The 2016 New Mexico Teamsters Appreciation Day had another great turnout this year with the number of members attending increasing by 11% over last year.  Members came from a wide variety of crafts and companies which included (in order of highest member turnout) ABF, UPS, YRC, Creamland, UPS Freight, Film/Movies Drivers, AmeriPride Linen, Sysco, Franklins, Penske, Bimbo, Chenega, Hertz, Sandia Labs, and TeamOne. There were Teamster Retirees that also attended and had a booth set up for info on their Teamster Retiree Club.

To View Photos of the Event, Click Here

The Executive Board, Business Agents and office staff were on hand and enjoyed meeting and talking to the Members in this social atmosphere. This year’s theme was Teamster History and everyone enjoyed the free food featuring Popeye’s Chicken, the free Teamster shirts for Members, and face painting for the kids. We also gave away a 40" Flat screen TV, Sound Bar, Tools, Lobo ice chest, and whole lot more including 30 gift bags full of Teamster History books, Teamster History DVD, and also some 492 Teamster swag. The kids who attended received a free Teamster Ring Disc Frisbee. The three most sought after prizes were the TV, won by Ameripride Driver Anthony Perea, and the two custom made 492 Teamster Disk-it’s, won by Ameripride Driver Alonzo Rivas & ABF retiree Albert Perea).

The Teamsters Joint Council #3 Truck was there thanks to Retired 455 Vice President, Jim Adams, who drove it down from CO.

We also heard your requests from last year, and ordered many Teamster Local 492 products for people to purchase including Hats, shirts, lapel pins, coffee mugs, window decals, lunch bags and more. Click Here to view the product list with pictures and prices. These items are still for sale and we will be able to accept Credit Cards during business hours 7:30 to 3:30 pm M-F. 

This is the 4th year Teamsters Local 492 has hosted an event to celebrate the Teamsters of New Mexico, and the second year we have had a committee of Volunteer Teamsters Members plan the event. Thank you to the 492 Event Committee, led by Brother Joseph Carrillo which put all of this together and did a phenomenal job on another amazing function! 

The Teamsters Local 492 Executive Board, on behalf of all of the Members who enjoyed the event, would like to thank The 492 Volunteer Event Committee for all of their hard work and the countless hours of their personal time they donated to this great Union over the past months preparing for this day. In addition to the planning, The Committee showed up Thursday to set-up the inside of the hall and came in at 8 am Saturday morning to prepare the outside.  The Committee also worked the entire event to insure the Members would enjoy themselves. In alphabetical order, The 2016 Committee was: Darlene Archuleta, who also volunteered at the Teamster store and raffle tickets, Sister Esther Basham (ABF), who also volunteered at food table, Brother Joseph Carrillo (ABF), (event coordination), Lacey Eversole (ABF), who also volunteered at the check-in table, Sister Rori Hall (ABF), who also volunteered at the Teamster store and raffle tickets, Brother Albert Lujan (ABF) who also volunteered with face painting for the kids, Sister Melissa Malcom  (Movie Driver) who also volunteered at the check-in table, Brother Andrew Palmer (UPS) Brother & Robert Sanders (ABF) who also helped manage trash and drinks, Brother Jesus Vidaca (ABF), who also helped with the Raffle, and Brother Camden White (ABF), who facilitated the chairs & tables donated by Netherwood Park Church of Christ.  

We would also like to thank all the volunteers that helped set up the event, close down and clean up, and also thanks to the day-of-the-event volunteers that kept the whole thing running smoothly which include all those above plus; Teamsters Local 492 Secretary-Treasurer Walter R. Maestas, Sister Silvana Cufré (ABF), Brother Robert Delgado (ABF), Brother Eddy Merida (ABF-CA), Brother Chad Sullins (ABF), Brother Donald Wood (ABF), Brother Kirk Weis (ABF), and the daughters of Brother Andrew Palmer (UPS) & Brother Jesus Vidaca (ABF).

(If you would like to be on the event committee or volunteer at our next event, let us know by Clicking Here)

A Special thank you to ABF for lending us their tents and to Line Haul Manager Randy Archer for helping us set them up.

Thank you to all who participated and attended this event, we truly enjoyed seeing all of you and meeting your families and we hope to be able to do this again next year. On behalf 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!