Isla Blanca County Park Activities

To make reservations or for park information call:  956-761-5494

Current News: (Updated - May 1, 2012)

End of Season: Our Winter Texan Season is over for the 2011 - 2012 time period. I hope everyone has had a great season at the island and will look forward to returning next year to enjoy the friends and the fun we share.

Death of A Winter Texan: I am sad to report the passing of one our winter Texans, Jerry Hollombeak. He and his wife, Sharon, were still in Texas when he passed away. In Illinois they live on Pearl Lake in South Beloit and there will be a memorial service for him at some point in Illinois. If you need additional information, please contact the webmaster by clicking here.

A Two Seaon Prank: Sheila & Abe Racine, C-285, have been the target of a very elaborate prank over two seasons! Check it out by clicking here!.

Thanks:  I received the following e-mail (and pictures) from Lorena Jones for all her Aerobics/Zumba participants:

"Dear Winter Texans,
I just wanted to let you all know that I really enjoyed teaching this year. After completing my fifth year teaching at the Isla Blanca Park, I am so grateful to have met so many wonderful people, and to have been apart of the Isla Blanca Park Activities. Thank you Winter Texans for working out with me, and keeping a smile on my face. Keep it up, and whatever your goal may be you will succeed if you continue to stay committed.
Love to all, Lorena."

. Chapel By the Sea Choir: Many people in the park attend services at the Chapel By The Sea. Some also enjoy singing in the Choir. This picture was taken of the choir on January 28. Do you recognize any of your neighbors? Or maybe you are in the picture yourself!!

Event Pictures: Our Yearbook for the 2011 - 2012 season is complete. Unless, of course someone sends me more pictures to include. You can find these through the links above, or you can just use these links:

• An Amazing Prank
• Craft and Rummage Sale
• Euchre Players 2012
• Biscuit and Gravy Breakfast
• Mac and Cheese Dinner
• "Bingo Joe" Fortugno Birthday Surprise
• January Pancake Breakfast

If you are using an i-Pad or Tablet Computer you may find it easier to use the i-pad links above.

Restaurant Page: In our "Local Links", we have a page that will give a little information about some restaurants in the Rio Grande Valley. In most cases, we will give you some pictures and a short write up about it. Needless to say, these are not done by professional restaurant critics, but we wanted to share people's favorite restaurants with others. We welcome you take a look by clicking here: Restaurants. Also, we want your notes on restaurants, even if you do not have pictures. There is a link on the page for you to send in your comments.

RVer Links:  We have links to some web sites and blogs which some of the Winter Texans here in the park maintain. We invite you to check these out, and if you have a website, blog or some other page which you want other winter Texans to share, please let me know. To check out these links, just click here.

A SAFETY NOTE FOR WALKING IN THE PARK:  Please use sidewalks or walk on the side of the road racing traffic if no walkway is available. Also, please wear something white or reflective if you walk at night. Don't forget, most of us driving in the park this time of year are not teenagers with sharp vision and quick reflexes!! Be safe and keep your pets safe from us.

Check the Blog for new activity ideas. We need your input. Activities Blog

Your Participation Wanted!

Activities Blog: You can participate by posting information on the blog. This blog is a place where you can ask questions, make suggestions, and read other people's comments. You can get to the Blog by clicking here: Click here for the blog. You can also get to it by clicking the link at the top of this page where it says "Activities Blog". Once you get to the blog, click on the "leave a comment" link under the posting.

Once you click on this you will be able to read other's comments and will be given the opportunity to add your own comments.

E-Mail Submissions: Please contact us via e-mail. You can send your questions, comments, and requests as well as your stories and pictures to us using this link:  Contact the Webmaster  

Recurring Games - Most games have ended until Fall 2012.

Bingo

Mondays and Thursdays at 7pm in the Bingo Hall. Cost is $2.50 per package of 10 games.
Lots of Winners! Refreshments available and the price is right!
Come join us for a night of fun!! This is available to Park Residents ONLY !!

Euchre

Tuesday and Thursday at 6:30 pm in the Rec Hall.
This is an easy-to-learn card game. If you want to learn it, refresh your skills, or just play without any pressure to win we will have lessons starting at 1:30 pm every Thursday in February, in the activities building. These lessons should get you ready to play at our regular evening games.

Bridge

Every Wednesday at 1:00 in the Rec Hall. The "Director" is George Miller on site C216 -- Judging by his skill & ability, if you can recognize a card or hold it, you'll fit right in. We play a Chicago style game: 4 hands at a table, then a new partner will torment you. Despite all this, we intend to have fun. Come on out and try it !

Game Night

Every Wednesday and Friday night the Rec Hall is open to all who want to play cards, dominoes, board games, etc. Bring your friends and play some games! Please note that although these nights are set aside for this, occasionally a dinner or special event gets scheduled on that night so please check the calendar or reservation schedule (at the Rec Hall).

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Regular Activities - Most activities have ended until Fall 2012

Jam Session

1:30 pm on Friday afternoons in the Rec Hall. All are welcome to participate. Bring your instrument (or just your voice) if you care to join in. Musically challenged? Well, come and listen!! No cost, unless you buy refreshments.

Line Dancing

Tuesdays and Thursdays in the Rec Hall. Price: Donations for any class given. Check calendar for details. Dance for fun and exercise.

Tom and Bonnie Lawrence will be teaching - Beginners, Advanced and Partners

Wood Carving

The carvers are meeting in the Bingo Hall on Tuesday evenings at 6:30 pm. Whether you are a novice or an expert, come join in - or stop by and admire the handiwork of your fellow campers. No class fees other than the cost of materials. There is interest in setting up another class - possibly on Fridays. It will be posted when the schedule is finalized.

Crafts

Craft activities will be at 1 pm Mondays in the Activities Hall. A weekly notice will be posted in the Activities Hall window each week. The weekly notice will include information about the craft for that week, the supplies needed and the cost, if any.

Yoga

Instructor: Vicki Jones. The focus is on proper nutrition and stretching for maintaining good flexibility.

Aerobics/Zumba

Get fit at the park. This will be a low impact aerobics/zumba class taught by Lorena Jones, daughter-in-law of Vicki Jones, the Yoga teacher. She will make the class fit the needs of the students.

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Activities Information

The Dolphin Dove Activities Center includes two buildings - Bingo Hall and Rec Hall. Activities are scheduled in both of these buildings. The Bingo hall is only unlocked during scheduled activities. If you wish to schedule a private event, you will need to obtain permission from Joe Fortugno.  The Rec Hall is open from 8 am to about 9 pm daily.  All are welcome to make use of the facility.  Please check for scheduled activities to avoid conflicts.

The activities at Isla Blanca Park are generally conducted by volunteers.  Specific classes are taught by qualified individuals who may collect a fee for their services and/or material. The majority of activities are open to the public (beyond those camping at Isla Blanca or Andy Bowie) as long as there is sufficient room without excluding park members who wish to participate.  The main exception to this is Bingo.  Since our bingo is conducted under an exception to Texas licensing requirements, it is limited to park residents. 

There is an Activity Director and a Bingo Director who are paid by the park for their services.  There is a Bingo Club and an Activity Club organized to oversee finances and other matters.  Each of these clubs has a Board of Directors elected from campers in the park.  The board meetings of these organizations are open to all campers in the park.  We appreciate participation in these meetings so that you can voice your concerns and make suggestions.  We would especially like to hear about any changes/additions you would like to see.

The Activities Club Board meets the second Monday of each month, around 10 a.m.. This is the Monday preceding the Park Meeting which takes place on Wednesday. The Bingo Board meets every other Thursday of each month in the Bingo Hall.

Elections are held in February to fill board positions on both these boards for the following season.  We are hoping that many more of you will be willing to participate in this process.  Want to know more?  Show up for a meeting!

WI-FI: Wi-fi is available in the park through Orbit Broadband in Harlingen, TX. While the signal strength seems good throughout the park, some people have had problems getting connected or staying connected. If you are experiencing problems, please let Orbit know so they can assist you. If you have questions or need technical support from Orbit you can contact them either by phone or e-mail. Their phone number is (956) 797-9222, their general e-mail address is info@orbitbroadband.com and their technical support e-mail is at support@orbitbroadband.com. You can sign up and pay through a secure system when you first get on line.

Emergency 9-1-1 Information:  At the Park Meeting on Feb 10, 2010, there was a lot of information provided about 9-1-1 emergency services in Isla Blanca Park. Here are a few things to remember throughout the year if you are in the park:

• If you call 9-1-1 for an ambulance to go to your RV, you need to send someone to the gate to show them the way to your RV space.
• If you are calling from a cell phone, your call may go to one of several different dispatchers, so please stay calm and answer all their questions. The initial call will go to a law enforcement dispatcher, and for a medical emergency they will transfer you to the EMS services dispatcher for our area.
• According to the EMS who was at a meeting in 2009, Texas has a "good samaritan" law. Under that law, if you are a bystander in an emergency situation, you will not be liable for damages for efforts to help someone so long as your efforts are in good faith.

ALUMINUM CANS for recycling can be placed in the barrels provided either in the Bingo Hall or the Rec Hall.  The cans are recycled by the Activities Club to defray some of the activity costs.  Please DO NOT  put plastic bags in the can barrels.  If the cans are contaminated with other material, they will not take them.  THANK YOU.

Meals - All meals have ended until Fall 2012.

Breakfasts

These are in the Rec Hall on the first and third Saturday. We plan to serve from 7:30 to 9:00 am. We alternate between Pancakes and Sausage and Biscuits and Gravy.

Special Dinners

There is a planned pot luck dinner for both Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

Regular Potlucks

Wednesday nights in the Bingo Hall. Bring your own table service and a dish to pass. The eating begins at 5:30 pm sharp! Come early to set up your food and grab a seat.

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Special Numbers

Police Emergency - 911

Contacts list

To contact us about this web site, e-mail to: webmaster@islablancaparkactivities.org - this is not the park office e-mail

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