COMMUNITY — City recognizes “older Americans” at Joe Ramos event

By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times

Several hundred of the community’s “older Americans” made their way to the Joe Ramos
Center on the city’s south side Friday morning for several hours of food, fun and
fellowship.

The event was hosted by the city of Del Rio, assisted by a number of business and agency
sponsors.
Josie Balderas, the director of the city’s nutrition program for the elderly, spoke to The
830 Times about the event.

Balderas said, “Today, we’re having our Older Americans Month celebration, which
honors and celebrates the older people in our community. This is for all of us who may be
getting older in years, but are still young at heart. May has always been recognized as
Older Americans Month, and so this is one of the little things we do here at the city to
show our elderly how much we care about them.

“We also have some wonderful businesses and agencies set up here in the gym to show
them all the resources available for them here in the community,” she added.

Balderas said agencies from as far away as San Antonio and Eagle Pass, as well as a
number of local agencies and businesses, set up in the Joe Ramos Gym, welcoming
participants in the event with a variety of “swag”: free snacks, bags, notepads, pens, caps,
recipe books, hand sanitizer and many more items.

Representatives of the agencies and businesses manned the tables and handed out
information about their services to those passing by.
But the celebration event didn’t end there.

“We’re also providing lunch for everyone, and right after that, we’ll be playing some
lotería with some little extra gifts for our guests,” Balderas said.
Balderas noted her program, which operates from the Joe Ramos Center, provides
services “to about 350 clients daily.”

As attendees wandered from table to table inside the gym, Mayor Al Arreola assembled
those present and read a proclamation honoring the city’s elderly.
Arreola read the proclamation, as follows:

“Whereas, May is Older Americans Month, a time for us to recognize and honor the City
of Del Rio, Val Verde County, older adults and their immense influence on every facet of
American society; and whereas, through their wealth of life experience and wisdom,
older adults guide our younger generations and carry forward abundant cultural and
historical knowledge; and

“Whereas, older Americans improve our communities through intergenerational
relationships, community service, civic engagement and many other activities; and
whereas, communities benefit when people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds have the
opportunity to participate and live independently; and

“Whereas, the City of Del Rio, Val Verde County, must ensure that older Americans
have the resources and support needed to stay involved in their communities – reflecting our commitment to inclusivity and connectedness; and whereas, this year’s theme, ‘Flip
the Script on Aging,’ focuses on how society perceives, talks about and approaches aging
in our community.

“Now, therefore, I, Alvaro Arreola, as Mayor of the City of Del Rio, do hereby proclaim
the month of May 2025 as ‘Older Americans Month 2025,’ in the City of Del Rio and
call upon all residents to join me in recognizing the contributions of our older citizens
and promoting programs and activities that foster connection, inclusion and support for
older adults,” Arreola read.

The mayor was joined by Councilwoman Ernestina “Tina” Martinez and Councilwoman
Carmen Gutierrez, as well as by City Community Services Director Esme Meza and
Balderas.

The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com