Isla Blanca County Park Activities
Welcome to the Isla Blanca County Park Activities Web Site.  We hope this information will make your stay in the park, whether it is one day or many months, more enjoyable. 
SPI Activities Photos   SPI Scenery Pictures
Current News: (Updated - February 2, 2010)

February Activities Calendar The February 2010 Activities Calendar is now available. Click on the calendars link above or just click here. There is also a printable version available. Just scroll to the bottom of the activities calendar and you will find a link to that version.

Camera Icon Many New Pictures   Pictures from several different events are now available in the Yearbook. Take a look at these (and use the links on these pages to check out all our other pictures):
Euchre Class   Want to learn to play Euchre and join in on the fun on Tuesday and Thursday nights? Beginner class (and a refresher for those of you who have not played for a while) will be at 1:30 pm on Thursdays in the Activities Building. Experienced player? You can come and help these people learn the game so they will be up to speed when they feel able to join in our regular games. There will be an instruction period and then time to play and learn the way it is done here in the park

Camera Icon New Icon   If there is a link to photographs connected with one of our little news items, it will have a camera icon. Just click on the link in the item and it will take you to a page with related photos.

Photography Workshop   If you want to get started in photography or improve your skills, this is for you. Starting Jan 5, 2010, Fred Lanctot, whose work is featured frequently on this web site, will be offering free photography workshops to any interested campers at Isla Blanca Park. This will be on Tuesdays at 1:30 pm in the Activities Building

  
And why would you want to take this workshop?
A picture is worth a thousand words.
Photos by Alfred Lanctot


Upcoming Entertainment: Want to check out some of the entertainment we will have on Saturday over the next few weeks? Click on the links below for more information.

Recycling: Many of you may recycle at home, but have never had a way to do it other than for Aluminum cans while at Isla Blanca Park. Now there is a way. Port Isabel has a recycling station now. There are bins for paper, plastic, and cans. It is located at 110 Hickman, behind the police station. Of course, we want you to leave your aluminum cans in the park, but take everything else you want to recycle into this facility!

Check the Blog for new activity ideas. We need your input. Activities Blog

Your Participation Wanted!

Activities Blog: You can participate by posting information on the blog. This blog is a place where you can ask questions, make suggestions, and read other people's comments. You can get to the Blog by clicking here: Click here for the blog. You can also get to it by clicking the link at the top of this page where it says "Activities Blog". Once you get to the blog, click on the "leave a comment" link under the posting.

Once you click on this you will be able to read other's comments and will be given the opportunity to add your own comments.

E-Mail Submissions: You can also send your pictures and stories relating to Isla Blanca Activities, to the park, or about you as a park visitor. Also, if you have a web site of your own let us know.  We hope to build links to personal web pages of island visitors along with their pictures and stories.  As soon as we receive some of these we will have a link on this page to display them. E-mail your stories and pictures to this link:  Submit Pictures and Stories  





Recurring Games

Bingo

Mondays and Thursdays at 7pm in the Bingo Hall. Cost is $2.50 per package of 10 games.
Lots of Winners! Refreshments available and the price is right!
Come join us for a night of fun!! This is available to Park Residents ONLY !!

Eucre

Tuesday and Thursday at 6:30 pm in the Rec Hall.
This is an easy-to-learn card game. If you want to learn it, put a message on the blog or send us an e-mail and we will arrange lessons

Game Night

Every Wednesday and Friday night the Rec Hall is open to all who want to play cards, dominoes, board games, etc. Bring your friends and play some games! Please note that although these nights are set aside for this, occasionally a dinner or special event gets scheduled on that night so please check the calendar or reservation schedule (at the Rec Hall).

   

Photos by Alfred Lanctot



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Regular Activities

Jam Session

1:30 pm on Friday afternoons in the Rec Hall. All are welcome to participate. Bring your instrument (or just your voice) if you care to join in. Musically challenged? Well, come and listen!! No cost, unless you buy refreshments.

Line Dancing

Tuesdays and Thursdays in the Rec Hall. Price: Donations for any class given. Check calendar for details. Dance for fun and exercise.

Tom and Bonnie Lawrence will be teaching - Beginners, Advanced and Partners

Wood Carving

The carvers are meeting in the Bingo Hall on Tuesday evenings at 6:30 pm. Whether you are a novice or an expert, come join in - or stop by and admire the handiwork of your fellow campers. No class fees other than the cost of materials. There is interest in setting up another class - possibly on Fridays. It will be posted when the schedule is finalized.

Photo Workshop

"How to get the picture" for all levels. Bring your cameras and your questions at 1:30 on Tuesdays. Instructor: Alfred Lanctot

Crafts

Craft activities will be at 1 pm Mondays in the Activities Hall. A weekly notice will be posted in the Activities Hall window each week. The weekly notice will include information about the craft for that week, the supplies needed and the cost, if any.

Yoga

Instructor: Vicki Jones. The focus is on proper nutrition and stretching for maintaining good flexibility.

   

Photos by Alfred Lanctot

Aerobics

Get fit at the park. This will be a “low impact” aerobics class taught by Lorena Jones, daughter-in-law of Vicki Jones, the Yoga teacher. She will make the class fit the needs of the students.

   

Photos by Alfred Lanctot




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Activities Information

The Dolphin Dove Activities Center includes two buildings - Bingo Hall and Rec Hall. Activities are scheduled in both of these buildings. The Bingo hall is only unlocked during scheduled activities. If you wish to schedule a private event, you will need to obtain permission from Joe Fortugno.  The Rec Hall is open from 8 am to about 9 pm daily.  All are welcome to make use of the facility.  Please check for scheduled activities to avoid conflicts.

The activities at Isla Blanca Park are generally conducted by volunteers.  Specific classes are taught by qualified individuals who may collect a fee for their services and/or material. The majority of activities are open to the public (beyond those camping at Isla Blanca or Andy Bowie) as long as there is sufficient room without excluding park members who wish to participate.  The main exception to this is Bingo.  Bingo is a licensed event in Texas and state law dictates that only park members are allowed to participate. 

We are also limiting Pot Luck to park members (and guests) due to limited space and time.

There is an Activity Director and a Bingo Director who are paid by the park for their services.  There is a Bingo Club and an Activity Club organized to oversee finances and other matters.  Each of these clubs has a Board of Directors elected from campers in the park.  The board meetings of these organizations are open to all campers in the park.  We appreciate participation in these meetings so that you can voice your concerns and make suggestions.  We would especially like to hear about any changes/additions you would like to see.

The Activities Club Board meets the second Monday of each month, around 9 a.m.. This is the Monday preceding the Park Meeting which takes place on Wednesday. The Bingo Board meets every other Thursday of each month in the Bingo Hall.

Elections are held in February to fill board positions on both these boards for the following season.  We are hoping that many more of you will be willing to participate in this process.  Want to know more?  Show up for a meeting!

WI-FI: Wi-fi is available in the park through Orbit Broadband in Harlingen, TX. While the signal strength seems good throughout the park, some people have had problems getting connected or staying connected. If you are experiencing problems, please let Orbit know so they can assist you. If you have questions or need technical support from Orbit you can contact them either by phone or e-mail. Their toll free number is 877 237-5375, their general e-mail address is info@orbitbroadband.com and their technical support e-mail is at support@orbitbroadband.com. It is great to have this service available at last. You can sign up and pay through a secure system when you first get on line.

ALUMINUM CANS for recycling can be placed in the barrels provided either in the Bingo Hall or the Rec Hall.  The cans are recycled by the Activities Club to defray some of the activity costs.  Please DO NOT  put plastic bags in the can barrels.  If the cans are contaminated with other material, they will not take them.  THANK YOU.

MORE ON RECYCLING: Port Isabel has a recycling station now. There are bins for paper, plastic, and cans. It is located at 110 Hickman, behind the police station. Of course, we want you to leave your aluminum cans in the park, but take everything else you want to recycle into this facility!




Meals - Keep Your Eyes on the Calendar for these events

Breakfasts

These are in the Rec Hall on the first and third Saturday. We plan to serve from 7:30 to 9:00 am. We alternate between Pancakes and Sausage and Biscuits and Gravy.

Special Dinners

There is a planned pot luck dinner for both Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

Regular Potlucks

Wednesday nights in the Bingo Hall. Bring your own table service and a dish to pass. The eating begins at 5:30 pm sharp! Come early to set up your food and grab a seat.

PARK GUESTS ONLY (and their guests when they have visitors)



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Special Numbers

Police Emergency - 911

Park Police
9 am - 5 pm
956-761-5283
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Park Police
after hours
956-761-5454
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Emergency Maint.
9 am to 5 pm
956-761-5454
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Emergency Maint.
after hours
956-986-4170
This is a pager - punch in your 10 digit phone number and someone will call you back.


Contacts list

Title
Name
Location
Phone No.


Activities Director
Dora Taylor
Site C-109
956-761-4977


Bingo Director
Joe Fortugno
Site C-57
956-761-1403


Park Manager
Buddy Roberts
Park Office
956-761-5493


Head Clerk
Monica Vela
Site C-109
956-761-5317


To contact us about this web site, e-mail to: webmaster@islablancaparkactivities.org - this is not the park office e-mail



Isla Blanca Park Staff:Do you know the office staff at Isla Blanca Park? Here is a good picture of the people who keep the park going.

From left to right: Monica, Javier, Blanca, Buddy, Cindy, Paul and Joe
Photo by Alfred Lanctot


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