Rotarians elected to UFO Museum Board

Roswell Rotary Club members Howard Perry and Marc Reischman have been elected to the Board of Directors of the International UFO Museum and Research Center. 

Howard Perry (left) and Marc Reischman

The museum/research center was born from international interest in the purported crash of a flying saucer in July 1947 near Roswell. The incident is popularly known as “The Roswell Incident.” 

The UFO Museum draws more visitors annually than any other museum in New Mexico
and is the major tourism draw for Roswell. 

Though the museum was forced to close and then limit attendance during part of 2019 and 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic, it has made a major rebound in attendance and revenue this year.

The research center’s library has the largest collection of books, research papers, and articles about UFO sightings outside of the Vatican Library.

Rotarians celebrate Veterans Day

Military veterans in the Roswell Rotary Club attended the Annual Veterans Day Breakfast sponsored by New Mexico Military Institute on Nov.11.

Grizzle

The event began at 8 a.m. with an invocation and a presentation by the NMMI cadet choir, followed by opening remarks from Maj. Gen. Jerry Grizzle, president and superintendent of the Institute. Grizzle is a member of the Roswell Rotary Club. 

After breakfast, Grizzle introduced the guest speaker, Brig. Gen. Miguel Aguilar, deputy adjutant general of the New Mexico Army National Guard, who described how he began his military career when he accepted a scholarship at NMMI.

Jane Harvard sits with her father, retired Army Brig. Gen. Gerald Childress, former president and superintendent of New Mexico Military Institute. Childress is a longtime member of the Roswell Rotary Club.

Rotarians Dennis Kintigh (left) and Shawn Powell enjoy coffee and a visit at the Veterans Day Breakfast. Kintigh and Powell are both military veterans.

Rotarians in the news

Swickard keynote speaker

Roswell Rotarian Jack Swickard was the keynote speaker at the community’s annual Veterans Day Ceremony on Saturday (Nov. 6) in front of the Chaves County Courthouse.

The ceremony was followed by a parade north on Main Street to College Boulevard. This year’s ceremony and parade, organized by the city’s two American Legion posts, was dedicated to Vietnam War veterans.

Swickard was a helicopter pilot stationed at Bien Hoa, South  Vietnam, during the war. He accumulated 1,000 hours of combat flight time between February 1967 and February 1968. His awards include the Distinguished Flying Cross with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster, the Bronze Star Medal, and the Air Medal with 22 Oak Leaf Clusters.

Bianca, J.P. Cheney

John Cheney (left), son of Rotarians Bianca and J.P. Cheney, was elected to the Roswell School Board on Nov. 2. Bianca is president-elect of the Roswell Rotary Club.

 

The Roswell Rotary Club sponsored a "Pints for Polio" fund-raiser at Pecos Flavors Winery on Oct. 26. Eradicating polio from the world is Rotary International's primary goal.

Destined for benches

Rotarian Steve Smith holds bottle caps collected by Roswell Rotary
Club members to convert into benches throughout the city.

November, December meeting locations

 The Roswell Rotary Club will meet at the Roswell Country Club, 2601 Urton Road, on Nov. 4, 11, and 18.

There will be no club meeting on Nov. 25, which is Thanksgiving Day.

On Dec. 2, 9, and 16, the club will meet at The Liberty, 312 N. Virginia Ave. The club will not meet on Dec. 23 and 30 because of the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.

Meetings begin at 12:15 p.m.

November Rotary programs

Nov. 4 

Local and state updates on COVID-19 by Warren Yehl, CEO of Eastern New Mexico Medical Center, and Buddy Daniels, CEO of Lovelace Regional Hospital.

The program will be followed by a survey of Rotary members on the impact of COVID-19 on themselves, family and friends.

 

Nov. 11

Carrie-Leigh Cloutier, CEO of Chaves County CASA, will give an update on the program.

Nov. 18

Leland Gould, president and CEO of the New Mexico Oil and Gas  Association will speak about the energy industry in the state and nation.

Nov. 25

Thanksgiving Day (No Rotary Club meeting)