Lakesider Libby Townsend will soon hold her annual ‘blanket drive’ to benefit the traditional Tarahumara who reside on the northern rim of Mexico’s Copper Canyon.
The event, planned for Saturday, January 26, beginning at 1 p.m., will be held at Instituto Internacional Octavio Paz located at Carretera Pte. 493. Admission is free and those who bring donations of warm clothing, blankets or cash will receive raffle tickets for a drawing for a beautiful piece of jewelry. A mid-day meal can be purchased for 100 pesos and those tickets will also be entered into a raffle. (Townsend points out that the 100 pesos from that meal will provide a meal for five indigenous Tarahumara). A cash bar will be open.
The event will also feature live music by Alfonso Nava and a fashion show of high quality decorated manta clothing in sizes up to 7X by Tarami of San Luis Soyatlan.Townsend has made nine trips to the Complejo Asistencial Clinica Santa Teresita mission in Creel over the past six years. Her truck has been loaded with important items to relieve the misery of extreme cold endured by a people who often live under stone outcroppings from the canyon walls.
Townsend and the truck have become a familiar and welcome sight at the free Santa Teresita hospital. Cash generated from events at Lakeside has gone to pay electric bills for the hospital that treats more than 5,000 patients each year and feeds nearly 500 malnourished children.
Stop at the event on January 26. Designer Jose Melendrez will be on hand with his wonderful creations and rare Tarahumara handicrafts like the ones that were such hits at the recent Maestros del Arte fair will be for sale. Come and enjoy the afternoon and know that every peso generated by the event and every donated blanket or piece of warm clothing will go directly to the traditional Tarahumara of Copper Canyon.
To reach Instituto Internacional, turn south (toward Lake Chapala) from the Carretera at Rio Bravo, then turn left immediately on to the service road. Look for the signs.