2015 Texas Citrus Fiesta by Progress Times

Congratulations to All The Participants Of The 78th Texas Citrus Fiesta!

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Fiesta Souvenir Edition 2015

Texas Citrus Fiesta Parade of Oranges rocks!

Get ready for some rockin’ entertainment as the 2015 Texas Citrus Fiesta Parade of Oranges rolls into town Saturday, Jan. 31 starting at 3 p.m. The parade will start at FM 495 (Griffin Pkwy.) and move south down Conway Avenue to 4th Street. Come early to stake out a prime location to see the parade, and while you’re waiting, be sure to sample the famous Fiesta Barbecue sandwiches. Don Lester and his team, Scott, Keith and Brian Gerlach, will be travelling up and down the parade route with their barbecue pits, selling their tasty sliced sirloin barbecue sandwiches and soft drinks from 1 to 3 p.m. Proceeds from the barbecue help pay the Fiesta’s expenses. Streetwalkers dressed as clowns will also be selling balloons, cotton candy and popcorn along the parade route before the parade. When the parade starts rockin’ down Conway Avenue, look for the signature symbol of the Texas Citrus Fiesta – floats colorfully decorated using nothing but citrus fruit and other agricultural products grown in the Rio Grande Valley. These unique floats, always the big draw for the Fiesta Parade of Oranges, are competing in the Valley Products float category for prizes, but mostly for community pride in their creative masterpieces. There are different categories of floats,

but the floats covered with fresh citrus and other Valley products are often the most popular. Other float categories, or divisions, include Winter Texan I (smaller RV parks), Winter Texan II (large parks), Schools Division, Church, General and Commercial. All compete for awards in their respective divisions. Other competitive parade entries that are judged and receive awards include

Bands-High School, Bands-Jr. High, Marching Units (not bands), Marching Units-Military, and Golf Cart Division. Float builders usually keep their float designs a secret until the big day. However, they must adhere to this year’s Texas Citrus Fiesta theme of Old Time Rock & Roll. These floats in the Valley Products category are made by churches, clubs, civic organizations, businesses and Winter

Texan resorts, covered in products grown in the Rio Grande Valley. Even in the other divisions, many floats have some citrus on them. This year’s Old Time Rock & Roll parade theme is expected to produce some creative designs. Usually, there are about 80 floats, including school and church groups, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, and others. In addition, there will be other floats representing other Texas cities such as San Antonio and Corpus Christi. Helping keep Mission’s unique heritage alive, Father Roy Snipes, priest for Our Lady of Guadalupe Church and friends will be on horseback representing the circuit-riding priests of the Cavalry of Christ of the 1800s. Winter Texan Kings and Queens representing area Winter Texan parks will be riding golf carts or in other vehicles decked out with citrus and palm frond decorations, capturing the full spirit of the Texas Citrus Fiesta. Another favorite of parade watchers will be the high school and junior high marching bands, including Mission High School, Veterans Memorial, Sharyland High, and La Joya High School, among others. Perhaps the new Sharyland Pioneer High School will be there too. No parade see PARADE OF ORANGES pg. 09

PARADE OF ORANGES

From pg. 08 would be complete without a showing of local politicians, or the police, fire and emergency vehicles loved by the children. sIn all, according to parade chairman Bill Filut, the parade should have about 165 to

Fiesta Souvenir Edition 2015

175 entrees by parade day. Come out and see one of the most popular parades in South Texas. With an annual attendance of approximately 100,000 people, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wise to get out early to pick a good spot where you can get a good view of the parade.

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2014 Parade of Oranges - Winner: Valley Products Division Float Our Lady of Guadalupe

Fiesta Souvenir Edition 2015

Texas Citrus Fiesta Youth Show is back

While most folks think of the Texas Citrus Fiesta as a fun activity to enjoy for a weekend, for youth participating in school agriculture classes or 4-H and FFA the Texas Citrus Fiesta Citrus Youth Show offers them a unique opportunity to learn more about citrus and how to select top quality fruit. The Citrus Youth Show will be held in a new location this year, in the parking lot of the Texas Citrus Fiesta office at 220 E. 9th Street in downtown Mission. This is located just to the east of Conway on 9th Street, and close enough to the Fiesta Fun Fair for people to walk over to see the exhibits and purchase some citrus fruit at the youth’s Fruit Sale. To prepare the students for the Citrus Youth Show competition, citrus experts are consulted and students are taught in agriculture classes two weeks before the show the different varieties grown and how to recognize the characteristics of high quality citrus fruit. After the classes, students from high school agriculture classes are taken to local groves where they are allowed to select fruit for a display that will be judged for the quality characteristics the students have been taught. These growers donate the fruit for the competition and sales. Ruben Alaniz, show chairman, said

students will set up their entries under a large tent in the parking lot area. Once all the entries have been prepared, judges, who are citrus experts, will select the winners of all the variety entries of the show. The top three selections of each citrus variety win prize money. The Eron Wernecke Sweepstakes Award, a belt buckle, will be presented to the exhibitor amassing the most points for his fruit entries, based on the point system: first place earns five, points; second, three points; and third, one point. On Saturday, Jan. 31, teams of students from all over the Rio Grande Valley will participate in the citrus identification and judging contest. About 30 displays of fruit will be set up for identification and judging. Teams will first have to identify the type of fruit on the display. Then they have to judge the quality of the fruit they are seeing and rank them from best to worst. Alaniz explained that students see stacks of three whole fruits and a half of a fruit. They must look for uniformity, quality, bruises to rind and peels, and that the fruit is true to its type. “Students are taught that biggest is not always best, explained Alaniz. “If a piece of fruit is unusually large, it is not uniform see YOUTH SHOW pg. 38

Fiesta Souvenir Edition 2015

Texas Citrus Fiesta Honors the age of Rock n Roll

“One, two, three o’clock, four o’clock rock! Five, six, seven o’clock, eight o’clock rock! Nine, ten, eleven o’clock, twelve o’clock rock! We’re gonna to rock around the clock tonight!” The words of this 1956 song by Bill Haley of Harlingen and his band, The Comets, were part of the Rock revolution that changed the face of music in the 1950’s. Instead of the waltzes and similar dances that were prominent in the Big Band Era, music became louder and dancing became more energetic. Singers like Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly caused young teens to swoon, while Chubby Checker and his “Let’s Do The Twist” set them in rockin’ motion. On Thursday, Jan. 29, the Texas Citrus Fiesta will pay tribute to the Age of Rock n Roll during the 78th Royal Coronation of King Citrus and Queen Citrianna. The event will be held on the campus of Mission High School in the Neuhaus Gymnasium at 7 p.m. The high school is located at 1802 W. Cleo Dawson Drive, Mission. At 7 p.m. trumpeters will herald the coming of the Texas Citrus Fiesta ExKings, which is composed of the men who have previously reigned as King of the Texas Citrus Fiesta for one year in the past. All of the men have some tie to the

citrus industry; many of them are citrus producers or shippers. Others have made significant contributions to the Texas citrus industry in other ways. Then comes the announcement of the new King Citrus LXXVIII, whose name is a closely guarded secret until the night of the coronation. It is the duty of King Citrus LXXVII to crown him and then leave the stage as the reign of the new king begins. Next enters the Royal Court consisting of Queen Citrianna LXXIII, Rachel Christine Tunberg, and her attendants. They will be joined the newly crowned Princess Anna and her attendants and of course, the royal pages. After the Royal Court is seated, the duchesses from communities across the Rio Grande Valley who are competing for the position of Queen Citrianna LXXIX will be introduced. The duchesses will be wearing beautiful ball gowns representing the agricultural products for which their communities are best known. Queen Citrianna LXXIII Queen Citrianna LXXIII is Rachel Christine Tunberg, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Tunberg of McAllen. She is a see CORONATION pg. 13

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Queen Citrianna LXXIII Rachel Christine Tunberg

CORONATION

From pg. 12 2014 graduate of Edinburg High School. She is currently a freshman of the University of Texas-Pan American where she is working toward a degree in nursing. During her senior year Rachel was president of the National Honor Society, secretary of the student council, and a member of the TMEA All-State Choir in 2013 and was awarded first chair in 2014. Rachel was a member of the UIL One-Act Play that won second place at state competition. She was also a member of a Mock Trial team that also competed at the state level. Even with all these activities she still managed to graduate in the top five percent of her class. Other highlights include receiving the Superintendent Award “E” for Excellence in math, science, history, and English, and Outstanding Music Award for all four years of high school. As a senior Rachel received the President’s Educational Program Award and a UIL Scholar’s Award. As a sophomore she won a gold metal at UIL State Solo and Ensemble competition and won numerous awards for her dancing that earned her an invitation to participate in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City in 2012. Rachel was fortunate to travel to Europe twice with the Edinburg Ambassador Chorale, singing in places like the Pantheon in Rome and Nosee CORONATION pg. 14

Fiesta Souvenir Edition 2015

Congratulations on 78 Years of the

Texas CiTrus FiesTa

. . . and to all the many people who have worked so hard to make it a success!

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CORONATION

From pg. 13 tre Dame in Paris. With these activities, her interests have been centered on developing her skills in singing, dancing, and acting. However, she still found time for community service. Her favorites were Relay for Life, the United Blood Services and volunteering at Tough Mudder events, which benefit The Wounded Warrior Project. Although Rachel is beginning her college education at UTPA, working toward a degree in nursing, she still has dreams of auditioning for a Broadway play while being employed as an RN. Royal Crown Bearer Zachary Ryan Gerlach, son of Mr. and Mrs. Scott Russell Gerlach of Mission will serve as Royal Crown Bearer. This year’s Royal Trainbearers will be Jorge Alberto Gonzalez, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Jorge Alberto Gonzalez of Mission; Martin Mikel Ochoa, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jesus Ochoa of Palmview; Dylan Jacob Rodriguez, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lupe Rodriguez of Mission; and Maximus Salinas, son of Mr. and Mrs. Rene Salinas of Penitas. Princess of Grapefruit Blossom Adriana Lamar de los Santos, will serve as Princess of Grapefruit Blossom. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mike de los Santos of Edinburg. She is a senior at Edinburg North High School. She is the Rio Grande Valley District

FFA President and Chapter President. She is a four-year varsity cheerleader and is currently co-captain of the team. Adriana is a member of the Hidalgo County Cotillion and Alhambra-Mascara Caravan. She enjoys volunteering at the Driscoll Children’s Hospital Round-Up and Gala, the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show and STAR Galas. She enjoys sharing and raising livestock, and hunting and fishing with her brother. Princess of Orange Blossom Alexa Arrambide, daughter of Francisco Arrambide and Hilda Arrambide of Mission will serve as Princess of Orange Blossom. She is a sophomore at The University of Texas-Pan American. She was named a Lone Star States Perfect Miss, and was a competitor at World’s Perfect Pageant. She is on the Dean’s List in college and is a past member of the Health Occupation Student’s Association known as HOSA and Distributive Education Clubs of America known as DECA. Alexa enjoys participation in pageants, modeling ad volunteering in the community. Lady-in-Waiting Mariah Lourdes Gonzalez will serve as Lady-in-Waiting to Queen Citrianna. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Arturo Gonzalez of Mission. She is a senior at Veterans Memorial High School. Mariah is Senior Class President, a member of the National Honor Society, see CORONATION pg. 16

Fiesta Souvenir Edition 2015

CORONATION

From pg. 14 and ranks in the top ten in her graduating class. She is also a member of the Hidalgo County Cotillion. Her hobbies include varsity cheerleading. She is active in her church’s youth groups. Mariah enjoys spending time with her family and friends and baking and reading. Princess Anna Mia Isabella Ayala, daughter of Mrs. And Mrs. Andres Ayala of Mission will serve as Princess Anna, the LXV. She is the granddaughter of Onesimo and Aurora Lopez and Mr. Alex Ayala and the late Dora Ayala. Mia is an all “A” first grade student at Bryan Elementary and has been chosen as student of the month. She enjoys participating in afterschool activities such as UIL storytelling and has place d in the top several times. Her hobbies include UIL, swimming, Girl Scouts and she has a strong passion for singing. She aspires to one day become a fashion designer. Princess of Lemon Blossom Kylie Noel Munoz will serve as Princess of Lemon Blossom. She is the daughter of Humberto Munoz and Ashleigh Munoz of Harlingen. She is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Valadez and Mr. and Mrs. Carlos Garza. She is a first grade student at Lamar Elementary in Harlingen. see CORONATION pg. 18

Princess Anna Mia Isabella Ayala

Fiesta Souvenir Edition 2015

CORONATION

From pg. 16 Kylie’s hobbies are softball and fishing. Princess of Lime Blossom Serving as Princess of Lime Blossom will be Amanda Nicole Tijerina. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Art Tijerina of Mission. She is a first grade student at John H. Shary Elementary, where she is on the “A” and “B” honor roll. She received the Dazzling Diamondback Award for John H. Shary Elementary. She has also served as a Peewee Color Guard for the Mission Police Department. Amanda enjoys cheerleading and playing with her Barbie dolls. She also enjoys taking part in Awana at First Baptist Church. Princess of Red Grapefruit Blossom Serving as Princess of Red Grapefruit Blossom will be Carolina Isabel Gonzalez. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Celso Gonzalez Jr. of Palmhurst. Carolina is a first grade student at John H. Shary Elementary where she is on the all “A” honor roll, and has perfect attendance. She is a member of the Boys and Girls Club Volleyball Team and is an avid reader. Carolina enjoys horseback riding and painting. Princess of Tangerine Blossom Alexis Lorenn Garcia will serve as Princess of Tangerine Blossom. Her parents are Mr. and Mrs. Alex Garcia of Mission. She is a first grade student at Mims Elementary where she is on the “A” honor roll and has perfect attendance. She is a member of the gifted and talented pro-

gram. She enjoys taking Debi Lous Modeling classes and playing soccer. Duchess of the All-American City Duchess of the All-American City will be Sierra Nicole Long, daughter of Richard Long and Melissa Awbrey of Edinburg. Sierra is a senior at Sharyland Pioneer High School. She is a member of the Hidalgo County Cotillion Club and was selected as Miss Congeniality 2014 at the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show. She has a Texas State Lonestar degree. Her hobbies are varsity golf and being a member of FFA and 4-H. Serving as her page will be Cutter Ryland Tredaway, son of Mr. and Mrs. Brent Tredaway of Edinburg. Duchess of Bluebonnet Robyn Denise Perez, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Roberto Perez Jr. of Mercedes will serve as Duchess of Bluebonnet. She is a senior at Weslaco High School where she is ranked in the top five percent of her class and is a member of the National Honor Society. Robyn was selected to attend Girls State and the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Conference. She is a district FFA and 4-H officer and has been accepted to attend Texas A&M University in the fall of 2015. Robyn’s hobbies are volunteering at the H-E-B Feast of Sharing and the Rio Grande Valley branch of Driscoll Children’s Hospital. She also enjoys playing the piano, working with her show animals and reading a good book. Ryan Andrew see CORONATION pg. 19

CORONATION

From pg. 18 Garza, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Garza of Mission will serve as her page. Duchess of Bougainvillea Serving as Duchess of Bougainvillea will be Alexandria Victoria Canchola, daughter of Mr. Richard Silva and Nancy Chapa of Mission. She is a junior at McAllen High School where she serves as a Student Ambassador for McHi. She is captain of the McHi Cross Country and Track Team. While Alexandria likes being involved in athletics, she is most passionate about competitive running. She has enjoyed modeling and performing with Missyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Modeling Studio for the past 13 years. Jonathan Aaron Gonzalez, son of Mr. And Mrs. Jose Gonzalez of Penitas, will serve as her page. Duchess of Butterfly Samantha Lauren Pena, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Suzanne Pena of Mission, will serve as Duchess of Butterfly. She is a senior at Sharyland High School where she is Senior Class President, is a member of the National Honor Society and is in the top three percent of her class. Samantha enjoys reading and singing. Serving as her page will be Cruz Chapa Munoz, son of Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Chapa of Mission. Duchess of Cantaloupe Alejandra Vargas, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David Vargas, of Rio Grande City will serve as Duchess of Cantaloupe. She is a senior at Rio Grande City High school.

Fiesta Souvenir Edition 2015

Alejandra is the current reigning Miss Starr County. She is a Tech Prep Scholar, a Rattler Scholar, and a Texas Scholar. She is the captain of the cheerleading team and enjoys participating in UIL prose and poetry. Serving as her page will be Isaac Adolfo Perez, son of Grabiela Guerrero of Rio Grande City. Duchess of Delta Waters Serving as Duchess of Delta Waters is Cory Richards, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Travis Richards of Edinburg. She is a junior at Med. High where she became a member of the National Honor Society as a sophomore, an academic letterman as a freshman and was selected as mentor/ ambassador for younger students at Med. High. Cory has been a dance student since she was very young and loves jazz and hiphop. She has been playing the piano and guitar for many years. Riley Strong, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lamar Strong of Mission, will serve as her page. Duchess of Grain Sorghum Emily Keller, daughter of Paul and Nancy Keller of Edinburg, will serve as Duchess of Grain Sorghum. She is a senior at Sharylandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pioneer High School where she serves as Chaplin. Emily is in the top eight percent of her class. She enjoys participating in the band and is currently Brass Captain and trombone leader for her school band. She earned a Lonestar FFA Degree and had a breed champion Duroc pig at the STAR show in 2013. She enjoys see CORONATION pg. 20

Fiesta Souvenir Edition 2015

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From pg. 19 showing pigs with the Sharyland Pioneer FFA. Serving as her page will be Jake Mealing, son of Pete and Jennifer Mealing of McAllen. Duchess of Green Pastures Serving as Duchess of Green Pastures will be Hailie Nicole Ciomperlik, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Ciomperlik of San Juan. She is a senior at Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Early College High School, where she will be salutatorian of her graduating class. She is the 2015 Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show Cover Girl. She is currently PSJA FFA president, 4-H State Livestock ambassador, and is first vice president of the Hidalgo County Council. Aaron Cuevas, son of Aaron Cuevas of San Juan, will serve as her page. Duchess of Honeydew Melon Izabella Alana Peralez, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Noe Peralez of Mission, will serve as Duchess of Honeydew Melon. She is a student at Veterans Memorial High School. She was selected as Pole Vaulter of the Year in 2014. She was a commended student on reading and writing of the Texas Starr Exam. Izabella was selected to go on a retreat to Notre Dame last summer and enjoys volunteering and fundraising. She is a VMHS varsity cheerleader and enjoys ballet, piano, and singing. She enjoys volunteering at Palm Valley Animal Shelter.

Serving as her page will be Alessandro Ramon, son of Liza Ramon, of Weslaco. Duchess of International Goodwill Serving as Duchess of International Goodwill will be Angela Jasannah Vargas, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jesus Vargas of Hidalgo. She is attending SCI and studying to be a medical assistant. She is the reigning Miss Hidalgo 2014-2015, is a member of the high school dance team and is in the top ten percent of her class in the medical field. She enjoys volunteering as a Special Olympics coach and baking and decorating cakes. Juan Luis Tamez, son of Mr. and Mrs. Juan Tamez of Palmview, will serve as her page. Duchess of Lantana Emely Hernandez, daughter of Jose Rene Hernandez and Maribel Hernandez of Alton, will serve as Duchess of Lantana. She is a student at Veterans Memorial High School where she was named Most Spirited in the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s drill team. She is a Certified Nursing Assistant and a Certified Phlebotamist. She is a CCD teacher at San Martin de Porres and is a member of HOSA, the Health Occupation Student Organization. Serving as her page will Adrian Barroso, son of Mr. and Mrs. Roberto Barroso of Alton. Duchess of Lemon Serving as Duchess of Lemon will be Briana Nicole Zavala, daughter of Deborah Zavala of Weslaco. She is a senior at Weslaco High School, where she was see CORONATION pg. 21

CORONATION

From pg. 20 la Universal Cheerleaders Association -Staff Candidate. Briana was named Most -Promising Female at the National Hisdpanic Institute, was first place in Oratory, snamed Grand Champion of the Collegiate aWorld Series and was second place in Celebracion. She participates in the Student Council Debate team, BPA, varsity cheersleading squad and enjoys volunteering dwith the St. Piux X Church Groups. Her npage will be Joshua Michael Castellanos, son of Frank and Michelle Castellanos of Weslaco. Duchess of Live Oak e Leandra Victoria Flores, daughter of zMr. and Mrs. Jaime Flores of Edinburg, will serve as Duchess of Live Oak. She is la junior at Edinburg North High School twhere she is a member of the Science National Honor Society. She is the reigning -Miss Linn-San Manuel. She is a member tof the Hidalgo County Cotillion and Alhambra Caravan #260. She is a varsity -cheerleader. Leandra enjoys showing cat-tle through the FFA Chapter at Edinburg North and the Linn-San Manuel 4H and serves as secretary of both organizations. She helped form the Rio Grande Valley Junior Brahman & F-1 Association, the first -of its kind in the Rio Grande Valley. She rserves as its president. Serving as her page swill be Jeff Davis Ruppert, son of Mr. and Mrs. Kyle Ruppert of Edinburg. Duchess of Mandarin Orange Serving as Duchess of Mandarin Orange will be Reyna Lara, daughter of Feliciano Lara and Silvia Lara of Mission. She is a student at Sharyland High School, where she is on the “A” and “B” Honor Roll. She was selected as Most Outstanding Student in English III and World History. In 2012 she was selected as Our Lady of Holy Rosary Queen. Reyna enjoys participating in a book club and in UIL accounting competition. Luciano Candelas, son of Rafael Candelas of Mission will serve as her page. Duchess of Marsh White Seedless Grapefruit Abbie Lynn Respondek, daughter of Jeffrey Respondek and Anita Respondek of Mission, will serve as Duchess of Marsh White Seedless Grapefruit. She is a senior at Sharyland High School, where she was selected to attend American Legion Auxiliary Bluebonnet Girls State, was named Rotary Student of the Month for Computer and Technical Education, and was selected to attend a Young Leaders Summit at Texas State Technical Institute in Harlingen. She is a four-year member of the Sharyland Mighty Rattler Marching Band. Abbie is an active youth volunteer at St. Paul’s Catholic Church including altar serving, volunteering to help with Vacation Bible School and the Catholic Youth Renovation Project. Serving as her page will be Caleb Josiah Wilkinson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Reece see CORONATION pg. 22

Fiesta Souvenir Edition 2015

Mayor Norberto “Beto” Salinas Dust off your dancing shoes because it’s almost time to celebrate! Join us for this year’s festivities as we celebrate Old Time Rock and Roll during the 78th Annual Texas Citrus Fiesta. This celebration is a salute to the many individuals and businesses involved in the production and marketing of the world’s best grapefruit and oranges. The first Texas Citrus Fiesta was held in 1932 and John H. Shary, considered to be the Father of the Citrus Industry, reigned over that celebration.

Now without further delay…let’s get the party underway!

Fiesta Souvenir Edition 2015

CORONATION

From pg. 21 Wilkinson of Alton. Duchess of the City of Mission Sister Cities Serving as the Duchess of City of Mission Sister Cities will be Isabella Anis Farias, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Farias. She is a junior at Veterans Memorial High School where she is FFA Reporter and HOSA Historian. She is a member of the Hidalgo County Cotillion Club. She enjoys singing in the Our Lady of Guadalupe Church Choir and playing softball, basketball and volleyball. Fernando Villarreal Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Fernando Villarreal of Mission will serve as her page. Duchess of Oleander Victoria Lee Torres, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Victor Torres of Mission, will serve as Duchess of Oleander. She is a sophomore at Pioneer High School, where she is a member of the Student Council and serves as sophomore class representative. She is a varsity cheerleader and participates in varsity powerlifting and track. Victoria is a member of the Art Club at Pioneer High school and enjoys drawing. She also enjoys reading, shopping and spending time with friends and family. Alejandro Elias Mata, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ricardo Mata III of McAllen, will serve as her page. Duchess of Orange Serving as Duchess of Orange will be

Lexi Esparza, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Esparza of Edinburg. She is a senior at Robert Vela High School, where she is a member of the National Honor Society. Lexi skipped second grade, maintains a 4.0 grade point average and is in the top five percent of her graduating class. She has already earned 33 college hours and has done over 200 hours of community service. Lexi enjoys cheerleading and volleyball. Isaac Rodriguez, son of Mr. and Mrs. Luis Rodriguez of Edinburg will serve as her page. Duchess of Pink Grapefruit Cassidy Rae Long, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Long of Mission, will serve as Duchess of Pink Grapefruit. She is a senior at Sharyland High School where she was elected secretary for the Sharyland FFA. She was also selected as FFA Sweetheart. She is also competing in the Starlite 3 Queens contest. She enjoys being active in FFA and in softball. Serving as her page will be Modesto Chopper Gonzalez Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Modesto Chopper Gonzalez of Mission. Duchess of Poinsettia Serving as Duchess of Poinsettia will be Victoria Alexis Barroso, daughter of Martin Barroso Jr. and Jovana Trevino. She is a junior at the Mercedes Early College Academy, where she is a member of the National Society of High School Scholars, a People to People Ambassador, and see CORONATION pg. 24

Fiesta Souvenir Edition 2015

CORONATION

From pg. 22 serves as Student Government Historian. Her hobbies are participating in the Winter Guard Flag Corps and art and drawing. Her page will be Humberto Sahagun, son of Jesus Sahagun and Maribel Rivera of Mercedes. Duchess of Purple Onion Victoria Jerine Burns, daughter of Charles Burns and Lorraine Burns of Raymondville, will serve as Duchess of Purple Onion. She is a junior at Lyford High School, where she ranks second in the junior class, which she serves as president. She is a junior board member of the Willacy County Welfare Board. Victoria is a head varsity cheerleader and a member of the Senior “A” Dance Company at Palm Valley Dance. Serving as her page will be Toby Dean Parker, son of Mr. and Mrs. Bryan Parker of Lyford. Duchess of Retama Serving as Duchess of Retama will be Valerie Trevino, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Oziel Trevino of La Joya. She attends La Joya High School. She is Migrant Club Treasurer, a member of FFA, and a member of the Super Model Troupe of Missy’s Modeling Studio. Her hobbies are working on the yearbook and photography. Jesus Ezekiel Ochoa, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jesus Ochoa of Palmview, will serve as her page. Duchess of Rio Red Grapefruit

Mykenzie Larayne Martinez, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Martinez of Mission, will serve as Duchess of Rio Red Grapefruit. She is a senior at Veterans Memorial High School, where she is taking dual enrollment classes and will be graduating as a sophomore in college. She has been a three-year cheerleader and for two years has been varsity co-head. She is vice president of Students Against Drugs and Alcohol. Mykenzie enjoys tumbling and cheerleading and spending time with her family. Serving as her page will be Aiden Lawrence Clark, song of Mr. and Mrs. Jason Clark. He is the grandson of King Citrus #48, Dennis (and Lynda) Holbrook and great grandson of King Citrus #28, Don (and Zora) Holbrook. Duchess of Ruby Red Grapefruit Serving as Duchess of Ruby Red Grapefruit will be Zenaida Alaniz, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ruben Alaniz of Mission. She is a student at Veterans Memorial High School where she is a member of the National Honor Society and ranks in the top 10 percent of her class. She is secretary for the Rio Grande Valley District FFA, and a five-time State FFA leadership competition qualifier. She enjoys FFA and being a member of the National FFA organization. Trey Fortino Casas, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fortino Casas of Edinburg, will serve as her page. see CORONATION pg. 26

Fiesta Souvenir Edition 2015

CORONATION

From pg. 24 Duchess of Star Ruby Grapefruit Haley Jo Milam, daughter of Brian Milam and Jackie Milam of McAllen, will serve as Duchess of Star Ruby. She is a junior at Veterans Memorial High School where she has lettered in track for three years. She is serving as DECA District 31 President. She was selected as Miss South Texas Junior Teen. Haley enjoys working with Special Education students and lecturing at St. Paul’s Catholic Church where she is an active member. Serving as her page will be DeAndre Kayden Rodriguez, son of Andre Rodriguez and Lina Acevedo of Mission. Duchess of Whitewing Serving as Duchess of Whitewing will be Giselle Olivarez. She is the daughter of Jose Luis Olivarez and Thelma Olivarez of La Joya. She is a junior at La Joya High School where she is a member of the National Honor Society and president of the HOSA Club. She was a national qualifier for cheer and dance and is a member of the La Joya Jewelettes Drill Team. She participates in Grupo Folklorico Tabasco Dance Team. Bryan Carranza, son of Mr. and Mrs. Andres Carranza of Edinburg, will serve as her page. Duchess of Wildflowers Christina Renee Reyna, daughter of Eloy Reyna and Melba I. Reyna of Mission, will serve as Duchess of Wildflowers. She is a junior at Veterans Memorial High School where she is on the “A” and “B” honor roll. She is a three-year member of the FFA and was received numerous awards. She has perfect attendance. Christina’s hobbies include three years of high school basketball and participating in the youth group at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church. Serving as her page will be Devin Lerma, son of Mr. and Mrs. Marco Lerma of Mission. Duchess of Yellow Rose Serving as Duchess of Yellow Rose will be Sasha Guerra. daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Guerra of Rio Grande City. She is the reigning Miss Rio Grande City. Sasha is a junior at Rio Grande City High School, where she is an honor student. She submitted the winning entry for the theme of the 50th anniversary Starr County Fair, “ Proud of the past and ready for the future.” She will be attending a state competition at Texas A&M University as part of a 4-H Food Show. Sasha is a member of the Rio Grande City High School Mariachi Cosabel and plays violin. She is also a member of the Rio Grande City High School Band’s Color Guard. She is active in her church and has been doing altar service since she was in third grade. She volunteers with the church mariachi, teaches classes and participates in religious plays. Victor Domingo Garcia, son of Mr. and see CORONATION pg. 38

Fiesta Souvenir Edition 2015

Earl Neuhaus, King Citrus LXXVII Bids Farewell

Being chosen King Citrus LXXVII was a tremendous and unexpected honor for me. It has been an interesting and eventful year as your King Citrus representing the Rio Grande Citrus Industry. Riding in six different parades with Queen Citrianna LXXVII Sara Rebecca Ramon and her court created some unique and pleasant experiences, all the while promoting our great, sweet Texas Citrus. I would like to thank Bibi Peña and Bill Filut and their wonderful team who helped me through the year and all these parades. I would like to dedicate this year of my reign of the Texas Citrus Fiesta to Berta Filut who I did not have the honor to work with, due to her illness, prior to going on to a better place. I truly thank the Texas Citrus Fiesta Board for all their hard work and efforts in producing this great Valley tradition and wish them success in the future. Thanks again to all involved for allowing me this great honor. Sincerely, Earl Neuhaus King Citrus LXXVII

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Fiesta Souvenir Edition 2015

Fiesta Fun Fair offers music, food, crafts, family fun

The annual Texas Citrus Fiesta Fun Fair will be held in downtown Mission at Leo Pena Placita Park on Saturday, Jan. 31, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. One of the main attractions at the Fun Fair will be a full day of entertainment featuring a variety of music genres. Mariano Bocanegra, Fun Fair entertainment chairman, says the show will kick off at 10 a.m. and run continuously until 10 p.m. Beginning at 10 a.m. D.J. Boca & Letty Ross will lead karaoke. There will be a short break and they will return at 12:45 p.m. to emcee the afternoon show. At 1 p.m. Knox Jones will perform, playing soft rock. At 2 p.m. Gatos Locos will play the Oldies and Classic Rock. Look for a change of pace at 3 p.m. when Keys & Strings & Harmony take the stage. Then at 4 p.m. get ready to rock as Time Machine takes over with Classic Rock. At 5 p.m. El Sabor Norte単o Juan Santillan takes the stage with musica norteno. At 6 p.m. River Rock 7, a country band, will play. Another change of pace occurs at 7 p.m. when Lauren Corzine Band plays Top 40 music. Tejano music fans will not want to mission Mariano y La Preferencia at 8 p.m.

D.J. Boca will come back with a musical variety for the last half hour of the Texas Citrus Fiesta Fun Fair at 9:30 p.m. Minnie Rodgers, chairwoman for vendors, said there will be a variety of food vendors at the Fun Fair. Look for hot Cheetos速, a Mexican taqueria selling tacos and other Mexican foods, and another vendor selling munchies including apple chamoy and chicharrones. There will be pulled pork, pizza, hamburgers, curly fries, gorditas, Mexican corn, Mexican candy, Kettle corn, hot dogs, mini-donuts and ice cream, foot-long corn dogs, French fries, sausage, plus a vendor with Philly steak and chicken sandwiches. With the Vaquero Cook-off taking place adjacent to the Fun Fair, fair-goers can enjoy watching the cook-off competition teams cooking up beef fajitas, pork ribs, pan de campo, beans and peach cobbler cooked over an open fire, vaquero style. Yummm! Tasty! Maybe you can even sample some. Rodgers said there will also be a variety of craft vendors at the Fun Fair, including jewelry, soaps and lotions, scarves and Texas crafts. Usually, some vendors offer unique handmade items that are not available in stores.

Fiesta Souvenir Edition 2015

Queen Citrianna 77th Sara Ramon bids farewell

What a wonderful year I have had as Queen Citrianna LXXVII. The experiences I have had and the people I have met along the way have left me with lifelong memories that I will always cherish and regard fondly. The start of 2015 marks the end of my yearlong reign and I must now bid a fond farewell to all those that have helped me these past two years. I was granted the opportunity to begin this fairy tale, first, as Duchess of Carrot representing the great city of Edinburg. I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have prepared myself without the help and encouragement of so many people but its true when they say it takes a village. Thanks to Mrs. Josie Cappadona and Ms. Gail Cappadona who were my mentors and helped me to feel confident to be myself. You both taught me so much in such a short time and I am so grateful to have shared this amazing time with you. It is with great sadness that I cannot thank Mrs. Berta Filut for all of her guidance, patience, and knowledge in person but I know that she can hear me from where she is now and so I thank her and wish her peace and send her my love always. Miss Bibi, you welcomed me into the Citrus Fiesta tradition with open arms and provided a happy atmosphere for all.

Your unending smiles and encouraging words were always kind and I felt so honored and proud to represent the Valley as Queen Citrianna 77th. You do so much for see SARA RAMON pg. 37

Fiesta Souvenir Edition 2015

Meet the Texas Citrus Fiesta Board of Directors

Bill Filut, President Bill Filut has served as a member of the Texas Citrus Fiesta Board of Directors for the last 28 years and has served as president of the board for 22 years. He works tirelessly year round to support the Fiesta. Not only does he assume many duties during the Fiesta and during the weeks leading up to the big events in January, making sure all the necessary preparations are made. Throughout the year, even when no one else is thinking about the Citrus Fiesta, he devotes many hours of his time promoting the Texas Citrus Fiesta and the City of Mission by taking their traveling Royal Float to other festival parades around the state. He took over the Royal Float brigade in 1992 and has built and designed the Royal Float every year since. He has served as Parade Chairman for over 10 years and added the Vaquero Cook-Off to the Fiesta Fun Fair in 1999. Bill has four children. He is an active member of the Mission Lions Club and Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church. Bill has been employed by the City of Mission since 2002. Oscar Martinez, 1st Vice-President Oscar Martinez has been a Fiesta board member for 14 years and serves as first vice president. He enjoys working on the parade route, handling the marching units

and bands. Oscar and his wife Missye have three daughters. Morgan, the eldest, served as Princess Anna in 1999 and was crowned Queen Citrianna in 2010. Their second daughter Mariah was selected as Princess Anna in 2002 and served as Duchess of Grain Sorghum in 2012. Their youngest daughter, Mykenzie, served as Princess of Lemon Blossom in 2004, and is Duchess of Rio Red in this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fiesta. Missye, was Princess Anna in 1972. Oscar served on the Mission CISD Board of Trustees for 10 years. He is employed by Superior Health Plan as a network specialist. Oscar and his family are members of the Calvary Baptist Church. Buster Brown, 2nd Vice-President Buster Brown has been a part of the board of directors for 22 years, currently serves as second vice-president and has been involved with the Texas Citrus Fiesta for 27 years. He and his wife Nancy enjoy being a part of the parade committee every year. Buster is also involved with the entertainment committee for the Fun Fair and shares his marketing skills with the Fiesta director. Buster is a member of Trinity Episcopal Church. Nancy Chapa Nancy Chapa has been a member of the see BOARD pg.31

Fiesta Souvenir Edition 2015

BOARD

From pg. 30 Fiesta board of directors for seven years. She has two children. Her daughter Alexandria was Princess Anna in 2004. She has served as Fun Fair chairman and currently serves as Parade Concession co-chairman. She enjoys volunteering in the office and at Coronation. During the busiest time in the Fiesta office you will also find her sister and nephews volunteering. She has a B.A. in Anthropology and Sociology and is a professional make-up artist. Nancy is a member of Holy Spirit Catholic Church. Brian Gerlach Brian Gerlach, has been a board member for nine years, but has been involved with the Fiesta for most of his life. He has helped decorate floats and volunteers with the Fiesta BBQ Brigade along the parade route. He has also spent numerous hours helping his mom, Mary Virginia Gerlach, collect and process citrus and agricultural products to create costumes for the Product Costume Show. Brian is married to Cori and they have four children, Kaylee, Weston, Makenzie and Brett. All four have modeled costumes as well as taken part in the Royal Coronation festivities. Kaylee and Makenzie have been members of the Royal Court, and Weston and Brett have both served as Royal Crown Bearers. Brian works for Genco Energy Services. Keith Gerlach Keith Gerlach is going on his third year as a board member, but has been a

part of Fiesta, assisting his father with the Fiesta Parade of Oranges, since elementary school. This year as in the past, he will work alongside of his mother, Barbara, with the Product Costume Show and Coronation stage preparations and is also involved with the staging of the parade line-up. Keith works on his barbecue rig on the parade route with the help of his wife, Roxie, and their two boys, Chase and Cole, who have both have served as Royal Crown and Train Bearers. He is a member of the Mission Lions Club and the family attends Iglesia Primera Bautista. Scott Gerlach Scott Gerlach has served on the Texas Citrus Fiesta board for nine years. Like his brother, Brian, he has been involved with the Fiesta “since the cradle.” He and his family work their barbecue rig at the Parade of Oranges. Scott and his wife, Marissa, have two sons, Kyle and Zachary. Kyle has served as Royal Crown Bearer and both boys have modeled at the Product Costume Shows. Zachary will serve as this year’s Royal Crown Bearer. Scott is self-employed and runs Jaguar Hydrostatic Testing. Nora Hinojosa Nora Hinojosa currently serves as a member of the Fiesta Board of Directors and as Coronation chairman. She has been a volunteer for over 18 years. Nora and her husband, Zaragoza, have four children. All three daughters have been on see BOARD pg.35

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Fiesta Souvenir Edition 2015

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This year’s Texas Citrus Fiesta events kick off Saturday, Jan. 17 with the Product Costume Style Show, one of the most unique style shows ever developed in the United States. It is said to be the only original style show of its type in the country. The theme for this year’s Fiesta and style show is “Old Time Rock & Roll,” based on the music of the 50s and 60s. The style show will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 17, at the Mission Community Center, 1420 E. Kika de la Garza Loop, Mission. These incredible costumes are made out of base materials covered with citrus products that have been dried, powdered in a heavy-duty blender or prepared in a variety of other ways. While all costumes must be at least 10 percent citrus, a wide variety of other agricultural products grown in the Rio Grande Valley are used. Red and green cabbage leaves, banana leaves, all shades of bougainvillea, sunflowers, blue plumbago and onion skins are among the plants frequently used to get the colors wanted for the costumes. All kinds of seeds and items such as pampas grass are used to create the decorations and adornments for each costume. This year, entries in the primary and elsee COSTUME SHOW pg. 35

Fiesta Souvenir Edition 2015

Vaquero Cook-off has roots in trail drives

Nothing tantalizes one’s appetite quite like the delicious aroma of fajitas cooking over a wood grill. Visitors to the annual Texas Citrus Fiesta Fun Fair may be wondering where the wonderful smells wafting through the air at the fair are coming from. Most likely, they are coming from the annual Vaquero Cook-off taking place at the same time. Visitors can simply follow their noses to discover what old time cooking over a fire on a trail ride looked like -- and tasted like. The annual Texas Citrus Fiesta Vaquero Cook-off will be held Saturday, Jan. 31, at Rotary Park adjacent to the Leo Pena “Placita” Park in downtown Mission where the annual Fun Fair will be held. Approximately 12 to 15 cooking teams are expected to be competing in the event this year. Cowboys and cowgirls will be competing for trophies and pride, hoping to be named champions in several different categories. They will be cooking trail camp foods like pan de campo, beef and pork ribs, fajitas, beans and peach cobbler. None of the teams are expected to sell foods, but lucky visitors might be able to talk some of the cooks out of a bite or two when they visit their camps. Judging of the food items cooked over hot coals or on an open fire will begin at 1 p.m. and continue every 30 minutes until

all the entries have been judged. No gas grills are allowed. In addition to the taste and quality of their foods, the teams will be judged on their “Citrus Presentation,” where they display some pretty creative see VAQUERO COOK-OFF pg. 34

Fiesta Souvenir Edition 2015

TCF 5K Fun Run is Jan. 31

The Texas Citrus Fiesta 5K Fun Run and a one-mile walk will be held at Mission Hike & Bike Trail, located south of the Expressway 83 on Conway Avenue. The race starts at 7:30 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 31. Both the race and walk will be completely off-road for safety. According to Jorge Chapa of Mission

Parks and Recreation anyone wishing to participate in either event can register Monday through Friday at the Parks and Recreation Office, located at 721 N. Bryan Road between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. The registration fee is $10 for adults and $5 see FUN RUN pg. 38

VAQUERO COOK-OFF

From pg. 33 ideas that always surprise the judges and audiences. Some of the teams have chuck wag-t ons or similar set-ups as a reminder of thea trail drives such as the Chisholm Trail thats drove cattle rounded up in South Texasa north from the Rio Grande Valley as farB as Kansas in the days after the Civil War.a These cattle drives helped the state of Tex-s as recuperate financially after the Civill War ended faster than other states because cattle roaming the open range after the war with Mexico and Civil War were easy forT the vaqueros to round up for trail drivesm such as the one created by John Chisholm.s Winners of the Vaquero Cook-off willc be announced Saturday evening after allp the entries have been judged and votest tabulated. Come over to the gazebo at theC Placita to witness the announcements andd find out who wins. 1

COSTUME SHOW

From pg. 32 ementary age group include a carhop and a young girl in a poodle skirt. The teen division features a dancer from American Band Stand also wearing a poodle skirt. There are four costumes in the adult division including a Lady Jukebox, a Go-Go Girl, Army Elvis and Annette Funicello. In the hats only division there is a Mickey Mouse Club Mouseketeer. Each of these costumes represents

BOARD

From pg. 31 the Texas Citrus Fiesta Royal Court. Sarah was Queen Citrianna in 2003. Melissa served as Princess of Grapefruit Blossom, and Kathryn served as Princess of Orange Blossom. Their son Marc served as a Royal Page. Her entire family continues to support the Texas Citrus Fiesta. The family attends St. Paul’s Catholic Church. Don Lester Don Lester has been involved with the Texas Citrus Fiesta since 1968 when he moved to the Valley from Paris, Texas. He served 37 years on the Fiesta Board, and continues to serve now in an ex-officio capacity. For each of his 37 years of service to the Fiesta he has served as Barbecue Chairman and still continues to do so today. Don was crowned King Citrus XL in 1977. He is retired now after working for

Fiesta Souvenir Edition 2015

something that was symbolic of the era when Rock & Roll music was just getting started. A time when the music began to rock the world around us. The Product Costume Style Show is always both fascinating and entertaining. Audiences are fascinated by the artistry and creativity of the designers who spend many hours fashioning such beautiful costumes, relying solely on nature’s agricultural products to create beautiful colors see COSTUME SHOW pg. 37

Plantation Produce, U.S. Homes, Ferguson Motors and Rio Grande Valley Grove Care during his career. Minnie Rodgers Minnie Rodgers has volunteered with the Texas Citrus Fiesta for many years and has been a board member for 23 years. She has served as chairperson for the Product Costume Show and Coronation. She works on the parade route and helps with the Royal Coronation. Minnie is retired from teaching at Mission CISD. She is the mother of one daughter, Diane, and stays busy helping with her three grandchildren. Minnie is a member of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas and is the president of the Mission Lions Club. She attends St. Paul’s Catholic Church, where she serves as a Eucharistic Minister. Rodgers was elected to the Mission CISD Board of Trustees in 2014.

Fiesta Souvenir Edition 2015

COSTUME SHOW

For a highly unusual treat that can be found nowhere else on the planet, come on out to the Product Costume Style Show Saturday, Jan. 17 in Mission. Admission is $5 per person, and worth every dime for a greatly enjoyable experience. If you’ve never been to a Product Costume Show, it’s time you did.

SARA RAMON

“citrus sisters” now as we attend Texas A&M and look forward to a lifetime of friendship. Gig ‘Em Aggies! Rachel, I wish you much success this coming year as the new Queen Citrianna LXXVIII. I still remember the moment my name was called, I looked over the audience to find my family and friends, I saw and felt all the love and pride in your faces. Aunt Margo and Uncle Julio, Thank You for all you’ve done, it was quite an undertaking but you never wavered. Mom and Dad, I don’t say this enough but I love you so much. Thanks for helping me become the woman I am today. For all those involved with the Citrus Fiesta over the years, thank you for keeping this beautiful tradition strong and continue to instill the importance of citrus in the Rio Grande Valley and throughout the state and nation. I will remember it for the rest of my life. May God Bless you all,

From pg. 35 and embellishments. They are entertained by the models – especially the young, elementary age children – who never fail to bring smiles and chuckles to all who observe them.

From pg. 29 the Citrus Fiesta to maintain its traditions and integrity and I hope you continue to do so for many more years. To my Tangerine Court: Liv, Princess Anna, Elly-Marie, Madison, Victoria, and Larissa, you girls are something else and you never failed to make me laugh whether from falling asleep on the float during a parade, putting on my makeup, or pretending to be robots. All of you made this entire experience unforgettable and I am so grateful. To my Royal Court I offer humble thanks for becoming my friends and showing me that some girls truly are beautiful inside and out. You made me so happy and proud to stand with you from the beginning as duchesses. I hope to always remain your friend. A huge thank you to my King Citrus, Mr. Earl Neuhaus for being so sweet, patient and always entertaining. To Laryssa Guerra and Katy Jo Richards who reigned before me, we have grown to be such good

Sara Rebeca Ramon Queen Citrianna LXXVII

Fiesta Souvenir Edition 2015

CORONATION

FUN RUN

From pg. 26 Mrs. Victor Garcia of Rio Grande City will serve as her page. With a full Royal Court filled with colorful gowns and another 28 duchesses vying for title of Queen Citrianna LXXIX, wearing elegant gowns the Texas Citrus Fiesta Coronation will be an amazing rainbow of colors representing the Rio Grande Valley agricultural industry.

From pg. 34 for children. On the day of the race late registration starts at 6:30 a.m. Late registration fees are $12 for adults and $6 for children. Chapa said medals will be awarded to winners in each age division for first, second and third places. For more information call the Mission Parks and Recreation Department at (956) 580-8760.

YOUTH SHOW

tee will have a sale throughout the day selling bags of grapefruit and oranges. They will also have a tent fruit sale Saturday, Jan. 31, from 3 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the afternoon after the identification and judging contest has been completed. Everyone is invited to take part in the tent sale and get some of the Valley’s best fruit. Those who attend the Citrus Sale will be allowed to fill a bag with fruit from the students’ exhibits for $2. All proceeds will go toward the premium monies awarded and youth scholarship programs. The show is under the direction of Ruben Alaniz, Veterans Memorial High School ag teacher, who chairs the event, and other ag teachers from surrounding high schools. Alaniz will be assisted by Dr. Juan Anciso, Associate Professor and Extension Vegetable Specialist from Texas Agri-Life Extension Service in Weslaco. Dr. Anciso finds the judges, and oversees tabulation of results to determine winners.

From pg. 10 to what is expected from that type of citrus.” The identification and judging competition is divided by the age of the youth into sub-junior, junior and senior divisions. Awards include the first, second, and third place for top judging teams in each age group. Winners in the entry division and judging will be announced Saturday afternoon. The grand champion fruit display receives $200 while the reserve grand champion receives $100. In the judging and identification contest, teams receive plaques for first, second and third place and high point individuals receive trophies. In addition to the prizes listed above, the Mark Carpenter Memorial Scholarship for $500 is available to qualifying graduating seniors participating in the show. The Citrus Youth Show Fruit Commit-

Fiesta Souvenir Edition 2015