OCTOBER 25, 2023 www.wintertexantimes.com 2 WINTER TEXAN TIMES The National Butterfly Center is honored to host the 27th Annual Texas Butterfly Festival and provide attendees with a remarkable and rewarding experience. Registrants will spend three days exploring renowned public lands and private properties with world-class trip leaders, when you may reasonably expect to see more than 60 species in a day. The festival will be held from November 4 to 7. Attendees typically hail from half of the 50 states and multiple countries. They converge at the National Butterfly Center in the Rio Grande Valley to experience one of the most biologically diverse areas in North America. Come see for yourself why this region has earned worldwide recognition for its outstanding butterfly and birding spots, inviting thousands of visitors each year to discover its remarkable assortment of preserves, refuges, nature parks, trails, and more. Whether you are an accomplished naturalist or an enthusiastic beginner, the Texan Butterfly Festival is the place to be. Here, many eyes make for exciting discoveries, including US records, super rarities, subtropical strays, seldom-seen species, ‘lifer’ and chase butterfliers that may only be found in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, where the river winds its way toward the Laguna Madre at the Gulf of Mexico. This unique region encompasses no fewer than 11 different types of habitats, from tidal wetlands to riparian forest, brushland scrub to prairie savanna, and is home to more than 1,200 different species of plants, 500 species of birds, 200 vertebrate species, roughly 300 species of butterflies, and over 90 species of dragonflies. Nearly 150 species of North American butterflies can be seen only in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV), or by traveling to Mexico. More than 300 species of butterflies may be found in the LRGV, and more than 240 species have been seen at the National Butterfly Center, including many rarities and US records. For those that want to participate in the community day, it is held on Saturday, November 4 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The community day will feature trails, games, making Banana Brew, vendors, and exhibits. There will be educational programs and more. More information can be found at the website www.texasbutterflyfestival.com. The National Butterfly Center is located at 3333 Butterfly Park Drive in Mission. For more information, call (956) 583-5400. The National Butterfly Center is also looking for volunteers throughout the year to help keep the place beautiful by donating your time replanting and with other projects at the center. Texas Butterfly Festival is next week Courtesy Photo The Alzheimer’s Association sponsored the Walk to End Alzheimer’s event on Saturday October 14 at the Pharr One Center in Pharr. 250 walkers participated composed of 48 teams plus individuals who completed the 1.5-mile course. To date, this event has raised $22,000 which will be directed towards research. All age groups participated, from children in strollers to senior citizens. The ceremony started with Alberto Escobedo, commissioner, singing the National Anthem followed by Brianna Medina from CBS Channel 4 news and Ruben Villarreal from congresswoman Monica De La Cruz’s office who explained the Alzheimer’s disease process. This event was organized, and its activities coordinated, by Alzheimer Associations Lisa Ayers, Vice President Development for San Antonio, and South Texas Chapter, and PV Villasenor-Sandell, Development Manager and Fundraiser for the Rio Grande Valley and Laredo markets. PV manages these Walks to End Alzheimer’s plus is on the national Walk to End Alzheimer’s advisory council. PV’s father suffered from frontotemporal dementia before dying in 2011. More than six million Americans are now living with Alzheimer’s disease. One in three seniors dies of Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia. More than 11 million Americans provide unpaid care for people with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Currently, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease. The Walk to End Alzheimer’s is held annually in more than 600 communities nationwide and is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funding for care, support, and research for a cure. The next closest walk in this area is in Brownsville on Saturday October 28 at the Brownsville Event Center. Registration is from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., ceremony at 9 a.m., and the 1.5-mile walk starts at 9:30 a.m. If you are interested in participating, contact PV Villasenor-Sandell at (210) 963-5638 or pavillasenor@alz.org. You can also find out more information about the disease, and walks near you, by visiting their website at alz.org/WALK. Walk to End Alzheimer’s to be held Lisa Ayres and PV Villasenor-Sandell. Photo by Tony Ozark Photo by Tony Ozark
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