Valencia County Historical Society Elects Officers, Honors Volunteers at Belen Harvey House

At the Belen Harvey House on Sunday, the Valencia County Historical Society elected Richard Melzer president and a slate of officers who will steer the society’s programs, publications and local outreach. Vice President John Taylor, Secretary Sandy Schauer and Treasurer Louis Huning were voted onto the executive team, and directors Kathleen Pickering, Cynthia Shetter, Maggie McDonald and Roberta Scott were named to the board.

Melzer and Taylor bring continuity: both are listed among VCHS authors and program leaders, and VCHS materials link the society’s board to oversight of documentary projects and publications such as the recent title Doorways to the Past: More Tales of the Rio Abajo. The society, formally organized in 1969, also guides lectures, tours and a school outreach program that helps teachers and students use local history in classroom research.

The meeting’s Rio Abajo Award was presented to the family of the late John Aragon of Belen. Melzer paid tribute to Aragon’s career in local education: “He went on and served in the public schools here as a teacher, as a principal and as a superintendent,” Melzer said. Chavez, identified in the meeting coverage as Aragon’s grandson, accepted on behalf of the family and laughed: “He would be very grateful for the recognition; he liked the limelight a little bit.” The citation highlighted Aragon’s service to Belen Schools and to the community’s wellbeing.

Longtime volunteer Sandy Schauer received the Red Brick Award, an honor given to a volunteer who helps out at the local museums and local landmarks. Director Kathleen Pickering praised Schauer’s cross-organizational work and told her, “This city really couldn’t function without you. Thank you for all your dedication and all of your hard work.” Schauer was also elected secretary; VCHS and News‑Bulletin photo captions have listed her repeatedly at prior meetings and events.

The society’s recent events were underscored in accompanying materials: VCHS held its third annual Historical Road Show on Sunday, May 18, at the Los Lunas Transportation Center, where organizers noted, “While not a lot of people brought items to show, those who did didn’t disappoint.” A Road Show photo caption listed participants including Richard Melzer, Monica Kemsley of Los Lunas, Tom Mraz of Meadow Lake, Paul Parmentier of Los Lunas and John Taylor. Archival coverage from Feb. 20, 2025 shows many of the same names — James Rickey, John Taylor, Sandy Schauer, Roberta Scott, Patsy Torres and Ronnie Torres — underscoring multi-year continuity among volunteers and leaders.

With Melzer, Taylor, Schauer and Louis Huning now guiding the executive team and a board that includes Pickering, Shetter, McDonald and Scott, VCHS returns to active stewardship of the Belen Harvey House and other county partners — including the Bosque Farms Community Center, Los Lunas Museum of Heritage & Arts and the Tome Dominguez Community Center — while continuing its book series and classroom outreach across Valencia County.