LOS FRESNOS — The Los Fresnos Rodeo will quickly put a $50,000 T-Mobile Hometown Grant to work building a permanent rodeo performance stage, paving the midway from rodeo grounds to the Cameron County Fair and Livestock Show and making other improvements to the rodeo and fairgrounds complex.
The Los Fresnos Rodeo Committee announced the grant Thursday during an impromptu ceremony, celebrating the grant as a big boost to the Los Fresnos economy, the Los Frenos PRCA Rodeo and the county fair and livestock show.
“The Hometown Grant from T-Mobile is truly a blessing for the Los Fresnos Rodeo. The grant will allow us to make improvements to the grounds that will help us reduce expenses and allow us to have more events during the year that bring families together in our area,” Larry Cantu, Los Fresnos Rodeo chairman said.
“As many of you know, we had a fantastic rodeo this year, three days of sold-out performances that brought many families from throughout our community, the county and the Rio Grande Valley to Los Fresnos,” Cantu said. “We pride ourselves on having a family fun event that helps us raise funds toward scholarships for graduating seniors, not only in Los Fresnos but for our graduating seniors throughout Cameron County.”
He said the scholarship process had already started for the coming year and that the rodeo committee had recently approved 20 scholarships of $1,000 each for this year’s graduating seniors. In addition, the rodeo donated funds to the Los Fresnos Little League and the Leo Aguilar Foundation.”
Los Fresnos was one of 25 communities nationwide chosen by T-Mobile to receive the Hometown Grants, awards for smaller communities to make infrastructure and other improvements.
Hector Vargas, a T-Mobile representative in the Valley, said the grant was in conjunction with T-Mobile’s commitment to upgrade its wireless network to 5G, which he called the future of internet connectivity. He said the Los Fresnos area is already largely 5G, with 5G connectivity stretching east to Port Isabel, South Padre Island and Raymondville.
Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino said the grant would improve the quality of life for Los Fresnos and Cameron County residents.
“This grant will assist with building a new and permanent stage where more performances, concerts, events and fun activities will take place and be enjoyed by our children, families and all the communities in Cameron County and South Texas. We’re very excited to hear about this awarded grant in Los Fresnos — a small town with a big pride — in bringing a great rodeo year after year. Thanks T-Mobile, and congratulations to our rodeo,” Trevino said in a statement.
During the ceremony, Cantu credited his mother Mercedes Cantu with helping lay the groundwork that eventually led to the Los Fresnos Rodeo as it is today and to Thursday’s announcement.
Mercedes Cantu, present at Thursday’s ceremony, is a founding member of the Los Fresnos Rodeo Committee and it’s only female past president, said Darlene Pederson, the committee’s current associate director.
After the ceremony she sat under a tent set up for the event talking to Los Fresnos area Cameron County Commissioner David Garza and Mercedes Cantu. She said finding out about the grant made her proud of Los Fresnos and its rodeo.
