Family Attendance at NM Teamster Appreciation Day 2019 Rebounds after 2 Year Decline

September 28, 2019 - Today, on a sunny Saturday, 625 people came to the 2019 New Mexico Teamsters Appreciation Day reaching another new all-time high for the amount of active 492 Members attending. This is the 7th year Teamsters Local 492 has hosted an event to celebrate the Teamsters of New Mexico.

Last year, in 2018, we had another increase in member attendance, but far less of their family accompanied them to the event compared to 2017, so we had about 120 sandwiches left over. But this year, we actually had so many people show up, that we ran out of food towards the very end of the event and were unfortunately about 10 Firehouse Subs short. A total of 500 have come to the event in 3 of the last 4 years. The exception was when our previous record was set for overall attendees (members & family), 3 years ago in 2016. We have finally surpassed that 2016 record this year and it was wonderful to meet so many family members of our great Teamsters!

Local 492 Teamsters came from a wide variety of crafts and companies which included a vast majority coming from the Freight and Package industries (in order of highest member turnout); UPS, ABF, YRC, 492 Movie Drivers & Movie Wranglers, Sysco, Creamland, LANS/Triad, AmeriPride Linen, OMI/Jacobs, Chiulista, Penske, American Airlines, ATF, Franklins, NCRTD Blue Bus, Sandia Labs, TeamOne, and Sara Lee Thrift Stores.  There were Teamster Retirees that also attended and Brother Phil Tuff had a booth set up for info on the Teamster Retiree Club.

Attendees were treated to special event speakers Moe Maestas (NM State representative), Maggie Toulouse Oliver (Secretary of State - New Mexico), and ABQ Mayor Tim Keller.

Members enjoyed the perfect weather, free Firehouse Subs, a free Teamster shirt and other gifts. The kids enjoyed the face painting, a 5 in 1 Jumper Castle, and free Teamsters Local 492 Frisbees. There were also some games provided which many enjoyed, plus Rafael Trujillo (ABF) and Rafael Trujillo Jr. (ABF) treated the attendees to their wonderful singing for a second year and the Cactus Flowers Band also performed.

The Teamsters Joint Council #3 Truck was there again this year thanks to Retired 455 Vice President, Jim Adams who drove it down from Colorado.  Jim and his wife Maria also helped set-up, during and clean-up after the event! Thanks so much!!!

Those of you that attended were able to personally congratulate Secretary-Treasurer Walter R. Maestas, who announced his end-of-the-year retirement date. The other members of the Teamsters 492 Executive Board attending the event; President Mike Butler, Vice-President Richard Martinez, Recording Secretary/BA Trey White, Trustees Joseph Carrillo, Andrew Palmer and Aaron Powell, along with Business Agents Melissa Malcom & Tracy McCarty. You may have run into some of them busy working to make sure the event ran smooth. We apologize if we didn’t have much time to talk as you could see, we had our hands full this year.

There were 32 volunteers that helped with the event this year!!! Volunteers (in alphabetical order) who came in early on Saturday to help set up the event were; Randy Archer (ABF), Shane Barrows (YRC), Anthony Boswell (Sysco), Robert Delgado (ABF), Kevin Keever (YRC), Easter Maestas (ABF), Sonia Rodriguez-Ortega (UPS), Robert Sanders (ABF), Daniel Sanchez (UPS), Frank Sandoval (Movies), Robert Sanders (ABF), Scott Scavinsky (Sysco), William Sorci (YRC), Lawrence Standard (YRC), Kirk Weis (ABF), and Donald Wood (ABF).

A special thanks to Rori Hall (ABF) and Brittany Thorpe who both volunteered at the check-in/food table and went Wednesday to shop for those great raffle prizes.

A special thanks to Chad Sullins (ABF), who volunteered to photograph the entire event from set up to clean-up. View Chad's Great Photos Here!

A special thanks to Brian Chavez (Husband of Film B/A Melissa Malcom) who showed up early to help set-up. For the second year, Brian also picked-up the first order of delicious Box Lunches from Firehouse Subs before the event and the other half of the order in the afternoon, which enabled everyone to enjoy a fresh sandwich. Brian has been helping this local for years now, including donating his time, skills and tools to help remodel various sections of the union hall including 3 business agent offices and the 492 entry way. Thanks so much Brian!!! 

Other volunteers that helped during the event; Melinda Delgado (ABF) was a great help at the check-in desk, office secretary Darlene Archuleta ran the 492 Teamster store with help from Marie Wilson and Maria Adams. The Face painting was done by Silvana Cufré (ABF), Albert Lujan (ABF) and Savannah Tafoya (daughter of ABF Steward Melinda Delgado). Theron Graham (Movies) did a great job for a second year keeping the sodas & water cold and trash cans empty all day. 

Thank you to the 492 Volunteer Event Committee (Joseph Carrillo, Melissa Malcom and Trey White) for all of their hard work and the countless hours of their personal time they donated to this great Union over the past months again preparing for this day. This team came in at early Saturday morning to prepare the outside and then worked the entire event to insure the Members would enjoy themselves. In addition to the planning and event day, they worked most of this week setting-up the inside of the hall while also working late into the night doing their regular jobs along with Tracy McCarty, who was also our supply runner on the day of the event.

View Photos of the Event Here

Thank you to all who participated and attended this event, we truly enjoyed seeing all of you and meeting your families. We are encouraged that attendance is on the rise again. On behalf of the Teamsters Local 492 staff, Business Agents and Executive Board, we truly appreciate the Members of this Local Union and everything you do to make this Union great, and all the hard working Union Stewards that do such a great job helping their fellow Members, thank you Teamster Brothers & Sisters!

Go down memory lane below:

(2018) About 500 Turnout for NM Teamster Appreciation Day 2018

(2017) 500 Teamsters & Family Attend NM Teamster Appreciation Day 2017

(2016) Record 588 Turnout for NM Teamster Appreciation Day  

(2015) 492 Teamster Day 2015 Turns Out Record 503 Attendees

(2014) Membership Appreciation Day

(2013) Great Time Had At the First Ever 492 Membership Appreciation Event