Tea Party change
The Lakeside Tea Party has changed its meeting time for Tuesday, February 14 to 1 p.m. to accommodate the schedule of the speaker, Lawrence J. Korb, vice consul at the U.S. Consulate in Guadalajara.
Korb will discuss the new U.S. absentee voting process and will distribute the new FCPA forms that will allow expatriates to vote absentee in the upcoming U.S. presidential election. He will also take other questions related to expats living at Lakeside.
Robbie Burns
Among the 145 folks who got together at the Chapala Country Club on January 25 to honor Scottish poet Robbie Burns, were these energetic souls joining the Scottish Country Dancers. Proceeds from the event will go to Programa Pro Niños Incapacitados del Lago for aiding families of children needing medical treatment.
LCS seminar
Bill Frayer will chair a seminar on Tuesday, February 14, noon in the Lake Chapala Society Sala. It features (via TED Internet podcast) Hans Rosling speaking on the topic “Good News of the Decade.” Rosling reframes ten years of United Nations data with his spectacular visuals, lighting up an astonishing (mostly unreported) piece of front-page-worthy good news: We’re winning the war against child mortality. Along the way, he debunks one flawed approach to statistics that blots out such vital stories.
Life skills
Have Hammers … Will Travel holds their third annual fundraiser Wednesday, February 15 at Club Exotica, located on the Ajijic plaza next to the Jardin Restaurant. Join them for dinner and dancing to the Tall Boys Band from 6-10 p.m.
This Lakeside charity gives local young and young adults woodworking and carpentry classes while “Teaching Valuable Life Skills,” the new motto of the organization.
Tickets for the event cost 300 pesos each and are available at Actinver, Diane Pearl’s Colecciones, the Lake Chapala Society Tickets, Etc. booth and at the Have Hammers …Will Travel Trade Center at Ocampo 49 in Ajijic.
Get additional information from Richard Williams at (376) 766-1303. Don’t pass up this opportunity to become part of this important program.
Breakfast
The Christian Men’s and Women’s Breakfast groups are hosting a seminar by Jan Hicks entitled “Crossing 2 Freedom” on Wednesday, February 15 at the Yacht Club in La Floresta. The morning session begins at 9:30 a.m. with coffee available one-half hour before. The lunch break is at 1 p.m. and the afternoon session begins at 2 p.m.
This unique teaching seminar is designed to reveal and heal the sounds buried deep in people’s hearts that they have learned to live with. Through Hicks’ profound insights, personal testimony and using God’s principles, the listener will be “led through a process to recognize and deal with, once and for all, the things that keep him or her from experiencing the joy of real freedom.”
The seminar is free and open to everyone. Reservations for lunch are required. Call Tina Hite at 766-4546 or Charlotte Vawter at 766-3462 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
The Christian Men’s and Women’s Breakfast groups meet every Thursday morning at Sunrise Restaurant at 9 a.m. Everyone is welcome.
Pet food
With cooperation and help from Geoffrey Kaye of the Animal Shelter, several members of Animal Buddies will hold a pet food drive on Thursday, February 16, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The drive will be held each month on the third Thursday. Your purchase of pet food will help the Animal Shelter, as well as Anita’s Animals or your choice of any animal rescue group.
If you can’t make it to the food drive on Thursday, you can purchase dog or cat food for Anita’s Animals or your choice of animal rescue group at any time and the Animal Shelter will hold your donation purchase for pickup.
Please let the beneficiaries of your generosity know that there is a paid food purchase waiting for them at the Animal Shelter.
Souper spuds
Rotary Club of Ajijic will throw a Souper Spuds Saturday party on February 25, noon to 3 p.m. at the Lake Chapala Society. Tickets are 150 pesos and will get you a choice from a selection of delicious soups, together with a baked potato and an empanada prepared by the Viva Mexico restaurant in San Juan Cosala. There will be a topping bar for the potatoes and a bake sale will feature a wide variety of delicious homemade treats for the sweet toothed.
Tickets are on sale at Diane Pearl’s Colecciones, Viva Mexico Restaurant and Mel’s Diner at Plaza Montana. Proceeds will help fund many of Rotary’s community projects.
Navy League
The next meeting of the Navy League Lake Chapala Council will be on Saturday, February 18 at Manix Restaurant, Ocampo 57 in Ajijic. The luncheon/meeting begins at 1 p.m.
There will be administrative remarks, a five-minute DVD about the Navy League before lunch and a program of interest following lunch. The goal is to complete the meeting by 2:30 p.m.
The film, “Our Navy Story: A Legacy of Honor, Courage, Commitment,” will be shown. The two parts, “The Navy in the Age of Sail” and “The Navy Comes of Age,” are each about 15 minutes long. The final two parts will be shown at a future meeting.
The council’s new president, Captain Denny Strole. USN (Ret.), is asking all Navy League members, past and present, to attend the February meeting and assist in rebuilding the organization. All suggestions and recommendations for activities to ensure a viable council are welcome. Send them to Strole at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
To become a member one does not need prior military service. The only requirement is a desire to support the Sea Services (Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine). The council is open to all regardless of nationality. Membership information is available at the meeting.
Those planning to attend the February 18 meeting should contact Strole before February 16.
To Tequila
This month’s final bus trip organized by the Red Cross volunteers will head to the historical town of Tequila on Wednesday, February 29. The 950-peso ticket gets you a ride on a luxury bus (departing Ajijic at 8 a.m.), a bilingual tour guide, a tour of an agave plantation, a professional tasting, a tour of the Tequila museum, a trolley ride and lunch at Restaurant Taquiza. Tickets are on sale now at the Red Cross table at the Lake Chapala Society.
Ribs
The Lake Chapala Shrine Club holds its annual BBQ Ribfest on Wednesday, February 29, 2-6 p.m. at beautiful Villa Encantada just west of Chapala. Tickets are 350 pesos and can be purchased from Denis de Kergommeaux (Deker) at 766-2200 or Perry King at 763-5126. All proceeds will go toward the treatment of children who have orthopedic, burn or spinal chord injuries. Enjoy a great afternoon of good food, music and dancing. Dinner is served throughout the four-hour event.
Hospice
The Lake Chapala Hospice will present a series of five “thought provoking” documentaries each Friday afternoon in March in the LCS Sala. The dates are March 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30 at 2:30 p.m.
Because seating is limited, it is advisable to reserve your seat by sending a request to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. If you have missed one or more of the four documentaries shown in the first series in January, you can request a re-run at http://lakechapalahospice.com/Documentaries.html.
Annual meeting
Los Niños de Chapala y Ajijic will hold its annual general meeting on Thursday, March 8, 10 a.m. at La Nueva Posada (Donato Guerra 9, Ajijic). On the agenda will be the annual report by the 2011 board of directors, election of officers and directors for 2012 and the presentation of the 2012 budget.
Buddies need home
Someone no longer able to care for her pets has left them with Anita’s Animals. They are a three-year-old brindle Great Dane neutered male and his companion, a two-year-old Shepherd-Husky mix neutered male. The Great Dane is very large, quiet and gentle, but could be intimidating to uninvited guests. Both dogs are current on their vaccinations. Interested parties should call Jackie Kellum at (387) 761-0020 or stop at the Anita’s Animal booth at the Wednesday tianguis.
Presbyterians
Sunday, February 12, 10 a.m. Pastor Ross Arnold will preach on “Real People: The Judgment of Nahum,” from Nahum 1:2-13. The Men’s Breakfast is slated for Tuesday, February 14, 9 a.m. at Sunrise Restaurant. Bible Study will meet on Friday, February 17, 10 a.m. at the church with focus on the book of Acts.
Lakeside Presbyterian is planning for their Bazaar set for March 2 and 3. Now is the time to donate anything useful or decorative no longer needed or wanted. It could be clothing, electronics, books and so forth. The church is open from 10 a.m. to noon, Monday to Wednesday, from February 13 to February 22 for donations. Call Betty Prentki at 766-4292 for pickup.
The church is located on the mountain side of the Carretera just west of S&S Auto and Bubba’s Restaurant.
Christ Church Anglican
Christ Church Anglican Fellowship will observe the Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany on February 12 with a celebration of Holy Eucharist Rite II, 10 a.m. on the ground floor of Manix Restaurant, Ocampo 57 in Ajijic. The sermon by Father Danny Borkowski will be “Say Nothing,” based on Mark 1:40-45.
Christ Church actively participated in the Synod of the Western Diocese of the Anglican Church of Mexico held on February 3 and 4 at San Francisco de Asis Mission in Zapopan. Rob Wells, a lay delegate from Christ Church and a member of the Bishop’s Committee, was appointed to the Finance Committee of the Diocese. The other lay delegate was Kay Borkowski, who replaced Jim Powers, the originally named delegate and warden of Christ Church, who was injured in an accident and could not participate. Christ Church Anglican Fellowship was fully represented by these two lay delegates and its vicar. Rev. Danny Borkowski as its clerical delegate.
Unitarians
The Lake Chapala Unitarian Universalist Fellowship meets each Sunday at 10:30 a.m. at Sta. Margarita 113 in Riberas del Pilar. Sunday, February 12, Bill Frayer will speak on “Faith and Rationality” with the theme that faith is a natural human reaction to life’s challenges; but rationality provides more enduring answers. There will be a coffee hour social following the service. For more information please call 766-1119 or email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
St. Andrew’s Anglican
This week’s sermon given by Father Winston Welty at St. Andrew’s Anglican Church is titled “Take a Couple Aspirin,” and uses the story of Naaman, the leprous Syrian general, to reflect on our reluctance to try the old bromides of faith as cures for our spiritual disease. Whatever your malaise, you’ll find a healing welcome at either the 9 a.m. or 11 a.m. worship serve and also during the time of fellowship and refreshment between the two services. The church is located at Calle San Lucas 19, just a block south of the Carretera in Riberas del Pilar.