JEMEZ SPRINGS MAKES HER (A) DAY
Photographer honored for picking up trash in area
Village honors photographer for her volunteer cleanup work in the area.
SANTA FE — The Village of Jemez Springs made Samantha D’Anna’s day ... or rather, made Thursday “Samantha D’Anna Day.”
In gratitude for D’Anna voluntarily cleaning up trash in the Jemez Springs area last week, Mayor Roger Sweet decided D’Anna deserved to have a day in her honor.
“We want to recognize the efforts of a true Jemez ambassador who took it upon herself to clean up trash left by other people in an effort to preserve the beauty of the Jemez Valley,” Sweet said in a news release. “Jemez Springs is a refuge for many people, and Samantha’s selfless care for our village is exemplary and should be celebrated!”
A celebration will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday outside the Village Plaza. She’ll be recognized for her efforts with a proclamation certificate and a $100 gift card, presented to her by the mayor and village staff. The village says it will be following COVID-19 safe practices during the presentation, and anyone wishing to attend should wear a mask and practice social distancing.
D’Anna will have her day, despite not being a resident of the village. She’s from Los Alamos, nearly an hour’s drive away, but, like a lot of people, she loves the Jemez Mountains and the quaint little village on N.M. 4, population 250.
“I have been visiting the Jemez for years and am honored to be recognized for doing something that I hope anyone would,” D’Anna said in a statement.
A professional photographer, D’Anna has a vested interest in preserving the beauty of the area.
“This is where I live, play and create,” she says on her business’s website, www. samanthadannaphotography.com. “Growing up surrounded by this beautiful scenery helped shape my style, aesthetic, and love of photography. I use the amazing surroundings of our mountains and high desert as the backdrop for my photo sessions as often as possible.”
D’Anna was inspired to help clean up the village and parts of the Santa Fe National Forest after noticing a significant amount of trash during a trip to Jemez Springs in late May.
The village is also promoting the reopening of its businesses. The news release mentions that the governor is now allowing hotels and restaurants to operate at 50% capacity, and other businesses at 25% capacity. It also notes that the U.S. Forest Service has resumed trash pickup services.