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Grief counseling class offered

Grieving a loss? Join First Presbyterian Church in Mission starting February 13. The class is held every Tuesday, for 13 weeks. After the first three classes, the class is closed until a new session starts.

Classes are held from 4 to 6 p.m. Topics of discussion include is this normal, your grief journey, loneliness and sadness, self-care, fearful and overwhelmed, anger, regrets, grief and your household, grief and your friendships, questions for God, stuck in grief, hope and resilience, and what do I live for now.

Frist Presbyterian Church is located at 1102 Ash Drive, in Mission. Call (956) 585-4829 or (956) 603-6511 for more information and to register for the class.

Unplug and renew for 2024

unplug and renew webIf you haven’t made any New Year’s resolutions yet, or you need some ideas, Colleen Hook from Quinta Mazatlan offers some advice on how to unplug and renew in 2024.

She offers five ideas for making nature-minded resolutions that help your well-being.

Read more: Unplug and renew for 2024

Liven up your indoor space and spirit with greenery

20211013 TAMU POTHOS SUCCULENTS Gardens Class Tour LM 0475 webWritten by Katherine Cook, TAMU
While you may not associate lush greenery with the winter months, incorporating plants into your home can beautify your space and help combat the winter blues. A variety of indoor plants thrive during the winter months and can provide color in your home during an otherwise dreary time of year.

Charlie Hall, Ph.D., professor and Ellison Chair in International Floriculture in the Texas A&M Department of Horticultural Sciences, has conducted research on the health benefits of plants and nature. Hall said plants can improve your quality of life and should be perceived as a necessity due to the range of positive physical and mental impacts plants have on humans.

Read more: Liven up your indoor space and spirit with greenery

Cattle Car Exhibit coming to McAllen

CattleCar 1300x650 webThe Holocaust Memorial Museum of San Antonio, a department of the Jewish Federation of San Antonio, is honored to bring a traveling Holocaust education exhibit, Hate Ends Now: The Cattle Car Exhibit, to McAllen’s International Museum of Art & Science (IMAS), 1900 W. Nolana Ave., on February 16, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Entrance to this powerful exhibit is free, but registration by time slot is strictly required as space is limited.

“It is a privilege to be invited by Temple Emmanuel and the City of McAllen to host this traveling exhibition for our community," said IMAS Executive Director Ann Fortescue. “We are delighted to work with our museum colleagues from the Holocaust Memorial Museum to provide a safe space for immersive museum learning. Museums are at their best when they enable us to reflect and apply what we learn to our everyday actions.”

Read more: Cattle Car Exhibit coming to McAllen

Tickets still available for She Came to the Valley

She came to the Valley Screening 24 webThe Mission Historical Museum gladly presents a special screening of the 1979 western film: She Came to the Valley. The film is based on the novel written by local author, Cleo Dawson.

Who is Cleo Dawson? Cleo Dawson was born in 1902. Her family was one of the first pioneer families who helped transform the frontier town of Mission into an incorporated city. They were the owners of one of the first convenience stores, Caballo Blanco. Her novel is inspired by the Lower Rio Grande Valley, Mission, Texas during its pioneer days. It is said to be based on Dawson’s mother’s experiences. The film was shot in South Texas's Rio Grande Valley and Oklahoma. In its first run it broke weekend attendance records at Rio Grande theatres.

Read more: Tickets still available for She Came to the Valley

Hidalgo Watercolor Society exhibit opens

UVAL Hidalgo WatercolorSociety 2022 Best of Show Sew What by Dennis Grover webHidalgo Watercolor Society presents "Water Works" with an opening reception Saturday, February 3, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Upper Valley Art League Gallery, 921 E. 12th St, Mission.

The annual HWS watercolor exhibit runs February 3 to February 24. Come vote for the People’s Choice award.

UVAL Gallery hours are Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The UVAL Gallery is free and open to the public. (956) 591-0282.

GAO events coming up

Here’s what’s coming up during the next two weeks at the Golden Age Olympics:

On-site registration will not be accepted, and participants must register a week in advance prior to the event. In-person signups are held at the following sites:

Lark Community Center
2601 Lark Ave (956) 681-3340
Monday-Thursday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Las Palmas Community Center
1921 N. 25th Street (956) 681-3350
Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Palmview Community Center
3401 Jordan Road (956) 681-3360
Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Online registration can be found at Mcallenparks.net.
Or by mail to: McAllen Parks and Recreation; ATTN GAO 2023; P.O. Box 220, McAllen, TX 78505.

Wednesday, Jan. 31
Movie Show
10 a.m.
McAllen Public Library

Thursday, Feb. 1
Contract Bridge
10 a.m.
Las Palmas Community Center
Bean Bag Toss Men
10 a.m.
Palm View Community Center

Friday, Feb. 2
Shuffleboard Doubles
9 a.m.
Casa Del Sol RV resort
Bean Bag Toss Women
10 a.m.
Palm View Community Center

Saturday, Feb. 3
Bake Off
Dessert Dropoff 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Judging 12:45 p.m.-1:45 p.m.
Pickup 2 p.m.-2:30 p.m.
Las Palmas Community Center
Bean Bag Toss Mixed
10 a.m.
Palm View Community Center

Monday Feb. 5
Shuffleboard Mixed Doubles
9 a.m.
Casa Del Sol RV Resort

Tuesday, Feb. 6
Bowling Team
1 p.m.
Flamingo Bowl

Wednesday, Feb. 7
Euchre
10 a.m.
Palmview Community Center

Thursday, Feb. 8
Poker Men and Women
10 a.m.
Palmview Community Center
Duplicate Bridge
10 a.m.
Las Palmas Community Center

Friday, Feb. 9
Shuffleboard Mixed Doubles
9 a.m.
Casa Del Sol RV Resort
Volleyball
1 p.m.
Lark Community Center

Saturday, Feb. 10
Volleyball
10 a.m.
Lark Community Center

Monday, Feb. 12
Shuffleboard Mixed Doubles
9 a.m.
Casa Del Sol RV Park

How to maintain a palm tree

20240124 MOSTH Chuck Malloy webThe Museum of South Texas History (MOSTH) will host the Sunday Speaker Series presentation, “Palm Care and Maintenance,” featuring Chuck Malloy at 2 p.m., January 28, in the Courtyard Gallery.

This presentation will cover some popular types of palms that thrive in the Rio Grande Valley. Malloy will also provide tips on the proper time and how to prune palm trees as well as feeding them. With the extreme weather, Malloy will also discuss how and when to anticipate the weather’s wrath and how to combat it to protect palm trees. He will also discuss the environmental approach to protecting the landscape, real estate values and creating a habitat for birds, bats, and other wildlife.

Read more: How to maintain a palm tree

Celebrate the Year of the Dragon at IMAS

Fan Painting Lunar New Year Festival webCelebrate the Year of the Dragon at the International Museum of Art & Science (IMAS) on Saturday, January 27, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The 12th annual Lunar New Year Festival, supported by the IMAS Guild, will feature traditional Chinese, Korean, and Taiwanese crafts, games, and more.

Discover the art of calligraphy, create a dragon puppet, and enjoy local eateries Snow Bite, Ulike Tea, and Han's Katsuya. Paper fan painting will also be available for an additional $3 per participant (limited supply).

Read more: Celebrate the Year of the Dragon at IMAS

February programs at Bentsen State Park

Bentsen State Park Cardinas Picture1 webThere are fun and informative programs at Bentsen-RGV State Park for all to enjoy. Scheduled programs are free with park admission. Reservations are required for some programs. All programs meet at the tram turnaround at park headquarters unless otherwise specified.

On Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, there are Bentsen Bird Walks at 8:30 a.m. Star Stories will be held on Sunday, February 11, at 6 p.m. This event requires a reservation. On Thursday, February 29, at 8:30 a.m. there will be a Wild Wellness program.

Read more: February programs at Bentsen State Park

Caution, Carving can be addictive

unnamed 2 webBeginning in October a dedicated group of Winter Texans and local carvers begin gathering at the Nomad Shrine Club in Pharr. Carvers come together to visit, carve, and rekindle old friendships. Meetings are every Thursday from 8 a.m. till Noon at 1044 Nolana Loop in the Nomad Shrine Club Building from October through March.

The club has a long history in the Valley dating back to 1983. Carving club members come from as far away as New York, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan, Texas and even Canada, not to mention the members from right here in the Valley. They meet each week to follow a common passion: woodcarving. Visitors are always welcome. Stop in and check out what’s going on.

Read more: Caution, Carving can be addictive

Ron Hoover Open House continues to be a success

DSC 1111 webBy Herb Moering

Several thousand Winter Texans took advantage of nice weather to inspect the latest in RV fifth wheels, motor homes, boats and 4-wheelers on opening day, Jan. 11, of the 17th annual Ron Hoover RV & Marine Center Open House in Donna. Visitors were treated to free hotdogs and soft drinks along with chances to win door prizes and a grand prize in a drawing at the end of both afternoons of the open house.

The grand prize winners were Luis Lopez, who chose the four-wheeler; and Dan and Sherry Zirnhelt from Forman, North Dakota, who chose the enclosed utility trailer.

Read more: Ron Hoover Open House continues to be a success

An RGV tradition continues

SPI Market DaysPress Release Photo webThe 27th Annual SPI Market Days will be held on South Padre Island from January 26 to 28 and February 23 to 25. This indoor event will take place at the South Padre Island Convention Center, 7355 Padre Blvd. Event hours are Friday and Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is only $1 and Children 12 and under are free.

Read more: An RGV tradition continues

VA holds free drive-thru food pantries

McAllen20Food20Distribution webLocal Veterans Affair offices will be holding drive-thru food panties. On Thursday, January 18, there will be a drive-thru pantry at the McAllen VA Clinic from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. or while supplies last. The Clinic is located at 901 E. Hackberry Ave.

On Thursday, February 22, from 9 to 11 a.m., or while supplies last, there will be a drive-thru pantry at the Harlingen Health Care Clinic located at 2601 Veterans Drive

Veterans must be enrolled in health care at the VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend Health Care System and present a valid VA identification card to confirm their Veteran status

Read more: VA holds free drive-thru food pantries

Monthly meeting to be held

Native Plant Project's guest speaker for the January 23 meeting will be Joey Santore. The title of Joey's program will be "Kill Your Lawn," which is also the title of the cable TV show which he hosts on channel EarthX TV.

Besides explaining how to successfully "destroy" one's lawn in order to install native plant gardens, Santore's presentation will focus on rare plants of the Lower Rio Grande Valley with an emphasis on the more desert-like regions of the Western Rio Grande Valley in Starr County. Santore describes himself as a railroader-turned-botanist who quit his job as a locomotive engineer to travel the world and study plant evolution and ecology. He produces the YouTube channel “Crime Pays but Botany Doesn't,” and moved to South Texas in 2021 to start focusing on the native plants in this area.

Read more: Monthly meeting to be held

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