By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
Andrew Scarbo, newly sworn in as president of the Del Rio Chapter of the International Good Neighbor Council (IGNC), said he would do his best to make sure the organization remains a shining jewel in Del Rio’s bright cultural mosaic.
Scarbo was sworn in as the 2023 IGNC president Jan. 11 and spoke to the 830 Times about his priorities as president after the meeting.
“First and most importantly, I ran for president to make sure the traditions and history of the IGNC are kept alive in Del Rio. IGNC has deep traditions in Del Rio that mean so much to me, like the Fiesta de Amistad activities and the Miss Del Rio Pageant. If you look back years ago this organization used to be a prestigious organization with members that consisted of business owners, political figures and citizens, which I would like to bring back,” Scarbo said.
“Lately we have been a small but strong group, but I would like to see us increase our membership and be as influential as other important groups like the Lions Club or Rotary. I would like to bring a sense of organization and professionalism to the group and put an end to some rumors out there that we might be a group that is not welcome to change,” he said.
Scarbo invited anyone in the community with interest in the IGNC and its work to attend meetings and become involved.
“Also, as president, I plan to add a guest comments portion to our agenda so anyone with concerns about things our organization handles can come and speak to the members about it,” he said.
One such event is the annual Miss Del Rio Pageant.
“The pageant is a huge tradition in Del Rio that I have been approached about lately. I can remember when I was in high school, it was one thing lots of young women looked forward to doing. I know lately, with lots of things going on, this tradition seems to have faded, but I feel it has not gone away. I want to keep the tradition of Miss Del Rio alive. The Miss Del Rio Pageant has deep meaning to me in my heart, and if changes need to be made to keep this tradition alive, I am willing to work on this for the betterment of the pageant and our organization, which handles it,” Scarbo said.
“Lots of people in the community have also approached me with memories about how big the Fiesta de Amistad Parade and activities used to be in Del Rio. They ask how it can become like that again. I always tell them that with effort and collaboration from many it can be huge again. I have current members who have done an amazing job in the last two years trying to grow these events, but I know they would agree when I say if we had more who would like to become members and get involved, we could really see some big changes,” he added.
Scarbo said for this reason, growing the IGNC membership locally and greater community involvement will be priorities for his administration.
“Another big priority of mine is seeing the growth of our wine and cheese event, which is the biggest fundraiser we have for our scholarships. We are coming close to having our 3rd Annual Wine and Cheese Event, and I appreciate all those who regularly attend and the businesses that support it with sponsorships. This event not only helps us raise money for scholarships, but I always make sure it is promoted how much the community assist us with it and how thankful we are,” he said.
Scarbo pledged to continue and expand the IGNC’s long tradition of community outreach.
“There is a lot I look forward to while I am president of IGNC. I look forward to the partnerships I would like to create with the city, county, school district and businesses in Del Rio. I would like to see all these entities work together to grow the traditions the IGNC consists of,” Scarbo said.
He added, “I think it would be amazing to reach out not to just locals but to out-of-town entities and organizations to be part our Fiesta de Amistad events. Now that we are holding the abrazo activities back at the Amistad Dam, I look forward to seeing that event grow.
“There is so much history that went on at that dam that local young people don’t know about, and it would be amazing to teach them about it and provide them the knowledge of great things that happened in their hometown. I look forward to seeing our membership hopefully grow with the additions of possible different membership levels.
“I would love to see the organization have more community involvement with our members getting involved and our Miss Del Rio Court. I look forward to the growth of our wine and cheese fundraiser event. Seeing this event get so big that it might be held at the civic center would be a dream of mine come true.
“Most of all I look forward to the growth of this organization and what I can do together with my membership to help it grow,” Scarbo said.
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Contact the author at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com
