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Chamber Chimes
February 2014
Texas Treasure Business Award
Kautsch True Value has been award the Texas
Treasure Business Award. This Award recognizes
the accomplishments of Texas businesses that have
provided employment opportunities and support
to the state’s economy for at least 50 years.
Created in 2005 by Senate Bill 920 authored by
Sen. Leticia Van de Putte of San Antonio and
sponsored by Rep. Charles Anderson of Waco, the
program pays tribute to the state’s wellestablished businesses and their exceptional
historical contributions toward the state’s
economic growth and
prosperity.
The Kautsch family has
been in business for over
80 years.
Annual Banquet
Recognition of outstanding individuals, along with a
call to “lead with honor” marked the 2014 annual
Alamo Chamber of Commerce banquet held Jan.
30. Cielo Banquet Hall. Social hour was sponsored
by Memorial Funeral Home. The event was chaired
by Klarisa Espinosa.
After the welcome by President, Dick Wright, the
invocation was given by FR. Jose Rene Angel, JCL. of
Resurrection Catholic Church. The introduction of
guests was given by Maria del Pilar Garza, Mayor
Pro-Tem, as Mayor Diana Martinez was ill. The
Chamber’s award of “Friend of the Chamber” went
to Klarisa Espinosa. Three “Winter Texan” Awards
were given out to Winter Ranch nominee, Dale
Loerch; Bibleville, nominee, Don Price; and Royal
Palms nominee, Devona Slater. Idolina Vela was
received the “Citizen of the Year”. The business
portion of the program was opened by Chairman
Gloria Espinosa for the purpose of inducting the
new board and the adoption of the proposed
revised By-Laws.
Annual banquet winners are pictured with city
officials and dignitaries. From left: Commissioner
Trino Medina, Winter Ranch Dale Loerch; Royal
Palms Devona Slater; Speaker Justice Gregory T.
Perkes; Fr . Jose Rene Angel, JCL; Special Chamber
Award recipient, Lynne Showers; “Citizen of the
Year”, Idolina Vela; President, Dick Wright; “Friend of
the Chamber”, Klarisa Espinosa; Bibleville, Don Price;
Mayor Pro-Tem, Pilar Garza; and Commissioner
Robert De La Garza
Lynne Showers part-time Alamo Chamber of
Commerce, employee, in charge of membership,
of the Alamo Chamber was recognized for
outstanding contribution of many unpaid hours
she put in to make the first Okoberfest a great
success. Seen here with Lynne is Treasurer Keith
Hackland, who presented her the award. Thank
You Lynne!
Justice Perkes remarks to the Business
Community By Herb Moering
Chairman Gloria Espinosa introduced the speaker
at the annual Chamber of Commerce Banquet.
Justice Gregory Perkes, Texas 13th Court of Appeals,
Place 3, explained how the Rio Grande Valley
shaped his sense of community and how his family
instilled in him the values of hard work and civic
involvement that he still carries on.
The graduate of nearby Mc Hi, who went on to gain
degrees at the University of Texas in Austin with a
BA in 1983 and St Mary’s University School of Law
in 1987. Noted his most lasting experience was
earning the Eagle Scout award, because it taught
him not only leadership skills but more importantly
to be a leader who gives back to his community.
His background included having his own law firm
where he learned to focus on solutions, not
problems.
Perkes went on to win an appellate court position
and is one of six justices in the large 13th District,
seeing that due process is given each plaintiff by
interpreting the laws of Texas and the Constitution
in civil and criminal case hearings conducted at
courthouses in Edinburg and Corpus Christi. He
churns out about 450 legal opinions annually of
cases that are reviewed by him and two other
judges.
The justice believes business people are natural
civic leaders and communities need those with
vision for seeing the potential for improvements.
He sees them as problem solvers and should use
their talents to help others.
He cited the
philanthropy of Andrew Carnegie as leading with
honor, who gave some $350 million away for
colleges, schools, trusts, institutions and for
construction of more than 2,500 free public library
buildings.
He also shared 10 things leaders can do to make
one’s community a better place: 1)serve others,
2)lead with integrity, 3)show respect to everyone,
4)agree to disagree… without being disagreeable,
5)take all things into account before making a
decision, 6)listen more and talk less, 7)reward and
discipline as necessary including helping those who
are poor performers, 8)treat everyone fairly,
9)become an expert at what you do and 10)lead a
balanced life by making family and spiritual life as
important as your career.
He closed noting that leading with honor
encourages civic responsibility and invited anyone
who happens to be in Edinburg to stop at his
courthouse office for a cup of coffee.
Alamo Palms Scholarship Fund Raiser
At least four $1,500 scholarships will be given out
to graduating seniors from Memorial High School.
Alamo Palms RV Park recently had a “Hobo Stew
Supper” where they served 327. The scholarships
are based on need, academics, and extracurricular
activities.
Students who helped serve from back row:
Jonathan Mireles, Habraham Lopez, Christian Reyes,
Angel Arciva, Jacob Mendoza, Aisha Martinez, Raul
Trevino, Anthony Rocco-Frank. Front Row: James
Arredondo, Kayhla Bocanegra, Rebecca Perez,
Rosalina Viramontes, Samantha Rodriquez, Eunice
Rodriquez, Viridiana Juarez, Angela De La Cerda.
Scholarship Chicken Dinner Plates
There are still tickets available for the scholarship
chicken plate dinner. Alamo Chamber gives out 5
scholarships. We are looking for donations of boxes
of chickens to help defray the expenses. A box of
chickens cost $65. The more dinner tickets sold the
bigger the scholarships. Call the office at 787-2117
for special arrangements on delivering. Pick up is
on March 1, at the corner of 9th and Main Street
between the hours of 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Take
home or eat there and enjoy the parade.
Miss Alamo Pageant
Wow! It was hard to believe that the young ladies
that participated in this year’s Miss Alamo Pageant
were high school students. They showed so much
poise and maturity. Every year this pageant gets
better. Directors Arturo and Gloria Espinosa and
daughters Kristina and Klarisa did an wonderful job
of organizing and arranging this program. It is a
hard job but they make it look easy.
There were 9 participants this year and it was a
difficult decision for the judges but they did an
excellent job of picking the girls to best represent
the Chamber of Commerce and the City of Alamo.
The 2014 Miss Alamo Court starting with Alamo
Duchess Rachel Islas sponsored by Alamo Birding
Services at Alamo Inn B&B; Alamo Princess Yanett
Badillo sponsored by the Alamo Volunteer Fire
Dept.; and Miss Alamo 2014 Kelsey Medina,
sponsored by Commissioner Trino Medina. One
young lady from last year’s court always serves as
ambassador to help with advice and direction to
the new Miss Alamo Court. This year Miss
Ambassador is Stephanie Lerma, Miss Alamo 2013.
This year the directors choose as master of
ceremonies, Aaron Lozan, who is a teacher at PSJA
Memorial Early College High School. He did an
excellent job of making the girls feel at ease. The
first duties of the new 2014 court will be attending
the Chamber of Commerce Golf tournament on
Saturday, Feb. 22, followed by the Winter Texan
appreciation event on Feb. 26.
This is just a very small sampling of the angels that
were donated by Shirl and Paul Pfieffer for the
planed Angel Museum.
Angel Museum
Dr. King the Superintendent of Schools for the PSJA
District has given the Chamber permission to move
1,500 angels to Bowie school as the first step in
establishing an Angel Museum. This incredible
collection was donated to the city by Alamo
residents, Shirl and Paul Pfeiffer. The Chamber and
Visitor Center will be the care takers of the
museum during the development stages and after
the museum is open to the public. Volunteers will
be needed to make sure there is an accurate
inventory on the computer, set-up and possible
making of the displays for the angels.
Phase two will probably be in the fall of 2014. Call
the chamber office if you have an interest in this
project or have experience in the above mentioned
areas. New contributions can be made after Jan
2015. This will be a great asset to the city.
Along with the angels, Fire Chief Roland Espinoza
has been the official keeper of the Alamo historical
items, newspapers and pictures of the City of
Alamo. The Chamber has voted to help him in the
process of gathering and packing up these items to
be brought to Bowie school also. Both of these
museums will be in the same area of the school.
Education
The Royal Miss Alamo Court 2014 from left,
Duchess Rachel Islas, Miss Alamo Kelsey Medina,
Pricness Yanett Badillo, and Ambassador Melina
Lerma.
Excerpt from the Dallas Morning News.
Washington - Texas Commissioner of Education
Michael Williams signaled his support for
improving Texas preschool educational allowing
high school students to earn college credit during a
GOP event in Washington D.C. Speaking at an
awards luncheon for three prominent African
American Republicans, Williams lauded a program
at Pharr-San Juan Alamo ISD in the Rio Grande
Valley that lets students take college level courses
while still in high school.
Williams said that he was not announcing any
concrete plans, but did add after the event that he
is in “regular conversations” with the state’s
commissioner of higher education and the
chairman of the Texas Workforce Commission to
create an initiative modeled on the Pharr-San JuanAlamo plan.
Kudos to Dr. King and his vision
for the PSJA School District.
New look on Main Street.
What was recently Fun Time Restaurant is now
going to be Mac-O-Rita Grill. Renovations are in
progress for areas for games, eating, and a bar.
There will also be a room for private parties. This
will be a place for families to gather for food and
games. There will be an outdoor patio for
customers to enjoy, which will be a prime location
to watch any of the festivals and parades that the
city has planned. Owner and CEO Marco Cagigal
says, the early hours are meant for families and
later on in the evening there will be a place for
those who love to dance.