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 News from Around Banderas Bay | January 2006 
Toys For Tots - Mission Accomplished!
 Peter Gray - PVNN
Puerto Vallarta - "Seeing this is giving me goosebumps" the young teacher standing next to me said. In front of us one hundred and one tiny tots aged four to six were lined up to receive a Three Kings' Day present. They stood in two orderly lines - "hombres" on the left and "mujeres" on the right - their faces a study in solemn expectation.
One of the Navy League teams had just arrived at the school in Colonia Magisterio, adjacent to the City dump, to give each child a Kings' Day toy. Trucks for the boys and dolls for the girls. The caravan of five cars left to a resounding "Gracias, gracias!" from children and teachers alike.
At the Tami school in Colonia Progreso two hundred and sixty children received their gifts with the somewhat older boys getting footballs rather than toys. At the Escuela Urbana 1170 in Colonia Volcanes another one hundred and seventy gifts were handed out.
A group of the children were asked to stand in a group for a photo. "Say cheese" the photographer urged them. " No! Whiskeeey!" some of the kids shouted out with knowing grins. But more typically, these children look at you with shining eyes and a whisper of thanks.
This scene was repeated over and over again in rural communities from San Sebastian in the Sierra Mountains to Cabo Corrientes at the remote southern tip of the Bahia de Banderas.
It is pretty easy to say "Let's collect eight thousand toys and deliver them into the hands of a child in as many schools as we can, outside the city where the need is greatest." Actually making it happen is only possible if a lot of people open their hearts and their wallets and then turn up on Three Kings' Day to do the delivery job.
Collecting money and goods and services from generous donors and by hosting the annual Toys for Tots golf scramble at the Vista Vallarta golf club and a gala dinner dance at the Marriott Casa Magna Resort, stage one gets accomplished. Purchasing and then assembling the toys into bags for later stacking into vans and trucks accounts for stage two. Including inflating two thousand five hundred soccer, volley and basket balls.
Team leaders reconnoiter the various routes and identify appropriate schools ahead of the big day. Finally, at around 7 am on January 6th, the car park at the Marriott Casa Magna Resort becomes a scene of increasing activity.
By 8:30 am, over 150 volunteers are being organised into their allotted teams and their vehicles loaded up. Those who are not usually early risers are grateful to the Marriott staff who have been handing out coffee, chocolate and assorted buns for those who skipped breakfast.
The five delivery teams are headed by leaders from the Navy League, the Marriott Hotel, Coldwell Banker, the International Friendship Club and US Consular agent Kelly Trainor. As the leaders' vehicles move out a small caravan of private cars form up in their wake. Among the helpers are children from the American School. Large quantities of toys are transported in trucks from the Mexican Navy and Vallarta Adventure Tours.
Efforts like these start with just a few people who provide the seminal energy that motivates many people to lend a hand. Dennis Whitelaw, the manager of the Mariott Hotel, first introduced Toys for Tots to Puerto Vallarta. And for several years, among his staff, Lita Aguirre has been an outstanding contributor. Jerry Lafferty has led his Navy League members to provide leadership support. Consular Agent Kelly Trainor has lent her tireless organizational talent in many ways.
It all came together today. Eight thousand young children are smiling because the Three Kings really did find them this year.
Toys For Tots Vallarta 2005-2006 Entrega Mas De 8,000 Juguetes
Gabriela Castro - PVNN
Puerto Vallarta - Un año más que podemos decir: ¡Misión cumplida! Este día de Reyes presenciamos la culminación del esfuerzo de más de 150 personas, entre organizadores, patrocinadores y voluntarios que trabajaron durante meses con un mismo fin: la sonrisa de los niños.
Por séptimo año consecutivo todos los voluntarios se dieron cita en las instalaciones del hotel CasaMagna Marriott para dar inicio a la ya tradicional entrega de juguetes para más de 8,000 niños de Puerto Vallarta y sus alrededores. Desde las 7am fueron llegado al estacionamiento del hotel Marriott y entre saludos y camaradería los más de 150 voluntarios desayunaron rosca de reyes con chocolate caliente, para iniciar con gran entusiasmo la distribución de juguetes para cada una de las cinco brigadas, cargar los vehículos que iban formando una caravana, incluyendo los "comandos" que facilitó la Naval y el camión de Vallarta Adventures, para así iniciar la tan esperada entrega de juguetes a los pequeños.
Mas de 8,000 niños fueron beneficiados con este proyecto, los voluntarios fueron dibujando sonrisas en lugares como; Cabo Corrientes, El Tuito, Boca de Tomatlán, Mismaloya, Las Palmas del Progreso, El Progreso, 12 de Octubre, Los Volcanes, Las Mojoneras, Magisterio, Loma Bonita, Joyas del Pedregal, La Floresta, Brisas del Pacifico, Soyatán, Tebelchía, toda la sierra pasando por Ixtapa, Las Palmas, La Estancia, El Zancudo, y Mascota hasta San Sebastián, Mezcalitos, Laguna, Tondoroque, Higuera Blanca hasta Sayulita, Guamuchil, San Quintín, San Ignacio, La Peñita, El Colomo, La Ceiba, El Carrizo, Los Sauces y Agua Milpa.
Este resultado es gracias al esfuerzo y compromiso con la comunidad, de todas las personas e instituciones que apoyaron y patrocinaron el 7° Torneo Anual de Golf y Cena Gala de Premiación, tales como: CasaMagna Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort, Navy League Capitulo Puerto Vallarta, Club de Golf Vista Vallarta, Continental Airlines, Kelly Trainor del Consulado de los Estados Unidos de Norteamérica, Club Internacional de la Amistad, Coldwell Banker, TaylorMade y Adidas.
Este año hubo muchas caras conocidas y muchas caras nuevas, un equipo grandioso de personas en busca de llevar alegría y dibujar sonrisas en los pequeñitos menos afortunados.
Esta noble causa ha dado la posibilidad a todos los participantes, de compartir, convivir, divertirse, aprender, llorar y en ocasiones sentir que el esfuerzo no era suficiente - ya que en algunas comunidades los juguetes parecían no alcanzar - pero al final se cumplieron los objetivos y resultó una experiencia inolvidable, según comentarios de un voluntario: "...podemos decir que somos privilegiados por tener la oportunidad de dar, recibir y compartir, ya que estas vivencias y las sonrisas de los niños siempre estarán presentes en nuestras vidas..."
 Contacto: Gabriela Castro
CasaMagna Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort
TEL: 226 0048
gabriela.castro@marriotthotels.com |
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