Funding the Terlingua Food Bank.

There are hungry children, disabled people, and neighbors down on their luck right here in Terlingua. To most of us, they’re invisible.

If you can’t attend the benefit, you can download a PDF of the pledge form, print it out, and send it in to the Family Crisis Center. That would be a good thing to do.

Click HERE to download the PLEDGE FORM to
donate to the Benefit for “Food Distribution in
Terlingua Family Crisis Center of the Big Bend, Inc.”

pledge form FCCBB

At a recent meeting of the Big Bend Citizens Alliance (BBCA), the local non-profit that is the umbrella organization for my TerlinguaCares non-profit, I had a fascinating conversation with Mike Drinkard, who runs the food bank here in Terlingua.

I learned that

1) by ordering food from the area food bank “menu,” Mike can get food for the local food bank very cheaply. He can keep the 600 or so people who need assistance from starving for just $400 a month.

2. Some months, he can only serve a few people because he can’t come up with $400/month.

3. The quality of food offered by the food bank is uniformly bad – powdered potatoes with trans fats, frosted flakes, chicken laced with antibiotics…

I had no idea. Did you?

I have friends who live in shipping containers. I have a couple of friends who live in tents. But, they do so because they want to. When I hang out on the porch or bop around town, I don’t see anybody who looks homeless or hungry- well, that’s not entirely true. Terlingua fashion does tend to be a little informal. But, I didn’t know anybody was missing meals- especially children!

Surprise! There are over 600 people in our neighborhood who need food assistance. Over half of them are children or disabled adults.

We can’t rely on the government to fix this. This is my problem. This is your problem.

This shall not stand. (Big Lebowski quote)

No way are we going to allow children to go hungry in Terlingua. We’re going to fund the food bank.

We’re looking for heroes to permanently fund the food bank by making regular, monthly donations. We’ve found our first two heroes: Ruffin Moore, the General Manager of Lajitas Golf Resort, has agreed to donate $250 a month. Mike Davidson, Alpine City Councilman and Pinche Gringo has agreed to donate $25/month.

(update) We have two new heroes! Glen at La Kiva has pledged $420 a month- and is challenging other local businesses other local businesses to pledge what they can to improve quality and quantity. Mike Perry of the Alpine Daily Planet has pledged $25/month.

To volunteer to be a hero, contact Mike Drinkard at 432-371-3147. Your contributions are tax-deductible and all proceeds will go to buy food for hungry people.

We’re also going to hold a benefit concert at the Starlight Theatre on March 2nd, Texas Independence day. We need musicians to play and items to donate. We also need you to be there! To volunteer to play or donate an item for the auction contact me (Pat O’Bryan) at koanwrangler@gmail.com.

Our goal is two-fold:

1) if the choice is between not eating and eating empty calories and transfats, let’s go for the empty calories. We need to make sure the food bank has at least $400 a month that Mike can count on.

2) we don’t want our neighbors eating that stuff – it makes you dumb and kills you. The ultimate goal is to provide healthy, nutritious food (beans and brown rice would be a big step up) for our neighbors who need help. We need to fund the food bank sufficiently so that Mike can order and distribute nutritious food.

January 29, 2014January 29, 2014

Remembering Pete Seeger at Marfa Public Radio

Local musicians hold a hootenanny at Marfa Public Radio for Pete Seeger.

It was a last-minute call that went out through Jalapeño Schwartz’s Facebook page – local musicians gather at Marfa Public Radio station tonight at 6:30 for an on-air tribute to Pete Seeger. J.P. “Jalapeño” Schwartz, also known as “Doc Cactus,” (although, really, shouldn’t it be Dr. Pepper?) hosts the blues show, play harmonica and keyboards in local bands, and is a country doctor.

Trevor Reichmann was there, virtually. He recorded “We Shall Overcome” in his home/dome studio and sent it through the inter-webs to the radio station.

Only a few musicians braved the sub-freezing temperature – Maria Moss, Doc, Beth, and me. J.P. printed out the lyrics for a few Pete Seeger songs and we quickly rehearsed in the lobby.

It was a ragged, soulful sing-along… I do hope the people listening at home joined in.

(photos by Betsy Blaydes)

Continue reading “Remembering Pete Seeger at Marfa Public Radio”

January 25, 2014January 26, 2014

Chili Cook-off at the High Sierra – Terlingua, Texas.

There is a chili – salsa – beans – and music party at the High Sierra in Terlingua, Texas.

Here’s some pics from day one. Come on down and join us for day 2 – Continue reading “Chili Cook-off at the High Sierra – Terlingua, Texas.”

January 5, 2014January 6, 2014

The Concert for Noemi – Sunday, 1/5/14

The Concert for Noemi – Starlight Theatre Sunday, 1/5/14.

The Terlingua community rallied for Noemi.

It was a night of celebration, dancing, auctioneering, music and love – and Teringua raised over $2,000 for Noemi and her family.

Mike Davidson was our Master of Ceremonies. He pointed out that the U.S. border policies amount to an ethnic cleansing program. I think he’s right- you don’t see the same tactics used against Mexicans on the Southern border used against Canadians on the Northern border.

Those policies – especially as implemented since the border closings following 9/11 – have had the (hopefully) unintended consequences of tearing families apart and creating a criminal class out of formerly good citizens.

This was brought home to us in a very personal way as we watched the tragedy of Noemi’s family threatened with massive legal fees and the possibility of having to leave Terlingua and move to Mexico. It may be the law, but it is not right.

So, the community gathered. Musicians (Los Pinche Gringos, Collie Ryan, Jeff Haislip, Alex Whitmore, Laird Considine, Charlotte Teer-mumbledehum, Chase Peeler, Jon Hogan, Maria Moss, and others) donated their talents and songs). Auction items (paintings, photographs, cakes, tequila servings, a kiss, gift certificates for massages and hotel rooms, and more) were given and auctioned off.

The Starlight Theatre let us have the benefit concert in their gorgeous facility and at the end of the night Lisa Ivey made a significant contribution.

Noemi was there with her children, and they danced and celebrated with us.

The concert was produced by TerlinguaCares, a 501 c 3 non-profit organization based in Terlingua. After all the money has been received and accounted for, TerlinguaCares will disburse 100% of all the money raised to Noemi.

Once again, I am proud to be part of a community with a big heart that takes care of its own. Thank you, Terlingua.

UPDATE: You can still donate to Noemi. We’re still working on the PayPal thing. In the meantime, you can send contributions to TerlinguaCares, c/o Pat O’Bryan, P.O. Box 316, Terlingua, Texas 79852

Continue reading “The Concert for Noemi – Sunday, 1/5/14”

December 24, 2013December 24, 2013

Live music in Terlingua – Christmas week, 2013

This week in Terlingua – Christmas Week, 2013

There is an alarming quantity of very high quality live music going on in the Big Bend this xmas season. I’m personally delighted to see Slim Richey will be in town. Butch Hancock will join a very talented group of performers for the Townes Van Zant Memorial concert. There’s something cool going on pretty much every night – get out and support live Terlingua Music!

Check out the listings below –

Starlight Theatre

Monday – Dec 23 – Burger Night with Dr. Fun
Tuesday – Dec 24 – Uh Clem
Wednesday – Dec 25 – Christmas with The Whitmores
Thursday – Dec 26 – Trevor Reichman & Emilie Clepper
Friday – Dec 27 – Paper Moon Shiners

Saturday – Dec 28 – Hogan & Moss

Sunday – Dec 29 – Trevor Reichman 5pm-8pm

Ghosts Along the Brazos 8:30pm

Monday – Dec 30 – Slim Richey & The Jitterbug Vipers

Tuesday – Dec 31 – Uh Clem 6pm-8pm

New Years Eve with Radio La Chuzma 9pm

Wednesday – Jan 1 – Townes Van Zandt Memorial

Thursday – Jan 2 – The Desert Blossom Pearls 9pm

Tim Beck & Friends 10pm

This Week @ THE HIGH SIERRA / ELDORADO HOTEL

FRI~TREVOR REICHMAN 7pm
SAT~RACHEL LAVEN STRING BAND 3pm-6pm
SAT~JASON BLUM 6pm-till?
Sunday is the Hangover Jam, everyone welcome to come play
NEW YEARS EVE PARTY TUES STARTS AT 9 pm.

La Kiva

Wednesday – Open Mic (are we really doing open mic on xmas night?)

12/28/13 The Lavens!

New Year’s Eve – The Fabulous Vortexans – Texas Blues

Live music in the Thirsty Goat Saloon

December 23rd – Trevor Hickle
December 24th & 25th – Jason Blum
December 26th – The Whitmores
December 27th & 28th – Slim Richey and the Jitterbug Vipers
December 29th – Jon Hogan and Maria Moss
December 30th – Jason Blum
December 31st – Slim Richey and the Jitterbug Vipers
January 1st – Jason Blum

December 21, 2013December 21, 2013

Mark “EYEBALL” Kneeskern at the Starlight Theatre

Tonight, after playing tub bass with Jeff Gavin at the High Sierra, local author and entertainer – and world-class hitchhiker, Mark Kneeskern, performed some scenes from his book, “THE LAST AMERICAN HITCH-HIKER”

Right now, Mark is offering free shipping when you order one of his books. I’ve got one. It’s a good, bouncy read. From his web page: Continue reading “Mark “EYEBALL” Kneeskern at the Starlight Theatre”

December 16, 2013December 16, 2013

CinnabarGanza! Last Minute Low Budget Theatre benefit.

Terlingua’s home-grown theatre troupe, Last Minute Low Budget Productions, held a benefit at the Starlight Theatre in Terlingua, Texas last night.

Trevor Hickle auctions off a print by Voni Glaves (in red).

There were live and silent auctions. Local musicians, plus mandolin whiz, Billy Bright, played and sang. There were some short theatrical skits.

Several pieces of art by local artists were on offer, but by far the one that generated the most excitement, and the most money, was one by the artist who created the mural behind the stage. He auctioned off a painting of that very scene. This is a one of a kind, historically valuable piece of art and the bidding was fierce. When the dust cleared and the bidding was over, the theatre troupe was ahead by $1,500. Continue reading “CinnabarGanza! Last Minute Low Budget Theatre benefit.”

December 14, 2013December 14, 2013

Christmas music in the Big Bend 2013

There are several levels of community in Terlingua.

The most visible is the restaurant/bar scene. That and the mountains are what most visitors see, and it’s an essential part of living in the Big Bend. Sitting on the porch, strumming guitar and watching the sun set in the East is a Terlingua tradition.

As the sun sets behind the mountains to the West, the mountains of Big Bend National Park reflect the colors- purple, gold, red, pink – in a changing kaleidoscope that’s different every evening and always amazing. Then, the mountains fade and lose their colors as the light shifts to the clouds above, and it looks like the mountains have a technicolor aura… then that fades, the stars come out, the moon illuminates the desert…

There’s the river community- many Terlingua residents are current or former river guides. It’s a close-knit community. A friend who is a long-time guide explained to me that most of the guides are single because they chose the river over relationships, and, in her case, she doesn’t regret that choice at all.

These guides are the kind of people who can take a backpack, a bedroll, and a boat and spend weeks alone or with a group camping under the stars in the canyons carved out by the Rio Grande River.

And then there’s the people who are raising families here and are concerned with the infrastructure of the community. They’re focused on the school and community service. You don’t see them much in the bars, but when Christmas rolls around, they’re very visible.

The community choir, led by local Uber-musician, studio owner, and high-school band director, Ted Arbogast, bring their Christmas music show to various venues in the Big Bend.

Here are some pics from the show at the Starlight Theatre. The choir sang songs of the season. As they were singing, “Here Comes Santa Claus,” Santa himself walked through the Starlight Theatre. The choir left the stage and Santa took a seat as the local children lined up to make their xmas requests.

Continue reading “Christmas music in the Big Bend 2013”

November 29, 2013November 29, 2013

Butch and Rory Hancock at the Starlight Theatre- 11/28/13

Thanksgiving, Terlingua, Texas. This is why I live here…

I started my day with a Thanksgiving feast at George Goss’ house. The table was literally groaning from the weight of the food, and there were more dishes in the kitchen. Before, during and after the feast, music was: Moses, Brandi, George, Mike, Marshall, Collie, and many others shared songs… and hugs.

Then, I stopped by Trevor Hickle’s place and hung out with Trevor, Bruce Salmon, and Trevor’s lovely family.

Then to the Starlight Theatre where Butch and Rory Hancock were on the big stage. The place was packed- standing room only- but Sharron saved me a seat up front.