Pan American Round Table of McAllen Events 2012-2013 Officers Director - Alma De La Garza Treasurer Yolanda McCarty Associate Director - Mandy Pena Parliamentarian Charlene Hertz Secretary Deanna Longoria Ramirez Business Meeting February 6, 2012 Members Yolanda McCarty and Leticia Pena, representing the United States, served as hostesses for the regular business meeting and luncheon held on February 6, 2012 at the McAllen Country Club. Swag American flags hung patriotically at the head table, while individual tables were appropriately decorated with centerpieces displaying small American flags. These were awarded as door prizes at the end of the meeting. Following the introduction of guests and one new Table member, the hostesses presented a very informative and entertaining program on Facts About the U.S. Presidents, which was greatly enjoyed by all. Board of Directors Meeting in Laredo March 2-3, 2012 Baudelia BB Crane, Scholarship Committee Chairman and Lily Torrez, Publications Chairman from the McAllen Table, attended the PARTT Board meeting in Laredo, Texas. Other attendees at the meeting were Director Sarah Jane Wise and State Board Officers and Committee Chairmen from throughout the state. The meeting was held at the Embassy Suites in Laredo and hosted by Laredo Table members. Laura Rodriguez and Lucy Mancha from Eagle Pass reported on the upcoming State convention which they will be hosting in March, 2013. Everyone enjoyed the camaraderie and lovely meals. Pan American Observance Day April 21, 2012 The Upper Valley Tables of Alamo/San Juan/Pharr, Edinburg, McAllen and Rio Grande City/Roma held their joint Observance Day celebration at the McAllen Country Club, hosted by the McAllen Table. ASJP was responsible for the raffle and door prizes while the Edinburg Table members did the presentation of flags. RGC/Roma Table Director, Rosa Paulson, introduced guest speaker Judge Ana Lisa Garza, whose entertaining talk about all the hats that women wear or the many roles they play tied in with the theme of Hats off to Panamericanism.
Pan American Observance Day (continued) Special guests in attendance were State Director Sarah Jane Wise, Yollie Calley and Susan Matthews from Corpus Christi along with Alliance Associate Director General Elsie Perez. The hosts were especially pleased to welcome 6 members from Miguel Aleman, Tamaulipas, Mex. New Members: Dr. Farzaneh Razzaghi, Jane Cosby and Mariella Gorena were inducted as new members on June 6th, while Carola Julieta Chapa joined in November. In Memoriam: Carmen Ulloa De Spishakoff, longtime member of the McAllen Table died on April 3, 2012 and Margarita G. Salinas, 82, who transferred her membership from Rio Grande City/Roma (where she had been a long-time member), to McAllen passed away June 23, 2012 in McAllen, Texas. Alliance Convention Buenos Aires, Argentina Oct. 17-21, 2012 Carmen Guerra, Alma De La Garza, Yolanda & Cayetano Barrera, Mariella Gorena, Ana Maria & Willard Moon, Kay & Jim Moffitt and Lily Torrez attended the Alliance Convention on October 17-21 st at the Hotel Panamericano in Buenos Aires, Argentina. For Pan American Night, the ladies dressed in red T-Shirts and baseball caps, and presented The All American pastime skit while singing Take Me Out to the Ballgame. Immediately following the convention all took a tour of Estancia Santa Susana and enjoyed a full day of horse riding, shopping and dining on a typical parrillada while enjoying a Tango and Gaucho show. The next day the group then took a hydrofoil to Uruguay where they spent two nights, and ended the visit to Argentina with a tour of Salta and Jujuy.
Alliance Convention Buenos Aires, Argentina (continues) Seated: Rita, Dolley, Josie, Margo. Back: Alma, Ana Maria, Mariella, Alma Gloria, Lily Take Me Out to the Ballgame skit at Pan Ameri-can Night: Lily Torrez, Alma De La Garza, Alma G. Gonzalez, Josie Cappadona, Mariella Gorena. Back: Dolly Flores, Ana Maria Moon, Kay Moffitt, Yolanda Barrra, Margot Arevalo & Ciara Pérez. Opening Night: Carol, Rita, Isabel Vezzeti, Alma, Alma Gloria., Dolley, Carmen & Lily.
Mother/Daughter Luncheon December 4, 2012 The annual event was held at the McAllen Country Club at noon with numerous members accompanied by their daughters and daughters-in-law as guests. Honorary members attending were Area C Director Margo Arevalo Gonzalez, UTPA Vice President Veronica Gonzalez, who gave a report on the great advances being made at UTPA, Table Director Alma De La Garza, Alliance Director General Elsie Perez, Alliance Parliamentarian Carmen Guerra and UTPA Development Committee member Josie Cappadona, who inspired the group to offer greater support for the University. Also present were several representatives from the Brownsville I Table. Michelle Perez was the guest of Mother-In-Law Dilia Perez, with Aunt Amber Barrera Sarah Saldana, Noelia Pena and Josie Cappadona, guests from the Edinburg Table, are shown with Becky Strong (second from left), McAllen member Edinburg and McAllen Tables Honor Alliance Director General Elsie Perez
February 9, 2013 A reception honoring Elsie Perez in her new role as Pan American Round Table Alliance Director General for 2012-2014, was held at the lovely home of Leticia Ramon, Edinburg Table member. All Tables from the Rio Grande Valley were well-represented. Joining the hostess tables were members from Brownsville I, San Benito, ASJP and RGC/Roma, who were generous with their donations, providing more than $1000 for a scholarship in Elsie s name. Everyone expressed their admiration to Elsie for her outstanding leadership and thanked her for representing the Valley Tables in such a prestigious and important role. (l-r) Rosie Cardenas, Norma Ornelas, Alma De La Garza, Elsie Perez, Dolly Flores (Edinburg Director), Mariella Gorena and Yolanda Barrera State Convention - Eagle Pass, Texas March 21-24, 2013 Members from the McAllen Table attending the State Board meeting at the Holiday Inn Express in Eagle Pass were: Alliance Parliamentarian Carmen Guerra, Scholarship Chairman Baudelia BB Crane and Publications Chairman Lily Torrez. All Board members enjoyed a Patio dinner at the lovely home of Eagle Pass Table Director Lucy Mancha. The three McAllen attendees were joined for the convention on the 22 nd by Table Director Alma De La Garza and members Mary Pena, Hortencia Pacheco, Mary Pena and Charlene Hertz. Lana Harper from Eagle Pass served as Convention Chairman.
Lily Torrez from McAllen State Publications Chairman and Lucy Mancha Eagle Pass Table Director at Lucy Mancha s home for the State Board Dinner, March 21, 2013 The Saturday luncheon Fun In the Sun was in honor of Past State Directors, featuring John Stockley, who spoke about PART Founder Florence Terry Griswold. He was also present at the Historical Court House later in the afternoon to remember and impart some of the town s history. The evening featured a regional dress dinner and followed on Saturday night with a Country/Western theme: Where Yee-Hah Meets Ole at the International Center for Trade. All those attending savored a delicious steak dinner and had a great time dancing to the music provided by a DJ. They also enjoyed a special dance performance by a Kickapoo Indian in his colorful, native costume. The final day, on Sunday the 24 th, started with a very moving Hour of Memory, where all those members who passed away during the biennium were remembered. The final meeting of the convention followed, with the slate of officers for 2013-2015 being announced, as follows: Director: Lana Harper Eagle Pass 1 st Associate Director (Area C) Isabel Vezzeti Brownsville I 2 nd Associate Director (Area B) Susan Matthews Corpus Christi 3 rd Associate Director (Area D) Imogene McKaskey- Fort Worth 4 th Associate Director (Area A) Janet Roberts Austin Recording Secretary Louise Actkinson San Antonio Treasurer Norma Linda Castellano Brownsville I Historian Lupita Muniz San Benito Publications Chairman Lily Torrez Parliamentarian Ina Pool Laredo Scholarship Dee Moore Del Rio An invitation to the 2014 State Board meeting was extended by Houston An invitation to the 57 th Biennial Convention of 2015 was extended by Laredo The meeting adjourned at 11:30 and was followed by a Sunday Sendoff luncheon. Music was provided by a Mariachi group.
Lower Valley Observance Day Brownsville Country Club April 6, 2013 Attending from the McAllen Table were: Table Director Alma De La Garza, Charlene Hertz, Carmen Guerra, and Lily Torrez. Father Amador Garza, Chaplain of the San Juan Shrine was the guest speaker. His topic was on Mexican Pottery and their creators. State Director Lana Harper and Alliance Director General were also in attendance. Pan American Observance Day April 20, 2013 - McAllen Country Club Host Table Rio Grande City/Roma Program Alamo, San Juan, Pharr, Invitations/Decorations/Raffle - Edinburg Flag Presentation McAllen Theme: Kaleidoscope Tables Represented: Brownsville I and II San Benito Matamoros, Tamaulipas,Mexico Valle Hermoso,Tamaulipas, Mexico Miguel Aleman, Tamaulipas, Mexico Speakers: Martha Stumbo, Zone I Director Ruben Villarreal, Rio Grande City Mayor Distinguished Guests L-R: Norma Linda Castellano, State Treasurer; Isabel Vezzetti, State Area C Director/Electronic Communications Chairman; Carmen Guerra, Alliance Parliamentarian; Dolly Flores, Edinburg Table Director; Ina Pool, State Parliamentarian; Lana Harper, State Director; Martha Stumbo, Alliance Zone I Director; Maria Elena Corona; Rosa Paulson, Roma Table Director; Margo Arevalo Gonzalez, Alliance Corresponding Secretary. Not shown is Alma De La Garza, McAllen Table Director and Lily Torrez, State Publications Chairman
Pan American Observance Day (continued) The presentation of flags was conducted by members of the McAllen Table, dressed in white. L-R: Dr. Yvonne Quintanilla, Charlene Hertz, Mandy Pena, Jane Hereford, Mary Pena, Maria Elena Martinez, Carola Chapa, Elizabeth Perkins Scholarship Presentation and Installation of Officers: May 7, 2013 Officers 2013-2015 On the left: Installation Officer Mary Lou Trevino, followed by 2013-2015 Officers: Treasurer, Yolanda McCarty; Recording Secretary, Patti Mayers; 2nd Associate Director Deanna Longoria Ramirez; First Associate Director Norma Woolsey, and Director Mandy Pena. Not shown is Parlamentarían, Alma De La Garza
Scholarship Recipients May 7, 2013 Scholarship Committee Members Left to Right: Sylvia Alanis, Eunice Ingles, Chairman Bertha Hinojosa and Violette Metz, shown here with scholarship recipients in the middle, Carmela Noche and Bryan Perez. Not shown is third recipient, Jacqueline Torres The Scholarship Committee awarded three scholarships in the amount of $2,000 each to Bryan Perez, a graduate of McAllen High School, whose plans are to become an attorney. Also, to Carmela Noche, graduating from James Nikki Rowe High School with the highest GPA out of 400 students. Her goal is to obtain an undergraduate degree in Chemistry, a Doctorate in Pharmacology, and ultimately to become an OB/Gyn. The third recipient was Jacqueline Torres, graduating from McAllen Memorial High School. Jacqueline was not present to receive the award. Return to Mc Allen Homepage.