Sept 19th, 2025 Flute Performance Healing Circle at the Trinity Turtle with Samuel Pollack

As a part of our Alamogordo Proud series we spotlight those businesses and organizations that are working in the spirit of positivity to bring success to our community and make us a proud and unique community.

Teresa VanWinkle and her organization Capped.org is that such organization and on September 19th2025 she is again hosting a very meaningful event of flute music and meditation at the Trinity Turtle Labyrinth at 7:30 pm with the musical delights of Samuel Pallack.

Recently she was spotlighted as one of Alamogordo's Top Influencers in Politics, Arts, and Education in Alamogordo, 2025

"Dr. Ken VanWinkle and Tresa VanWinkle have both had notable—but distinct—impacts on education in Alamogordo. Here’s a breakdown of their respective influence:

Dr. Ken VanWinkle: Institutional Leadership at NMSU Alamogordo having been selected as President of NMSU Alamogordo: Appointed in 2015 after serving as interim president and associate dean for strategic initiatives at NMSU’s main campus. He later oversaw branch campuses in Alamogordo, Carlsbad, and Grants as part of a systemwide realignment and respect for his influence statewide.

He led efforts to streamline operations across NMSU branches, aiming to “eliminate redundancy, enhance services,” and improve student outcomes. He engaged in discussions with city leaders about the future of branch campuses, including whether they should remain under NMSU or seek independence.

Tresa VanWinkle: Community Health & Educational Outreach. Mrs. VanWinkle's
position as a Founder & Executive Director of CAPPED Inc. may surprise some individuals that she is viewed as an influencer in education circles. Her nonprofit based in Alamogordo focuses on preventive health education and holistic wellness. She speaks around region as a "Visionary Educator" that advocates for lifelong learning and health literacy from early childhood through old age.

Mrs. VanWinkle's influence is witnessed through her advocacy of Community-Based Learning: Through CAPPED, where she’s promoted integrative wellness education, chronic stress management, and self-healing tools. She has built on the Environment as Curriculum Tool in developing spaces like the Trinity Turtle Healing Labyrinth Park to serve as immersive educational environments. Via her leadership and advocacy using social media and traditional media as well as one on one advocacy she champions a Holistic Health Curriculum with CAPPED’s programs that blend science, wellness, and personal empowerment—redefining education beyond traditional classrooms.

Together, the VanWinkles represent two ends of the educational spectrum in Alamogordo: Ken in formal higher education leadership, and Tresa in grassroots, community-driven health education, a position unique to the Alamogordo community."

Before we get into specifics of the event let’s review a bit about Capped.org and more importantly the Trinity Turtle Labyrinth.

What is the site? Why is it important?

VanWinkle is the executive director and founder of CAPPED, (Cancer Awareness Prevalence Prevention and Early Detection Inc.) CAPPED is a non-profit corporation founded in 2000 in Alamogordo by a group of cancer survivors and their friends and family.

As an registered nurse for 30 years, VanWinkle watched the suffering in her patients caused by chronic but largely preventable diseases. In the late 90s, frustrated with often fruitless treatment protocols for her patients but inspired by her sister’s battle with breast cancer and a family with a history of chronic diseases, VanWinkle shifted her sights from treatment as a practicing nurse to prevention through education and wellness.

In 2003, the CAPPED building opened on New York Avenue and has delivered services to the community such as providing access to cancer prevention and general health information.

At the core of the CAPPED service model is the belief that prevention is the key to life-long health. The CAPPED vision statement is “A world without cancer and other preventable disease because we don’t have to fight it if we prevent it!”

VanWinkle and her board have two goals for the support and sustainability of the CAPPED mission. The first is a built environment for the primary prevention of chronic diseases in the form of Trinity Turtle Healing Labyrinth Park.

The park is designed to be the largest permanent labyrinth in the United States at 300 feet by 300 feet.

The second goal is a lasting way to deliver integrative wellness and support services for cancer and other chronic diseases. This would be in the form of Trinity Turtle Village, a 14,400 square foot CAPPED building and 80 tiny house rental sites to be used for retreats and recovery and to generate funds for supporting the entire park. Those are two very large goals and are in process.

The performance Sept 19th...

Who is Samuel Pallack and what makes this planned free (donations are appreciated) evening musical experience so special?

Samuel Pallack is from Alamogordo but is a traveling professional flute player specializing in multicultural flutes. His journey with wind instruments started 15 years ago with a calling to collect and learn many rare and unique sounds of wind instruments across the planet. We spent a few minutes with Samuel Pallack and asked a few questions about his art and his passions. In a prior interview with is he responded to a series of questions from us as per below...

He says that journey, “led me to also become a sound journey facilitator which for the past 3 years have I have created this truly unique experience titled The Temple of the wind where I play melodies and meditations with my many flutes in a relaxing and harmonious way traveling across the earth with flutes that relate to many regions and cultures. With the addition of ambient nature sounds and dreamy transcending reverbs and delays to connect us more to earth and spirit.”

We asked Mr Pallack about performing at Trinity Turtle Labyrinth and why it was important to him?

“I am doing this event to provide my hometown with a musical and peaceful experience that is truly unique variation of what is known as sound healing. This new age profession is something I have been doing for years now and that is the joy of playing music for others with the full commitment of my heart to improvise music that will be beneficial to everyone. Sharing My love for the flute and wind instruments is also one of my highest joys. To share sounds that most people don't or won't ever hear in person.”

AlamogordoTownNews.com. Tell us about your musical inspirations?

Samuel Pallack Response: “My inspiration for my style of playing comes from many genres that are not so mainstream. From the countless variety of ambient music, to the many different magical soundtracks of video game and movie music such as the lord of the rings and legend of Zelda these genres have really shaped what I am today. But, my music interests are vast and it is a-lot to answer. These days my selection of music would be anything that brings me relaxation, peace, contemplation and mystery.”

AlamogordoTownNews.com. Tell us what had influenced your musical journey to this point?

Samuel Pallack Response: ”What has influenced my musical journey is the many other sound healing professionals that have gone on and made a difference in the world with their own unique expression. And all the support from all walks of life urging me to continue this path of meditative music. Also to mention the countless musicians that I have crossed paths with and jammed alongside for the 17 years I have been traveling.”

We strongly encourage you to step out Saturday night to the Trinity Turtle Labyrinth at 7 pm and take in the beauty of the location, soak into the sunset and be inspired by the musical talents of Mr. Pallack paired with the peace and serenity of the location.

A video of Sam Pallack Egyptian Flute Tracks can be found at:
https://youtu.be/s7p6hSNWJao?si=4SikPSJ0PGD2KdnM

A video explaining a little more on the Trinity Turtle Labyrinth can be found at https://youtu.be/-LQLwuZxeoY?feature=shared

To learn more about the planned event see the poster below...

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