An event to collect school supplies for more than 100 economically challenged students at the Tarahumara Indigenous School in the Copper Canyon area of northern Mexico is slated for Sunday, September 6, 1-5 p.m. at La Bodega Restaurant in Ajijic.
The restaurant’s owners have promised to donate the proceeds from sale of each special chicken, beef or vegetable fajita meal, plus a percentage of all other food and drink consumed.
The event is organized by Libby Townsend, founder of the Tarahumara Project, and will help boost the coffers of the Jeanne W. Chaussee Education Fund created in honor of her late mother.
Live music to spice the afternoon’s activities will be supplied by Louie Andrade, starting at 2 p.m. Jonathan Guzman, Sergio Casas and Chelo Gonzalez take the stage at 3 p.m.
Handmade Tarahumara goods will be available for purchase and a 50/50 drawing will be ongoing all afternoon. Jose Melendrez has pledged a percentage from sales of his original jewelry pieces. Anyone donating cash or school supplies will be given a chance to win a handcrafted Tarahumara pot.
Crochet-a-thon granny squares that will be joined to make 72 small blankets for the toddler’s beds will be on display. Some of the area’s crochet mavens will be on hand hooking squares during the afternoon.
The generosity of lakesiders at last year’s event provided cash and items to send more than 500 notebooks and sketch pads, art supplies, reams of paper, pens, pencils, and dictionaries to the school. Townsend hopes to surpass that load this year.
The Tarahumara Indigenous School is hours from any town and teaches students primarily in their own language. The students receive two meals a day – for many all they receive – and operates mostly on donations.
The children are taught to be proud of their culture, customs and traditions. They are given the skills to survive in the outside world and learn that following the ways of their ancestors is valuable.
La Bodega Restaurant is located at 16 de Septiembre 124 in Ajijic. For reservations call 766-1002.