Mary Torres, Special to the Star
Today is Easter Sunday, a celebration that goes back to the earliest days of the Christian church. Easter traditions, both religious and secular are many, and your family’s traditions could date back many generations and have their roots in another country.
Easter was not generally observed in our Country until after the Civil War. This year, COVID-19 prevents us from gathering for church services or around the table for Easter brunch or dinner. Easter 2020 will be like no other, but let’s count our blessings, thanks to the internet, there are ways to make the most of our first and, we hope, last Easter in self-isolation.
Many local churches will live or video-stream Easter services on their websites and Facebook pages, and they invite nonmembers to worship with them. (Should you dress in your Easter best if you are attending church virtually?) However you celebrate Easter this year, please record those memories for future generations who may want to know how you observed Easter in 2020 during the Corona Virus pandemic.
If you’re still looking for things to do as you continue to shelter-at-home, I recommend taking a look at the latest volume of the Rio Grande Valley Regional History Series, “Fresh Studies in Rio Grande Valley History,” which is available now online for free! This book is Volume 17 of the UTRGV & TSC Regional History Series, and is edited by Milo Kearney, Anthony Knopp, Antonio Zavaleta, and Thomas Daniel Knight. The series allows you to explore the rich historical heritage of the Rio Grande Valley with articles written by scholars from a variety of institutions across the United States and Northern Mexico.
You can download this title and the other volumes within this collection from the UTRGV Library’s ScholarWorks repository at https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu.regionalhist/.
The Harlingen Public Library, although closed to the public in order to keep the community and its staff healthy, has really stepped up to the plate to provide the entire family with virtual educational and fun activities. Many of the programs that were offered on-site are now available online. Visit the library’s website at https://harlingenlibrary.org/ or its Facebook page to learn more about these exciting offerings.
If you need a Library E-card all you have to do is email the library at [email protected] to receive one. Once you have your card you will have access to all the digital catalogs such as Libby, Overdrive and, RBDigital.
The Humane Society of Harlingen is seeking your support. Last month, when news of the pandemic broke, animal shelters across the country began to experience the same fears: increased intake, decreased staff, and vanishing donations. The shelter sent out a plea and Harlingen responded. For the first time in the shelter’s history, it reached no-kill status with a save rate of over 94%.
As adoption fees were waived and curbside service was implemented, the network of supporters, adoptive parents and fosters grew and live outcomes were reached for over 400 pets in March. The shelter’s two biggest fundraisers, Wine and Whiskers and the Low-Cost Vaccination Clinic, have been postponed. Without these events, the shelter’s lifesaving efforts must rely on generous donations from our community.
Animals continue to arrive at the shelter daily and their lives depend on care from HSH staff. Please visit The Humane Society of Harlingen Facebook page to learn more about the organization and lend your support.
