Danny and Glenna Wall make a difference in this community. Just ask the folks at Grammy’s House, Paws & Claws, the Artesia Chamber of Commerce, the Eddy County Youth Supporters and the Eddy County Fair.

These local groups and many others benefit substantially every day of every year by the couple being Artesians.

Additionally, after last year’s initial "Holiday Meal and Goodwill Drive," which fed more than 200, the Walls and Tech Net Medical Service employees plan another season of providing a hot meal and food baskets to those in need on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Glenna Wall explains how they started. "It was a combination of us and all of our employees. We started out rather small, a family and some kids.

"We wound up with so many names, and so many people who needed help, that we took it to the employees and they said, ‘Let’s do them all — as many as we can.’

Danny Wall emphasizes, "Everyone is more than welcome to help. We’ll be glad for the help."

Other than monetary support, non-perishable items for the families are preferred and may be taken to Tech Net at 608 N. First St.

A family atmosphere envelops Tech Net, where bulletin boards hold personal photographs and an array of plants grow agreeably at random spots throughout the building.

Tech Net has been in business since 1995. Before that, Danny Wall and Rick Cotham started Rapid Temps in 1989, after Wall left his position as Artesia General Hospital radiology department head.

The two started on a shoestring and, in fact, joked that their accountant was a Big Chief tablet and a No. 2 pencil.

When the partnership split in 1995, the Walls’ Tech Net Medical Services opened on Texas Ave. They now have 31 employees and just recently moved to the present location.

Danny Wall says, "A lot of people here in town think we do home care, we don’t do home care. They say, ‘Where do you keep all your medical supplies?’ Well, we don’t have any of those. We just do people."

He says that most of the staffing they handle is temporary, but a small percentage is permanent, "We staff nursing, radiology, laboratory, respiratory therapy, a doctor or two — one doctor that worked here at the VA clinic for a long while."

As for the informal office, Danny explains, "We try to make it friendly... we want to treat people like we wish we could have been treated."

Glenna agrees, "It’s sad when a person hates to get up and go to work because they don’t like their job. And I want it to be fun here."

And make it fun they do. Danny relates, "One year, we put the employees’ Christmas bonuses in little puzzles and they had to try to figure out how to get them open.

"The last few years, it’s been kind of a treasure hunt. The employees go to different places to get clues. Last year, we sent them to the Lake Arthur Post Office, and they had to sing the post mistress a Christmas carol to receive a box with their check in it."

In the midst of all the fun and games at Tech Net Medical, serious business is conducted. The company fills temporary jobs up to one year in length, but usually for a term of 13 weeks. They have supplied help for one week or one day.

"It’s strenuous work and they work hard over the phones," says Danny. "We also use the Internet and attend conventions and job fairs."

On a huge tote board in the center of the office common area, Tech Net tracks current staffing. For instance, University of Washington Hospital in Seattle has seven Tech Net Medical staffers. Another notation shows a contract in effect until 2003.

Danny Wall has been in Artesia for 21 years while Glenna says, "I grew up right here in Artesia – I’m a home grown gal." They are both avid Dallas Cowboy fans and will attend the Dallas-Jacksonville game later in the month.

The Walls are also fans of the local Grammy’s House and have donated beef and hog to Grammy’s the last several years. Jan Walker, executive director, says the Walls are so very generous. "People don’t realize what all they do. I just have to pick up the phone. They have some of the biggest hearts and have such empathy and compassion."

The Walls are also Eddy County Youth Supporters, are very active members of the Chamber of Commerce and make a home for seven dogs from Paws & Claws. Glenna calls them, "my boys."

In short, they believe in and care for Artesia and its residents. The "2002 Holiday Meal and Goodwill Drive" is just one example of that. Kay Needham at the Senior Center helps with names, as does Walker at Grammy’s House and the schools.

Danny recalls, "Before we started at Christmas last year, we told everybody, ‘If we’re going to do it, we’re going to do it all the way…It’s not going to be hard work just this year — it’s going to be that way every year.’"

Glenna remembers one of the many families helped through the drive, "Last year, we wound up with one girl and her daughter. Their house got broken into the night before Christmas. All their gifts and tree were wiped out....Right at the last minute, we gathered up money to replace everything.

"It’s amazing the stuff that comes in at the very end. And we just keep trying to do."

The Artesia Chamber participated in the drive last year and Executive Director Richard Price says, "The feeling you get makes it worthwhile. It takes special people like Danny and Glenna, who say because they have been very fortunate, they will give back to those less fortunate. And, that is how they live their lives. They go above and beyond."

Glenna Wall sums up why the Walls, their employees and friends spend time, energy and money in this effort, "Communities don’t help each other like they used to – and that’s what we’re trying to promote — helping each other within the community. That’s what it’s all about."