Laboratory retiree Larry Campbell is the latest recipient of a Vecinos award for outstanding volunteer work. The Vecinos program is coordinated by the Community Programs Office (CPO) and the Los Alamos National Laboratory Foundation.
Vecinos, which is Spanish for neighbor, recognizes Lab employees, retirees and subcontract personnel who are outstanding volunteers while also raising awareness about the importance of volunteer service.
The nonprofit organization that is the recipient of the employees’ volunteer service will receive a $1,000 grant; the employee will receive a certificate, explained Debbi Wersonick of CPO.
Campbell retired from the Lab in 2001 as an associate after nearly 35 years of service. He was nominated for the award by Hedy Dunn, director of the Los Alamos Historical Society, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving, protecting, and interpreting the history of Los Alamos. The museum is located in downtown Los Alamos near Fuller Lodge.
According to Dunn, Campbell is a six-year member of the board of the Los Alamos Historical Society. “Larry spends dozens of hours each week on Historical Society projects of many kinds, including acquiring thousands of Laboratory non-classified negatives for scanning and accessibility for scholars and researchers on-site and through the [Historical Society] Web site,” said Dunn.
Dunn added: “Larry has been scouting out new donations of papers, materials, and collections for the Historical Museum archives, including a huge collection of petroglyph books and photographs, plus the personal collections of several important, retired Laboratory photographers.” She said Campbell has been instrumental in getting the archival collection at the museum to grow not just physically, but in importance as well.
Campbell’s dedication to Los Alamos’ history is evident in his work. “Larry is overseeing the Romero Cabin restoration through a possible collaboration in matching grant funding with the National Park Service,” says Dunn. The Romero Cabin is the last remaining Hispanic Homesteader’s Cabin not lost in the Cerro Grande Fire of 2000.
“Larry has served professionally, creatively, and with enormous energy as a member of the board of directors of the Los Alamos Historical Society. He has contributed not only monetarily but more importantly his time and creative talents. Campbell represents the ideal in what it means to be a contributing member of a non-profit board of directors and a member of society who is making a difference,” concluded Dunn.
All Laboratory full- and part-time employees, limited-term and subcontract personnel, students and Laboratory retirees are eligible for consideration for the award. They must volunteer their time and services to nonprofit New Mexico educational institutions, Internal Revenue Service-qualified 501 (c) (3) organizations, government agencies and Native American communities serving Los Alamos, Mora, Rio Arriba, San Miguel, Santa Fe, and Taos counties.
Individuals and nonprofit organizations can submit nominations to CPO at P.O. Box 1663, Mail Stop A117, Los Alamos, N.M. 87545. The nominations should include a letter from the executive director or chief operating officer of the organization supporting the employee’s nomination. A copy of the organization’s certificate of tax exemption from the IRS as a 501 (c) (3) charitable organization, school or pueblo community; and documentation of registration and compliance with the Registry of Charitable Organizations in the Consumer Protection Division of the state Attorney General’s Office also should be included in the nomination.
The deadline to submit a nomination is the first day of each month, Wersonick noted. The nomination form is available on the CPO and Laboratory Foundation Web pages.
Wersonick said a committee of Lab employees and a representative from the Laboratory Foundation review all eligible nominees and make a recommendation to the executive committee of the foundation, which has final approval.
Wersonick said nominations are reviewed based on achievement and sustained contributions to organizations. Nominations must reflect actual accomplishments by a nominee through service, and the nominee’s contributions must address education, learning or community development. Volunteer service must be hands-on and ongoing, and volunteer activities should reflect innovative or unique contributions to solving problems and issues.
Organizations not eligible for consideration include fraternal, veteran, labor or athletic organizations that serve a limited constituency; political or lobbying organizations; organizations whose activities are mainly international; national health and disease and animal welfare organizations; private foundations; and capital fund drives of colleges. Organizations not registered with the Registry of Charitable Organizations in the Consumer Protection Division of the state Attorney General’s Office also are not eligible.
More information about the Vecinos award program is available by writing to vecinos@lanl.gov by electronic mail; on the CPO and Laboratory Foundation Web pages or by contacting CPO at 5-4400 or the Laboratory Foundation at (505) 753-8890.
