Viva Fresh Open poised to tee off; winery tour registration now open
The eighth annual Viva Fresh Open, presented by BEBO Distributing Inc. and H-E-B, is set to tee off March 30 during the Viva Fresh Expo at the Gaylord Texan Resort in Grapevine, Texas, March 30-April 1.
This year’s tournament offers a “stellar course,” great networking and the ability to back a great cause by raising funds to support the Viva Fresh mission of increasing the awareness of the health benefits of fruits and vegetables produced in the Tex-Mex corridor, according to a release.
The 2023 Viva Fresh Open will feature two rounds of golf kicking off the 2023 Viva Fresh Expo on March 30. Shotgun starts will be at 7:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. at Cowboys Golf Club, adjacent to the Gaylord Texan Resort.
The event has always posthumously recognized a dedicated Texas industry peer, and this year will honor Gracie Gonzalez, a longtime employee of the Texas International Produce Association, who died unexpectedly in 2020. Since the 1990s, Gonzalez worked with the South Texas Onion and Melon Committee, Texas Produce Association (later TIPA), and Texas Citrus Mutual.
Those who attended an event, visited the office or called the organization likely saw her smiling face or heard her happy voice. “Her kindness, love and patience extended to every single member of our industry and her presence and hard work were part of the behind-the-scenes effort that helped craft the association we know today,” the release said.
“The TIPA team is so very grateful to Gracie Gonzalez for her efforts and contributions to our many activities, meetings and events. She led by example, and always had a smile on her face,” Dante Galeazzi, president and CEO of TIPA, said in the release. “Her passing was a grave loss to our organization and the industry. Her passion for produce and immense positive energy was infectious. It is with great honor that we celebrate the life of one of our very own through this event, something I know Gracie herself would have been humbled by.”
As industry members spoke about Gonzalez, it was clear she left an unfillable void for all those who worked with her and loved her.
“Gracie was an angel on this earth long before she went to be an angel in heaven,” Bret Erickson, former TIPA president and CEO, said in the release. “I had the sheer joy of getting to know Gracie and her family during my time at Texas Citrus Mutual and TIPA. Seldom in this life have I met someone with such class, grace and kindness. Gracie was a beacon of light wherever she went, she exuded pure love every single day, and was so incredibly dedicated to God, her family, her friends and colleagues. It is an honor to be able to recognize and acknowledge Gracie’s life through this prestigious Texas produce event.”
The Viva Fresh Open also helps raise funds to support scholarships and programming that promote the education and health benefits of fresh fruits and vegetables from the Tex-Mex corridor. A portion of this year’s funds will be presented in conjunction with Texas State University to the Hays County Juvenile Detention Center in San Marcos, Texas, to develop an in-house garden.
“We’ve been fortunate to support a variety of charitable projects and dozens of industry scholarships, but this year’s donation strikes a new chord by addressing a long-underserved audience,” Ed Bertaud, director of retail sales for IFCO and Viva Fresh Expo steering committee member and tournament chair, said in the release. “The Hays County Juvenile Detention Center serves nearly 150 youth, ages 13-16, in three- to six-month programs addressing substance abuse and mental health programs.
“We have long known the power of healthy eating in changing lifestyles and building better habits,” he continued. “I think this is a positive step forward that recognizes every person can eat well and be better.”
As an alternative to the annual golf outing, the second annual Viva Fresh Winery Tour in nearby downtown Grapevine returns on March 30 from 12 p.m. to 4:30 pm. The tour will consist of three wine tasting stops in downtown Grapevine from local wineries Farina’s Winery, Cross Timbers and Delaney Vineyards.
Sponsored by SunFed, tickets are now available for $180 and can be added while registering for the show or by contacting TIPA at (956) 581-8632. Spots are limited.
