 |
|
|
 News from Around Banderas Bay | December 2006 
A Christmas Visit of Love
 Kathy Taylor - PVNN
Puerto Vallarta - One hearty "HO, HO, HO" was all it took! Santa was mobbed when he emerged from a taxi, carrying his trademark bulging sack, at the Rotary Pavilion near the city dump last Monday in Puerto Vallarta.
Santa is of course the most famous of all the visitors to the Dump, and he along with the regular and visiting volunteers shared the Christmas spirit with the mums and kids. Each Monday a core group of volunteers meet to help serve donated restaurant food and distribute much needed clothing, grooming and educational items to the children who live in this most needy colonia of Puerto Vallarta.
As mesmerized, fascinated, awestruck kids sat on Santa's knee, the mums lined up with their family's plates - beans, pasta, rice, eggs, tortillas, rolls, a little meat, fruity water, and yogurt are shared as the kids get a handful of candy and peanuts or an orange from Santa. These simple treats are welcomed with a smile and a quiet chorus of "gracias." The mums wear the biggest grins as they see their children experience the magic of Santa Claus.
Even with Santa visiting, it was business as usual, with Don, a regular winter volunteer checking homework and dispensing school supplies. Another Don, one of the original volunteers of the program, was "Dr. Boo Boo," doing basic first aid, and triage for more important medical problems.
Cynthia and Mike ran the store, and newcomers held sleeping babies and played with the kids. Even Santa took a break and pitched a few in an impromptu baseball game. I took photographs of the kids with Santa, and on the next visit, at the beginning of January, I will give the photos to the families.
All of this happened under the watchful eye of Jorge Zambrano, President of the South Vallarta Rotary Club and the tireless overseer of the whole program.
Jorge's personal philosophy of "no excuses" extends to this program. This program is all about "the hand up" - not - "the hand out." No reason to be dirty. No reason to be hungry. No reason not to do well. Effort is rewarded. Those mums who help by serving or cleaning get the low number fichas for the store, first dibs on the day's donated goods.
As he does each Monday, Jorge fielded a wide array of requests. Visiting Rotarians are filled in on the history of the organization's involvement. A young girl about to deliver her second child was directed to the Regional Hospital for medical care.
Mothers showed him their child's grades, to be considered for a scholarship, known as a becas. Education is the key to a different life for the next generation of dump dwellers, and there seems to be an unending source of seekers.
The grade standard for kids applying to the becas program rises steadily. A grade average of 8.5 is still the minimum, but it is more common these days to see averages of 9.3 to 9.7. Need is the common thread, but excellent grades are the deciding factor in determining the issuance of becas.
Jorge encouraged hand washing and manners as usual, but the kids needed little reminding since Santa was visiting, and everyone was on even better behaviour than usual. When Santa's seemingly bottomless sack finally was empty, the kids were full and happy. The mothers gathered their families, and as they walked home, turned back and wished us "Feliz Navidad!"
For more photos, visit Kathy's photo album HERE.
Kathy Taylor is a world traveler, sailor, writer, and cook. Before coming to Vallarta, she lived and worked in the Arctic for CBC Radio Northern Service and was the editor of Churchill's weekly Taiga Times. For 11 years she was Captain Kate of High Boats Café fame in Vancouver, then went on to spend 5 years as owner/chef of Wild Thyme Catering. After that, she spent four years sailing the Pacific Northwest and the Mediterranean, writing about sailboats and her experiences, as well as editing Bluewater Cruising's monthly magazine, "Currents." Following her love of food, sailing and charitable causes, Kathy continues her writing career here in Vallarta as a valuable member of the BanderasNews Team. |
| |
|
Vallarta Weddings
Tell a Friend
Site Map
Print this Page
Email Us