Fort Sam Houston Home Of Army Medicine Fiesta 1993

 

This is the oldest pin that I have in my collection.  It was created in 1993.

 

Due to the age of the pin, it will take me awhile to find the history on its background.

 

With my guy being a Medic, and him having sort of a military background (his dad was military and stationed in England when he was born) I have a bit of soft spot in my heart for military medals.

 

I have also lived in So. Cal by Camp Pendleton, and now living in San Antonio, I live in  a City with 5 military bases, but more on them on another post.

 

One of the things that people are not aware of is the fact that Fort Sam  Houston is a base rich with history. 

 

I understand the VA Medical System here is better then most.  I also know that BAMMC has been designated as the only official Military Medical Training Facility in the country.

 

As I verify more of these details I am sure I will be editing this post.

 

 

 

For any one wanting to donate medals or cash to keep this blog going, please pm me at sightsofsatx@gmail.com and I will tell you how to contribute.  I will keep this as ad free as possible.

 

 

 

 

 http://pinterest.com/medicsgirl210/fiesta-the-party-with-a-purpose/

A post I don't want to write, but I feel I have to.

This is a post I don't want to write, but feel I have to.

 

The main reason of Fiesta is to honor the Deceased from the Battle of the Alamo.

 

Fiesta is a way to honor those past, To Honor those who fought, To Honor those who supported and did the best they could to win an unwinnable battle.

 

For years and years it has been all about Non-Profits to have a fun way to raise money, give souvenirs, memories and memorabilia to distribute funding among those who need a helping hand with scholarships, emergency shelter, child care etc.

 

Over the past 4 years I have been able to pick up medals here, medals there, medals everywhere.

 

I don't have a job, but knowing fiesta is coming, I save money all year round and get as many as I can to do my part to support.

 

This year was a disappointment as it is the first year I realized the uncaring uncharitable greed and influx of the for profit corporations.

 

I have already found 3 businesses that have blatantly said "You have to do business with us to get a medal. No, we don't sell the medals separately. "

 

I have found groups that state you can only get our medals at NIOSA, you can only get our medals at Oyster Bake, you can only get our medals at Cornyation.

 

Well guess what bub?, the $30.00 I have to spend on a ticket for one event is money I can spread around to at least 3 charities.  More if I can get the less expensive medals.

 

Now I am at a crossroads.  Do I give up the names of the "Businesses'' and their greedy way to make money off of what is supposed to be a fundraiser for the non-profits, or do I keep their names quietly to myself so people don't bombard them with the "torch and pitchfork" party like you would see in a Shrek movie?

 

One company stated "You must enter our contest to get a medal."

 

Another stated that "You must purchase $50.00 in merchandise to get a medal."

 

Today, on Facebook, the 3rd entity stated "Book a session with us to get a medal".

 

I am sure there are so many business's out there that do the same tactics.  I would hope that they do donate to charities around town during the course of their fiscal year.

 

But to tell people that the only way they can get a medal is to spend an exorbitant amount of money to get a medal that cost them maybe $2.50-$4.00 to make is crazy.  I will spend $1.00- $15.00 on a medal for an organization that I know will benefit the community as a whole.  I will NOT spend $50.00 on running gear just to get a cheap medal.  I will NOT enter a drawing for a car.  And as much as I love the medals, I WILL MOST CERTAINLY NOT spend over $300.00 on a photo package that only gives you 3 poses.  I can get a college student to do for free to build up their portfolio for school.

 

Am I cheap?  Probably.  But I am also broke. I only work one day a week while I build up my Avon (www.youravon.com/vicki210) and build up my Go-Fer business.   I don't ask the charities to assist me as I know there are people who need the help worse then I do, but I will do what I can to raise my own pocket change to purchase medals from those who will benefit the most. 

 

I buy, I prefer to trade, and have told SO many organization's that they are more then welcome to donate medals from past and present so I can feature each medal with its own blog post and link the medal to the Facebook page and webpages of their choosing to give them some free publicity and help them get out the word of the good they do.

 

Am I getting any money off this? 

ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!!!

 

I DO THIS FOR THE LOVE OF HISTORY.

 

I do this for the hunt of finding the story that inspired the medal.

 

 I do this for the Love of History, I do this for the love of the hours that I spend on research to discover the story of each medal and each organization behind it. 

 

I encourage you all to get Fiesta Medals when and where you can, but please, also make sure you get from the Organizations that will actually benefit the community and not just benefit their bottom lines.

 

Fiesta needs to be getting back to its roots of helping those in need.

Not becoming a free ride for businesses full of greed.

 

 

If any one wants to donate medals, you can send them to me at Fiesta Fun, Vicki Hoffman, 1132 E Carson, San Antonio, TX 78208.

Please include contact information in case I need to contact you for research and follow up.

I can be emailed at sightsofsatx@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 



Hays Street Bridge Preservation Society

I have this pin, I need to find it and re-add it to this blog.  I remember distantly photographing it knowing it was going to be one of the first  posts I completed.

http://www.texasescapes.com/SanAntonioTx/Hays-Street-Bridge-San-Antonio-Texas.htm

http://historicbridgefoundation.com/?p=245

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hays-Street-Bridge/151580447463

http://bridgehunter.com/tx/bexar/hays-street/

http://urbanspotlight.wordpress.com/2010/09/29/hays-street-bridge/

History of medals

http://www.jlsa.org/?nd=fiestamedals

JLSA Fiesta Medal

Junior League of San Antonio

http://www.jlsa.org/?nd=fiestamedals

they are going to have a special medal in 2014 to commemorate their 90th year anniversary

Institute of Texan Culture

http://tpr.org/post/see-san-antonio-history-institute-texan-cultures-fiesta-medal-mania

Will fill this one in later.  Will try to do this week, and get as much as you can from it, including the display dates.

http://www.texancultures.com/medal_mania/

4/18/2013 was a busy day for Fiesta Medal Collectors.

I got to go to the Alamo Plaza Pin Pandemonium, which is the traditional "official unofficial official" opening of Fiesta.

I did not have a lot of medals to trade, but I did trade them all for some very good ones.  I am very proud of the new additions to our collection.

2013 was the very first year for one woman.  She did not really have anything she wanted to trade so no medal added there, but she posed a good question. 

"Can regular people like us go and have our own special medals made to trade?" she asked.
"You bet!!" was the answer I gave.

There are many private individuals that spend the time and money to make their own medals.

Some people have the arts and crafts style pins and medals that they spend hours and hours making all by them selves. 

Others go to the professional medal companies.

I will feature some of those medal companies here. 

They are probably not even aware of this blog, so if you see this and choose one of those companies, please let them know where you saw them.  I would greatly appreciate it.

I have never made medals, either privately or by a company so I can't really recommend any of them, but if any of those companies want to sponsor me and make a batch of medals for me to publicize this blog, me or them, I certainly won't turn them away.  I would love to sit with them and see what we can do to help each other out...

I am not going to endorse them in any special preference or order.  I just put in San Antonio Fiesta Medal Makers and am going by what came up.

Monarch Trophy Studio
http://secure.monarchtrophystudio.com/applications/default/store/index.asp
They are award winners in their field.

Here is their Facebook Link:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/FIESTA-MEDALS-by-MONARCH-TROPHY-STUDIO/308915211404?fref=ts
-------

The next Company is Fiesta Medals.com
http://fiestamedals.com/
They have been in business since 1984.

Here is their Facebook Link.
https://www.facebook.com/fiesta.medals?fref=ts
-------
AT Designs.
http://www.atdesigns.com/Default.aspx
They are not local to San Antonio, but their website indicates they have several options available.

I was unable to find a Facebook Link for them.
-------
I also found The Pin People at:

http://www.thepinpeople.com/

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ThePinPeople?fref=ts

They are located in NY.  I don't know if they have done medals for our Fiesta, but they do have a buyers guide that you can download to give your self some education on creating pins when you decide to do so.

If any one knows of any other company out there that makes custom medal or pins please send me the information so I can get it added to this post.

As usual, if any one has any medals they would like to donate to the blog, I will give you full contributor's credit if you wish as well as link your website and / or your facebook page to the post. All I ask in return is that you follow my blog and promote my blog as I am promoting your medal, and your organization. Viva Fiesta!! Party on, Party Safe...

SIGHTSOFSATX labels

Here is the labels I just created to give to people to let them know I am always on the look out for new medals. They will get free publicity from the donors credit.

Why I started this blog.

 

How did I decide to start this blog?

Let me give you a little history. 

 

 

I moved here to San Antonio, TX on September 3, 2009.

 

I had not gone any farther then the Walmart less the 2 miles from my home.

I did not know where any thing was, I did not know how their bus system was as there were no city busses by me, and I don't drive.

 

The nearest bus stop to me was a 5 mile walk, then at least 2 busses to get to "Downtown" proper.

 

Finally after being cooped up in the house for over a month with just the wanderings of Walmart to keep me occupied I decided enough is enough.

 

But I had "cabin fever" so bad, I did not care. So I put on my walking shoes and grabbed my back pack and took off to the nearest bus stop.

 

 I got off my bus at the corner by a hotel on the Riverwalk and promptly got lost.  I got very lost.

I was scared, confused about where I was supposed to go, and could not even find my way out of town to get back home.

 

Here I was, a woman in her 40's, ready to cry like a little lost child.

 

Now, I don't remember street names, can't distinguish North from South or East from West as I had only been here a month, I don't drive and this was maybe the 3rd time I was on the bus, and it was most certainly the farthest I had ever gone by bus.

 

I kept seeing yellow shirts everywhere. I finally got the courage to talk to one of them and discovered they are staff from Centro San Antonio. They are City Information Specialists. 
They are located at 219 E Travis, San Antonio, TX 78205
P. 210.224.7747, F. 210.224.5716
email is: jrichards@downtownsa.org
website is: www.downtownsa.org/centro
 

They were the first to show me the Southern Texan Hospitality that is world famous. 

 

They gave me a map, gave me directions, and gave me the best tip I have ever received to that point.

I was told:

I was told as long as I can find the Alamo, I can find my way anywhere around Downtown.

Then the Famous Yellow Shirt told me, after I get comfortable finding the Alamo, then mark the major landmarks like the Menger, the Emily Morgan, Ripley's (yep, we have a Ripley's, it is great for giving people directions).

 

Luckily, I found the Alamo was only 3 blocks away from where I got off the bus.  I had no idea I was that close.  I thought I was miles away according to the directions a few people gave me.

 

Well, I continued my day, I got home safely, and have since been downtown, and all over town since then. 

 

4 years later, in 2013, I still don't  know all the street names, but I know a lot of the landmarks. 

 

I decided that very day with the kindness of that Famous Yellow Shirt, that the only way I am going to get to know my new "Home Town" is if I treat it as a giant vacation.
I regret not remembering this persons name, but if you read this, you know who you are. 

The very first thing I tell people I meet is look for the Yellow Shirts, then find the Alamo. You will be able to find anything in San Antonio. I give the people I meet the same advice I was given my first day Downtown.

 

I don't often get to spend a day just wandering around looking at the sights, but when I do, I will document, and research, and edit and add and etc. etc. etc.

 

There is so much to see and do in San Antonio.  The long time residents here have NO IDEA OF HOW GOOD THEY HAVE IT!!!

 

There is all sorts of museums, parks, pools, sights, hotels, history, nature, architecture, culture, art and friendly people that I am sometimes very amazed that they take all this for granted.  

 

Come "tour" with me as I find all the secrets, and surprises that San Antonio has to offer.  

 

I look forward to being your "Tour Guide Extraordinaire"

 

I am not a professional writer, but I think that is what will make this Blog a success.  You will get a real opinion from a real person, who has really lived the experience of being here in San Antonio daily.  You won't get a "critics review" from a 1 week vacation from a travel magazine.

 

 

 

 

 

 



Fiesta San Antonio Commision / Fiesta San Jacinto 50th Anniversary Medal 1959-2009

 

 

 

B-Cycle 2013 Limited Edition Medal

Only 150 available this year.

 

This is the 2013 San Antonio B-Cycle Fiesta Medal.

 

Here is a link to their site to you can get some back ground information on them and what they do:

 

http://sanantonio.bcycle.com/

 

I strongly encourage you to get a membership with them whether you have a bike already or not.

There may just come a day when you are in town and decide, hey, lets rent a bike while we are here.

This is one of the perfect companies to rent from.

 

Each year they put out a Fiesta Medal.  As you can see from this post, I was able to get the 2013 medal. 

 

If any one has a 2012 or prior years medal they would like to donate to me, I will make sure you get donors credit on this post.

 

Per their Facebook page:

 

https://www.facebook.com/sabcycle?fref=ts

 

on 4/15/2013, they posted they only had 150 Medals to give out for this year.

 

I dropped everything I was in the middle of, hopped on the bike and make a quick jaunt to go pick up my Medal for the collection.

 

While I was down there I happened to get a call from my Medic, told him where I was, and he came down to get a medal as well.

 

While I was waiting for him to come down, I took out my sash, and pinned the medal to the every growing collection.

 

One of the gentleman working there came out and we spent a few minutes talking.  I did not get his name, but I did promise him that I would link them to this post.

 

Please feel free to share this post, and to follow me.

As I get the rest of my medals cataloged and researched, I am sure I will be coming back to do some updates and some edits, so thank you for bearing with me.

 

I appreciate you taking the time to read this.

http://pinterest.com/medicsgirl210/fiesta-the-party-with-a-purpose/

Friend of Bob 2002.

Husband of Lady DA Susan Reed. Only two medals made for him as he passed in an accident. Verification of that story to follow. 

Gold coast road possible duplicate post

San Antonio River City Cluster of Dog Shows 1997

Fiesta San Antonio April 16 - 25, 1993

I think the serape may have been added by prior owner just as Paul added the ribbons to the bottom of this medal to try to pretty it up. Not every medal.is pretty every year. But, they are still important to get to finish out the full sets of possible

Lady SA Susan Reed Fiesta 2006

Fiesta San Antonio, year unknown

Celebrating San Antonio 65 years Fiesta Flambeau Parade 2013

This was given to us in trade for one of our Siclovia medals.  I can't remember the gentleman's but I remember him to be very kind and easy on the eyes. If you are that gent, please message me so I can give you proper credit if you wish.

Fiesta Carnival 2013. I believe this is the first year the carnival has put out a medal.

The top circle is articulated to move as a ferris wheel would. Very cute for their first medal.

Walk this way 2005 pin

Winston School 2012 Medal

Sights of San Antonio: Fiesta Flambeau Vegas Style 2009 Pin

Sights of San Antonio: Fiesta Flambeau Vegas Style 2009 Pin
http://pinterest.com/medicsgirl210/fiesta-the-party-with-a-purpose/

Sights of San Antonio: Sustain Support Defend Fiesta 2009

Sights of San Antonio: Sustain Support Defend Fiesta 2009http://pinterest.com/medicsgirl210/fiesta-the-party-with-a-purpose/

Sustain Support Defend Fiesta 2009

I think this is a Military medal, but I am unsure what branch.

2013 Medal, April 7, 2013

Paul was mobile medic volunteer this event. We got to take a pic with Torchy. Torchy generously offered a few more medals for our collection.

Downtown Residents Alliance 2012 Viva Fiesta

Fiesta Flambeau Vegas Style 2009 Pin

This lights up and is the companion pin to the medal of the same name.

A.U.E.D.A Princess Pinatas in the Barrio 2010

Purple drape

Official Airline of Fiesta 2001 Southwest Airlines.

Writing is on goldtone, is wearing off due to age, acquired in 2013

Fiesta 2007 City of San Antonio Medal

City of San Antonio Fiesta 2011 Pin

San Antonio Lutheran coronation Association 2013

Black drape, gold glitter on black medallion.

Fiesta Flambeau Vegas Style 2009 Medal

 

 

The 2009 Fiesta Flambeau Vegas Style San Antonio, TX Medal.

 

This is the monster that created it all. 

 

Fiesta Flambeau has different themes each year. In 2009 It was

 

 

When the Medic and I first started dating, he have me a cute flashy medal and said I thought it was cute, I hope you like it as much as I do.

 

Now, I had just moved to San Antonio in September of 2008.  I met him in December 2008 and we decided to start dating in Jan of 2009.  Come March or April of 2009 he brings me this medal.

 

I thought it was cute, and it has enormous sentimental value as it was the very first thing he gave me as an "official couples gift".

 

I did ask him what it stood for.  Then he remembered I was not originally from here.  

 

He just told me it is a night parade that happens every year during this thing called Fiesta, then decided I just needed to experience it for myself.

 

He took me to see the Fiesta  Flambeau Parade.  As we were running a bit late, we parked, walked and walked, decided to walk the whole parade route, then we settled in at the curb next to Sam's Burger Joint.  https://www.facebook.com/samsburgerjoint?fref=ts.

 

I was thinking, ok, this is going to be a cute little rinky dink parade, a few crappy high school bands, silly little floats, cute little kids that can't keep rhythm, etc., etc., etc.,.

 

Wow, I was wrong on so many levels.

 

Being posted at Sam's Burger Joint is cool in the aspect that you get to see the line up from at least 5 different entry points. The downside is you don't get to see every entry in the order they are meant to be in.  I Love Sam's' (I have their 2012 medal as well), but I am going to hate telling everyone were I sit because now they will all go there and won't give me my favorite seat any more.

One of the best parts of being at the very beginning of the parade is seeing all the entries when they are still nervous, and fresh about the night to come for them, but that will be another post.

 

As always the very first entry is the University of Texas Longhorn Marching Band.

 

There is usually over 100, close to 150 entries.  I will detail that more on another post.

 

Majestic Broadway San Antonio Viva Fiesta 2012

Pershing House the Society for the Preservation of Historic Fort San Houston

Year unknown, added to my collection on 2013

Fiesta 2010 Cities Of San Antonio Fish Sculpture Pin

Fiesta San Antonio 1995 April 21-30

Fiesta 2007 City of San Medal

Texas Stars on the River Fiesta 2013 Sunshine Cottage

2nd in the Series

The Rubber Chicken

Aquired at SA Burger Joint 2011
Clown, unknown name, unknown stories or inspiration of the medal. One of my most treasured medals.

 

 

 

THE RUBBER CHICKEN

 

 

is by far one of my top 5 faves of the Fiesta Medal Collection.

Why?  Why not?

He is cute, funny, unique, and he is the first medal I have "wrangled" all by my self.

 

This medal came from an adorable clown.

 

I was so scared to go up and ask him for a medal.

 

Finally I screwed up the courage, approached him, and told him I would buy him a water, a coffee, the drink of his choice if he could just tell me what to do to earn a medal.

 

He looked at the desperation in my eyes. 

 

I don't know if the look he was giving me was humor or pity, but he was kind enough to give my first "earned it all on my own" medal to me.

 

I got this back in 2011.  Long before I ever thought to do a blog so I can't properly credit the contributor, but if any one out there reading this and knows any thing about the person who had those, please pm me the information.  I would love to contact him to thank him again in person.

 

I can be reached at sightsofsatx@gmail.com

 

 

Please remember, this blog I do entirely on my own. I will keep this ad-free as long as possible, so donations are encouraged.  I will give you the email address to send a PayPal donation to. In exchange for a donation, I may share a secret of where I get some of my medals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1968 - 2008 San Antonio Queen of Soul, Inc.

40the Anniversary pin.

HEB 1905-2005 Celebration 100

Fiesta Flambeau Torchy

Based on the torches that used to be used to light up the parade.

At My HEB Viva Fiesta 2008

Staff Poster Gazebo year unknown

The Society for the Preservation of Historic Fort San

River Restaurant LTD Fiesta 2010

Viva Fiesta Downtown Residents Association 2013

Sponsored by RBFCU Randolph Brooks Federal Credit Union