Taco Friday means funding for Orange Heart

The Orange Heart Foundation’s Taco Friday fundraiser was such a success that the event ran out of tacos at 9:30 p.m., one of the organizers said.

“We had about 350 to 400 people show up,” foundation Vice President Orquedia Ocampo said of the June 14 event. “The street was packed with people and we had two taco lines going at the same time.”

Outkast Catering donated all the tacos, Ocampo said. “We ran out at 9:30.”

Camilo Vasquez assisted Outkast with the cooking, she added.

The fundraiser helped the foundation in its effort to raise a total of $14,500 for this year’s fireworks show.

Council member Gilberto Reyna challenged all the local fireworks booths in town to donate to the Orange Heart Foundation’s July show. In his bright orange T-shirt, Council member Danny Espitia helped liven up the crowd.

Assisting the Orange Heart Foundation were vendors such as Paparazzi, a jewelry vendor that sold earrings; 31 Bags (“It’s all about the bag you wrap it in”); Sentsy Scents, and Snowy Cones. These groups not only donated their time, they also made personal donations.

“I had a little boy come up to me and hand me a dollar bill,” Ocampo said. “He told me it was his donation for the fireworks. This really touched my heart.”

To the committee, it seemed as if almost everyone in town showed up for their fundraiser. “Even the ESports kids showed up and helped us out,” Ocampo said. “They made a video of the event.”

She said a lot of people asked if there was lemonade and she sadly had to tell them no. “The lemons were at the top of the tree and we couldn’t reach them to make any.”

“People were coming from everywhere,” Ocampo said. “Candy Wilson’s (Toys for Tigers) daughter also came and helped us out.”

The crowd was entertained by DJ Cachetes (Carlos Lopez).

Tropicana, Guadalajara Meat Market and Bobby and Donna Derington also made donations.

“The Orange Heart Foundation is grateful for all the support we have received these past years to put this show on,” Ocampo said. “It’s a huge undertaking, and it takes the entire community to make it so successful.”

Ocampo added that just a week ago, Jessie Luna of My Auto Works Collision Center donated $1,000 toward the fireworks show.