Soldiers and Airmen joined the Bernalillo County Community Health Council to co-host the inaugural Project Birthday NM Birthday Parade. Albuquerque Fire Rescue, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, and Albuquerque Police Department personnel led birthday celebrants in a motorcade for two laps around the mall. Birthday celebrants received gifts at the end of the second lap. NMJCDTF and BCCHC also provided free bags with deterrent materials. The NMJCDTF bags included drug lockboxes, deactivation kits, and substance abuse information. “We included these items since National Take Back Day was canceled last month,” said SGT Patrick Torres, a NMJCDTF member assigned to the 111th Sustainment Brigade. “This is part of our community outreach.” Torres said that in-person community outreach events have been few since the COVID-19 pandemic began. “It’s nice to finally get out here,” he said. Christine Mintz, a BCCHC prevention specialist, distributed similar bags for her organization. The main objective of the event, however, was to spread cheer in lieu of larger birthday gatherings amid the pandemic. Celebrants remained in their vehicles and social distancing was strictly followed. Project Birthday NM is the brainchild of Jessica Lucero-Torres, SGT Torres’s wife. She founded the project to enhance birthdays for underserved or disadvantaged youth but opened today’s event to all youth celebrating current birthdays. The project recently received its 501(c) tax exemption and recognition as a nonprofit organization. Torres said his wife plans to organize future birthday celebrations, including after the pandemic has subsided. The birthday honorees responded with warm smiles and “thank you” while receiving their gifts.
