West Dallas gathering a time to celebrate military veterans, neighborhood unity

It wasn't your typical Monday outside the Bataan Community Center in West Dallas. A disc jokey turned out Tejano and oldies music. Grill masters kept the burgers and hot dogs coming. Men in uniform walked about.

A gathering of 75 or so people, children to seniors, saw a presentation of the colors by the Pinkston High School ROTC. They heard an accordian player deliver the national anthem, a singer belt outAmerica the Beautiful and a band pick up a party tempo.

And they heard speakers – City Council member Monica Alonzo, state Rep. Roberto Alonzo and Congressman Marc Veasey — thank military veterans on this Veterans Day for their service.

It was also a time for grass-roots camaraderie, a show of unity among West Dallas residents.

West Dallas 1, a fledgling coalition of neighborhood associations, sponsored the event, along with established groups representing the La Bajada and Los Altos neighborhoods.

Eight neighborhoods are participating in the coalition so far, said Ronnie Mestas, an organizer. Goals include sharing information among the groups, providing support for neighborhood projects and representing area interests with zoning and code enforcement, he said. The target area extends from the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge west to Loop 12.

"We're going to make this a bigger, better West Dallas," said Eva Elvove, a La Bajada and West Dallas1 leader.

Strength in numbers, as the saying goes. Now for the visions and organization and communication and mutual respect and persistence and action and challenges …

"The important thing is they're getting together," said County Commissioner Elba Garcia, who represents the area.