Al Velarde
June, 2017 me saying, ‘When are you going to get that degree’. In those moments that I would say ‘I’ve had enough I don’t need a degree I got a job’ it was thinking about my father saying ‘you’ve got to get that degree,’ that kept me going. I give him credit for that.” The UTEP alum’s community contributions have not gone unnoticed. He’s received many accolades, most recently the Alicia R. Chacon Award from United Way. It’s the highest award given to a nonprofit individual for community partnership and collaboration. As for how long he plans to give back, the father of three and grandfather of four said he’s looking forward to serving the Borderland another 10-12 years. “I’m hoping I make a little bit of difference in this community and if one person says, ‘you helped me make a change, you helped me make a difference in my life,’ that will be the icing on the cake,” he said.
Photos by David Parish
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