MANA de Hidalgo County

Past Events

MANA de Hidalgo County and State Farm Insurance Companies®
Host Child Passenger Safety Inspection Event

MANA de Hidalgo County received a $3500 grant from State Farm Insurance Companies to host a Child Passenger Safety (CPS) Car Seat Inspection event. The free community event was held at the State Farm Insurance Claims office in McAllen, Texas on Saturday, May 6, 2006. Volunteer certified CPS technicians on hand included Abby Vela, MANA de Hidalgo County member; Jerry Gomez and Gilbert Chavero from the McAllen Fire Department, and Dr. Lance Williams. The State Farm Good Neighbear was on hand to greet children; and Officer Aldo Rodriguez, Community Specialist from the McAllen Police Department, was on hand to provide fingerprinting services and distribute DNA preservation kits for the children of participating families. Maria V. Alvarez, Sales Director of BMP radio, Digital 101.5, was also on site to provide live remote promotional advertising.

Fifty eight (58) car seat inspections were completed and forty (40) car seats were given away to participants whose car seats did not meet inspection standards. As a result of the successful event, Telemundo conducted a taped interview of State Farm employee and MANA de Hidalgo County Board Treasurer, Jeanette Wallace, regarding the proper use and installation of child safety restraint seats, which aired on June 16, 2006 during the Esta Mañana en el Valle segment.

MANA de Hidalgo County would like to thank State Farm Insurance Companies, the McAllen Police Department, and the McAllen Fire Department for their support. A sincere thank you is also extended to State Farm employee volunteers: Linda Bethany, Public Affairs Specialist with the Community Citizenship Department of the Dallas State Farm Operation Center, State Farm Agent, Daniel Reza, Gloria Betancourt, Paul and Mary Castillo, Bernadette Galvan, Jessica Ayala, Roger Becerra, Lou Montes, Maria Chacon, Emmi Perez, Liza Gonzales, and Sam Saldivar, Jr. MANA de Hidalgo County would also like to thank its member volunteers: Dr. Glendelia M. Zavala, Board President; Irma Saldana, Board Vice President; Jeanette Wallace, Board Treasurer; Lisa Valadez; and, MANA de Hidalgo County Hermanita®, Ashley Wallace. A special thank you to other volunteers, Ashley and Alyssa Castillo, and Laura Kisner. For more information about MANA, please email manadehidalgo@aol.com.
Coordinators of the event were L to R: Dr. Lance Williams, Dr. Glendelia M. Zavala, Jeanette Cavazos-Wallace, and Linda Bethany.

View more photos of this event

2nd Annual Christmas Brindis

MANA de Hidalgo County hosted its second annual Christmas Brindis on Dec. 15, 2005 at the Cornerstone Bar and Grill in Edinburg. Plaques of Appreciation were awarded to local businesses who helped sponsor the chapter's 3rd annual women's empowerment conference held earlier in the year. MANA member of Year plaque was presented to Irma Saldana, and Plaques of Appreciation were awarded to charter board members, Dr. Glendelia M. Zavala and Dr. Karen Watt for completing two 2-year terms as founding board members of the chapter.

More Photos from the 2nd Annual Christmas Brindis

MANA de Hidalgo County Members attend MANA National Conference

MANA de Hidalgo County members attended MANA’s (MANA, A National Latina Organization headquartered in Washington, D. C.) annual conference and Latina Style Business Series held in San Antonio from March 31-April 1, 2005. The two-day conference offered an all-day Latina Business Leadership Forum sponsored by Latina Style Magazine for women entrepreneurs. Other workshops offered included topics on Latina Health, Social Security and Retirement, Excellence in Hispanic Education, and Financial Literacy. Conference participants had the opportunity to meet luncheon keynote speaker, U. S. Treasurer, Ana Escobedo Cabral as shown in the photo below: left to right are Irma Saldana, Abby Vela, Dr. Karen Watt, Fatima Garcia, U. S. Treasurer, Ana Cabral, Dr. Glendelia M. Zavala, Jannette Reyes, Norma Castillo, and Marie S. Garcia. Not shown is Cristina Balli.

2005 National Hermanitas® Summer Institute

MANA de Hidalgo County members and Hermanitas attended the 2005 National Hermanitas Summer Institute held July 21-24th, 2005 in Arlington, Virginia. On the first day, all participants attended a White House briefing during which they were addressed by Daniel Garza, Special Assistant to the President and Sonya Medina, Director of Projects for the First Lady, Laura Bush; and a briefing at the Capitol where they were addressed by Congresswomen Guadalupe Napolitano and Linda Sanchez and several congressional staffers from both offices. The day's event ended with a tour of the U. S. Capitol. The following day, all participants attended several workshops on various topics. The institute ended with a formal dinner banquet during which time all Hermanitas, Coordinators, and other guests were addressed by keynote speaker Sylvia Mendez of the Mendez vs. Westminster Case and Presidential appointee, Ana Maria Farias, Esq., Deputy Assistant Secretary for Special Initiatives Community Planning and Development of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Also in attendance were MANA de Hidalgo County members, Abby Vela and Sonia Saenz, who were selected to attend the 2005 AvanZamos Fellows Leadership Training sponsored by Ford Motor Company.
Left to right: Dr. Glendelia M. Zavala, MANA de Hidalgo County Board President; Jannette Reyes, Hermanitas Coordinator; Michelle Coronado; Amy Coronado; Julissa Solis; Darian Salazar; Gloria Salazar; Abby Vela, MANA de Hidalgo County Board Member and AvanZamos Fellow; Dorothy Villarreal; Norma Villarreal; Zelenia Montalvo; Elsa Montalvo; and Diana Cantu.
Not shown is Sonia Saenz, AvanZamos Fellow.

More Photos from the 2005 National Hermanitas® Summer Institute

Las Primeras® 2003
Congressman Ruben Hinojosa" awarded the Hermano Award at Las Primeras 2003 for his contributions to the Latino community and continuous support of MANA de Hidalgo County. Pictured are Dr. Glendelia M. Zavala, MANA de Hidalgo County Board President, Congressman Hinojosa, and Rita Jaramillo, MANA de Hidalgo County member.