Gabe Vigil is the Los Alamos Retired and Senior Organization’s Employee of the Quarter. Courtesy photo
LARSO NEWS
The Los Alamos Community Foundation (LACF) and donations from local seniors are supporting a new program honoring the Los Alamos Retired and Senior Organization’s Employee of the Quarter
A recent grant from LACF is funding several LARSO projects, including educating new board members, highlighting the various giving programs of the local centers and more. LARSO also works with the foundation which holds an endowment for the centers as they attempt to find ways to increase donations to provide future funds for senior needs.
Gabriel Vigil was selected as the first recipient of the Employee of the Quarter.
“Vigil has been a beacon of hope as we navigated our way through the pandemic,” said Bernadette Lauritzen, LARSO Executive Director. “He handled a variety of new tasks, tackled unexpected issues and filled in on a moment’s notice and without hesitation.”
Vigil has been a LARSO employee for 7 years and is known primarily for his work in the Day Out Adult Day Services program.
“He has a friendly face and brings light and love into the lives of community elders. His kindness and disposition were a breath of fresh air during a very isolating time for members. He made daily welfare calls checking on members and brightening their day as he reminded them to take their medications or that a hot lunch was on the way,” Lauritzen said.
Vigil also shopped and made deliveries for members, packed food boxes, worked as a sous chef and more, Lauritzen said.
“His calm and steady demeanor and his willingness to meet the needs and allow seniors to maintain their dignity were an inspiration. Gabe was recognized at a recent staff meeting and he will be awarded a certificate and gift card to a local business,” Lauritzen said. “The gift cards are meant for the employee to spoil themselves in a time when self-care is low on the priority list. The centers also wanted to demonstrate support for local businesses that have equally gone above and beyond the call of duty during trying times.”
The centers will also celebrate their birthdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday. Plans are to hold a one-dollar raffle to raise funds for their employee morale project. Tickets will be on sale both Tuesday and Wednesday. On Wednesday cupcakes will be given out while supplies last. Some raffle items will be distributed on Wednesday with larger prizes awarded throughout the week. There will be music and fun in the main parking lots of each center and members are welcome inside now that the centers have reopened.
“”LACF is excited to work with the senior centers’ employees and members to help educate on the benefits of legacy giving,” said Rachel Kizielewicz, Los Alamos Community Foundation Executive Director. “Not only do these kinds of gifts provide vital revenue streams for an organization, but more importantly, they are an opportunity for members to leave behind a lasting legacy for the community they love.”
You can learn more about the work of the foundation by visiting their website at www.losalamoscf.org. Donations can be made through the website to the foundation or many of the organizations they serve. These include areas of giving related to music, sports, youth services and more.