Finding Our True North

Everybody say, “Ho, Ho, Ho…”

Denise Wymore — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 21:24:23 +0000

If you believe – you want to get your picture taken with Santa. We believe it should be as easy as possible. No fighting for parking at the mall and waiting in a long line and having to pay big bucks.

That’s why this year Santa is coming to Del Norte Credit Union branches - you can do your banking, and get your child’s picture with Santa. It’s our gift to you!

December 14th at the Cordova Branch
December 15th at DeVargas and
December 21st at the Cerrillos Branch.

Merry Christmas!

Join the CU Revolution

Denise Wymore — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 17:36:37 +0000

Back To School with Backpacks

Denise Wymore — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 16:36:02 +0000

I know that kids have been back to school for a couple of weeks now, but this morning I hit it just right and got to see the bus unloading at our local grade school. One by one the little tykes filed off the bus – all wearing big old backpacks filled with their books and supplies and lunches.

Can you imagine being the one kid that didn’t have a backpack? Because your parents couldn’t afford it? We can’t and that’s why this year DNCU took up the backpack challenge with the LANL Community and helped stuff Gus the Bus.

Their goal this year was to collect 1000 backpacks for kids in need – and they exceeded that goal by 200!

Gus and his Bus were at our Los Alamos branch last month to pick up the 25 backpacks donated by Del Norte staff. We also purchased the tee-shirts for the Kicks for Kids Fun Run that same week.

It’s tough enough being a kid these days without worrying about your school supplies. We are committed to supporting our moms and kids in our communities.

“Between saying and doing, many a pair of shoes is worn out.” – Iris Murdoch

Denise Wymore — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 22:45:04 +0000

Last week I got to meet Tim Martinez from the LANL Foundation. He told me about the LANL Laces project. It’s a program that helps provide new shoes for kids that need them.

Tim told me the story of the kid that asked that he be fitted for new shoes that were at least two sizes bigger than he needed. When Tim asked him why, he said that way he could share the shoes with his father.

Sometimes we forget how lucky we are. Sure, we may have lost some money in our 401Ks this week, but we have shoes.

Please help us support LANL Laces. You can make a donation, or run a mile and a half, or volunteer to deliver the shoes. Whatever you like.

Don’t Mess with Texas

Denise Wymore — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 14:07:04 +0000

I’m in Big D – the Lone Star State. The state with the motto “Don’t mess with us.” I saw real cowboys in the hotel lobby this morning. With spurs and chaps and hats and everything. My breakfast waffle was in the shape of Texas. I have to admire their brand. Very few states can sell stepping stones at Home Depot in their likeness. But Texas – very proud.

I’m a transplant to New Mexico. Sometimes I feel like we’re not even on the map. When the national weather is on, the forecaster dude/chick usually parks their caboose in front of us and points to their left (your right) to Texas’ amazing heat wave, wind, monsoons, etc. and to their right (your left) at the heat, wind, dust storms, monsoons, in Arizona.

Contrary to popular belief you DON’T need a passport to come visit me. We are in the continental US – the lower 48 – the 5th largest state by land mass wedged between TX and AZ.

Oh, and we don’t have to say “Don’t Mess with New Mexico.” Instead, we prefer to be known as the Land of Enchantment.

Our state capital is a mile and a HALF high.

Our state flower is a cactus.

Our state bird can kill a rattle snake.

Enough said.

The storm has passed…

Denise Wymore — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 16:06:13 +0000

The Las Conchas fire is now 50% contained – yay – and now they say another one is on its way. The beloved monsoons promise to cool down our temps, bring us much needed water and possibly cause flash flooding. As the late great Gilda Radner would say “It’s always something.”

I moved here from Portland, Oregon for the beauty of the mountains, the abundant sky, the addictive properties found in the green chile and the quirkiness of the community. No fire or flood can change the way I feel about the Land of Enchantment. I am enchanted.

Rock on New Mexico.

BPOE and the Las Conchas Fire

Denise Wymore — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 22:31:53 +0000

My granddad was an Elk. He regularly attended the Elk’s Club in Lincoln City, Oregon and each summer we looked forward to the big picnic, complete with pie and watermelon eating contests.

Today I heard about Elks Lodge 2083. This Benevolent Protective Order of the Elks acted as a kind of clearing house for meals for the heros saving Los Alamos. De Colores, Blue Window and Hot Rocks heard the lodge was feeding the firefighters so they not only donated their time and talent, they donated food from their restaurants. Tony Fox of the LANL Foundation and former Elk came through immediately with the largest cash donation to get things up and running.
Ben Bouman is an Elk and our LPL Financial Service Rep AND someone who can grill hundreds of steaks in an evening.

He told me that around 14,000 meals in all were served out of the Elks kitchen. Firefighters were saying it was the best hospitality they had ever received and the only fire they gained weight on.

My granddad used to say that the B.P.O.E. in their logo stood for “Best People on Earth” I have to agree.

If you’d like to show your appreciation De Colores, Blue Window and Hot Rocks, please consider eating at one of these fine establishments. They are open for business!

A Celebration of Life in White Rock

Denise Wymore — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 15:58:05 +0000

This morning we received an email from Russ Gordon of the Gordons’ Concerts just to let us know that tonight’s concert is still on. His email was so inspiring I asked if I could share it. Now more than ever we need music and dancing and laughter. I hope you’ll join us.

This Friday night, July 8 the Summer Concerts gets back on schedule with a RoverPark, White Rock show. (The first light in White Rock is Rover Blvd. Go east one mile and park is on left.) Our band is the Iguanas and they play a fusion of rock, roots-rock, blues, Zydeco, Cajun, Conjunto, Tex-Mex, R & B and New Orleans second line jazz and funk. It’s a musical gumbo and they’re here to “Let The Good Times Roll!”
If you’re still in a smoky funk, you really ought to let these guys help. They know what we’re going through. They were living in New Orleans in 2005 when Katrina devastated the city. They were on the road and had to find their families and move everyone to Houston. After a short stay they were invited to the “Live music capitol of the world, Austin, Texas.” They became regulars at one of the greatest watering holes in town, The Continental Club. They eventually got back to New Orleans and are trying to help restore the city into one ofAmerica’s finest. The Iguanas are now back to touring the world behind their new album, “If You Should Fall On Hard Times”. I saw them Tuesday on the Santa FePlaza and they’re happy again. Darn near everyone was dancing and jumping. It was a celebration life and rebirth in Louisiana and New Mexico. I spoke to the band Tuesday and they’re very happy to return to Los Alamos and be with us. This is the third time they’ve played here and every show has been tremendous.

Finding Beauty in Adversity.

Denise Wymore — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 17:01:48 +0000

Where there’s smoke there’s fire. And in Northern New Mexico we get that. But sometimes the smoke can make for a beautiful sunset or an awe inspring sunrise or in the case of this photo a gorgeous muted backdrop to a heard of elk.

If you have a photo of the fire that is strangely beautiful, we’d love to share it with the world.

Email to dwymore@dncu.org

Del Norte Members Rock

Denise Wymore — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 16:48:48 +0000

I don’t know about you, but we felt pretty helpless last week. Watching the news, smelling the smoke, seeing the flames, and knowing that the majority of Los Alamos residents have already been through this – we wanted to do something. Anything.

When we heard that Denise Lane, owner of the Hill Diner had stayed open and converted her quaint restaurant into a mass production chow line for county workers, firefighters and anyone else helping with the efforts – we knew we could help.

With a Sam’s Club card and a truck – anything is possible. Buying in bulk is as American as it gets. Even the police and National Guard blocking the road to LA saw our good intentions and let us pass. We’re feeding people!

We started getting calls from our members. How can we help? As a financial institution, we do money well. So we slapped up a donation button on Friday and over the three day week-end had an amazing $800.00 donated by our members. That’s almost three truckloads of food.

We will be presenting the Hill Diner with another check this week in the amount of $1290.00. Thank you to all who donated.

We are Del Norte!