Puerto Vallarta, Mexico – The PV Garden Club supports not only a more beautiful, clean and verdant city, but is also making it more attractive to tourism, thus creating a vibrant economy to support all the other great causes in Puerto Vallarta. Here’s the latest news from the PVGC.
Dear Members and Friends,
We hope this note finds you and yours well and managing through this trying time. PV and the greater area remains beautiful. It’s warming up, the Primavera are in bloom, and there are more birds than ever. Club gardeners (in new masks and gloves) continue to water our planters and keep everything growing as we wait for the rains to begin.
Our stay at home order runs through month end – masks are required everywhere and compliance is quite good. Beaches, parks, squares, hotels and “non-essential” businesses, including most restaurants, are closed. Only a few small fishing boats are allowed in the Bay of Banderas.
Pandemic Action Plan
The Club’s work to enhance the natural beauty of Puerto Vallarta will be more important than ever to maintain the appeal and value of our city and stimulate business and tourism. We have a part to play in bringing back employment and joy to a region that is largely shut down without a social safety net.
Club Officers, the Event Committee, and the Gala Committee have been meeting to prepare for what we expect to be a very different new “season”. Until there is a widely-adopted vaccine or treatment:
• Membership meetings, socials events, and the Gala may face audience size restrictions and separation requirements.
• Seasonal visitors and Vallarta Garden Club donations may decline significantly.
• We need to be very aware of the appearance of our events in a town that will be recovering economically at best.
Bottom Line
• We have revised our budget to make the funds we have today go as far as possible by deferring all but essential expenses to keep the Club running and maintain our current gardens around town.
• The Gala Committee is looking at a variety of attendance and separation options, including a “Guess Who is Coming to Dinner Gala” with small groups at multiple private homes.
• The Event Committee is looking at new ways to host events, keep us connected as friends, and deliver some educational programs. Zoom cocktail parties, lectures, and small group socials may very well become the new normal for quite some time.
Standing Together to Support Those in Need of Food
There are thousands and thousands of people out of work in PV – maids, cooks and waiters, drivers, entertainers, stylists… most everyone in tourism. Many were breadwinners for an extended family. Unlike the U.S. or Canada, there is little to no government assistance for business owners or unemployed workers in Mexico.
Please consider contributing to a food relief program or charity. There are lots of great groups that you can find on FaceBook. The four organizations noted below have well-known sponsors and are supported by fellow Club members and others in the community.
• Vallarta Food Bank: This large-scale effort was organized by Francie Nguyen, owner of Bonito Kitchen & Bar. Their goal is to serve 3,000 families with weekly food packs, including boat deliveries to Quimixto. For general information and five ways to donate, check out their Facebook page or the website.
• Volcanes Kids Education Project (VKEP): This long-time education outreach program in a very poor neighborhood has redirected its work to provide food for local families. For more information and to donate, visit volcanesproject.com.
• Supplies for Families in Need Puerto Vallarta: Paul Crist, owner of Hotel Mercurio and long-time patron of the Garden Club, organized this outreach program targeting marginalized groups and areas. They provide healthy food, hygiene products, baby diapers and masks. To learn more and to donate, go to the campaign’s Go Fund Me page.
• Vallarta Abuelos: This well-established group has supported educational and cultural projects for at-risk children since 2018. They are now providing food packets to families in the Col. 5 de Diciembre neighborhood. Vallarta Abuelos is a 501c3 US-registered charity. Donations may be made through Paypal to vallartaabuelos@outlook.com. For more information send a message to Anne Marie Weiss-Armush via her Facebook page.
Thank you for your membership, friendship, and support. Stay safe and positive… we will hug again!
The Garden Club is a registered non-profit organization in Mexico that’s devoted to enhancing the beauty, appeal and value of Puerto Vallarta through vibrant public landscaping. We also offer educational presentations on topics of interest to our many members, as well as host wonderful social events each year for like-minded residents and visitors. For more information, ‘Friend’ us on Facebook or visit vallartagardenclub.com.