EcoServants, a 501(C)(3) nonprofit in Ruidoso, New Mexico, has helped the U.S.

Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the Village of Ruidoso with

recreational trail building and restoration, as well as improvements to local parks,

provided educational programs to students in grades 6 through 12, and helped nu-

merous young people in the community through work experience and scholarships.

From 2008-2011 EcoServants has dedicated 53,279 service hours to Lincoln and

Otero County projects and awarded $159,599 in scholarships.

EcoRangers, a yearlong AmeriCorps community outreach program now in

its second year, aims to continue the mission of directly engaging the community

through service. Many new and ongoing projects include participation in White

Mountain Search & Rescue and American Red Cross, developing youth education

programs at Ruidoso Middle School, promoting responsible land ethic and invasive

plant management, increasing Lincoln County recycling efforts, increasing Fire-

wise education and awareness, volunteering with local community garden efforts,

and increasing involvement and awareness in regards to community service in gen-

eral.

This year’s crew consists of three members. Recently a graduate of Ruidoso

High School, Brian Blake is a member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe who has

lived in this area all his life. He is the youngest EcoRanger and joined to leave a

lasting impact in his community.

Streisand Webb, who was born and

raised in Ruidoso, joined because she

wants to be part of something posi-

tive and to possibly open up doors

for a career. Nicholas Giusti, a second

year AmeriCorps member, joined to

continue serving the community

through direct action. For the next

year as EcoRangers, we will work to-

gether to fulfill our mission as mem-

bers of the community.

EcoRangers 2012-2013 Press Release

Winter 2012-2013

Volume 2, Issue 1

Reflections from EcoRangers

2 & 3

American Red Cross

2

RMS Afterschool Program

4

Trail Restoration 4

Guide To Writing Letters to Public Officials

5

Thank You 6

Inside this issue:

EcoServants, estab-

lished in 2004 to

support cave preser-

vation, has been in-

volved in many pro-

jects serving the

Lincoln County com-

munity. These pro-

jects include men-

toring Ruidoso’s

youth, providing

summer work, build-

ing and maintaining

trails with Lincoln

County, supporting

community clean-

ups, aiding disaster

relief efforts, recy-

cling education,

community gardens

and helping other

local nonprofits.

EcoServants Update

Hi, my name is Strei-

sand Webb! And to answer your

question, yes I am named after

Barbara Streisand. I was born

and raised right here in our

beautiful mountain town

Ruidoso, New Mexico and have

lived here for twenty-five years.

Fifteen of those years I compet-

ed in gymnastics all over New

Mexico and a few other states. I

am now a coach for the gym-

nastics team and enjoy every

minute of it. I am a proud ma-

ma for two years now. I will

definitely say that my son is my

world and whom I want to set

positive examples for in life.

Here is a quote from Brandi

Snyder that is one of my favor-

ites, “to the world you may just

be one person, but to one per-

son you may be the world.” It

has always motivated me to

keep striving for the best in

myself. This brings me to

why I chose to work for

EcoServants. I wanted to be

a part of something positive,

and to possibly open up

doors for a career.

EcoServants is a new chapter

in my life and I am proud to

say I am part of something

positive and really fun.

What is an EcoRang-

er you ask? Well, we directly

engage the community

through volunteer service.

While I am serving my year

commitment with

EcoServants and Ameri-

Corps, I have a few personal

goals I aim to accomplish. My

first goal is to have what we

do more known in the com-

munity. I would love to see

more community involve-

ment. My second goal is to

get our schools involved

with recycling, and to get

our youth (our future lead-

ers!) more educated in re-

gards to our environment.

EcoServants has

started a new after school

program at Ruidoso Middle

School every Wednesday.

We will be teaching the kids

about using a map and com-

pass, recycling, teambuild-

ing, and much more. By the

end of the school year our

goal is for the kids to have

raised their self-confidence,

awareness, involvement, and

for them to know that they

all American Red Cross chap-

ters. These values consist of

ensuring the shelter is a safe

place, respecting all clients,

providing services fairly and

consistently, enabling clients

to make other living arrange-

ments, and using resources

wisely. These values are at

the heart of each decision and

action.

The American Red

Cross was established in 1881

by Clara Barton. During the

Civil War, an organized effort

created a program for locating

men listed as missing in ac-

tion. As Barton expanded the

original mission to include

When large groups of people

are temporarily displaced

from their homes, the Ameri-

can Red Cross responds by

opening and operating shel-

ters. Providing a safe and

pleasant environment for peo-

ple who leave their homes

during and after a disaster can

be challenging. For this rea-

son, EcoServants recently

attended a course designed to

prepare volunteers on how to

effectively and sensitively

manage shelter operations as

a team in order to help people

displaced as a result of a dis-

aster. Shelter workers commit

to uphold the shared values of

assisting in any great national disaster, the first

local chapter was formed in Dansville, New York,

soon after the initial meeting. Some of the group’s

first major relief efforts include responding to the

Great Fire of 1881 and the Johnstown Flood in

1889.

Ready When the Time Comes (RWTC), is

a program in its eleventh year designed to use cor-

porations expertise and desire to help where it is

needed. The American Red Cross trains members

and mobilizes them as a community-based volunteer

force when disaster strikes. RWTC currently has

14,000 trained volunteers in 54 cities and has been

established in all critical disaster zones across the

country. As part of RWTC, EcoServants will now

be able to more effectively assist in disaster relief

efforts and shelter operations when it is needed in

the community.

Reflection By Streisand Webb

Ready When the Time Comes

By Nicholas Giusti

Page 2 EcoServants Update Volume 2, I ssue 1

too can make a differ-

ence in the community.

Streisand Webb,

25, was born and

raised in Ruidoso.

Joining to make a

positive impact in

her community,

her skills in youth

outreach and in-

volvement will

help build our af-

terschool pro-

gram at Ruidoso

Middle School,

“EcoStudents”.

To get involved go to redcross.org or con-

tact the Roswell Office at (575) 622-4370

Reflection By Nicholas Giusti

Reflection By Brian Blake

I moved to Ruidoso from Cali-

fornia in 2006. When I came to

New Mexico I was in this tran-

sitional point of my life, and it

was then that my passion for

wilderness was first stirred. I

do not know how to explain it,

but I swear the sky is bigger in

New Mexico than it is in other

places.

Starting EcoServants,

as a YCC crew member, I saw

it as a way to combine my love

of the outdoors and my need

for a consistent paycheck.

Somewhere in that time of hot

sun and harsh wind I gained an

appreciation for the work, and

with it, a confidence in my abili-

ties. Something about back

breaking work really makes one

think about the importance of

really earning your paycheck, and

without sounding too preten-

tious, there is definitely an argu-

ment to be made about earning a

paycheck with your own two

hands instead of by any of the

sometimes more abstract means

of doing so, but being able to

literally measure the day’s work

by how many feet you built.

When the opportunity came,

joining the AmeriCorps crew

seemed like the right thing to do.

This will now be my

second year of service through

AmeriCorps with EcoServants.

During my first year of service

I was able to focus what were a

multitude of various interests

into a passion, public service.

As AmeriCorps members we

are dedicating ourselves with

the mission statement of

“directly engaging the commu-

nity through service.” I have

always felt that an important

part of creating community

was being a direct participant

of it. Leo Tolstoy wrote, “I

have lived through much, and

now I think I have found what

is needed for happiness… the

possibility of being useful to

people to whom it is easy to do

Getting the community

involved by learning things

like recycling will help us

become a more sustainable

community. Raising aware-

ness in Fire-Wise educa-

tion will help the commu-

nity of Ruidoso be more

prepared when another fire

may occur. Engaging the

youth of Ruidoso schools

will help us share these

skills and knowledge with

students, while giving them

something new they can

take with them and teach

their parents and families.

Whether big or

small, I will try my best to

make a lasting impact and

to leave you all with not

just a memory of what we

EcoRangers did, but a way

of life which you can em-

brace and continue individ-

ually. As EcoRangers, we

sacrifice our time, money,

and personal lives for our

community which we sup-

port and live in. I want to

tell you that we do live be-

low poverty line and are

volunteers working full-

time, devoting a year of

service to our community.

Remember, it is not for

our personal gain but for

the community, and I hope

you will cooperate and

help us help you with

whatever we throw your

way. Thank you.

My name is Brian Blake

and I am a member of the

Mescalero Apache Tribe

who has lived in this area

all my life. Recently a grad-

uate of Ruidoso High

School, I am the youngest

member of the EcoRang-

ers AmeriCorps crew. I

hope to make a difference

in the community while I

strive towards several goals

I have already set for my-

self personally. A goal this

year would be to get more

involved in the community

by giving classes, teaching

through hands-on activi-

ties, and working to build a

cleaner, healthier place for

us and our yearly visitors.

Page 3 EcoServants Update Volume 2, I ssue 1

good, and who are not

accustomed to have it done

to them… such is my idea

of happiness.”

Brian Blake, 19, is a

recent graduate of

Ruidoso High School

is a Youth Conserva-

tion Corps veteran.

He is our youngest

EcoRanger this year,

and brings a wealth

of knowledge in the

local area, as well as

GIS data collection

and mapping. His

skills will help

EcoServants collect

and build our own

database of Lincoln

County trail systems.

Nicholas Giusti,

21, moved to

Ruidoso in 2006.

As a second year

member, he looks

forward to contin-

uing and enhanc-

ing projects start-

ed last year.

This year EcoServants has started an

after school program at Ruidoso Mid-

dle School every Wednesday. During

our time we will be sharing knowledge

about recycling, how to use/read a

map, and much more, as well as teach-

ing teambuilding skills. When we start-

ed the program a majority of the stu-

dents mentioned they do not feel they

are a contributing part of the commu-

nity. Our goal for this program is to

show these students that they can be

involved in the community despite

their age. Also, we will help direct them

in putting their ideas into action.

In November, EcoServants vol-

unteered for Challenge Day at Ruidoso

Middle School. Challenge Day is a day

where kids are not students and teach-

ers are not teachers, but everyone is

to be seen as a person. This anti-

bullying day is very fun, but also very

emotional for all participants. Since

Challenge Day, EcoRangers discussed

what we learned from the program,

and that no matter where we are in

our lives, or how old we may be, we

can always make a positive impact.

Our next classes will be dedi-

cated to allowing the students some

time to share their ideas for commu-

nity projects with us. As a group, we

will discuss their ideas to be more in-

volved and find ways they can put it

into action. Whether it be helping

wildlife habitat, picking up litter, help-

ing raise funds for causes, or anything

their little heart’s desire, it will only

improve our community,

but also help them grow

into the strong, confident

individuals that they are

more than capable of

being.

After-School at RMS: EcoStudents By Streisand Webb

Restoration After Little Bear Fire

Page 4 EcoServants Update Volume 2, I ssue 1

Since Little Bear Fire, the trail systems

throughout Lincoln National Forest and

White Mountain Wilderness have with-

stood some considerable damage. To help

in the efforts of a quicker restoration, For-

est Service has given us a list of trails to

focus on. Most trails will require clearing

the corridor (down trees) and some will

require tread work where needed. We are

excited to help get people back out on

trails as soon as possible! These trails in-

clude:

- BIG BONITO TRAIL

- LITTLE BONITO TRAL

- ARGENTINA TRAIL

- TURKEY CANYON

- TRAIL 38

- CREST TRAIL (from

Tanbark to Turkey)

- CREST TRAIL (from

Monjeau to Scenic)

- MILLS/DRY MILLS

- ASPEN TRAIL

- SCENIC (to Ice Springs)

- TORTALITA

- GAYLORD

- NORMAN

EcoServants, as part of

our weekly RMS after-

school program,

strives to strengthen

our community by en-

hancing and enriching

our youth through

learning activities set

towards common

goals.

Crosscut saws have been in

use around the world since

historic times. First use of a

crosscut saw dates back to

the Roman Empire. In 1880,

loggers began using saws for

felling trees instead of the

primarily used axe. Despite

the modern chainsaw, they

are still widely used today,

specifically in designated

Wilderness areas.

Guide To Writing Letters To Public Officials

A well written letter may be the most effective way to let public officials know how their constitu-ents feel about issues. A well-written letter describing your ex-periences, observation, and opin-ions may change an official’s mind. An effective letter builds your reputation as a thoughtful person and increases your influ-ence. 1. Open the letter. If writing to an elected official, show respect for the position by using “Honorable,” the title of the of-fice, and the official’s full name. In other letters, use familiar term “Dear,” the title Mr., Mrs., Ms., or Dr., and full name. Examples: “Honorable Mayor Robert A. Hersch,” or “Dear Dr. Frederick Marsh,”

2. Describe yourself. Example: “I am an art lover. However, I have never been able to get my wheel-chair into the city Art Museum.”

3. State reason for letter, why you are concerned or pleased about a particular issue. Example: “I am writing to let you know how pleased I am that you are consid-ering using revenue-sharing funds to make the museum accessible.”

4. Summarize your understanding of issue being considered. State the general impact you expect, if a particular decision is made. Ex-ample: “I believe that this change will make it easier for many peo-ple in our community to enjoy art.”

5. State why you think a decision should occur. Describe in detail why you feel the decision made will lead to the impact you foresee. Example: “The proposed installation of wheel-chair ramps for the front entrance of the museum will make it possible for me to get into the building to enjoy the exhibits and plays.”

6. Tell what any changes mean to you personally. Describe the decision’s positive or negative effects for you. Example: “These changes will make me feel that I am truly a part of our community.”

7. If you think others will also be af-fected, identify them. Tell the official who and how many other people will be affected in the same way. Exam-ple: “The latest census statistics indi-cated there are over 1,200 people in our community with mobility impair-ments. All of these individuals are similarly affected.”

8. Acknowledge past support. Tell the official about appropriate actions and decisions she or he has made in the past. Example: “You have always been sensitive to the needs of all community residents.”

9. Describe what action you hope the official will take. State specifically what action you hope the official will take – what you would do in his or her place. Example: “I urge you to vote in favor of using revenue-sharing funds to improve accessibil-ity.”

10. If you have written a letter that opposes some action, offer an alter-native. Tell the official what decision

Page 5 EcoServants Update Volume 2, I ssue 1

or action you believe would be best. Example: “The zoning in our neighborhood should remain as it is . Those wishing to build apart-ments rather than new homes have many alternatives more appropriate than this from which to chose.”

11. If you have time and you are committed, ask how you can help. Tell the official that you would be willing to volunteer your help. Ex-ample: “If there is any way I might be of assistance, please don’t hesi-tate to call on me.”

12. Close your letter. Thank the official. Example: “Thank you for your thoughtful consideration of this important matter.”

Sign the letter. Sign your full name and write your address.

© 1984, Tom Seekins and Stephen B. Fawcett, Research & Training Center on Independent Living, University of Kansas. (http://rtc.ruralinstitute.umt.edu/advocacy/letters.htm)

Public officials, whether local

or in Washington, are your

voice in government. It is im-

portant to let them know how

certain issues affect your

community, your workplace,

and your family. Getting at-

tention of public officials with

quality letter writing is one

effective way to get your

opinion heard.

Primary Business Address

1204 Suite #3 Mechem Dr.

Ruidoso, NM 88345

Mailing Address

PO Box 1723

Ruidoso, NM 88355

We’re on the Web!

ecoservants.org

facebook.com/ecoservants.nonprofit

Dear Lincoln County Community:

Thank you so much for your support and involvement.

Our EcoRanger mission statement is to directly engage the com-

munity through service towards a more sustainable future.

Through our many projects we strive to focus on that mission

statement.

With the generous support of the people from the community,

we will be able to work toward a brighter future with programs

such as disaster relief efforts, fire restoration, GPS mapping and

of course recycling, gardening, and continuing to build trails.

For more information on how your donation can help to make a

difference in the lives of so many in our community, we invite

you to visit our website at www.ecoservants.org and follow us on

Facebook @ facebook.com/ecoservants.nonprofit and Twitter

@ twitter.com/ecoservants. You can also find information there

on upcoming events and volunteer opportunities. Please feel free

to contact us at ecoservants@gmail.com.

Thank you again, and we look forward to your continued

support.

Sincerely,

EcoRangers 2012-2013

Thank you to our supporters!

Phone: (575) 808-1204

E-mail: ecoservants@gmail.com

“Directly engaging the community through

service towards a more sustainable future.”