DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS IN KLEIN PARK:
To honor the memory of former Councillor Miguel Silva, his brother, Dario, approached Las Esperanzas about having a Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)<-- Click for history celebration in Klein Park. Miguel's family planned to build an altar under the tree dedicated earlier in 2016 to him and wanted to invite other members of the Mesquite Historic District to participate in honoring their relatives who had died. In addition to the Silva family, other altars were built to honor the Baca-Flores, Melendrez and Sanchez families, whose early ancestors were some of the original settlers of Las Cruces. An altar was erected by family members to honor fallen Hatch police officer, José Chavez, who recently died in the line of duty. And, we built an altar to honor 23 homeless from Doña Ana County who died, were cremated and buried without family members coming forward to claim them. On October 29, 2016, Las Esperanzas was their family. Everyone who participated was so pleased with the day that we hope to make Día de los Muertos in Klein Park an annual event.
EVENTS
LAS ESPERANZAS 25TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION:
Back in 1999 when Mesquite Historic District resident, Consuelo Lerma, organized neighbors to our grass roots Las Esperanzas, she could not have seen that twenty-five years later, we would have grown into an neighborhood organization which commands the respect of residents and city officials alike. Las Esperanzas, 25 years strong!
(Click images for full picture)
(Click images for full picture)
LUMINARIAS IN KLEIN PARK:
Las Esperanzas members and friends placed over 500 luminarias in Klein Park <--Click for location map (E. Griggs Ave. and N. Mesquite St.) Christmas evening 2021. This was our first neighborhood event since the start of the COVID pandemic. High winds on Christmas Eve postponed the traditional night for lighting the farolitos, but the winds couldn't sweep away our spirit. With the help of Las Esperanzas members, family, friends and neighbors, the light glow went on Christmas evening, December 25th.
(Click images for full picture)
WEED & SEED ENCHILADA FUNDRAISER:
Las Esperanzas is a great supporter of our local Weed and Seed youth Safe Haven . Due to budget cutbacks in 2015, Weed and Seed was forced to cancel its annual Coats for Kids program of providing winter coats and clothes to those enrolled in the Safe Haven. Las Esperanzas board member, Freda Flores, who is also a social worker at Weed and Seed, challenged Las Esperanzas members to sponsor a child. That led to Las Esperpanzas Secretary, Melissa Salazar, co-owner of La Nueva Casita Café, to sponsor an enchilada dinner fundraiser. The kids at Weed and Seed challenged each other to sell tickets. Through everyone's hard work and generosity, along with the generosity of JC Penney and Rack Room Shoes, we were able to purchase a coat, shoes and other clothes for each child at Weed and Seed. Las Esperanzas has made this an annual event and we greatly appreciate your continued support. Our 2021 enchilada lunch fundraiser was Saturday, November 11 at El Calvario United Methodist Church. We raised over $3,700 and provided coats and shoes to almost 80 youth participants at Safe Haven Weed & Seed and Teen Connection.
LAS eSPERANZAS, INC.
Mesquite Historic District and Original Town Site