STEC celebrates volunteers

By ARABELLA SERRATA
Special to the PRESS

The South Texas Ecotourism Center [STEC] recently held a special event commemorating their most dedicated volunteers with a ribeye dinner.

The event was held at Divots’ Bar and Grill in Laguna Vista on Tuesday, Dec. 10. According to STEC, the guests at the dinner donated 2,689 hours of their time to the center from Jan. 1 to Dec. 10, 2024, equaling a monetary value of roughly $81,654. The volunteers received a certificate of appreciation listing their hours and an STEC lanyard.

“The generosity and dedication of our volunteers help the STEC fulfill its goals of conservation of the five ecosystems of the Rio Grande Valley and South Texas,” stated STEC officials.

These volunteers assist the center with daily work and special events. Each year, the center hosts an appreciation dinner to show the volunteers how much they mean to STEC.

“Without them, it would be impossible to do what we do at the center. They help us reach our goals,” said Edward Meza, STEC Director.

According to Meza, their dedication to nature preservation has helped the center massively, and the sheer time volunteered has allowed much progress.

“They’re our treasures… We appreciate them for all their support,” said Meza.

Meza encourages any interested parties to volunteer at STEC.

“This is a great opportunity to do something for the community and to preserve our ecosystems here in the Rio Grande Valley. It’s a great way to meet people from all over the world,” said Meza.

According to their website, STEC is the “first and only” ecotourism center in Texas. They strive to “encourage the exploration of South Texas by highlighting its assets spreading across the counties.” They also work towards increasing the biodiversity and natural landscape and building a learning environment through ecotourism.

Those interested in volunteering can visit the official STEC website at stec-lv.org, call (956) 772-210 or visit the location at 501 W. State Highway 100 Laguna Vista, Texas 78578. The center is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day.