Letters to the Editor

We helped the city

Editor:

In the Jan. 24 edition of the Valencia County News-Bulletin, the newspaper published a letter from Lawrence Kaneshiro, a Los Lunas resident, alleging that I did not donate any of my Belen City Council salary to help city employees during the budget crisis of 2010 — a crisis that led to layoffs and furloughs. This allegation is patently false.

In 2010, former Mayor Rudy Jaramillo and the Belen City Council — myself included — did, in fact, donate an equal portion of our salaries to help the city during the crisis. We believed we had a responsibility to share in the pain.

In December of that same year, I went even further. With the crisis still in mind, I proposed that we permanently cut our salaries to give back even more to the city. My proposal was voted down by the city council.

Time and time again, I’ve done what I can to give back to the city, including as recently as December when I donated $1,000 to the city so each employee would have a turkey or ham to take home to their families for the holidays. That’s on top of the $10,000 I’m giving to support Belen’s art community.

I really don’t care about Mr. Kaneshiro’s shortsighted and ill-informed attack. He didn’t do his research. But I am disappointed in the News-Bulletin. They, too, should do their research so they don’t damage their reputation by peddling in false information.

Mayor Jerah Cordova

Belen

Food pantry here to help

Editor:

The Salvation Army Service Extension Unit at Peralta Memorial United Methodist Church would like to express sincere appreciation to Mr. Marcos Monarez, store director at the Smith’s store in Los Lunas, and Ms. Caren Nicholson, manager of the Walmart in Los Lunas, for their support of the mission work of the Salvation Army.

They allowed the Salvation Army to schedule volunteers to stand and “Ring the Bell” at their stores during the Thanksgiving and Christmas season. Kroger/Smith’s and Walmart are great partners with the Salvation Army.

We are once again so thankful for the shoppers at these stores who were so generous in their donations into the “Red Kettles,” which are synonymous with the Salvation Army. We are always amazed at the kindness and generosity that is offered by the folks of this community. It was once again a successful campaign.

With the money received from the donations, we help support the Mission Outreach ministry of Peralta Memorial United Methodist Church. The goal of this ministry is to assist people who live in the surrounding communities of Bosque Farms, Peralta, Tome, Meadow Lake, El Cerro and Los Lunas.

The food pantry outreach offers help by distributing a food box for each family enrolled once a month. This year there were more than 500 families registered in the pantry. The collections will make it possible to continue this ministry through 2019. The pantry is open between 10:30 a.m. and 12 p.m. every Monday.

Wayne M. Sharp

Salvation Army Coordinator

Peralta Memorial United Methodist Church

Thank you, Valencia County

Editor:

Thank you, to Valencia County residents.

Once again, we would like to thank all of you who gave so generously to our food pantry this Christmas. We began this ministry in 2006, and it continues to grow.

We would also like to thank our many volunteers who ran the Salvation Army Bells at the Belen Walmart. Thank you, Walmart for sponsoring our efforts to collect donations.

All that is donated goes to buy food that is distributed monthly to many needy families in our area throughout the year. The need is so great.

The Lord has blessed our church with workers who give of their time all year to make this ministry a success.

Happy new year to all.

Mary Lou Dallas

Food Pantry Coordinator

First Assembly of God