By JACQI LEYVA-HILL
Special to the NEWS
RIO HONDO, TX—A community event featuring a cook-off, a trail ride and other activities is planned for the “Deep River” area this weekend, with proceeds helping provide back-to-school supplies for local children.
The first annual Pan de Campo Cook-Off and Trail Ride is scheduled for the morning of August 1, with activities beginning the evening before, according to organizer and co-sponsor Al Lino.
Lino said he and fellow organizers Noe Alaniz, Miguel Alaniz, Lonnie Lopez, and George Tovar came together with a shared goal of helping children as the new school year approaches.
“We all got together and wanted to raise money for the kids for back to school,” Lino said.
He said the proceeds from the event are being used to purchase school supplies for children in the surrounding area, including Rio Hondo and a nearby Los Fresnos campus.
Activities are expected to begin Friday evening with goat roping and music from a DJ. On Saturday, activities are scheduled to begin at approximately 6 a.m. with the cook-off and the trail ride. Live music is also being featured Saturday.
Local vendors are also showcasing their items, ranging from snow cones to custom saddles.
The cook-off includes fajita, ribs, and chicken categories, as well as a pan de campo jackpot.
Lino said the head cook for each team must be at least 18 years old and pay the applicable entry fee.
As of the interview, Lino said approximately 13 to 15 cook-off teams had signed up.
The trail ride is taking place while the cook-off is underway.
According to Lino, participants may ride horses or use ATVs. He said organizers currently have about 40 riders. The trail ride fee is $10 for riders and $5 for non-riders, and lunches are being provided to riders.
Lino said organizers hope funds raised at the event eases some of the financial burden families face when buying school supplies for the coming school year.
He said the goal is “to provide supplies for the less fortunate and make it easier for the kids and the parents who don’t have to worry about getting so many school supplies, as everything has gone up.”
For Lino, the event is also an opportunity for neighbors to support one another.
“As a community, I think we can help each other out,” he said.
Although this is the event’s first year, Lino said that greater participation in future years would enable organizers to provide more assistance to area children.
Books open for Friday night’s (July 31) goat roping competition at 6:30 p.m. Roping begins at 7:30 p.m. Entry is $10 per person or $20 per team, with a 70% payback. A three-head progressive after one and a crossfire rule are enforced.
The evening’s event is taking place at 21693 Sam Houston, Rio Hondo.
Registration for Saturday morning’s trail opens at 8:30 a.m., with the ride out scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Again, the participation cost is $10 per rider or $5 for non-riders.
For more information, call Al Lino at (956) 536-9160.