By Jo Liston
Welcome home. It is that time of year when our friends from the North are coming South! We missed you during the summer. We are glad that you have chosen the Rio Grande Valley for your Winter Home. We appreciate all that you do to help us. Anyone from outside the Valley who comes to visit even for a day helps us economically and many of you stay much longer than a day.
As the Thanksgiving season approaches, many families and children are giving thanks and giving back—to children in need around the world through Operation Christmas Child.
Shoebox gifts prepared by generous donors and filled with toys, hygiene items, and school supplies may be dropped off now during National Collection Week, November 14 - 21. More than 4,500 drop-off sites are now open. The Samaritan’s Purse project will collect its 200-millionth shoebox this year.
Read more: Drop-off sites open for Operation Christmas Child
Submitted by Donna Wright
Winter in South Texas is anticipated this time of year. As Winter Texan residents are returning to the Valley for the winter, here at Lakewood RV Resort that means time to prepare for our 29th Christmas for the Children project. We are providing Christmas for more than fifteen less fortunate families from a local elementary, where many of our Lakewood RV Resort Winter Texans spend time mentoring the students over the years. This all started with our Worship Committee several years ago.
Mission West Resort RV Park honored their veterans with an appreciation ceremony at the park flagpole on Veterans Day. Following the opening prayer, a brief history of the day was shared. Then all in attendance joined together in the singing of our National Anthem and God Bless America. Pastor Mark McDonald of Mission West Church presented each Veteran who attended with a special star taken directly from a decommissioned American Flag courtesy of the Warrior 180 Foundation.
Military personnel were recognized for their service at the Alamo Veterans Day program Friday, who were joined by city commission members.
The Food Bank RGV is in dire need of monetary donations to help feed people at risk of hunger this season.
Rising costs are responsible for many people turning to the food bank for emergency food assistance, many for the first time. Due to the increase in need, higher costs, and supply chain issues, the food bank is working harder than ever to meet the growing needs of the community.
By Herb Moering
Winter Texans like to explore when in the “Valley” and one aspect they might not have considered is the landscape. In fact, some ancient landscapes still exist in South Texas according to University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley geology Professor Juan Gonzalez.
He pointed out several unique features of the RGV lands during the recent South Texas Historical Association (STHA) symposium hosted by the City of Alamo Museum.
Trade snow for sand this holiday season and head to South Padre Island. Whether you’re a local, visiting from out of town or just passing through, be sure to check out these holiday festivities the whole family will enjoy.
Native Plant Project's guest speaker for the November 22nd meeting in Weslaco will be Anita Westervelt, a freelance photojournalist who has written a newspaper nature column for the McAllen Monitor for seven years.
Anita is the author of Anita's Blog, a look at the natural world of the Rio Grande Valley, for the past eight years. She has acquired over 6,600 volunteer hours as a South Texas Border Chapter Texas Master Naturalist. Anita holds a Fine Arts degree from the University of Maryland, European Division, and a Communication Degree from Pittsburg State University. She has been intrigued with plants since early childhood and, prior to retirement, photographed flora wherever she was deployed as a U.S. Navy Chief Journalist.
AUSTIN — With the first sightings of iconic, endangered whooping cranes along the Texas coast being reported, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is reminding Texans to be on the lookout for these impressive birds as they move through the state.
