NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2016 | VOLUME 8 ISSUE 6
OUR RESILIENT RGV We got past the Recession and are growing strong. STUDENTS MAKE THE NEWS
McAllen ISD’s KVIC club prepares future reporters, anchors and stage managers.
THE MAIL MARKETING MASTERS
Valley residents secure place in history with induction into the Smithsonian National Postal Museum.
STRIVING FOR EXCELLENCE
TGI is the first medical office in the Rio Grande Valley to offer Virtual Colonoscopy to their patients.
LIGHT UP THE NIGHT GALA
Thank you for supporting the Capable Kids Foundation’s first Gala fundraiser!
© 2010 Southwest Airlines Co.
WHEN WE SERVE TOGETHER IN OUR COMMUNITIES, EVERYONE SOARS. Southwest Airlines® proudly partners with those who are helping to shape our communities all across America. One good deed—when coupled with another and another and another—can truly make a positive difference in our daily lives.
Bring Light I N TO YO U R H O M E T H I S H O L I D AY S E A S O N
LIGHTING & HOME DÉCOR ( 95 6) 68 2 - 698 6 | 48 01 N. 1 0 t h St . McAl l e n | w w w .il l u mi nat i o nsrgv.co m
The first and only in 3-D mammography in the Valley. When it comes to breast healthcare, early detection is key to improving outcomes. Tomosynthesis, also known as 3-D mammography is an innovative technology that allows for greater detail with a low dose of radiation,* and may allow for earlier detection of breast cancers and fewer call-backs for additional diagnostic imaging.
Call (877) 635-1987 to schedule your mammogram today. 2101 Pease St. Harlingen, TX 78550 ValleyBaptist.net If you have not had a mammogram before, a 3-D mammogram is recommended for a baseline screening. Additionally, if you have dense breast tissue, tomography may be a better choice for accurate imaging. *When compared to a standard 2-D mammogram.
Eric. PRINCIPAL in the making. At South Texas College, we take great pride in educating the future leaders of The Valley. And when students like Eric want to use their education to guide The Valley’s brightest young minds, we couldn’t be prouder.
#1 IN THE U.S. FOR EDUCATION ASSOCIATE DEGREES Learn more at SouthTexasCollege.edu
MAKING LIVES Founded in 2008 by a group of emergency room physicians, Neighbors Emergency Center operates as a freestanding emergency room, providing patients with the same level of service as a hospital-based emergency room. We operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Neighbors Emergency Center takes pride in only hiring local board certified physicians to care for patients. By doing this, our physicians provide nothing less than the highest of quality patient care. Neighbors Emergency Center is rooted in and driven by a purpose that sets us apart from the healthcare industry as a whole. Our purpose drives our vision which is inspired by our patients, culture and community. Neighbors Emergency Center believes in providing extraordinary care that is dedicated to making lives better every day. Neighbors Emergency Center operates around an unfaltering vision to be “The Best Neighbors Ever” – this means providing unparalleled medical care driven by compassion, respect and dedication.
BROWNSVILLE
HARLINGEN
MCALLEN
2073 E. Ruben Torres Sr. Blvd. Brownsville, TX 78526
1725 N. Ed Carey Dr. Harlingen, TX 78550
6700 N. 10th Street McAllen, TX 78504
956.546.1524
956.412.5900
956.664.1100
INVADES IMAS!
October 9, 2016 March 20, 2017
SPONSORED BY:
Mr. Bill Ranganath
M cAl l e n
Foreign Trade Zone
illing the missing pieces in global logistics
*Additional charge for this exhibit except for Family Premium Members or above. 1900 Nolana Avenue, McAllen, TX 78504 956.682.0123 www.theimasonline.org
GABE PUENTE
PUBLISHER/CEO
When I started the publication in 2008, my mission was to promote the Valley as a region for its growth and to praise people for their successes. Since then, my team and I have distributed over half a million copies and shared nearly one thousand success stories of local leaders in the healthcare, education, and economic sector of the Rio Grande Valley. Allow me to share with you one more story. In 1504, there was an Italian sculptor who had been working on his “human hero” masterpiece. During his work on this particular piece, peers ridiculed him for focusing so much on the backside of his hero since most sculptors created heroes for the coliseum walls - thus displaying only the front. When asked why he spent so much time on something no one will see, his comment was, “Because I will know,
and God will see it.” That sculptor was Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni and his “Hero” was David. Today, the entire world is familiar with Michelangelo’s David. This ‘Hero” philosophy is something RGVision has adopted for the magazine and our clients. Our cover story compares the local economy today to the ‘07- ‘09 financial crisis, which you will find did not devastate the RGV as it did much of the country. The success stories of individuals who weathered that financial storm are inspiring to us all. That’s why we celebrate those who focus on their own masterpieces with unwavering integrity and credibility. We hope that you continue to pick up RGVision to be educated, inspired, and informed. Happy Holidays!
Copyright by rgVision Publications Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction without expressed written permission of the publisher is prohibited. The opinions and views expressed in the magazine don’t necessarily reflect those of our advertisers or collaborators. rgVision magazine is published bi-monthly and circulates 12,000 copies across the Rio Grande Valley in 420 locations with a direct mail distribution to major hospitals and Superintendents within Region 1. The rgVision office is located at 506 W. University Dr. #101 Edinburg, TX 78539. To receive an annual subscription of RgVision publications for $29.99, email info@rgVisionMagazine.com.
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OUR TEAM
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
KAREN VILLARREAL
GEORGE COX
EDITOR
KAREN VILLARREAL DAVID ALVARADO
MARIELA PEÑA
JOSE S. DE LEON III
GRAPHIC DESIGNER/ILLUSTRATOR
LORI HOUSTON ABBEY KUNKLE
DOMINIQUE Y. ZMUDA
MARIFER QUEVEDO
GRAPHIC DESIGNER/ILLUSTRATOR
SUSIE MARTINEZ ALLAN FISHER-GARCIA
KEVIN MARTINEZ PHOTOGRAPHER/SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
DANTE TUEXI DIGITAL MANAGER
ALLAN FISHER-GARCIA ASSISTANT EDITOR
CONTENT CONTRIBUTORS
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
ADRIANA DOMINGUEZ, HCISD CLAUDIA V. LEMUS, PSJA EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE
KEVIN MARTINEZ JAMES HORD
BILL MARTIN, CFP ®
GABRIEL ELIZONDO
WALTER REYNA, CFP
JOSE ANTONIO PEÑA
DR. MERCADO MATT LYNCH
IMAS
Note from the editor: In our Sept./Oct. issue, The article incorrectly titled ‘McAllen Metro’ described services provided by Metro Connect. Additionally, the printed version incorrectly states that seniors and students may ride the McAllen Metro for $1. Students and the elderly may ride McAllen Metro for $.50 with proper identification. Learn more about Metro Connect on page 80. For editorial comments and suggestions, please send e-mails to info@rgvisionmagazine.com. For advertising information, please call us at 210.618.8930 or e-mail us at info@rgvisionmagazine.com.
TABLE OF CONTENTS EDUCATION Robots on Campus!
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HCISD implements robotics program across all elementary, middle, and high school campuses.
College Ready at PSJA
14
Staying the Course
16
In the Making
18
A Grant for Donna ISD
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Projecting Into the Future
22
Students Make the News
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School district takes college readiness to the next level with 17th annual college night.
RGV Careers partners with Donna ISD, allowing 12th graders to complete their Medical Assistant program.
ON THE COVER Our Resilient RGV
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Economic recovery from the recession of ‘07-‘09 was slow throughout much of the country, but the RGV was poised to be less affected by the downturn and quicker to recover.
By Karen Villarreal | Cover Illustration by Mariela Peña
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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016
Jimmy Sierra will be a diesel tech with a degree from STC.
Grant writers assist school district with award to fund high quality pre-K and more.
RGVisionary Woman Sabrina WalkerHernandez makes a difference for the Rio Grande Valley’s boys and girls.
McAllen ISD’s KVIC club prepares future reporters, anchors and stage managers.
2016
VOLUME 8 ISSUE 6 November / December
BUSINESS
50
HEALTH
62
QUALITY OF LIFE
Granting a Helping Hand
30
Don’t Let Cancer Stop You!
54
Light Up the Night Gala
70
Year End Financial Checklist
Help your family keep more of your hard earned dollars, build a nest egg, and do good for others!
32
Where Life Begins
56
Bugs Invade IMAS!
72
Three Retirement Fears
34
SPI Marathon Time
60
Plantigrade Racing
76
The Mail Marketing Masters
38
Striving for Excellence
62
Hitting the Bullseye
78
Metro Connect to Ease Congestion
80
Knowing the differences between healthy and unhealthy relationships are very important.
Valley-wide bus service provides necessary public transportation services so individuals don’t need to drive to drive the economy.
Emergency-Ready
Who Runs the Field? Girls
82
Little Secret, Big Dreams
84
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The Educational Research Institute helps secure funds for organizations.
Don’t let the fear of financial instability discourage you from retiring.
Valley residents secure place in history with induction into the Smithsonian National Postal Museum
Small Businesses Need Advertising
You may not have a large budget for advertising, but you can do a lot with it. Advertising is a must!
Planting a ’CEED’
New Mission building to nurture local businesses, education, and tech innovation.
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50
Teen model Andrea Sierra Salazar took off her wig and is refusing to let cancer keep her from her dreams.
The Women’s Services department at Rio Grande Regional Hospital embraces families.
Annual race at the Island set for Nov. 2. Runners can avoid injuries by training smart!
TGI is the first medical office in the Rio Grande Valley to offer Virtual Colonoscopy to their patients.
Relationships & Mental Health 64
A Metropolitan Medical Response System outlines the best outcomes for disastrous situations.
Coming Home
66
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Thank you for supporting the Capable Kids Foundation’s first Gala fundraiser!
Visit McAllen’s art and science museum to see larger-than-life insects. Kids love them!
35th Annual All-America City 10K Run and Fun Run offers chance for runners to win big.
RGV Archery Academy trains locals for competition in ancient sport.
UTRGV Women’s Soccer is inspiring Valley girls on and off the field.
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La Jarra Ranch opens Assisted Living Center, Memory Center and Adult Activity Center in Raymondville. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016
Two-time White House Senior Executive and Harlingen native Moises “Mo” Vela releases book.
EDUCATION
ROB TS
ON CAMPUS! HCISD IMPLEMENTS DISTRICT-WIDE ROBOTICS PROGRAM By: Marifer Quevedo
n this day and age where technology has transformed and revolutionized human interaction, the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) approach to education is now more critical than ever. It is with this philosophy in mind that the Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District has implemented a district-wide robotics program across all elementary, middle, and high school campuses. “It is an exciting time for our district as we take robotics full-scale with the HCISD robotics initiative, thereby ensuring widespread accessibility of STEM-related activities for our students,” said superintendent Art Cavazos. “Robotics are an excellent way to engage our students in authentic learning experiences that will inspire them to pursue careers in STEM and show them what is possible when they work collaboratively to solve real-world problems.” Robotics club sponsors across the
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district have met to ensure vertical alignment across all levels and to cultivate a FIRST program that seamlessly flows from introduction to mastery of concepts and skills. Paul Tenison, engineering teacher at Harlingen High School, is enthusiastic about younger students strengthening programming and codewriting skills, allowing him and his team more time to fine-tune their robots, rather than spending time on learning coding fundamentals. The University Interscholastic League (UIL) robotics pilot program began during the 2015-16 school year, prompting the district initiative to extend the already growing robotics program. “Adding robotics to UIL has made funding available to promote and build robotics teams at every HCISD campus,” Tenison said. “Starting programming and coding for robotics at the elementary school level will provide a great foundation for the development of a STEM pathway to lead Harlingen students and the community to a level of technical ability
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greater than anywhere in the Valley.” In the past 16 years, students from the HHS Engineering and Tech clubs have qualified and competed at two state and four national competitions in various robotic events. Teams work for two hours after school, five days a week, Monday through Friday and some Saturdays. Out of 33 HHS Engineering Club members, 10 students will be screened and selected to partake in UIL robotic competitions, where they will implement design processes used by engineers to solve problems. Students use drafting, CAD skills, 3-D modeling, and 3-D printing technologies, and they must adhere to engineering safety and documentation procedures. Teams are responsible for the research, design, assembly, troubleshooting, and operation of different types of robots including underwater remotely operated vehicles (ROV), autonomous robots, and rockets with sensors and recovery systems. The high school robotics teams have previously collaborated with elementary
“It is an exciting time for our district as we take robotics fullscale with the HCISD Robotics initiative thereby ensuring widespread accessibility of STEM-related activities for our students.” Superintendent Dr. Art Cavazos.
schools through mentoring and motivational events created to promote robotics with the young students, but now the aspiring learners are experiencing first-hand the application of critical skills to real-world scenarios. Lamar Elementary library media specialist Diana Alfaro names public speaking as a major challenge at the elementary level. The robotics program addresses this challenge and promotes the four C’s of the 21st century: communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity. “Robotics is not just about robots,” Alfaro said. “Team members must also become comfortable speaking in front of an audience. Once our team creates their model, they will need to present it to classmates, parents, and eventually to unfamiliar audiences and judges. We work with the team and help them build their confidence and presentation skills, so they will be able to deliver an awesome presentation. We are opening the door to the world of STEM-related activities. This knowledge will help our students
discover how science and technology impact our world. Having exposure to these skills will give them a wider range of opportunities in their futures.” Second- and third-grade students are challenged to use curiosity, teamwork, exploratory research, and collaboration to solve a real-world scientific problem and express the solution using a model created with LEGO bricks. The model must include at least one simple machine and have moving parts. “HCISD embracing the FIRST philosophy and implementing this program throughout the district means that our HCISD students will have unparalleled access to skills and knowledge starting in kindergarten that truly build upon themselves all the way through high school,” said Caitlin Acosta, Vela Middle School science teacher and Robotics Club sponsor. “A lot of students can get involved in clubs, sports, music, or arts, but none of those extracurricular activities are supported from kindergarten through 12th grade. Parents have to look into private
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options for younger students and only in middle and high school does training for school programs become cohesive. Having FIRST robotics on every campus in our district guarantees student access to training and skill development over the course of their entire educational career.” The VMS Robotics Club fosters problem-solving strategies, computer programming skills, and critical thinking tactics as students in their competitive team design the construction of an EV3 Mindstorms robot and program it to perform a variety of missions. As part of FIRST LEGO League, students work for two to three hours a week learning the basics of programming while cultivating the FIRST core values.
HCISD is now the only district in the Rio Grande Valley to offer a full-scale robotics program at every campus. RGVISIONMAGAZINE.COM
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EDUCATION
TAKING COLLEGE READINESS TO THE NEXT LEVEL! 17TH ANNUAL PSJA COLLEGE NIGHT 2016 By Claudia V. Lemus From football games to finalizing their SATs and ACTs, the fall season for high school seniors is also crucial for their future as it comes with the pressure of selecting universities, meeting admission deadlines, and applying for scholarships. For the last 17 years, Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD (PSJA), in partnership with the Texas Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admission Officers (TACRO), has hosted an annual College Night event to provide students with access to important information regarding universities, tuition, scholarships, and financial aid. During this year’s PSJA ISD College Night, which was held Sept. 27, more than 1,500 students and parents packed the Boggus Ford Events Center in Pharr to meet with over 51 in-state and out-ofstate university representatives. Although the annual event aims to help high school seniors finalize their choices and encourage them to apply to college, PSJA College Night is open to students of all ages in hopes of motivating them to start their research early. Seeing representatives from dozens of institutions was a wonderful surprise to many students, especially for Bryan Marroquin, who is a senior at PSJA Southwest Early College High School. “Coming here, I didn’t know what to expect,” he said. “I’ve been blown away by seeing all these colleges.” 16
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"This year we had more than 50 universities represented. It was a great opportunity for students of all great levels to come out and learn about the admissions process for each school, scholarship deadlines, transferring credit hours, majors offered and establishing relationships with the universities." - Vera Boda, PSJA College Transition Lead
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With the district’s mission of encouraging all students to graduate college ready, college connected and college complete, a vast majority of them are enrolled in college courses each semester through dual and concurrent enrollment programs. Last year, over 1,300 students graduated with college credit hours and 232 earned associate degrees from South Texas College. For Alyssa Mendoza, a junior at PSJA Southwest ECHS, attending the event with her family helped her learn what she needs to do to be prepared for her senior year. "I feel very happy and grateful to have come tonight," said Mendoza, who is pursuing an associate degree in biology from South Texas College. “I think it's important to start focusing on your college goals early because as a senior you won't have much time to choose colleges." Through opportunities like College Night, PSJA hopes students become informed and aware of resources available locally, statewide and nationally. Working closely with their success in mind, the event is possible due to a team effort and collaboration with PSJA Financial Aid Officers and PSJA College Transition Specialists. "This year we had more than 50 universities represented,” said Vera Boda, PSJA College Transition lead. “It was a great opportunity for students of all great levels to come out and learn about the admissions process for each school, scholarship deadlines, transferring credit hours, majors offered, and establishing relationships with the universities." For Boda, seeing the great turnout made her realize how much the initiative has grown since 1999.
"It's so exciting to see how hundreds of students and parents came to take advantage of this event,” she said. “College Night has grown so much. We outgrew hosting it at the high schools three years ago. The City of Pharr has been so generous to sponsor this event by allowing us to use the building." This year, 51 in-state institutions attended the event, including Texas A&M University, the University of Texas at Austin, St. Edward’s University, Baylor University and the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, to name a few. Additionally, six out-ofstate institutions were present, which included the University of Missouri, Iowa State University and Santa Fe Institute of Arts and Design. In addition to bringing admission officers from universities, PSJA also had representatives from numerous organizations share valuable information regarding scholarships and advanced programs, such as the VAMOS Scholarship, the PSJA Education Foundation Scholarships, and the Joint Admission Medical Program.
“Coming here I didn’t know what to expect. I’ve been blown away by seeing all these colleges.” - Alyssa Mendoza, PSJA Southwest ECHS Junior
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EDUCATION
STAYING THE COURSE
RGV Careers Partners With Local School District By Lori Houston Photos by Jose Antonio Peña
The sound of Pomp and Circumstance and the cheers of proud parents, families and friends are deafening as high school seniors cross the stage to receive their diplomas. Whether or not the students enjoyed their time in high school, or are glad to see it end, it is a turning point in their young lives.
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But the next question is, what happens now? Some students from the Rio Grande Valley are making that decision before graduation by participating in job certification programs while still in high school. RGV Careers has partnered with Donna ISD, offering an opportunity for select high school students to complete their Medical Assistant program during their senior year. Seventeen students from both Donna high schools will be registered Medical Assistants upon completion of their training. “This is our first partnership with a school district, and we envision more.” says Dr. Annabelle Palomo, the School Director of RGV Careers. “We give them the same curriculum as the adults. We don’t water it down.” Instructor, Daniel Lopez points out. These students will need to master this
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information because they will have the same certification everyone else receives when they complete the program. The students attend every work day from 1 PM to 7 PM. Donna ISD busses the students to the RGV Careers campus and their parents pick them up after classes. RGV Careers provides food for the students because they understand the students are going non-stop all day. They are missing out on pep rallies and football games and many of them also work on the weekends. These are students who have an interest in the medical field and want to use this program to gain experience while they pursue it further. Many of them will need to work their way through college and this gives them the opportunity to get a good job in the medical field as they study in their chosen area. Some of the students have expressed an interest in becoming RNs or EMTs; others are still in the figuring it out stage. Stephanie Aguirre already knows what she wants for her future. “My goal after RGV Careers is to become a Radiologist. I would like to get a bachelor’s degree in Radiology.” Beginning their adult lives with this head start on a career in the medical field will have a great impact on their lives later on in the form of having developed a level of discipline that will carry them through their future goals, whether it is more schooling or getting established in their career. “This partnership may be the only opportunity at a higher education for some of these students.” says Ari Vela, the Director of Admissions at RGV Careers. Other school districts have approached RGV Careers and they have plans to partner with them in the future, but they wanted to start small with Donna ISD as they piloted the new program. Donna ISD pays for the students to be in the program so the students don’t have to pull out student loans for this course, allowing them to save their Federal Financial aid for further studies. RGV Careers hosted a very successful parent night to explain the program and what they were doing and it’s importance to the students. They wanted to express their desire to do what they can relieve any hardships in the way of the students finishing their course. With one hundred percent attendance, the parents were able to ask questions and express concerns about
their child’s participation in the program. Even though the students are sacrificing a lot to finish this program, they know it is worth it. Janeth Salas wants everyone in her community to know that there is “no barrier to achieving their goal.” She sees herself as an example of this because she hasn’t let being a teen mom stop her from continuing her education. She has plans to become a Pediatrician. This partnership between Donna ISD and RGV Careers will ultimately have a positive impact on the communities here in the Rio Grande Valley. These students are being given the chance to make something of their own lives that they may not have been able to do before, but educating them in the medical field will also increase the care given to Valley residents. Aspiring Physical Therapy Assistant, Melissa Perez, is also developing her interest in elder care. These students will be able to affect others’ lives for the better as a result of this opportunity. At the beginning of the program course, Mr. Lopez always asks his students to write down why they are there. “ I typically have
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in every class have one to three students that says ‘there are people that don’t believe in me and I want to prove them wrong.’” He describes one of his students as “extremely involved in every way. She has her school, our school, and band. She leaves directly from here to go march. She has a lot of responsibility, a lot of food on her plate, so to speak, but she is one of them that is proving them wrong in my opinion.”
“This is our first partnership with a school district, and we envision more. We give them the same curriculum as the adults. We don’t water it down." - Dr. Annabelle Palomo, Director of RGV Careers.
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EDUCATION
Jimmy Sierra DIESEL TECH IN THE MAKING By Lori Houston “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” This is the mantra Jimmy Sierra, a veteran Navy mechanic and a diesel technician in the making, lives by. Sierra has always dreamed of doing a job where he can work with his hands and that is why he chose to study diesel technology at South Texas College. His passion for hands-on work was really honed in the Navy. He worked with pressurization and fire extinguishing systems, gaining the most sought after qualifications even as a low ranking soldier at the time. Wanting to put his skills to the test, he decided to bring his learned wisdom to the civilian workforce. While still deployed with the Navy, Sierra researched the civilian equivalent to his military training, finally deciding that his experience working on various aircraft could transfer well to working on diesel trucks. Having always loved his Tonka toys and airplane models, he knew that he would love work on the real thing one day with a company like Caterpillar. Transitioning back to civilian life would came with some substantial changes, but Sierra was ready to get his life on track, and one of the first steps was to get educated. He had lots of plans after being discharged, including planning his wedding with his high school not-so-sweetheart. He had met his wife in high school, but she didn’t think too highly of him at the time. When telling his parents how they first crossed paths, she recalled that they’d met because “he pulled the fire alarm the first day.” Upon his return to the Valley, the couple had reconnected and fell in love. He wanted to be able to support his wife-to-be and himself successfully. Sierra knew that STC was his most reliable option. “My mom works for STC,” he said. “ I talked to her and she said, ‘Get into the catalogue, go ahead and talk to these people and they’ll point you in the right 20
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“I just don’t want to stop learning. There is so much to learn out there.” direction.’” The same month he was set to get out of the military, he started to register for classes. Sierra is now in his second semester. His teachers hold him in high regard, with one teacher even calling Caterpillar to give a recommendation. Sierra believes his military experience has taught him the discipline and responsibility he needs to take control of his life, taking him from being a “crybaby” to a self-sufficient young adult. He has also discovered a passion for teaching in the field he loves while assisting a fellow student learn the curriculum in a way that he understood, realizing that he wants to help inspire others to pursue their dreams. Sierra believes in a life without limits. “I just don’t want to stop learning,” he said. “There is so much to learn out there.” He now has plans for an associate degree after he finishes his certificate program. STC helped Sierra every step of the way in changing his entire career around. He describes his instructors as “top-notch” and recognizes that every teacher has their own way of teaching. He explains how each teacher goes above and beyond their call of duty to ensure that students are taught the real-world applications that they’ll need to know. “If there’s any problem that you’re having picking up the information, they don’t hesitate to stop and give you a little time,” he said. To the new students coming in, Sierra recommends that they know what it is that they want to do. “With your hard work and motivation, they (STC) will give you the right tools for your road to success,” he said.
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EDUCATION
A Grant For DONNA ISD Grant Writers Assist School District with Award By Susie Martinez
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"ERI has been successful in securing $9.9 million in grant funding for Donna ISD since 2008."
S
chools in South Texas are the foundation of the region’s success, with children being educated today to be the drivers of tomorrow’s economy, cultural atmosphere, and local government. At every level, funding is needed to allow schools to function at their fullest. With communities already doing their part to support schools through taxes, but not quite meeting the need, schools can find additional supportive funds through grants. The Educational Research Institute (ERI), a South Texas-based grant-writing organization, helped Donna ISD secure over $500,000 to continue the district’s mission to graduate healthy students prepared for college and the workforce. According to the 2014-15 Texas Academic Performance Report, Donna ISD has a total of 15,325 students and 2,544 staff members. Based on this same report, Donna ISD’s student demographics include 81.6 percent economically disadvantaged and 79.5 percent at risk. Donna ISD “Met Standard” on the 2014-15 Accountability Rating.
With ERI’s assistance, Donna ISD was awarded two grants: a High-Quality Prekindergarten Grant for $498,471 and a $64,976 Cafeteria Equipment Assistance Grant. The High-Quality Prekindergarten Grant provides supplemental funding to enhance existing prekindergarten programs in addition to the half-day Foundation School Program (FSP) funding that is already received for each eligible four-yearold prekindergarten student. The grant program focuses on certain enhanced quality standards related to curriculum, teacher qualifications, academic performance, and family engagement. The funding is only being used to improve the quality of the district’s existing prekindergarten program. The Cafeteria Equipment Assistance Grant provides the district with new cafeteria equipment, including holding hot and cold foods and improved serving lines. These items replaced existing equipment that was more than 10 years old and helped the campuses be more energy efficient.
Teamwork for Success
ERI has been successful in securing $9.9 million in grant funding for Donna ISD since 2008. This includes a total of 21 grants. The process to complete a state grant typically takes 30 to 45 days from the date the grant is announced until it is due to the funding agency. This process starts with a formal agreement between ERI and the district followed by a district and/or campus needs assessment conducted by the ERI staff. Once the needs assessment is completed, the ERI staff is able to produce a grant proposal to address the needs of the district and/or campus. The needs assessment process usually takes two to three weeks from start to finish. The ERI team has helped many schools and other organizations that have identified a funding source that they would like to apply for. Interested groups should contact the ERI office at (956) 365-4100 or learn more at www.erigrants.com.
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EDUCATION
Projecting into the RGVisionary Woman Sabrina Walker-Hernandez Makes a Difference for the Rio Grande Valley’s Boys and Girls
By Karen Villarreal
P
eople who don’t know me well sometimes get the wrong idea when I tell them that I spend all my time at the club,” says Sabrina Walker-Hernandez, her laugh filling the media room at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Edinburg Rio Grande Valley. “But it’s really true; I’m here every day!” Jokes aside, the way she lights up when she speaks about the nonprofit organization shows that she takes her position as chief executive officer of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Edinburg RGV very seriously. She has dedicated herself for the past 17 years to ensuring that the clubs’ mission is carried out to the fullest extent: providing opportunity to all youth in a positive, caring environment to enable them to become productive, responsible, influential citizens. Walker-Hernandez began her career after college (she earned an MPA and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Texas-Pan American), advocating for individuals seeking affordable housing. However, she soon found herself drawn to the Boys & Girls Clubs, which her son had attended as a child. “The mission of the Boys & Girls Club really resonates with me,” Walker-Hernandez said. “What we’re doing is helping kids who need us the most.” She explains that people have the mistaken idea that Boys & Girls Clubs are for low-income families, but there are children of all economic levels coming home to empty houses after school.
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programs are intended to empower youth to support and influence their community, sustain meaningful relationships with others, develop a positive self-image, participate in the democratic process and respect their own and others’ cultural identities. Aside from lessons on health, life skills, career development and more, recent activities she and her staff have introduced include a garden club, STEM programing in the form of school year and summer Robotics Camp (which is unaffordable to many families in the RGV), and an Empowering Girls Forum. The Empowering Girls Forum was a summer program intended to provide girls with role models and encouragement to follow their dreams. Walker-Hernandez explains that it’s vital that girls see themselves in their heroes. “When a little girl sees a successful woman that looks like her, she can imagine herself growing up to be like her — successful. We wanted to provide that, so we identified 12 women leaders from various industries and formed a summer program for girls.” She is animated as she explains that the women shared their life stories, their career paths, and engaged in question and answer sessions with groups of 12- to 14-year-old girls. The topic at hand: advice they would give, knowing what they know now, if they could talk to their pre-teen selves. Walker-Hernandez also organized field trips for the Boys & Girls Clubs kids to tour college campuses both in and outside of the Valley. They recently took a group to A&M College Station, Rice University, and the Houston Space Center. She shares that she was astounded to hear that many of her Clubs kids had never visited a college campus, despite having UTRGV right in our backyard. “When a child tours a college campus, they start to feel that they
“Single parents or families where both parents work full-time can bring their kids here, and they will be not only safe after school and out of trouble, but introduced to new opportunities that can really make a difference for them,” she said. Through programs and activities, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Edinburg RGV focuses on three priority outcomes: academic success, healthy lifestyles, and character and civic engagement. “Some Boys & Girls Clubs emphasize sports,” Walker-Hernandez said. “The Edinburg Parks & Recreation Department does a great job of providing that for our community, so we leave athletics to them and set our focus on other areas.” Walker-Hernandez is responsible for overseeing strategic planning for the direction for activities to maximize children's potential. “We want to give them the chance to do something they might not have done otherwise,” she said. “It’s all about creating opportunities.” According to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America website, the
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belong there,” Walker-Hernandez said. “Our families need to take advantage of that and start walking the campus to solidify the idea in their children's minds that they’re going to college.” Walker-Hernandez herself was recently awarded a scholarship from Boys & Girls Clubs of America to attend a two-day course at Stanford University related to the nonprofit sector. “I’m honored that the organization sees the value in investing in me and training me to further the Clubs’ mission,” she said, adding that the success is not hers alone. “I could not do what I do without my staff.” She is thankful for the guidance of May A. Flores, the former executive director who served for over 30 years. “She trained me for five years when I was director of operations for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Edinburg RGV,” Walker-Hernandez said. “I wouldn’t be here without her. She had a very hard — but fair — work ethic.” Walker-Hernandez also recognized other key individuals: vice president of operations Adriana Rendon, who was recently awarded Professional of the Year for the Southwest Region, and Gloria Segovia, family support supervisor, who was recently awarded Administrator of the Year. “I have a great team here!” Walker-Hernandez said. Walker-Hernandez is a major team player. She was awarded a 2012 Inspiration Award for her leadership, which was instrumental in the planning, fundraising, and establishment of the new Boys & Girls Club of Edinburg RGV Facility. The award is given to individuals whose actions have resulted in change for the Boys & Girls Club movement. She recalls that in the early days, the idea for
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I’ve always been surrounded by strong women. My mother was very involved with the church, organizing people and leading the congregation. I always thought that was the norm; women taking charge and getting things - Sabrina Walkerdone. Hernandez
a new facility was met with some resistance. “We were going to need $11 million,” Walker-Hernandez said. “Where were we going to get that kind of money?” She, along with her mentor, Ella de la Rosa, presented the idea to the Board of Directors of the Boys & Girls Clubs anyway, along with data about the area the facility was to serve. “Edinburg is very young,” Walker-Hernandez said. “48 percent are younger than 18 years old.” If she could get the go-ahead, this large population of children would have access to resources that could change their lives. “No one thought it could be done,” Walker-Hernandez said, but she has never been one to get discouraged. This was just the way she was raised — to be an unstoppable, positive force in the world. “I’ve always been surrounded by strong women,” she said. “My mother was very involved with the church, organizing people and leading the congregation. I always thought that was the norm; women taking charge and getting things done.” After securing the organization’s blessing, getting it done meant fundraising the large sum. Five years after the initial meeting with the board, the project’s naysayers were silenced and the community’s children honored with a gorgeous structure. “We raised the $11 million,” Walker-Hernandez said. “We did it!” With the facility up and running and programs underway, Walker-Hernandez can be satisfied that she’s making a difference — not only for children in the RGV, but for the world. “It sounds terribly cliche, but these children are our future,” Walker-Hernandez said. “Maybe it’s selfish, but I want to live in a world surrounded by good people.” With the work the Boys & Girls Clubs are doing Valley-wide and across the nation, her vision of a world populated by respectful, healthy, and educated individuals is bolstered. “We’re doing that work now,” she says, “so that it projects into the future.”
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016
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EDUCATION
KVIC STUDENTS MAKE THE NEWS By David Alvarado Photos by Kevin Martinez
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delina Chavez’s fifth grade student-journalists put more than just creativity and hard work into their weekly KVIC newscast. These future reporters, anchors and stage managers aspire to share the facts around the community all while gaining a firm understanding of leadership and public service through writing and public speaking.
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The KVIC newsroom is one of Fields Elementary School’s extracurricular clubs that accurately simulates a buzzing work environment. It is a place that challenges their leadership and ability to work as a team, particularly for the teacher running the show. “The KVIC club was an opportunity the school had for me when I was first started at McAllen ISD,” said Chavez, who is now in her third year of teaching after being trained and hired by Teach For America. Chavez never imaged it would be possible to run a student newsroom until her campus administrators informed her that she was the only sponsor available to do it. “Now with software like iMovie and platforms like YouTube, it’s possible to produce and broadcast episodes with the equipment students already have, so I was ready to dive right in,” Chavez said. It took some time before she was able to get the handle of how to run a newsroom staffed with the school’s best and brightest students. “It’s challenging because I’m learning so much myself but it has become a great hobby,” Chavez said. “Even at night when I'm editing, I’m reminded of how much I love it.“ Each broadcast, which is shot in Chavez’s green screen-equipped classroom at Fields Elementary, typically has three to four stories along with a meteorology report. KVIC’s student-journalists type out their script using a template and video record each episode using
“Its benefiting them academically, emotionally and career-wise,”
their iPads, provided to them by McAllen ISD. said Chavez, who earned The KVIC student-joura music performance nalists produce the broaddegree at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. cast a day in advance, after which it is uploaded to YouTube. The link is distributed to Fields Elementary teachers so they can broadcast it to all students during their homeroom period. The YouTube link also means that anyone, including parents and members of the community, can see the student-produced broadcasts. Chavez makes great strides in both motivating her students and ensuring they receive comprehensive training in all of the nuances of an effective news team. Students have the opportunity to work with the McAllen High School Choir teacher to learn about the importance of stage presence. In addition, once a year
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during a home football game, select students shadow McAllen ISD students in a media technology class, known as KMAC. Chavez’s student-journalists get to be on the football field during the game, assisting with broadcast, using the hardware and technology, and gaining real world experience. “We use a vertical team alignment which has the students learning from high schoolers, Chavez said. “This generates interest because they get to see what it will be like when they get older and its keeps them sustained throughout their academic career.” Chavez has managed to equip her student-journalists thanks to McAllen Education Grants, which exist to encourage and reward creative instructional approaches. Through this grant, Chavez acquired a green screen and tripods, among other essential equipment. The use of mobile devices and social media for reporting is no longer a novelty. Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube are some of the social media tools altering how journalists do their jobs and how people consume news. Help from the school district in addition to social
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media and user-friendly software that is available on iPads provided by McAllen ISD’s $20.5 million investment, one of the largest in Texas, has helped make this endeavor possible. Former superintendent James Ponce believed iPad technology is just what the district needed to provide its students with a rich, interactive classroom culture. Most of the students have never had access to this type of technology before. “It’s benefiting them academically, emotionally, and career-wise,” said Chavez, who earned a music performance degree at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. “It is doing so much more for them because of the reading fluency demands and hands-on experience.” Indeed, name something that an any employer wants in a young employee: from analytical thinking to writing skills and the ability to meet deadlines. It’s the myriad of skills journalism teaches students that uniquely prepare them through hands-on experience and rigorous literacy demands.
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BUSINESS
GRANTING A HELPING HAND
EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE HELPS SECURE FUNDS FOR ORGANIZATIONS By Karen Villarreal
I
Photos by Jose Antonio Peña
t may be hard to believe, but a team of 10 individuals have used the power of words alone to secure $269,464,797 in grants over the last 15 years. “We have assisted colleges, universities, schools, municipalities, hospitals, nonprofits, and even private sectors in receiving funds,” said Linda V. Alaniz, president of the Educational Research Institute. “I would have to say that the most satisfying part of my work is being able to secure funding that creates opportunities for organizations to expand their services beyond what they are already doing.” Although there are a variety of grants available through numerous funding agencies, each grant has its own goal and purpose. When grants become available, eligibility requirements for applicants are the first determining factor for whether an organization gets an award. The Educational Research Institute (ERI) provides grant-writing services, grant training, and grant evaluation services designed to assist agencies in applying and meeting the qualifications of state, federal, and private grant applications. “The grants that we secure typically allow for professional development (hiring and/or training existing employees), technology, and travel funds,” Alaniz said. “It is very common that the organizations do not have the local monies to fund these items and will do without them for as long as they have to.”
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ERI has been awarded of the The ERI team is composed of 10 full-time employees, grants it has applied for since 2001.* along with professional grant evaluators, administrators, professors, and field practitioners who offer grant evaluation, management, writing, and other related professional A total of has been consulting and strategic planning services to hundreds of secured for ERI’s clients.* agencies throughout the United States. “In addition, we provide technical assistance and sup*As of Sept. 30, 2016. port in doing external evaluations, on-site reports, and researching the effects that take place in programs that are awarded,” Alaniz said. After successfully securing funds for the school in the amount A Knack For Grants ERI was established in 2001 based on Alaniz’s previous history of $3.6 million over the course of five years, she realized that she and experience in grant writing. Alaniz holds a Master of Arts and had a talent in grant writing and decided to establish her own indeInterdisciplinary Studies in sociology and a Bachelor of Science pendent business. Since the inception of the Educational Research in education. Before founding ERI, she worked with Texas State Institute, Alaniz’s team has secured more than 269 million dollars Technical College–Harlingen, the University of Texas at Browns- for colleges, universities, schools, municipalities, hospitals, and ville/Texas Southmost College, and Rio Hondo ISD. During her nonprofits with a success rate of 80 percent. Although they have already worked with Alabama, Arkansas, tenure at these agencies, she was charged with leadership roles and even Canada, ERI is looking forward to expanding beyond along with the writing and competing for grants. “The very first grant I wrote was the 21st Century Community Texas to the remaining 47 states in the very near future. “Our ofLearning Centers grant for Rio Hondo ISD,” Alaniz said. “As with fice is open and willing to help any organization in applying for any project, the first time was nerve wracking. The pressure was funding,” Alaniz said. “There is no project that is too big for ERI all on me to acquire the funding necessary for the district to be to handle.” If any organization has identified a funding source that they would able to offer after-school programming for its students. This grant like to apply for, they should contact ERI at (956) 365-4100 or learn was highly sought-after, and schools across the entire United States more at www.erigrants.com. were competing.”
$269,464,797
IMPROVE YOUR ODDS WITH THESE TIPS FROM ERI Know Your Eligibility: Some grants have requirements for applicants such as classification as an institution of higher education or nonprofit agency, or demographic target (must serve a population of at least 40 percent economically disadvantaged, etc.) “However, there are a multitude of grants and foundations available and we would love to help any organization try to secure funding, when possible,” Alaniz said. “Any agency who is considering applying for funding, especially non-profit organizations, should ensure they have at least two years of financial statements.” Past Experience and Success: It is important that all organizations record their notable experiences and maintain a track record of their successes from the onset of their establishment. These statistics are important in showing how successful the organization has been and what it has accomplished over the years. For example, if the organization’s goal is to reduce homelessness, then it should be tracking how many homeless people it serves on a weekly, monthly, and annual basis. The organization should also be keeping track of where these
individuals placed in a shelter, where they were fed and how often, and whether any skills were taught to help them acquire and sustain a job. Buy-In: For those who have never worked with or managed a grant, it is a group effort to make it successful. Therefore, it is extremely important that the organization has “buyin” or support from its staff, directors, board members, and others, as well as the community. ERI recommends that the organization always solicit feedback from these individuals to ensure that everyone will do their part in helping meet the goals and objectives denoted in the grant. In-Kind Services: When the grant requires in-kind match, ERI suggests a non-cash contribution such as services to be provided or the labor of people assigned to assist with grant functions. These include custodians, business office personnel, or administrators. Other in-kind services may include utilities and facilities where the grant program will be offered.
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C DE
YEAR END FINANCIAL
Checklist Wealth Management Systems Inc. Bill Martin, CFP®
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Financial Advisor, 1845 Group at Morgan Stanley Morgan Stanley, McAllen, TX
A s we approach the end of the year, we inevitably
will see lots of lists…Christmas lists, Best of 2016 lists and New Years Resolutions even become lists that rarely get fully addressed. The following is an important checklist to review before the calendar turns over and it’s too late: 1. Age 70 ½ or older, you must take your Required Mandatory Distribution from your IRA, SEP or SIMPLE IRA, 401k or qualified retirement plan prior to year end to avoid one of the Uncle Sam’s most oppressive penalties, 50%!!! 2. Offset capital gains, by realizing losses in the same year to reduce your tax bill. Want to keep the position? No problem, buy the same number of shares at least 30 days before or after the sale to avoid a wash sale. 3. Maximize your employee contributions to your employer’s retirement plan to build your nest egg efficiently, up to $18,000 in a 401k (403b, TSP and 457 plans as well) and $12,500 in a SIMPLE IRA. 4. Self-employed & no employees, consider a Solo-K…that is a 401k for an individual (or immediate family). It must be established by year-end in order to take advantage of the tax advantaged contributions for 2016. 5. Pay taxes on income today and on your estate when you die (if greater than $5,450,000 per person)! Want to reduce your taxable estate, make gifts to any individual up $14,000 each year. If you can’t think of any friends or family who would appreciate the cash (I promise there are volunteers lining up), take a look at the next item. 34
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6. The United States is consistently the most
charitable nation in the world. Americans give more than any other nation. Aside from reducing your taxable estate, you can itemize those contributions against your income to save current income taxes. You are not limited to cash. Investments and real property provide a deduction of the current market value…appreciated stocks, real estate, jewelry, collectibles, art, cars, boats, etc. Be sure to seek the assistance of a competent tax advisor to determine the deductibility of the gift, it can be complicated. Americans love lists, most don’t add a penny to your pocket book. While this holiday season is sure to provide plenty of distractions and opportunities to add to personal debt, this list is intended to help your family keep more of your hard earned dollars, build a nest egg and do good for others. May you all be blessed in 2017!
Bill Martin is a Vice President with 1845 Capital of Raymond James, 7001 North 10th Street, Suite 205. McAllen, TX 78504. 956-331-2777 Raymond James & Associates, Inc., Member New York Stock Exchange/SIPC. Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER TM, CFP® (with plaque design) and CFP® with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements. World Bank “World Development Indicators Report” from 2006 ranks the U.S. as the most charitable by percentage of Gross Domestic Product (1.7%), followed by Canada and the Untied Kingdom (0.73% each).
BUSINESS
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BUSINESS
the MAI L M A R K ETI N G MAS TE R S VA L L EY RE S I D ENTS MAK E H I S TO RY Â By George Cox
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The business plan was hatched around the kitchen table in 1974 and quickly grew into a powerhouse in the fast-growing direct mail marketing industry.
Forty-two years of hard work later, the founders of LEE Marketing have secured their place in history as pioneers in a business model that touches almost everyone in the country. On Sept. 13, Ruthie and Norbert Ewers were inducted into the Smithsonian National Postal Museum in Washington, D.C.
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A Solid Start Now residents of Palm Valley, the Ewers launched the business in Grand Prairie, Texas, along with partner Liz Leonard. The Leonard-Ewers-Ewers partnership was the basis for the LEE DataMail name, later rebranded as LEE Marketing. They paved their road to success with good customer service and the dextrous management of changing trends. “We provided a high level of customer service in meeting our customers’ needs through on-time mail delivery and future product expansion,” Ruthie Ewers said. Providing quality service led to a big break from H. Ross Perot, the founder of Electronic Data Systems. LEE Marketing had completed a direct mail job for EDS and Perot was so impressed that he placed a personal call to Ruthie. “He was very pleased with the job we had done,” she said. “He told me that he wanted LEE Marketing to handle all his mail business.” Sons Joe and Ronnie Ewers joined LEE Marketing in 1984. Three years later Liz Leonard, one of the original partners, left the company and the family put the business on a fast revenue growth track through the next decade.
To learn more about LEE Marketing, visit their page at the Smithsonian: http:// postalmuseum.si.edu/americasmailingindustry/LEE-Marketing.html.
Joe Ewers became president, Ruthie and Ronnie concentrated on sales and marketing, and Norbert oversaw operations, employee relations, and banking. Ruthie was also a tireless supporter of the industry. She became a charter member of the Dallas Postal Customer Care Council and later was appointed as the first national chairperson of the Postal Customer Care Council by U.S. Postmaster General Marvin Runyon. LEE Marketing built an impressive customer base, providing direct marketing services for companies that included Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, the Dallas Cowboys, Dell Computers, Universal Studios, General Motors, Neiman Marcus, Dillard’s, and Macy’s. Ruthie traveled the country promoting the Postal Service and continued to help lead LEE Marketing on its track of success. Then in 1999, World Marketing, a division of the Omaha World Herald, made an offer to purchase the business. “I was tired,” she said. “When someone backs up to your dock and offers you a wonderful amount of money, it makes you stop and think.” At the time of the sale, LEE Marketing operated out of a 215,000-square-foot facility with 300 employees and revenues in excess of $25 million. Investor Warren Buffett, then a board member of World Marketing, was directly involved in the negotiations to purchase the Ewers’ company. Buffett went on to purchase the Omaha World Herald a few years later.
Change of Address Ruthie and Norbert started looking toward the next phase of their lives, which led them to the Rio Grande Valley. Norbert’s brother was living at Fun and Sun RV Park in San Benito, and a longtime customer of LEE Marketing, John Topp of Topp Direct Marketing, had always made Harlingen sound appealing. “‘Why don’t we go to the Valley and become Winter Texans?’” Ruthie remembered saying. They came down and had such a good time, they didn’t want winter to end. “We went back and sold our condo.” The couple returned, buying a house in the Harlingen Country Club. Never ones to just sit back and relax, Ruthie started another business, Glory B’s in Harlingen. “I was the Queen B,” she joked. Ruthie NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016
operated the gift shop with partner Gloria Boling for more than seven years before closing. Norbert and Ruthie Ewers have been longtime embodiments of the entrepreneurial spirit, now memorialized with their inclusion in the National Postal Museum. The family has found a home in South Texas, and Ruthie throws her energies into helping the community by becoming involved with the Harlingen Chamber of Commerce and a host of other community activities, including serving as co-chair of Taste of Harlingen and directing a major fundraising campaign for the Harlingen Arts and Heritage Museum. Because of her community involvement, Ruthie will be recognized as the Texas State Technical College Gala Honoree in December. RGVISIONMAGAZINE.COM
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By Allan Fisher-Garcia
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What is the first thing you think of when you hear the word “advertising?” A billboard? An aggressive sales pitch? Falsehood? It is no surprise advertising has developed a bad reputation considering it stems from the ancient practice of propaganda, which promoted biased and misleading information to promote the agenda of governments and other institutions. However, years of study on the theory and practice of advertising has led to the development of a legitimate and ethical industry. Principle No.1 of the American Advertising Federation’s Principles and Practices for Advertising Ethics states that professionals in the field “share a common objective of truth and high ethical standards in serving the public.” When I think about advertising, I automatically picture the character of Don Draper from the TV show “Mad Men.” According to Draper, “Advertising is based on one thing, happiness. And you know what happiness is? Happiness is the smell of a new car. It’s the freedom from fear. It is a billboard on the side of the road that screams reassurance that whatever you are doing is okay. You are okay.” To some extent, Draper is correct. Advertising does provide the consumer with a degree of intrinsic value. However, as a business owner, “happiness” may not be the most comforting explanation before you
decide to invest your hard earned money into advertising. The Economic Times defines advertising as “a means of communication with the users of a product or service. Advertisements are messages paid for by those who send them and are intended to inform or influence people who receive them.” When asked about what she thought about advertising, Jackie Joy Ho Shing, a young professional living in McAllen said, “I think of iconic brands like Nike and Amazon. It is the tactical and memorable advertising that keeps brands like these on my mind.” The operative word in Ho Shing’s statement is “memorable.” In today’s saturated market, a company’s success may depend solely on how well it can distinguish itself from the competition. Also, in our technologically, globalized world, you no longer just need to worry about the competitor down the street. Your business may also be competing with giant companies from around the world (like Amazon or Nike). Advertising can help your business or product become memorable. By placing an ad, you allow your business to demonstrate how it is a better choice than the other guy. Advertising allows your consumer to see what you have to offer. It provides the consumer with an intrinsic reassurance that buying your product or doing business with NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016
your company will make everything “okay.” This cannot be achieved by simply posting on a social media account and placing print ads in a magazine or newspaper. It is important to employ the services of an advertising professional to help you construct and disseminate a message that is true to your brand and that will reach your target audience. At RGVision Media, our educated and experienced staff of advertising and media professional can help you achieve these goals. Contact us today to set up a meeting and begin taking your business to the next level. In our next issue I will discuss the importance of objectives, the different kinds of objectives, and how they will help you and your ad team develop your advertising strategy.
Advertising can help your business or product become memorable. By placing an ad, you allow your business to demonstrate its how it is a better choice than the other guy. To learn more about advertising, visit rgvisionmedia.com or call us at 210-618-8930.
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BUSINESS
Our Resilient RGV We got past the Recession and are growing strong By Karen Villarreal
Though the effects of the Great Recession of ‘07-’09 were significant and longlasting nationwide, they were minimal in our region, which has since recovered quite well. After examining the RGV in several measures and comparing it to reported state and national statistics, we have to agree with Alex Meade, CEO of the Mission Economic Development Corporation. “If you drive around you can see things going up. You have developers building and making investments, both commercial and residential,” he said. “It’s a good time to be in the Valley!”
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Looking Back at the National Recession According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities’ Chart Book: The Legacy of the Great Recession, the collapse began in December of 2007 and ended in June of 2009 was the worst the U.S. has seen since the Great Depression. The economic situation at the time involved a housing market bubble caused by speculation and low interest rates that burst, leaving individuals with high mortgages that they couldn’t afford and banks with loans in default. According to a 2010 NBC News report, more than 1.2 million households were lost to the recession. Although economic recovery started in mid-2009, many parts of the nation have seen slow growth that still hasn’t reached prerecession levels. Among other factors, More than the CBPP lists high unemployment and low economic productivity as the legacy HOUSEHOLDS of the Great Recession. Nationwide, the job losses over were lost to the 2007-09 were unprecedented. Nearly recession 25 percent of the almost 8 million Americans who were unemployed remained so for an average of 28 weeks or longer. The worst previous episode was in the early 1980s, when the long-term unemployment share peaked at around 3 percent. Today the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the national unemployment rate at 5 percent and a record low long term unemployment rate of 1.19 percent (May of 2016).
1.2 million
Better in Texas Looking at those factors statewide, Texas as a whole was stable throughout the recession. According to Dr. M.Ray Perryman, in his article, “This is Not the 1980s,” it is a good sign that our state economy is adding jobs in other industries besides oil, the price of which rises and drops over the years. “Technology, advanced industries and other emerging industries are part of the story. Stability and growth in cornerstone industries like higher education and health care is also a contributing factor.”
Texas also almost completely escaped the housing bubble that destroyed other states, thanks in part to conservative lending practices, low cost of living, and reliance on property taxes. According to a 2010 article by Slate, relaxed zoning codes and abundant land kept price appreciation and speculation down. “Unlike many of its neighbors, Texas has state laws that prohibit consumers from using home-equity lines of credit to increase borrowing to more than 80 percent of the value of their homes,” Slate reported.
Locally, it was not as bad “We were almost immune,” said Meade in regard to the recession’s devastating effects on America’s housing market. We saw limited foreclosures as the result of conservative lending practices at local and regional banks. A Metrostudy 2014 survey revealed a humble, yet consistent growth in the local real estate market. “Inventories are improving, prices are rising, and there is a good pocket of construction in a small group of subdivisions,” the survey reports. “There are still issues with excess housing inventories in both the new home and resale markets, as well as foreclosure inventory. Complete recovery doesn’t occur until inventories are brought back in line with demand, and that still remains somewhere down the line.” Before the recession, the average sales price of a new single-family home increased by an average of more than 8 percent annually, with average sales price of a single-family home in the Mcallen-Edinburg-Mission area sitting at $120,500 from 2006 through 2007. In 2016, average mortgage size in the area increased 20.5 percent from a year earlier to $182,384. In the BrownsvilleHarlingen metropolitan area, the average price of new homes was $140,895 in 2016.
Nearly
25%
OF 8 MILLION AMERICANS who were unemployed remailed so for an avg. of 28 weeks or longer.
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Before the recession, the avgerage price of a new single-family home increased by an average of
8% ANNUALLY
48
In 2016, average mortgage size in the area increased
Texas accounted for more than
16% 20.5% from a year earlier to $182,384
of u.s. goods exported in 2015
Growing With No Sign of Slowing
Made in the RGV
Home sales are only one indication of the economy; construction and the growth that comes with it is another. In 2007, amid a recession, the Valley saw a record-setting $1.48 billion worth of construction permits filed in Valley cities; Harlingen, McAllen, Edinburg, Brownsville, and Mission all broke the $100 million mark in permitted construction activity. This activity has not slowed over the years; Valley cities recorded $926.8 million in building permits in 2013. According to the Valley Business Report, Harlingen and McAllen showed $134.9 million in commercial construction and $62.3 million in new home construction that year. Continuing the pattern, a City of Edinburg press release announced that construction and related building activities in Edinburg totaled almost $20 million during March 2016, bringing the total value of construction activities in the city to almost $65.2 million during the first quarter alone. However, Salvador Contreras, associate professor in the Department of Economics and Finance at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, says much of the growth in the RGV is mostly attributed to population growth. According to his findings, the population of Hidalgo County has grown at an average of 2.6 percent annually from 2000 to 2015 to the current high of 842,304. “Cameron County has had a growth of 1.5 percent over the same period of time,” he said, while the average annual growth of all MSAs in the United States is 0.5 percent. The economic benefits of population growth include a larger labor market, more revenue for local businesses as demand grows for products and services, and federal investment into densely populated regions. “All indications appear to suggest that over the next year or two the area will continue its current trajectory,” Contreras said.
Manufacturing is a staple of a free market economy, as it’s the basis for mass production and consumption. The contribution of manufacturing to the U.S. economy has almost doubled since the second quarter of 2009, from $1.7 trillion to $2.17 trillion in 2015. In 2015, that was 12.1 percent of gross domestic product in the economy. Texas alone accounted for more than 16 percent of U.S. goods exported in 2015, with more than $251 billion in goods exported. According to a 2010 article by Slate, manufactured goods like electronics, chemicals, and machinery account for a bigger chunk of Texas' exports than petroleum does. Since the introduction of NAFTA, the Valley has been a hotbed for manufacturing. The McAllen Foreign Trade Zone created more than 30 years ago was the first inland non-seaport trade zone in the United States. Today, the McAllen Foreign Trade Zone consists of over 775 acres, and offers full service logistics solutions to over 100 clients representing over 42 countries worldwide. Companies are drawn to the McAllen Foreign Trade Zone because of favorable business conditions such as low taxes, affordable housing, and a young and increasingly skilled workforce. According to an article by the Rio Grande Guardian in 2016, McAllen has one of the youngest populations along the border. “The median age for McAllen is 28.4 years,” it cites, comparing it to Texas’s median age of almost 34, and 37 nationwide. Because of the interaction with the border of Mexico, the success of the RGV’s manufacturing sectors depends on the value of the dollar and peso. “If the peso stays where it is or about there, we should continue to see a lot of activity from manufacturing companies moving into the area,” said Keith Patridge, McAllen's Economic Development Corporation's
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president. “I think we’re going to continue to see a strong growth pattern here. It’s not going to be crazy growth but it will be a good steady growth period for the foreseeable future.”
We had consumers who would come in from Mexico, so the downturn was something that didn't impact us as much.
Positioned for Recovery The Valley was listed several times as being “recessionproof ” for its quick recovery to pre-recession levels. “We definitely didn't suffer as much as other parts of the country,” Patridge said. This could also be due in part to our location on the U.S.-Mexico border, as it has been estimated that cross-border commerce creates nearly 9,650 jobs and contributes about $767 million annually in total economic impact to the region. “We benefitted from being so close to the border,” Meade said. “We had consumers who would come in from Mexico, so the downturn was something that didn't impact us as much.” With the many shopping plazas Cross-border in McAllen and the construction of commerce creates the outlet malls in Mercedes, the Rio Grande Valley is a shopping destination for international travelers. According to a 2012 report, 35 to 40 percent of retail sales in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission area were made by Mexican nationals, And contributes to and 30 to 35 percent of Brownsville’s, accounting for around $4.5 billion per year in Texas border retail. In 2014, the City of McAllen achieved over $7.1 billion in total retail sales. This represents 37.9 percent of all retail sales ANNUALLY in Hidalgo County. Edinburg also saw an in total economic 8 percent growth in local retail economy impact to the region in 2015 over the previous year. We cannot forget to mention the low cost of living in Hidalgo County, which is approximately 25 percent lower than the U.S. average. According to the Council for Community and Economic Research, Hidalgo County compares favorably to other Texas regions in several cost of living factors like food, housing, utilities, and transportation. A low cost of living means individuals have more money to spend or invest, both of which are a boon to the economy.
9,650 JOBS
$767 million
Investment The recession shook the financial markets, and unlike the housing market’s regional pockets, the stock market is the same everywhere. “Whether you live in New York or the Valley doesn't make a difference when you own stock in a company,” said Bill Martin, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional in the McAllen office of Raymond James & Associates, Inc. member NYSE/SIPC. According to Investopedia.com, stocks fell 50 percent or more from their highs through March 2009 before rallying more than 50 percent once the crisis began to ease. Martin explained that 10 years ago, you saw reasonable interest rates on certificates of deposit (CDs) or bonds. “Significantly higher than they are today,” Martin said. “You could get a 5 percent CD — today those rates don’t exist. That same one-year CD is closer to 0.5 percent. That makes a big difference if that was part of the income you lived on.” The traditional CD buyer may then be enticed to do things they aren't comfortable with to make up for that lost income — buying longer term bonds to get the same interest rate, or buying dividend paying stocks or other income investments like real estate. “I believe that contributes to the volatility of the stock market,” Martin said. “People who wouldn't necessarily be in that type of investment are now subjected to volatility; when things start to get scary they’re more likely to sell and that further exacerbates the stock market’s movement.”
Risk and Payoff “Risks are inherent with that type of business, but historically, it’s been hard to beat the return in the long run,” Martin said. “Prices change day-to-day, but they
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have outperformed most every other asset including real estate or bonds over history. It's a good thing to own, particularly when you’re trying to manage your money.” He says it is better when people are comfortable with the idea of risk and are taking appropriate risk for their age and stage in life. “You just have to get comfortable with the idea that the investment is a sound one, and you bought it for the right reasons — knowing ahead of time that it’s going to be cyclical and being ok with that ride. They have to be able to say, ‘I will sit through those cycles.’ If they’re not … as soon as it goes through some cyclical downturn, they’re going to sell and lose money.” Individuals who are not yet participating in the stock market at all are missing out on ownership of a business. “You can own the stocks individually, or you can spread out your risk over dozens, even hundreds of companies represent industries across the U.S.,” Martin said. While there are different ways to own businesses in the stock market, there are just as many ways to be taken advantage of, which is why he stresses the need to work with a reputable adviser. “You need to work with someone who can provide referrals and has a history of working with people and their money. It doesn't have to be me,” he said, “but it has to be somebody reputable. I don't want people taken advantage of. If you understand the risk that's one thing, but if someone is offering a high reward with no risk, there is probably something wrong.” He explains that scammers will often promise a riskfree, unrealistic interest rate for current markets. “There’s a reason it sounds too good to true. It probably is,” he said. “Don’t get caught chasing something that isn't real.” Sources: https://www.perrymangroup.com/2016/09/26/this-is-not-the-1980s/ http://riograndeguardian.com/mcallen-edinburg-mission-now-5th-largest-msa-in-texas/ http://www.newgeography.com/content/001680-how-texas-avoided-great-recession http://www.slate.com/articles/business/moneybox/2010/04/lone_star.html http://www.cbpp.org/research/economy/chart-book-the-legacy-of-the-great-recession http://www.metrostudy.com/38543-2/ https://www.dallasfed.org/assets/documents/research/events/2013/13bedes_coronado.pdf http://www.builderonline.com/local-housing-data/mcallen-edinburg-mission-tx http://www.investopedia.com/features/crashes/crashes9.asp http://texasborderbusiness.com/harlingen-mcallen-edinburg-lead-valley-building-boom/
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Looking forward Several factors are currently making our economy fluid, like the price of the peso, the decreasing violence in Mexico, the upcoming election, and American debt. However, Contreras says that overall, economic activity in the U.S. has been relatively strong. While there is no denying that students are being burdened by the debt they will likely carry for decades after graduation, Contreras says it is not clear that the just under $1.4 trillion student debt will lead to economic recession. “A recession in the next year or two is highly unlikely,” he said. “While Americans in general carry much debt, there is no indication that this is unsustainable. For example, in the second quarter of 2016, consumer service on debt accounted for about 5.5 percent of disposable income. Assuming continued strength in the labor market, debt is manageable.” According to the Chart Book, the 8.7 million jobs lost between the start of the recession in December 2007 and early 2010 have been recovered, and more continue to be added. It is expected that The Rio Grande Valley will remain a strong market with steady growth. The Center of Border Economic Studies at UTRGV will host their Economic Forecasts Luncheon event in January 2017 where the center will present their economic forecasts for the region and discuss the sustainability of economic growth.
https://www.huduser.gov/portal/publications/pdf/cmar_mcallentx.pdf https://www.huduser.gov/publications/pdf/mcallentx_comp_2014_new.pdf http://www.nam.org/Newsroom/Top-20-Facts-About-Manufacturing/ https://www.huduser.gov/portal/publications/pdf/cmar_mcallentx.pdf https://tx-hidalgocounty.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/Home/View/4158 http://edinburgedc.com/edinburg-construction-grows-7-65-passes-65-1-million-firstquarter-2016 https://www.huduser.gov/publications/pdf/mcallentx_comp_2014_new.pdf https://assets.recenter.tamu.edu/documents/mktresearch/RGV_NAI_ECONOMIC_ REPORT_2015.pdf
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BUSINESS
A
fter two years of planning and construction, the Mission Economic Development Corporation is unveiling the city’s first ever technological hub.
PLANTING A
’CEED’ New Mission Building to Nurture Local Businesses By Jose De Leon III Photos by Kevin Martinez
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Opened to the public Oct. 12, Mission’s Center for Education and Economic Development — CEED — building serves as a coworking space for business professionals. The 55,000 square foot location on the corner of North Bryan Road and Business 83 contains classrooms, computer labs, offices, a lecture hall, media lab, conference rooms, a coffee shop, and 285 open floor seats. Some of the organizations that will be housed in the CEED include Sylvan Learning, Schreiner University, Teach For America, PeopleFund, and various startups that have come out of the Mission Ruby Red Ventures program and other Mission programs. According to MEDC CEO Alex Meade, the building was purchased by a local investor who was hoping to lease the building out to retail tenants and requested Meade’s help in selling it. However, once Meade and the MEDC saw the building, they realized they could use it to house most of their programs, as the original headquarters for the MEDC was too small to do so. “With Ruby Ventures alone, we’ve had 180 entrepreneurs go through it and we fund 10 businesses a year from it,” he said. “We could fill up this building with offices for those businesses alone. Ultimately, we hoped to create an environment for local business leaders that will nurture innovation within the community as a way to invest locally in our own community. If we don’t invest in our own community, how can we expect others to invest in us?” Meade and the MEDC convinced the property owner to lease the building to them and then renovate it. A total of $6 million was spent on renovation while the MEDC chipped in an additional $2 million for IT and furniture. The CEED building is split into three wings — Education, Entrepreneurship, and Technology — with each wing housing businesses or programs with the intent of creating a culture of collaboration and creativity. Among the ways that technology will be implemented, the CEED building will be housing a 12-week coding course for adults that was developed by non-
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The 55,000 square foot location on the corner of North Bryan Road and Business 83 contains classrooms, computer labs, offices, a lecture hall, media lab, conference rooms, a coffee shop, and 285 open floor seats.
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The CEED building is split into three wings — Education, Entrepreneurship, and Technology — with each wing housing businesses or programs with the intent of creating a culture of collaboration and creativity.
profit organization Code RGV and funded by MEDC, Workforce Solutions, and the Texas Workforce Commission. The public will be allowed access to the building to use it via a monthly fee that can range from $35 for college students to $200 for entrepreneurs. Different fee levels grant access to different CEED services — such as classroom or lecture hall reservations and 24/7 access to the building. Among the amenities a membership includes is free coffee from Jitterz Coffee Bar, which will open a second location inside the building. “We don’t just want to create a tech hub, we want to develop talent and we have found that teaching computer science skills is a skillset that can apply to any industry anyone goes into,” Meade said. “Coding, for example, can teach you about logic, problem solving, and critical thinking. “At the end of the day, if you have a better educated workforce, you can recruit better companies. If you have a workforce that only knows how to work with their hands, they will never be recruited into high paying jobs.” Jon Stevens, the managing director for Teach For America, is already seeing the CEED building improving his organization. Teach For America moved into the building in the middle of September after their lease in their original location expired. According to Stevens, the original office for TFA in the Neuhaus Tower on 10th Street and Business 83 could not accommodate large classrooms to train teachers. That’s expected to change in the new headquarters for the organization. “In the past we could not hold a class of more than 15 people in our original office,” Stevens said. “We’ve had to hold those trainings in rotating locations between different schools in different towns. Here, though, it’s much more convenient having so much 54
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shared classroom space and lecture hall that we can utilize within walking distance of our office.” The organization first heard of the of the CEED Building from Meade, who serves on TFA’s regional advisory board. According to Stevens, Meade explained to the organization how the building would serve as a networking hub for different people from different businesses to ensure the city of Mission develops local talent. “I think this building can be a proud symbol in the community. Besides looking great, this building is focused on elevating education and business opportunities in the community. People should be proud of having it here. And it’s exciting that Teach For America is part of that.”
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HEALTH
CANCER BY ABBEY KUNKLE 56
PHOTOS BY GABRIEL ELIZONDO
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o many of us have heard those dreaded words. We all know of someone, a friend, family member, or even you may have been diagnosed with cancer. Cancer doesn’t discriminate, and when it is a 17-year-old girl with so much to look forward to, life seems all the more unfair. But this wise and beautiful young woman, Andrea Sierra Salazar, has put her focus on something that she loves to do, rather than dwelling on the negative. Andrea, our own McAllen native and student at Idea Quest Academy, has taken on this challenge and is inspiring people all over the world along the way.
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Since being diagnosed with cancer in February, it has already been a whirlwind of a journey for Andrea. She found the large lump on her neck early this year, and after visiting her doctor to address her and her family’s concerns, their fears were confirmed with the diagnosis of nodular sclerosis Hodgkin lymphoma. During her treatment, Andrea has not only been fighting to beat cancer but also inspiring others to have confidence in themselves and reminding people to do what they love. Due to chemotherapy and radiation, Andrea began to see and feel the toll that treatments take on the body, with one of the most visible and recognizable signs being hair loss. Though she experienced initial insecurities, Andrea’s mother encouraged her to shift her focus onto what she loves to do. This encouragement, along with the passionate heart that Andrea has put into it, has led to something neither of them could have imagined. The pursuit of her dreams started out as a means of distraction, something to provide enjoyment and remind her of the things she loves in life. Modeling became an escape, and with it, she began to regain confidence in herself and who she is not just on the outside, but on the inside as well.
Andrea realized that she was proud of how she looked and what she had gone through. With the help of this renewed confidence, she had the idea to do a princess-themed photoshoot without her wig. Shortly after being posted on Twitter, Andrea’s photographs quickly went viral and now have over 100,000 retweets and 200,00 likes. Andrea’s photos were shared on popular magazine sites, and she has since been interviewed for television spots, including her most recent interview with The Doctors show in Los Angeles. She has also had the opportunity to walk in numerous fashion shows and has been invited to participate in benefit events here in the Valley and throughout the country to raise money for cancer research and treatments. Andrea said she never expected the reaction she received. However, she has taken this opportunity as a chance to help others. Since she posted her photos, many people, including those with cancer as well as others facing various challenges in their lives, have reached out to Andrea. Getting involved in something she enjoyed helped her to stay positive and get her mind on something other than her treatment. For anyone going through a similar experience, Andrea said, “I would tell them to get engaged with things they like to do. It was something really important to kind of distract myself and, for me, that was modeling.” She added, “Do more than ever what you love to do.” Thankfully, Andrea is feeling well and has recently finished her last rounds of chemotherapy and radiation. She shared that family and friends here in the RGV are happy for her and love to tease her for her newfound fame and all the attention she has been given. She also said it has been important for her to stay humble
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and is thankful for the sweet messages she receives. Andrea plans to continue using her new platform and experience to give back to the community and is extremely thankful for the community service that she has already been able to do in these last few months. “I feel like I’m super blessed just to give back to the community,” she said. “It is very important to me.”
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Where Life BEGINS Women’s Services At Rio Grande Regional Hospital Embraces Families • By Karen Villarreal • • Photos by James Hord •
W
hen we celebrate birthdays, we commemorate the day we began to exist — perhaps the most significant event of our lives. However, we tend to forget that our parents’ lives also change that day. “It’s a very rewarding experience to witness and share in the birth of a baby with families,” says Nadine Barnes, Director of Women’s Services and Neonatal Intensive Care Nursery at Rio Grande Regional Hospital. “We still cry with joy; we get very emotional. Bringing a life into the world is amazing every time.” While its comprehensive women’s health services provide a full range of OB/GYN expertise, from prenatal care and labor and delivery through postpartum care, Rio Grande Regional Hospital is not just dedicated to women, babies, and children — it is dedicated to the entire family.
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Families Matter The Children’s Medical Center at Rio Grande Regional Hospital is taking pediatric care to the next level. They provide the specialized expertise of a comprehensive pediatric team — committed to excellence and innovation in caring for their youngest patients. For example, services that are not performed at a pediatrician’s office but do not necessarily require hospitalization are offered through the Children’s Medical Center-Kid’s Express area. Kids Express is designed to offer minimally invasive services such as lab work, X-rays, antibiotic therapy, and other medical services performed in an outpatient setting. “This area is designed to make the sometimes difficult healthcare experience easier and less stressful for both the parent and child,” says Carolyn Dominguez, Director of Pediatrics, Pediatric Step-Down, and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.
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Carolyn Dominguez, RN, Director Medical-Surgical, Pediatric, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Pediatric StepDown, Bariatric
Whether sharing results or other information related to the care of a child, the staff in the Children’s Medical Center works hard to ensure they are always educating and maintaining the patient’s family informed and up to date on their child’s care. “It’s the hardest thing for a parent to see their child ill, so we do everything we can to ease their worries,” Dominguez says. Dr. Krishna Turlapati, Pediatric Intensivist and Medical Director of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Rio Grande Regional Hospital, created a positive impact on both the children and parents in the RGV. He advocated for parents to spend more time with their little ones when they are in the hospital. “I was adamant about parents being at their children’s bedside,” Turlapati says. “Today it’s the standard — guardians are allowed to see and/or stay with their child during their hospital stay.” This full access extends to the parents of the baby’s in the nursery as well. The rest of the family has extended visiting hours, too. “This is also very important to families,” Turlapati says. “Over the years, many parents have thanked us for treating their child and for allowing them to hold their child’s hand every step of the way.”
Preparing for Baby Rio Grande Regional Hospital goes above and beyond to prepare and treat expectant mothers. The hospital’s Women’s Services Department works in conjunction with four Rio Grande Women’s Clinics in Hidalgo county. These clinics provide a full range of services for well woman care and pregnancy monitoring, along with the option for their patients to deliver their babies at Rio Grande Regional Hospital. “It is very common for pregnant women and their partners to be nervous,” says Dr. Jennifer AlmonteGonzalez, Obstetrician/Gynecologist and Chief of Staff at Rio Grande Regional Hospital. To prepare parents, the staff offers pre- and postnatal education at every checkup, and encourages attendance to the hospital’s birthing and breastfeeding classes. The childbirth class covers the stages of labor, pain relief options and care of the newborn. International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLC) lead breastfeeding classes that can prevent common problems, and on-site lactation specialists are also available to help once the baby is born. The educational programs are open to all members of the community at no charge. Prospective parents are welcome, along with their spouse, partner or
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Dr. Krishna Turlapati, Pediatric Intensivist, Medical Director of Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Rio Grande Regional Hospital
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“Over the years, many parents have thanked us for treating their child and for allowing them to hold their child’s hand every step of the way.” • Dr. Krishna Turlapati •
Dr. Liliana Padilla-Williams, shared by the nursing staff starts to be particularly Obstetrics/Gynecology, relevant. Almonte-Gonzalez says the hospital supports Chief of Obstetrics/ mothers’ decisions to have an unmedicated birth. Gynecology at Rio Grande “Sometimes, they change their mind once they’re in Regional Hospital
support person. Classes are taught in English, but arrangements can be made for instruction in Spanish. Call (956) 632-6299 for more information or to schedule a personal hospital tour of our birthing rooms, nursery and postpartum areas. A staff of certified registered nurse anesthetists dedicated specifically for the Labor and Delivery and Women’s Services area make sure to let parents know their pain management options. All nursing staff in Women's Services are trained in the Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) and breastfeeding education. “Every nurse in the women’s services unit is required to take NRP updates every two years,” Barnes says.
Welcome to the World Online Registration for the Labor and Delivery unit at Rio Grande Regional Hospital helps save time when patients arrive, ensuring the comfort and well-being of both mother and child. Upon arrival, expectant mothers are set up with fetal monitoring devices. Almonte-Gonzalez explains that their telemetry monitors allow for wireless monitoring so mothers can walk freely and safely. Walking can make mothers more comfortable and actually help speed up the dilation process. Once the contractions start, all the information about the benefits and risks of pain relief that was
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the delivery room and that’s OK,” Almonte-Gonzalez says. “We can usually apply the epidural even if we’re very close to delivery.” The hospital has 14 LDR’s where the expectant mother can labor, deliver and recover after giving birth. The private birthing suites are larger to allow the family to be present and also include comfortable sleeper sofas. These are full size beds made available to the partners to help make them feel comfortable when they stay over with the mom. Some women opt to have a C-section as their birth method; other times it’s an emergency situation. No matter the case, Rio Grande Regional Hospital’s stateof-the-art dedicated C-section operating rooms with specially trained staff provide peace of mind to families going through this operation. The C-section rooms feature clear surgical drapes, which allows mothers to witness the baby’s birth from a sterile environment. “This is something many parents thought they would have to give up with a non-vaginal birth,” says Dr. Liliana Padilla-Williams, Obstetrician/Gynecologist and Chief of Obstetrics/Gynecology at Rio Grande Regional Hospital. “We also allow the other parent to cut the cord if that’s something they want to do.”
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Dr. Jennifer AlmonteGonzalez, Obstetrics/ Gynecology, Chief of Staff at Rio Grande Regional Hospital
Nadine Barnes, RN , Director of Women’s Services and Neonatal Intensive Care Nursery
A Comforting Touch Whether it was a cesarean or vaginal birth, Rio Grande Regional Hospital implements protocols that allow for immediate skin-to-skin contact between mother and baby. The baby is placed on the mother’s chest as soon as the cord is cut. Studies have shown that newborns who are placed skin-to-skin with their mothers face greater stability with their respiratory system, temperature, glucose levels, and mothers also benefit in many ways. This once-in-a-lifetime experience is not interrupted unless the baby or mother require medical intervention. “What’s important is having the baby and family together,” says Padilla-Williams. If the father would like, nurses can assist him with skin-to-skin interaction as well. “It’s a beautiful bonding experience for the parents and new baby.” A nurse or a physician is present for the skin-to-skin experience to monitor the brand new baby’s safety and provide support to the parents. Rio Grande Regional Hospital’s team is very well-trained and informed and up-to-date on current practices. For example, the “first spank” popularized by movies is not a practice you will see at Rio Grande Regional Hospital. “The delivery nurse or physician will rub the baby’s back or tickle their feet to stimulate the baby,” Barnes says. “And you don’t have to put a secret mark on the newborn to prevent a mix up.” At Rio Grande Regional Hospital, identical wristbands are placed on both the parents and the babies in the room at the time of birth. The baby also has an alarm sensor placed on their umbilical cord. Should the baby be moved when or where they shouldn’t be, an alarm will be triggered and the entire hospital will go into immediate lockdown.
“We see women whose pregnancies are at 23 to 32 weeks, but are having complications like infections, pregnancy-induced hypertension, diabetes, or premature rupture of membranes,” Barnes says. “It can be very dangerous when babies are born at less than 28 weeks, so we want to maintain the safety of mom and baby until around 39 weeks.
Quality Care in the NICU If a baby is born prematurely or critically ill, they will be moved to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). “Because we can’t anticipate everything, we have the neonatologists and staff on standby 24/7,” Barnes says. “If surgery is required, we have the team and capabilities to perform the surgery within minutes.” The NICU staff has extensive education and experience in dealing with premature babies and the unit is equipped with the most up to date equipment to care of our pre-term infants. Rio Grande Regional Hospital’s NICU is equipped to handle many complications. “We are able to make sure that our patients are well cared for here, so they can avoid the inconvenience of travel,” says Dr. Muzamil Noorani, Pediatric Critical Care and Chief of Pediatrics at Rio Grande Regional Hospital. “Our patients are part of our family. You can see the concern in the nurses and other staff members — saving lives isn’t just work to them. When patients get better and you see the change, it’s very heartwarming.”
Committed to Care Since 1982, Rio Grande Regional Hospital has been providing exceptional quality care, consistently serving the healthcare needs of residents in the Rio Grande Valley. “We plan to keep up with the needs of our community, and we’re positioned to meet the demand,” Noorani says. Rio Grande Regional Hospital is an HCA-affiliated hospital proudly offering the entire Rio Grande Valley with healthcare you can trust. Learn more at www.riohealth. com.
Ensuring Safety If a mother is not ready to deliver but is having complications, she can stay in one of the nine high-risk pregnancy suites, dedicated for women who need bed rest and/or monitoring until her baby is far enough along for delivery.
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Dr. Muzamil Noorani, Pediatric Critical Care, Chief of Pediatrics at Rio Grande Regional Hospital
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SPI MARATHON
TIME Annual Race At The Island Set For Nov. 2. Runners Can Avoid Injuries By Training Smart! By Matt Lynch
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“The excitement at the starting line is amazing – the commitment that these people have can all be captured by gaining a medal at the finish line – it’s a reward for all of the effort.” - Marathon Medical Director Dr. Michael Eisen -
HARLINGEN — Preparations are under way for the annual SPI Marathon, scheduled for Saturday Nov. 12th in Port Isabel and South Padre Island. Valley Baptist Health System will serve as the medical sponsor and official hospital for the event which will include a full and half marathon which begin at 6:30 a.m. The starting line will be located at the corner of Manautou and HWY 100 in Port Isabel. Shuttles for registered runners will run from South Padre Island to the starting line in Port Isabel starting 4:30 a.m. and ending at 5:45 a.m. The finish line for both races will be at Clayton’s Beach Bar, located at 6900 Padre Blvd. “The excitement at the starting line is amazing – the commitment that these people have can all be captured by gaining a medal at the finish line – it’s a reward for all of the effort.” Marathon Medical Director Dr. Michael Eisen says events like the SPI Marathon are key to the fitness community in the Rio Grande Valley and can be a motivational tools for those looking to lead healthier lives. When it comes to living a healthier life, Eisen says that running a marathon is not a requirement. Walking and running can help in the fight against diabetes and obesity, with the health benefits of exercise outweighing the potential risk of injuries from participating in athletic pursuits. Recent reports predict that one-third of Americans will develop diabetes by the year 2050. A prime reason local residents should make a commitment exercise. “If it was for something positive, anyone would love to have those odds, except in this case it’s related to
your health. That is the epidemic that is facing us in the future,” said Eisen. Breaking the chains of a sedentary lifestyle often takes commitment and the desire to lead a healthier lifestyle. In regard to exercise, Eisen suggests walking, and eventually jogging and then running. “If you’re just starting, walk first before you run. You want to build up a base. Walking and jogging are great because they are accessible said Eisen. Eisen said that when choosing an exercise regimen, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends that individuals engage in a moderate level of activity for at least 30 minutes a day, for five days in a week. However, Eisen suggests for individuals to start slow, only after being examined by their physician and building upon the duration and intensity of their activities. As for the risks of taking up jogging, Eisen said, “Runners can be prone to injuries in the legs and feet — the most common being strains, sprains, and ‘over-use’ type injuries.” For more information on the health benefits and risks of running and other sports, consult your physician and visit www.ValleyBaptist.net. For more information on the upcoming marathon on South Padre Island, visit www. RunSPI.com.
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STRIVING FOR EXCELLENCE: TEXAS GASTROENTEROLOGY INSTITUTE CARES FOR THE VALLEY By Lori Houston
Photos by James Hord
Dr. Jose Rodriguez, founder of TGI “It’s the second leading cause of cancer death in the U.S.,and it’s probably one of the most preventable cancers, so that is the tragedy, that people are not getting screened.”
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F
or so many of us, scheduling an appointment with our family doctor for an annual check-up is low on our list of priorities. Invasive procedures though, such as a colonoscopy, are often even lower on our to-do list. The doctors and staff at the Texas Gastroenterology Institute (TGI) in McAllen understand the reluctance that many of their patients feel when a procedure such as a colonoscopy becomes necessary. “We want to ensure that the patient has a good experience without the fear of embarrassment during any procedure,” Dr. Valeska Balderas said. “We do our best to ensure that the patient is comfortable.” It is advised that men and women over the age of 50 have regular screenings for colorectal cancer. “It’s the second leading cause of cancer death in the U.S.,” said Dr. Jose Rodriguez, founder of TGI, “and it’s probably one of the most preventable cancers, so that is the tragedy, that people are not getting screened.” TGI offers two types of screenings to patients: the traditional colonoscopy, and a newer, less invasive, virtual colonoscopy. People living in the Rio Grande Valley are less likely to have either procedure done than their peers on a national level. Rodriguez attributes this to the lack of doctors specializing in gastroenterology in the Valley and has been trying to actively recruit a third doctor for his practice. Rodriguez, who was born in Cuba but grew up in South Florida, was drawn to the Valley not only for its warm climate similar to that of his childhood, but also the need for gastroenterologists in this region. “But it’s very difficult,” he said about recruiting new doctors. “A lot of people will finish training and then they want to stay around the big cities where they trained, Houston, Dallas, New York, or California, so it’s difficult to get people to come to what they perceive as a rural setting.” TGI provides a more comfortable and professional office setting for their patients to help relieve the stigma of the exams. “We try to keep people out of the hospital and try to just treat them here,” Rodriguez said. “We have our office space endosuite so we can do endoscopy, colonoscopy, and other procedures here.” Balderas provides a sort of comfort for female patients who would rather have procedures such as a colonoscopy done with a female doctor. Approximately 70 percent of her patients are female, and Balderas understands the needs of our female patients.
Dr. Valeska Balderas "We try to keep people out of the hospital and try to just treat them here. We have our office space endosuite so we can do endoscopy, colonoscopy, and other procedures here.” Balderas recognizes the importance of getting screened at age 50 as she has seen the consequences first hand with her own patients. “A lot of times I see people who are 51 years old, (with) no symptoms whatsoever,” Balderas said. “I just diagnosed a patient two weeks ago with colon cancer who I sent for colon resection and it appeared to be localized. However, (at) the time of operation the patient had three positive lymph nodes. Now this patient will need chemotherapy.” It’s imperative to get screened sooner rather than later. The sooner any abnormalities are detected, the easier it is for them to be treated. The friendly staff and doctors of the newly remodeled offices of Texas Gastroenterology Institute help to alleviate patients stress by ensuring that they always feel at ease and comfortable. Balderas, who attended medical school in Galveston and completed her more specialized training in Dallas, always planned on returning to the Rio Grande Valley to perform medicine. Before returning home to the Valley, Balderas spent extra time learning advanced procedures such as endoscopic ultrasound and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in San Antonio. She is the only fellowship-trained endoscopist who performs EUS & ERCP in all of Hidalgo County. Balderas felt that having learned how to perform these procedures would “be an added asset” when coming to an area of so few specialists.
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Relationships Mental Health Healthy relationships are buffers to stress and anxiety and should make you feel good about yourself.
Relationships play an important role in mental health and well-being. We know that good, supportive relationships generally promote good health, and that bad, stressful relationships take a toll on our health. Yet most of our relationships — relatives, coworkers, caregivers, and romantic partners among them — are complicated, providing varying degrees of both support and stress. Relationships are the connection and bond based on feelings between two or more people. They are the core of society and many things revolve from them. How healthy and unhealthy your relationship is affects particular aspects of your life. Your perception of the world and factors therein can be greatly molded by your experiences in a relationship. Thus a link between relationships and mental health undoubtedly exists. There are certain factors that contribute to
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your perception of an ideal relationship. For example, the kind of environment that you grew up in has the ability to shape your expectations in a relationship. If your emotional well-being has been marred — whether by abuse history, parents who have been divorced, or other factors — it pops up in the relationship if not adequately addressed. Relationships also tend to have a pattern of an “acceptable” spiritual direction. There is a “how-to” approach given in a relationship, its expectations, and even “how” to resolve matters of conflict. Knowing the differences between healthy and unhealthy relationships are very important. In a healthy relationship, typically you will experience, respect, trust, honesty, fairness, non-threatening behavior, and open communication. Healthy relationships are buffers to stress and anxiety and should make you feel good about yourself.
Children who live in homes where there is domestic violence also suffer abuse or neglect at high rates (30% to 60%).
Communication is pivotal in a relationship. You must create an environment where you and your partner listen to each other and have open channels of communication at all times. Supporting each other and problem solving together enhances the relationship. A healthy functional intimate relationship is based on equality and respect, not power and control. Think about how you treat — and want to be treated by — someone you care about. In an unhealthy relationship, on the other hand, an individual will typically experience coercion, possessiveness, isolation, threats against you or loved ones, destruction of property, and fear. Not all relationships are healthy. One fourth to one half of all dating relationships involve violence of some kind. Dating violence can have many forms. It may start out with mild forms and escalate as the relationship develops. Very rarely does the violence stop once a couple gets married. In fact, it often gets worse. An exception is verbal and physical violence related to alcohol misuse, since drinking responsibly or not at all will often eliminate the violence. The problem is that “serious dating” or marriage does not instantly make you or your partner more mature, wiser, self-controlled, or more responsible. See what is in front of your nose regardless of what your heart tells you or what you want to see.
Unfortunately, a consequence of an unhealthy relationship is domestic violence. Domestic violence affects 1 in 3 women According to a study done by the Centers for Disease Control, nearly 3 in every 10 women — about 32 million — and 1 in 10 men in the United States who experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner reported at least one measured impact or effect related to forms of violent behavior in that relationship.
Children who live in homes where there is domestic violence also suffer abuse or neglect at high rates (30 percent to 60 percent). Women ages 18 to 34 are at greatest risk of becoming victims of domestic violence.
Mental and Physical Health Effects of Abuse: One in seven people who have experienced domestic violence sustain a physical injury. Domestic violence victims face high rates of depression, sleep disturbances, anxiety, flashbacks, and other emotional distress. Without help, children who witness domestic violence are far more likely to become abusers of their partners and/or children as adults, thus continuing the cycle of violence in the next generation.
UPCOMING EVENTS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2016 + Dr. Cesar Lozano
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2016
+ STFC 40 MMA Cage Fights
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2016
+ Hiring Red,White&You Job Fair presented by Workforce Solutions
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2016 + Franco Escamilla
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2016
+ Sunset Live Outdoor Concert Oval Park
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13
+ H.E.B. Feast of Sharing
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18-20, 2016
+ North American Jewelry Show
Tips if abuse occurs: Seek help immediately when the abuse begins
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 26-27, 2016 + Saxet Gun Show
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2016
Realize that you are not at fault
+ Light Up the Holidays-McAllen Tree Lighting Oval Park
Confide in a close relative or friend
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016
Look for alternate means of shelter away from the violence Hotline: 1-800-252-5400
References available upon request Co-Authors include Jessica Riplow, Cesar Martinez, and Jon Garcia, Dr. Mercado’s UTRGV Mental Health Research Lab.
+ Imparables-Adrian Uribe & Omar Chaparro
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2016
+ McAllen Holiday Parade mcallenholidayparade.com
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 9-11, 2016 + Holiday ShowcaseShopping Event
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21-22, 2016 + Festival de la Comedia
MC A CON V EN T I O
For More Info:
NS
MCALLEN CONVENTION CENTER
700 Convention Center B McAllen, Texas 78501 Phone: (956) 681-3800 Fax: (956) 681-3840
ALFONSO MERCADO, PH.D., LICENSED PSYCHOLOGIST VALLEY PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES - ASSISTANT PROFESSOR-DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS RIO GRANDE VALLEY 1201 WEST UNIVERSITY DRIVE EDINBURG, TEXAS 78539 WWW.UTPA.EDU/PSYCHOLOGY
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Emergency-
READY Planning the Best Outcomes for Disastrous Situations
By Karen Villarreal America has had its share of mass disasters, but so far we have been able to rely on our local governments to mobilize and protect us. In recent years, steps have been taken to further prepare cities and regions to come together to make the most of 68
available resources and be self-sufficient until the arrival of state and federal support, if and when needed or requested. “There’s a lot happening to keep citizens safe that most don’t know about,” says Manuel Cruz, director of Homeland Security & Criminal Justice for the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council. He explains how protocols like a Metropolitan Medical Response System prepare for and protect us in the face of acts of terrorism like 9/11, forces of nature like Hurricane Katrina, or any other unexpected threat to our local communities. The MMRS program was originally founded by the Department of Health and Human Services in 1996 in response to terrorist activity, and established 27 systems in cities like Washington, D.C., and Atlanta. Since 2003, it has come to be operated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and established over 125 systems across the
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United States, including four regional ones like the Rio Grande Valley region’s current system. The Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council, in developing a regional MMRS, has responsibility for initial planning efforts in order for first responders to responses collectively to any mass destructive event on the U.S. side of the border for an area covering 4,874 square miles. “I identify the Metropolitan Medical Response System as the medical component of Homeland Security,” Cruz says. “It is a framework that follows the Homeland Security priorities and supports our local first responders and other emergency personnel should our region face a mass catastrophe.” The regional MMRS enhances city-wide response efforts, and establishes lines of communication to handle mass patient care, mass prophylaxis, and integrated biological preparedness, among other situations. The Rio Grande Region is also hurricane-prone,
!
“National incident management systems go on in every state. First responders have a level of training that allows them to know their roles far in advance instead of waiting for instruction the day of a given disaster.” - Manuel Cruz, Director of Homeland Security & Criminal Justice for the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council
so that is a factor in the regional MMRS as well. The MMRS program emphasizes interagency cooperation under the existing and widely established National Incident Management System and Incident Command System. “National Incident Management Systems, in relation to Incident Command Systems, are well established in every state,” Cruz says. “First responders have a level of training that allows them to know their roles far in advance instead of waiting for instruction the day of a given disaster.” A regional MMRS expands on this system by offering training for emergency first responders to ensure a cooperative regional response. “When training is made available, we open it up to the whole region and try our best to coordinate with everyone,” he says. “Though hospitals are private entities that have other primary duties and responsibilities, we do get participation. We receive complete cooperation from our first-responders at the local, state and federal level, such as, the Weslaco Fire Department, Texas Department of Public Safety and U.S. Customs and Border protection.” Should a disaster start at a local level, Cruz says, you would have an overwhelming response from the community. “It would start from the city level, and depending on the scenario or event, that would drive the response.” If it's a very large event, the city may need more resources and that will trigger a mutual aid request and response from neighboring jurisdictions. From there would follow requests to other surrounding cities, then to the county, then to the tri-county area. If all resources were exhausted, then the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council would coordinate
[956] 631 - 5411 with the state. However, the goal of the MMRS is to make the region as prepared as possible before an event to minimize the damage and our reliance on outside help. “One of our objectives at the council is to provide assistance for planning and studies within the region that would lead to funding streams for necessary projects that would address any level of response and vulnerabilities,” Cruz says. “We stand our ground and fight for every cent that we receive and put it to good use.” The MMRS identifies gaps within the four-county area that deal with emergency response and establishes a mechanism to alleviate these gaps. The LRGVDC secured funds to develop a Mass Fatality Plan after finding no such plan at the region level. “Regionalism works at our level, and the first responder community in our region is tremendous,” Cruz says. From hurricane or terrorism to alien invasion, the Metropolitan Medical Response System supports existing systems during the early hours critical to life saving and population protection. “At every event, you see an array of badges out there from the different municipalities,” Cruz says. “It’s a close community all here to do one thing — keep our citizens safe.” The LRGVDC-MMRS Management Team provides integrated membership from the emergency preparedness and response teams from four Texas counties and their local medical facilities, over 46 independent towns and cities, and more than 20 Texas state and and U.S. federal government agencies. For additional information on the Metropolitan Medical Response System, visit their website: http://www.lrgvdc.org/mmrs.html. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016
Family Medicine Night Clinic In-House Lab and X-Ray Most Major Insurances and Medicare Accepted
“Health Care for Generations of the Valley.”
Samuel Ramirez, MD Board Certified in Family Medicine
Joel Solis, MD Board Certified in Family Medicine
Valley Medical Arts Clinic, PA 5201 North 10th Street McAllen, TX 78504 P: [956] 631 - 5411 F: [956] 631 - 7129
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Coming Home
L A JARR A OFFERS THE R ANCH LIFE TO RETIREES, BIRDING ENTHUSIASTS
A
By Karen Villarreal
dan Peña is starting to forget things. Ricarda Peña looks after him with help from a nurse and their children, but it’s hard work caring for an individual succumbing to Alzheimer's. The nurse goes home at night and Ricarda can’t sleep, worried about her husband’s deteriorating memory. She says she doesn’t mind the insomnia — she needs to be alert at night after Adan’s recent escape across miles of fields and brush to a ranch that is no longer there. “What can we do?” their grown children ask themselves. The alternative to athome care does not appeal to anyone in the family. Adan would hate to be put away in a hospital-esque nursing home, separated from the South Texas outdoors environment he grew up on. Ricarda installed double locks to prevent further night-time escapes, but the children worry about their parents’ happiness. In South Texas, many of our seniors know no other way of life than the ranch. A newly built master planned community on the La Jarra Ranch in Raymondville, Texas, aims to provide a unique, comfortable solution for the elderly: a safe place to live where they can retain their independence, yet remain close to their loved ones and nature.
Founding A Community
La Jarra Ranch was the original homestead of Edward Burleson Raymond, a rancher, banker, and the founder of Raymondville in 1904. Upon his death, his
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land was passed down the family line over the years until it was purchased in 1967 by his granddaughter, Winifred, and her husband, Herman J. Wetegrove. “Winnie” loved the ranch, and dreamed of turning it into a wildlife preserve to share with the community. As she grew older, it became apparent to her sons Joseph, Charles and Raymond Wetegrove, that she was going to need a living situation more accommodating to her limited mobility. They developed a plan to start their own retirement community right on the property. Unfortunately, Winnie, a community leader and steward of south Texan nature, died in 2015 before seeing her dream of a peaceful and tranquil environment for retirement fully realized. In December 2016, her family honors the memory of Winifred Raymond Wetegrove with the opening of the La Jarra Ranch Assisted Living and Memory Center, Adult Day Activities Center, and the Nature and Heritage Center, which occupies the ranch headquarters at the original home of E.B. Raymond.
Find Yourself in Nature
All along the La Jarra acres, birds and butterflies make themselves at home and constantly delight your senses by fluttering here and there. Apart from the land where birdwatchers may explore their hobby, several acres have been designated as a nature sanctuary. This is in keeping with the family’s interest in stewardship. “There are lots of things you have to do to
minimize your effect on the Earth,” says Joe Wetegrove, “but we see how important it is. We try to be ecologically minded.” The ranch is neighbored by wind farms, operates using solar power, and employs a Texas Master Naturalist, Greg Storms, who nurtures and photographs the area. “I’ve been working on these trails for six years so they are bird and butterfly ready,” says Storms, who writes separate blogs on the La Jarra website for both expert and beginner birdwatchers. “I’ll be available to visitors and residents of the centers to take them on tours and provide information.” Visiting bird enthusiasts and nature photographers will find the Nature and Heritage Center (the remodelled E.B. Raymond home) a comfortable site to rest, host events, or stay overnight. The Nature and Heritage Center accommodates eight to 10 overnight guests, offering modern amenities while preserving the original feeling of rustic ranch life. A wheelchairaccessible path around the nature center offers vantage points of the ranch’s lake and natural wetland ponds. Guests of the Assisted Living, Memory, or Adult Day Activities Centers can enjoy watching the beautiful birds and butterflies of South Texas from indoors through the centers’ large windows, or relaxing on the long porches along each building. They can also walk around the paths or lawns, as the ranch is fenced for security and monitored via the latest security technology. “There are many studies that show that
physical activity, such as walking, may slow age-related memory-loss,” Wetegrove says. “We want to give guests the chance to be active and free to walk, but they will still be supervised and safe.”
Making New Memories
The Memory Center and the Assisted Living Center have a similar design and function; a large central community space with a perimeter of rooms is easy to navigate. A dining area where residents can prepare their own snacks or be served meals (they can also choose to eat at the Adult Day Activity Center) means they will never have to eat alone. “One of the hardest things for our elders to deal with is loneliness,” Wetegrove says. While guests of both centers can request an individual room, Wetegrove says they intend for most to have roommates. As studies indicate that feelings of loneliness are linked to quicker cognitive decline, these pairings are mutually beneficial. “We’re also looking forward to having volunteers at all of our centers to interact with the guests,” Wetegrove says. Each center will have clinical personnel like registered nurses or licensed nurse practitioners to administer daily checkups and assistance with medications. The Memory Center will be staffed by professionals trained specifically to help those with memory loss. They will carry out programs and activities designed to stimulate the parts of the brain associated
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with memory. “Across the ranch, we’re creating about 40 jobs,” Wetegrove says. “We’re hiring local folks who are bilingual, so our guests feel comfortable with them.” Aside from helping guests with activities of daily living, staff will serve as an ongoing resource for families.
Spend the Day at La Jarra
While the Assisted Living Center and Memory Center are for long-term residents, the Adult Activity Center provides day services for individuals who return to their families every evening. Entertainment, meals, and snacks are provided, as is transportation, if required. Winter Texans may be interested in La Jarra Ranch’s amenities but have to consider their living situation once the cold season ends. Wetegrove says there is plenty of space to accommodate RV’s on the ranch. “They can stay a day, a month — as long as they like,” he says. La Jarra plans to build a community around the Adult Activity Center, which will also serve as a gathering place where parties and events such as Veteran’s Day services may be held. “We want Raymondville to feel like this is a place for the community, also,” Wetegrove says. “If families feel like they’re at home here, they look forward to visiting their loved ones. That’s what we’re trying to give our guests — a home away from home.” To learn more about La Jarra Ranch, visit their website: www.lajarra.com.
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RGVision 2016 Visionary Honoree Carmen Pagan
FOR YOUR SUPPORT! By RGVision Magazine The Capable Kids Foundation teamed up with RGVision Magazine to organize the first ever Light Up The Night Gala on Oct. 27 at the McAllen Convention Center. The Gala was a huge success, raising awareness and over $130,000 for a local nonprofit organization changing the lives of kids with disabilities here in the Rio Grande Valley — the Capable Kids Foundation. Children with disabilities may have limitations in their mobility, social skills, and independence, but they still want to play, make friends, and participate in all the activities that constitute growing up. A group of therapists at Milestones Therapeutic Associates saw from speaking with families of children with disabilities that they have limited opportunities to do so, and a plan was hatched to organize community events — from holiday-themed activities to sports leagues, where children with disabilities can interact with each other, their families, and the community at large. Melanie Watson became the president of the nonprofit Capable Kids Foundation, the vehicle by which the
Milestones team began to reach out to families. Support and interest has poured out for each Capable Kids Foundation Winter Wonderland, Inclusive Trick-or-Treat, and Prom event, and attendance at the Champion League’s soccer, basketball, and Sparks cheer teams are growing every year. Currently, the organization is completely volunteer-based. With funds from the gala, Capable Kids may cover operational expenses such as hiring staff. Carmen Pagan, co-founder of Milestones, was recognized as an RGVisionary Honoree at the Gala for her work with the Capable Kids. After her speech, the Sparks Cheerleaders gave a presentation that drew a standing ovation. RGVision Magazine worked with the foundation to create the mini-documentary, “Capable,” which was also shown at the Gala. Produced by Kevin Martinez of RGVision Media, it is an introduction to the world of children with disabilities. “Working with the kids let me see firsthand the struggles that families go through on a day-to-day basis,” Martinez says. “It feels good to get something out there that shares that with the rest of the world.” He plans to produce three more episodes that will focus on each of the kids introduced in the first segment. You can view the first segment here: http://bit.ly/2fBz3mL. The Capable Kids Foundation and RGVision Magazine thank all of our sponsors, donors, volunteers and organizers, particularly Celeste Cantu, without whom the event would not have been possible.
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By IMAS McAllen, TX - What if the ants crawling on your counter, the spider in your doorway, or the butterfly in your garden was the size of your car or larger? What would they look like? What bizarre physical characteristics would you notice? And what mind-boggling behaviors would you observe? Experience X-treme Bugs to find out, beginning October 9, 2016 through March 20, 2017, at the International Museum of Art & Science (IMAS).
X-treme Bugs exhibition is a 6,000 sq. ft. exhibit which features over 100 giant bugs, including 22 massive animatronic bugs, in vibrant, naturalistic habitats. Enveloped in the larger-than-life landscape of X-treme Bugs, visitors will be transported into a vivid, dynamic and awe-inspiring new environment; featuring: a fluttering monarch butterfly, a ladybug, 74
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a line of marching ants, an orchid mantis, stinkbugs, spiders, honeybees and more. Bugs have a critical role to play in our environments. Bees pollinate more than a third of all crops for human consumption. Spiders provide some of the best pest control for the common household. X-treme Bugs taps into the natural visceral discomfort many of us experience when we think about bugs
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016
WHERE? in the Discovery
WHEN? October 9, 2016 -
Pavilion and Main Gallery at IMAS.
March 20, 2017
CALL! (956) 682-0123 or visit www.theimasonline.org for more info!
and offers a new way to seeing the tiny creatures we often consider pests. These tiny creatures have an amazing ability to make us squirm – our skin crawls and a sense of foreboding arises. Engaging interpretive content weaves together the science behind each bug’s amazingly X-treme capabilities. Guests are invited to walk through the lens of a bug’s eye and shift their perspective from “ew” to “awe” about the fascinating little creatures that share our ecosystem. From dragonflies that can see in almost every direction at once, to Orb Weaver spiders with silk as strong as steel and Leaf-Cutter ants that can carry 50 times their own body weight, the experience delivers a series of memorable discoveries. “Visitors can experience the invasion of X-treme Bugs at the gigantic, state-of-the-art animatronic bug on display in Discovery Pavilion at IMAS,” Ms. Julie Johnson, President of IMAS said. “This exhibition has interactive activities for all ages. IMAS educators will delight visitors with hands-on interactions with Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches, our very own tarantula, The Dude and much more. Parents and families will want to make a day of it with X-treme Bugs. It’s going to be so fun to see jaws drop and eyes pop as guests encounter the X-treme Bugs at a bug’s level.” Learn about super organisms, insect migration and hibernation, emergent behavior and solitary predators. The experience is vibrant and dynamic, innovative and creative. The exaggerated size and fascinating stories of these creatures surprises, entertains and leaves a lasting impression on the visitor. X-treme Bugs at IMAS will be open from October 9, 2016 to March 20, 2017 in the Discovery Pavilion and Main Gallery at IMAS. There is an additional charge for this exhibit except for Family Premium Members or above. Be sure to mark the exhibition dates in your calendar. For more information on X-treme Bugs, please call (956) 682-0123 or visit www. theimasonline.org. IMAS is located at 1900 W. Nolana Avenue, McAllen, TX 78504.
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Preparing your child for the test that matters most, LIFE. The only Waldorf School in the Rio Grande Valley privateschoolharlingen.com 18347 Kilbourn, Combes, TX 956-778-4295
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SENIOR LIVING NEXT TO NATURE “La Jarra Ranch, Where Distinctive Tranquility Meets the South Texas Coastal Bend.” La Jarra Ranch Offers the Finest Services and Amenities: Adult Day Activities Center ꞏ Assisted Living & Memory Care ꞏ Specialized Care ꞏ Private & Companion Suites ꞏ Nature Preserve & Birding Center ꞏ Chair Accessible Trails ꞏ Three Nutritious Meals Daily ꞏ Healthy Snacks ꞏ Engaging Activity Programs ꞏ Full-Service Transportation ꞏ All-Inclusive Worry-Free Living ꞏ
The Rio Grande Valley's Most Anticipated Senior Living Community The La Jarra Way of Life is designed to cultivate wellness and recognize exciting new possibilities that influence quality of life as we age. We offer unique opportunities to honor our resident's choices and promote independence in each personal wellness journey.
To schedule an appointment for more information, call 956.689.1860 Ext 237 Opening soon! Raymondville Texas Have a question? Email us at ranch@lajarra.com www.lajarra.com
LIFE
PLANTIGRADE
RACING 35th Annual All-America City 10K Run Offers Chance for Runners to Win Big By Karen Villarreal
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M
ost people know a runner or are one themselves, and will agree that the runners in their lives will happily share stories of their last race — they are always competing in or training for one! The sport is not only a free way to get cardio exercise and enjoy our South Texas environment. When considering marathons, fun runs, 5- or 10-kilometer races and other dashes, running can bring people together to raise funds for a great cause. In the case of the annual Edinburg 10K, runners also have the chance to compete for large prizes and the pride that comes with winning a worldclass race. Edinburg will host the All-America City 10K for the 35th time Saturday, Feb. 4, 2017, with the race itself starting at 9 a.m. The streets of Edinburg provide runners with a “flat, fast out-and-back” 6.2 mile, certified race course. $30,000 in total prize money awards, several divisions and an easy-to-follow course ensure runners of all ages will compete against their peers. Trophies are awarded for the top three finishers in each age division and medals for everyone who finishes the race. Aside from the 10K, two other races guarantee a fun time for the entire family. A Fun Run for all elementary students 8 years old or younger and anyone who is a beginner jogger begins at 11 a.m. and a Miracle Mile race is starting at 8 a.m. for runners of all ages who have special needs. Registered participants will receive an official T-shirt and a medal at the finish line. Jose Esqueda, organizer of the Facebook page “RGV Running,” has been participating in the Edinburg race for the past four years. He started the page to spread the word about local running events after having difficulty finding them when he started running. Close to 5,000 likes strong, the page is a resource for the local community out there hitting the pavement. However, he says running is for everyone and it’s never too late to start getting in the habit.
“Start slow; don’t start out with the goal of running a marathon,” he says, “because you’ll burn yourself out and not like running anymore! It takes months to train for a marathon. Once you get the hang of it, you start adding more miles.” Before he started a fitness program through work, Esqueda was not exceedingly active. “The fitness program through my employer was going to be a couple of months, but I just kept up with it,” he says. “That really kick-started my health and got me to be active.” From equipment to nutrition, to training plans and running form, there is a lot to learn about running. RGV Running is one start, but Esqueda says other runners are often a wealth of knowledge. “Once you start meeting people and talking to them you learn a lot,” he says. Though he often runs alone, races bring everyone together to compete not only against each other, but against personal records.
“You try to compete with other people but the only true competition is yourself,” Esqueda says. “You know the time you can do and you want to beat that time.” Runners interested in participating in the All-America City 10K can visit www. cityofedinburg.com for more information and to register. The deadline for registration is 8. P.m. Friday, Feb. 3, 2017.
UPCOMING EVENTS FRIDAY NOVEMBER 18 + McAllen Performing Arts Center Ribbon Cutting SATURDAY NOVEMBER 19 + McAllen Performing Arts Center Community Day SUNDAY NOVEMBER 20 + Tito Puente Jr. MONDAY NOVEMBER 21 + McAllen Community Concert TUESDAY DECEMBER 6 + Tony Bennett SATURDAY DECEMBER 3 & 4 + RGV Ballet “The Nutcracker” Deborah Case, Artistic Director TUESDAY DECEMBER 6 + Tony Bennett SATURDAY DECEMBER 10 &11 + Elf: The Broadway Muscial FRIDAY DECEMBER 16 + Vicky Carr MONDAY NOVEMBER 26 + The Purple Experience FRIDAY DECEMBER 23 + Carpentar’s Christmas TUESDAY NOVEMBER 27 + AnnieThe Broadway Muscial TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29 + Magic Men LIVE! FRIDAY DECEMBER 30 + Moscow Ballet “Great Russian Nutcracker” @MCALLENPAC
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LIFE
Hitting the Bullseye
RGV Archery Academy Trains Locals for Competition in Ancient Sport By Allan Fisher-Garcia Dating all the way back to the Stone Age, evidence of the ancient practice of archery has been found throughout the world. Primarily used for hunting and warfare by many civilizations, in the sixth century, the Japanese used archery as a modus operandi for physical, moral, and spiritual development. Don’t fret — you don’t need to travel back in time to enrich your life with archery. The newly formed RGV 80
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Archery Academy is hitting the bullseye for personal development in the Valley. The RGV Archery Academy is a member of World Archery, formerly known as FITA, which is the international governing body for the sport of archery. Since August, when the academy officially began operating, it has already grown an impressive membership and competed in a national tournament. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016
A “Four Spot” For Everyone As I spoke to founder and level two archery instructor Gregory Harris by the target range located behind Incredibowl in Mission, the sense of sportsmanship and community was apparent. The academy offers a Junior Olympic Archery Development (JOAD) program for children ages eight to 20 and an adult program for individuals who wish to pursue competitive archery. There are 10 local archers who train with the academy’s two instructors Monday through Friday, and 18 archers in Mexico that comprise the JOAD team. Members
“If there is a kid out there lacking in confidence because they’re not the star player in soccer or basketball, archery is a great leveler in talent.” -Gregory Harris, founder of RGV Archery Academy
can learn to shoot a recurve or compound bow and compete in 3-D and field archery competitions. Recently, the members had the pleasure of shooting with Linda Ochoa-Anderson of Mexico, who recently placed second in compound shooting at the 2016 World Archery Field Championships in Dublin.
But the academy is not only for competitive archers. “We train anyone from a beginning archer age 8 on up to however old you can be to pull a bow,” Harris said. He recommends the sport to anyone because
it is not hard on the body and injuries are seldom, unlike other contact sports. Harris says he has also found archery to be a great confidence booster. “If there is a kid out there lacking in confidence because they’re not the star player in soccer or basketball, archery is a great leveler in talent,” he said. Harris also attests to the bond archery can build among a family. “We’ve got mothers and sons, fathers and daughters who shoot together,” he said. In fact, it was his son’s involvement in archery that led him to discover the large community of archers in the region and NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016
begin the academy. Currently, the competitive archers at the academy are training to compete in the “Vegas Shoot,” the largest archery competition in the world, with over 3,000 archers from around the world. The competition will be held Feb. 10-12, 2017, at the South Point Hotel in Las Vegas. For more information about the RGV Archery Academy, visit their website at www. archeryevents.com, or contact Gregory Harris at (956) 802-4696.
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TO EASE CONGESTION Valley-wide bus service provides necessary public transportation services so individuals don’t need to drive to drive the economy By Karen Villarreal
I
f you’ve ever driven from Edinburg to McAllen during rush hour, you know that traffic can be a headache. Though we try to distract ourselves with music on the radio, all that time sitting in the car adds up. The average congestion-related delay per commuter in metropolitan areas in Texas is 37 hours per year, and according to a 2012 Roads and Bridges report, could rise to 74 hours per year if nothing is done to address congestion within 15 years. Congestion is felt in our wallets too, costing the state’s economy approximately $10.8 billion per year in lost time and wasted fuel due to congestion-related delays, and is predicted to rise to almost $30 billion in 2025. While there’s no getting around the need for local road improvements, public transportation eases congestion by moving more people while taking up less space on the road. Aside from relieving gridlock, the service public transportation provides is itself vital to driving the economy. As reported by City Metric, transit enables people who can’t drive to participate in 82
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economic life. Providing mobility to groups such as seniors, the youth, and other people who don’t have the option of driving expands the economy as lack of transportation can be a barrier to consuming, shopping, as well as finding and keeping a job. Unemployment leads to individuals spending less and negatively affecting consumer demand, which in turn leads to businesses downsizing and a possible downturn in the economy. Locally, individuals in the Valley have public transportation options that include Metro Connect, a Valley-wide bus service that offers free wifi on its clean buses, affordable passes, and long working hours. Three bus lines connect the sprawling RGV from Edinburg to McAllen’s Central station to as far west as Port Isabel. The green line connects Edinburg to McAllen. With free rides for all members of the general public, the green line is a staple for students and faculty who live outside of Edinburg, yet still close enough to the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley to not want to move. As students with cars are well aware of, parking
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HOURS OF OPERATION: Red Line Monday - Sunday 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
FARES: Green Line Monday - Friday 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
$5.00
$100.00
DAILY PASS Metro Connect only
UNIVERSAL 30 DAY PASS ALL SYSTEMS (Metro Connect, Metro McAllen, and Brownsville Metro)
*Can be purchased on the bus and at different locations
Blue Line Monday - Sunday 5:20 a.m. - 8:15 p.m.
$10.00
near UTRGV can be difficult. The bus eliminates that hassle completely, and with the $25 student and faculty 30-day passes for the red line, UTRGV students on both campuses can feel connected. The red line connecting McAllen to Brownsville (with connections to VTC’s Harlingen Terminal and the Rio Grande Valley Premium Outlets), can save regular commuters money on gas and car repairs. As one daily rider of this line told us, “I would have burned out my car twice by now!” The blue line is also free, and connects Brownsville to Port Isabel, with a free transfer via Island Metro to South Padre Island. For only $5 a day, riders can traverse the entire Rio Grande Valley all day long. An upgraded $10 daily pass includes all Metro Connect regular stops, with additional access to Metro McAllen and Brownsville Metro’s services. Other packages can save individuals even more money. For more information, visit www. rgvmetroconnect.com or call (855) 220-8827.
DAILY PASS VALID ON ALL SYSTEMS (Metro Connect, Metro McAllen, and Brownsville Metro)
*Can be purchased at McAllen Central Station, La Plaza at Brownsville.
*Can be purchased at McAllen Central Station, La Plaza at Brownsville.
$25.00 STUDENT & FACULTY 30 DAY PASS (with valid ID must redeem at office)
*Can be purchased at
$90.00 UNLIMITED 30 DAY PASS Metro Connect only
McAllen Central Station, La Plaza at Brownsville.
*Can be purchased at McAllen Central Station, La Plaza at Brownsville.
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LIFE
INSPIRING VALLEY GIRLS ON & OFF THE FIELD BY ABBEY KUNKLE
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HE FIRST SEASON FOR THE UTRGV WOMEN’S SOCCER TEAM is wrapping up with a series of tournaments scheduled to close out their successful year. Still a young team, these women are proving themselves in the Western Athletic Conference. Since the inauguration of the women’s soccer program at the University of Texas-Pan American (UTPA) just three years ago and through their transition as part of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), these young women have inspired girls across the RGV, both on and off the field.
Head Coach Glad Bugariu has been with the university through the transition and recognized the benefits. “The development of UTRGV is better for the Valley as a whole,” he said. With its increased opportunities on and off the field, he added, “It’s a big point of pride for the Valley.” Each of the young women on the team has made a big commitment in time, effort, and sometimes sacrifice. College athletics not only takes the competition to the next level, it also requires excellence across the board, including in academics. However, when asked, it is clear that the players love what they do. Harlingen South alumna Erica Gonzalez is a pre-dentistry student and in her third year as goalkeeper with the team. Erica and her sister Arnelle represent the Valley as part of the UTRGV Women’s Soccer team along with America Martinez of McAllen, Elvia Valdez of Weslaco, and Amanda Lozano and Daniela Cantu of Mission. These young women have taken different paths to reach their goals, but all are thrilled to have the opportunity to get a great education and represent their cities so close to home. “Playing at UTRGV is great because it’s really close to home so my grandparents and all my family come out to every game,” Gonzalez said. “That’s the best part about playing here.” Gonzalez has been playing soccer since the age of 4 on club teams including the Celtics and Scorpions in Harlingen as well as in school. Along with her studies, Gonzalez has regular soccer practice and travels with the team. She noted that being an athlete in college has tremendously improved her time management skills, and even with all of her activities, she makes time to be a leader in her community. As a junior in high school, Gonzalez had ambition and a passion to bring her love of soccer to those who do not have the opportunity to play and because of this, brought US Youth Soccer TOPSoccer
(The Outreach Program for Soccer) to the RGV. TOPSoccer is a community-based training program that enables young athletes with disabilities and gives them the opportunity to learn and play along with other children and volunteers. Gonzalez started the program at Harlingen South High School and has expanded it with the help of her teammates, UTRGV, Rio Valley Youth Soccer and the South Texas Youth Soccer Association. Through these community events as well as visiting schools and club teams across the Valley, the UTRGV athletes are inspiring young girls throughout the RGV to get in the game. UTRGV assistant coach Lindsay Vera recently became coach of the newly formed girls’ soccer program at Plaza Sports Center, teaching technique to beginners of all ages from preschool through high school. The program provides a great opportunity for girls to get a good foundation for the game and develop their
“I THINK IF I WORK HARD NOW, THEN I CAN GET A COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP AND GET INTO COLLEGE.” BAILEY HUSTON, 11, TEXAS DYNAMO JUNIOR
skills. Though many people assume college athletes have been playing since childhood, that is not always the case. Cantu, who played at Sharyland High School, began playing the sport at the age of 14. With the drive and desire to continue playing at the collegiate level, Cantu reached out to Coach Glad, as the players call him, to attend her game, and she ultimately made the team. For those who want to play college soccer, Coach Glad stressed the importance of getting coaches to see you play. H NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016
“There is an opportunity for everyone to play college soccer,” he said. “The key is finding the right size and the right university.” He noted that it is also a big commitment that should not be taken lightly. Bailey Huston, 11, who plays for the South Texas Dynamo Junior club out of McAllen, loves playing the game and being part of a team. Along with her evident love for the sport, Huston enjoys the opportunities that she has had so far, including traveling with her team and proving her skills out on the field. This past summer, the South Texas Dynamo organization’s Under 17 girls claimed the National Presidents Cup, leading the way as the first ever South Texas team to earn a national championship. Being part of a team has been an excellent learning experience for these young women and girls, encouraging teamwork on and off the field. Like many of the U17 girls whose college days are just around the corner, Huston looks forward to continuing her soccer career in college. “I think if I work hard now, then I can get a college scholarship and get into college,” she said. “I think it’s just really cool to play.” Today, thousands of children across the Valley are playing soccer and enjoying the fun, exercise, and teamwork that comes with it. Along with the opportunities to play in junior high and high school, there are many organizations in a city near you that provide opportunities for all ages and levels to get involved. The number of kids playing soccer in the Valley is increasing every year, and as the program continues to grow, UTRGV Women’s Soccer players are making an impact in our community and encouraging participation in this worldwide sport. Good luck to the UTRGV teams as they close out their 2016-17 season!
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Two-Time White House Senior Executive And Harlingen Native Moises “Mo” Vela Releases Book
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By George Cox In the second grade Moe Vela Jr. discovered something about himself that would help him deal with his little secret and pursue big dreams. “We had a talent show and I got up and sang ‘Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head’ and for four minutes I found a platform,” he said. “At that moment the seed was planted.” Vela’s story is one of growing up gay in the Rio Grande Valley and spreading his wings on a journey of self-discovery and success that took him into the West Wing of the White House and beyond. The first gay American and first Latino American to serve in senior roles for two vice presidents, Al Gore and Joe Biden, Vela has now chronicled his life in a new book “Little Secret Big Dreams.” In the book Vela uses his life story to teach about how love and tolerance can help overcome life’s obstacles and set people free to be themselves.
“If you feel different for any reason I want to you to know you are special,” he said. “It doesn’t matter where you grow up, you can overcome all the difficulties and learn to love yourself, and then go on and live your dreams.” The Valley of Vela’s youth was one he describes as a Latino version of “Leave it to Beaver.” “There was an innocence and a naiveté and there was this sense of comfort and security in the Valley,” he said. “We weren’t really tarnished by what might be happening in other parts of the country. My childhood was beautiful in so many ways.” But there was a darker side to growing up as Vela dealt with his little secret that he was gay. “My church was telling me I was going to hell. My culture was telling me I couldn’t be who I was,” Vela said. “When you have those types of messages coming at you on a daily basis you can end up living this profoundly lonely experience.” He suffered bullying at the hands of his peers and sometimes felt like he would never be accepted as the person he was — a gay man. During those years Vela also learned valuable lessons from his family, who helped him cope and dream of a brighter future. The Vela clan has a long history of public service in South Texas, with his father and uncle serving as judges. His aunt served as the Brownsville mayor and two of his cousins have served as U.S. congressmen. “One lesson was to always give back and be of service to your community,” Vela said. “Two, strive to achieve your God-given potential and live your life with no regrets.”
After graduating from Harlingen High School in 1980, Vela attended the University of Texas at Austin. His dream at the time was to become a Broadway stage performer and after college he left Texas for New York City, a move that proved to be a pivotal moment in his quest for acceptance. “Somehow being on stage and performing, somehow in my mind that was the closest I could come to being me without revealing my secret,” he said. “Broadway was the last step in that acceptance. I came out after that and my life changed completely. Since then, in my own way, I’ve been on stage ever since.” He returned to school and graduated from St. Mary’s University School of Law, a move that helped launched his successful career in law, politics, business, and finance. Vela is currently the president and CEO of The Vela Group, a global business development consulting firm with clients in the United States and Latin America. His decision to write “Little Secret Big Dreams” was deeply personal and yet another extension of his desire to give back. “When I was being bullied growing up in the Valley, I wish I knew then what I know now: that we are all very special people as human beings and we are all worthy,” he said. “You can overcome all the difficulties and learn to love yourself, and then go on and live your dreams.” In the simplest of terms, Vela said he wanted to help people discover that learning to love and accept others can in turn lead to being loved and accepted. “Love became the overarching theme for me,” he said about his personal growth. “It didn’t matter if it was the vice president or the janitor at the White House, I loved equally. That is a Vela virtue. That’s something we were taught in the Vela family.” “Little Secret Big Dreams” is available on pre-order at Amazon.com and will hit bookstores on Nov. 15.
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Healthcare you can trust, begins here. The Women’s Services at Rio Grande Regional Hospital is committed to providing quality healthcare from OB/GYN expertise, prenatal care, labor and delivery through postpartum care. You can count on our board certified physicians and compassionate experienced nurses to provide the best care to mothers and their babies. While you create a lifetime of memories, we will focus on delivering the clinical excellence you and your baby deserve. The Children’s Medical Center at Rio Grande Regional Hospital is proud to have a highly specialized pediatric team dedicated to caring for your little ones. With more than 50 board certified pediatricians on staff, ranging in all specialties to our full surgical and diagnostic pediatric capabilities including our pediatric intensive care unit and dedicated staff, allow the Children’s Medical Center to be a great place for getting kids well and on their way.
101 East Ridge Road | McAllen, TX 78503 | 956-632-6000 | RioHealth.com
Danielle Haddad-Goslin
BUSINESS
Associate Partner South Texas General OďŹƒce New York Life Insurance Company 222 E. Van Buren Suite 705 Harligen, TX 78550
Brownsville, Edinburg
(956)454-0304 | dmgoslin@ft.newyorklife.com
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Contact me about a career that can better your ďŹ nancial future while helping others with theirs.
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James Hord (956)371-0891 jameshord.com jameshord@me.com
Interested in learning about engineering? Royal Technologies Corporation, Sylvan Learning RGV, and Mission EDC Begin Engineering Initiative for The Community
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