¡Fiesta Los Alamos! Fundraiser Draws Sell Out Crowd

Speaking from the heart, Los Alamos Rotary STARS members Michael Erickson and Laura Loy thank the sold out crowd at Satuday’s ¡Fiesta Los Alamos! fundraiser at Fuller Lodge. Proceeds will provide shelter for parents of children receiving medical treatment in Cd. Juarez. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Members of the El Camino Real Rotary Club of El Paso share in the festivities at Saturday’s event. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Staff Report

A sold out crowd of more than 220 people gathered Saturday evening at Fuller Lodge for the ¡Fiesta Los Alamos! fundraiser hosted by the Los Alamos Rotary STARS Club.

The evening was filled with mariachi music, Spanish Folk performances, activities for all ages, silent and live auctions and traditional Mexican fare. 

Blue Window Bistro served a Mexican buffet and Bandelier Grill provided a cash bar serving a selection of wine, Mexican beer, margaritas and sangria. Throughout the evening, a mariachi band strolled the grounds playing authentic and festive music. Baile Español, a Spanish Folk dance troupe from Santa Fe also performed.

Children took turns swinging at a candy-filled piñata and participated in other crafts and activities. Mike Lippiatt auctioned off prizes including Mexican pottery and a three-night vacation in Cabo San Lucas with resort and airfare.

All proceeds from the charitable event are going toward providing a shelter for parents of children receiving medical treatment in Juarez, Mexico who are forced by poverty to sleep on the street while their children are in the hospital. Together with the El Camino Real Rotary Club in El Paso, the Los Alamos Rotary STARS Club intends to provide the shelter on the grounds of the hospital.

Members of the El Camino Real Rotary Club of El Paso traveled to Los Alamos to participate in Saturday’s festivities.

Sponsors of ¡Fiesta Los Alamos! include Blue Window Bistro, Bandelier Grill, Abe Dispennette State Farm Agent, Hilton Santa Fe Buffalo Thunder, Hilton Los Cabos Beach & Golf Resort, Bridge Care for Women, Los Alamos Daily Post, First National Santa Fe and Zia Realty Group.

STARS (Service To All Rotary Satellite) is a group of motivated Los Alamos Rotarians who are determined to fit community and international service into their busy lifestyles, while at the same time having fun.

The idea of STARS was born in 2012 by a few individuals who believed in the principles of Rotary, but due to busy schedules, couldn’t regularly make it to noontime meetings. Out of their need for more flexibility grew the idea of STARS – that anyone should be able to provide Service To All through a Rotary Satellite Club. STARS undertakes projects that benefit the local community such as helping elementary students to participate in swim lessons as part of their PE curriculum, among other projects.

STARS plans to make ¡Fiesta Los Alamos! an annual event.

Anyone unsure of how much time they can commit or where they might fit in with Rotary is invited to join STARS. STARS meets every first and third Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. on the 2nd floor of the Community Bank Building.

For more information about the group or to make a donation to this cause, contact laura.loy@usa.net or go to http://www.facebook.com/RotarySTARS.

Los Alamos Fire Chief Troy Hughes and his wife, Pinon teacher Jodi Hughes listen to mariachis perform. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Mariachis perform under the tent at Fuller Lodge. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Rotarian Vincent Chiravalle and his mother Marie Chiravalle are ready for dinner Saturday at Fuller Lodge. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Senoritas lindas thank the generous crowd with roses. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Pequenia dancers delight the crowd. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Kaya Loy prepares to wack the piñata. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Children gather for their turn at the piñata. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Baile Español, a Spanish Folk dance troupe from Santa Fe performs for the crowd. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Marvel Harrison untangles balls as her husband Dr. Tom Csanadi lobs them at the rack across the lawn behind Fuller Lodge during Saturday’s fundraiser. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Alex Csanadi and Sopahn Kellogg prepare to lob balls back to their parents across the lawn behind Fuller Lodge in one of several activities at Saturday’s fundraising event. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Baile Español dancers perform. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Rotarian of the Year Anna Caspersen in festive apparel at Saturday’s ¡Fiesta Los Alamos! fundraiser. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Community members of all ages gather at Saturday’s fundraiser. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Los Alamos Superintendent of Schools Kurt Steinhaus, center, and his wife Jo Beth at Saturday’s event. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Community members gather for the ¡Fiesta Los Alamos! fundraiser. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Rotarian Lisa Harris, right, is among many Rotarians at Saturday’s event. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

PED Commissioner Karyl Ann Armbruster receives two roses. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Baile Español Spanish Folk dancers perform. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Dr. Merry McIntyre makes her way back to her table as Nancy Coombs, far left, chats with friends at Saturday’s fundraiser. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Blue Window Bistro owner Melissa Paternoster’s south of the border menu compliments the event’s fiesta theme. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

The Blue Window dessert table is stocked and ready for the hungry crowd. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Olga Appell of Bandelier Grill serves beverages at the event. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Bandelier Grill owner Brian Appell and his wife Olga cater the beverage portion of the event. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

The tent sits ready for the crowd to arrive for Saturday’s ¡Fiesta Los Alamos! fundraiser at Fuller Lodge. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

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