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Courtesy Xochitl Mora,

Yesterday, City of Laredo Mayor Raul G. Salinas delivered two proclamations yeserterday right before the start of the City Council meeting, one for the month, proclaiming it Mental Retardation and Development/Disabilities Awareness and the other for Fix-A-Leak Week.

 Sponsored by the Border Region Mental Health Association, the Mental Retardation and Development/Disabilities Awareness proclamation hopes to remind the community that individuals with mental retardation or other developmental disabilities, their families, friends, neighbors and co-workers encourage everyone to focus on the abilities of all people; and encourage all citizens to support opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities in our community that include full access to education, housing, employment, and recreational activities.  On hand for the proclamation, were students and the administration of the Border Region organization.

 Employees of the City of Laredo Utilities Department want to remind the community that water is our most valuable natural resource; and it is the primary ingredient for the support of the economy; and leaks in household fixtures and irrigation systems account for thousands of gallons of water wasted in the home or business each year.  Each citizen of our community is called upon to check plumbing fixtures and irrigation systems for leaks; to protect our source of water from pollution, and to practice water conservation.  Call the City of Laredo Utilities Department for more information on these elements.  The Fix-A-Leak Week activities will host exhibits at the Laredo Public Library Tuesday and Wednesday, from 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. and on Friday at the Bruni Branch Library.  Present at today’s proclamation were Tomas Rodriguez, Utilities Department; Enrique Ramirez; Juan Galvan; Diana Juarez and Argelio Cantu.

 During the meeting, Mayor Salinas asked for a report by Tricia Cortez, Volunteer Project Coordinator for the Laredo Haitian Relief Project, to organize events throughout the community to help raise funds from Laredo to be able to provide to three organizations already established in Haiti, to help this country after the devastating earthquake that hit that country in early January.  At tonight’s meeting, the total amount raised for these organizations was $60,040.51, which will be divided equally to Habitat for Humanity, America Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders.  These efforts were led by many organizations and volunteers, including Mayor Salinas, Xochitl Mora Garcia, Laredo ISD, United ISD, Laredo Entertainment Center, Ysela Sanchez of American Red Cross, Carol Sherwood of Habitat for Humanity, Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra, Pastor Mike Barrera, Pastor Paul Frey , Rabbi Rosenbaum, Dunamis Ministries, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Casa Laredo Buddhist, Javier Molina, San Agustin High School Choir, Diocese of Laredo, and all media partners:  Laredo Morning Times, KGNS, KLDO, Guerra Communications, Border Media, El Manana, LareDos, Lilly Austin, and countless others.  THANK YOU LAREDO!