It was another beautiful late afternoon in Borrego, as many enjoyed the rare Thursday Sundowner held at The Mall.

Chamber of Commerce members and guests across the Valley welcomed Community Valley Bank (CVB), its officers and staff to our fair town.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the official opening of CVB, headed up by President and CEO Jon Edney, who elaborated on their slogan, "It's your Valley, and it's your bank."

Accompanied by Edney was CVB Board chairman Ron Rubin, who thanked Borrego for welcoming them to the town.

A fine meal was catered by Kendall's Café with homemade chips, pinwheels, sandwiches, with the choice of turkey, ham or roast beef, and a favorite, buffalo wings.

The sensational 2018 – 19 Miss Borrego Dennise Cecena gave a moving, via request, a capella rendition of "I Will Always Love You."

Sundowner honcho Brad Tidwell, along with Chamber Board President Patrick Sampson, got down to the business of raffle prizes, including three sets of meal-for-two coupons at his La Casa Del Zorro restaurant/bar.

Forget about the fudge, because in a unique example of sheer statistical improbability, Sampson drew three tickets from three different jars, with all three winning numbers held by our pharmacy's Elizabeth Newell.

Newell was as shocked and surprised as anyone. Newell's dinner table-mates also scored a number of prizes in the drawing, even if one was only a bottle of (very nice) wine courtesy of CVB to Joan Kirchner.

The message here is apparently to choose one's Sundowner dinner companions wisely.

The next Sundowner will be held Nov. 16 at Pablito's from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.