August 11, 2025 • 31 mins
Segment 1: Children's Home Needs Your Help
Amber Banda interviews Italia Solis, Community Relations and Development Coordinator for the Lee & Beulah Moor Children's Home. The goal of the Lee Moor home is to be the premier general and residential operation and child-placing agency in the greater southwest region.
.
Amber and Italia talk about common misconceptions about this children's home, as well as programs that are offered to the kids and their families. This includes therapy, foster and adoption services, life and skills development, tutoring, recreation activties, unplanned pregnancy counseling, and preparation for adult living.
.
Now is your time to help! They are constructing 2 new houses for the kids that need to be furnished. You can donate new items or even make monetary donations for household items like furniture, kitchen ware, towels, blankets, etc. Other ways to help include their Birthday Club where you can actually sponsor and deliver a cake yourself, donate food to go, donate esssential home and school supplies, or offer services for building and maintenance repair. If youd like to help out you can contact Italia at 915-544-8777
.
They also have their much anticipated event, "Operation Pumkin" happening Oct 19th at the Coronado Country Club. Get your tickets now before they sell out!
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Find out more information at leemoor.org or find them on Instagram @leemoor_eptx or on Facebook @LeeMoorChildren'sHome
_______________________________________________________________________________
Segment 2:
Bikers Helping Local Children's Hospital
Get your motorcycles and cages, (that's CARS in "biker talk"), ready...the El Paso Border Run is back at it! Whether you or have 2,3 or 4 wheels, you can be a part of this great event and raise funds for your local El Paso Children's Hospital through the Children's Mirace Network. Last year they raised around $20,000 dollars and hope to donate more this year.
.
Amber Banda interviews Alexa Velazquez, Director of Children's Miracle Network in EP, as well as Sammy and Andy Flores, both members of the El Paso Border Run committee and Poderoso Car Club, (celebrating 30 years in the Sun City)!
.
Sammy and Andy talk about their involvment with the club and motorcycles, and their personal story with their son and the connection to the El Paso Children's Hospital. Alexa talks about where these donated funds go and how this event has helped the kids in the hospital.
.
The 2025 El Paso Border Run will be Sept 20th. All bikes and vehicles can register at Barnett Harley-Davidson that day at 8am, KSU (kick stands up, or leave), at 10:30am. This bike run will have a few stops including the final stop where there will be food, music, raffles, prizes and more. Details will be disclosed closer to the event on their Instagram and Facebook, (El Paso Border Run 2025).
They are currently looking for raffle donations and sponsors, and you can message them on their social medias.
.
For more information on the Children's Miracle Network please go to elpasochildrensfoundation.org
Amber Banda interviews Italia Solis, Community Relations and Development Coordinator for the Lee & Beulah Moor Children's Home. The goal of the Lee Moor home is to be the premier general and residential operation and child-placing agency in the greater southwest region.
.
Amber and Italia talk about common misconceptions about this children's home, as well as programs that are offered to the kids and their families. This includes therapy, foster and adoption services, life and skills development, tutoring, recreation activties, unplanned pregnancy counseling, and preparation for adult living.
.
Now is your time to help! They are constructing 2 new houses for the kids that need to be furnished. You can donate new items or even make monetary donations for household items like furniture, kitchen ware, towels, blankets, etc. Other ways to help include their Birthday Club where you can actually sponsor and deliver a cake yourself, donate food to go, donate esssential home and school supplies, or offer services for building and maintenance repair. If youd like to help out you can contact Italia at 915-544-8777
.
They also have their much anticipated event, "Operation Pumkin" happening Oct 19th at the Coronado Country Club. Get your tickets now before they sell out!
.
Find out more information at leemoor.org or find them on Instagram @leemoor_eptx or on Facebook @LeeMoorChildren'sHome
_______________________________________________________________________________
Segment 2:
Bikers Helping Local Children's Hospital
Get your motorcycles and cages, (that's CARS in "biker talk"), ready...the El Paso Border Run is back at it! Whether you or have 2,3 or 4 wheels, you can be a part of this great event and raise funds for your local El Paso Children's Hospital through the Children's Mirace Network. Last year they raised around $20,000 dollars and hope to donate more this year.
.
Amber Banda interviews Alexa Velazquez, Director of Children's Miracle Network in EP, as well as Sammy and Andy Flores, both members of the El Paso Border Run committee and Poderoso Car Club, (celebrating 30 years in the Sun City)!
.
Sammy and Andy talk about their involvment with the club and motorcycles, and their personal story with their son and the connection to the El Paso Children's Hospital. Alexa talks about where these donated funds go and how this event has helped the kids in the hospital.
.
The 2025 El Paso Border Run will be Sept 20th. All bikes and vehicles can register at Barnett Harley-Davidson that day at 8am, KSU (kick stands up, or leave), at 10:30am. This bike run will have a few stops including the final stop where there will be food, music, raffles, prizes and more. Details will be disclosed closer to the event on their Instagram and Facebook, (El Paso Border Run 2025).
They are currently looking for raffle donations and sponsors, and you can message them on their social medias.
.
For more information on the Children's Miracle Network please go to elpasochildrensfoundation.org
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to El Paso Public Forum, a weekly half hour
public affairs presentation of iHeartRadio El Paso for over twenty years,
featuring local news and interviews of interest to our listeners
in West Texas and southern New Mexica. All views and
opinions expressed on this program are those of the host
and guest, and not necessarily those of iHeartRadio Management and
now El Paso Public Forum.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Welcome back to the al Paso Public Forum. I am
your host, Amber Banda, and today we have Italia Solis.
She is the community relations and development coordinator for the
Lee and Beulah More Children's Home. Italia, thank you for
being here with me today.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Of course, so I had Renee on before, so you know,
the Lee and Bulah More Children's Home has been on
the program before. But again I always like to have
child advocacy agencies on. That's just my passion and I
know that there's a lot of people in the community
that are passionate about this as well. So now from
the website for Lee and Beulah More Children's Home, I
(01:00):
read there that the goal is to be the premier
general Residential operation and child placing agency in the Greater
Southwest Region. Now, first, I do want to start off
with any misconceptions of the Children's home. Can you tell
the audience of what you are not.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Well for starters, I feel like a misconceptions. People think
that a lot of our children live actually at the
Children's Home, but they actually live in houses around the
Children's Home, so it is pretty much like they are
living with their own little families there. And the children
who can go home for the weekend to go home
(01:39):
for the weekend, we send them home with care packages
and everything and anything they would need so they are
able to visit their families. Our goal is ultimately to
reunify the children with their families, so we like to
help in any and every way we can.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
So, because I used to work at the Child Crisis Center,
they're also an emergency shelter. So is the Lie and
Bullamore Children's Home also an emergency shelter or is it
a little different.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
It's a little different. So the children who are in
our care do have to go through a process of
being referred, and that is an entire process in itself.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
So for the Lie and Bullamore Children's Home, there are
some programs that I saw that were available on the website.
There's foster care and adoption services. So how are those
two related or how are they they different.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
So the way we work the children in our care
that is separate from foster care. So foster care, we
have two foster care homes at the moment, and we
are always looking to expand if anyone is ever interested
in something like that. And that is for more extreme cases,
so cases where let's say the children are a lot younger,
the children have siblings that it's in their best interest
(02:49):
to not be separated, and even though the kids in
our care they still see each other, in this case
they will.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
Be living together.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
And not all of our children are for adoption. So
that's kind of how the differences.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
Okay, Yeah, So, like you said, you know, because I've
done a lot of volunteer work too with CPS, reunification
is the ultimate goal, and if it has to come
to the you know, to where the children can't live
with their guardians or their parents, then that's where you
guys help them as well. So there's also I'm going
to go through some of the programs because the main
question I have for all of them is are the
(03:26):
Are these programs just for the kids that are part
of the Limbulamore Children's Home or is it open to
the public, such as family counseling, wrap around, family casework,
preparation for adult living. Now, are these programs things that
are only offered to the kids that are part of
the limb Bulamore Home or are they open to the community.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
Yes, so this is programs that we have for the
children in our care. But we also have what is
called aftercare, so if a family doesn't need the full service,
we help them in whatever they need help with.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Okay, So I'm going to go down some of these
programs and maybe can clarify some of them for me.
Family counseling, you know, I think everyone's pretty familiar with
family counseling and why it would be important in this case.
Residential care, so that is when the kids live in
the foster homes.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Yes, that is when they live with us, and we
call them their foster parents or childcare workers, and we
go ahead and help them in anything and everything. So
our childcare workers take them to school, take them to
any and all appointments, and at the children's home. Any
donations that are given to the Children's Home. One hundred
percent of them go to the children in our care.
(04:34):
So we cover everything from their food, medication, clothing.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Anything that you would need for a kid, right, and
multiple kids. Oh yes, So that's funny when I asked
you about the misconceptions, because that was a misconception I had.
I thought that the kids because you know, I've been there,
you know, with guardians of the children, and there's like
different buildings there, so I thought that those were the
different houses where the kids stayed. So those buildings that
are there, do the kids stay at any of those
(05:00):
or like you said, they all live in a house
somewhere else.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
Some of them. So the main building, which you have seen,
our administrative building, that is the tutoring center. That's their library,
and then all of our office spaces, and then as
you've seen, we have the recreational center that is where
they have a basketball court, a gym, a little mini
theater for them to watch movies. Yeah, and then around
(05:24):
the neighborhood is where their houses are. But we do
have a few houses near the main building.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
Okay, of course those houses are secret location, you know,
for obvious reasons. Oh, I see, I see, And so
no matter where the kids are staying, they can all
come to that place, you know, for the gym or
to watch a movie. And okay, that's starting to make
more sense now. One of the programs is preparation for
adult living. What ages do you accept for the children's home?
Speaker 3 (05:54):
So for a children's home, all ages up to when
they graduate high school. Okay, so most of the children
in our care at the moment are teenagers. But we
have what is called the McGuire Center, and that is
our college program. So when children age out of the
Leemoor Children's Home, once they've graduated high school, they have
the ability to apply for the McGuire Center. And in
(06:17):
the McGuire Center, we get them an apartment, We help
them with grant scholarships, We have somewhere for them to
wash their clothes, a fridge with food, somewhere for them
to study, and we have Kim in there and she
helps the children in anything they need.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
So the McGuire Center, once they graduate high school, they
can apply to go there. How long can they stay
there at the graduate college? Really? Oh, is that a
requirement for them to stay there to go to college? No,
it's not.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
It's just if they would like to that is, we
know that a lot of them are first generations going
into college and experiencing all of that, so we want
this to be the best experience possible for them.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
And does the children Home work in connection with any
other child advocacy agencies And I'll passle no, we do no, Okay.
So the referrals they're they're coming like from.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
The referrals for the college program are children who are
already in the Children's Home, and the referrals for like
for the kids that get placed in the children's home,
who do those go from.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
Well, the children in.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
Our care have an array of backgrounds. Some of them
their parents excuse me, are maybe jobless, homeless, in abusive situations.
Some of them may be orphaned, but it could be
anything from a school counselor who saw something.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Or a parent who just needs help. Ah okay, okay.
And then you have the tutoring and academic support there
for the kids. I know that you said that. I
think there's volunteer teachers that go and do that for them, correct.
And then the recreational activities, you know, especially if they're
teens and teen boys, like you know, they're going to
need that active that outlet, and there's different ways for
(07:58):
people to get involved that will talk about in a
little bit. And if you're just joining us, we have
Italia Solise. She's the community Relations and development coordinator for
the Lee and Beulahmoor Children's Home. So different ways for
people to get involved. I want to start first with
a pretty big event that I had heard about when
(08:19):
I was working at the Child Crisis Center, Operation Pumpkin.
Can you tell the listening audience a little bit more
about that.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
Yes, definitely. So this is going to be our twenty
fourth annual Wow Pumpkin. Yes, it is our largest charity
event of the year. One hundred percent of the proceeds
from Operation Pumpkin go directly to the children's clothing budget.
So all of the children in our care, like I
had mentioned, we provide everything for them. So this is
extremely essential for their confidence and so that they feel
(08:46):
comfortable throughout the year.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
Oh yeah, especially at teenage years, like you think, oh,
just clothes, just getting what. No, Like they are still teenagers,
they're still surrounded by their peers and they still you know,
clothing is a big part of it. I have a
ten year old she you know, it was two months
where she outgrew her school pets. So it's like the
clothing budget is a really big part of it. So
this Operation Pumpkin, it's October nineteenth at the Coronado Country
(09:10):
Club four thirty to seven pm. It's thirty dollars for
people to come in and there's what's going to be
at this event.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
So Operation Pumpkin features doctors and surgeons from our community
who showcase their creativity by carving and decorating pumpkins. So
those pumpkins we end up auctioning those off. We also
have raffles and prizes that people can win as well.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
Also it's doctors and surgeons. Oh that's pretty cool. Well
that makes sense because they have like you know, you
should get some tattoo artists in there. They have a
city hand too. Yeah, that would be a great idea.
Operation Pumpkin awesome, So again something to look forward to.
There will be more information on Operation Pumpkin on Instagram,
Lee More, l E E m O R Underscore ept
(09:54):
X or on Facebook Lee More Children soulm and of
course you can go to Leemore dot org for more information.
And I do want to talk a little bit more
about other ways for people to get involved in this
information is on their website, the Birthday Club. Can you
tell us a little bit more about the Birthday Club. Yes, So.
Speaker 3 (10:11):
We have experienced children who don't even know when their
birthday is when they come in. So one thing we
wanted to do was create something where donors or people
from the community could get involved. They could either donate
thirty dollars for a cake, or they could get on
a list and donate the actual cake. So I have
the children's birthdays and I go ahead and reach out
(10:32):
to them and they let me know exactly what they want,
and donors are able to deliver those birthday cakes to
the children and the kids can go ahead and celebrate
with their cottage families and just enjoy their day.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Oh that's awesome. And there's also the food to go
what is that?
Speaker 3 (10:47):
Yes, So, as I was saying, of the children who
are in their care, the ones who can go home
to a family member, we like to send them home
with care packages, so food, toilet tree, anything like that.
And so those donations are things that we put into
care baskets for them, excuse me, and that go ahead
(11:09):
and that helps them that way when they are at home,
they don't have to worry about what they're going to eat.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
Yeah, the way I picture it is, you know, think
about if you're in a foster care situation. Just think
about it when you go to someone that you kind
of know you're at your house, Like you don't even
feel comfortable asking for a glass of water, if you know.
Some people are that way. But this way, this gives
them their this is mine, it's okay if I finish it,
I don't have to worry about am I finishing someone else's?
(11:36):
So that's very important than teenage boys and their food
forget and so then there's also the essential home supplies
and the school supplies. So if you can touch on both.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
Of those, yeah, So the essential home supplies could be
anything from toilet trees, so shampoo, conditioner, the basics, as
well as furniture. At the moment, we have two cottages
that we are building, so those are the houses that
the children live in. Okay, we're going to be able
to fill two additional new houses of children. And at
the moment, we are looking for furniture for those spaces.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
Yes, and so those two additional cottages, when was the
last Like, I don't know. I know that that this
home has been around a long time. So when was
the last time that they got to two more cottages
to help the kids. It's been a while, no.
Speaker 3 (12:23):
Man, Yes, we've been around for sixty five sixty five
going on sixty six whiles this year and this is
definitely a big milestone and the cottages look amazing.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
Yeah, So people can donate, does it like, if they
want to donate any kind of household item, does it
have to be new? Can it be slightly.
Speaker 3 (12:40):
They're welcome to donate new or used things in general
to the Children's Home, but specifically for these new cottages,
they would have to be new items and if they're interested,
have them give us a call ask Forlise and I
actually have a list of all of the items and
things that we need.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
Oh good, and your information for those of you that
aren't aware on Parna two point one Sunday ninety nine
point nine and on ninety six point three k Country
and our Instagram and Facebook that her information will be
there that we can contact her if you do want
to donate something for these new cottages for the kids.
Have you thought about and I don't know if you
already have it or we'll put it up like an
Amazon list.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
And we've also reached out to a few builders good
and like think lows and home depots.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
Yeah, perfect, perfect. So and also building and maintenance. You know,
if someone wanted to help with that, they can contact
you for whatever maintenance Okay, perfect. I know that that's
a big thing, especially with these older buildings and with nonprofits.
So I Talia, I have one last question for you,
and it's basically, is there anything else that you would
like to tell the listening audience.
Speaker 3 (13:45):
I would just like to thank everyone on behalf of
thee More Children's Home. If anyone is ever interested in
volunteering donating, we are open to anything and everything, and
just go ahead and give us a call at nine
one five, five, four four eight seven seven seven and
ask for Ee Thaliaslise and I am here to give
(14:05):
y'all any information or to answer any questions.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
Perfect, and again that information will be on our social media.
So the Again, I want to reiterate the Operation Pumpkin.
I have heard nothing but great things about that event,
so uh find more information at leemore dot org, l
e e m oo r dot org Italia. Thank you
so much for being here with me today. Thank you.
(14:35):
Welcome back to the al Paso Public Forum. I am
your host, Amber Banda, and today we have three people
as guests in the studio. We have Alexa Velasquez. She
is the director of Children's Miracle Network and we're going
to be talking about their connection to the l Pasco
borderun Alexa, thank you for being here with me today.
Speaker 4 (14:54):
Thank you so much for inviting us.
Speaker 2 (14:55):
Of course. And we also have Sammy Floores. She is
a member of the al Passo Border Run Committee and
the Also Car Club. Sammy, thank you for being here
with me today.
Speaker 5 (15:05):
Always a pleasure. Thank you for having us.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
Of course. And we also have Andy Flores, who is
also a member of the al Paso Border Run Committee
and a member of the Also Car Club. Andy, thank
you for being here with me today. Yes, thank you
for inviting us, of course. So you know today we
have the bikers in the house. They're back. I'm not
I'm accustomed to having bikers here. I try to promote
I'm a biker myself with Guardians of the Children and
(15:29):
today bikers and car clubs, we're helping the l Pasco
Children's Miracle Network, which is benefiting the Al Pasto Children's Hospital, correct, correct, Alexa,
that's right.
Speaker 4 (15:40):
So for the community that don't have that connection of
Children's Marcal Network and Al Pasto Children's Hospital, it's the.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
Same, okay.
Speaker 4 (15:46):
So just to clarify, whenever you go and very simple,
you go to eat at PANDEA.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
Express and they ask you, we like to round.
Speaker 4 (15:55):
Up your change, and hopefully you say yes, that change
comes back to us to twelve Pastole Children's Hospital. So
Children's American Hour it's basically a national organization. But the
nice thing about our organization that we stay local.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
One hundred percent of the proceeds.
Speaker 4 (16:10):
That stay within that city or community do stay within
that local hospital. So my job as the director we
fundraise the whole year funds and awareness for our local
children's hospital, which is Al Pastor Children's Hospital. So here,
our Pastor Children's Hospital is the Lucky hospital of Children's
Americal Network. There's one hundred and seventy and Al Pastor
(16:32):
Children's Hospital is one of them. So not only do
we have partners corporate partners like Walmart, Costco and Panda,
but also we have community partners like the Border Run
And that's what we're going to talk about today of
how we connected and how they are helping us raise
those funds for All Pastor Children's Hospital.
Speaker 2 (16:50):
Definitely. So now before we continue, we'll talk about the
event and a little bit in that connection. The Children's
Miracle Network fund raises for the Al Pastor Children's Hospital.
Now where do those funds go? What are they used for?
Because you know, I'm thinking of the listening audience. It's like, hey, well,
I've taken my kid there and I pay my bills.
So where do those funds get? Exactly?
Speaker 4 (17:10):
So, as mentioned, one hundred percent of those donations do
stay local, which is the nice thing about it, right,
But one hundred percent of those funds do stay local.
And how we do it. We support the children's hospital
by giving back and supporting equipment that the hospital needs.
So we are able to support the hospital with giving
(17:32):
back of that equipment that they can purchase or they
need to get because it has expired. Our hospital has
turned thirteen years. So you know technology, even our cell phones,
after I finished paying for it, we have to buy
a new one, right, so imagine technology. We want the
best equipment for our kittles to get treated. So we
(17:54):
get the grand request from the hospital, we say, hey,
this is how much we need and this is how
much we have, so let's go ahead and give it back.
So the way that we get the money received from
the community, we give it back to the hospital and
we purchase that equipment. For instance, we just went ahead
and funded some goggles. So I don't know if any
of you have received an MRI stiffy right, yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
So you know, even for us adults, we go into
that little.
Speaker 4 (18:20):
Tunnel and we are it's hard for us to even
stay calm right for whatever time that we have to.
So imagine a little kid that has to stay there calmed. Well,
we just were I believe it was eighty thousand that
they asked for. So those goggles they actually have a
movie to display for those kids and they get entertained
(18:41):
and they just watched that movie and they don't even
know how much time.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
They were in there, you know. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (18:46):
So that's something that we were able to fund, and
that is through donations, like through our partners that are
able to do it in community that are donating so
our little things like that, or for instance, they can
get discharged because they don't have them medication that they
need in order to get discharged, so our social workers
every patient gets as social workers. So they reach out
(19:06):
to us a foundation and say, hey, this patient can
get discharged because they don't have this medication, so we
go ahead and get it and say, hey, well we
are able to fund that medication, so here you go
and they're able to be sent home. So there's like
different ways they have like us through the Children's Mark
and ho where we have different categories that were able
to support. So nothing goes through administration, nothing goes to
(19:28):
anything like that. So that's one of very important things
that we want the community to understand. And not then
nothing goes to the pockets of anyone, but just to
the hospital's needs of equipment and patients' needs.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
And I've recently taken a tour of a very large
children's hospital, and when you think children's hospital, it is
very different because you don't think of things like that,
Like I recently had a CT scan and I was
able to hold my breath for over long and go
in and out. But for a five year old or
six year old, you know, it's those expenditures that make
it less traumatic for the kids. More funds you have,
like any nonprofit, the more people that you can help,
(20:04):
which is why I'm curious, Sammy and Andy, how did
the Alphaso Border Run get connected to the Children's Miracle Network, Like,
how did that come about?
Speaker 6 (20:17):
We got connected with the Children's Medical Network. I believe
it was back in twenty sixteen we had done the
Border Run. The Border Run started in twenty thirteen, started
with just actually Boo Car Club and just a couple
of other car clubs who started having bikes and we
call them viklas, right, that's the low rider style of motorcycles.
(20:40):
So just a couple of car clubs got together, started
to run and then started selling t shirts and we
started turning to profit and donated into local people that
maybe needed help. Sometimes we'll find somebody that crashed on
a motorcycle, somebody that just needed help. And then we
decided to well, we want to keep the money local. Yeah,
(21:02):
so Apasto Children's Hospital is when we teamed up with him.
My dad believed that was in twenty sixteen and it's
been every year since, and it's a good way to
keep the money local. We've we've had the tour of
the hospital. We've seen the equipment that she was talking about.
We've seen the rooms, libraries and books and just stuff
(21:24):
for the kids to have a normal life while they're
in the hospital. It was a great tour. We got
to take a lot of pictures, got to meet a
lot of people. But that's how we got together with
the Apasto Children's Hospital when the Upasso border run or
when Poderoso. We've been a part of Porlioso since I
was a kid. I was I was probably ten years old.
(21:46):
My brother was an original member and they were thirty
years Is there a thirty year anniversary?
Speaker 2 (21:51):
Congratulations? Thank you.
Speaker 6 (21:52):
And when we found out that we're donating to the
Upistol Children's Hospital, that really really meant a lot to
myself and my wife Sammy our son, well, she can
tell you how our son had an issue when he
was born and he just turned nine last week.
Speaker 5 (22:08):
Yes, Scrucito, Yes, actually he turned nine on the twenty
fourth of this month, and he was born with something
called Hirshprung's disease. It's not as common, but I mean
during that timeframe that he was born, there were quite
a bit of you know cases, and at nine days old,
(22:29):
you know, he got diagnosed with that. He was born
with it. He went through surgery and because of the
Children's Hospital, he was able to start living a healthy life,
a normal life because we didn't know what it was.
He had surgery, he had like four and a half
inches of his intestine taken out.
Speaker 2 (22:47):
What is what is that that did?
Speaker 5 (22:49):
That is it's basically where the nerves and I mean
you have nerves all over your body, right, and so
during I mean through that little space, it wasn't sending
signals to his brain telling him that he needed to
go to the restroom. I guess you can say, do
his business. And it created high, almost brain damaging levels
(23:10):
of jaundice. Wow, and he was so distended and nobody
knew what was going on. So finally went to them,
to the Children's Hospital, and they were able to properly
diagnose him and basically save his life because you had
that equipment well back, Yeah, basically, yes, it was. It
was a lot of a lot of tests and tests
(23:30):
after tests after tests, and like I said, because of them,
it holds a very close space in my heart because
they were able to help our son.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
Definitely, I love that story. And when it comes to
bikers and car clubs, they have a lot of community
pride pride in their city and when it comes to
kids and the elderly and their own community, like they
just want to help. I mean one hundred percent. I've
done a philanthropy and advocacy. Let's see, I've been a
part of the biker world for about five years. I've
been doing philanthropy, philanthropy for about ten and once I
(24:01):
was a part of the biker world. They're some of
the most genuine, real giving people that so you know
that you know this al Pasco Border Run when you're
participating in it or donating to it, like it's going
to go. The money is going to go where it's
going to go, and it's definitely going to a good cause.
And again if you're just joining us. We have Alexa Velasquez,
(24:23):
director of Children's Miracle Network that helps here locally the
al Pasco Children's Hospital, Sammy Floores, member of the al
Pasco Border Run Committee and Boderoso Car Club that's just
celebrated their thirty year anniversary, and her husband and the
Flores also a member of the Alpaco Border Run Committee
and member of Boderoso Car Club. So we just heard
(24:44):
a little bit about how you all got connected, your
personal story. Thank you for sharing, and I'm so glad
that your baby's doing Okay, I have a ten and
nineteen year old. I can't even imagine. And we just
heard you know about the Children's Miracle Networks. So now
if you want to help, you have a car, you
have a buy, you have two feet, you don't have
a car, whatever, you can still be a part of
this event coming up. It is a run, a bike run,
(25:08):
not a sneaker run. September twentieth, So who would like
to tell us more details about when it is, where
it is, how they can register, and how people can help.
Speaker 5 (25:18):
So basically it's September twentieth. It keeps getting bigger and
bigger every single year. Last year we were able to
raise about twenty thousand for the hospital. Registration is free.
What we like to do is just ask people for donations.
We start off at Barnett. You can go and say hi,
(25:39):
have a cup of coffee, hang out, they have coffee.
Speaker 2 (25:42):
I'm sorry, they have good coffee. Yes they do, they do.
Speaker 5 (25:45):
I have tasted it before. Does not disappoint. But anyways,
come on out, guys, say hi. Like I said, bring
your motorcycles if you don't have a motorcycle.
Speaker 2 (25:58):
That's okay.
Speaker 5 (25:58):
We welcome everybody, come hang out with us. We start
at Barnett and then.
Speaker 6 (26:04):
We'll announce the rest of the stops later on this
month in August, but we do start at Barnett. Registration,
like she said, is free, and what we encourage is
even if you don't have a bike, like you mentioned,
you can go to the stops and just participate in
the raffles, participate in the dancing because usually it's a
(26:24):
spot that.
Speaker 2 (26:24):
Will have oh that is drinking. I don't need drinks
to dance. All that's right now.
Speaker 6 (26:30):
So even the last stop is when we do most
of the giveaways. We do giveaways at every stop, but
the last one to be the bigger prizes and people
and go enjoy the vendors. There's a lot of local vendors,
a lot of local food trucks, and we also have
people from out of town. Before the bike run again
Bike Round September twentieth.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
And before you go on, can you I mean, we're
familiar with the bike world, but a lot of listeners
are like, what's the run, what's the stop? Can you
give a little bit of like give them an idea
of what a bike run kind of what that kind
and it looks like or what it is.
Speaker 6 (27:01):
Yeah, definitely, so a bike run. Usually it'll start at
one location, they'll say kickstands up at a certain time
and then we'll ride to the next stop, which is
just another location, usually a restaurant, a bar. Everybody gathers there.
After a couple of hours you're on to the next stop.
(27:21):
And usually by that time the first stop, people start
going their separate ways or going to the next stop
early just to get good seats and stuff. So we
like to stick together as a club, so we'll go
from one stop to the next stop. But just the
ride there is what it's about. Yeah, we love the
money that we can donate to the Apasto Children's possible.
(27:43):
It helps. He'll passle so much and even the people
that come in from out of town. It helps. It
helps the city of a Passo, right, we got hotels.
We got Lacinta hotel right there by Barnett who's helping us,
the Romote off Gateway who's also helping. So it's helping
the city, helps the local vendors. But at each stop,
we try to have a vendor. If we can't have it,
then they'll be at the final stop. Yes, and again
(28:05):
we just try to write together and try to help
the community as much as we can.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
And the final stop for anyone who maybe wants to
join and is not, you know, they don't really want
to quote unquote enjoy the ride on the bike, you
can go to the final stop because that's usually where
everything happens. The raffles, the prize, is the music, the food,
and so if all of that information as far as
the stops, including the final stop, will be released closer
to the event. You can find the All Passle Border
(28:32):
Run twenty twenty five on Instagram and Facebook and you
can just google All Passle Border Run twenty twenty five
and eight am registration at Barnett on September twentieth. We
do know that for sure, and then more will be
disclosed closer to the event. So they're looking for sponsors,
they're looking for raffle items, they're looking for participation again,
all to benefit the Children's Miracle Network. Now, before we finish,
(28:56):
we have a few more minutes. I'm going to ask
each of you individually, start with you, Andy, is there
anything else that you would like to tell the listening audience.
Speaker 6 (29:03):
Yes. Actually, before the Border Run in August thirtieth, it's
a Saturday, we're going to have a bike night. Oh
so we'll do a bike night just to get people
ready for the run. Okay, this bike night's going to
be at Benny Franks. It's on North Satagosa. I can
get you the address right now. We can plug that.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
He does tattoos right, Yes, he did the.
Speaker 6 (29:23):
One on my leg, Danny.
Speaker 2 (29:25):
Yeah, he's a good dude.
Speaker 6 (29:26):
He's a big supporter of the Border Run. Oh wow,
big supporter of just a low writing community.
Speaker 2 (29:31):
And again, we'll also have this information posted on Sunday
ninety nine point nine ninety six point three k Hey
Country and Power No. Two on our Instagram and our
Facebook and my personal instagram. Amber Underscore bond that nine
one five. So if you're not sitting by your radio
with a pen and paper, don't worry. All that information
is there too. And Sammy, I want to ask you,
is there anything else that you would like to tell
(29:53):
the listening audience.
Speaker 5 (29:55):
No, just basically when my husband said, you know, come
on out and have some fun with us. If you're
not that familiar, this is your chance to get a
little taste of what we like to bring to a Passo.
Starting on August thirtieth, that's going to be a pretty
big one, a big bike night. And then that's just
(30:15):
like I said, it's going to give you a little
taste of what we're about. And then it leads into
September twentieth for the border run. So I hope you
guys can make it out. Everybody's welcome, like I said,
come say hi, look for us, ask for us. We're there.
Speaker 2 (30:29):
It's gonna be a nicer weather too, I hope.
Speaker 5 (30:32):
So it's gonna be pretty hot and I'm not looking
forward to it.
Speaker 2 (30:36):
And Alexa, is there anything else that you would like
to tell the listening audience.
Speaker 4 (30:40):
I want to say thank you to Sammy, Andy and
thirty who couldn't make it here, but I know he's listening.
I want to say in Sylvia, I want to say
just thank you to everybody, because there's actually people out
of a Passle that actually believe on our mission.
Speaker 2 (30:53):
They come in for that special day and believe in us.
Speaker 4 (30:56):
They believe in us, and they look forward to this
even year after a year, and they just make it grow.
And because of them, we are able to support our
kids here in our community, and I just want to
say thank you. Without them, we wouldn't be able to
do what we do, and thank you for making my job.
Speaker 2 (31:12):
Love it every day.
Speaker 5 (31:13):
So thank you guys.
Speaker 2 (31:13):
I love it helping the kids. It's amazing. It's a
beautiful thing. Thank you all for being here with me today.
Speaker 5 (31:18):
Thank you, Thank you for having us.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
You've been listening to El Paso Public Forum, a weekly
public affairs presentation of iHeartRadio El Paso. If you, your
organization or event would like to be featured on an
upcoming program, please email to ep Forum at iHeartMedia dot
com or call us at nine one five three five
one five four zero zero. Tune in again next week
(31:40):
for another additional of El Paso Public Forum. The preceding
program was recorded at the studios of iHeartRadio El Paso.
Welcome to El Paso Public Forum, a weekly half hour
public affairs presentation of iHeartRadio El Paso for over twenty years,
featuring local news and interviews of interest to our listeners
in West Texas and southern New Mexica. All views and
opinions expressed on this program are those of the host
and guest, and not necessarily those of iHeartRadio Management and
now El Paso Public Forum.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Welcome back to the al Paso Public Forum. I am
your host, Amber Banda, and today we have Italia Solis.
She is the community relations and development coordinator for the
Lee and Beulah More Children's Home. Italia, thank you for
being here with me today.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Of course, so I had Renee on before, so you know,
the Lee and Bulah More Children's Home has been on
the program before. But again I always like to have
child advocacy agencies on. That's just my passion and I
know that there's a lot of people in the community
that are passionate about this as well. So now from
the website for Lee and Beulah More Children's Home, I
(01:00):
read there that the goal is to be the premier
general Residential operation and child placing agency in the Greater
Southwest Region. Now, first, I do want to start off
with any misconceptions of the Children's home. Can you tell
the audience of what you are not.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Well for starters, I feel like a misconceptions. People think
that a lot of our children live actually at the
Children's Home, but they actually live in houses around the
Children's Home, so it is pretty much like they are
living with their own little families there. And the children
who can go home for the weekend to go home
(01:39):
for the weekend, we send them home with care packages
and everything and anything they would need so they are
able to visit their families. Our goal is ultimately to
reunify the children with their families, so we like to
help in any and every way we can.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
So, because I used to work at the Child Crisis Center,
they're also an emergency shelter. So is the Lie and
Bullamore Children's Home also an emergency shelter or is it
a little different.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
It's a little different. So the children who are in
our care do have to go through a process of
being referred, and that is an entire process in itself.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
So for the Lie and Bullamore Children's Home, there are
some programs that I saw that were available on the website.
There's foster care and adoption services. So how are those
two related or how are they they different.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
So the way we work the children in our care
that is separate from foster care. So foster care, we
have two foster care homes at the moment, and we
are always looking to expand if anyone is ever interested
in something like that. And that is for more extreme cases,
so cases where let's say the children are a lot younger,
the children have siblings that it's in their best interest
(02:49):
to not be separated, and even though the kids in
our care they still see each other, in this case
they will.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
Be living together.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
And not all of our children are for adoption. So
that's kind of how the differences.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
Okay, Yeah, So, like you said, you know, because I've
done a lot of volunteer work too with CPS, reunification
is the ultimate goal, and if it has to come
to the you know, to where the children can't live
with their guardians or their parents, then that's where you
guys help them as well. So there's also I'm going
to go through some of the programs because the main
question I have for all of them is are the
(03:26):
Are these programs just for the kids that are part
of the Limbulamore Children's Home or is it open to
the public, such as family counseling, wrap around, family casework,
preparation for adult living. Now, are these programs things that
are only offered to the kids that are part of
the limb Bulamore Home or are they open to the community.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
Yes, so this is programs that we have for the
children in our care. But we also have what is
called aftercare, so if a family doesn't need the full service,
we help them in whatever they need help with.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Okay, So I'm going to go down some of these
programs and maybe can clarify some of them for me.
Family counseling, you know, I think everyone's pretty familiar with
family counseling and why it would be important in this case.
Residential care, so that is when the kids live in
the foster homes.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Yes, that is when they live with us, and we
call them their foster parents or childcare workers, and we
go ahead and help them in anything and everything. So
our childcare workers take them to school, take them to
any and all appointments, and at the children's home. Any
donations that are given to the Children's Home. One hundred
percent of them go to the children in our care.
(04:34):
So we cover everything from their food, medication, clothing.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Anything that you would need for a kid, right, and
multiple kids. Oh yes, So that's funny when I asked
you about the misconceptions, because that was a misconception I had.
I thought that the kids because you know, I've been there,
you know, with guardians of the children, and there's like
different buildings there, so I thought that those were the
different houses where the kids stayed. So those buildings that
are there, do the kids stay at any of those
(05:00):
or like you said, they all live in a house
somewhere else.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
Some of them. So the main building, which you have seen,
our administrative building, that is the tutoring center. That's their library,
and then all of our office spaces, and then as
you've seen, we have the recreational center that is where
they have a basketball court, a gym, a little mini
theater for them to watch movies. Yeah, and then around
(05:24):
the neighborhood is where their houses are. But we do
have a few houses near the main building.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
Okay, of course those houses are secret location, you know,
for obvious reasons. Oh, I see, I see, And so
no matter where the kids are staying, they can all
come to that place, you know, for the gym or
to watch a movie. And okay, that's starting to make
more sense now. One of the programs is preparation for
adult living. What ages do you accept for the children's home?
Speaker 3 (05:54):
So for a children's home, all ages up to when
they graduate high school. Okay, so most of the children
in our care at the moment are teenagers. But we
have what is called the McGuire Center, and that is
our college program. So when children age out of the
Leemoor Children's Home, once they've graduated high school, they have
the ability to apply for the McGuire Center. And in
(06:17):
the McGuire Center, we get them an apartment, We help
them with grant scholarships, We have somewhere for them to
wash their clothes, a fridge with food, somewhere for them
to study, and we have Kim in there and she
helps the children in anything they need.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
So the McGuire Center, once they graduate high school, they
can apply to go there. How long can they stay
there at the graduate college? Really? Oh, is that a
requirement for them to stay there to go to college? No,
it's not.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
It's just if they would like to that is, we
know that a lot of them are first generations going
into college and experiencing all of that, so we want
this to be the best experience possible for them.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
And does the children Home work in connection with any
other child advocacy agencies And I'll passle no, we do no, Okay.
So the referrals they're they're coming like from.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
The referrals for the college program are children who are
already in the Children's Home, and the referrals for like
for the kids that get placed in the children's home,
who do those go from.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
Well, the children in.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
Our care have an array of backgrounds. Some of them
their parents excuse me, are maybe jobless, homeless, in abusive situations.
Some of them may be orphaned, but it could be
anything from a school counselor who saw something.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Or a parent who just needs help. Ah okay, okay.
And then you have the tutoring and academic support there
for the kids. I know that you said that. I
think there's volunteer teachers that go and do that for them, correct.
And then the recreational activities, you know, especially if they're
teens and teen boys, like you know, they're going to
need that active that outlet, and there's different ways for
(07:58):
people to get involved that will talk about in a
little bit. And if you're just joining us, we have
Italia Solise. She's the community Relations and development coordinator for
the Lee and Beulahmoor Children's Home. So different ways for
people to get involved. I want to start first with
a pretty big event that I had heard about when
(08:19):
I was working at the Child Crisis Center, Operation Pumpkin.
Can you tell the listening audience a little bit more
about that.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
Yes, definitely. So this is going to be our twenty
fourth annual Wow Pumpkin. Yes, it is our largest charity
event of the year. One hundred percent of the proceeds
from Operation Pumpkin go directly to the children's clothing budget.
So all of the children in our care, like I
had mentioned, we provide everything for them. So this is
extremely essential for their confidence and so that they feel
(08:46):
comfortable throughout the year.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
Oh yeah, especially at teenage years, like you think, oh,
just clothes, just getting what. No, Like they are still teenagers,
they're still surrounded by their peers and they still you know,
clothing is a big part of it. I have a
ten year old she you know, it was two months
where she outgrew her school pets. So it's like the
clothing budget is a really big part of it. So
this Operation Pumpkin, it's October nineteenth at the Coronado Country
(09:10):
Club four thirty to seven pm. It's thirty dollars for
people to come in and there's what's going to be
at this event.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
So Operation Pumpkin features doctors and surgeons from our community
who showcase their creativity by carving and decorating pumpkins. So
those pumpkins we end up auctioning those off. We also
have raffles and prizes that people can win as well.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
Also it's doctors and surgeons. Oh that's pretty cool. Well
that makes sense because they have like you know, you
should get some tattoo artists in there. They have a
city hand too. Yeah, that would be a great idea.
Operation Pumpkin awesome, So again something to look forward to.
There will be more information on Operation Pumpkin on Instagram,
Lee More, l E E m O R Underscore ept
(09:54):
X or on Facebook Lee More Children soulm and of
course you can go to Leemore dot org for more information.
And I do want to talk a little bit more
about other ways for people to get involved in this
information is on their website, the Birthday Club. Can you
tell us a little bit more about the Birthday Club. Yes, So.
Speaker 3 (10:11):
We have experienced children who don't even know when their
birthday is when they come in. So one thing we
wanted to do was create something where donors or people
from the community could get involved. They could either donate
thirty dollars for a cake, or they could get on
a list and donate the actual cake. So I have
the children's birthdays and I go ahead and reach out
(10:32):
to them and they let me know exactly what they want,
and donors are able to deliver those birthday cakes to
the children and the kids can go ahead and celebrate
with their cottage families and just enjoy their day.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Oh that's awesome. And there's also the food to go
what is that?
Speaker 3 (10:47):
Yes, So, as I was saying, of the children who
are in their care, the ones who can go home
to a family member, we like to send them home
with care packages, so food, toilet tree, anything like that.
And so those donations are things that we put into
care baskets for them, excuse me, and that go ahead
(11:09):
and that helps them that way when they are at home,
they don't have to worry about what they're going to eat.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
Yeah, the way I picture it is, you know, think
about if you're in a foster care situation. Just think
about it when you go to someone that you kind
of know you're at your house, Like you don't even
feel comfortable asking for a glass of water, if you know.
Some people are that way. But this way, this gives
them their this is mine, it's okay if I finish it,
I don't have to worry about am I finishing someone else's?
(11:36):
So that's very important than teenage boys and their food
forget and so then there's also the essential home supplies
and the school supplies. So if you can touch on both.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
Of those, yeah, So the essential home supplies could be
anything from toilet trees, so shampoo, conditioner, the basics, as
well as furniture. At the moment, we have two cottages
that we are building, so those are the houses that
the children live in. Okay, we're going to be able
to fill two additional new houses of children. And at
the moment, we are looking for furniture for those spaces.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
Yes, and so those two additional cottages, when was the
last Like, I don't know. I know that that this
home has been around a long time. So when was
the last time that they got to two more cottages
to help the kids. It's been a while, no.
Speaker 3 (12:23):
Man, Yes, we've been around for sixty five sixty five
going on sixty six whiles this year and this is
definitely a big milestone and the cottages look amazing.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
Yeah, So people can donate, does it like, if they
want to donate any kind of household item, does it
have to be new? Can it be slightly.
Speaker 3 (12:40):
They're welcome to donate new or used things in general
to the Children's Home, but specifically for these new cottages,
they would have to be new items and if they're interested,
have them give us a call ask Forlise and I
actually have a list of all of the items and
things that we need.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
Oh good, and your information for those of you that
aren't aware on Parna two point one Sunday ninety nine
point nine and on ninety six point three k Country
and our Instagram and Facebook that her information will be
there that we can contact her if you do want
to donate something for these new cottages for the kids.
Have you thought about and I don't know if you
already have it or we'll put it up like an
Amazon list.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
And we've also reached out to a few builders good
and like think lows and home depots.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
Yeah, perfect, perfect. So and also building and maintenance. You know,
if someone wanted to help with that, they can contact
you for whatever maintenance Okay, perfect. I know that that's
a big thing, especially with these older buildings and with nonprofits.
So I Talia, I have one last question for you,
and it's basically, is there anything else that you would
like to tell the listening audience.
Speaker 3 (13:45):
I would just like to thank everyone on behalf of
thee More Children's Home. If anyone is ever interested in
volunteering donating, we are open to anything and everything, and
just go ahead and give us a call at nine
one five, five, four four eight seven seven seven and
ask for Ee Thaliaslise and I am here to give
(14:05):
y'all any information or to answer any questions.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
Perfect, and again that information will be on our social media.
So the Again, I want to reiterate the Operation Pumpkin.
I have heard nothing but great things about that event,
so uh find more information at leemore dot org, l
e e m oo r dot org Italia. Thank you
so much for being here with me today. Thank you.
(14:35):
Welcome back to the al Paso Public Forum. I am
your host, Amber Banda, and today we have three people
as guests in the studio. We have Alexa Velasquez. She
is the director of Children's Miracle Network and we're going
to be talking about their connection to the l Pasco
borderun Alexa, thank you for being here with me today.
Speaker 4 (14:54):
Thank you so much for inviting us.
Speaker 2 (14:55):
Of course. And we also have Sammy Floores. She is
a member of the al Passo Border Run Committee and
the Also Car Club. Sammy, thank you for being here
with me today.
Speaker 5 (15:05):
Always a pleasure. Thank you for having us.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
Of course. And we also have Andy Flores, who is
also a member of the al Paso Border Run Committee
and a member of the Also Car Club. Andy, thank
you for being here with me today. Yes, thank you
for inviting us, of course. So you know today we
have the bikers in the house. They're back. I'm not
I'm accustomed to having bikers here. I try to promote
I'm a biker myself with Guardians of the Children and
(15:29):
today bikers and car clubs, we're helping the l Pasco
Children's Miracle Network, which is benefiting the Al Pasto Children's Hospital, correct, correct, Alexa,
that's right.
Speaker 4 (15:40):
So for the community that don't have that connection of
Children's Marcal Network and Al Pasto Children's Hospital, it's the.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
Same, okay.
Speaker 4 (15:46):
So just to clarify, whenever you go and very simple,
you go to eat at PANDEA.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
Express and they ask you, we like to round.
Speaker 4 (15:55):
Up your change, and hopefully you say yes, that change
comes back to us to twelve Pastole Children's Hospital. So
Children's American Hour it's basically a national organization. But the
nice thing about our organization that we stay local.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
One hundred percent of the proceeds.
Speaker 4 (16:10):
That stay within that city or community do stay within
that local hospital. So my job as the director we
fundraise the whole year funds and awareness for our local
children's hospital, which is Al Pastor Children's Hospital. So here,
our Pastor Children's Hospital is the Lucky hospital of Children's
Americal Network. There's one hundred and seventy and Al Pastor
(16:32):
Children's Hospital is one of them. So not only do
we have partners corporate partners like Walmart, Costco and Panda,
but also we have community partners like the Border Run
And that's what we're going to talk about today of
how we connected and how they are helping us raise
those funds for All Pastor Children's Hospital.
Speaker 2 (16:50):
Definitely. So now before we continue, we'll talk about the
event and a little bit in that connection. The Children's
Miracle Network fund raises for the Al Pastor Children's Hospital.
Now where do those funds go? What are they used for?
Because you know, I'm thinking of the listening audience. It's like, hey, well,
I've taken my kid there and I pay my bills.
So where do those funds get? Exactly?
Speaker 4 (17:10):
So, as mentioned, one hundred percent of those donations do
stay local, which is the nice thing about it, right,
But one hundred percent of those funds do stay local.
And how we do it. We support the children's hospital
by giving back and supporting equipment that the hospital needs.
So we are able to support the hospital with giving
(17:32):
back of that equipment that they can purchase or they
need to get because it has expired. Our hospital has
turned thirteen years. So you know technology, even our cell phones,
after I finished paying for it, we have to buy
a new one, right, so imagine technology. We want the
best equipment for our kittles to get treated. So we
(17:54):
get the grand request from the hospital, we say, hey,
this is how much we need and this is how
much we have, so let's go ahead and give it back.
So the way that we get the money received from
the community, we give it back to the hospital and
we purchase that equipment. For instance, we just went ahead
and funded some goggles. So I don't know if any
of you have received an MRI stiffy right, yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
So you know, even for us adults, we go into
that little.
Speaker 4 (18:20):
Tunnel and we are it's hard for us to even
stay calm right for whatever time that we have to.
So imagine a little kid that has to stay there calmed. Well,
we just were I believe it was eighty thousand that
they asked for. So those goggles they actually have a
movie to display for those kids and they get entertained
(18:41):
and they just watched that movie and they don't even
know how much time.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
They were in there, you know. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (18:46):
So that's something that we were able to fund, and
that is through donations, like through our partners that are
able to do it in community that are donating so
our little things like that, or for instance, they can
get discharged because they don't have them medication that they
need in order to get discharged, so our social workers
every patient gets as social workers. So they reach out
(19:06):
to us a foundation and say, hey, this patient can
get discharged because they don't have this medication, so we
go ahead and get it and say, hey, well we
are able to fund that medication, so here you go
and they're able to be sent home. So there's like
different ways they have like us through the Children's Mark
and ho where we have different categories that were able
to support. So nothing goes through administration, nothing goes to
(19:28):
anything like that. So that's one of very important things
that we want the community to understand. And not then
nothing goes to the pockets of anyone, but just to
the hospital's needs of equipment and patients' needs.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
And I've recently taken a tour of a very large
children's hospital, and when you think children's hospital, it is
very different because you don't think of things like that,
Like I recently had a CT scan and I was
able to hold my breath for over long and go
in and out. But for a five year old or
six year old, you know, it's those expenditures that make
it less traumatic for the kids. More funds you have,
like any nonprofit, the more people that you can help,
(20:04):
which is why I'm curious, Sammy and Andy, how did
the Alphaso Border Run get connected to the Children's Miracle Network, Like,
how did that come about?
Speaker 6 (20:17):
We got connected with the Children's Medical Network. I believe
it was back in twenty sixteen we had done the
Border Run. The Border Run started in twenty thirteen, started
with just actually Boo Car Club and just a couple
of other car clubs who started having bikes and we
call them viklas, right, that's the low rider style of motorcycles.
(20:40):
So just a couple of car clubs got together, started
to run and then started selling t shirts and we
started turning to profit and donated into local people that
maybe needed help. Sometimes we'll find somebody that crashed on
a motorcycle, somebody that just needed help. And then we
decided to well, we want to keep the money local. Yeah,
(21:02):
so Apasto Children's Hospital is when we teamed up with him.
My dad believed that was in twenty sixteen and it's
been every year since, and it's a good way to
keep the money local. We've we've had the tour of
the hospital. We've seen the equipment that she was talking about.
We've seen the rooms, libraries and books and just stuff
(21:24):
for the kids to have a normal life while they're
in the hospital. It was a great tour. We got
to take a lot of pictures, got to meet a
lot of people. But that's how we got together with
the Apasto Children's Hospital when the Upasso border run or
when Poderoso. We've been a part of Porlioso since I
was a kid. I was I was probably ten years old.
(21:46):
My brother was an original member and they were thirty
years Is there a thirty year anniversary?
Speaker 2 (21:51):
Congratulations? Thank you.
Speaker 6 (21:52):
And when we found out that we're donating to the
Upistol Children's Hospital, that really really meant a lot to
myself and my wife Sammy our son, well, she can
tell you how our son had an issue when he
was born and he just turned nine last week.
Speaker 5 (22:08):
Yes, Scrucito, Yes, actually he turned nine on the twenty
fourth of this month, and he was born with something
called Hirshprung's disease. It's not as common, but I mean
during that timeframe that he was born, there were quite
a bit of you know cases, and at nine days old,
(22:29):
you know, he got diagnosed with that. He was born
with it. He went through surgery and because of the
Children's Hospital, he was able to start living a healthy life,
a normal life because we didn't know what it was.
He had surgery, he had like four and a half
inches of his intestine taken out.
Speaker 2 (22:47):
What is what is that that did?
Speaker 5 (22:49):
That is it's basically where the nerves and I mean
you have nerves all over your body, right, and so
during I mean through that little space, it wasn't sending
signals to his brain telling him that he needed to
go to the restroom. I guess you can say, do
his business. And it created high, almost brain damaging levels
(23:10):
of jaundice. Wow, and he was so distended and nobody
knew what was going on. So finally went to them,
to the Children's Hospital, and they were able to properly
diagnose him and basically save his life because you had
that equipment well back, Yeah, basically, yes, it was. It
was a lot of a lot of tests and tests
(23:30):
after tests after tests, and like I said, because of them,
it holds a very close space in my heart because
they were able to help our son.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
Definitely, I love that story. And when it comes to
bikers and car clubs, they have a lot of community
pride pride in their city and when it comes to
kids and the elderly and their own community, like they
just want to help. I mean one hundred percent. I've
done a philanthropy and advocacy. Let's see, I've been a
part of the biker world for about five years. I've
been doing philanthropy, philanthropy for about ten and once I
(24:01):
was a part of the biker world. They're some of
the most genuine, real giving people that so you know
that you know this al Pasco Border Run when you're
participating in it or donating to it, like it's going
to go. The money is going to go where it's
going to go, and it's definitely going to a good cause.
And again if you're just joining us. We have Alexa Velasquez,
(24:23):
director of Children's Miracle Network that helps here locally the
al Pasco Children's Hospital, Sammy Floores, member of the al
Pasco Border Run Committee and Boderoso Car Club that's just
celebrated their thirty year anniversary, and her husband and the
Flores also a member of the Alpaco Border Run Committee
and member of Boderoso Car Club. So we just heard
(24:44):
a little bit about how you all got connected, your
personal story. Thank you for sharing, and I'm so glad
that your baby's doing Okay, I have a ten and
nineteen year old. I can't even imagine. And we just
heard you know about the Children's Miracle Networks. So now
if you want to help, you have a car, you
have a buy, you have two feet, you don't have
a car, whatever, you can still be a part of
this event coming up. It is a run, a bike run,
(25:08):
not a sneaker run. September twentieth, So who would like
to tell us more details about when it is, where
it is, how they can register, and how people can help.
Speaker 5 (25:18):
So basically it's September twentieth. It keeps getting bigger and
bigger every single year. Last year we were able to
raise about twenty thousand for the hospital. Registration is free.
What we like to do is just ask people for donations.
We start off at Barnett. You can go and say hi,
(25:39):
have a cup of coffee, hang out, they have coffee.
Speaker 2 (25:42):
I'm sorry, they have good coffee. Yes they do, they do.
Speaker 5 (25:45):
I have tasted it before. Does not disappoint. But anyways,
come on out, guys, say hi. Like I said, bring
your motorcycles if you don't have a motorcycle.
Speaker 2 (25:58):
That's okay.
Speaker 5 (25:58):
We welcome everybody, come hang out with us. We start
at Barnett and then.
Speaker 6 (26:04):
We'll announce the rest of the stops later on this
month in August, but we do start at Barnett. Registration,
like she said, is free, and what we encourage is
even if you don't have a bike, like you mentioned,
you can go to the stops and just participate in
the raffles, participate in the dancing because usually it's a
(26:24):
spot that.
Speaker 2 (26:24):
Will have oh that is drinking. I don't need drinks
to dance. All that's right now.
Speaker 6 (26:30):
So even the last stop is when we do most
of the giveaways. We do giveaways at every stop, but
the last one to be the bigger prizes and people
and go enjoy the vendors. There's a lot of local vendors,
a lot of local food trucks, and we also have
people from out of town. Before the bike run again
Bike Round September twentieth.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
And before you go on, can you I mean, we're
familiar with the bike world, but a lot of listeners
are like, what's the run, what's the stop? Can you
give a little bit of like give them an idea
of what a bike run kind of what that kind
and it looks like or what it is.
Speaker 6 (27:01):
Yeah, definitely, so a bike run. Usually it'll start at
one location, they'll say kickstands up at a certain time
and then we'll ride to the next stop, which is
just another location, usually a restaurant, a bar. Everybody gathers there.
After a couple of hours you're on to the next stop.
(27:21):
And usually by that time the first stop, people start
going their separate ways or going to the next stop
early just to get good seats and stuff. So we
like to stick together as a club, so we'll go
from one stop to the next stop. But just the
ride there is what it's about. Yeah, we love the
money that we can donate to the Apasto Children's possible.
(27:43):
It helps. He'll passle so much and even the people
that come in from out of town. It helps. It
helps the city of a Passo, right, we got hotels.
We got Lacinta hotel right there by Barnett who's helping us,
the Romote off Gateway who's also helping. So it's helping
the city, helps the local vendors. But at each stop,
we try to have a vendor. If we can't have it,
then they'll be at the final stop. Yes, and again
(28:05):
we just try to write together and try to help
the community as much as we can.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
And the final stop for anyone who maybe wants to
join and is not, you know, they don't really want
to quote unquote enjoy the ride on the bike, you
can go to the final stop because that's usually where
everything happens. The raffles, the prize, is the music, the food,
and so if all of that information as far as
the stops, including the final stop, will be released closer
to the event. You can find the All Passle Border
(28:32):
Run twenty twenty five on Instagram and Facebook and you
can just google All Passle Border Run twenty twenty five
and eight am registration at Barnett on September twentieth. We
do know that for sure, and then more will be
disclosed closer to the event. So they're looking for sponsors,
they're looking for raffle items, they're looking for participation again,
all to benefit the Children's Miracle Network. Now, before we finish,
(28:56):
we have a few more minutes. I'm going to ask
each of you individually, start with you, Andy, is there
anything else that you would like to tell the listening audience.
Speaker 6 (29:03):
Yes. Actually, before the Border Run in August thirtieth, it's
a Saturday, we're going to have a bike night. Oh
so we'll do a bike night just to get people
ready for the run. Okay, this bike night's going to
be at Benny Franks. It's on North Satagosa. I can
get you the address right now. We can plug that.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
He does tattoos right, Yes, he did the.
Speaker 6 (29:23):
One on my leg, Danny.
Speaker 2 (29:25):
Yeah, he's a good dude.
Speaker 6 (29:26):
He's a big supporter of the Border Run. Oh wow,
big supporter of just a low writing community.
Speaker 2 (29:31):
And again, we'll also have this information posted on Sunday
ninety nine point nine ninety six point three k Hey
Country and Power No. Two on our Instagram and our
Facebook and my personal instagram. Amber Underscore bond that nine
one five. So if you're not sitting by your radio
with a pen and paper, don't worry. All that information
is there too. And Sammy, I want to ask you,
is there anything else that you would like to tell
(29:53):
the listening audience.
Speaker 5 (29:55):
No, just basically when my husband said, you know, come
on out and have some fun with us. If you're
not that familiar, this is your chance to get a
little taste of what we like to bring to a Passo.
Starting on August thirtieth, that's going to be a pretty
big one, a big bike night. And then that's just
(30:15):
like I said, it's going to give you a little
taste of what we're about. And then it leads into
September twentieth for the border run. So I hope you
guys can make it out. Everybody's welcome, like I said,
come say hi, look for us, ask for us. We're there.
Speaker 2 (30:29):
It's gonna be a nicer weather too, I hope.
Speaker 5 (30:32):
So it's gonna be pretty hot and I'm not looking
forward to it.
Speaker 2 (30:36):
And Alexa, is there anything else that you would like
to tell the listening audience.
Speaker 4 (30:40):
I want to say thank you to Sammy, Andy and
thirty who couldn't make it here, but I know he's listening.
I want to say in Sylvia, I want to say
just thank you to everybody, because there's actually people out
of a Passle that actually believe on our mission.
Speaker 2 (30:53):
They come in for that special day and believe in us.
Speaker 4 (30:56):
They believe in us, and they look forward to this
even year after a year, and they just make it grow.
And because of them, we are able to support our
kids here in our community, and I just want to
say thank you. Without them, we wouldn't be able to
do what we do, and thank you for making my job.
Speaker 2 (31:12):
Love it every day.
Speaker 5 (31:13):
So thank you guys.
Speaker 2 (31:13):
I love it helping the kids. It's amazing. It's a
beautiful thing. Thank you all for being here with me today.
Speaker 5 (31:18):
Thank you, Thank you for having us.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
You've been listening to El Paso Public Forum, a weekly
public affairs presentation of iHeartRadio El Paso. If you, your
organization or event would like to be featured on an
upcoming program, please email to ep Forum at iHeartMedia dot
com or call us at nine one five three five
one five four zero zero. Tune in again next week
(31:40):
for another additional of El Paso Public Forum. The preceding
program was recorded at the studios of iHeartRadio El Paso.
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