UNM Valencia Holiday Events Brought Community Support, Health Drives
UNM Valencia hosted a series of holiday events on Dec. 3 and 4 that combined campus arts and research showcases with community outreach efforts including a donation drive and a free pet adoption day. The gatherings linked students, staff and local agencies in activities that addressed holiday needs, bolstered the local blood supply and spotlighted gaps in social and public health supports for Valencia County residents.
UNM Valencia staged a slate of events the first weekend in December that mixed celebration with service. On Dec. 3 the campus held an annual faculty and staff arts exhibition alongside Holiday Happenings, which featured a hanging of the wreath, a luminaria stroll with balloon glow, an enchanted holiday concert and a Luminaria Pop Up Market. Undergraduate Research Day also took place that day, showcasing student projects and campus scholarship.
The campus followed with Operation Christmas on Dec. 4, an effort led by Student Government to collect toys, warm clothing and pet supplies. Collections ran through Dec. 4. That same day Student Government partnered with the Valencia County Animal Shelter for a Santa Puppy Adoption event, offering free adoptions from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event page included a schedule, a food donation wish list and a call for vendor information intended to help coordinate community participation.
Organizers also posted intersession course announcements and scheduled a Vitalant blood drive for Dec. 9, a timely reminder that seasonal pressures can strain local blood supplies. The mix of arts programming, academic showcases and direct service activities turned the campus into a neighborhood hub during a critical period for many families.
For Valencia County residents the events provided immediate benefits and highlighted longer term needs. Donation drives and free adoption opportunities relieved pressure on households and on the county shelter. The student oriented volunteer infrastructure that made these activities possible also underscored reliance on campus groups to fill gaps in social services, especially at year end when demand for assistance rises.
From a public health perspective the Vitalant drive and the collection of warm clothing address different aspects of community resilience. Blood donations support hospitals and emergency care across the region. Warm clothing and toys support children and older adults who face heightened risk in winter. The combined programming demonstrated how higher education institutions can serve as conveners for civic support while also revealing opportunities for sustained investment in social safety net services in Valencia County.
