December 2, 2020 - Rina’s Ramblings
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- Published: Wednesday, 02 December 2020 19:14
This time of year always brings a spirit of Thanksgiving, We continue in this spirit even after the holiday of Thanksgiving, well into the Christmas season. My church leaders invited members to give thanks during the week leading up to Thanksgiving. We were invited to share what we were thankful for on social media platforms. You may have noticed a few #GiveThanks tags this past week.
It was a week filled with many things to be thankful for and a time to reflect on what we are truly grateful for in our lives. Seeing others that posted their “Give Thanks” made me see even more things in my life that I could be thankful for. It was a very rewarding experience.
The Valley Symphony Orchestra is pleased to announce that its annual holiday concert A Touch of Frost will continue in 2020 amidst restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic. The Symphony will provide three ways for patrons in the Rio Grande Valley and beyond to enjoy this holiday tradition, made possible through support from Exclusive Concert Sponsor Frost and more.
This past week, Olga Papp of Lone Star National Bank, on South Padre Island, was excited to accept a pickup load of grocery items donated by Winter Texans Jean and Steve Fisher of Iowa. The bank is helping with a food drive for the food bank. The donated grocery items will be taken to Pharr where bank employees will continue to volunteer by helping to sort and distribute the food to needy families in the Rio Grande Valley. This is the Fisher’s third year visiting the Valley and each year they have found at least one organization to support. Their first year they donated nearly $5000 of stuffed animals to Sunny Glen Children’s Orphanage. Last year, they donated over $10,000 in Christmas presents, clothes and other items to over 30 children in Cameron County. When asked by the bank manager, Martin Infante, why they were generous with their donation, Jean said it is because they have been blessed and enjoy giving back. When we did a story on them last year, we learned Jean grew up in foster homes and has a connection with how hard it can be this time of the year. Both have worked hard to get where they are today and feel they are blessed with everything they have. They have made the choice to give back like this at least once a year to share their blessing with others. Last year Jean said, they were not in it for the glory, “It is not about the giving or the getting, it is letting them know that someone cares.”
The Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce is partnering with the City of Mission and Mission Regional Medical Center to host its 26th Annual Mission Community Health & Wellness Fair. This year’s event will be a two-day event that will be held at the Mission Event Center on Thursday, December 3, 2020, and Friday, December 4, 2020, from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event is free, open to the public, and will provide free comprehensive blood screenings, awareness, and education.
This year is the year for reimagining, reinventing, and pivoting the way events are being held so that we can continue to enjoy what we have enjoyed in previous years. The City of McAllen has done just that with it’s South Pole experience and also with the McAllen Holiday Parade. The seventh annual presentation of the World’s and Texas’ Best Parade will be celebrated on Saturday, December 5, in a broadcast television production with no spectators in attendance, stepping off at 6 p.m. from Oval Park at McAllen Convention Center. The event will run live on six local networks and later be rebroadcast on the top 31 U.S. Hispanic markets and throughout Texas on Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve.
What is Thanksgiving without a parade? Mission Bell/Tradewinds RV Resort added some holiday flavor to their residents’ Thanksgiving Day with a holiday parade. The parade was led by Park Managers, Scot and Cynthia Swafford with rousing Christmas Band music. They were followed by various golf carts celebrating the holiday season. First prize for decorating was the final entry in the parade with Santa Claus (Joe Wirkus) and the Thanksgiving Turkey (Pat Scott). This entry was constructed by Ron Kooima and Scot Swafford. Candy was distributed by Santa to the enthusiastic park residents. Second prize went to Jim and Judy Sonnetag for their entry decorated for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Third prize went to Anita Harder and Theresa Hoff for their depiction of a smoked turkey. The park’s first Thanksgiving Parade added a joyful introduction to the holiday season, and they are already looking forward to doing it again next year. Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas to all!
“Golfers” sat in their carts and patiently waited. 
By David Evans
By Carina A. Brunson
