Robert and Billie Ferguson accepted a Proclamation from the City of Mission this week in recognition of the Rio Grande Valley Activity Directors Association. The proclamation says, “We the City Council of the City of Mission proclaim March 1, 2020 as Activity Directors Appreciation Day.” The proclamation also lists why the city is thankful for the activity directors, saying they enhance and promote unity among the directors of the retirement parks of the Rio Grande valley by promoting networking, information, resources and support; the demands of the job; that residents and management realize the importance of the activity director to the atmosphere of the park; and what the activity director’s responsibilities are – organizing activities, encouraging residents to socialize, etc. Robert shared his thankfulness with the city council pointing out there are 119 active parks represented in the association and that 35 of those are in the City of Mission.
It’s time to show your activity director some love. March 1 each year has been designated as Activity Appreciation Day, but this year we will celebrate on Monday, March 2.
The Rio Grande Valley Activity Directors Association (RGVADA) will host an Appreciation Party for area activity directors at Mission Bell ballroom beginning at 11 a.m. on March 2. Lunch will be provided along with door prizes and entertainment.
Read more: Activity Director Appreciation Day is coming
By Herb Moering
It was a dog lovers paradise with obedience demonstrations, races, potential adoptions and fundraising all wrapped up in the 2nd Annual Pet Fun Match Dog Show held Feb. 11 at the Sunshine RV Resort in Harlingen.
The two-hour free event, organized by resort resident Sharon Battocletti, is aimed at benefitting the Humane Society of Harlingen (HSH). The society operates a non-profit shelter and adoption center, which annually provides care to 6,000 homeless animals turned over by municipal control officers or given up by local residents.
The show was as big a hit this time as last year, again drawing about 200 spectators and dog owners from the resort and a few nearby RV parks.
Read more: Annual pet show raises money for HSH
Tip O Texas sewing group will have their Wedding Gowns of the Decades Style Show and Luncheon next week on Friday, February 21 from 12 to 3 p.m. The event is $8 per person and must be purchased in advance. Monies raised go to their Sewing Room Charities group.
Tip O Texas has a large endeavor with their sewing room charities organization.
On Thursday’s the group has a charity sew where they make blankets for children in different places. On the second Thursday of every month, they make comforters for Ronald McDonald patients at Edinburg Children’s Hospital. Marcia Albers from Iowa and Jackie Hood from MI are in charge of that group.
Read more: Tip O Texas Fundraiser Feb. 21
By Arleen Bier
Tommie Brixey, owner of LaFloresta Park in Mercedes, reported that the first annual La Floresta Derby was held the first Saturday in February at La Floresta Downs. It drew quite a crowd as Winter Texans arrived in large, extravagant hats; had Mint Julep jello shots; and cheered as the horses “raced” by.
Excitement mounted during the weeks preceding the race, as teams were created to decorate the horses and choose a jockey. The six horses, among the best of the best, were all first-time participants at La Floresta Downs. The jockeys were Winter Texans who came from all over the United States and Canada to participate in this prestigious race in the Rio Grande Valley.
Read more: La Floresta Derby Held in Mercedes
Sunshine RV Resort is thrilled to announce their 2nd Annual Pet Fun Match Dog Show to be held Tuesday, February 11, at 12 to 2:30 p.m., at the resorts Friendship Hall. The event is free and open to the public with donations encouraged. All proceeds will benefit the Humane Society of Harlingen, which relies primarily on donations from the public to fund their life saving efforts for community pets.
Pet Fun Match is an interactive dog show with demonstrations by renowned trainers Jenisa Myers, Marty Vielma and Brittany Vielma, in conjunction with the RGV Training Center and K9s on Patrol Jamie Benitex of the K9 conultants, and Caz Richard of PetSmart. Residents of Sunshine Resort are encouraged to take part in the show’s compeitions, including a look-a-like contest.
The goal of the event is to show animal lovers that through obedience and agility training, you can find a solution to many behavioral problems and develop an unbreakable bond along the way.
Read more: Sunshine RV Resort announces 2nd Annual Pet Show
Last month Palm Gardens RV and MH Park in Harlingen had the privilege to present two organizations with monies they had raised. The money was raised by auctioning off homemade pies.
The organizers of the event were Joanne Perry, Phyllis Tillotson and Rich Nagle and Wray Pedro served as the auctioneer.
The organizers and representatives from some local organizations were present for a special park meeting where the money raised was going to be given out.
Nagle said the pie auction started five years ago when they decided to find a new way to raise money. The first year they sold eight or nine pies for about $400.
Read more: Palm Gardens RV donates to community
We can’t believe it has been three years since our last “Creative Quilting Showcase” at Alamo Palms RV and MH Park, in Alamo. This year’s event will be held on Wednesday, January 29, from 12 – 3 p.m.
Not only will you be able to view the beautiful quilts and quilted items made by the talented Alamo Palms quilters, but you can also enjoy the refreshments in the Tea Room. (Men, you will enjoy the treats, too.)
Do your scissors or knives need sharpening? Ray’s Scissor Sharpening can help you. Bring them along and have them sharpened for $3 a pair or just $1 per knife and of course, shop at the many vendors. Vendors include: “Angelics” from right here in the Valley, “Quilters This & Thant” from Mercedes, “Uniquely Yours Quilt Shop” from Orangeville, IL, Seabrook Farm Fabric from Edinburg and R&A Creations.
Read more: Alamo Palms holds quilt showcase
Leisure Valley Ranch will host a fundraiser on Thursday, January 30, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The event will be an evening of music and entertainment provided by Barry & Linda Burton (High Country Band), Bob and Lea Price (Big River Band), Son’s of Calvary, and Regan James (from Hired Hands).
The event being held is to raise funds for a food drive meal packing event that will be held in late February benefiting Kids Against Hunger. Sign up sheets to help with the packing events will be at the event. The meal packages to be packed will benefit numerous food pantries and churches from Penitas to McAllen areas.
The event itself is free – But they are taking any type of financial donations to help purchase the food. Any checks should be made out to Kid’s Against Hunger, St. Mark’s Lutheran.
A separate event will be held on February 6 at John Knox Village Dining Room, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. This event is a freewill offering and will include entertainment by Juan de Leon, dancing, hors d’oeuvres, and refreshments. John Knox Village residents can sign up at the front desk. Nonresidents attending, call (956) 968-4575 to reserve a seat.
The packing event will be held on February 29 at John Knox Village Rec Hall, starting at 9 a.m. They will need 75 to 100 volunteers to help package the meals. Volunteers can volunteer for one-hour blocks or more.
Welcome to the Rio Grande Valley, home of what seems to be the new NASCAR world of remote-control racing.
Possibly the hottest thing to come to the hottest part of the nation in years, RC racing has done more than taken the Winter Texan world by storm. It has consumed it.
The latest and newest development of the craze was celebrated last week as Ranchero Village in Weslaco as the park cut the ribbon on the Valley's first cement racetrack.
Just as in NASCAR, where there are shot tracks, flat tracks, high-banked tracks and more, with the addition of cement to its repertoire of track choices, RC drivers can do more than just go race.
Now they can learn how to set up their cars to maneuver the varying tracks, banks and surfaces.
Read more: New track at Ranchero Village officially opens
Quilts made by the Winter Texas Grandmas at Casa del Valle are providing valuable comfort to families when their loved one becomes an organ donor at hospitals across the Rio Grande Valley. Since starting a partnership with Texas Organ Sharing Alliance (TOSA), the organ procurement organization that provides organ donation and recovery services for families in Central and South Texas, 20 donor families have received a hand-made quilt.
Seven years ago, Don Uecker of Wisconsin was making funeral arrangements for his wife, Darlene, when he asked family and friends to consider making a financial donation in her honor to the Texas Grandmas group. Years later, his relationship with the group and his volunteer work with TOSA led him to connect the two groups to provide something special for grieving families.
“I know she would have liked this,” Uecker said as the Winter Texans worked around him.
The group collects their fabrics from donations, often times even material from families within the park. The size of the group varies as Winter Texans start returning to the Valley for the season, but often the crafts room has about a dozen people working inside on a variety of tasks to complete a quilt.
Each week the group meets and can complete about 300 quilts in an individual season. They donate their quilts to a number of organizations, but say no matter where they go, they’re happy to know they can bring comfort to families.
“It’s nice for us to have a community for us to serve,” said Sandra Johnson of Ontario, Canada. “It’s good for us to hear how they’re used and know they’re needed.”
TOSA recently was gifted another eight quilts to use for upcoming donor cases. Families often drape the quilt over their loved one and take it home with them once the organ recovery is completed. For many families, the personal touch of the quilts provide them solace that feels like home, which is difficult to come by in the hospital setting.
“They’ve been generous enough to make and donate quilts that are given to families of organ donors,” said Edwina P. Garza, TOSA senior communications coordinator.
Texans are encouraged to register at the Texas Department of Public Safety or the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. For information on organ donation, community initiatives or to register online, visit TOSA1.org.
Texas Organ Sharing Alliance (TOSA), founded in 1975, is one of 58 federally-designated Organ Procurement Organizations (OPOs) in the United States. TOSA is committed to a mission of saving lives through the power of organ donation by providing organ donation and recovery services to Central and South Texans wishing to donate, and to those waiting for a life-saving organ transplant.
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.
Ann Engell is a world-class competitor. Talking to her leaves no doubt.
