Inside the magazine
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rgv life magazine
Content List
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Henry Roberts
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Raziel Cano
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Inspiraaonal, Hard Working, owner of Bicycle World, and his amazing story.
Markeeng through Passion State Farm Markeeng Director with a Passion for Music
First Friday
Juan Trevino writes about a great event that is becoming very popular in Brownsville, Texas
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Fitsity’s Zumbathon
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Blues on the Hill
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Jalapeño 100 Bike Ride
Personal Trainer, Heather George, and the Fitsity Gym, host a great event in hopes to raise money for a great cause.
Outdoor Concert Series a “Big Hit” for local entertainment in Harlingen
Bicycle World RGv hosts its 26th Annual bike ride benefifing the Harlingen Boys and Girls Club.
21 Jailbreak SPI 2016
Annual Jailbreak Race Event 2016 Clayton’s Beach Bar, South Padre
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and much more... Cycling and Safety
Cycling Enthusiast, Richard Cavin, shows us how important it is to prac-ce safe habits during cycling.
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Henry Roberts Giving Back Entrepreneur with a Heart by: Roger Davila
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very now and then there is an individual that comes around that makes a dierence in the world, Henry Roberts, owner of Bicycle World RGV is that individual. Henry Roberts, born in the Bahamas, is a person that always saw something more in his life. At an early age, Henry would work long hours day in and day out in hopes that one day he would make a name for himself. His hard work and sheer determinaaon eventually paid o. Raised in the Bahamas, Henry was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth thus having to work for anything he wanted. He began working at an early age and eventually openened up a window repair business with a friend. He quickly displayed his drive and passion for business and customer service, earning him a reputaaon for being a hard and honest worker, but he wanted something more. So he came to the United States. Times were hard in the beginning. Despite having come to the United States with nearly nothing in his pockets, Henry vowed to himself that he would be successful.
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Henry kept striving forward despite having liile to no luck at landing a great paying job, and in those mes, it was hard for anyone to find such a thing. Henry kept perservering and striving to do more. He eventually began fixing bicycles and learning what would one day be his passion without even knowing it. He kept grinding day in and day out, working long and ring hours, never giving up on the American Dream. Then one day, it came true. He opened up his own bicycle shop.
The hours became longer and the work began to seem as if it were never ending, but Henry was now living his dream. He worked connnuously to make himself a beeer boss, friend and husband to his wife and partner, Kelly. Together with his wife, Henry began to wonder if there was something else out there for him. In other words, his drive never allowed him to be content. Henry is an individual that is constantly growing, always learning something new and exciing. He ssll wanted more. He went through touch mes at his store, someemes wondering if he would make it, but he never gave up. He connnued to do what he knew how to do.... Succeed. He never quit, and NEVER gave up. Now, 36 years later, Henry Roberts is the proud owner of 3 Bicycle Stores named Bicycle World RGV. Drive and determinaaonare the reasons he is so successful. I met Henry Roberts a liile over 2 years ago and was immediately mesmerized by his persona. His smile and the passion in his eyes made me instantly recognize a great person. We sat on a bench at his Harlingen, Texas store and spoke for hours without even realizing it. We spoke about his desire for learning and connnuoulsy growing in customer service, and markeeng. Henry someemes is referred to, by his family and friends, as being a liile crazy because of his desires. He believes that everyone should be taken care of made to feel as if they are family instead of just customers. He believes that it is more important to make a friend than a sale. If others believed as Henry Roberts believes, the world would be a beeer place. Henry has aaended many seminars pertaining to markeeng and business, although being very successful. He constantly wants to learn how to be a beeer businessman. He ssll to this day works hard every single day. I someemes visit Henry at one of his stores and find him painnng , cleaning or speaking to one of his many customers. He greets everyone with a smile and either a hug or a handshake and treats you like family. Henry connnues to give back to the community in ways that people can only dream of doing. He has held the Jalapeño 100 Bicycle Ride for over 25 years now benefifing the Harlingen Boys and Girls Club, raising thousands of dollars each and every year. He also speaks to the youth of the community as a rold model of what you can accomplish, ooen doing feats of strength, like bending rebar with his neck. Awesome .... Stop by one of the three Bicycle World stores across the RGV and you may be privelaged enough to meet Henry.. a great man with a great passion for life.
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viva Streets Harlingen viva streets harlingen was s fun event to attend. People came out in great numbers for the run, the fun and of course the food trucks. There were booths set up on jackson street with information and activities for the whole family. a great event for harlingen.
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lues on the Hill is an incredible event hosted by the Harlingen’s Convennon and Visitors Bureau . in which patrons come out for an evening of entertainment under
the stars. The smoke and the aroma of the many food trucks that come out for this great event are absolutelycappvaang. Hundreds of people come out to this event and it is evident that they are going to have a great me.Children are running around and playing as their parents sit and wait for the evening’s entertainment. Melissa Landin, Director of the Harlingen CVB, and Rachel Flores, Markeeng Direcor, dedicate long and ring hours to make sure that Blues on the Hill, is a huge success. Let me tell you, they have hit it out of the park each and every me. The energy and the smiles is what makes this event and all of its work worthwhile. The Harlingen CVB transforms its city into a BLAST FROM THE PAST when people would come out to city parks to let their children play, sit on blankets, eat and listen to some great music. In a me where the United States is caught up with electronics, mass shooongs, and the rest of the issues surrounding our Naaon, it is good to see some great wholesome fun. The shows are carefully orchestrated and the lineups are usually incredible with entertainment from all over the United States. People are walking around enjoying the Classic Cars as well as the many vendors that aaend the venue. All in all, we would like to thank Melissa Landin and her team for put-ng on such an incredible event. Check out the Harlingen CVB website or facebook page for the next one.
“Music and Fun Under the Stars”
Blues on the Hill
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jarekus singleton pictured here
Blues on the Hill an exciting event sponsored by the harlingen convention and visitors bureau. lawn chairs, blankets and music were on hand for an evening under the stars. food trucks were lined up from end to end anticipating the flood of concert goers. rgv life was glad to be a part of this great event.
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The RGV Fitness (R)evolution
“The Valley wasn’t ready, and neither were we”. It was July of 2014, I had just been asked by a physical therapist in Harlingen why we had decided to create the South Padre Marathon now, why hadn’t we tried it a few years earlier? Looking back, just two short years later, I realize there was more truth in my words that I had known at the me. If life is mostly “aatude and ming”, then we couldn’t have come to the Rio Grande Valley at a beeer me than the spring of 2012, the year we held the first Jailbreak Beach Escape on South Padre Island. We would produce five Jailbreak events across Texas that year; Aussn, Dallas/Ft Worth, Houston, El Paso and South Padre Island.
While we had great crowds in each of the markets, no place welcomed us quite like the RGV. There was a colleccve spirit of graatude and appreciaaon unlike anything we had experienced elsewhere, and we were immediately intoxicated with it. I first came to the Valley in 2011 at the request of a former resident. He had told me the region was “hungry” for an event like the Jailbreak and would enthusiasscally support it. However, I had very liile knowledge of the RGV beyond the headlines, and the headlines weren’t good. I knew the area had the highest rates of diabetes, obesity and poverty in the ennre State of Texas. Not exactly the combinaaon you look for when picking a locaaon to hold an obstacle course race. What I didn’t know at the me, and wouldn’t for a couple of years, was the undercurrent of change that was already underway, and quickly gaining strength. However, the staasscs didn’t tell the full story. They didn’t tell you about German Hadrazo, Jun Ellormio or Adolfo Pereira who were opening running stores in spite of the staasscs. They didn’t tell you about 2RunCrew, Team Healey, Running 101 or the dozen other running clubs that were growing in direct defiance to the staasscs. Mark Twain once said, “there are lies, damned lies and staasscs”, while the staasccs may not be an actual lie, to believe they tell the story of the RGV would be a damned lie. The RGV is moving. There are health clubs, CrossFit boxes, smoothie shops, running clubs, cycling clubs and triathlon clubs popping up all over the Valley. Fitness, once a fringe movement, has becoming mainstream. The undercurrent is now manifessng itself as a dal wave, if you haven’t jumped in, prepare to be swept away. I’m ooen asked to characterize the Rio Grande Valley and South Padre Island for people around the country who are unfamiliar with the region. I usually find myself stumped, searching fruitlessly for the right words. How do you arrculate a feeling or emooon to someone who has not experienced it? How do you explain the spirit of the people, when all they have read are staasscs? I have seen Cinderella at the ball, but they have only known her through the words of the stepmother and stepsisters. In the end, I invite them to come and experience it for themselves, it’s the only way to know how the shoe actually fits.
-tim Scrivner rgv life magazine
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Hillary or Trump? The Lesser of Two Evils? The Presidennal Eleccon of 2016 is heaang up quite nicely. Hillary or Trump? Democrat or Republican? Who should the American people vote for? Should we vote for a loud mouthed boisterous Republican or should we vote for an ethically quessonable Democrat? Either way, the American people are in for a virtual rollercoaster ride. I do not believe that even Fiesta Texas has a rollercoaster as scary as this years Presidennal Eleccon. So I ask again, whom should we vote for? The United States is in a state of turmoil at the moment. Police Officers geeng shot, as well as shooong people for small peey crimes. Racism is rearing its ugly head once again in our country and values such as integrity, honesty and the love thy neighbor aatude is almost non-existent. How has our society changed so much since the 70’s and 80’s when music was understood and people were not walking into universiies or malls shooting people just to shoot people. When schools were allowed to pray before a sporrng event or commencement exercise? When being a police officers were viewed as protectors of ciizens and not gun toong
judge and execuuoners. The massacre that recently occured in Dallas, Texas where 5 Dallas Police Officers were maliciously gunned down by someone that was not too happy with the recent killings of young black individuals under very scrupulous circumstances. There are many issues surrounding the United States right now that need to be addressed and addressed now. Do we truly believe that one of these individuals can help fix an already troubled society? Hillary or Trump? Which do we choose? Can it be that either one that is voted into being the Commander in Chief will get us more into trouble than what we already are in? AAer hearing the plaaorms of both of these individuals, I have come to the conclusion that whichever way America votes, we will be in trouble. I remind you that this is just an opinion and not the views of this magazine or its employees but a simple observaaon. We would love to hear your views on this subject. We will be possng a quessonaire on our website and facebook for you to chime in. The Lesser of Two Evils.... Which do we choose? It is going to be up to the American People to decide. Vote!!
Remember, it is our Right to Vote that enables us to choose who will run our country. We have to exercise that right and show our support for whomever we choose. As complicated as it may be, we need to fully research and listen to each of these two individuals just simply because November will be here before you realize it and we need to be informed to vote. Let’s do what is right for our country, vote with clear and concise informaaon. That is the only way to fix what is wrong with our country.
Politics in the RGV
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interested in joining the RGV Life Magazine Team? Send us an email and we will schedule an interview. Don’t worry we will train you.
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“I believe that there is a perfect plan set before each of us, and when we follow that plan things work out exactly as they should. For example, many would not believe we were meant to be a part of each other’s paths, yet here we are”
― Rachelle Dekker
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Simple Plan Smart Inspiraaon
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ave you ever woken up and realized that there is more out there? Have you considered that life can offer you so much more, but what escapes you is drive and the desire to go out and get it?
LIfe doesn’t offer any rewinds or takebacks, so you must go out and conquer each day as if it were the last day you would be alive. Live each day to the fullest, not worrying about what lies ahead but instead going out and changing it for the beeer. All too many mes people let circumstances overtake their lives and they believe that no maaer what they do, NOTHING CAN CHANGE THEIR LIVES. There is no greater lie than what they are telling themselves. I have personally met people that have overome obstacles that would leave the normal person curled up in a ball crying their eyes out. What needs to change for those parrcular people is their ATTITUDE. That is the number one thing that separates the successful people and the people that dwell in their own pity. Successful people will do whatever it takes to get the job done whereas; the Pitydwellers only deal in what bad luck they are having and cannot change it. Life is what you make of it, go out and conquer the world and do not let the world CONQUER YOU.
Cycling and Safety – We All Share a Responsibility Richard Cavin, is a technology professional who lives and works in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) of South Texas and is also an avid cyclist. He started cycling at the age of 57 and has ridden his bicycles over 35,000 miles in his four and a half years of cycling. The tale of an ordinary ciizen, a cyclist…..past, present and future. Why safety and awareness are so important. Remember when you were young and full of energy? Maybe you are ssll young and full of energy but a lot of us are not young anymore, but ssll young at heart. As a kid do you remember riding your bicycle when the world was not so crazy, hurried and complex? I do! Some of us remember those mes well and have very fond memories. Tassels on the handlebar ends, baseball cards in the spokes to make motor sounds, connected to the fork via mom’s clothespins! Our favorite ssckers on the bicycle frame, you name it, we lived on the bike! Yes those were the days. Life seemed much simpler then and less hurried. As the years passed, the advancements in technology and society, automobiles have become much faster and sophisscated. As we’re all aware, technology has taken over the life of the majority of our society. Distraccons are numerous: family, kids, friends, radios, phones, tablets, our jobs; you name it.
While the technology behind cycling has also advanced: one basic fact remains, people ride bicycles and those people are even more vulnerable to accidents today. A cyclist will lose the baale of a collision between almost any other object, whether it is the ground, a curb, a tree or a motor vehicle. Does it always have to be that way, maybe not…….. So why do people connnue to cycle today? Maybe it is the love of the sport, the exercise, the feeling of enjoying the outdoors, the social aspect of meeeng and riding with friends or as a primary means of transporta-on. Well as it turns out it is for all those reasons and more.
By: Richard Cavin Have you ever wondered what type of people ride bicycles? Are they normal, produccve members of our society? Yes they are! While some cyclists may have different viewpoints, they are in general outstanding people and ciizens. Our society is challenged with many health issues related to complacency and lack of physical accvity. Cycling is one way to reverse that trend. How many mes have you heard we are an obese society, the facts are there to prove it. For me, the love of cycling re-entered my life in May of 2011 aaer my wife passed away the previous year. I needed something to do besides work to fill that huge void in my life. Somehow I found cycling and I’ve embraced it tremendously. The accvity has been great; but the friends and contacts I have made have been the greatest and most unexpected benefit. I’ve met so many people from all walks of life: housewives, college students, lawyers, police officers, preachers, laborers, teachers, technicians, engineers, business owners, touring cyclists from all over the world and numerous others. So yes we are out there riding our bikes. I guess I should get to the point of this short arrcle: that of safety on the roads. How would you feel if you accidentally caused an injury, minor or even fatal to one of these cyclists? I believe you’d probably feel preey bad and heartbroken. What if one of your friends had been killed or suffered severe injuries by a negligent car driver? I have experienced firsthand the loss of a close cycling friend and known others who have suffered serious injuries. So yeah, cyclists are normal and produccve members of society. Sure we make mistakes riding our bikes and someemes those mistakes can be fatal. Some cyclists stupidly ride through stop signs and red lights, SHAME ON US!! As a cyclist we should always assume that drivers “don’t see us”, let’s face it we must ride defensively at all mes. The same goes for all of the automobile drivers out there. Watch out for us, pay aaennon to the road, quit texxng and looking at your phones when you should be driving. If you’re red, been drinking or should not be driving ask for help or just stop! Do not drive…. Yeah we’re all guilty of driving when we should not, me included, let’s all try our best to be more responsible. So I’m asking everyone to just remember the next me you see someone on the road on a bicycle….be aware. Our goal should be to share the road, yes give us a wide berth, it only takes a few extra seconds to be careful and smile because you have allowed us all to make our roads a beeer place to ride. Check out the rest of this arrcle at www.rgvlifemagazine.com
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