Ripples

The Official Newsletter of the River Reach Foundation

 

Sep 2024

 

The President’s Corner

First and foremost, I would like to thank everyone for the flowers, food, and notes of sympathy you gave me for the loss of my  husband earlier this month.  I so appreciate all you have done!

On a happier note, the River Reach Foundation has had a very good year so far.  Riverfest was a great success.  Read about some of the new changes that were made in the Riverfest article.

A tree wrapping event was held on April 20th and we had over 20 High School students participating in wrapping the trees to keep the beavers from destroying them.

Our 4th Animas River Jam was held on the 28th at the Museum this year and we held our first Fishing Derby at the All Veterans Memorial Park the same day.

The Outdoor Recreation Trails + Grant project is finally complete, and the signage is in the process of being placed at the rafting put ins and bridges.  We were able to add two additional signage places.

River Reach Foundation Annual Meeting

October 3, 2024
6:00 pm
Farmington Civic Center

All members of the River Reach Foundation along with anyone interested in joining the Foundation or just learning more about it are encouraged to attend.

Voting on the 2025 directors’ and officers’ positions will take place at this meeting.

Current directors whose 3-year terms are up for renewal are Gary Hanson, Gloria Lehmer, and Ryan Merrion.  In addition, there are openings for two new 3-year directors’ positions  along with one 1 year student director position.

The slate for officer positions are as follows:

  •  President: 2-year term: open (D’Ann Waters is currently president)
  • Vice President: 1 year term: Gary Hanson
  • Treasurer:  1 year term:  Evan Noel
  • Secretary:  1 year term:  Bernadette Alarid

Other News

2024 “HEROES UNITE” CELEBRATING OUR COMMUNITY RIVERFEST RECAP

Our 36th Riverfest event was a great success.  The event brought in over 25,000 people and netted over $62,000.00.  Over 200 volunteers from the community helped with both the preparations and the Riverfest event itself.  The River Reach Foundation is so appreciative of them and could not promote this event without them.  We had well over 150 vendors participating along with some new additions.  Some of those were a mechanical bull at the Rocky Reach Landing and an interactive drumming circle along the Y trail between Berg East and the Rocky Reach Landing.  The popular Wiener Dog race was run by the Noon Day Civitan’s Club and the Duck Race was run by the Rio del Sol Kiwanis Club.  Another new addition was the 2024 Paddling Film festival that was held at the Totah Theater on Sunday evening right after the closing of Riverfest.  The paddling festival, which featured several paddling videos from around the world, was sponsored by the City of Farmington’s Outdoor Recreation division and will become an annual event and be part of Riverfest.  We look forward to building that up and promoting it each year.

SCULPTURES BY HARRY BENALLY

If you haven’t already seen the new wooden carvings along the river in the Animas Park, be sure to take a walk along the trail and see them.  Harry Benally, a wood carving artist from Sheep Springs, first did a carving of some deer and fawns and later did one of an eagle holding a fish.  He had intended to include a third sculpture of a mountain lion, but a local beehive derailed that intention.  Instead, he carved an additional eagle next to the original one.  That carving was sponsored and paid for in part by a grant from the Connie Gotsch Foundation and promoted by both the City of Farmington’s Park and Recreation division along with the River Reach Foundation.  Hopefully, in the future, we will be able to add more carvings along the river instead of just removing the dead trees.

Getting to Know our Board Members

D'Ann Waters

D'Ann Waters

President

D'Ann Waters joined the River Reach Foundation in 2017. She was the vice-president last year and is the newly elected president. D'Ann is a retired Travel Consultant and Real Estate Broker. She is a firm believer in continual learning and has recently completed two courses in accounting and is looking forward to finding another less complicated course to take.

Karen Lupton

Karen Lupton

Past President

Karen serves as the Immediate Past President of the River Reach Foundation. She enjoys looking for ways to connect people with the beautiful rivers here in Farmington and working to put on events that bring people down to the river!

Gary Hanson

Gary Hanson

Vice President

Gary Hanson is a retired lawyer.  He and his wife, Jeanne, moved to Farmington in 2018 as an "adventure" destination and love their new home.  Gary's interests include hiking, biking, exploring the Four Corners, and spending time with good friends (both two and four-legged).

Evan Noel

Evan Noel

Treasurer

Born In Farmington. Graduated From FHS 2001. BA in business administration UNM. Former ABO Certified Optician in Albuquerque/Santa Fe area. Moved back to Farmington to worked for the Family business, Noel’s Inc. for 14 years. Secretary, Rotary Club of Farmington. Commissioner Farmington PRCA. Board Member San Juan big Brothers Big Sisters. 4-time Fantasy Football Champion. Yoga enthusiast. Father of Two wonderful Boys.

Cody Dudgeon

Cody Dudgeon

Secretary

Cody Dudgeon is a teacher at Piedra Vista High School who grew up in Flora Vista beside the Animas River. He and his wife have been whitewater raft guides in Montana and Idaho and appreciate the beauty and quality of life that rivers provide the communities on their banks. After moving back to New Mexico in 2015 Cody joined the River Reach foundation to help promote the protection, and advocate for the sustainable use, of our local rivers. Beginning this spring Cody and his wife's new venture Desert River Guides will be offering river raft trips on the Animas and San Juan rivers. As a community member who walks the trails with his daughter and a small business owner starting a company based on river recreation, Cody believes that the River Reach Foundation is an essential part of the future of Farmington.

Bob Lehmer

Bob Lehmer

Co Chairman of the PRCA Riverine Task Force in 1984. Became a founding member of the River Reach Foundation in 1986 and its first President. Has continued since as a member of the Board of Directors. Started the first Riverfest (1987)and Riverglo (1998).

Gloria Lehmer

Gloria Lehmer

Gloria Lehmer has been participating in the events and trails on our Rivers since she moved back from College in the late 80’s. She’s been a River Reach Foundation Board Member for a number of years, and currently serves as the Goal Team #1.

Chris Troyer

Chris Troyer

Chris Troyer, River Reach Member since 2017. Moved to Farmington in 2013 with ConocoPhillips. Currently retired. I enjoy walking my dog Chester, hiking, playing Pickle ball, traveling to see my grandchildren in Texas and Washington and volunteering. Currently board member at Big Brothers Big Sisters. Volunteered with the City to inventory all items in the museum collection.

Monica Smith

Monica Smith

Monica was born and raised in Farmington. And has served on the foundation for the past three years. Monica enjoys spending time outdoors with her family and fishing.

Rick Page

Rick Page

I joined the Board in the mid 90’s as near as I can remember, no one I’ve talked to has any specific records. I was both Board president and Riverfest chairman in 2003 and 2004. My hobbies include my grandkids, rafting, hiking, camping, fishing and cooking. During my time one the Board, I’ve been involved in numerous river projects including boat launches, Animas / San Juan river guide, bank stabilization projects, Penny Lane Dam reconstruction, Rocky Reach rapid construction and reconstruction modification.

Debbie Braff

Debbie Braff

Debbie Braff joined the River Reach Foundation in 2003. She is a retired Farmington school principal. Her hobbies include photography, landscape gardening, and walking or hiking her golden retrievers at the River or up on Hood Mesa.

Ryan Merrion

Ryan Merrion

James Neidhart

James Neidhart

My wife and I moved to Farmington in 1996 in no small part because of the River Walk and community spirit.  I joined the River Reach Foundation board in 2021.  Now about four years retired, I enjoy family, farming, fishing, reading, gardening, and horses.

James Luther

James Luther

Doug Abe

Doug Abe

Bernadette Alarid

Bernadette Alarid

Sarah Burch

Sarah Burch

Earleen Dudley

Earleen Dudley

Elvin Keeswood

Elvin Keeswood

Joseph Pope

Joseph Pope

Page Saylor

Page Saylor

Natalie Spruell

Natalie Spruell

Brian Turner

Brian Turner

Join the River Reach Foundation

Help the Foundation meet its goals by becoming a member today!

As a member, you are entitled to voting privileges in Foundation matters. Members are encouraged to attend the Foundation's meetings which occur on the first Thursday of each month at 6:00 PM at the Farmington Civic Center. If you have any questions or concerns, please call (505) 716-4405.

Buy Your Paver Today

Buy a Custom Brick Paver

Purchase your engraved custom memorial, family, or business concrete paver to show your support for the river trails.  Your paver will be located in a highly visible location at the River Reach Terrace for all river walk visitors to see and enjoy every day for years to come.

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