Service Above Self Ken Riege

Kristy Klinger of Zuni Pueblo and Bernd Haase of Gallup, Indian Hills neighborhood @ Church Rock January 09, 2021

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Pictured - Left to Right: Patty Lundstrom, Executive Director, GGEDC; Yogash Kumar, GGEDC Board Member (Ex-Officio); Mayor Louie Bonaguidi, GGEDC Board Member (Ex-Officio); Tony Tanner, GGEDC Board Member; Tommy Haws, GGEDC Board President; Tim Hoisington, Tri-State; Brian Rychener, Tri-State; Chock Black, Tri-State.

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Service Above Self

Ms. Mercedes Bischoff with the kits she prepared and had ready at the Gallup Elks Lodge.

By Ken Riege USAF Veteran and Ms. Mercedes Bischoff, Senior at Gonzaga University

Now most (if not all) my stories have been based on either a particular veteran or organization, or military history and traditions. I wanted this one to veer a bit to honor some of our local “Gallupians” who are and have always been putting “Service Above Self” for quite some time.

Our military, police, fire fighters, first responders, and especially our medical professionals automatically fall into this category as they face going “Above and Beyond” every day. That’s the nature of that chosen profession. However, this past year has shown a special light on those who have always put “Service Above Self” that maybe we have overlooked. For example, the hard working and dedicated grocery store professionals that are now faced with being right on the front lines of the pandemic, who are ensuring the shelves are stocked and our purchases are safely bagged to take home to our families. The restaurant professionals who carefully prepare and serve our meals to help nourish and sustain our families. These individuals have always been there, “doing their thing” and it’s time we give them a “shout out” and a great big “THANK YOU.”

Of course, one group we cannot forget are the school professionals who are there each and every day doing all they can to ensure that our children are most importantly safe, educated, and fed. These amazing individuals that I have mentioned are what keeps our community going day in and day out. I know there are many others out there that I may not have mentioned, but you know that our community cannot function without you. I salute you all and wishing you and your families all the best. I am so proud of Gallup in how we have bonded together during this terrible pandemic and I know we will all come out of this a better and stronger community and family.

For this story, I wanted to highlight one of our amazing young leaders that has demonstrated what going “Above

Mercedes presenting a kit to a Del Norte Elementary student Ms. Chloe Corral. Photo, courtesy of Chloe’s mother Kim Corral.

and Beyond” is all about.

This story is about Ms. Mercedes Bischoff. The Bischoff family is a wellknown and respected family in Gallup, and Mercedes has demonstrated her abilities to carry on her family’s tradition of “Service Above Self.”

Mercedes is a senior at Gonzaga University in Washington State where not only is she a top student, she also finds time to volunteer with teen moms and the organization, Love Your Melon, in Washington State.

Mercedes has also spent time studying abroad in San Jose, Costa Rica where she volunteered at a Salvation Army Elementary School.

Mercedes had an idea for a project to assist elementary students combat online school disengagement. Mercedes remembered how fortunate she was for having a (mostly) tech free youth and wanted to help today’s students have that same experience. Her goal was to keep the kids curious, off technology and to maintain the passion for learning. So, again she put “Service Above Self” and applied for one of four National Elks Cornerstone Grants, which (of course to no one’s surprise) she received. With this grant she partnered with Del Norte and Sacred Heart Schools to provide the students with kits filled with educational activities and resources to help combat online school disengagement.

With the grant she was able to make around 50 of these special kits. On January 12th with the assistance of the Gallup Elks Lodge 1440 and her sister Camille, she provided these kits to the students.

As with each of my stories I always end with a “Medal of Honor Quote” from one of our nation’s greatest heroes. These quotes can be found in the book “Medal of Honor Quotes, Inspiration from America’s Military Heroes.” Which can be found at www. americanvaluescenter.org and now also on Amazon.

This quote is from MOH and three war veteran Charles P. “Chuck’ Murray Jr., United States Army retiree, who received his MOH for his extreme bravery during WW2.

His quote is as follows: “It is America’s youth on which the future of our great nation depends. We should encourage them to take full advantage of every opportunity to become productive citizens through character building, education and training.”

I believe this quote exemplifies the dedicated spirit of Ms. Mercedes Bischoff of “Service Above Self.” It has been a great honor sharing her story and thankful that our future is in the good hands with leaders like Mercedes.