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By CJ Hines Redgie Blanco was born in Caracas, Venezuela, and grew up in San Antonio de Los Altos, Venezuela, a community known as the City of Good Living. Coming to America to attend college, Blanco had no idea he would find another place deserving that moniker. Although his biggest misconception before coming to UNI was thinking all Americans are wealthy and all live in huge houses, his first impressions of Cedar Falls were positive. |
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“Except because of the name ‘Falls’ I thought that I would be able to go canoeing here. But it was positive. I was very excited with the opportunity to study at an American university,” he said. “UNI is the perfect size; it’s not too big, and you’re always meeting new people. You end up with a portfolio of friendships. There are top-notch facilities here. At UNI, the technology is newer, and they put students first all the time. It’s the perfect place to achieve your academic goals.” Blanco’s goal was to learn English and immerse himself into the culture. His cousin attended UNI’s Culture and Intensive English Program (CIEP) and recommended it to Blanco. In August 1999 he made the move. “I arrived on campus at 9 p.m. and there was nobody but resident assistants (RAs) around. I knew little or no English. All the RAs were helpful and got me in my room. It was a great experience for me. It was a little scary too, but everyone was amazing,” he recalled. “Every question I had, RAs, students and professors all helped. All these people put in their time to help me. Transition was easier that way. As an international student, I knew my objectives, but it was still hard being so far away from home and my family.” |
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Blanco, left, and Martin Luther King III at a peace rally in the Maucker Union Old Central Ballroom, while Blanco was representing the International Institute for Peace Through Tourism (IIPT). |
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He had to put in 500 volunteer hours to graduate, which spurred his interest in community involvement. For one assignment, he worked for the Cedar Falls Tourism & Visitors Bureau, assisting with the Cedar Trails Festival. “Since serving in our office several years ago, Redgie has engaged himself as a valuable community volunteer. During his internship he displayed the leadership and creativity necessary to help bring the Cedar Trails Festival to a high level by assisting with new marketing ideas and improved implementation of the festival in general,” said Kim Burger, CFTVB executive director. Blanco also volunteered at Country View Nursing Home, the YMCA and the Special Olympics. After graduation he continued his involvement in the Cedar Valley, serving on the board of directors for the Cedar Trails Partnership, redesigning its Web site, assisting with the Trails Festival and chairing the Communications Committee. |
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Blanco, left, with Professor Dan McDonald, whom Redgie calls his mentor throughout the Leisure Services program and “one of my best friends today.” |
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Redgie Blanco, B.A. 2002, leisure services and tourism |
“One thing leads to the next. The Trails Partnership started when I was a student, and this community opened its arms to me,” Blanco said. “This area has a better trail system than a lot of big cities, and I believe in taking advantage of it. There are 84 miles of paved trails, and most of them are connected.” Blanco and his wife, Sara, also serve on the Cedar River Environmental Group (CREG) to help keep the river clean. |
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“Our main goal is to advocate for the Cedar River and for the recreational use of the river. Our task is to educate the community about what can be done.” Blanco’s wife shares his passion for community involvement. “Redgie and I really believe in getting involved in community groups and volunteering as much as possible. It’s not enough just to talk about what would make our community better. We believe it’s our responsibility to be active and contribute to making our community better for all citizens. We also enjoy getting to know people and making friendships through activities in the community,” says Sara, who first met Blanco when he attended CIEP. “His English was pretty broken, like my Spanish was at the time,” Sara said. “But as I always say, we all smile in the same language!” The couple also shared an interest in biking, running and working out. They married in 2002. Blanco’s first job after graduating was at the Cedar Falls Holiday Inn, first as sales coordinator, then promoted to restaurant manager. He also worked with Families with Disabilities and Mid-Iowa Family Therapy. He and Sara then moved to Wisconsin where he managed a 300-room hotel in the Dells, but returned to the Cedar Valley in 2006 after Sara accepted a teaching job at Malcolm Price Laboratory School. “I learned a lot, but I didn’t like the (Wisconsin) town; it was not much about community, it was all about business,” said Blanco, who now works at Grainger Parts in Waterloo. Big-city living doesn’t appeal to him. “I wouldn’t trade living here just to say that I live in a big city,” he said. “We have it all here.” |
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