Winter Texan Times

Valley-Wide Kansas Day celebration held

20220209 Kansas Day 01 Submitted by Larry Schmitt and Jan Bergman

On January 26, two hundred ten Kansans from various Parks/Resorts throughout the Rio Grande Valley met to commemorate the anniversary of the state’s 161st year admission to the Union, January 29, 1861. It was so great for we Kansans to be together again, and the old-timers enjoyed meeting the thirty-three Kansans attending for the first time…. yay!!! As before, Trophy Gardens RV Resort is a great venue for this size of crowd.

Polka Worship Service celebrates 27 years

20220202 POLKS DSC 0962 By Herb Moering

More than 250, mostly Winter Texans, braved drizzly weather Sunday, January 23, to come and worship the Lord that included singing polka melodies of familiar hymns at Our Savior Lutheran Church in McAllen.

The 27th annual Polka Worship Service had melodies like “Beer Barrel Polka” played to the words of the hymn “Come Let Us Worship,” or “The Happy Wanderer” to the hymn “He Lives.” Or how about “The Lichtensteiner Polka” for “Bless the Lord” and “The Blue Skirt Waltz” for the hymn “Faith of Our Fathers.”

Wonderful woodcarvings created at La Floresta

20220202 Harry Seurkamp 01 The La Floresta Park in Mercedes is filled with artists who bring with them many different talents and skills. One such artist is Harry Seurkamp, a woodcarver from Whitney, TX. Woodcarving is one of the oldest types of art.

Harry has always been into woodworking. After attending a carving show, his wife gave him a knife, a book, and a piece of wood, and signed him up for woodcarving classes. He was making box clocks at that time and thought carving would enhance them. Harry has been carving now for 30 years.

17th Bi-Annual Winter Texan Survey

Every two years the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) and the Winter Texan Times partner to conduct the Winter Texan Survey. The survey serves as a census of the Winter Texan population and gathers data about the attitudes, behaviors and economic impact of Winter Texans in the Rio Grande Valley.

This week, the Winter Texan Times includes the Winter Texan Survey as an insert in the newspaper and we invite our readers to complete the survey, and in so doing, be entered in a drawing for one of three $200 cash prizes.

Entertainers shine at Showcase

20220112 20 Entertainers Showcases CBrunson IMG 6718 Mission Bell’s Hall was full of clapping, cheering, singing, and music throughout the day during this year’s Entertainers Showcases. The showcases highlight entertainment that’s available to Valley activity directors throughout the Valley. This is the opportunity for activity directors to book well known entertainment and listen to some new entertainment as well that provide music for shows, dances, happy hours, and line dancing.

This year’s events saw some of the Valley’s favorites and had quite a few new groups and individuals too. All the entertainment received great feedback from the crowd. This is a show you will never see anywhere else.

Senior Ambassadors are singing once again

20220126 CCF 000707 The Senior Ambassadors Men’s Chorus is comprised of senior men from the Rio Grande Valley and many other locations around the USA and Canada. The members bring a broad range of musical experience and background to the group. The Senior Ambassadors motto is “Loving Life, Making Music.” Mr. Virgel Kroeker is in his 13th season as director of the chorus.

The Senior Ambassadors begin rehearsals in November and perform their musical selections in many RV parks and resorts throughout the Rio Grande Valley during the months of January, February, and March. The size of the chorus fluctuates from year to year.

RGV Band back after Break

20220126 RGV Band for 2022dnewspaper Since 1998 the RGV Concert Band has been presenting six concerts each year to Valley residents from January through March. In addition, a Christmas Concert is given by “early arrivals” and a combined concert with vocal groups is given semi-annually in March.

This season after a break due to “covid,” the band members joyously began practice in November 2021, and presented a Christmas Concert in December. The band is currently giving concerts in 55+ parks throughout the Valley.