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City of Mission and others host Veterans Day events

20191109 Mission Veterans Day Parade and Fun HMoering 0079 webSeveral cities and organizations will be having Veterans Day events this coming Veterans Day. There were a few cities like Brownsville and Edinburg that have already hosted their Veterans events, but there are a few more you can check out. Some RV parks will also be holding events, so check with your park to see if they are holding a special event recognizing the Veterans in your community.

Officially observed on November 11, Veterans Day is a time to recognize the service and pay respects to military Veterans who have served in the United States Armed Forces. This holiday started as a day to reflect the heroism of those who died in our country’s service and was originally called Armistice Day. It fell on November 11 because that is the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I. However, in 1954, the holiday was changed to “Veterans Day” in order to account for all Veterans in all wars.

The City of Mission invites the community to join in a day of festivities on November 9, honoring Veterans with a series of events, including the 6th Annual Veterans Day Parade, a DD214 Freedom 5k Run, a Veterans Appreciation BBQ, and a lively family-friendly festival.

Read more: City of Mission and others host Veterans Day events

MWE Concerts are now free, opens season with salute to Veterans

20191211 McAllen Wind Ensemble PR webThe McAllen Wind Ensemble is excited to announce that its 2024-2025 concert season will be free to the public, thanks to the generous support of the McAllen Performing and Cultural Arts Foundation. The Foundation is committed to advancing and enhancing the performing arts and performing arts education in McAllen and throughout the Rio Grande Valley. After a historic season, celebrating its golden anniversary, the organization is excited for this new partnership to open up their concerts to even more people.

While concerts are free, entrance will require an electronic ticket. They can be obtained by going to the organization’s website www.mcallenwindensemble.org. Assistance will also be provided at the door for those who require it.

Read more: MWE Concerts are now free, opens season with salute to Veterans

November 6, 2024 - Rina's Ramblings

It was a busy week for parks throughout the Rio Grande Valley. Parks were having all of their Halloween festivities the weekend before Halloween through Halloween night. I was able to attend two dances on Halloween night and had a blast catching up with entertainers, residents, and park activity directors.

It’s always fun going to events and being able to sit and enjoy some time with you, our friendly Winter Texans. We have a great time getting out there, seeing the fun side of you and just a couple of the reasons you visit the Valley year after year.
And now that Halloween is past, Thanksgiving is creeping up on us. This is the month of Thanksgiving and parks, cities, and organizations are now holding fundraisers, food drives, and more to help their local communities, schools, and food banks. One park has a pretty big one coming up to support the Penitas Food Pantry – look for that information in the next issue.

We like telling the Valley Winter Texans, and the rest of our readers, about these events. The more the word gets out the better – for you and those you are supporting. So please share the information with us so we can spread the word. We know how much you enjoy helping others, and we love helping you tell others what you are doing for your community.

Next week is Veterans Day. We have a few places that are still having events to honor Veterans in their communities. If your park is holding an event – please send a photo or two so we can show our readers what you did. We like hearing the stories of our Veterans that live in the parks, that visit the Rio Grande Valley and recognizing those that have served.

Again, this paper is about you and for you, so please share with us what you want to read, what you want to know more about, and what kind of fun things you are doing. If your sewing group, reading club, pool group, etc. is holding an event, doing something in your community, holding a tournament, let us know. We would love to hear about it.
You can send photos and story ideas to news@wintertexantimes.com.

We want to hear from you and share your news.

A fascination with walls

20061026 Veterans War Memorial JMB 0912 webWalls or fences have always fascinated me. Possibly because I have wondered so many times why they were built in the first place. Are they built to keep something in or to keep something or someone out? Why do we build walls or fences? Is it because we can't get along with each other?

My father had a very interesting experience with cemetery walls. I grew up in a farming community where fences were very important to keep cattle in. That importance carried over to the cemetery where each little family plot had a small six inch high and some three-inch-wide concrete border around the family plot. Between each little wall there was about a four-inch vacant spot where weeds grew and multiplied. Can you imagine in a perpetual care cemetery what extra work that meant for the caretaker! Extra work meant extra expense.

My father- who was a very practical man - he believed it would be more logical to join one concrete barrier to the next...which of course is what he did. This did not go over very well with the next-door plot which belonged to his sister's family. He had to send someone in to cut through the concrete wall and remedy the situation to avoid a family feud. After many years the local Cemetery Association board just last year voted that in order to save money on maintenance that the wall from one family plot should be joined to the next family plot. How practical can you get?

Some day - when you have time - look up the most famous walls that exist in the world. Of course, the best known and the longest is the Great Wall of China. My daughter who visited China must have also been infatuated with walls. Even though it was against the law she managed to sleep on the Great Wall of China. I am sure that today the Great Wall of China is patrolled more diligently than when she slept on the wall when she was in her mid to late twenties.

One of the more famous walls is the chewing gum wall in Seattle, Washington. Can you imagine all these globs of chewing gum stuck on a wall. According to the description of the wall there are so many clumps of chewing gum that the wall emits a sugary smell.

Another famous wall was the Berlin Wall which, at one time, separated many families. In my many trips I never saw the Berlin Wall. But I did see one of the fences in Germany with lookout towers with guards watching the fence. It was scary to realize you were being watched.

Another wall that really disturbs me is the wall in Israel. Anytime I have had a bus group who visited Christ's birthplace, our bus has been stopped but all we needed to say was “Americans,” which was pretty obvious anyway as Americans stand out like sore thumbs. Then we were waved on through.

Today, walls are sometimes built as memorials such as the Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C. Our local Border Wall does not even make the list even though it does draw many politicians to visit the Valley for our “border problem.”

Mission Bell has successful Cancer Fundraiser

Mission Bell Cancer Fundraiser 06 webOn October 19, Mission Bell-Tradewinds had a successful cancer fundraiser. They raised nearly $7,000 to help residents that are battling cancer. The money is being used to help with medical expenses, travel expenses, and other related expenses by several residents in the park. The park held a dance, silent auction, had T-shirt sales, a 50/50, food sales, and more. Leslie Blasing donated her time and talent to the event and Ron Moshier even stopped by and did dollar dances to pitch in to the fundraising.

Seniors, “Let’s play ball again”

20241106 Ed Martens SEnior Softball League Courtesy Mike Brower webIt’s that time of year again for senior slow pitch softball in the Rio Grande Valley.

The Ed Marten’s Senior Texan Softball Leagues are open to all individual men and women aged 55 years and older. You don’t have a bat or glove? No problem, they have equipment to loan you. No matter what your skill level is, they have a league just right for you.

Read more: Seniors, “Let’s play ball again”

McAllen Holiday Parade announces opening, debut highlights

Organizers for the McAllen Holiday Parade, presented by H-E-B and powered by Bert Ogden Auto Group, announced two new elements debuting for the 11th annual presentation of the largest illuminated holiday and helium balloon parade when it steps off from McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium, 2001 N. Bicentennial Blvd. on Saturday, December 7, at 6 p.m. Mateo Adalberto Lopez, will sing the National Anthem at the opening Holiday Musical Extravaganza that kicks off the parade festivities and the Hello Kitty helium balloon will appear as part of the line-up during the parade.

Read more: McAllen Holiday Parade announces opening, debut highlights

Operation Christmas drop off begins soon

20191017 Operation Christmas Child Samaritans purse PR 0003 webIt’s that time again. As the Thanksgiving season approaches, many families and children are giving thanks for all their blessings and sharing those blessings with children in need by packing shoeboxes with Operation Christmas Child.

For more than three decades, these gift-filled showboxes have been delivered to millions of children around the world. Shoebox gifts prepared by generous donors and filled with fun toys, personal care items, and school supplies bring joy and hope to boys and girls who may have never received a gift of their own. These shoeboxes can be dropped off soon during National Collection Week, from November 18 ¬through 25. More than 4,500 drop-off sites are now open.

Read more: Operation Christmas drop off begins soon

Operation Green Light for Veterans

20220614 Rio Grande Valley Veterans Cemetary CAB 0003 webThe Rio Grande Valley State Veterans Cemetery sign has been illuminated green as part of Operation Green Light for Veterans, a nationwide effort by counties, the National Association of Counties (NACo), and the National Association of County Veterans Service Officers.

From November 4 through 11, county buildings and landmarks across the country will be illuminated green to show support for veterans and raise awareness around the resources available at the county, state, and federal levels to assist veterans and their families.

Read more: Operation Green Light for Veterans

Voices of Veterans: Sergeant Corby Vinson shares his story of service

Vinson 02 webAUSTIN — Texas Land Commissioner and Veterans Land Board (VLB) Chairwoman Dawn Buckingham, M.D., is proud to introduce another installment of the series highlighting the VLB's Voices of Veterans oral history program. In this article, we highlight the service of Sergeant Corby Vinson who served in the U.S. Army and completed three service tours in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Vinson was born in Frankfurt, Germany. His father was in the military, so his family moved every few years. Vinson enlisted in the U.S. Army after he graduated high school and worked in Air Defense as a Stinger Gunner, lived in the Schofield Barracks in Oahu, Hawaii and participated in Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti.

Read more: Voices of Veterans: Sergeant Corby Vinson shares his story of service

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