic pediatrician for Hidalgo Medical Services in Silver City. Dr. Jones is a bilingual (English/Spanish), board-certified pediatrician. He and his family moved to Silver City two and a half years ago. “We felt like it was the right thing for our family to make a change and have a different pace of life,” Dr. Jones said of his wife and six children—four boys and two daughters, ranging in age from 12 down to 2. “It’s been a great blessing for us as a family. We’ve enjoyed being in a small town, especially the activities and the schools for the children.” Dr. Jones volunteers with a Boy Scout unit, and he and his family enjoy camping and hiking together. Originally from Chandler, Ariz., Dr. Jones graduated in the top 10 of his class from Midwestern UniversityArizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, Glendale, Ariz. He completed his Pediatric Residency Program at Phoenix Children’s Hospital/ Maricopa Medical Center. Before joining HMS, Dr. Jones was in practice for five years with Gilbert Pediatrics in Gilbert, Ariz. Hidalgo Medical Services provides a broad range of comprehensive community preventive, medical, dental and primary care services, as well as inpatient services including baby deliveries.
“I like the leadership in place with HMS,” Dr. Jones says. “I enjoy having other providers to run stuff by. It’s a supportive environment. We provide a really great service for the community and I’m proud to be a part of it, and to serve the community in this way.” The most challenging thing about his work, he says, is “the difficult emergent and urgent cases that come up at the hospital that present challenges to making sure children are taken care of the way we want. I’m grateful that there is a good hospital here, but a lot of times our role is to stabilize the patient and transfer to higher level of care.” What’s rewarding, though, is “forming relationships with the families I get to see.” “I enjoy making a difference for long46 – SILVER CITYLIFE term health for children.”
Kaiyra Salcido, D.D.S. Hidalgo Medical Services - HMS WRITTEN BY KATE McGRAW PHOTOGRAPHED BY JAIME RAMIREZ
Kaiyra Salcido, DDS, has been a dentist with Hidalgo Medical Services for three years. A Silver City native, she returned home after graduating from dental school at Creighton University (Dr. Salcido also has a BS in Biology and Spanish from UNM). She enjoys her work with Hidalgo’s large range of community services. The bilingual dentist cites the HMS “wide range of services” as a plus. “We provide all of what general dentistry has to offer: exams, extractions, fillings, root canals,” she says. “One of the challenging things is when you want to provide services, and people can’t afford it—but it’s also a benefit that we’re able to provide different types of assistance, whereas in private practice I may not be able to do so,” she says. Her favorite work is oral surgery, which she likes for the variety of the cases, the chance to relieve suffering and “to help people get a good night’s sleep. Being able to restore somebody’s smile and for them to be appreciative of it, that’s really rewarding,” Dr. Salcido says. At HMS, there’s such a large staff, there’s never a dull moment, she notes. “There’s always something to learn. You can bounce things off each other and learn from each other, you’re never alone, and I really like that part,” Dr. Salcido adds. Her mother and father, Jo Ann and Luis Salcido, take care of her one-year-old daughter Arie Storjohann, “and that allows me to go to work without worrying about her.” She likes to spend time outdoors with Arie, just as her mother did with her, and with her husband Eric Storjohnn. ”Going away from New Mexico really makes you appreciate New Mexico’s weather,” Dr. Salcido says. “Outdoors here is a year-round thing. “I’m kind of biased toward Silver City; it’s my community that I grew up with,” she adds. “I get to see people I grew up with, from my childhood, that I went to school with and that’s a great value to me. The big city—the hustle, the bustle—is not me.”
HMS provides our patients with timely, affordable, and quality health care services to help you and your family stay healthy or return to health. You are part of the HMS family. We accept private insurance, Centennial Care, Medicare, and offer individuals a sliding fee scale.
Care for the Whole Family ยง ยง ยง ยง ยง
Annual Physicals Pharmacy Laboratory X-ray Menโ s Health
Pediatric & Adolescent Care ยง ยง ยง ยง
Newborn Care Immunizations Well-Child Visits Sports Physicals
Womenโ s Health ยง
Prenatal Care and Delivery ยง Obstetric Services
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Service Available in the Primary Care Setting ยง Adult Group Therapy ยง Child Play Therapy
Dental Care
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ยง Digital Diagnostic Imaging Services
Coordination of Care Enrollment Services
Specialized Services ยง ยง ยง
Full Spectrum Dental Services
Education (One-On-One & Group Sessions)
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Mental Health
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Family Support
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Bone Density Services Pulmonology Services Chiropractic Services Registered Dietitian Services Certified Diabetes Educator
Family Medicine Training in Southwest New Mexico HMS is proud to partner with our medical community and the University of New Mexico to bring accredited family medicine training to Grant County.
Visit One of Your Neighborhood Community Health Centers Animas Valley Health Center
Silver City Community Health Center
#1 Panther Blvd., Animas, NM 88020 575-548-2742
Medical, Dental, Mental Health & Family Support 1007 Pope St., Silver City, NM 88061 575-388-1511 866-633-7773
Bayard Community Health Center P. O. Box 1356, 805 Tom Foy Blvd. Bayard, NM 88023. 575-537-5068
Cliff/Gila Community Health Center 415 State Hwy 211, Gila, NM 88038 575-535-4384
Lordsburg Community Health Center Medical, Dental, Mental Health & Family Support 530 E. DeMoss St., Lordsburg, NM 88045 575-542-8384 888-271-3596
Mimbres Valley Health Center 2743-B Hwy 35N, Mimbres, NM 88049 575-536-3990
Med Square 114 W.11th St., Silver City, NM 88061 575-388-3239
School-Based Clinic Locations Primary Care, Mental Health & Family Support
Cobre Schools Health Center 1107 Tom Foy Blvd. Bayard, NM 88023. 575-537-5069
Insurance Enrollment Assistance Visit one of your neighborhood HMS Community Health Centers for low-cost
Lordsburg Schools Health Center
health insurance enrollment. One of
501 W. 4th St., Lordsburg, NM 88045 575-542-3389
our certified enrollment staff members
Silver Schools Health Center
need. Learn how the new healthcare law
3200 N. Silver St. Silver City, NM 88061. 575-534-1015
impacts you.
Hidalgo Medical Services is a non-profit Health Care & Community Development Organization that improves the quality of life of the people of Hidalgo County and Southwestern New Mexico since 1994.
can help you get the coverage you