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Dan Brunson Publisher dan@wintertexantimes.com Carina Brunson Editor carina@wintertexantimes.com Anastasia Brunson Office Manager anastasia@wintertexantimes.com Published by Nexus Publishing LLC Parks Calendar: Items must be open to the public activities in the parks only and must be submitted by park owners, managers, or activity directors. We do not accept listings for reviews, workshops, lessons, or dance classes. Please include all pertinent information, a contact person, and contact phone number. Submission deadline is Thursday 5 p.m., the week prior to the publication date. Send to Winter Texan Times, 1217 N. Conway Ave., Mission, Texas 78572 or email to parkscal@wintertexantimes.com. News: We are always looking for news about events, organizations, exhibits, fundraising, and more, from parks, chambers, cities, museums, and other venues. You are welcome submit your news items, photos of recent park activities, or news story ideas about your park or park residents. Please include all pertinent information, a contact person, and contact phone number. Submission deadline is Thursday 5 p.m., the week prior to the publication date. Send to Winter Texan Times, 1217 N. Conway Ave., Mission, Texas 78572 or email to news@wintertexantimes.com. Events Calendar: Items must be open to the public. Please include all pertinent information, a contact person, and contact phone number. Submission deadline is Thursday 5 p.m., the week prior to the publication date. Send to Winter Texan Times, 1217 N. Conway Ave., Mission, Texas 78572 or email to news@wintertexantimes.com. Reunions: We feature reunions and meetings that are happening throughout the Valley. We hope that if you are having such a meeting, you will send the information to us so we can help you spread the word. Please include all pertinent information, a contact person, and contact phone number. Submission deadline is Thursday 5 p.m., the week prior to the publication date. Send to Winter Texan Times, 1217 N. Conway Ave., Mission, Texas 78572 or email to reunions@ wintertexantimes.com. Mrs. Clause gently suggests that the girl might better “stick with horses.” With a “Ho! Ho! Ho!” Santa sends the children to his elves, most coming from Alamo Palms Resort, who present them with colorful bags, each loaded with a large, age-appropriate toy, a blanket, a bag of candy, a plastic coloring box* filled with 24 crayons, a hat**, a coloring book, and socks, plus a stuffed animal for the youngest children. Elf Carol Norman, from ARVP, says she saw a 10-year-old girl pull the toy from her bag, smile and say, “This is exactly what I wanted!” Once they have their gift, they’re off to enjoy the activities and lunch planned for the 5th Annual Tripp’s Christmas Village, the Elks’ celebration for 200 children with special needs on Saturday, December 13. The event’s Winter Texan founder has had a marked effect on the McAllen’s Elks Lodge 1402 leadership. “I promised Tripp Wright, the first Santa, the one who fought for this event, that I would make it better each year as long as I was the ER,” Elks local leader Tino Ordaz, says. “And that is exactly what I’m doing with the help of dozens of my hardworking volunteers, like Santa.” Tino says that he has proof that this party is delighting children when he sees their wide grins. He says he can’t believe how emotional he gets as he watches a young girl and her grandmother walk hand in hand under the entrance’s oversized red, white and green balloon arches into the elaborately decorated room and hears the six-year-old look up to her grandma and say, “This is what I always dreamed of!” “That touched me,” he says, having found it difficult not to tear up. “It really touched me.” The Elks leader’s unwavering focus to help children may explain why he says this party is “a salve for my soul. And at the end, it has a reward [for me] that’s incredible.” Explaining that his term as ER is dedicated to helping children with special needs, … he says he works to find ways to give them a reason to smile. This Saturday, there is little reason for them not to. On this sunny, warm day, dozens of children stand in line to ride the wheeled, five-car train that circles the Elks’ large parking lot. Their other outdoor entertainment choices include a children-sized scrambler, a mini-Ferris wheel, and a long inflatable bounce house – complete with a slide. However, the children’s entertainment options don’t end there. As children walk into the Lodge’s almost magical-looking rooms, they’re offered activity choices such as: Decorating cookies at one long table. Beading jewelry at another. Coloring a wooden ornament. Tossing a bean bag into the holes cut out of a wooden Grinch or throwing a bean-bag-ball to stick to Velcro snowmen, and more. Throughout the three-hour event the children and their chaperones can choose from a menu that includes hot chocolate with mini marshmallows; hot dogs with or without chili and cheese; an assortment of chips; juice boxes or bottles of water; plus, pink cotton candy made to order from a sugar-spinning machine onsite. To pay for the party and gifts, the Elks raised over $8,000*** by hosting a special Mexican Picture Bingo every Tuesday from 6 to 9 with bingo picture cards priced at 25¢ each. A total of 19 games are called in Spanish with interpreters available. This unusual version of bingo is open to the public. Next year’s goal, according to ELKS From pg. 1 See ELKS pg. 4 WINTER TEXAN TIMES www.wintertexantimes.com DECEMBER 23, 2025 3
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