A special thank you to our sponsor Armando “Mando” Blanco. Thank you for donating the beautiful artwork for our door prize and beautiful handmade cedar crosses to our event. These crosses will be located on our tables throughout the event. Anyone who would like an extra one please contact Mondo, and he will provide one to you free of charge.
“A Million Crosses”
Retired U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Armando “‘Mando ” Blanco has a rich, blessed life; a lovely daughter, a great son-in-law, and two beautiful grandchildren. They are the apple of his eye.
One of his greatest joys in this life is his ability to work with his God given talents and his two hands.
‘Mando has done everything from working on multi-million dollar military aircraft, to supervising the Carpenter Shop at The University of Texas at Austin, where you could frequently see him doing everything from construction, to sweeping and cleaning up his shop. (He recently retired after a 12 year career) No job has ever been above him or below him, and his entire life he has strived to produce quality in everything he does; a trait he learned from his beloved grandmother, Mama Eva.
As a hobby, ‘Mando started making crosses at his home workshop with scrap wood from around his yard and a local lumber yard, but had no plan for what they would be used for. A chance meeting with a boy in a wheelchair and his caregiving grandmother would be one of several events that would inspire him.
Being raised by his grandmother, he felt a tug at his heartstrings to reach out and bless them in some small way. When ‘Mando gave a cross to the woman, and he witnessed the reaction of joy and gratitude that he was met with, it stayed with him. A plan started to form.
‘Mando likes to call these types of encounters “God Winks” – God knows and sees where you are at, and He sends someone or something to bless you in a special way. This was part of the inspiration for the project; a way that he could show his appreciation to God for all the blessings that He has bestowed on him and his family.
These crosses can now be found everywhere, from the birth of a child to the passing of a loved one. They hang in homes, offices, garages, and churches all around the country, and because of the joy and comfort they bring to people, it is now his inspiration to hand these crosses out to anyone who would like one – to bless them and let them know that God sees, cares about, and loves them.:
His goal for A Million Crosses is not so much based on a specific number, but rooted in the intention of spreading the core message of The Gospels; that God loves each and every one of us, regardless of race, color, creed, or gender.
The crosses are FREE of charge, and if you offer to pay him, he will NOT take any money for them. He will simply ask you to:
- Remember that no matter where you are, or what you are going though, God sees and loves you.
- Make a small donation to your church or favorite charity, whether it is money, items, or time.
- That you will remember and pass on the story of…
“A Million Crosses”
