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Sewing stockings for heroes and their families

20241218 133634 PAGE ONE webVolunteers at W&I Resort make Christmas Stockings, and not just during December. They make these stockings all year long. Their project supports the USO-San Antonio, Fort Sam Houston. During the season, or at least December through March, volunteers get together with stocking templates and get to sewing the stockings.

They have a couple of different templates and set up an assembly line. There are cutters and sewers along the line, and then those that tidy up the edges making sure it’s a nice, finished product. Many participants don’t return until after January 1.

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Winter Ranch donates to community organizations

Winter Ranch xmas 09 USE PAGE 1 Close Up webWinter Ranch RV Resort is spreading the joy of Christmas to ARISE Adelante, which they have done for many years. This year, they collected more than enough to fill 280 stockings for young children, and 20 stockings for infants.

Bob Coakley, a chaos coordinator at Winter Ranch, said about 20 volunteers showed up to stuff the stockings once they had all the donations gathered. Tables in the rec room were filled with the items park residents had donated. Donations included coloring books, crayons, toothbrushes, toothpaste, barbies, snacks, ramen noodles, toys, hats, and stuffies.

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Mission Bell/Tradewinds hosts Advent Food Drive

20241218 Mission Bell Advent USE webMission Bell/Trade Winds RV Resort for the second year in a row hosted a reverse Advent food drive. People in the parks gathered food based on an Advent food calendar. The idea started with a Facebook article that DaLeen Markel saw and shared with fellow resorter Rick Anderson.

Last year was a success, and this year was just as successful, or even more so, with over 1,200 pounds of food collected on Saturday morning, December 14. This could not have happened without the people of the parks opening their hearts to be able to give back to people who might now have a better Christmas. The food was donated to the local food bank, located within the First Global Methodist Church.

Rick Anderson, the organizer for this event for the second year would like to thank all the people who helped gather the food and deliver the items to the food bank, as well as the people who donated the food items. Rick hopes that this continues next year, even bigger and better.

Encore Fun N Sun hosted World Shuffleboard Championship last month

20241120 FunNSun 5 USE webLast month, Encore Fun N Sun was all abuzz as they hosted the 41st World Shuffleboard Championship. There were participants from the United States, Canada, Germany, Brazil, and the Netherlands. The park was thrilled to welcome participants and spectators to the resort for the exciting week of shuffleboard, as well as to host so many international guests from around the world.

Daily games were held all week long the last week of October with an awards banquet at the end to celebrate the winners and participants.

20241120 FunNSun 1 USE webTop three in Singles Men were Mark Malatt, USA; Evan Engell, Canada; and Marco Auchtung, Brazil. Top three in Singles Women was Deb Baal, Megan Grabski, and Sarah Horan, all USA.

If you’re interested in joining the Rio Grande Valley shuffleboard teams, visit rgvsa.weebly.com for their schedule of events and information.

Senior Ambassadors: Voices needed, rehearsals underway

20241113 Senior Ambassadors image webThe Senior Ambassadors are looking for singers this season. An open invitation is being issued for local and Winter Texan male singers to come and sing with the Senior Ambassadors. Don’t be shy. All skill levels are welcome. If you enjoy singing, you are welcome to attend any of the practice sessions to find out how you can join.

For over 35 years, Winter Texans and Valley men have joined voices – tenors, baritones and basses – ‘to create melodious, rich sounds, taking their audience on a trip through time,’ wrote Roda Grubb in a Winter Texan Times story published in 2013. ‘Singing show tunes and barbershop, patriotic and sacred tunes, their concerts have quite a variety of styles of music,’ she continued.

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EVR hosts benefit for Penitas Pantry

20241113 Penitas Food Pantry webEnchanted Valley Ranch will be hosting a daylong music event on Tuesday, November 19, from Noon until 10 p.m. All proceeds from this event will be donated to the Penitas Food Pantry.

Penitas Food Pantry is a local food pantry which currently serves over 400 families per month. The food pantry is a church operated, not-for-profit food pantry which depends 100 percent on your generous donations and volunteers to provide nutrition to people in need. Monies will be used to stock up the pantry to meet the growing needs of the community’s use of the pantry.

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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.

Leslie Blasing performs for fundraiser at Mission Bell

20241016 Leslie Blasing IMG 7317 webMission Bell Tradewinds RV and MH Resort will be holding a Cancer Benefit Dance with Leslie Blasing on Saturday, October 19, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Mission Bell Hall. The event will feature a silent auction, 50/50 raffle and food will be available for purchase.

The event is being held to help at least five residents who are fighting cancer and are currently undergoing treatments. They are battling things such as skin cancer, breast cancer, throat cancer, or colon cancer.

Park Manager Janice Crouch said she got involved because she was watching her residents struggle day to day with long days of treatments and some of them have no spouse to support them. Some travel hundreds of miles in search of special treatment and they need a helping hand.

Read more: Leslie Blasing performs for fundraiser at Mission Bell

SRV invites you to their Halloween Bash

Join Siesta Retirement Village for a spooktacular evening in Weslaco. They are excited for their Halloween Dance and Outdoor Birthday Bash. The event will feature live music by Rico Cantu on Thursday, October 31. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., dance is from 7 to 10 p.m. Tickets are $8 per person and are still available.

If your birthday is in October, let them know, and they’ll add you to the celebration list – have a great birthday bash. There will be Halloween costume contests and door prizes, so come dressed to impress.

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Winter Texans help The Landmark celebrate Dr. Seuss, reading

20240320 Winter Texan Dr webBy Barb Zanetti
Photos by Dennis Zanetti

Dr. Seuss would have loved looking over children’s shoulders as they worked to create “The Cat in the Hat” masks from paper plates, color crayons and glue. Or watching their One Fish, Two Fish red-bucket game where children fished for prizes at The Landmark on Tower, a unique Alamo restaurant that features a large courtyard bordered by several food trucks.

Read more: Winter Texans help The Landmark celebrate Dr. Seuss, reading

Trophy Gardens showcases residents’ talents

2024 Stained Glass webThe residents at Trophy Gardens recently put on an expo showcasing the many arts and crafts they have completed during the season. Residents showcased their wood projects, paintings, diamond art, quilting and knitting projects, card making skills, China paintings, stained glass, and so much more. These projects are mostly completed at the park, but some residents work on their projects year-round.

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Winter Texans stuff Easter baskets

20240320 FUMC Easter BAskets webDuring a recent Hands and Feet meeting, Winter Texans and other First United Methodist Church (McAllen) family members made Easter baskets for Estrella’s House (Children’s Advocacy Center of Hidalgo and Starr Counties). This has become an annual tradition for the church and is always a lot of fun.

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Winners of 8-Ball Tournament recognized

Pool Tournament Winners webAn 8 Ball Tournament was held at Pleasant Valley Resort, organized by Claude Lemay and Denise Eaton on March 11, 2024. From left to right are Claude Lemay, organizer; Louis H. Therrien, 4th place $75; Denis Gaudet, 3rd place $100; Yvon Carpentier, 1st place $300; Stew McCrue, 2nd place $150; Real Morin, 5th place $50; and Richard Stader, 6th place $50.

Winter Texans have places to go, things to do

20161208 McAllen Performing Arts Center webWinter Texans have places throughout the Valley they can visit. There are sites to see, things to do, parks to visit, and more. There is a wide range of places to go and things to do from Rio Grande City all the way down to South Padre Island.

The Valley is full of history. There are forts in Rio Grande City and Brownsville, a battlefield from the Mexican American war in Brownsville, and more. Fort Brown in Brownsville features an old morgue, captain’s quarters, and the old hospital. Mission has the La Lomita Church, where the city got its name.

Read more: Winter Texans have places to go, things to do

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