Tag: rio grande valley

Winter-Texan season is upon us!

I don’t know about you, but to me, it’s the most wonderful time of the year!  After a long, hot summer, we are excited to see the temps start to drop, but the temperature change means something even better than getting rid of sweaty brows.  In South Texas, it means our Winter Texans are coming!

 

As early as October, you start to see out-of-state plates dotting the highway, and you can feel the excitement in the air that signals “the season” is coming.  Most people think “the season” officially starts November 1, but I beg to differ.  Each year, it seems our Winter Texans start to trickle in earlier and earlier.

 

And why not?  I’m sure you’ve heard about the arctic blasts in our northern states.  (Maybe we are being a little dramatic, but once it gets below 70, we tend to pull out our parkas.)  There’s no doubt our Winter Texans think we’re crazy, but cool weather is not something we get very often.  We get hot, hotter, and hotter than…

 

There is never a lack of things to do here in the Rio Grande Valley.  Whether it’s dancing, shuffleboard, swimming, racing RC cars, or playing pickleball, this is the place to do them all.

 

We can’t wait to see you out and about this season.  Welcome Home, y’all!

 

We’re just connecting the dots,

Kristi

 

Kristi Collier is a McAllen native who loves to share her passion for the area with others.  Her company, Welcome Home RGV caters to the Winter & Converted Texan market through their events, activities, special interest publications and more.  For more information, call the Welcome Home RGV office at 956-687-5115, visit www.welcomehomergv.com or visit on facebook at facebook.com/whrgv and  facebook.com/wintertexan.

 

We’re on a first name basis

And sometimes we are even lucky to even get that right, aren’t we?  Name tags, are a wonderful thing.  Not only do they help with introductions, they help jog the old memory on where we might have possibly met each other in the first place.  Some name tags are bigger than others, take for instance Betty Emmons from Casa del Valle, who’s badge reflects over 20 seasons in the Valley, dates back to 1986.  1st Responders and in most cases are easily identified by their name tags.  The Tropic Star cheerleaders can be easily spotted by the dangle on their badge.   I’ve seen some that say everything from ‘manager’ to ‘activity director’ to line dancer’ and ‘single’.  If our badges could talk, I wonder what kind of stories they might tell.   What do you call those things that dangle from your badge?  Badge bangle-dangles?

I also think it is great that not only do our badges reflect where we are, but also where we come from.  I like to look at the badges and see the silent story that they tell, and for me, badges are often conversation starters.
Over the last five years I’ve learned a lot about you, and the way you operate. For instance, each and every one of you is very different, you come from different areas and backgrounds, you have different interests, hobbies and there is simply no way to ‘categorize’ our Winter Texans.  You don’t all like to do the same things.  There are a few things that are pretty common across the board though, you all like warm weather in February, you enjoy life to the fullest, and you have a hard time remembering certain things.  Like last names, the day of the week, what you had for dinner and minor details.
I absolutely love when I visit a park and hear “hey Kristi” throughout the halls.  I was just at Texas Trails for the Bernie & Red fundraiser for St. Baldrick’s and so many of you greeted me by my first name, and I loved every minute of it.  I still use my last name (it’s Collier by the way), but I’d rather you spend your time remembering good times, good friends and great weather than last names.
I hope you’ll join me for our 3rd annual Welcome Home happy hour on Friday, February 22nd at the Mercedes Livestock Showgrounds from 1 – 4 pm.  We’re going to have a happy hour like none other with entertainment by Leslie Blasing, John Sager and Jeff Gordon!  Free admission and free parking, we’ll pass the hat, have beer, wine and setups available and we’d love to have you join us.   Bring your lawnchairs and celebrate the season with us, and we’ll have you home in time for dinner.
We’re just connecting the dots,
Kristi