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WELCOME TO, IT'S HAPPENING IN GRAND PRAIRIE.
I'M GEORGIA CLEMSON, AND WE HAVE A GREAT SHOW FOR YOU TODAY, AND WE GET TO START WITH ONE OF OUR FAVORITE GUESTS, WHITNEY WALTERS.
AND WHITNEY, WE KNOW THAT YOU WORK FOR THE FUNNEST DEPARTMENT.
TELL EVERYBODY WHERE YOU WORK FOR THE GRAND PRAIRIE PARKS ARTS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
AND WHAT'S YOUR TITLE THERE? I'M THE EVENT MANAGER FOR THE DEPARTMENT EVENT MANAGER.
SO IT'S ALWAYS SOMETHING EXCITING IN YOUR DEPARTMENT? YES, YES.
WE ALWAYS HAVE SOMETHING GOING ON
SO TO START OFF THE FIRST WEEKEND OF APRIL, APRIL 1ST, THE FARMER'S MARKET OPENS BACK UP, UM, WHICH IS OPEN WEEKLY THROUGH DECEMBER.
SO WE'RE EXCITED FOR THAT TO BEGIN ON APRIL THE FIRST AT THE FARMER'S MARKET.
AND THAT'S AN EASY DATE TO REMEMBER APRIL THE FIRST.
AND WHAT ACTIVITIES COULD WE EXPECT ON THAT OPENING? WE DO HAVE THE MAYOR'S COMMUNITY WALK THERE THAT DAY.
SO, UH, ALONG WITH GET FIT GP, WE'VE GOT A FUN WALK PLAN FOR EVERYBODY.
UH, WE'LL HAVE ALL OF THE LOCAL VENDORS BACK THAT WE LOVE.
YOU CAN BUY, PRODUCE, UM, GIFTS, TRINKETS, JEWELRY, UH, CANDLES, YOU NAME IT.
THEY PROBABLY GOT IT AT THE MARKET.
AND WHAT IS, UM, WHAT IS THE TIME THAT THAT OPENS, DO YOU KNOW? 8:00 AM SO EVERY SATURDAY, 8:00 AM TO 1:00 PM IT'LL BE OPEN, 8:00 AM TO 1:00 PM AND AS THE MAYOR'S WALK, DOES IT START AT NINE? IT DOES START AT NINE O'CLOCK.
AND THE MAYOR ALWAYS MAKES IT FUN.
SO WE'VE DONE IT FOR MANY YEARS AND WE'RE, WE HAD A GREAT TURNOUT LAST YEAR AND WE HOPE IT'S THE SAME THIS YEAR.
AND UH, ABOUT HOW MANY VENDORS DO YOU HAVE AT THE FARMER'S MARKET? SO TYPICALLY THERE'S ANYWHERE FROM 20 TO 30 DIFFERENT VENDORS TO BUY STUFF FROM, AND THAT RANGES FROM PRODUCE TO JEWELRY, TO ARTS, TO CRAFTS.
THEY'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING AND IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO COME TO SEE NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS, UH, AT THE FARMER'S MARKET, ISN'T IT? YES, MA'AM.
I'M SURE YOU'LL RUN INTO SOMEONE YOU KNOW THERE,
AND I NOTICED THAT SOMETIME, ESPECIALLY IN SPRING, THEY HAVE SOME PLANTS.
YES, WE HAVE, UM, OUR VENDOR THAT COMES OUT.
HE'S THERE EVERY SINGLE SATURDAY.
UM, IN THE SPRINGTIME IS A GREAT TIME TO BUY.
UM, ANY KIND OF PLANT OR FLOWER YOU COULD IMAGINE, HE'S PROBABLY GOT IT FOR YOU.
WELL, WE LOVE THE FARMER'S MARKET AND IT HAS WON SOME AWARDS, HASN'T IT? IT HAS.
WE'VE BEEN RECOGNIZED, UM, ON A LOCAL LEVEL, STATE LEVEL AND NATIONAL LEVEL.
AND UH, WHO IS OUR MANAGER UP THERE? WE HAVE MR. RAY KOONZY.
SO HE'S OVERSEEING THE MARKET FOR MANY YEARS NOW.
SO, UH, HE DOES HIS BEST TO GET US THE BEST VENDORS.
UH, WE HAVE ENTERTAINMENT WHEN WE CAN, UM, ON THE STAGE THERE.
SO HE, YOU KNOW, MAKES IT AS SPECIAL AS HE CAN FOR THE CITIZENS OF GRAND PRAIRIE EVERY WEEK.
I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED THE ENTERTAINMENT BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS SO MUCH FUN.
YOU CAN SHOP AND HAVE SOME GREAT MUSIC GOING AT THE SAME TIME.
NOW WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING IN APRIL? OH, WE JUST HAVE THE SMALL EVENT, UH, THE MAIN STREET FEST.
AND THIS IS ACTUALLY OUR 10TH YEAR THIS YEAR.
AND YOU'RE KIDDING THAT IT'S A SMALL EVENT BECAUSE WE CLOSED CLOSE DOWN MAIN STREET AND WE DO, UH, SOME OF THE STREETS FOR THIS EVENT, DON'T WE? WE DO.
WE CLOSED DOWN, UH, THE CITY HALL CAMPUS.
SO IT'S AN ALL OUT, UM, FUN FESTIVAL FOR THREE DAYS STRAIGHT, THREE DAYS STRAIGHT.
RIGHT HERE IN OUR OWN MAIN STREET.
AND, UM, WHAT WILL YOU HAVE THERE? WELL, WE'VE GOT EVERYTHING YOU COULD PROBABLY WANT IN A FESTIVAL.
WE HAVE, UH, 14 CARNIVAL RIDES THAT WILL BE THERE THIS YEAR, INCLUDING A FERRIS WHEEL, UM, FUN HOUSE.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE ARTS AND CRAFT BEND.
WE HAVE ENTERTAINMENT ON TWO DIFFERENT STAGES.
WE HAVE A KID ZONE FOR ALL THE KIDDOS THAT WANNA COME OUT.
UM, JUST A GREAT FAMILY FRIENDLY EVENT FOR EVERYBODY.
AND, UM, WHAT DO YOU THINK WE'LL HAVE AS FAR AS FOOD? OH, GOODNESS.
WE'VE GOT SNOW CONES, WE HAVE MEXICAN FOOD, WE HAVE ASIAN FOOD, BARBECUE BURGERS.
UM, JUST A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING FOR EVERYBODY.
WILL THAT BE FOOD TRUCKS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? MM-HMM
WE'VE GOT THE FOOD TRUCKS THAT'LL BE THERE THAT WE HAVE ARRANGED IN FRONT OF THE MAIN STAGE AREA.
BUT THE CARNIVAL ALSO HAS SOME OF THE CARNIVAL FAVORITES AS WELL.
SO TURKEY LEGS AND FUNNEL CAKES THAT COULD BE FOUND WITHIN THE CARNIVAL AS WELL.
NOW, WHITNEY, UH, I KNOW YOU SAID FAMILY FRIENDLY MM-HMM
AND, UM, IS THERE A COST TO GET INTO MAIN STREET? NO, THAT IS THE BEAUTY OF MAIN STREET FEST AND ALL OF OUR EVENTS WITH THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
ALL OF OUR EVENTS ARE FREE UNLESS YOU WANT TO PURCHASE SOMETHING LIKE FOOD, UH, OR THE CARNIVAL RIDES,
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THOSE ARE AN ADDITIONAL COST, BUT TO COME INTO THE EVENT IS COMPLETELY FREE FOR ANYBODY, AND THAT'S SUCH A GREAT AMENITY TO COME OUT ON THAT.WHEN DOES IT START? LIKE A FRIDAY? IT DOES FRIDAY, APRIL 21ST IS THE FIRST DAY, AND IT'LL GO THROUGH SUNDAY, APRIL 23RD.
UH, FRIDAY NIGHT WE OPEN AT FIVE O'CLOCK AND IT'LL GO UNTIL MIDNIGHT SATURDAY, WE OPEN AT 10:00 AM AND IT'LL GO TILL MIDNIGHT.
AND THEN SUNDAY WE OPEN AT NOON AND THE EVENT CLOSES AT EIGHT O'CLOCK.
TELL US SOME OF THE HEADLINERS YOU HAVE COMING.
YES, SO ALONG WITH THE CARNIVAL AND ALL THE FUN FOOD VENDORS AND THE ARTS AND CRAFTS AND THE KIDS ZONE, WE ALSO HAVE TWO ENTERTAINMENT STAGES.
SO ONE OF THOSE IS THE GRAND PRAIRIE ARTS COUNCIL STAGE, UM, AND THEY HAVE SOME LOCAL DANCE GROUPS AND BANDS AND MUSICIANS THAT WILL BE PLAYING, AND THAT'S LOCATED AT THE FARMER'S MARKET.
AND WE ALSO HAVE OUR MAIN STAGE, UH, WHICH IS RIGHT IN FRONT OF CITY HALL AND FRIDAY NIGHT WE HAVE, UM, OUR VERY OWN MONICA SALDOVAR HEADLINING THAT NIGHT, WHICH WE'RE REALLY EXCITED THAT SHE'S GONNA BE THERE.
AND THEN SATURDAY NIGHT WE HAVE A GROUP COMING FROM CALIFORNIA.
UM, THEIR NAMES ARE CLIMAX, SO THEY'LL BE HEADLINING THAT NIGHT.
AND THEN SUNDAY NIGHT WE HAVE MR. JACK INGRAM, UM, LOCAL TEXAS BOY, WHO WILL BE HEADLINING THE STAGE THAT NIGHT.
ISN'T THAT EXCITING? YES, WE'RE VERY EXCITED.
AND WE PRAY FOR GOOD WEATHER, DON'T WE? WE DO.
IT ALWAYS TESTS US, BUT UH, YOU KNOW, WE TRY TO HAVE IT GOING AS LONG AS WE POSSIBLY CAN WITH SAFETY IN MIND, BUT OF COURSE IT'LL BE A GREAT EVENT.
WHITNEY, THIS SOUNDS SO EXCITING.
SO MUCH TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN APRIL.
WE APPRECIATE YOU AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE OFFERS ALERT GP, A HIGH SPEED COMMUNICATION SERVICE FOR EMERGENCY NOTIFICATIONS.
RECEIVE ALERTS FROM THE GRAND PRAIRIE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TEAM BY GOING TO THE CITY'S WEBSITE AND FOLLOWING THE SIGNUP INSTRUCTIONS ALERT.
GP CAN NOTIFY A LOT OF PEOPLE IN A SHORT TIME.
IT TARGETS THE ENTIRE CITY OR SPECIFIC AREAS.
COMMUNITY ALERTS ARE NECESSARY.
IF WE CAN'T REACH YOU, WE CAN'T ALERT YOU.
VISIT GPTX.ORG/ALERT GP AND SIGN UP TODAY.
WELCOME BACK, AND WE WELCOME OUR NEXT GUEST,
HOW YOU DOING? I'M DOING WONDERFUL.
AND IT'S ALWAYS GREAT TO SEE YOU.
AND WE GET TO SEE YOU MOSTLY HERE ON OUR SHOW IN APRIL.
BECAUSE WHY? IT'S, UH, ORGAN DONOR AWARENESS MONTH.
NOW, UH, YOU HAVE AN ORGANIZATION THAT SUPPORTS THAT AND, UM, ACTUALLY YOU DO IT YEAR ROUND.
SO TELL US ABOUT THAT ORGANIZATION.
WELL, IT'S THE DAVID NICHOLAS ORGAN DONOR AWARENESS FOUNDATION, AND WE DO MORE THAN JUST AWARENESS.
WE PROVIDE HOUSING FOR FAMILIES THAT, UH, NEED TO TRAVEL THIS AREA TO GET TRANSPLANTS, AND WE PROVIDE EDUCATION AND AWARENESS AND OTHER LOGISTICAL AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT, UH, UH, TRANSPLANT FAMILIES.
AND, UM, UH, IT ALL RESULTED FROM DAVID NICHOLAS, THE YOUNG MAN THAT I RECEIVED HIS HEART, UH, 30 YEARS AGO.
WE'VE TOLD THAT STORY BEFORE, BUT JUST GIVE US JUST A LITTLE MINI VERSION OF THAT.
WELL, THE MINI VERSION OF THAT IS THAT, UM, I WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO HAVE A DIRECTED HEART DONATION.
AND THAT MEANS SOMEBODY SAYS, WE'VE LOST A LOVED ONE AND WE WANT THIS LOVED ONE'S ORGAN TO GO TO THIS PERSON.
AND, UH, UH, I WAS 36 YEARS OLD, CAUGHT A VIRUS.
IT WENT TO MY HEART CALLED VIRAL CARDIOMYOPATHY.
AND, UM, WITHIN, UH, ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF OF RECEIVING, OF CATCHING THAT VIRUS, I WAS GIVEN SIX MONTHS TO LIVE.
AND IN ABOUT THE SIX MONTH, UM, I HAD MET DAVID'S GRANDFATHER ONE TIME, AND DAVID WAS 22 YEARS OLD.
YOUNG MAN JUST GOT OUTTA THE AIR FORCE ACADEMY, HAD HIS ENTIRE LIFE AHEAD OF HIM, AND HE WAS, UH, LOST HIS LIFE IN A MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT.
AND THE NICHOLAS FAMILY MADE A REQUEST TO GIVE DAVID'S HEART TO ME.
AND IF THAT HAD NOT HAPPENED, I WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY BECAUSE, UH, UH, AFTER MY TRANSPLANT, MY HEART SURGEON TOLD ISABELLE, MY WIFE, THAT, UH, BASED ON THE CONDITION OF MY HEART WHEN THEY TOOK MY HEART OUT, THAT I WOULDN'T HAVE LASTED ANOTHER TWO WEEKS.
AND SO WE DECIDED TO MAKE IT OUR MISSION TO NOT ONLY KEEP DAVID'S NAME ALIVE SO THAT PEOPLE WOULD NOT FORGET WHO DAVID WAS, BUT ALSO TO TRY TO, UM, BEST WAY WE COULD TO PAY BACK FOR THE GIFT WE'VE BEEN GIVEN.
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THAT, UM, YOU'VE SHARED WITH US BEFORE JUST SHOWS THAT IT WAS, UH, A DIVINE, A DIVINE GIFT.AND THAT A GIFT OF LIFE TO YOU, TO YOUR FAMILY, AND TO YOUR FRIENDS AND TO OUR CITY AS WELL, BECAUSE YOU'VE CONTRIBUTED SO MUCH AND TO YOUR ORGANIZATION.
IT'S THE DAVID NICHOLAS ORGAN DONOR AWARENESS FOUNDATION, AND OUR WEBSITE IS, UH, NICHOLAS FOUNDATION.ORG.
AND IT TELLS ALL OUR STORIES AND IT HAS A LOT OF, UH, A LOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT PEOPLE WE'VE HELPED.
AND, AND, UH, IF YOU GO ON THAT, YOU'LL, YOU'LL SEE THE, THE LONG VERSION OF THE WHOLE STORY
AND HE WAS SUCH A WONDERFUL YOUNG MAN.
AND HIS FAMILY HAS BECOME PART OF YOUR FAMILY, HAVEN'T THEY? OH, YEAH.
WE'VE JUST, WE'VE JUST LITERALLY ADOPTED EACH OTHER.
UH, DAVID'S SISTER HAS WORKED WITH US IN THE FOUNDATION FOR 25 YEARS, AND, UM, THE NICHOLAS FAMILY AND OUR FAMILY ARE JUST, JUST ONE BIG FAMILY, AND THAT'S REALLY, REALLY UNIQUE WITHIN ITSELF.
UM, I MEAN, THERE'S TIMES WHERE, I MEAN, YOU VERY RARELY EVEN KNOW WHO YOUR DONOR WAS.
AND, UM, AND EVEN RARER THAN THAT, YOU, YOU, YOU HARDLY EVER DEVELOP A RELATIONSHIP LIKE WE HAVE.
AND SO IT'S, IT'S MADE IT EASY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, THE BOTH FAMILIES JUST ADOPTED, YOU KNOW, MY CAUSE, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, I DON'T, CERTAINLY THE FOUNDATION IS NOT JUST ME AND, UM, YOU KNOW, MY SONS, UH, ISABELLE, UH, YOU KNOW, MY SISTERS THE NICHOLAS FOUNDATION FAMILY, WHATEVER, WE, YOU KNOW, ANYTIME I PICK UP THE PHONE AND SAY, HEY, WE GOTTA DO THIS, EVERYBODY'S LIKE, OKAY, LET'S GO.
AND SO IT'S JUST, UM, IT'S BEEN THE MOST UNIQUE EXPERIENCE TO ME.
I MEAN, YOU HAD A LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCE WITHIN YOURSELF AND YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE, UH, YOUR FAITH AND YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, MEDICINE AND DOCTORS AND, UH, WELL, YOU KNOW, I HAD A, I HAD A FAMILY THAT LOST THEIR SON AND BROTHER AND, AND, AND, AND THEY GAVE PART OF HIM TO GIVE ME LIFE.
IT'S, IT'S AN UNIMAGINABLE SCENARIO.
UH, AND TO THINK THAT YOU HAVE, I I'M JUST TRYING TO PUT MYSELF IN THEIR PLACE TO THINK MY LOST LOVED ONE'S HEART IS RESIDING IN SOMEBODY ELSE'S BODY.
AND, UH, THE FACT THAT IT IS SOMEBODY VERY SPECIAL LIKE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY, WHAT A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL RELATIONSHIP HAS COME FROM, FROM THIS BLESSING.
IT HAS, IT HAS, YOU KNOW, I SAY THIS A LOT OF TIMES, BUT PEOPLE, UM, I I GUESS YOU NEVER REALLY UNDERSTAND IT UNLESS YOU GO THROUGH IT.
YOU KNOW, I WAS LOOKING AT NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE MY, MY TWO BOYS GROW UP.
THEY WERE 11 AND EIGHT WHEN THIS HAPPENED TO ME.
AND, YOU KNOW, I TELL PEOPLE ALL THE TIME THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW SUCCESSFUL YOU ARE, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOUR BUSINESS CARD SAYS.
IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW MUCH MONEY YOU HAVE IN THE BANK.
YOU KNOW, I'VE GOTTEN TO SEE MY TWO SONS GROW UP.
AND, AND THEN I'VE GOTTEN TO SEE SOME GRANDCHILDREN.
THERE IS NOTHING ON THIS EARTH THAT'S, THAT'S WORTH MORE THAN THAT.
AND, UH, ACTUALLY YOUR PROGNOSIS WAS THAT THE HEART WOULD LAST APPROXIMATELY HOW MANY YEARS? FIVE, WELL, FIVE TO 10 YEARS.
I, I HAD EVERY DOCTOR I SAW SAID IT'D BE UNREALISTIC TO LIVE THE PAST 10 YEARS.
AND, YOU KNOW, HERE I AM 30 YEARS LATER, STILL CAUSING TROUBLE,
AND IT'S A CELEBRATION FOR ALL OF US BECAUSE NOT ONLY HAVE YOU BEEN A BLESSING TO THOSE WITH, THROUGH THIS ORGAN DONOR ASSOCIATION, YOU'RE A BLESSING TO OUR CITY.
YOU ARE A SUPPORTER OF SO MANY ORGANIZATIONS, PHILANTHROPIC ORGANIZATIONS, AND I KNOW, UH, ISABELLE SERVES ON LIFELINE FOR FAMILIES BOARD.
UH, YOU GIVE BACK SO MUCH TO OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
WELL, YOU KNOW, THERE'S TWO THINGS THAT I WANT TO IMPRESS UPON PEOPLE IS THAT YOU GO THROUGH THAT, YOU GO THROUGH THE DAY AND YOU'VE BEEN, YOU'VE BEEN THERE.
YOU UNDER, YOU UNDERSTAND THIS, YOU GO THROUGH THE DAY WORRYING ABOUT ALL THE CRAP YOU GOTTA DEAL WITH.
AND YOU GO TO BED AT NIGHT AND YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT WHAT I GOTTA DO TOMORROW.
YOU KNOW, ALL TO SOLVE ALL THESE PROBLEMS. WELL, YOU'VE, YOU'VE, YOU, YOU'RE IN YOUR MIND, YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS.
I WENT TO BED EVERY NIGHT FOR ALMOST SEVEN MONTHS.
THE ONLY THING ON MY MIND WAS, LET ME WAKE UP THE NEXT DAY.
THEN, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE SOMEDAY, YOU KNOW, UH, HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE FORTUNE ONES TO GET TO HEAVEN, YOU KNOW? AND, UM, GOD SAYS, I GAVE YOU 30 YEARS.
SO I LOOK AT EVERY DAY, SURE, YOU GOTTA, YOU'VE GOT TO SURVIVE AND YOU GOTTA MAKE A LIVING.
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AS I HAVE TO EARN THE DAY THAT I'VE BEEN GIVEN.THAT'S A UNIQUE WAY TO LOOK AT IT.
AND IT COMES THROUGH WHAT YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH.
IT COMES THROUGH WHAT THE PATH THAT YOU'VE TRAVELED AND, AND I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU WITH, WITH YOUR CANCER THAT YOU'VE SURVIVED.
UH, HONESTLY, I LOOK BACK ON IT AND I THINK PROBABLY THIS IS THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO ME.
UH, EVEN THOUGH, EVEN THOUGH TODAY, YOU KNOW, I, I GO TO A DOCTOR TODAY AND SAY, IF YOU GO TO A DOCTOR TODAY AND SAY, WELL, DOC, HOW LONG DO YOU THINK I'M GONNA LIVE? THEY LOOK AT YOUR CONDITION AND THEY SAY, OH, YOU OUGHT TO MAKE IT, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER 10 YEARS, 15 YEARS.
AND, UH, YOU, YOU CAN'T FIND, UH, I COULD TALK TO EVERY DOCTOR IN THE WORLD TODAY, BEING 30 YEARS OUT IN HEART TRANSPLANT.
I SAY, DOC, HOW LONG DO YOU THINK I GOT? AND THEY GO, WE DON'T KNOW.
WELL, THERE'S ONLY BEEN THREE OR FOUR PEOPLE WORLDWIDE THAT'S LIVED PAST 30 YEARS.
AND WE'RE SO GLAD YOU ARE, RODNEY.
YOU AND YOUR FAMILY ARE VERY SPECIAL TO US.
OF COURSE, WE DO GO BACK A LONG TIME.
WE KNOW, WE KNOW EACH OTHER A LONG TIME.
AND, UM, THE FACT THAT YOU'RE DOING THINGS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND YOUR LIFE IS SPENT IN A WAY THAT, UH, YOU WANT TO CONTINUE TO MAKE THAT DIFFERENCE.
WELL, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN GRAND PRAIRIE THAT NOW SINCE GRAND PRAIRIE'S GROWN LARGER, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY NEVER KNEW YOUR MOM AND, UH, OR YOUR DAD.
UH, AND WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO TELL ALL THE YOUNG PEOPLE IS THAT AS YOU TRAVEL THROUGH LIFE, THEY'LL BE PEOPLE THAT MAKE IMPRESSIONS ON YOUR LIFE.
AND, UH, I LIKE TO SAY THAT SOME OF THE GOOD QUALITIES I HAVE CAME FROM KNOWING YOUR MOM AND DAD.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T WAKE UP ONE DAY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU'RE A DIFFERENT PERSON.
UH, IT HAS TO BE INGRAINED AND TAUGHT AND, AND YOU HAVE TO DECIDE TO FOLLOW THOSE PATHS.
BUT, UH, SO PART OF THE REASON WHY I DO THE THINGS I DO IN GRAND PRAIRIE IS BECAUSE THE PEOPLE IN MY PAST IN GRAND PRAIRIE MADE ME WHO I AM TODAY.
THEY INVESTED IN YOU AND YOUR INVESTING.
AND THE GOOD NEWS FOR YOU, AS FOR THE ORGAN DONOR AWARENESS, UH, THE DAVID NICHOLAS FOUNDATION, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ASK FOR MONEY NECESSARILY, DO YOU? NO, WE, NO, WE, UH, WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE ANY DONATIONS ANYBODY WANTS TO GIVE US.
BUT WE PRETTY MUCH SELF GENERATE 95% OF ALL OF OUR FUNDS.
AND, AND THAT'S JUST ME, BECAUSE I JUST CHOSE THAT'S HOW I WAS GONNA DO IT.
AND, UM, PART OF THE, PART OF THAT'S MY BUSINESS DRIVE IS NOT TO SEE HOW MUCH MONEY I CAN PUT IN MY BANK ACCOUNT.
MY BUSINESS DRIVE IS, WELL, I'VE GOT THIS ORGANIZATION AND IT, IT NEEDS MONEY TO, TO DO THE THINGS IT DOES.
AND YOU'VE DONE THAT IN SUCH AN EXCELLENT WAY BECAUSE YOU'RE A GREAT BUSINESSMAN.
NOW WE NEED TO WRAP UP, BUT, UM, I KNOW THAT YOU DON'T NECESSARILY, YOU WOULD TAKE DONATIONS.
BUT ALSO YOU WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO BE ORGAN DONORS.
I WANT PEOPLE NEED TO BE ORGAN DONORS BECAUSE, UH, THAT IS THE ONLY WAY THAT AFTER, AFTER YOU PASS AWAY, IT'S, IT'S JUST A LOSS FOR YOUR FAMILY.
THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT IS A POSITIVE OUT OF IT.
AND, YOU KNOW, JUST TAKE MY CASE.
DAVID'S MOM, YOU KNOW, FIRST THING SHE EVER SAID TO ME WHEN I MET HER WAS THAT SHE WAS AFRAID PEOPLE WOULD FORGET WHO DAVID WAS.
WE, WE, FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS, WE'VE MADE SURE THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO TO A GRAVEYARD SOMEWHERE AND LOOK AT A TOMBSTONE AND SEE DAVID NICHOLAS.
AND, UH, SO DAVID, UH, YOU KNOW, IN HIS 22 YEARS OF LIFE, BECAUSE HE DECIDED TO BE A DONOR, LOOK WHAT THAT DECISION HAS DONE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, RODNEY, FOR SHARING ALL OF THAT BEAUTIFUL STORY WITH US.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO.
GRAND PRAIRIE, IT'S TIME TO BAG THE BAG AND GRAB THE BIN.
THE CITY IS NO LONGER COLLECTING RECYCLED ITEMS IN PLASTIC BAGS BECAUSE PLASTIC BAGS DAMAGE PROCESSING EQUIPMENT.
INSTEAD, USE YOUR RECYCLING BIN TO HOLD ITEMS FOR PICKUP.
AND REMEMBER, ONLY GLASS BOTTLES AND JARS, METAL CANS AND PAPER PRODUCTS ARE OKAY.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT GPTX.ORG/RECYCLING.
WELCOME BACK AND WELCOME TO OUR NEXT TWO WONDERFUL GUESTS.
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HAVE GLORIA CARILLO AND SUSANNA RAMIREZ, AND WE WELCOME YOU.AND WE'RE EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT CINCO DE MAYO.
WE'RE EXCITED TO BE HERE, AND WE'RE SO EXCITED.
WE'RE GONNA BE CELEBRATING OUR 35TH ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR, AND WE'RE SO EXCITED, UH, IN, UH, IN CELEBRATION OF OUR 35TH ANNIVERSARY, CINCO DE MAYO WILL BE AWARDING 35,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS TO GRAND PRAIRIE STUDENTS THIS YEAR.
WHAT A GREAT, WHAT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE STUDENTS.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S JUST WONDERFUL.
WE INTERVIEWED OUR TOP THREE STUDENTS LAST NIGHT, AND I THINK WE WERE ALL BLOWN AWAY BY HOW SMART AND HOW WHAT A FUTURE THOSE CHILDREN HAVE.
I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN DOING THIS, AND I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN, YOU'VE, UH, SAT IN THE CHAIR HERE, EVEN TALKING TO MY MOM ABOUT ABSOLUTELY.
CINCO DE MAYO IN YEARS PAST MM-HMM
SO THIS IS A HISTORICAL MOMENT FOR YOU.
IT IS, IT IS A HISTORICAL MOMENT.
THIS WAS LAST YEAR'S BOOK, WHICH WAS BEAUTIFUL.
WE'RE WORKING ON, ON A 2023 BOOK.
UH, WE'VE GOT NEW SPONSORS AND IT'S JUST GROWN SO MUCH.
IT'S OUR BIGGEST CELEBRATION IN THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE.
SO WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF, OF OUR COMMITTEE, AND WE'RE PROUD OF OUR STUDENTS.
SO YOU RAISE MONEY FOR THESE SCHOLARSHIPS? YES.
THROUGH SPONSORSHIP DONATIONS.
THE SPONSORS BELIEVE IN OUR MISSION MM-HMM
AND THEY HELP US WITH, WITH FUNDS.
AND BECAUSE OF THOSE FUNDS, WE'RE ABLE TO, TO GIVE THESE SCHOLARSHIPS.
AND IT'S, IT'S JUST, UH, LIFE CHANGING FOR THEM.
AND EVEN FOR US, IT'S REALLY EXCITING FOR US TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A SMALL PART IN THE LIVES OF THESE GREAT STUDENTS.
IT NOT ONLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE, SOMETIMES IT'S ACTUALLY LIFE CHANGING FOR THE STUDENTS.
THE STUDENTS THAT WE INTERVIEWED LAST YEAR, ONE OF THEM COMES FROM A FAMILY OF NINE CHILDREN.
SO, YOU KNOW THAT, THAT THE NEED IS THERE, BUT THEY'RE SO SHARP.
AND WE'RE GOING TO BE CELEBRATING CINCO DE MAYO YES.
AS OUR CITY DOES AND HAS FOR MANY YEARS.
AND HOW, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CELEBRATIONS LEADING UP TO THE PARADE? WELL, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, FOR THE FIRST TIME A RECEPTION THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR YEARS, UH, ON THE ACTUAL CINCO DE MAYO, ON MAY THE FIFTH.
UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A RECEPTION FOR OUR SPONSORS AND FOR OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS AT THE EPIC.
AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE ENTERTAINMENT, WE'RE GONNA HAVE HOR D'OEUVRES, AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
UH, CITY COUNCILMAN JOHN LOPEZ IS HELPING US ORGANIZE THAT EVENT.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE DOING THAT ON FRIDAY NIGHT.
AND THEN UP AND EARLY, VERY SAT, VERY UP AND EARLY SATURDAY MORNING FOR THE PARADE AND ALL THE FESTIVITIES, THE MUSIC, THE FOOD.
WELL, WE MENTIONED THE PARADE, AND I KNOW SUSANNA AND THE GRAND PRAIRIE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT ARE, UH, BIG CONTRIBUTORS TO THE PARADE.
THIS IS GOING TO BE OUR 35TH PARADE.
IT IS ONE OF THE LARGEST PARADES WITHIN THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE, AND IT WILL BE ON SATURDAY, MAY THE SIXTH.
THE PARADE ALWAYS STARTS AT 10, AND THIS YEAR IT WILL BEGIN ON, UM, NORTHEAST 19TH STREET AND MAINE.
SO THERE, THERE'S A CHANGE THERE STILL ON MAINE, BUT NORTHEAST 19TH.
AND WHAT IS, IS THERE A LANDMARK CLOSE TO THAT? UH, PROBABLY TERRY'S, UH, SUPERMARKET.
SO WE GET TO MOVE A LITTLE FURTHER EAST A LITTLE FURTHER.
THE PARADE IS GROWING SO MUCH THAT WE HAVE HAD TO, UM, FIND A LARGER VENUE TO START OUT THE PARADE.
AND, UM, IT'S SOMETHING THAT FAMILIES CAN COME TO, RIGHT? YES, EXACTLY.
IT IS A FAMILY EVENT AND, UH, MANY OF OUR STUDENTS PARTICIPATE.
THE COMMUNITY ALSO PARTICIPATES.
WE HAVE BUSINESSES, LOCAL BUSINESSES, SOME DALLAS BUSINESSES THAT HAVE ALREADY CALLED.
THEY WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE AND HAVE FLOATS IN THE PARADE.
IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING, UH, THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO TO THE GPI SD.ORG WEBSITE, GO TO COMMUNITY, AND CLICK ON MULTICULTURAL EVENTS, AND THEY WILL SEE AN APPLICATION FOR THE PARADE.
UH, AS WELL AS FOR PERFORMANCES, WE HAVE PERFORMANCES, UH, FROM ALL OVER THE CITY, NOT JUST OUR CAMPUSES, BUT, UM, CITYWIDE, UM, UM, CLUBS.
AND, UH, THEY PERFORM AND IT'S, LIKE I SAID, IT IS A FAMILY EVENT AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED.
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AND, UM, SUSANNA, I KNOW WE HAVE THE PARADE.WHICH TAKES A LONG TIME BECAUSE IT IS LARGE.
BUT AFTER THEY SEE THE PARADE, THEY CAN GO OVER TO THE STAGE, CORRECT, YES.
AT NOON WE WILL HAVE THE, UM, UH, THE BEGINNING OF THE PERFORMANCES, BUT WE START OFF WITH THE NATIONAL ANTHEM AND, UH, INTRODUCTION OF VERY IMPORTANT PEOPLE.
AND OUR, UH, SINGERS FROM G-P-I-S-D WILL BE THERE TO LEAD OFF.
WE HAVE THE COLOR GUARDS THAT ARE GOING TO BE INCLUDED AND RIGHT.
A LITTLE AFTER THAT, THE PERFORMANCES BEGIN AND WE GO ON UNTIL ABOUT FIVE IN THE EVENING.
AND IS THAT STILL RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE CITY HALL? IT'S RIGHT IN FRONT OF CITY HALL.
AND WILL YOU HAVE FOOD TRUCKS AND VENDORS THERE AS WELL? OH, WE WILL.
WE, WE WILL HAVE AT LEAST 30 VENDORS.
SOME OF THEM WILL BE FOOD BOOTHS, OTHERS WILL BE INFORMATION BOOTHS.
SO WE WELCOME EVERYONE TO COME AND PARTICIPATE.
AND 35 YEARS, BOTH OF YOU LADIES, I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS TO OUR, OUR CITY AND OUR CULTURE.
AND, UH, IT'S JUST A WONDERFUL EVENT.
AND YOU'RE MAKING A DIFFERENCE WITH YOUR SCHOLARSHIPS.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO SAY BEFORE WE WRAP UP? I JUST WANNA SAY, EVERYBODY COME OUT.
IT'S GONNA BE A BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL EVENT.
THE PARADE IS NEARLY TWO HOURS LONG, AND, UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE ALL KINDS OF WONDERFUL FOOD.
UH, THE EROS WILL BE THERE WITH SOME GREAT ICE CREAM, UM, FAJITAS.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE ALL KINDS OF FOOD AND COME OUT AND ON THE STAGE, WE'RE GOING TO INTRODUCE ALL OF OUR SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS ALSO.
SO YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THESE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE, NOT ONLY IN GRAND PRAIRIE, BUT IN OUR NATION.
THANK YOU LADIES FOR JOINING US.
AND LOOKING FORWARD TO CELEBRATING WITH YOU SOON.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US.
AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.
I'M GEORGIA CLEMSON, REMINDING YOU AS ALWAYS, IT'S HAPPENING IN GRAND PRAIRIE.