Winter Texan Wednesday is a program that welcomes Winter Texans and retirees to enjoy an afternoon at the Museum of South Texas History. The museum, which is located in Edinburg, features a presentation followed by a highlight tour of part of a museum exhibit. The first program, titled “Sal del Rey,” with guest speaker Joe Vidales Wednesday, Jan. 8, at 3 p.m.
Ron Hoover RV & Marine Center will hold their 14th annual Open House Thursday and Friday, January 9 and 10, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. The annual open house has become a popular event in the Rio Grande Valley, drawing in thousands of people each year. Last year the event was attended by over 7,000 people – 10,000 free t-shirts were given away. Even more are expected this year.
In a first-time effort, Paradise Park RV Resort residents built a small mountain of food, school supplies, candy and personal hygiene items, which were placed on display in the clubhouse during the regular Friday lunch time social gathering on December 20.
The Mission Chamber of Commerce will host their 25th Annual Mission Community Health and Wellness Fair on Saturday, January 4 from 7 to 11 a.m. The event will be held at the Mission Event Center at 200 N. Shary Rd. in Mission.
The event is free to the public and will feature free blood tests for the first 500 people – Must have fasted for 12 hours prior to test.
There will also be free health screenings, flu vaccines, complete blood count, total cholesterol, comprehensive metabolic panel, pulmonary function test, bone density test and much more.
The goal of the event is to provide the free screenings, awareness, and education for the community.
Ron Hoover RV & Marine Center will hold their 14th annual Open House Thursday and Friday, January 9 and 10, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. The annual open house has become a popular event in the Rio Grande Valley, drawing in thousands of people each year. Last year the event was attended by over 7,000 people – 10,000 free t-shirts were given away. Even more are expected this year.
There is a whole lot of feathered fun happening on January 4 at Quinta Mazatlan. The Center for Urban Ecology is hosting the first Hobbies in Nature session of 2020 – “Begin to Birdwatch”. The 2-hour program invites guests into the world of birds, where they will be amazed by the beautiful colors, fascinating behaviors, and incredible diversity of birds found all around us.
That’s how long the residents of Orange Grove RV Park in Edinburg have been collecting toys at Christmas for the Edinburg Fire Department to distribute to Edinburg children. The Fire Department works with local churches and nonprofit agencies to ensure that the toys are given to the Edinburg children. Fire Department Chief Shawn Snider said he has been at the fire department for 29 years and Orange Grove RV Park has continuously donated the toys during his tenure. Orange Grove park owner Rosemary Hensley said that donating toys for the fire department to distribute to Edinburg children has been a tradition continuously for the 44 years it has been open.
To make freezing temperatures a little more bearable for those in need, Alamo Rec-Veh Park (ARVP) residents donated 81 coats and sweaters to charity before Christmas. Due to Park Manager Barbara Hamel’s concern about those who might suffer from the cold this winter, the park’s first Coat and Sweater Drive resulted. Before it began, ARVP resident Fred Meier made arrangements with Alamo’s Heavenly Splendor Church pastor Josh Gutiérrez to distribute the collected winter garments. ARVP resident Colleen Benoit decorated the very large collection box. Within a couple of days, the container was filled. When Fred and Pastor Josh came to collect the warm clothing, the original box had been filled and emptied six times.
By Nancy Herberholz
FCRV WT Chapter
Activity Charirman
The FCRV Winter Texan chapter has been privileged to help the Veterans at the Alfredo Gonzales Texas State Veterans home for several years. One of the projects that the chapter works on, all year round, is furnishing stuffed animals. The memory care unit is one of the special places that uses the stuffed animals. The stuffed animals have a calming effect on the Veterans.
Read more: FCRV WT Chapter remembers Vets during the holidays
Winter Texans contribute so much to the economy of the Rio Grande Valley. And that's great! We need those extra dollars. But money can be such a fleeting thing. Winter Texans are giving much more than money. They are giving a commodity that cannot be put in the calculator.
