Advocates of employee giving campaigns honored at Fuller Lodge luncheon

Recession doesn't curb employee generosity

June 11, 2010—Employee advocates and Laboratory business partners working together to foster the Laboratory’s giving programs were officially recognized at a luncheon at Fuller Lodge. The luncheon followed a LANL Volunteer Recognition event that honored individual Lab volunteers who logged in volunteer hours on VolunteerMatch, and the non-profit organizations where they volunteered.

Community Programs Office Director Kurt Steinhaus in his opening address named those who had, over the years through “their outstanding contributions,” made Lab employee giving programs, such as the Holiday Drive, the School Supply Drive, LANL Laces, and others a success.

“Unrelenting, persistent, and compassionate” 

Special thanks went to event coordinator Tim Martinez of CPO, whom keynote speaker Al Padilla of the Santa Fe Boys and Girls Club called “unrelenting, persistent, and compassionate.” Martinez, who coordinates a number of giving programs at the Lab, noted, “It’s been my dream for many years to honor the many people at the Lab, in Los Alamos, and in the surrounding communities who work tirelessly—often behind the scenes—to make a difference in people’s lives.” Martinez added that he could not have accomplished what he did without the support of his coworkers and his supervisor, Steinhaus.

Among the many honored were Rick Holmes of CMRR Division; Stanley Trujillo of Stockpile Manufacturing and Support; Chris Fresquez of Acquisition Services Management (ASM) Division; Mary Olsen of Maintenance and Site Services; Nicole Vigil of IRM Document Control Services; Associate Director for Stockpile Manufacturing and Support Carl Beard; Anthony Garcia of ASM Division; Denise Jaramillo of the Human Resources Service Center; James Nesmith of the Science & Technology Base Program Office; Jerry Romero of Physical Chemistry & Applied Spectroscopy; Inez Valdez of International, Space, & Response; Sherry Savidar of SOC Los Alamos; Dick Kiess and Carmela Romero of CNSI, Inc.; and Leonard Valerio of the Española Valley Public Schools.

Success stories

Steinhaus also touched upon the amazing success Lab giving campaigns enjoy even in times of economic recession. Some highlights are

• The LANL Laces program, which provided shoes for 60 needy area children in 2005, the year of its inception, outfitted 300 kids in 2009;
• employees donated more than 15,000 items to the 2009 School Supply Drive, thereby providing 780 backpacks to children in need;
• employees donated more than 500 turkeys and 12,000 pounds of food on 2009 Take a Turkey To Work Day to ensure that those less fortunate received a delicious holidaydinner;
• more than $20,000 were raised at the 2009 Chile Bowl fundraiser in support of Española’s San Martin de Porres Soup Kitchen;
• and more than 1,450 holiday tags were collected at the 2009 Holiday Drive to provide holiday gifts for needy area children and senior citizens.

Photos by Sandra Valdez of IRM-RRMSO.