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See Pg. 37 Serving Winter Texans From Mission To South Padre Island Since 1987 Vol. 31, No. 17 © 2018 www.wttrgv.com Thursday, February 15, 2018
INSIDE TODAY’S EDITION
Petanque competitions create new friendships, good times
“I’m coming back here for sure next year!”
Louise Richard, a new Winter Texan from Calgary, Alberta, Canada
There are some things you just have to do when you come to South Texas. You have to try the authentic Mexican food. You have to go to a folklórico and mariachi concert. And you have to go to Santa Maria Bull Ring to see the bullfights. Definitely something you can’t do back home if you’re not from South Texas. See BULLFIGHT pg. 4
Top entertainers to perform at Valley Star Awards Saturday Those attending the 2018 Valley Star Awards Show are in store for a delightful evening of entertainment by some of the Rio Grande Valley’s best performers. Performing at this year’s Valley Star Awards are Dave & Daphne, Lindley Creek, Jason Whorlow, 4 His Glory, Kellie Marie, and Vance Greek. This year’s Valley Star Awards is being held at a new location and a new time. The show will held at 1 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 17 at Casa Del Valle in Alamo. See VALLEY STAR AWARDS pg. 33
Quilt Show presents ‘Turning of the Quilts’
Mission Historical Museum is hosting the annual Mission Quilt Show, which is on display at the museum annex building now through March 17. Friday, Feb. 16, the museum will feature a “Turning of the Quilts” program where a knowledgeable quilter will discuss antique and vintage quilts. As each quilt is shown, it is carefully turned down to reveal the next quilt, until all have See QUILT SHOW pg. 30
Louise Richard, in her first year at Pleasant Valley from Alberta, Canada, tosses a metal ball during the Golden Age Olympics Petanque Tournament. She is on a three-member team with her brother, Benoit LeBlanc, seated behind, from New Brunswick, Canada, and their Captain Denis Seucier, from Quebec, Canada.
By Herb Moering Nearly 240 players, 90 percent of them French Canadians, showed up for the opening ceremonies of the Golden Age Olympic (GAO) Petanque Tournament at Pleasant Valley Resort in Mission. The resort has offered the sport of French derivation for about 20 years, hosting the GAO tournament about 10 years. After the ceremonies, 28 teams headed for the 14 courts to begin play, a sport similar to the Italian bocce ball or lawn bowling. Teams usually involve three members, with one person tossing a tiny ball called a “jack” in English, out onto the crusher dust court surface, followed by the tossing of the first metal ball about 4 inches in diameter. Each player tosses two balls in each round and points are scored by getting the See (GAO) PETANQUE pg. 39
Ladies enjoy Bill Chrastil performance at Red Hat Festival of Tables
The annual Red Hat Festival of Tables was held Jan. 29 at Trophy Gardens in Alamo. Each year, local Red Hat chapters join with chapters in Winter Texan parks across the Valley gather at this festival to meet and socialize. Ladies in various chapters choose themes representing holidays, sports teams, countries, movies and Red Hat activities to decorate their festive tables. Two ladies from different groups are asked to sponsor tables. The rest of the ladies who attended drew a number when they entered to find the table where they were to sit. That gave ladies from all over the country a chance to meet Red Hat ladies from other chapters. They were able
to find out what they were doing in the Valley and what their home chapters were doing as well. Approximately 240 ladies arrived by 11 a.m. to view the tables set up by the other 60 ladies, for a total of 300 Red Hatters in attendance. After the viewing the tables, the ladies enjoyed a chicken dinner catered by Balli’s of Mission. Then it was time for the entertainment. Much to the pleasure of those attending, event chairman Jan Bergman was able to book Bill Chrastil, a highly popular Wintertainer™ who appears in RV parks and Winter Texan resorts throughout the See RED HAT FESTVIAL pg. 40
Downa Robertson, Vera Crick and Jean Wright created an angel’s table.