Kellie Ramos

The 2012 Charro Queen will receive her crown—or sombrero—Feb. 11.

Kellie Ramos will be honored at a fundraising gala for the Asociación de Charros de San Antonio. The event takes place at the AT&T Community Center at San Fernando. Tickets are $75.

The Taft High School student served for two years as princess when her twin sister, Kara, was queen.
Kellie is a varsity cheerleader at Taft.  She enjoys community service, volunteering with the Northside Lions Club and serving meals at the 2011 Raul Jimenez Thanksgiving Dinner.

Kellie rides with Las Coronelas, the Charros’ escaramuza team. The girls perform military-style maneuvers mounted sidesaddle on their horses and wearing traditional Charrería dress.

If you’d like to attend the gala, contact Lisa Ramos at 872-2529 or lram...@att.net.

Doors for the gala open at 6:30 p.m. Dinner and entertainment by mariachis is from 7 to 8 p.m. Ballet Folklorico performs from 8 to 8:30.

Enjoy dinner, dancing and more from 6:30 to midnight at La Villita Assembly Hall. Tickets are $150 each for the fundraiser. Tables of 10 run from $1,500 to $5,000.

For more information or to buy tickets, call Debbie Gonzaba at (210) 379-2137.

A former Mr. Teen San Antonio stands with King Antonio (Rick Shaw) and Claudette Lewis, founder of the organization that manages the competition.

The Cherice Cochane Mentoring for Success Foundation is offering young men the chance to become “Mr. Teen San Antonio.” The application deadline is March 1.

The contest is open to all high school boys in 9th through 12th grades. Teens should have exceptional conduct, be single and never married or the parent of a child, the competition invitation letter says.

Teens should also have been a Texas and Bexar County resident for at least one year.

Participants must pay a sponsorship fee of $100. The fee is to be used for a full-page profile in the event souvenir book, an 8×10 photo and a banquet ticket. The winner achieving the highest points on a portfolio and interview will be crowned “Mr. Teen San Antonio 2012” and will receive a trophy and a $500 scholarship (upon proof of registration in college).

The winner will be honored at the Mr. Teen San Antonio Scholarship and Awards Banquet April 14 at the Kendrick Enlisted Club on Randolph AFB. The banquet is an official event of Fiesta San Antonio.

For more information contact Claudette Lewis at 378-1268 or cher...@yahoo.com.

So tell your family, friends and co-workers to text FIESTA to 45384 to access the free site.

Bibisi Corp., a mobile marketing firm, created the site for the Fiesta Commission a year ago. Almost 18,000 people have bookmarked the page. It received 1.2 million hits in 2011.

The content is drawn from the official Fiesta website, www.fiesta-sa.org.

I-Phones, Blackberrys, Androids and most other smart phones can access the site, said Enrique Garza, Bibisi CEO. Phone owners must voluntarily opt in.

The mobile site is one more tool, along with the commission’s Facebook and Twitter pages, that that residents and visitors can use to find out everything they need to know about Fiesta 2012.

John Melleky

The Fiesta^® San Antonio Commission, which coordinates all planning activities to create Fiesta^® San Antonio, one of the nation’s premier festivals, announced the appointment of John R. Melleky, CFRE, as its new chief executive officer, effective Jan. 17.

“After a broad and comprehensive search, we’re delighted to welcome John in his new role,” said Evangelina Flores, Fiesta Commission president. “His experience in association management, nonprofit leadership, fundraising and event planning brings an energetic perspective to all aspects of the commission and the 100 participating member organizations we serve.

“John takes the reins at a time of great opportunity and growth for Fiesta^®San Antonio, and we look forward to his leadership in developing a strategic plan to help take Fiesta to a new and exciting level,”Flores added. “John looks forward to experiencing the spirit of Fiesta and becoming a part of his new San Antonio Fiesta Family.”

Before joining the Fiesta Commission, Melleky was president of 3fold consulting LLC, which provided association management and fundraising services for a variety of nonprofits . He was also the executive director of the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologist Foundation inRichmond,Va.

While working with Veronica Whitehead & Co. as operations director, Melleky worked on conferences for Time Warner and MasterCard, and 10 years with the FORTUNE 500 Forum. He was also the operations director for Real Simple’s “Get Organized New York Tag Sale” inCentral Park, which raised money for the New York City Fund for Public Schools.

Melleky volunteered for 17 years with the Richmond Christmas Parade, including serving as chair from 2003 through 2007. Under his tenure, the 2007 Parade and Character Lunch were recognized with International Festival and Events Association Southeastern Institute’s Silver Kaleidoscope Award.

He earned a bachelor of science degree in business from theUniversityofRichmondand an MBA fromVirginiaCommonwealthUniversity.

The event is being co-sponsored by the library and the Cherice Cochrane Mentoring for Success Foundation, an official Fiesta nonprofit organization.

Parents can sign up for the event by e-mailing chericecochranefoundation@yahoo.com or register at the library, 5110 Walzem Road, by Nov. 30.

The painting, by Alamo City native Marcelino Villanueva, celebrates the city’s history, culture and art.

Castro noted that Fiesta is a time for families and friends to come together to celebrate their relationships.

Fiesta Commission President Evangelina G. Flores invited Castro and Villanueva to unveil the image at the climax of the official ceremony. The poster and Fiesta gear using all or part of the design are now available at The Fiesta Store, 2611 Broadway.

The unveiling was the highlight of the party, but far from the only attraction. The event spread out over three floors. Gowns, uniforms and crowns of former Fiesta royalty were on display.

On the first floor, six artists created paintings that were auctioned off later in the evening. The auction raised more than $2,000 for the Fiesta San Antonio Commission. The proceeds will help the commission help its 100 local nonprofit member organizations with their Fiesta activities.

Musicians–Hot Sauce, guitarist George Gaytan and the Bill Patterson Band–added their own artistry to the event. On the third-floor patio guests enjoyed refreshments provided by Sea Island Shrimp House and Tiago’s Cabo Grille.

Back on the first floor, a mini-Fiesta Store began selling 2012 merchandise as soon as the poster was unveiled. One very popular item was the full 2012 Fiesta Poster Pin.

Only a limited number of the full sets is available now. After this week, the store will offer the pin in sections. The top two pieces will be sold first. Each of the six papel picado “charms” will become available monthly through April.

The poster unveiling marks the start of the Fiesta season. It may seem very early to start thinking about Fiesta, which doesn’t start until April 19. But that’s less than 170 days away!

One reason for revealing the poster and opening The Fiesta Store in November is to give everyone a chance to offer their friends and family Fiesta presents for Christmas. The store is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (until 7 p.m. Thursdays) through Dec. 23. Note that it will be closed Nov. 11, 24 and 25.

The store staff invites you to come in and see all the great present ideas and stocking stuffers.

The poster unveiling was open to Fiesta Commission members. Next up for the members is a Christmas party at the store Dec. 1. The event includes holiday entertainment, refreshments and Fiesta Santa. If you’re interested, you can go to the online store to purchase your membership right now.

The ghoulishly good time is to start at 3 p.m. at the theatre, 339 West Josephine St. Tickets are just $6 each.

Band members, under the direction of Al Sturchio, will perform numbers that will have the audience Marching Toward Halloween. Of course, the musicians will be in costume, and they invite audience members to dress up, too.

The San Antonio Symphonic Band is a nonprofit participating member of the Fiesta San Antonio Commission. It produces a concert during Fiesta.

The store, at 2611 Broadway, offers the 2012 Fiesta poster, t-shirts, caps, tote bags and lots more.

Both BluRay and standard DVDs of the 3 major Fiesta 2011 parades are available now.

The official Fiesta poster pin and medal are breaking new ground this year, said Fernando Villarreal, interim executive director. As always, the design includes elements from the 2012 poster. But the pin includes seven elements—the Fiesta San Antonio basic pin and six smaller “charms” that will be released monthly through April.

“This year’s pin will be a real collector’s item,” Villarreal said. “We know Fiesta fans will want to collect all seven sections.”

Other new items this year include BluRay versions of the three Fiesta 2011 parades and Fiesta garden flags and banners..

Once again the volunteer Fiesta Craft Bunch has prepared Fiesta wreaths of artificial flowers, hand-painted cascarón earrings and necklaces, and other special items.

As always, the store will carry pins and medals commissioned by many of the official nonprofit Fiesta member organizations. Proceeds from those sales help the groups as they help their neighbors all year long.

At the Nov. 4 10 a.m. grand opening, look for a noontime drawing for a Fiesta gift package.

The Fiesta Store’s hours through Dec. 23 are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursdays. The store is closed holidays and weekends.

Dancers rehearse "Hansel and Gretel."

More than 50 dancers and extras will perform the Brothers Grimm fairytale “Hansel & Gretel” the last weekend in October in a production of the San Antonio Metropolitan Ballet.

“The story of Hansel and Gretel tells of the brother and sister who go deep into the forest to gather strawberries and come upon a house made of sweets,” said Susan Connally, the company’s artistic director. “They encounter a wicked witch who intends to bake Hansel into a gingerbread cookie after she fattens him up.

“Fortunately, thechildren find a way to spoil her plan.”

The two-act ballet features a wicked witch, gingerbread children, villagers, vendors, a dew drop fairy, a dream-weaver, a cat, a butcher, a baker, a candlestick maker, spun sugar, gumdrops, peppermints, gypsies, owls, bats, birds, stars and angels.

“This is a performance that will delight all ages,” said Karin Connally, associate director and resident choreographer of SA Met. “The dancers, costumes, sets and enchanting music make this storybook fairytale come alive.”

The ballet, now in its 28th year, is a participating member organization of the Fiesta San Antonio Commission. The ballet’s Fiesta event is Dance Kaleidoscope.

The public can see “Hansel and Gretel” Oct. 29 and 30 at 2:30 p.m. at the Carver Community Cultural Center, 226 N. Hackberry. Tickets cost $12 for children 12 and under, $16 for active military, students and seniors, and $20 for adults. They are available through Ticketmaster.com or at the Carver Box Office, (210) 207-2234. Children are urged to wear their Halloween costumes for a festive afternoon.

San Antonio Metropolitan Ballet is a pre-professional nonprofit performing arts organization that nurtures area dancers. Go to www.sametballet.org for more information on the company’s history and mission. You can also follow SA Met Ballet on Facebook.