Members and officers of Valley Byliners are shown at the Harlingen Public Library this past January. Pictured (first row, l-r) are Marianna Nelson, Jack King, Sue Groves, Frank Cortazo, Jose Alvarez, (second row, l-r) Bruce Nelson, Bidgie Weber, Judy Stevens, Eileen Mattei, Jan Workman, Nellie Vensaleer, (third row, l-r) Joan Soggie, LeRoy Overstreet, Pete Gray, (one unidentified), Don Clifford, Hugh Barlow and Verne Wheelwright. (Courtesy photo)
By CRAIG ALANIZ
Port Isabel-South Padre PRESS
It all began with two reporters.
The Rio Grande Valley Byliners, a non-profit organization, was founded by two female journalists in 1943. The idea was that the Byliners would help encourage women to become more professional in their writing, find opportunities in the writing field, improve their skills and promote their work.
Marianna Nelson, a current member of the Byliners, said they wanted to exchange ideas and have fellowship with other women writers as well as concentrate on female interests.
In 1975, the Byliners began writing books spearheaded by members Minnie Gilbert of San Benito and Lucy Wallace of Mission. “Gift of the Rio” had each chapter written by a different author, and about 3,000 copies were printed. Gilbert and fellow Byliners member Ann Washington edited the book.
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