Several Raton Rotary members visited the Raton Recycling Center located at 410 Hereford Avenue.
City Public Works Director Jason Phillips, provided a wealth of information about the cost of recycling, what can be recycled, and how the recycling program is run.
The only recycled item that pays for itself and makes money for the City is cardboard. All other recyclables either cost or maybe breaks even.
Cardboard bales - the only recyclable collected that pays back.
Tire recycling - family can turn in four tires per year, free of charge.
Cardboard baler
Member of the Month
Jari Thymian
Jari and her husband Greg joined Rotary in November 2023. and served as the President of the Raton Rotary from July 1, 2024 until June 30, 2025. Later Jari served as co-president with Pat Walsh from July 1, 2025 until June 30, 2026. Currently she is the Membership chair, and helps with the Imagination Library.
Jari has been instrumental in infusing the Raton Rotary club with energy and enthusiasm, resulting in a tremendous increase in membership. While still active in our local club, she now serves as the Assistant Governor for District #5520 and assists three other clubs; Taos, Angel Fire, and Chama, attending some of their regular and executive board meetings.
Jari has attended three district conferences in the past three years and was invited to go to an Emerging Rotary Leader training this past September near Phoenix. Three former presidents were chosen from the district to attend the intensive training session followed by the Zone conference which includes 30 districts in the western US and Canada. Jari met the next Rotary International president, Larry Lunsford, who will take office on July 1, 2027 and lead 1.2 million Rotarians in 34,000 clubs globally. She expressed how awe-inspiring it was to meet so many service-minded people at every level of Rotary!
District #5520 group photo. Jari Thymian in front row, seated 2nd from the right
As reported in the District October 2026 Newsletter, at this year's Big West Conference held in September at Litchfield Park, Arizona, one of the highlights was the Emerging Rotary Leaders program, which brought together 55 Rotarians from across the zones 26 & 27 for leadership development and networking. Participants had the opportunity to build relationships with Rotarians from throughout the western United States while learning from one another and from experienced Rotary leaders.
Shown in the photo are the Emerging Rotary Leaders for District #5520
Jeri Thymian, Mike Hackett and Gabriela Eaton
Last Month's Speakers
October brought some interesting and amazing community members to our weekly meetings as guest speakers. They included:
Sgt. Marcelino Peralta, Dept. of Wildlife
Patricia Duran, Director of Raton MainStreet, Raton Arts & Humanities, and Center for Community Innovation
