Lend Huicholes a Helping Hand
 Bob Cohen - PVNN
Those of us fortunate enough to live in Puerto Vallarta, either full-time or part-time, have discovered a strong sense of community here on Banderas Bay and tend to donate generously to local charities and non-profit organizations.
However, the rugged and remote terrain of the mountainous Huichol homeland makes it difficult for philanthropists to lend a helping hand to the estimated 7,000 remaining descendants of the Aztecs in the states of Jalisco and Nayarit who are in need of assistance.
So, three years ago, a group of prominent local business people in Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara that drive those fancy 4X4 off-road vehicles as a hobby formed Ruta Huichola 2006, Ayudar Por Ayudar, or "Bringing Donations to the Huichol Villages."
A campaign for donations has been set in place by three clubs; Puerto Vallarta's 4X4 Club, and from Guadalajara, the Adrenalina 4X4 Club and Guadalajara 4X4 Club, [all Spanish speaking] and we are being asked to help!
And NO, they do not want anyone to donate money for their four day trip into the mountains, but they do desperately need donations of clothing, shoes, blankets, toys (non-violent in nature,) and medications that have not passed their expiration date.
Face it, when we first get here we buy way too many clothing souvenirs and some of us even gain some weight and have clothing we cannot wear anymore. And the blankets, we surely don't need them during our coldest winter nights, but the Huicholes are in desperate need of the stuff that is sitting in our closets.
The medications that are needed most are aspirin, cold medications, eye drops, hydration medications, bandages, gauze, and diarrhea and scorpion bite meds. We don't want you to give away your last package of Imodium, but buying a package might help to save a life.
There are three drop off points that all of us can easily reach to donate clothing and shoes we do not wear anymore, blankets that we bought too many of, and over-the-counter medications.
The easiest drops off points are at the Paradise Plaza Mall, (second floor - G3), in Nuevo Vallarta, attention: Alika Bernal and there are two easy locations in Puerto Vallarta. The first is an automotive repair shop, caddy corner from Woolworth's on Juarez, called Super Servicio Chavolo on Juarez 917, attention: Salvador Flores. The second is behind Blockbuster Video in Colonia Versailles. The business is named Carniciera La Regia at Roma 135, attention: Samuel Escobar.
On November 17th, for the third consecutive year, members of Ruta Huichola 2006, Ayudar Por Ayudar will get into their 4x4 vehicles for an off-road journey to deliver the donations to the Huichol villages that are impossible to reach any other way, except by horse, mule or on foot.
It will take them 3-4 days to reach the 12 villages that range in size from 10-50 families, although in mileage it is not extremely distant. The rugged terrain and cold unpredictable weather at altitudes of 6,000-9,000 feet will take every minute of daylight for the group to accomplish their goals.
The people driving the 20 vehicles and cargo will camp at night in the cold climates and to reach one village to another could take from 30 minutes to eight hours, all depending on the conditions.
All involved sincerely appreciate our assistance, the minute I finish writing this, I am off to my closet to dig out those shirts and blankets I purchased from the beach vendors when I first moved to Vallarta.
We need to help these people that design the beautiful art that many of us own, so let's help them make it through another winter in the best of health. For information in English, please call 226-6735 or email vsovernigo@hotmail.com or dpoire@hotmail.com.
Visit the vallarta4x4.org website for more info (Spanish).
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Vallarta Weddings
Vallarta Living | November 2006 
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