The spirit of giving was alive and well in Friona this week as volunteers gathered to prepare Thanksgiving food packages for local families in need. This year’s community food drive was the result of the hard work, dedication, and vision of the Friona Chamber of Commerce, led by Chamber Executive Director Mari Martinez and Administrative Assistant Nydia Mendez.
Mari and Nydia organized the effort from start to finish, coordinating donation lists, partnering with local businesses, and ensuring families would have the essential ingredients for a complete Thanksgiving meal. Their teamwork and leadership turned a simple idea into a full-scale community initiative.
While the City of Friona was honored to assist, city officials emphasized that the Chamber deserves full recognition for planning, organizing, and executing the drive. “We were just there to support them,” City Manager Lee Davila said. “Mari and Nydia are the ones who put in the hours, made the calls, and brought the community together.”
Volunteers from across Friona met at the Community Center early in the morning to assemble donation bags filled with items such as stuffing, canned goods, potatoes, rice, desserts, and more. The cheerful group worked side by side, packing tables full of food that will directly benefit Friona families this holiday season. This collaboration between the Chamber, the City, and community volunteers reflects what makes Friona special: people stepping up for one another with generosity and heart.
The Friona Chamber of Commerce and the City of Friona would like to extend their sincere gratitude to Marisela Padilla, Manager of Lowe’s Market Grocery, for her outstanding support of this year’s Thanksgiving Food Drive. Marisela worked closely with her corporate office to help secure many of the food items that were donated for the community distribution.
As Thanksgiving approaches, the Friona Chamber of Commerce hopes this effort reminds everyone that even small acts of giving can create a big impact. Thanks to Mari Martinez and Nydia Mendez’s leadership, over 70 families will sit down to a fuller, warmer holiday meal.
Food Drive Volunteers — Front Row (l-r): Anthony Diaz, Becky Upton, Anahi Gomez, Sonia Gomez, Wendy Carthel, Marie Samarron, Aryelle Chico, Mari Martinez, Lee Davila. Back Row (l-r): Danny Campbell, Alex Areola, Nydia Mendez, Daniel Trejo, and Isidro Jimenez.
Power Outage — Saturday morning’s power outage was due to a possible bad lightning arrester according to a Xcel Energy representative. Some parts lost electricity in four or five spurts while other areas lost power for approximately an hour and a half. Once the power goes out, safety protocols require that the entire line be checked before power is restored.
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Chieftain Classic — The first ever “Chieftain Classic” stock show was held last Saturday at the Clarence Monroe Community Center. The purpose of the show was to allow presenters the opportunity to gain valuable experience and learn what it will take for their animal to do well at the upcoming Friona and Parmer County shows. This year’s “test run” was limited to hogs, which are usually the largest number of animals in all of the shows. Full results and photos will be published when available.
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Getting Older — Texas is still a relatively young state, but the data shows a clear shift toward an older population in the decades ahead. In 2020, just 13.5% of Texans were age 65 or older. By 2060, that share is projected to rise to 21.7%, officially placing Texas in the “super-aged” category—where one in five residents is 65+. Texas Demographic Center
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ShamWow — Offer Vince Shlomi, the infomercial pitchman known for hawking the super-absorbent ShamWow towel, has filed to run for Congress in Texas. He is one of a dozen or so candidates challenging incumbent John Carter, an 84-year-old Republican whose district includes several counties north of Austin. The 61-year-old Israeli-American said he was inspired to run for office by the late Charlie Kirk and a desire to stop “political infighting in the country.” He added he wants to “destroy wokeism” and “make America happy.” In 2009, he made headlines when he was arrested in Miami Beach after an altercation with a sex worker, an incident for which he took “full responsibility” and credited with motivating him to change his ways. The Texas Flyover
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National Days
November 27 — Thanksgiving Day
November 28 — Black Friday
November 29 — Small Business Day
November 30 — Mason Jar Day
December 1 — Cyber Monday
December 2 — Day of Giving
December 3 — Roof Over Your Head Day
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In Parmer County: $40 per year
Out of Parmer County: $50 per year
eStar (emailed): $30 per year
Call 806-250-5200 for more information
