Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - The Marriott Casa Magna was the scene on Sunday, October 16, where Vallarta’s gentry turned out to dine on gourmet food, win fabulous raffle prizes and listen to a variety of beautiful music while helping to fill the coffers of four of Vallarta’s most important charities, AGAPE, Asilio San Juan Diego, Becas Vallarta and Pasitos de Luz. All proceeds from the event will be divided equally among the four.

The evening's reception featured Trio’s delectable canapés of salmon, shrimp ravioli, beef tartar and Vitea’s spinach quiche, bruschetta and ceviche. A cash bar provided an array of tasteful drinks amid the jovial atmosphere as is always the case when this group of generous supporters of Vallarta come together.

At 8 pm the beautiful ballroom, filled with the lovely strains of D’Rachel’s harp, was opened for guests to find their assigned tables. The courteous and efficient wait staff promptly served Kaiser Maximilian’s delicious hot entree of red cabbage cream soup with a potato dumpling. During the first course members of the four charities traversed the tables selling raffle tickets for superb gifts all donated by local businesses.

D’Rachel then turned the stage over to Los Frixoleros whose music was exceptional and lively and just the ticket for the next course prepared by La Palapa and Vista Grill. This course, my favorite of the evening, was a savory green apple and cranberry salad with spicy pecans and goat cheese dressed with an agave honey and mustard vinaigrette.

Thinking it couldn’t get any better, CasaMagna Marriott produced the main course proving me wrong. The beautiful presentation and scrumptious beef filet with mustard crust, capellini cake, jumbo shrimp with lemon grass scent and a vegetable terrine evoked uhs and ahs.

During the evening an outstanding slide show, projected on two huge screens, showed each chef preparing the course we were eating - a revelation as to how the meals come together. Interspersed with the chefs were slides showing the work of AGAPE, Asilio San Juan Diego, Becas Vallarta and Pasitos de Luz. These presentations gave the guests a real look at the incredible work of these four groups and showed the dedication of the people who day after day, week after week, and year after year, give of their time and talents to help the worthy recipients of their labors.

Los Frixoleros were followed on the stage by Vedette, a diverse band with music both for dancing and listening. Then the waiters emerged with the dessert, named by its creator Thierry Blouet from Café des Artistes and Thierry’s Prime, "The Strawberry in all its Glory." And thus it was!

During the evening, raffle numbers were called and folks won prizes from dinner in the best restaurants, massages, Spanish lessons, objects de arte, floral arrangements, treatment in spas, champagne and more.

At the end of the meal, Kelly Trainor, U.S. Consular Agent, called all the chefs and the representative of the charities to the stage for a grand ovation! Each restaurant received a certificate of appreciation from the four charities and hugs were exchanged by givers and receivers to great applause.

The incredible evening could never have happened without the generosity of Dennis Whitelaw, Manager, CasaMagna Marriott and the tireless work of his prodigious PR & Marketing Manager Lourdes Bizzaro, Restaurants Trio, Vitea, Kaiser Maximilian, La Palapa, Vista Grill, Casa Magna Marriott, Café des Artistes and Thierry’s Prime and, of course, our own Kelly Trainor.

I presume to speak for all four charities in saying this was an event that is the epitome of what is so incredible about Puerto Vallarta. The principals who staged this event, the donors of the raffle gifts and the guests who bought the tickets might not have had a banner year financially, but they know that there is nothing more important than helping those who have less than they and certainly nothing is more important than helping the children, students and seniors. So they chose to put their money where their mouths are to change lives of the least among us. We thank all of you for your kindness, your generosity and your willingness to help in such a concrete manner! ¡Mil Gracias a Todos!