Out And About In Puerto Vallarta
 Twila Crawford - PVNN
Monday, December 03, 2007
| | World AIDS Day will be commemorated in Vallarta on Wednesday, December 5th. Paul Crist of Vallarta Enfrenta el SIDA, A.C., invites us to join with others at 9 am on Wednesday at Parque Hidalgo. |
'Tis the season of giving, and here in the Banderas Bay area there are lots of local charities to support. Here is information on just a few worthy causes and how you can get involved while you're Out and About in Puerto Vallarta this week.
World AIDS Day will be commemorated in Vallarta on Wednesday, December 5th. Paul Crist of Vallarta Enfrenta el SIDA, A.C., invites us to join with others at 9 am on Wednesday at Parque Hidalgo.
"We will march to Los Arcos on the Malecon, where we expect Mayor Javier Bravo and others to speak to the public and members of the press about HIV, World AIDS Day, and keeping everyone in our community safe and healthy."
Free and confidential HIV testing will be offered throughout the day. Private counseling and information will be available from trained individuals. For information, call Vallarta Enfrenta el SIDA at (322) 223-0535.
In the evening on December 5 from 6:30 - 11 pm, Paul Crist will host a fundraiser at BananaCantina, Amapas #147 at Pulpito, to raise funds for patients and their families at CAPASITS, Vallarta´s recently-opened HIV/AIDS clinic. Medical care, education and prevention programs are available from both non-profit organizations in the Banderas Bay area. For reservations at BananaCantina, call (322) 222-2114 or email pvbananacantina(at)aol.com.
A Christmas "giving tree" is set up at ChocoBanana, #147 Amapas at Pulpito, until December 21st to provide needed items for pregnant teens and teen mothers and their families. New Life Mexico and DIF (local social services) have joined together for this and other programs for the teenage parents. "Hygiene items are needed for these families," Philippa Vernon-Powell, field director of New Life Mexico, points out. A hygiene kits usually contains a toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, washcloth, soap, and comb (approximate cost of $130-160 pesos, depending on the size of the items.)
Philippa says, "You can either bring the physical items or take a card from the tree and leave funds for the items which then will be purchased by New Life Mexico." She points out, "No donation is too small - one toothbrush is the difference between a child or a teen parent cleaning their teeth or not." Please talk to Nicky at ChocoBanana or email Philippa Vernon-Powell at pvp(at)newlifemexico.com with questions.
The Vallarta Botanical Gardens, south of town, are beautiful this time of the year following the rainy season. Robert Price, curator and executive director, points out that within the next two years, the Vallarta Botanical Gardens "will build Mexico´s most complete collection of Mexico´s native orchid species. This collection will be displayed in a new, world-class observatory." He also says because of requests to provide a wedding chapel in the Gardens, indeed look for a wedding chapel in 2008.
Noche de las Luminaries will be celebrated on February 21st at the Gardens for the second annual Members Appreciation Night. Robert says, "This year´s event has been timed to coincide with not only the full moon, but a total lunar eclipse." The Gardens will be illuminated with hundreds of luminaria candles.
How about becoming a Vallarta Botanical Gardens volunteer? Volunteers are needed to work the Welcome Center, to be tour guides and docents, to label plants, and to proofread materials. Email funddevelopment(at)botanicalgardensac.org. Continental Airlines will feature the Gardens in its in-flight magazine "Continental" in January 2008. The submission is by Robert and Kathryn Hardin.
The Becas newsletter is around town now. It is full of information of the difference the organization makes in the education of students in the Vallarta/Banderas Bay area.
Children´s books in English, illustrated by Lee Chapman, are available at Gallerie des Artistes, Leona Vicaro #248.
Upcoming: Dr. Jorge Chavez speaks about "Thirty Years in Interventional Cardiology, Past, Present and Future," on December 11th at 7 pm at Cornerstone Hospital. Wise Women will feature Keith May talking about "Gentle Giants of Banderas Bay - the Humpback Whale," on December 14th at 10 am at the International Friendship Clubhouse, Libertad and Miramar. Make reservations with seminar founder Darla Fowler at darla(at)seminarswithdarla.com.
During the holiday season, two top-notch husband-wife musical teams are playing in the lounge at River Cafe at 8 pm: Don and Rhonda are there Monday and Tuesday, and Beverly and Willow, long-time entertainers in the lounge there, appear Wednesday through Sunday. No better women vocalists and male guitarists around. Toast them with a holiday cocktail.
 An award-winning journalist, Twila Crawford lives in Puerto Vallarta, where, in addition to contributing articles to the Vallarta Tribune and other local and international publications, she writes Out and About in Puerto Vallarta, a weekly column that offers inside information about who, what, why, where and when it's happening around Banderas Bay.
Click HERE to read more of Twila's "Out and About" articles |
Vallarta Weddings
Vallarta Living | December 2007 
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