In (and out of) the chapel
The Little Chapel by the Lake has held an evening of “singing” for the past several years. It is a gathering on the fourth Sunday of the month at 5 p.m. to just sing. People from Christian churches in the Lakeside area participate. The congregation sings songs that are requested.
Belva Velazquez and Judy Hendrick play the piano or keyboard. Bob Hendrick of Lake Chapala Baptist Church and Raul Frutos of the Holy Spirit Church in Chapala play guitars and other stringed instruments. Danny and Kay Borkowsky of Christ Church Anglican add harmony and enthusiasm.
Last month, a decision was made to share the celebration with folks who cannot get out for an evening of “singing.” Rather than hold it at the church, Velazquez and the other regulars decided to go to area convalescent homes and sing with residents. The first venture was in September. The singing gathering met at Shangri La Home. Last Sunday, the singing was held at Alicia’s in La Floresta. The residents and guests all had a great time singing favorite hymns and listening to specials by Velazquez, the Hendricks and Frutos.
If you know of a home where folks would enjoy participating in a singing, contact Bob Hendrick at 765-2925 or Belva Velazquez at 766-0162.
For Suzannah
Lakeside volunteer extraordinaire Suzannah Kelley needs your help. She has just been diagnosed with a rare form of breast cancer and must undergo surgery as soon as possible. Her friends and the many folks she helps with all of her hard and selfless work on a continuing basis are going to help her out. Yoly’s Beauty Salon and Salvado’s Restaurant are sponsoring a fund-raising dinner on Friday, November 4, 5 p.m. at Salvador’s Restaurant in Ajijic. The ticket price is 125 pesos for a choice of a chicken dinner or a chicken fried steak dinner with one non-alcoholic drink. The “Diamonds in the Rough” will provide the music and there will be door prizes and a 50/50 raffle.
Tickets are on sale now at Yoly’s at Plaza Bugambilias and by calling Dan or Donna Williams at (376) 765-5937.
Veteran’s Day
American Legion Post Seven in Chapala will hold a Veteran’s Day service at the post (Morelos 114) on Friday, November 11, 11 a.m. The ceremony will be followed with cocktails at 1 p.m. and the traditional “pig roast” meal with baked beans, corn on the cob and bananas Foster served at 2 p.m. The ceremony is free. Dinner tickets cost 120 pesos for advanced sales only. Veterans with meal tickets will be offered a free rail drink. The telephone number for more information is (376) 765-2259.
Washington D.C.
Ajijic residents Sandra Loridans and Emeka Eni (photo left) were privileged last week to have breakfast with United States Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) in his Washington, D.C. office. Loridans and Eni met with the senator to discuss an I-130 immigrant petition and resolution authored by Loridans and recently passed by the Democratic Party Committee Abroad, seeking Social Security survivor’s benefits for alien widows of U.S. citizens who live outside of the United States. Eni, a recent graduate of George Washington University Law School, is the son of Ajijic resident Veronica Eni and is currently preparing to take the Bar Association exam before returning to Ajijic to live.
Family
The next meeting of the Genealogy Forum will be on Monday, October 31, 2-4 p.m. in the Lake Chapala Society Sala. This month the topic will be heraldry and the family historian.
For those who have a coat-of-arms somewhere in the family, or think that they have, or would like to have, this meeting is for you. The meeting will debunk the myths, explain the structure, tell you now to obtain your own and show how a coat-of-arms will be a genealogical treasure. Everyone (with a coat-of-arms or not) is welcome to attend the meeting. Membership in the Lake Chapala Society (LCS) is not required. For more information contact Phyl Gaskell at 766-2722 or Fran Murphy at 766-0067.
The horses
Also benefiting Cruz Roja Chapala will be a charreada (Mexican version of a rodeo) on Sunday, October 30, noon to 7 p.m. at the Lienzo Charro, located at the foot of the street that the Wednesday tianguis is on next to Salavador’s Restaurant. A special treat will be the horsemen from Los Tres Potrillos ranch owned by Vicente Fernandez. The escaramuzas (female riders) will be sitting pretty on their side saddles and all kinds of entertainment will be on hand. Entry is 50 pesos (at the door) and there will be lots of food and drink for sale. You folks who haven’t experienced a charreada really need to. It’s an experience you’ll never forget and absolutely indigenous to this part of Mexico .
The Brits
The next meeting of the British Society will be Saturday, November 5, 1 p.m. at Manix Restaurant, Ocampo 57 in Ajijic. The speaker will be Holly Nodwell from the VIDA Emergency Alarm System Company.
The menu for the luncheon meeting will be roast chicken, mashed potatoes and veggies or fish Loraine, rolled and stuffed with spinach and shrimp and veggies for 120 pesos (including tip) or salad and dessert for 80 pesos. Dessert is pear torte. Please contact Alicia McNiff at 765-4786 or Ceri Dando at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to let them know if you’re going to be there and your choice of menu. Visitors are welcome.
Golf classic
If you haven’t signed up yet for the annual Cruz Roja Golf Classic set for Thursday, November 3 at the Chapala Country Club, you’d better get at it. The entry fee is 1,400 pesos and you must register at the Chapala Country Club pro shop. Practice and breakfast begin at 8 a.m. The shotgun start is at 9 a.m.
Non-golfers can show up and enjoy the fine Mexican buffet to be served after the tournament ends (about 3 p.m.). The buffet includes two kinds of mole, a pork dish, chiles rellenos, frijoles, rice and lots of side dishes. Tickets for the buffet are 250 pesos per person and are available now at the LCS Cruz Roja sales table, the Country Club pro shop and with some Cruz Roja volunteers.
Entertainment will be provided by Carol Bedford and Jerry Mayfield and there will be a raffle for a new Sony TV and lots of door prizes.
All proceeds will go to the Cruz Roja Chapala. For more information, contact Don Marie Fraser at 766-4990 or Debbie Thompson at 766-5728.
Shots
The Lake Chapala Society is having an “Immunization Make-up Day.” Because of the rain and the Pan Am Games torch relay, many folks were not able to make it to the LCS Health Fair. Immunizations for influenza and pneumonia will be available on Wednesday, November 9, 10 a.m. to noon. Flu shots cost 300 pesos and pneumonia shots cost 400 pesos. Sign up at the LCS office. Pay on the day of service. The public is invited to take advantage of this service.
Red Cross trips
The next Cruz Roja bus trip will be to the upscale Andares Mall in Guadalajara on Tuesday, November 15.
On Tuesday, December 6, the trip is to the Galerias Mall for Christmas shopping at Walmart, Sam’s Club, Costco, and Mega.
Each trip costs 200 pesos and tickets may be purchased at the Cruz Roja table at the Lake Chapala Society Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. For additional information contact June Cooper at 766-4939.
Presbyterians
Pastor Ross Arnold will preach on “Real People: The Courage of Esther,” from Esther 4: 1-17 on Sunday, October 30, beginning at 10 a.m. The Circle of Friends prayer meeting is Thursday, November 3, 10:30 a.m. in the casita at the back of the church. Friday morning Bible study at 10 a.m. continues on November 4 in the book of Luke.
Lakeside Presbyterian Church is located on the mountain side of the highway in Riberas del Pilar, next to S&S Auto and Bubba’s Restaurant.
St. Andrew’s Anglican
Given our own weak faith, cowardly compromises and basic sinfulness, what chance of sainthood do any of us have? As we approach All Saints Day once more, that is the question before the congregation when Father Winston Welby preaches “Whiskey Priest Saint.” Everyone is welcome to the service that begins at 10 a.m. and for the fellowship and refreshments that follow. The church is located at Calle San Lucas 19, just one block south of the Carretera in Riberas del Pilar. Please remember that on Sunday, November 6, St. Andrew’s starts the winter schedule –early bird service at 9 a.m. and the second service at 11 a.m.
Unitarians
The Lake Chapala Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (ICUUF) meets each Sunday, 10:30 a.m. at Sta. Margarita 113 in Riberas del Pilar. The service on October 30 will be the annual Day of the Deaf celebration, led by Bonnie Phillips and Jeanne Haely. Members are invited to bring a picture of memento of a person or pet who has passed away. They will have the opportunity to light a candle and tell a little bit about the person or pet so honored. There will be a luncheon social following the service. For more information please call 766-1119 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. They are a welcoming congregations.
Christ Church Anglican
Christ Church Anglican Fellowship will meet Sunday, October 30, 10 a.m. at Manix Restaurant, Ocampo 57 in Ajijic, to celebrate the Holy Eucharist. They will begin using Rite I this Sunday and will continue that for the months of November and December. The congregation will them assess whether to continue with Rite I or return to Rite II. Father Danny Borkowski’s sermon topic will be “How long are your fringes?” will be based on Matthew 23:1-12. What the heck is a “phylactery?”