WESLACO – a 75-year-old veteran now living in the Rio Grande Valley is using his self-taught artistic talent to brighten his community for the holidays.

Roger Gottsch says it all started as an escape. He served with the U.S. Navy from 1964 to 1969.

He moved to the Valley from Oregon and he says that’s when he first started carving wood.

After building his skill over a three-year span, he started working on what he calls, “Peace in the Valley”.

It’s a Christmas themed hand-carved wood piece inspired by the Northern Lights.

Gottsch says it took him about a month to complete the entire project.

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