Christmas was always a huge event in the Lopez family, but after her husband Pete Lopez passed away in October of 2008, the holidays only reminded her of her loss. Trudy Lopez shares stories of her husband’s Christmas Village, which would cover more than twelve folding tables in their Ruidoso Downs home. The Christmas Village was his special project, something he would shop for all year and began setting up before Thanksgiving.
With her husband gone, Lopez didn’t know what to do with his enormous Holiday display. For the past twenty years, Lopez has been a foster care provider and observed the joy her husband’s Christmas village brought to the many foster children who passed through their home. “I thought of all the children at the Nest who had lost or been forced to leave their homes and thought maybe I could brighten their holiday”, said Lopez, her voice cracking.
Lopez brought a fraction of her husband’s village to the Nest on Tuesday morning and set up the display in the Nest’s reception office. Each house or tree brought back a special memory of her husband. Her favorite piece, the skating pond had broken; so her niece Debbie Garcia of Dallas went online and found one. Garcia gifted Lopez the new skating pond as a tribute to her sister Elizabeth who passed away earlier this year.
Lopez intends for the display to honor her husband’s life and bring his colossal Christmas spirit to residents and visitors of the Nest. The Lopez Christmas Village is on display in the lobby of the Nest Domestic Violence Shelter, located at 26374 US Highway 70 in Ruidoso Downs. For more information about the free and confidential services of the Nest, please call (575) 378-6378.
Pictured, Trudy Lopez displaying her Christmas Village in the Nest’s Reception Office.
Business Appreciation
A few years back, the Nest sought bids from contractors to resurface the Nest Parking Lot. Armin and Jasmine Grado owners of Mr. Sealer in Ruidoso Downs offered to donate their time and materials to the project. Mr. Sealer sealed the entire parking lot in one day’s time, including painting the parking spot lines and handicap parking spots, and has returned to the shelter on an annual basis to maintain the parking lot.
“In these economic times, an expense like parking lot resurfacing would really set us back. We are so fortunate to have friends in the business community like Mr. Sealer who step up and make a difference”, says office manager Sue Francis.