Fun-Raiser
The Sunrise Restaurant in San Antonio sold out for the April 1 inaugural Fools-Wanted Fun-Raiser to benefit the Tepehua Community Center’s new maternal health clinic.
Snowbirds bought tables for an afternoon lunch and used the opportunity to say a season’s farewell to many friends traveling north for the summer. With plenty of food, drink, prizes and a silent auction to raise fun and funds, the event’s Head Fool, Harvey Bernier, entertained the crowd with riddles and jokes. The Sunrise serving staff dressed in full jester garb. “They helped make it a huge success,” said Tepehua Center President Moonyeen King. “We thank all the fools who participated.”
Dr. Carlos Manuel Rodriguez was honored for his volunteer services to the poor of Tepehua.
Shriners
The Lake Chapala Shrine Club presents a certificate of appreciation to Guacho Tequila after the restaurant hosted a very successful Dine with the Shrine event March 30. (L-R) Noble Bill Phillips (Shrine Club President), Marco Euriel Rio Lopez (chef and son of the owner), Carlos Gonzalez Diaz (restaurant owner), and Noble Robbie Robinson (Chair of the DWTS Committee).
Get-together
Chapala area news hounds enjoyed a rare opportunity to buff up on local history by knocking heads with visiting geographer-author Tony Burton during an informal round table session hosted this week by prominent Mexican journalist Lucia Luna. Participants (flanking Burton and Luna at center) included Jocelyn Cantón, Dale Palfrey, Antonio Velazco, Andrea Palfrey, Gilberto Padilla and Domingo Marquez. The illuminating conversation focused on the region’s early development as a national and international tourist destination, based on the Burton’s research in editing Lake Chapala Through the Ages, an anthology of travellers’ tales.
Winners
A couple from Ajijic were the lucky winners of a deluxe leather living room set awarded in a recent raffle run by the Guadalajara International Rotary Club. The winning ticket was sold by Teresa Sande, president of the club’s Chapala area branch, posing here on a model piece during her tour of the Carezza furniture factory with company owner Daniel Padilla. For more information about the Lakeside club and its projects, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Open Circle
Twelve million people – half of Syria’s population – have fled their homes since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war four years ago. Kelly Hayes-Raitt, who spent the summer of 2008 living in Damascus and helping Iraqi refugees, was in Berlin last September right after Chancellor Angela Merkel opened Germany’s borders to 800,000 Syrian refugees. She will update us on this crisis with her recent experiences at the next meeting of Open Circle, Sunday, April 10.
Hayes-Raitt has traveled to the Middle East seven times during the past decade to work with Iraqi, Palestinian and Syrian refugees. She is writing a book about her experiences, the forthcoming “Living Large in Limbo: How I Found Myself Among the World’s Forgotten.” She is a columnist for The Argonaut News in Los Angeles, and blogs at www.LivingLargeInLimbo.com.
Open Circle begins each Sunday morning at 10:30 a.m. in the garden at Lake Chapala Society. See opencircleajijic.org.
Buddhists
The Heart of Awareness Buddhist Sangha offers meditation opportunities several times each week. On Sunday and Monday, from 9 to 10 a.m., and every Thursday, from 11 a.m. to noon, there is a silent “drop-in” meditation period.
On Wednesdays, Noble Silence begins at 4 p.m., followed at 4:30 p.m. by a formal meditation period, dharma teaching and discussion period. April 13 and 20 Marty Janowitz will teach live and in person. Janowitz is a long-time student of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche and Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche and a senior teacher in the Shambhala Buddhist tradition. His interests and career include extensive work with sustainable development (community and infrastructure) and corporate social responsibility.
A Drop-in Practice/Study group meets every Friday from 2 to 4 p.m.
A Yoga class suitable for all levels of experience is being offered at Heart of Awareness on Wednesday mornings from 9 to 11 a.m. A donation of 50 pesos is requested for the class.
The Sangha’s location is at Guadalupe Victoria 101 in Ajijic. The activities listed are open to anyone with an interest. The Heart of Awareness Buddhist Sangha is grounded in the teachings of the Buddha as preserved in the Theravada/Vipassana tradition. Prior meditation experience or affiliation is not required. For further information on the Sangha, its location, and scheduled activities, visit www.heartofawareness.org, or call Janet Reichert, (376)766-6069.
Lakeside Progressives
Local progressives will meet on Tuesday, April 12 to discuss the current status of the Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton campaigns. Members and guests may suggest other topics.
The Lakeside Progressives meet at 4 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month at the Peacock Garden Restaurant on Calle Colon in Ajijic. This is a group of like-minded people looking for progressive solutions to problems not being addressed by the major political parties.
Most attendees have an early dinner at the restaurant following the meeting. The group’s Facebook page is Lakeside Progressives. Email Chad Olsen at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have questions. Bring a progressive friend.
LCS Bus Trip
The popular Lake Chapala Society bus trip to Galerias Mall in Guadalajara is scheduled Wednesday, April 20. The bus leaves the sculpture at La Floresta promptly at 9:30 a.m.
Galerias Mall features anchor stores Liverpool, Sears, Best Buy and Sanborns. There are also many specialty stores: The Body Shop, H&M, Gap, C&A, Radio Shack, Mac Store and more. Shoppers can also visit nearby Costco, Sam’s Club and Super Mega. The mall has diverse range of popular restaurants, including P.F.Changs, Cheesecake Factory, Applebee’s, Chili’s, McCarthy’s Irish Pub and more.
Sign up early at the LCS office for this fun shopping trip, as it fills up fast. Cost for members is 300 pesos and 350 pesos for non-members.
LCS seminar
LCS members are invited to attend the Tuesday, April 12 learning seminar from noon to 1:15 p.m. featuring a Ted Talk by psychiatrist Robert Waldinger, speaking on “What Makes a Good Life? Lessons from the Longest Study on Happiness.” Pete Soderman is the moderator.
What keeps us happy and healthy as we go through life? If you think it’s fame and money, you’re not alone – but, according to Waldinger, you’re mistaken. As the director of a 75-year-old study on adult development, he has unprecedented access to data on true happiness and satisfaction. In this talk, Waldinger shares three important lessons learned from the study as well as some practical, old-as-the-hills wisdom on how to build a fulfilling, long life. This, the last TED talk of the season, will be held in the Sala.
Neil James Lecture
There is no lecture this week. The last of this season’s Neil James Lectures Series will be held Tuesday, April 19, 2 to 3:30 p.m. in the LCS Sala. Dr. Cooper presents “Anesthesia, What You Always Wanted to Know?” This talk will introduce two different types of anesthesia and provide some insight into the procedures, including patient preparation, risks and complications. Dr. Cooper is British and a trained physician. He practiced for over 30 years in Canada and the Middle East. LCS members are invited to attend.
Wine Tasting
The Lake Chapala Society invites one and all to a wine tasting event, Saturday April 16, 3 to 5:30 p.m. Fine wines from Mexico, Chile, Argentina and Spain will be paired with delicious cheeses and appetizers from Roberto’s Restaurant. Tickets for this event, 50 pesos for members and 100 pesos for non-members, are only available at LCS.
Wing Ding
American Legion Post 7 in Chapala will hold a Wing Ding feast with desserts on Thursday, April 21.
Cocktails begin at 3 p.m. with chicken wings, and pineapple/raisin coleslaw and choice of desserts available at 4 p.m. The cost is 100 pesos. Live music will be on tap. Contact Peggy Graves with questions and if you’d like to provide a desert, 765-6581.
LCS goes to McAllen
If you need a Texas or U.S. fix, the Lake Chapala Society is offering a trip to McAllen, Texas from Sunday, May 22 to Thursday, May 26. The trip includes three full days in McAllen, a four-night stay at a Hampton Inn, including continental breakfast. The price for LCS members is $US600 double/share or $US750 single. Non-LCS members must add $US50 to those prices. A $US100 non-refundable deposit (unless the trip is canceled) is due before final day of sign up on April 29. Final payment is due by May 6. A minimum of 30 persons are required to run the trip.
U.S. and Canadian citizens need valid passports, citizens from other countries need valid passports with valid U.S. visa.
Contact June Cooper at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..