At the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History, travel back in time to board the Santa Maria and Pinta. They also have shipwreck exhibits of La Belle and San Esteban. The museum of Science and History has many unique exhibits and hands-on activities. Visit the museum at 1900 N. Chaparral in Corpus Christi or check out their website www.ccmuseum.com.
The Holiday Forest at the Port Aransas Civic Center will host Santa on December 19. There will be a party for children 12 and under. Admission is free and each child will receive a gift from Santa.
A special thanks to a group from Dallas. You guys were great. This group traveled from Dallas to go fishing on one of the local fishing charters. The group on the boat caught about 130 fish. The catch was made up of a combination of sharks and red snapper.
Taken from San Antonio Express News. Written by Jessica Belasco, December 2, 2006.
There are plenty of reasons to head to the beach during the winter months.
The hotel rates are cheaper. The restaurants are less crowded.
And then, of course, there’s the shopping.
Never thought of doing your holiday shopping in Port Aransas? Well, why not? You can skip the packed malls and find original, often unique gifts, and have yourself a merry little vacation at the same time.
Those mammoth surf shops hawking T-shirts, souvenir seashells and boogie boards may dominate the main drag of Alister Street, but as Port Aransas and Mustang Island have undergone increasing development over the last few years, the shopping opportunities have grown as well. Savvy merchants have responded to the influx of tourists who bring their considerable disposable income to this tiny gulf community by opening specialty boutiques and gift shops.
And they’re not all concentrated in the nexus of Alister Street and Avenue G.
For more information on shopping check out the article in the San Antonio Express News or go to the Port Aranansas Chamber of Commerce at www.portaransas.org.
Birthday girl asks for gifts to benefit holiday toy drive
BY DAN PARKER SOUTH JETTY REPORTER
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Guests won’t bring gifts for Gabriella Hanmore when she has her eighth birthday party tomorrow, Nov. 30, at Port A Pizzeria.
And that’s the way Gabriella wants it.
The H.G. Olsen Elementary School second grader has handed out written invitations to more than 60 Port Aransas children to bring gifts only so that she may pass them on as donations to the 10th annual Port Aransas Emergency Services Toy Round Up, a program that helps lower income families in Port Aransas provide Christmas toys for their children.
Gabriella is the daughter of Erol and Laurie Hanmore. Laurie Hanmore said she and her daughter were watching a local television news segment about a Corpus Christi toy drive when Gabriella suddenly had an idea.
“She just started talking about her birthday party and how she has so many toys and doesn’t need so many,” Hanmore said. “We talked about it, and she just wants to give her birthday presents to (the Toy Round Up),” Hanmore said.
“I feel sorry for those kids who don’t have very much,” Gabriella told the South Jetty.
(By the way, the Hanmores did not contact the South Jetty about their plans. A South Jetty reporter asked the Hanmores for an interview after hearing about Gabriella’s planned party from a Hanmore family friend.)
Hanmore wasn’t completely shocked by her daughter’s decision to forgo gifts. She said she almost has gotten used to Gabriella’s unusual maturity and kind-heartedness.
“She blows me away all the time,” Hanmore said. “I was touched (by Gabriella’s decision). I want to do whatever I can to help her.”
Gabriella formally has handed out written invitations to her entire second-grade class (about 40 students), her karate class (10 kids) and ballet class (10 dancers). In addition, Gabriella’s mother said anyone who reads this article should feel free to stop by Port A Pizzeria during the party, from 3:30 to 5 p.m., drop off a toy and have some pizza.
Toys should be in their original containers and not gift wrapped, according to guidelines issued by the Port Aransas Emergency Services Toy Round Up. Hanmore said she will drop the toys with Port Aransas Emergency Services after the party.
Debbie Bridges, manager at Port A Pizzeria, said her restaurant is glad to be a part of the party and charity effort. Bridges’ own daughter got one of the invitations.
“When I read that invitation, I was really surprised,” Bridges said. “Just to see such a young girl make that kind of decision and be so unselfish, to give up all the presents and everything, I was like, wow!”
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