Day: December 28, 2020

Reconnecting with my home town: Veterans Park

Veterans Park in Brownsville. Photo: Sandra Cruz

Part one in a series of posts meant to help me reconnect with my home town and the areas around it while educating the public about the numerous places to see and experience. First of is Veterans Park in Brownsville. Last week I took a trip to see it for myself since I have never been here before, having been gone from the area for almost 20 years. What I found was a respectful and educational memorial to the areas’ veterans.

Veterans Park is located next to the city library and shares an entrance drive and parking.  It consists of veteran memorial walls and placards, a multi-purpose lawn, a walking path, and landscaping. Celebrating the rich heritage of veterans from the Brownsville community, this park is a beautiful living memorial. (City of Brownsville, 2020)

The park focuses on large concave concrete slabs that include the names of Brownsville area veterans from World War II to Afghanistan with each slab holding 40 names each. Currently there are more than 50,000 names of both living and deceased soldiers native to Brownsville. The center of the memorial contains three large flag poles centered on a concrete base with a start embedded within it. There is also a memorial to Medal of Honor Recipient, and Brownsville native, Sergeant Jose M Lopez.

The monument honors veterans from World War II to current conflicts, including the Afghanistan War and its Operation Enduring Freedom. The American Legion aimed to make the park an educational extension of the library by creating two murals showing the locations of conflicts on world maps from the 18th century to present.

If you decide to visit a park or trail, please abide Second Amended Emergency Order guidelines.  Protect yourself and others. Make sure you are wearing a face mask (face covering) and always practice social distancing.  Maintain distance–Stay 6 feet away from other people.  Avoid mass gathering. No crowds, no groups

The DoSeum celebrates with Virtual Countdown for kids

The DoSeum’s new year countdown will be virtual this year. Photo: The DoSeum, used with permission.

This year, The DoSeum is keeping its annual New Year’s Noon countdown tradition alive with a virtual celebration for the whole family to enjoy at home. Families are invited to join from home for a fun-filled Facebook LIVE event on Thursday, December 31 at 11:45a.m. with a hands-on celebration.  (The DoSeum, 2020)

Everyone can make their own Confetti Poppers to prepare for the noon countdown for kids. Creating a confetti popper is a fun activity the whole family can do together with easy to find supplies: balloons, four-inch-long cardboard tube (e.g., from a roll of toilet paper), scissors, tape and glue, colored paper, stickers, markers, and confetti (pre-packaged or cut some paper into small pieces). No registration is required for this event.  Families are encouraged to use #TheDoSeum in their social media posts to connect with and engage with other families participating in this fun virtual event.  

The DoSeum is a place where interactive fun and hands-on learning come together—a place where minds are always at play. The DoSeum offers exhibits, programs, camps, classes, and field trips designed for all learners, encouraging young minds to explore the joy of learning through connections to STEM, the arts, and literacy. Originally founded as San Antonio Children’s Museum, The DoSeum has grown over the past 25 years to become a premier leader in informal education, while still staying true to the mission of connecting families and transforming communities. As a 501(c)(3), The DoSeum is committed to accessible and free programming to low-income San Antonio-area children, with a goal of serving 10,000 kids from Title I schools annually.