Los Fresnos News 1-4-23

Season of Giving Organizations and Businesses Donate to Members of Boys & Girls Club and Their Families

Emilio Flores Los Fresnos News

Sandals and assorted clothing from Walmart, and toys from Toys for Tots (US Marine reserve).

Boys & Girls Club Director, Edward Barron says, “Gifts were given during the Christmas parade to the community

children,” Those gifts were donated by Undies for Everyone Regarding Walmart, the Boys & Girls Club says, "[We] would like to thank Walmart Supercenter [in] Los Fresnos for their kind

apparel donation." "Our members and their families were appreciative of such generosity. And thanks to our point of contact Mr. Jorge L. Ortiz."

Blue Santa, from the Los Fresnos PD, also

provided toys. In the end, the kids all got to take a big group picture with blue Santa. In all 750 gifts were handed out.

All photos were taken by the Boys & Girls Club of Los Fresnos.

The Boys & Girls Club of Los Fresnos posted on December 23rd that club members and their siblings were given toys for the holidays.

Kids take group photo with Los Fresnos PD and Blue Santa

Los Fresnos Police Department brought Blue Santa to Town

Blue Santa gives presents and goodie bags to kids

Underwear donated by Undies for Everyone for both boys and girls with each being a pack of 7 underwear

By Saira Cabrera

RIO GRANDE

VALLEY,

TEXAS –

DEC. 21, 2022 – It's no surprise that medical education is expensive, even in one of the nation's most affordable medical schools like the UTRGV School of Medicine, where the annual tuition and fees are $19,639 for in-state residents, compared to the $37,080 average cost for all public medical schools.

As of 2021, 76% to 89% of medical school graduates leave school with an average of $203,062 in total education debt, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges.

So UTRGV's Dr. Leonel Vela decided to do something about that. The senior associate dean for Educational Resources and chair of Population Health and Biostatistics for the School of Medicine knows well that a little can mean a lot.

"I was born and raised here in the Valley. Like many families in the area, my parents lived in poverty. We were farmworkers and worked in the fields, picking all sorts of fruits and vegetables," Vela said. "And so, you think, can someone like that have a dream of being a doctor?"

Vela made it happen, though. He attended Stanford University for his undergraduate studies, went on to the Baylor College of Medicine, then completed his post-graduate studies at Harvard University. Before joining the UTRGV School of

Medicine, he held several leadership roles in public health and higher medical education.

The road from la pisca (picking crops) to some of the nation's top universities was paved with encouragement and guidance from his mentor, and what he acknowledges as "great sacrifice" from his family.

"Many people gave and sacrificed over the years for me to be where I am today," he said. "That's the motivation behind the Dr. Leonel Vela Medical School Endowed Scholarship."

His dream to create an endowed scholarship that represented the sacrifices made by so many over decades – not only for Vela's medical career but for establishing a medical school in the Rio Grande Valley – was "many, many years in the making," he said.

He hopes that, specifically for medical students, the scholarship conveys that they are valued and that he hopes to alleviate some of the financial hardships of attending medical school.

"Mostly, I hope that through this scholarship, talented students will have the means to become doctors and, one day, serve in the medically underserved Valley where I grew up," he said.

FI r ST

SCHOLar SHIP

r ECIPIEnT

The scholarship, created in 2017, became fully funded as an endowed scholarship in 2021 and was awarded to its first recipient this

academic year, 2022.

Lauren Ashley Herrera, now a fourth-year student at the UTRGV School of Medicine and a Valley native of San Benito, is this year's recipient of the very first Dr. Leonel Vela Medical School Endowed Scholarship.

"The price of pursuing a medical education is not cheap," Herrera said. "Many of us take out thousands of dollars in loans, but scholarships truly help reduce the debt

we accrue over years of schooling."

At UTRGV, all scholarships, including the Dr. Leonel Vela Medical School Endowed Scholarship, are centrally administrated by the Scholarship Office. Although donors are not involved in the selection or distribution process, the responsibility lies in the Scholarship Office through the scholarship committees – in this case, the School of Medicine

Scholarship Selection Committee. The UTRGV Division of Institutional Advancement oversees all endowments as part of the Endowment Compliance Program, and the Scholarship Office leads the administration.

According to Vela and the medical school scholarship committee, Herrera embodies what the scholarship represents: students who demonstrate a commitment to medicine through academic excellence and leadership.

"Lauren is an impressive future physician," Vela said. "She is the type of student we envisioned in terms of the scholarship, committed and dedicated to serving her community. All those qualities are what this endowed scholarship represents."

Herrera currently is interviewing for General Surgery residency programs and is excited to have been named the first student for this scholarship.

She said she can’t thank Vela enough for the opportunities the scholarship presents.

"I am humbled and honored to be the first recipient of Dr. Vela's scholarship," she said.

SEa LED I n PEr PETu IT y

Dr. Michael B. Hocker, dean of the UTRGV School of Medicine and senior vice president for UT Health RGV, said Vela is an inspiration for his leadership and philanthropy.

"Dr. Vela is well known and recognized across our region and state for his work establishing our medical school and his accomplishments in the medical education field," Hocker said. "He has been an advocate for students from this region. I applaud his passion for advancing healthcare."

Vela's commitment to students is now sealed in perpetuity through the creation of the Dr. Leonel Vela Medical School Endowed Scholarship, and will continue to recognize third-year medical students enrolled in the UTRGV School of Medicine who demonstrate academic excellence and leadership.

"It's important to give back. Whether financially or with time, giving back brings fulfillment and purpose to your own life," Vela said. "I think all of us, in our own different ways, can give to support and help others."

Lauren Ashely Herrera, UTRGV School of Medicine Class of 2023, is the first recipient of the Dr. Leonel Vela Medical School Endowed Scholarship. Vela said Herrera is a student who embodies what the scholarship represents – students who demonstrate commitment to medicine through academic excellence and leadership. (UTRGV Photo by Raul Gonzalez)

Without public notices in the newspaper, you’re left guessing.

Public notice is your right to know about the issues that directly affect your life. And, you can easily find public notices in your local newspaper. Without public notices in the newspaper, you’re left to guess about what the government is doing in your community and how elected officials are spending your tax dollars.

Your local newspaper fulfills an essential role in serving your right to know. After all, it shouldn’t be your responsibility to know how to look ... where to look ... when to look ... and even what to look for in order to be informed about public information. It is the government’s responsibility to notify you of public information, and your local newspaper is the most accessible place to find it.

PUBLIC NOTICES IN NEWSPAPERS.

auto

A&A Towing & Recovery (956)233-5773

A&M Automotive (956)233-5773

Leo Motors (956)254-2010

Bank

First Community Bank (956)233-4100

Bakery Tapia’s Cakes (956)346-5257

Boutique Agape’ (956)496-2348

Carpet Cleaning Nikky’s Carpet Cleaning (956)266-1369

Chambers of Commerce

Los Fresnos Chamber of Commerce (956)233-4488

City of Los Fresnos City Hall (956)233-5768

Community Development Los Fresnos Community Development Corp. (956)233-6182

Emergency Services

Police / Fire / EMS (956)233-4473

Events

CAF Museum (956)479-8585

CAF Air Show (956)479-8585

Narciso Martinez Cultural Arts Center (956)367-0335

Los Fresnos Rodeo lfrodeo.com

Eyecare Dr. Ivar Perez / Optical Image (956)399-0680

Farms CD&J Mini Ranch (956)456-9600

Flowers The Flower Gallery (956)233-1555

Gris Faviola’s Flower Shop (956)233-1611

Rosie’s Flowers & Gifts (956)233-5877

Funeral Los Fresnos Funeral Home (956)254-2099

Consolata Funeral Consultants (956)245-2447

Graciela Garza / Funeraria Del Angel (956)831-4216

Handgun / Security Training Vinson’s Training School (956)266-2582

Healthcare Clinic / Home Care TVNS, LTD. (800)242-8867

Tropical Health Care (956)202-0111

Home Improvement Arizpe Flooring (956)545-8520

Hotel

Los Fresnos Inn & Suites (956)233-1133

Country Inn & Suites (956)428-0043

Padre South Hotel / SPI (956)761-4951

Insurance Rio Grande Underwriters (956)233-5744

newspaper Los Fresnos News (956)233-9928

Outdoor Marketing Benchmark Outdoor (956)428-SIGN

Plumber Integrity Services & Plumbing (956)367-6005

real Estate V.I.P. Realty (956)399-7777

recycling / Waste Oil Collection Fatty Chem By-Products (956)233-5691 restaurant Bros Craft Burger (956)254-2096

Subway (956)233-1617

Taqueria El Cien (956)233-1001

Dairy Queen (956)233-9533

Tapia’s Cafe (956)233-9988

rV Palmdale RV Resort (956)399-8694

Salon Cuts & More (956)233-3250

Sports Broadcasting Rio Sports Live (956)291-2538

Storage Move-It Storage (956)233-5996

Water Delivery / Filtration Culligan (956)399-1780

Wildlife Park Fragile Planet Wildlife Park (956)710-2025

Where public information is accessible to the public.

Lady Falcon Soccer Around The Corner

2022-23 soccer season

By Ruben Rodriguez Los Fresnos News

The Los Fresnos Lady Falcons are almost ready for the 2022-23 girls soccer season. Here is what to expect from the Lady Falcons this season.

After a great season that saw the Lady Falcons finish off 11-3 in 32-6A play and an overall season record of 15-7-3. The Lady Falcons punched their ticket to the Regional Quarterfinal. This Year the Lady Falcons are set to go as we preview the non-district and district schedules.

Some non-district matchups include Edinburg North, Laredo United South, McHi, Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial. The Lady Falcons also have

some big opponents from up north. These opponents include V.R. Eaton out of Fort Worth, Lubbock Monterrey, Humble Atascocita and Cibolo Steele before 32-6A play kicks off in February.

District 32-6A will begin on February 3rd as the Rivera Raiders will be their first District matchup. Weslaco, Hanna, San Benito and Harlingen will follow before round two of 32-6A begins on February 24.

A longer non-district as contrast to last season, the Lady Falcons will compete in a 10 game district calendar as Harlingen South and Donna North have made their way down to 32-5A as a part of the realignment this past

What Lies ahead

February.

On the Boys side of things, the Los Fresnos Boys soccer team looks to make a great run at the postseason for the upcoming season. After sneaking into the playoffs with a 32-6A record of 8-6, the Falcons are determined to have a higher seeding this season.

Some opponents the Falcons will face off against are the Rio Grande City Rattlers, San Antonio Burbank, Warren and Southwest. The Falcons will kick off 32-6A play on February 3 against the Rivera Raiders. Following the Raiders, Los Fresnos will take on Weslaco, San Benito, Hanna and Harlingen in the 32-6A season.

A look at Los Fresnos Athletics in 2023

By Ruben Rodriguez Los Fresnos News

With 2023 just a couple of days away, we take a look at what lies ahead for Los Fresnos Athletics. Starting Early on, Basketball season will continue to roll as both the Boys and Girls teams will begin 32-6A Play. The Los Fresnos Boys team has had themselves a great first half of the season sitting at 17-5.

The Falcons will begin 32-6A play on January 13, 2023. For the Lady Falcons

Basketball team, Los Fresnos is currently 18-5 and have found success as they prepare for 32-6A play.

Meanwhile, Soccer season is just around the corner as well. Boys Soccer is set to kick off in midJanuary while Girl’s soccer is just around the corner. Both teams are expected to begin 32-6A play in mid February. Both squads had great seasons in 202122 and look to continue that momentum into this upcoming season.

The Falcons will also be taking the Diamond soon as Los Fresnos Baseball and Softball are set to go underway in January. Both programs have been very excellent in recent years and are coming off great seasons in the very competitive District 32-6A.

Regardless of what sport you love, there is a lot to be excited about for Los Fresnos sports in 2023, especially after a very eventful 2022.

Boys & Girls Club Holds Award Ceremony

Addyson Vega

Roberta Torres

On December 10th, the Boys & Girls Club of Los Fresnos held their annual

award ceremony for 202223 with DJ music, trophy giveaways to different

teams, and juice boxes for the kids.

President of the Republic of Botswana Signs Memorandum of Understanding with Texas A&M AgriLife Research for Agriculture Improvement Collaboration

Entities seek advances benefitting the Republic of Botswana, Texas sectors

Written by Gabe Saldana

The President of the Republic of Botswana, His Excellency Dr. Mokgweetsi E.K. Masisi, and a contingent of the country’s national dignitaries converged on the Texas A&M University campus for a showcasing of Texas A&M AgriLife’s expertise and advanced facilities for cattle research, extension and education initiatives.

The visit included the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Texas A&M AgriLife

Research and the Republic of Botswana. The MOU calls for both entities to establish collaborative initiatives for improved agricultural and natural resource sectors in the Republic of Botswana and Texas – enabled by similar production conditions in their respective global regions.

Collaborators will place a specific focus on increased cattle production and exports.

“The U.S. is the top producer of beef cattle in the world, and Texas is the largest cattle producer

in the U.S. We’re proud that Texas and Texas A&M have become an international leader for the improvement of agriculture and cattle in particular,” said John Sharp, chancellor of The Texas A&M University System, when meeting with Masisi. “We look forward to seeing what this partnership can accomplish for Botswana and for the advancement of Texas agriculture.”

The Republic of Botswana delegation included a contingent of the country’s academic leaders and Ministers

of Foreign Affairs, Agriculture, and Education and Skills Development.

“Texas agriculture operations are premier examples of a wellfunctioning production system across the supply chain,” Masisi said. “By mirroring some of the production environments that exist in Texas, we can collaborate on methods, technologies and practices that mutually benefit the capabilities of all involved.”

activities in College Station

Along with a ceremonial signing of the MOU with AgriLife Research, the Republic of Botswana delegation attended discussions on select

cattle research and emerging technologies in reproduction. They toured the Thomas G. Hildebrand, DVM ’56 Equine Complex and advanced phenotyping facilities. The delegation also attended a luncheon with Texas A&M faculty, staff and leadership at Kyle Field, including Sharp, Cliff Lamb, Ph.D., director of AgriLife Research, Jack Balduaf, Texas A&M University Vice President for Research and other Texas A&M AgriLife leaders.

The Republic of Botswana visit was a follow-up to a trip to Texas in September, where Masisi and his delegation toured beef cattle operations across the state — a demonstration of

production from pasture to plate.

next steps

“The signing of this MOU opens a host of opportunities for improving agriculture in Botswana as well as resiliency of Texas agricultural collaborative research,” Lamb said. “We were honored to host President Masisi in College Station, and we look forward to a future of impactful work together.”

In accordance with the MOU, researchers, stakeholders and the leadership of Texas A&M AgriLife and the Republic of Botswana will begin discussions on prospective areas of focus.

DIX Industries Earns 2022 Chairman’s Award

DIX Industries has been named the Port of Brownsville 2022 Chairman’s Award honoree in recognition of the company’s accomplishments throughout its 75-year history at the port.

Brownsville Navigation District Chairman Esteban Guerra presented the award to Lee Ostos, president of DIX Industries, on Dec. 8, during the annual Customer Appreciation Luncheon held at the Ambassador Event Center in Brownsville, TX.

DIX Industries was established in 1947 by

Richard Ostos at the Port of Brownsville.

The family business has spanned three generations and celebrates its 75th anniversary this year.

The company provides full-service stevedoring, warehousing, and logistical services to markets in the U.S. and Mexico.

Today, there are over 100 employees throughout Dix Industries including crane operators, heavy machinery equipment operators, stevedores and office staff.

"The legacy of a company like DIX Industries is earned and built from the ground up. It has been an asset to our local economy since its inception by the Ostos family," said Chairman Guerra. "From locally grown agricultural products to windmill blades, steel, and space project cargo, DIX

Industries has been there to connect the Rio Grande Valley with opportunities around the world."

The company has grown exponentially from its original 400,000 square foot warehouse to 800,000 square feet of warehouse storage today, and has offices in Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Monterrey, and Veracruz, Mexico, to provide cohesive services to markets in the U.S. and Mexico.

"This award is a great honor for DIX Industries and is a result of the hard work and dedication from all of our employees," said Lee Ostos, grandson of Richard Ostos. "With the assistance of the Port of Brownsville we are celebrating our 75th year anniversary of operations and look forward to many more years to come."

Front row from left, Assistant Minister for Agriculture of the Republic of Botswana Molebatsi Shimane Molebatsi; President of The Republic of Botswana Dr. Mokgweetsi E.K. Masisi; and Director of Texas A&M AgriLife Research Cliff Lamb, Ph.D. Back row from

left, Executive Associate Dean of the Texas A&M University Department of Horticultural Sciences Patricia Klein; AgriLife Research interim Associate Director and Chief Scientific Officer Sandy Pierson, Ph.D.; Director of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Rick Avery, Ph.D.; AgriLife Research Associate Director of Operations Stephen Cisneros; and Director of the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory Amy Swinford, DVM. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo by Sam Craft)

Ky Pohler, Ph.D., associate professor of animal physiology of reproduction, talks about cattle reproduction at the O. D. Butler, Jr. Animal Science Complex (Texas A&M AgriLife photo by Sam Craft)

DIX Industries President Lee Ostos, left, accepts the Chairman’s Award from Brownsville Navigation District Chairman Esteban Guerra at the Port of Brownsville Customer Appreciation Luncheon held Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022, at the Ambassador Event Center in Brownsville, TX.

DIX Industries employees take the stage to join company president Lee Ostos in celebration of the Chairman's Award.

The Art of Manliness Monthly Segment How to Care for Leather

Men are almost universally drawn to goods made with leather. Wallets, boots, bags, jackets, gloves — all are lent a certain extra attraction when they’re crafted from an animal’s sturdy hide.

The reasons for leather’s appeal aren’t hard to understand. It’s a material our ancestors used for clothes, pouches, and a variety of other useful wares. And leather is so durable that many of those heirloom items are still around today (in fact, a pair of shockingly wellpreserved 5,500-yearold leather shoes were discovered a few years back). Adding to this literal toughness, is an aura of it, borne from the material’s ancient connection to hunting and killing. Plus, leather just looks dang good.

While it’s tough as nails, we must also remember that leather is in fact skin. It can dry, crack, stain, warp, etc. So today I’ll walk you through the various options for treating and taking care of leather so that whatever form it takes can be passed down your family line.

Note that much of the below applies mostly to everyday use items that are regularly exposed to the elements — shoes, jackets, bags. Wallets, accessories, etc. can still be cared for with these tips, they generally just don’t need as much attention.

What Do you Want your Leather to Look Like?

The first task in deciding how to treat and care for your leather is simply asking what you want it to look like, and the role it plays in your life. A pair of rugged work boots don’t need as much attention as a pair of classy dress shoes. A moto jacket will likely be naturally more beaten up than a bomber jacket you wear around town — tis the nature of riding a motorcycle down the freeway with leather over your shoulders.

It also comes down to taste. Some men want a clean, polished look for their bag, while others are okay with scratches, blemishes, and natural wear and tear. Dave Munson, founder of Saddleback Leather Co., prefers to minimally treat his own personal bags, and allows them to have the beaten-tohell look that tells tales of

adventures (and sometimes misadventures) without ever uttering a word. So think about what you want your leather to look like, and next, we’ll go through some various treatment options.

The Differences Between Various Leather Treatments

If you’re like me, you may have thought that giving your shoes a good polish every now and then was all that leather needed to stand the test of time. When perusing the shoe care section of a department store, all the creams, polishes, waxes, and conditioners blended together into a single product in my mind. They’re not, in fact, totally interchangeable though. Let’s take a look at what these different treatments do to leather. Keep in mind there aren’t general pros and cons here; as stated above, it comes down to what you want, and what the function of the leather item is.

Polish. Polish is largely actually for aesthetics.

On its own, it’s mostly about the actual shine of the product (usually shoes and bags) rather than protecting it from the elements. Having said that, many polishes have a moisturizing element, so you really have to look at the product description and user reviews to know what you’re getting and what it does.

Since cleaning is part of a good polishing routine, it’s certainly not a bad thing to do. Frequency of polishing simply depends on your own preferences for how you want your leather goods to look, but most casual items won’t need it. If you have a nice briefcase or fancy dress shoes, that’s where polish really comes in.

Conditioner/Cream.

Leather conditioner or cream moisturizes the material so that it doesn’t dry out and crack. This won’t make your shoes “shine,” but it will protect them. Note that in most cases conditioners don’t waterproof your leather (though some do include a water-repelling component). Leather conditioners are lotionlike, and are to be gently rubbed into the leather. The hide will soak up

the conditioner, just like your skin would soak up a moisturizer.

How often you use conditioner, as with the other treatments, really depends on what you want.

Dave Munson, mentioned above, conditions every 6-12 months, preferring to let his bags completely dry out before re-applying. That keeps the leather looking rugged and tough, and allows it to accrue some scuffs, scratches, etc.

Most folks out there — everyday folks who haven’t founded leather goods companies — like to condition their goods (largely everyday use items like shoes and bags) every 3 months or so, sometimes more if they live in a dry climate.

"A Note on Lanolin Lanolin is a natural waxy secretion from sheep. Just as human skin secretes various oils, sheep produce lanolin. It’s found in all kinds of human-use products from moisturizers, cosmetics, and baby wipes to — you guessed it — leather care products.

It’s nearly a 50-50 split of leather companies and style folks who advocate for or against the use of leather care products that contain lanolin. While a fine moisturizing product, it will soften the leather to a greater degree than other products. For jackets especially, and sometimes bags and shoes, this might be exactly what you want.

A soft supple leather feels really nice. Some folks, though, adamantly don’t want their leather to be too soft. They want it to retain a rugged, somewhat rigid look and feel.

So, always know to look for lanolin as an ingredient in leather care products, and use that knowledge to get exactly what you want out of your material."

Waterproofing. Waterproofing sprays or waxes provide a coating to your shoe to repel water, snow, baby drool, etc. These treatments generally only need to be done once a year, depending on your use of the product. Sprays should only be used in a pinch; they’re convenient, but create a lower quality effect. You’ll need to reapply a spray several times over the course of a single winter or rainy season. Waxes (and sometimes

creams) are much more durable, and can be applied with greater precision and control. With a spray, you’ll be coating laces, zippers, etc., perhaps unnecessarily wearing them and exposing them to chemicals.

More on waterproofing below, as it’s a controversial topic in the leather world.

Damp Cloth. Using a damp cloth is the old reliable when it comes to leather care. Since leather is so very naturally durable anyway, giving it a wipe down (without soap — its chemicals can ruin the leather over time) once a week to get rid of the dirt and dust (the most nefarious culprits to premature wear and tear) constitutes a minimally sufficient care routine. If you use nothing else, this is the way to go.

Wire/Suede Brush. In the case of suede (a form of leather that is simply the underside of an animal’s hide), don’t use any of the above products. All you’re going to do is use a small wire or suede-specific brush to wipe away dirt and grime. Avoid water with suede products as much as possible.

Concluding notes on Treatment Options

These treatments get really tricky because they can go by many different names, and they’re often combined — you find a lot of “shoe cream polish” or “waterproofing conditioner” online.

How do you navigate this? You largely have to rely on your own research of a particular product. Many brands that make leather goods have care guides (interestingly, hardly any mention waterproofing). Even then, however, you need to look over ingredients lists and read up in forums or reviews of how people are actually taking care of these leather items. It’s no surprise that some companies are simply peddling their own conditioners or polishes, which may or may not be any better than other, often cheaper, brands.

Ultimately, you just need to test the various treatments to see what they do to your leather — how it looks, how it wears, how it handles the elements, etc. Leather is indeed hardy, so if you’re following the principles below, don’t worry too much about messing up your shoes or bag with the wrong product.

Leather Care Principles, no Matter the Form

Leather needs to breathe. Just like skin, leather needs some ventilation to prevent mildew and rot. Air can naturally pass through leather, leaving moisture to evaporate naturally. That can’t happen when your leather is all sealed up, though. So don’t ever store or transport it in a plastic grocery bag (whoops — guilty of that one!). Either use the storage/travel bag the item came with, or some type of breathable

fabric — pillowcases are great for shoes, bags, and/ or other accessories.

Keep leather away from direct sunlight/ heat. If a leather item gets waterlogged, it can be tempting to throw it in front of a heater or to use a hair dryer to speed the process. Don’t do that, ever. Just like skin and other fabrics, when leather gets wet and then heated right away, it can shrink and dry out too quickly. Rather, let it dry naturally, even if it takes a couple days.

Also, just generally keep leather out of direct sunlight when storing. The leather fades naturally over time, but sunlight speeds up that process. Drying and cracking can also ensue. Darker places with some humidity are preferred, although again, ensure air flow so that mildew can’t form.

Test first. When applying any polish or conditioner, always test a small area first. Any item is likely to change the color of the leather, even if only slightly. Before applying a treatment to an entire shoe, test it on a small portion, let it dry for 24 hours, and see what happens. It may seem tedious, but it can keep your shoe from looking different than what you want. If a certain brand/ color goes well the first time, then feel free to use repeatedly without testing again.

Go with natural/neutral colors. Many polishes and creams will come in either black, brown, or neutral. The added dyes are thought to liven up any faded color in a leather product. While black is a pretty safe choice for black products, there are just too many shades of brown to match things up perfectly. To avoid unnecessarily changing the hue of your leather, stick with neutrals (usually either white or gray in the can/ bottle).

Regularly clean with a damp cloth. As mentioned above, the most foolproof way to keep any leather product from prematurely aging, even if you do nothing else, is to give it a regular wipe-down with a damp cloth. Your jackets, shoes, bags — they all quickly accumulate dirt, dust, and all manner of other abrasive particles that lead to premature wear and tear. Preserve your leather by wiping them down weekly, or even after a single hard use in a winter storm, with a wet cloth or even paper towel.

Generally speaking, leather doesn’t need waterproofing. Most leather goods sold these days are treated to some degree or another with some sort of waterproofing agent. In most environments and conditions, your leather will hold up just fine to rain, snow, etc. If you’re someone who is hiking with leather boots, or you’re regularly out in deep snow or heavy rain with them, then you should waterproof — and even then, it’s more

for the contents of the leather item (your feet, your laptop, your body) than the material itself. If you’re unsure about waterproofing, ask the manufacturer. They’ll tell you whatever treatment it already has, and if the product needs additional care based on your activities and uses.

Things to Consider for Specific Leather Goods Shoes. When you aren’t wearing your leather shoes (particularly dress shoes), keep cedar shoe trees in them. This keeps the shape, reduces creases, and naturally absorbs excess moisture/odors. Dress shoes should be cleaned and polished more regularly.

Work-style or everyday wear boots don’t need as much care, but should be wiped down weekly (even twice weekly if they’re truly worn every day) and conditioned every 1-6 months depending on where you live, the time of year, and your preferences, as noted above in the conditioner section.

Bags/wallets. Your primary concern here is to avoid over-filling these items. Once misshapen, leather isn’t going to spring back to its original form (hence shoe trees in shoes). Bags generally need less treatment than shoes just because they aren’t subject to the same beating as footwear. Still wipe them down regularly, though, and condition every 6-12 months.

Jackets. Similar to shoes. Wipe them down after a few wears, and condition every 6 months or so if worn regularly. It really comes down to how the item looks; if it feels dry and small cracks are appearing, give it some attention. With leather jackets, you often want to achieve that soft and supple feel, so go ahead and use lanolin-based products — AoM style guy Antonio Centeno recommends saddle soap. Also consider getting leather jackets professionally cleaned once a year; there are in fact specialty leather cleaners in most major cities. Since jackets contain a larger amount of leather than most other goods, there’s just more square footage to keep up with, and you’re likely to miss something with your own cleaning and conditioning.

To sum up, ensure that you have a good routine for caring for your leather goods. In many instances, it will look something like these 3 easy steps:

1. Wipe down leather with a damp cloth 1-2 times per week depending on use and accumulated dirt and grime. Store leather shoes on cedar trees.

2. Condition leather every 3-6 months, sometimes more depending on the environment and season.

3. Waterproof once a year, if desired, and if your lifestyle/environment calls for it.