Support for veterans cemetery

 

gratifying; help is still needed

Editor:

I would like to express a heartfelt thank you to all who helped with the Valencia County National Veterans Cemetery Drive during the Bosque Farms Fair.

Whether you participated in the parade, donated supplies, signed the petition or just cheered us on, I want everyone to know that it was highly appreciated.

It was wonderful to see the support that our northern Valencia County residents and veterans provided.

Our veterans, hopefully, will reap the benefits of what we have begun here. We still have a long way to go, and I would like anyone interested in helping with the petition drive to give me a call at 869-2735.

Lillie McNabb

Bosque Farms

Children need health insurance

Editor:

Did you know that almost a quarter (22 percent) of the children living in New Mexico do not have health insurance? Health care coverage is one of the most important tools to give children as they head back to school. Without health insurance, children face obstacles and stresses that other children with insurance do not. The lack of health insurance can have a serious impact on a child’s health. The American College of Physicians reports that uninsured children are less likely to receive proper medical care for sore throats, ear infections, asthma and vision problems, conditions that can impact school attendance and classroom performance.

The surprising fact is that the vast majority of these children are eligible for free or low-cost Medicaid health care coverage, known in New Mexico as New MexiKids. A family of four can earn up to $33,492 a year and still be eligible to receive New MexiKids. Eligibility is based on family size and household income. This program will pay for doctor visits, dental care, immunizations, glasses, preventative care, prescriptions, sports physicals and more. Many working parents do not realize that their income qualifies them to enroll their children in New MexiKids or that they may be able to use it as a secondary insurance even when they are already receiving insurance through their work.

Youth Development Inc. can assist families in determining if they are eligible to apply for this type of health insurance and can help those families who do qualify to complete the necessary application. Any children enrolled in New MexiKids at the YDI offices during the month of August will receive free backpacks and school supplies.

For more information, parents should call the YDI offices at 865-3999.

Leona Woelk

Maternal Child

Health Coordinator

Youth Development Inc.

Los Lunas

Thanks for great summer

Editor:

Now that summer recreation 2002 has ended, I would like to extend my thanks to the wonderful people involved.

To the recreation leaders, Julianna Hoehne, Andrea Lu-chetti, Adam Ortiz, Selena Lu-cero, Triandos Miller, Charlene Gabaldon (our recreation leader of 2002), Natalie Garley, Brandi Baca and Chris Sodennberg, thanks.

Thank you to Adam Sanchez for all your assistance; Manuel Serna, the custodian at Central Elementary; Lorraine Sanchez, our arts and crafts instructor; Adolfo Urtiaga Jr. — Mr. U, a great big thanks for helping us out at the talent show; Brenda Gurule, recreation director for the City of Belen; the summer recreation children and parents. Have a great school year!

Evelyn A. Sanchez

Site supervisor

Summer

recreation program

Belen

Lots of books were read

Editor:

I would like to thank the community for another successful Roadrunner Summer Reading Program. Our books flew off the shelves, with children and teens reading for assorted prizes and incentives. Each week, storytellers, magicians and puppeteers provided entertainment. Americorp-Vista students offered one-to-one tutoring to those who needed additional help. The 300 children who participated this summer are to be congratulated for improving their reading skills. They will be ready for success during the upcoming school year.

Special thanks to Julie Benavidez, principal at Jaramillo Elementary; City of Belen; Friends of the Belen Public Library; and the New Mexico State Library for their support of our program.

Beverly McFarland

Librarian

Belen Public Library

Belen

Thanks for help with show

Editor:

As organizers of the 4U2C Classic Car Show, we would like to thank our sponsors: Lil’ Alex’s Concession; City of Belen (Emergency Management Office); Nationwide Transmis-sion; Desert Greens Equipment; Sprinkle Irrigation Supply; Exerplay Inc.; Zeke’s Auto Repair; Classic Chevy Car Club; All Motor Parks; T.C. Toucan.

Special thanks to Chuck Rumschlag and his crew; Leroy Vallejos and the City Parks crew; Lucille and Richard Aragon; Diane Peña; Mary Jane and Wayne Gallegos; Adolfo Sr., Adolfo Jr. and Sally Urtiaga; Andre’s Restaurant; Lenore Peña; Jay, Margaret and Val Gabaldon; Pat Wightman; Valencia County News-Bulletin.

We would also like to thank our family and many close friends for all your help and support, and, to all the car-show participants who entered the show, we really appreciate it. Thank you for making our eighth annual car show a success. This year’s donation went to Steve Gonzales of Belen, who has been diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Again, thank you and we’ll see you next year!

Cuco and Jeanette Urtiaga

4U2C Car Show organizers

Belen

It’s harvest time again

Editor:

It is getting to be harvest time. It reminds me of the two days that I picked onions at the big farm in Jarales, just south of Belen.

I had to ride my bicycle to work from town. That was half the job. I went really early. There was a rather large group of harvesters — men, women and teens.

The foreman gave us shears to cut the stalks of the onions. He said if we lost the shears it would come out of our pay. We had to take the shears home at the end of the day for the next day.

It took the foreman 30 seconds to teach me how to do the work. We filled five-gallon buckets full of onions. I forget what the pay was, but it was not much. We had to kinda crawl on our knees between the rows. The hard clods would dig into our knees. We had to lug the five-gallon pails behind us and then go for another empty pail.

I kinda scratched my finger with the shears. The foreman gave me a Band-Aid.

In the middle of the afternoon, a truck came full of coolers with Cokes in them for free. It was hot. At noon, me and a cousin had our lunch in a big hay barn. I did not want to start work again.

Way over there, I could see two men picking. They were professional migrant farm workers. They were there to really make money. They stayed later in the heat, working.

They had leather custom-made knee pads. They were working very fast. I think I was the slowest picker and it bothered me. Even the women were picking faster than me, ha!

The field and whole area had the scent of sweet onions. They were big ones and well maintained. They kinda stuck halfway out of the ground in the rows. I should have eaten one for lunch. I should have taken a couple home. The next day, I only worked half a day and quit, but the foreman did say that I was doing good work, ha!

I had no problem drawing my pay from the owner at the farmhouse, and I turned in the shears. Migrant farm workers are awesome!

Martin Frank Kirtley

Los Lunas

Talk to your children

Editor:

A nationwide study released this summer shows good news in the fight against underage drinking. According to the annual Pride Survey of more than 75,000 students in grade 6 through 12, the number of students who drink alcohol has dropped to the lowest point in 13 years — and overall alcohol use by these students has fallen for five straight years.

This survey also has found that parents talking to their children about drinking is an effective measure to prevent underage drinking — something common sense dictates but which more parents need to do.

That’s why we at Premier Distributing Company, the local distributor of Anheuser-Busch products, are proud to provide free copies of Family Talk, a guide to help parents talk to their kids about drinking. Preventing underage drinking and other forms of alcohol abuse requires everyone’s commitment — and we all should work together to be a part of the solution. For a free copy of Family Talk, call 1-800-359-TALK or visit www.familytalkonline.com.

Edward Dobbs

President

Premier Distributing Company

Albuquerque

What’s your Reaction?
+1
0
+1
0
+1
0
+1
0
+1
0
+1
0

The Valencia County News-Bulletin is a locally owned and operated community newspaper, dedicated to serving Valencia County since 1910 through the highest journalistic and professional business standards. The VCNB is published weekly on Thursdays, including holidays both in print and online.