Thursday-Tuesday, October 12-17, 2017
We had a fabulous weekend promoting our mission of “peace through people” with our friends visiting Springfield from Tlaquepaque, Mexico! The seven delegates arrived at the Springfield-Branson National Airport on Thursday, October 12 and were greeted by their Springfield host families.
The delegation consisted of six talented musicians: Manuel Orozco, Enrique Ortiz, Paco Padilla, Fernando Quintana, German Quintana, and Javier Iniguez. Enrique’s lovely wife, Maite, was the seventh delegate.
We kept the delegates very busy while they were in town between school visits, special events, and community concerts. Among the highlights:
The group performed at our Taste of Tlaquepaque event on Friday, October 13 at the Oasis Convention Center. The event highlighted our mission and the cultural significance of the Mexican holiday Day of the Dead or “Dia de los Muertos.”
The group also performed at the Springfield-Branson National Airport for the Flights of Fancy ceremony on Saturday, October 14. The event features the presentation of the Springfield Regional Arts Council‘s Ozzie Awards, which are given to those who have embodied the pioneering, creative spirit of the Springfield arts community. Our own Executive Director, Cindy Jobe, was presented with the prestigious Individual Ozzie Award.
On Sunday, October 15, Drs. Tom and Kim Prater hosted a community gathering at their home during which the group delighted guests with an intimate concert.
Central Bank hosted Tacos and Tunes in their parking lot on Monday, October 16. Central Bank provided free tacos from the Davalon Food Truck and the band performed a concert.
Also on Monday, the group performed at an assembly for Robberson Elementary. The students clapped and danced along with the band while learning a bit about Mexican culture. The Glendale Spanish Club was also in attendance and had the opportunity to speak with the band members following the concert.
Monday evening, Matt and Kerri Miller hosted an “hasta luego” party at their home. The group relaxed and enjoyed their last night in Springfield while chatting with community members, and of course they ended the night with an intimate concert.
The group departed from Springfield on the morning of Tuesday, October 17. We are so proud of them and grateful that they took the time to visit Springfield and share the culture of Tlaquepaque, Mexico. We are very thankful for the relationships built during their short visit, and we look forward to seeing them again!
