Volunteering

As appeared in the Albuquerque Journal Rio Rancho section 9/12/09

Much like the volunteers who erect houses for Habitat for Humanity, the same sort of house building took place yesterday in the form of temporary dog kennels at two PetSmart locations in town. Volunteers started turning out Thursday evening to unload trucks and put together makeshift kennels for a three-day dog and cat adoptathon.

Events like this don’t just happen by themselves. And they don’t happen by hired laborers who get down on their hands and knees to build cages, fill water bowls or drive animals hundreds of miles and reverse the whole process on Sunday. They happen by the dedication of volunteers who don’t expect anything in return other than finding loving homes for the stray, lost and abandoned animals of our state.

New Mexico’s largest no-kill animal shelter, Watermelon Mountain Ranch (WMR) is hosting a fall adoptathon this weekend at two PetSmart parking lot locations: Coors west side location just north of the Cottonwood Mall and 350 Eubank Blvd., NE. This adoptathon promises to be a big event with lots of purebred and not-so-purebreds coming from dozens of shelter and rescue groups from around the state including Espanola Valley Humane Society, Siberian Husky Rescue of New Mexico, Rio Rancho Animal Control, A.I.M Rescue, Raton Humane Society, Enchant-MUTTS Rescue, Animal Amigos, Northern New Mexico Humane Society, Clovis Animal Rescue, Hobbs Animal Services, Arizona Animal Welfare League, Colfax County Pet Rescue, SPOTS, ANEW and Santa Fe Pit Bull Rescue.

It's interesting to see how a large number of shelters & rescue groups from all over the state converge under one tent with their animals and work so well together to accomplish so many adoptions in one weekend. A well oiled machine is what it takes to get 300-600 puppies, small dogs, big dogs, cat and kittens into new homes in one weekend.

Connie Kuresman knows what it takes to put together adoptathons like this one, she is the Mobile Adoption and Special Event Manager at WMR. Connie and her volunteer crew are out every Saturday in the Walmart parking lot at Southern Blvd. and Unser with a new group of homeless dogs looking for warm homes. It takes a team to run the WMR mobile adoption unit, a team of volunteers who take their precious Saturdays and dedicate them to helping the animals. “I have a very close team and we are all friends. I couldn't do it without everyone who faithfully shows up every Saturday to help me,” says Kuresman. “It is so wonderful to see these dogs go to their new homes with their tails wagging,” says Kuresman, who is always looking for new volunteers. If interested please call (253) 951-0207.

Whether it’s riding a bus up to Denver with the RRHS marching band or building kennels for WMR or making sure an insurance binder is intact for the Corrales Harvest Festival, volunteers are as essential to our community as water is in the desert.

Word is there will be loads of puppies and small dogs out there today and tomorrow. You might find me in the tent cuddling the cats, walking dogs or filling water bowls. And please, if you see me standing in the adoption line with another dog in my arms, remind me I already have two at home.

Quote of the Week: “Unselfish and noble actions are the most radiant pages in the biography of souls.” -David Thomas

And One Band Becomes Two

As appeared in the Albuquerque Journal Rio Rancho Section 10/17/09

Last spring when it was officially announced that Cleveland High School was opening in the fall, a wave of unrest and sadness rolled through the marching band practice field at Rio Rancho High School. There was a crack in the universe and the unthinkable became reality. This tight knit group of musicians who had memorized the Rams’ fight song together, played numerous football games together and had competed together against other schools was now going to be split in two.

When the band camps started in August in the scorching sun, there were now two marching bands at two high schools in Rio Rancho for the very first time. Keith Gilbert took the helm at Cleveland High School and had the daunting task of bringing together former RRHS band members and creating CHS’s first marching band ever. Kurt Schmidt, Director of Bands at RRHS did what he does best and continued the tradition he created in the award winning marching Rams; albeit somewhat smaller in size now.

Football games happened and each band grew stronger and better as the weeks went on. Coming off the heels of the Pomona Marching Band Festival in Arvada, CO in September, the RRHS marching band competed in the NM Pageant of the Bands last weekend at Manzano High School in Albuquerque. Twenty-four marching bands from around the state strutted their stuff and flashed the brass including newly formed CHS. I have to admit it was a little melancholy seeing former RRHS kids wearing Cleveland uniforms. But this was Cleveland’s debut in a competition and everyone was eager to see just how powerful the Storm would be. Turns out the band was more like a tornado.

RRHS band took first place in their class. They also won Best Drum Majors, Best Color Guard and Best Percussion. CHS took first place in their class. They also won Best Color Guard and Best Drum Majors. Rio Rancho sweeps two classes with two high schools and you could hear the roar for miles.

I teared up every time Rio Rancho won an award. I teared up every time Cleveland won an award. What was even cooler than the teams winning was how the once-teammates-now-rivals still cheered each other on whole heartedly and in a way, were still one team. These bands may be from different schools but they now find camaraderie being from one town. Change can be hard, but not impossible.

For those of you who didn’t make it to the Pageant of the Bands last weekend you can catch the performance on YouTube; just type in RRHS marching band. Or better yet head on down to UNM today where both bands are competing in the 2009 Zia Marching Band Fiesta at University Stadium along with 32 other high school marching bands from NM and surrounding states. It is truly a fun event to see and I suggest if you are not doing anything today, go cheer on our town’s marching bands. Your last chance to catch both bands will be Friday night, October 30 at RRHS when the Rams take on the Storm. It will be the first time the two high schools play each other. I can feel the excitement already.

Go Rio Rancho! Go Cleveland! We’ll all be in the stands today cheering you on. Pom pom in one hand, hankie in the other.

Quote of the Week: “Marching band today isn't your grandmother or grandfather's marching band where the band walked out onto the field, stopped and played a couple of songs and walked off the field. These students are moving thousands of steps at high tempos all the while playing an instrument or using a piece of color guard equipment during one show.” - John Mashburn

Corrales Harvest Festival

As appeared in the Albuquerque Journal Rio Rancho section 19/19/09

What does a hat wearing llama, a country western singer, a jewelry maker, a red t-shirt wearing tractor driver, a bun wearing wiener dog and you and I all have in common? We are all going to be enjoying the crisp fall air at the Corrales Harvest Festival next weekend.

Kicking off the festivities next Saturday morning is the ever-popular Pet Parade. The Halloween costumes are out now and I know they make all kinds to fit your four legged friends so there is no excuse why all your kids shouldn’t be in the craziest and most colorful event of the festival. “We are gearing up for our best Pet Parade ever,” said Jasmine Tritten, Coordinator for the Pet Parade. “Children and pets of all ages, sizes and breeds are welcome to walk Corrales Road on Saturday morning and show off their imagination and animals. Bring any sized pets. We have even had crickets in the parade, believe it or not,” said Tritten.

There will be judging and prizes for 1st, 2nd, 3rd place in four categories: Most Colorful, Prettiest, Funniest and Most Unusual/Strangest. For those not walking the walk, your place will be on the sidelines with cameras firmly in hand.

One of my favorite parts of the festival has to be the Mercado Aniguo. Didn’t get to Spanish Market in Santa Fe last July? Here’s another chance to see some of New Mexico’s top Santeros at the Old San Ysidro Church during the festival. Talk about beautiful art in a beautiful setting. The Old San Ysidro Church, listed on both the state and national register of historic places, is a classic example of New Mexico Hispanic village religious architecture from the 18th and 19th centuries. Hispanic artists will be selling retablos and bultos (arts of the santeros or saint makers, which are carved wooden statues of the saints and pictures of saints on wooden boards), weavings, embroidery, tinwork, furniture and carved wooden crosses, just to name a few of the treasures that will be for sale. You know where to find me.

A new event of the festival this year is the highly anticipated Harvest Festival Horse Extravaganza on Saturday. Local horses and riders will be demonstrating equestrian disciplines including dressage freestyle, western reining, Horsemanship, Vaulting, Jumping, Roping and a special Equestrian Flamenco Dance Routine. Be sure to get there early so not to miss the grand entry of costumed equine breeds from around the world including Andalusians, Appaloosas, Arabians, Drafts, Friesians, Haflingers, Icelandics, Lipizzaners, Miniatures, Morgans, Mustangs, Paints, Pintos, Paso Finos, Peruvian Pasos, Quarter Horses, Rocky Mountain Horses, Saddlebreds, ennessee Walkers and Thoroughbreds.

Runners don’t miss the Corrida de Corrales, a 5K or 10K run on Sunday morning. If you haven’t walked among the giant cottonwoods in Corrales, you don’t know what you are missing. A run through the flat, shady, dirt trails along the tree-lined acequia through the heart of beautiful Corrales is a must. I may skip the Reeboks and put on my moccasins, grab a latte and enjoy a laid back morning stroll. Walkers are welcome, you know.


Talk about a top rate festival, there is something for everyone. “The arts and crafts fair this year is the best we’ve ever had, said Chip Babb, president of the Corrales Harvest Festival. “Our entertainment lineup includes Chris Dracup and Tommy Elskes, the Duke City Swamp Coolers and many more. We have a corn maze, petting zoo, pony rides and a pumpkin patch. We also have some great food vendors as well: JP's Custard Cart, Jimmy Yepa's Navajo Tacos, Kettle Korn and much more. Check out our website,” said Babb.

So head down to the village next Saturday and Sunday, hop aboard the Corrales Rapid Transit, a.k.a. a John Deere tractor ride and make your way to La Entrada Park. My poster and t-shirt designs were chosen to represent the festival this year and I will be signing posters at the admissions booth from 10am-12pm both days. Come out and say hello. I would love to meet you.

Quote of the Week: “Autumn, the year's last, loveliest smile.” -William Cullen Bryant