I read each publication of the Winter Texan Times from cover to cover and vicariously join all the parks in their activities. And do you ever stay active. Not only do you have so many fun things, but you somehow find the time to contribute to our communities by volunteering. I especially liked the headlines of one of the stories – “It’s better to give than receive.”

And how true that is. Just this past Wednesday I reported for my first tutoring session with the Boys & Girls Club at Bonita Park in Harlingen.

The girl who was assigned to me was the younger sister of the teenager that I helped with her Christmas shopping. They young lady even came over to tell me hello. What a sweetheart! And so when I left the hour long tutoring session, I felt happy. I felt fulfilled. And yes, it is better to give than receive.

If you have not volunteered, why not look around you – someone out there needs your help. It may be just changing a ceiling light bulb – not everyone can still climb on a ladder. It may be with sharing a recipe or taking a shut in or an ill friend a hot soup for lunch. Or it could be a child who needs an extra attention and help with reading or math.

For those of you who are ready to travel, please continue to be patient. My e-mails into Mexico and overseas are often misdirected – both incoming and outgoing. Consequently, I do not have my hotel nor transportation costs in place. It is taking longer than usual, but hopefully the situation will improve. My local tech support person has spent almost two full days here working on my computer. We think we have the problem corrected. Just please be patient while we work through this problem.

In the meantime, stay warm. Although our winters seem colder than usual, remember those cold snaps generally don’t stay around too long and soon the days will be more pleasant and we can all be out and about again… the beach is waiting, the golf clubs and fishing poles have been neglected. Soon it will be time to enjoy our Rio Grande Valley again.

Have Fun!