The 2026 Spirit of the West Award created by Richard Ronquillo, owner of Rich Welding LLC. Courtesy photo

By BERNADETTE LAURITZEN
Executive Director
Champions of Youth Ambitions

This weekend, Champions of Youth Ambitions (C’YA) will host the annual CommUNITY Asset Awards. Forty adults and youth have been nominated for charitable deeds, done in and around our community, to make life better for others. The event is designed for them to learn who nominated them and why.

One person is selected from all submissions to be recognized for the Spirit of the West Award. The award was named for Los Alamos former County Councilor Jim West prior to his passing away in November 2009. The winner is selected by a committee based on stories that have been submitted by the community.

The 2026 Spirit of the West Award is a handcrafted piece of art by Machinist/Fabricator Richard Ronquillo. Ronquillo is a third-generation fabricator and owner of Rich Welding LLC. Ronquillo and his team work hard to provide a beautiful keepsake, which is the final award presented at the event. Ronquillo was recognized by KOB-TV with a Pay It Forward nod in March of 2025 while at a meeting at the Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce.

A full list of all the winners and the Spirit of the West Award will be available in the Los Alamos Daily Post after the event. To learn more about Champions of Youth Ambitions (C’YA) visit www.cya-nm.org or their Facebook page.