chocolate, chocolate, chocolate!!!

One really fun event in the past two weeks was the Children's Haven International  (CHI) Chocolicious Extravaganza and style show. CHI does not have one large donor or patron, so they have to raise funds with many smaller events. This one took place at our park here in the Valley and was ever so much fun. CHI volunteers modeled clothes that are available at the resale shop in Pharr, Texas. These clothes are all name brands, excellent to new condition and very reasonably priced. After the first part of the style show, everyone was invited to the chocolate fountain, where they could dip fruits and pretzels i n the flowing fountain of rich chocolate. There were so many different ways to do this - my favorite was a piece of pineapple and a banana - tasted like a banana split without the ice cream. Also available were tiny chocolate
cupcakes. Those in attendance returned many times to the fountain. Our park was surely energized the rest of the afternoon!!! After they had their fill of chocolate, there were chocolate goodies for sale - cookies and candies made by the CHI volunteers. While all of this was digesting, the second half of the style show was presented, including a full length mink coat modeled by our director, Betsy Chacon, for the special price of $100!!!!! What a deal. No one here took advantage of it, as the weather does not permit wearing mink coats! The style show was stolen by volunteer Larry, as he modeled a beautifully cut suit and red shirt. Amid many catcalls and whistles, his wife informed us that he was not for sale!

Betsy with two of the three fur coats available to purchase

Kerm with the homemade cookies cookies and candy for sale

some ladies shopping early to get the best deals

Josephina, a lovely  volunteer model

Larry, the star of the show, modeling his golf outfit

ladies at the fountain (as opposed to the well)

more chocolate treats

Betsy, in the full length gorgeous mink coat

Larry, in the infamous suit and shirt

CHI is in the middle of a few building projects. One of the most recent is the remodeling of a shed at the office in Pharr into a new conference room, as the older conference is being remodeled into more space for the thrift shop. This remodeling only took about 2 weeks with the help of all the volunteers. It is so nice and big, allowing for not only meetings, but luncheons as well.

remodeld shed - how wonderful it looks

Another project was headed up by POWER, a group of volunteers from across the United States who join together to work on building projects throughout Northern Mexico. They arrive in Reynosa to build the addition onto the auditorium at the refuge there. In one afternoon they accomplished this! They returned a few days later and finished the project. Our hats off to them for all of their service.

POWER project

While traveling one day in Reynosa, Mexico, we saw a funeral procession on the road. It consisted of a hearse, one car, and this pick-up, carrying the flowers. Quite different from the funeral processions here in the States.

While at the refuge (RIN) we again were allowed to have lunch with the children and sample some of Maria's wonderful cooking. This time we were treated to picadillya, a meat and vegetable dish just oozing with Mexican flavor, and cooked rice, the Mexican way.

beef picadillya

flavorfull rice

these 3 boys are 3 of the 4 newest kids at the refuge

the great room in a casa