The Del Rio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce recognizes the importance of love, family, and friends during the holiday season. Our daily routines that encompass a multitude of activities throughout the year, are making it harder to find enough free time to spend with loved ones. During this time of year, it is easy to get pulled into commercialism and forget about what is really important. However, the holidays are a perfect escape from the demands of everyday life and a chance to make priceless memories that last a lifetime. Sharing pre and post-holiday happiness is a benefits of spending time with family. For some, planning holidays in advance stimulates the brain to produce more “happy” hormones. This results in a cheerful, more positive attitude that increases performance and lasts for a couple of weeks after the holiday. Disconnecting from the digital world is an additional benefit that highlights the importance of face-to-face conversations with family members. While the holidays are about spending time celebrating the season, giving gifts and indulging in delicious foods, the spending on get-togethers, holiday events and gift exchanges adds up. The good news is that there are affordable ways to spend quality time with family this holiday season. A few suggestions include attending holiday markets and events, evening walks, baking cookies, making homemade decorations for the Christmas tree, special breakfast pancakes and family photos. A unique idea on family togetherness is creating a family time capsule. Choose a time this holiday season for everyone in the family to write out things they are grateful for and include a small item representing who you are this year. Put the notes and items in a small box or keep the time capsules together in one bigger box for everyone to look back on each year. One tradition my family and I have is selecting an ornament that has a significant meaning from the current year. Our gathering includes sharing the meaning of each ornament and hanging them on the Christmas tree. No matter what your age, the holidays are a special time when you can feel loved and supported. Make it a point this season to enjoy the company of those you care about most. It will make your holidays that much brighter!
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Empowerment: Del Rio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce had the opportunity to celebrate Women’s Entrepreneurship Day! We had and activity to honor our empowered members. Their histories on how they started and made their business grow is really inspiring for all of us and teach us that if we work hard, we can achieve our goals. They don’t only have the business women role, they also are mothers, wives, friends, daughters and help their community. Thank you for sharing with us such amazing success histories. Congratulations! A big thank you to our sponsor Laura Rojas, Realtor- Keller Williams Del Rio
On November 2nd, we had the honor to be present at the “Dia de muertos celebration” at Plaza del Sol Mall We were invited by Consulado de México en Del Rio and we sponsored the Catrina and Catrin Contest. This year, the altar was in memory of Alfredo “Fred” Cervantes. Thank you Consulado De Mexico in Del Río for the invitation to this wonderful activity. We would like to thank as well to Vice- consul Carlos Quiló from Consulado de Guatemala en Del Rio, TX and Mary Mota Director of cultural events from the Del Rio Hispanic Chamber for being two of our contest judges. Traditions like this, keep on our memory and heart our loved ones who left this earth but whose souls live among us.
Let me start off by stating that I am happy and excited to return as a member of the Del Rio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors as Secretary! As I write this short Article for this issue of our Newsletter, I am thankful to be part of this dedicated board; all volunteers who dedicate their time and effort because they truly believe in the mission, which is to promote the interest of small businesses, especially minority and women owned enterprises. So, as I reminisce about all the events and activities of our past 16 years of existence, I am amazed at all that has been accomplished by a small group of dedicated volunteers and loyal members. In the early days of our existence, we relied on our parent organization, the Texas Association of Mexican American Chambers of Commerce (TAMACC) to provide support and encouragement with their workshops conducted for small businesses in our community. Today we can count on many local organizations, such as the Whitehead Museum, the International Good Neighbor Council and La Casa De La Cultura for support. However, one of our major allies is El Consulado de Mexico with the Honorable Consul General Paloma Villasenor at the helm. Although we participate in many local events and activities, our focus is directed at supporting and assisting small businesses, so when we were asked to help out with a Dia De Los Muertos event at Plaza Del Sol Mall, we were there! Not only did we learn of the importance of celebrating this Mexican tradition honoring our departed loved ones, we also became aware of the importance of educating our youth about our culture and traditions by including them in the program. It was amazing to see their joy and enthusiasm as they performed traditional Mexican dances incorporating themes from el Dia de Los Muertos. We were also impressed with their creativity in creating and modeling amazing Catrina costumes. This tradition has now become very popular in many Southwestern states. We now realize that this Mexican tradition is taking on a new meaning of not only celebrating our culture and traditions, but also capitalizing on the opportunity to assist the business community. This tradition has now become very popular in many Southwestern states. In case you missed this year’s celebration, you also missed viewing a beautiful Exhibit of the Monarch butterflies. Save the date, there’s always next year! On Wednesday October 26, we hosted our Del Río Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Members Annual Meeting 2022! At the @ramadadelriotx sunblossom room. In this important activity we had the installation of officers ceremony: INSTALLING NEW OFFICERS IS AN IMPORTANT PROCESS OF ANY ORGANIZATION AND HAS A VERY SPECIAL SIGNIFICANCE TO BOTH, THE NEWLY ELECTED OFFICERS AND TO THE MEMBERS. Judge Hilda Lopez, was in charge of officiate this ceremony. Our new elected officers were: Mr Isidro Valdez Fernandez @isidrovalfer as President - Former Mayor Dora Alcala as Secretary - Director of International Trade Mario Esquivel - Director of Legislative/Governmental Affairs, Mr Joel Langton - Director of Public Relations, Mrs Lisa Flores - Director of Education, Councilwoman Ernestina Martinez - Ms Maria De La Luz Lichlyter as Director of Women Issues. We also would like to thank Consul Paloma Villaseñor from The Mexican Consulate in Del Río and Vice-consul Carlos Quiló from The Guatemalan Consulate in Del Río for for being our special guests and for keep our friendship bonds and cooperation. A special thanks to all of our members who joined us on this special day! We are working on our upcoming events!
Thank you Del Rio! Hundreds of Del Rioans
enjoyed our first Amistad Music fest 2022 on October 15. Our guests: Grupo Yahari, Ram Herrera, Mariachi Campanas de America, Garcia Brothers, and Grupo Alto Voltaje, who delighted us with their music and made our audience dance! We hope to see you there next year! The Del Rio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is committed to continue furthering the interest of local businesses and promote tourism. We are a group of fifteen volunteers working together to make the local economy prosperous, working along the City of Del Rio and Val Verde County, building opportunities for businesses to grow. Two years ago, when I was elected President for this organization, I stated that we are privileged in our community to have elected officials, business owners, educators and citizens who understand that we all share the responsibility of creating economic success and well-being of our community and I was right. The entire community as a whole came together to overcome all the challenges we faced. Del Rio was resilient and now we see the investment in our community, with new businesses that have opened and others that are opening in the near future. In the last two years as President, I have learned the potential in our community, the future projects that are on the planning stages, and I have met many great people. We have welcomed more than twenty new members, we did our first 5K/fitness event, we celebrated our 15th year anniversary, the first Dia de los Muertos Catrina Contest, the first annual Women’s Entrepreneurship recognition social, the first and very successful breakfast network and the first annual Amistad Music Fest. In addition, we adopted a new logo, marking 15 years of dedication and the future commitment of our organization. During our Annual Meeting, I was re-elected as the 2022-2024 President. I am thankful for the trust placed on me to lead this organization. I am honored to continue supporting our local economy and tourism along with 14 great individuals of our community. I would like to express my appreciation to the previous, current and new Board of Directors for all of their work. Gracias por esta nueva oportunidad de representar a esta organización y confío en que trabajando juntos seguiremos haciendo cosas buenas y creando oportunidades para Del Rio. Del Rio, TX – August 30, 2022 – LEVCOR, a commercial real estate owner, operator and developer with a growing national footprint, announced the addition of new restaurants and retailers at Plaza Del Sol—a bustling shopping center with a mix of shops, restaurants and services located off of Veterans Boulevard and Braddie Drive in Del RIo.
“We know Plaza Del Sol serves as a central gathering and shopping space for the valley community,” said Sasha Levine, Vice President of LEVCOR. “We are thrilled to bring new concepts to the greater valley area and expand the city’s options in our evolving shopping and dining destination.” New retail and restaurants recently opened or joining Plaza Del Sol include ULTA Beauty, a national store combining all things beauty into one shopping experience. The 5,789 square foot space, the first location in Del Rio, opened on Friday, August 18 and carries a broad variety of beauty product categories including makeup, nails, skin care, hair, fragrance and more. Burlington, a nationally recognized off-price retailer operating 832 stores in 45 states and Puerto Rico. The 36,258 square foot space, the first location in Del Rio, will carry an extensive selection of in-season, fashion-focused merchandise at up to 60% off other retailers’ prices, including women’s ready-to-wear apparel, menswear, youth apparel, baby, beauty, footwear, accessories, home, toys, gifts and coats. McAlister’s Deli, a fast casual restaurant chain known for its genuine hospitality, sandwiches, spuds, soups, salads, desserts and McAlister’s Famous Sweet Tea™. The 2,882 square foot space, the first location in Del Rio, will offer dine-in and take-out service and catering with a selection of sandwich trays, box lunches, desserts, a hot spud bar and more. Papa John’s, an international pizza chain, with more than 5,500 restaurants worldwide, that uses high-quality ingredients to create superior quality pizzas. The 1,432 square foot space will offer take-out and delivery of its fresh pizza made with no artificial flavors or synthetic colors. Arby’s, an international sandwich chain, with more than 3,500 restaurants worldwide, that serves high-quality proteins and innovative sides. The 2,252 square foot space will offer a unique blend of quick-serve speed combined with the quality and made-for-you care of fast casual restaurants. “We are always looking to introduce new and exciting restaurant and retail concepts at Plaza Del Sol that enhance our customer’s experience. Paired with our commitment to enriching the valley, we are excited to continue bringing concepts that reflect the communities evolving tastes,” continued Levine. Other retail, restaurants and services open at Plaza Del Sol include Applebee’s, Bath & Body Works, By Edward, Boots ‘N Jeans, Chick-fil-A, Cinemark Movies 8, El Rincon Sunglasses & Perfume, GNC, Goodies Snack Bar, Hibbett Sports, IBC Bank, IHOP, JCP, JE’s Music, Jewelry Box, Le Nails, Marshalls, Merle Norman, Rack Room Shoes, Ross Dress For Less, Starbucks, Wendy’s and Zales. About LEVCOR A commercial real estate developer based in Houston, Texas since 1980, LEVCOR has developed, owned and managed over 25 million square feet of real estate across the United States. For over 40 years, the company has built its business by fostering relationships with financial institutions and developing real estate that resonates with retail, entertainment, office and restaurant partners. The entrepreneurial spirit of LEVCOR positions the company to quickly capitalize on emerging trends in real estate that enhance the local communities. For additional information about the company and its retail real estate portfolio, visit www.levcor.com or follow @WeAreLevcor. 62 YEARS OF CELEBRATING FIESTA DE AMISTAD! The month of October resonates with La Fiesta De Amistad in the Del Rio community! Our celebration this year will focus on the reason Fiesta De Amistad was created, which was the signing of the treaty to construct Amistad Dam. On October 24, 1960, US President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Mexico’s President Adolfo Lopez Mateos met in Ciudad Acuna, Coahuila Mexico to sign the treaty to construct Amistad Dam. Since our modern day Fiesta celebration, has its origin in this 1960 meeting, this will be the focus of our celebration this year. We have heard the saying “Go Big or Go Home”! At IGNC’s first meeting this year, we made grand plans for Fiesta De Amistad commemorating the 62nd Anniversary of the signing of the treaty to construct Amistad Dam. This grand celebration calls for all guests of honor to be none other than our citizens. We have all been through so much with the Pandemic taking loved ones and our having to shelter in place, that now it is time to celebrate responsibly as we recall the importance of this traditional and cultural event that has brought past Presidents to our community: In 1960 President Eisenhower visited Del Rio and Ciudad Acuna to sign the treaty; in 1965 President Lyndon Baines Johnson came to check on the Progress and in 1969 President Richard Nixon came to dedicate and officially open Amistad Dam and reservoir for business! The International Good Neighbor Council has been commemorating and celebrating this momentous occasion year after year with the traditional Abrazo on the beautiful Amistad Dam with its Eagles and national flags gleaming in the sunshine. No other venue could give this event justice. This year we will again be holding our Abrazo on October 21st! Viva la Fiesta De Amistad! DORA G. ALCALA’, Vice-President IGNC & Abrazo Event Chair Education:
1969 Graduate of San Felipe High School San Antonio Trade School- Legal Secretary/Business SWTJC- Studied Business Administration 2 years Employment History: Texas Apparel Jean Factory 1970-1979 Del Rio Loan Company 1979-1980 Border Federal Credit Union- 1980-1981 Lacks Furniture- 12 years sales associate San Felipe Del Rio CISD-20 Yrs. Retire 2016 Quad County/Val Verde County Women Shelter 3 years to present Professional Organizations IGNC Members 20 plus years served as Secretary and President San Felipe Amistad Lions Women Chapter- 7 years American G. I. Forum Fermin Calderon Women Chapter Present Member/President San Felipe Exes Association-Board of Director 3 years plus Del Rio Host Lions- 15 years/Served as President 2021-2022 Del Rio Chamber of Commerce- Red Ribbon Committee 2 years Del Rio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce- Served as Director of Membership/Director of Culture & Events 3 years Christmas Around The World- Coordinator for 8 years Awards Del Rio Hispanic Chamber Businesswomen 2021 SFDRCID- Recognition for Christmas Around the World for 2020-2022 Personal: Married to Pablo Roberto Mota Jr for 33 years. Mother of (2) Sons Arturo III and Rudy Paniagua Daughters: Nadia Gloria & Dulce Mota Grandma to 9 Grandkids: Daphne, Sophia and Rudy Florencio Paniagua Aria & Mia Gloria, Nissa, Rayne, Adilyn and Ileana Marie Terrazas
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