Alamogordo Senior Volunteer Programs Hosts Luau

Friday, April 17, 2015 at 5:00 p.m.

Literally hundreds of people showed up at the Volunteer Luau, so much so that the Alamogordo Senior Center looked almost like "The Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe".  They did manage to seat everyone in various places and provided a delicious buffet dinner. Many attendees came dressed in the spirit of a Hawaiian Luau so there were many leis, grass skirts, Hawaiian shirts, etc. and the decorations were delightful.

There was ham, a rice dish, salad, coleslaw, edamame beans (which we had never had and our table mates taught us *how to eat them), pulled pork, rolls and butter. Also in abundance was iced tea, coffee and water. Dessert was served in gigantic plastic champagne glasses and I'm still not sure exactly what it was called, but it was scrumptious.

*Edamame beans are either boiled or microwaved. You can peel the beans out of the pod or just stick the pod in your mouth and rake them out with your teeth. I tried to eat the whole pod and almost choked-it definitely is not edible-like eating hay! At any rate, they are quite good and are very nutritious.

Our Mayor Susie Galea was in attendance to read a city proclamation and to read a letter from President Barack Obama in honor of Teresita Aragon who received the Presidential Award Lifetime Achievement for 35 Years of  Volunteer Service. A total of 42 people received service pins for years of volunteer service all the way from 25 years down to 5 years.  Geneva Wooten was recognized for 10,000 hours of service and five other volunteers were each recognized for 5,000 hours of service.

Margaret Lucero, Senior Volunteer Program Administrator, and Karen Groves, Foster Grandparents Program/Senior Companion Program Coordinator did a capable job of giving out door prizes to door prize ticket winners of which there were many.

A little bird told me they are planning a Mardi Gras party for next years volunteer celebration. I'm already thinking  about a costume!

Carla Kerr ready for the luau

Mayor Susie Galea with her daughter, Lola. Susie is reading the official proclamation

New friends, Terrie and Paul Sena who taught us how to eat edamame beans

L to R: Mayor Galea, Award Recipient Teresita Aragon and Margaret Lucero, SVP Adminstrator

Lola, Mayor Galea and Carla Kerr

I apologize that there aren't more photos of the crowd, but my photographer/husband is a bit disabled at present and we did what we could given the circumstances.

This is all I have to say for now.

Carla Kerr Reaches 3/4 of a Century Milestone

August 10, 2013

What a fabulous Saturday, August 10, 2013 turned out to be. Between Facebook and regular emails, I received over 250 greetings and cards as well as many by snail mail. One only turns 75 once in a lifetime so it was a wonderful way to celebrate with everyone else. All of my children checked in which made me deliriously happy. Also received a call from a dear friend in Germany, Ingrid.

My darling husband, Doug, drove us up the mountain to Cloudcroft to dine in The Lodge on the golf course and it was marvelous. I had rack of lamb and Doug had a New York steak. After dinner we had table-side Cherries Jubilee which was scrumptious. People even hung around to watch the creation of the dessert after they had dined. The ambiance of the beautiful Rebecca Restaurant in The Lodge is superb and they add to it with a pianist playing just the right tone of background music creating the perfect scene. Incidentally, the Rebecca Restaurant has a ghost and her name is "Rebecca." The employees claim that lights get turned off at odd times, items are moved around, doors open and close for no apparent reason and sudden wafts of air occur where there is no air conditioning. We were not privileged by a visit from Rebecca, but we hope to return soon and perhaps she will favor us.

On the way to our table, we spotted our lovely Mayor Susie Galea and her handsome husband, Jay. They were celebrating their 13th wedding anniversary. We greeted each other and discussed our mutual celebrations.

Jay and Mayor Susie Galea at Rebecca's on their 13th wedding anniversary

Doug and Carla Kerr at Rebecca's on her 75th birthday

The Lodge in Cloudcroft high up in the Sacramento Mountains

Another view of The Lodge

Michelle demonstrating her culinary expertise in creating Cherries Jubilee

Here we have the flaming of the Cherries Jubilee

Michelle is dishing up her successful creation

I must tell you we ate every tasty bite of this dessert and I do believe I could have eaten even more.

Thanks to everyone for making this special birthday even more so with all the greetings, cards, calls and gifts.

This is all I have to say for now.