Open Circle
Pete Soderman presents “Recovering in Chaos” at the next meeting of Open Circle at the Lake Chapala Society, Sunday, October 22, 10:30 a.m. to noon.
“More Americans died from opiate overdoses in 2016 than were killed in the Vietnam and Iraq wars combined,” says Soderman. “One out of every eight Americans suffers from an alcohol-related disorder, a 50-percent increase over the previous decade. The American dream has become a nightmare for some, and unfortunately there’s no single cause we can point to as a source of the problem. The economy, the unsettled political situation, health care, climate change and the threat of war all contribute to an environment in which recovery from addiction becomes increasingly more difficult as the addict can’t envision a clear path to a better life. Is there anything to be done?” he asks.
Soderman facilitates a local SMART Recovery® meeting and is the author of “Powerless No Longer: Reprogramming Your Addictive Behavior.”
For more information, go to opencircleajjic.org.
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LCS seminar
Lake Chapala Society members are invited to attend a TED seminar on “Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator,” by Tim Urban, Tuesday, October 24, noon to 1:15 p.m. in the LCS Sala.
Urban knows that procrastination doesn’t make sense, but he’s never been able to shake his habit of waiting until the last minute to get things done. In this hilarious and insightful talk, he encourages us to think harder about what we’re really procrastinating on, before we run out of time.
End Polio
In honor of World Polio Day, October 24, the Rotary Clubs of Ajijic and Chapala Sunrise are jointly organizing a fundraising dinner as part of Rotary’s mission to eradicate the crippling childhood disease. The dinner is scheduled Friday, October 27, 5-8 p.m. in the ballroom of Hotel Real de Chapala. All proceeds go to the Rotary Foundation Stop Polio Fund.
Rotary International’s charitable arm, the Rotary Foundation, has contributed nearly US$1.2 billion and countless volunteer hours to the protection of more than two billion children in 122 countries in the last 30 years. The disease remains endemic in three countries – Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan – although other countries remain at risk for imported cases.
As there is no cure for polio, the best protection is prevention. For as little as US$60 cents’ worth of vaccine, a child can be protected against this crippling disease for life. After an international investment of more than US$9 billion, and the successful engagement of over 200 countries and 20 million volunteers, polio could be the first human disease of the 21st century to be eradicated.
Every dollar Rotary commits to polio eradication is matched two-to-one by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation up to US$35 million a year through 2018.
For further information about the October 27 fundraiser and where to purchase tickets, contact Anita Hocker at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call (376) 766-2410.
Enrich yourself
Judy King gives a course on “Mexico’s Winter Holidays and Traditions,” Mondays, October 30-December 4, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Cost is 600 pesos. Sign up before October 25 at the LCS office. For more information, see lakechapalasociety.com.
Lakeside Singles
Get a jump on Halloween and Day of the Dead. The Lakeside Singles will hold their next event at Just Chillin’ Bar & Restaurant, Wednesday, October 25, 4-6 p.m.
Just Chillin’ is located at Constitucion 32 in Ajijic. A two-for-one drink special will be offered on national spirits, beer and wine. There will be no band prior to 6 p.m. If you are planning on attending, 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..
LCS bus trip
The Lake Chapala Society is hosting two upcoming bus trips to Guadalajara. The first is to Galerias Mall and Costco Wednesday, October 25. The cost is 350 pesos for members and 450 pesos for non-members. The bus departs from the sculpture in La Floresta at 9:30 a.m. On Wednesday, November 8, the bus heads to the Guadalajara Zoo. The cost, including admission and everything else except the Sky Ride, is 440 pesos for members and 540 pesos for non-members. Food options are available at the Zoo. The bus leaves at 9 a.m. Sign up for either trip at the LCS office.
Breast cancer run/walk
Put on your athletic shoes and join the local alliance with Breast Cancer Awareness Month by signing up for the Carrera Catrina 5K/De-Feet Breast Cancer race, to be held Sunday, October 29, in Ajijic.
The five-kilometer trek for runners and walkers, tied into a Day of the Dead theme, will set out from the Ajijic Malecón, 8 a.m., following a route along Calle Aquiles Serdán and the main highway to the local cemetery, then looping in reverse to reach the start and finish line.
Participants are encouraged to add color to the event by dressing up in costumes or face paint representing the Dia de Muertos icon La Catrina.
The sports outing is sponsored by the Ajijic Rotary Club in collaboration with Chapala’s Comude Sports Commission. Proceeds are destined to fund patient treatments through the SALVATI Guadalajara A.C. Breast Cancer Foundation.
Registrations for a donation of 250 pesos per person are available through October 27, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Tepehua Treasures, Hidalgo 98, Riberas del Pilar; Chapala Med, next to Lake Taco, Plaza Interlago, off the Libramiento; and Comude Chapala at the Municipal Coliseum, Madero 507, adjacent to the soccer field.
The fee includes a commemorative T-shirt, medal, number tag and rehydration kit. The top three runners will win cash prizes.
Day of Dead course
A two-part course held on the Lake Chapala Society’s south campus provides an opportunity to learn about the Day of the Dead, one of Mexico’s most famous customs. Participants will discover the origin and role of the catrina and help build a traditional altar. They will also hone their poetic skills and discover a new way to mock death at the expense of their best friends and worst enemies while learning all about the Calavera Literaria. Participants return on the Day of the Dead in full costume to present their new poetic repertoire. There will also be a small contest, with a surprise for the winner. The cost is 300 pesos and course dates are October 31, 2-5 p.m. and November 2, 2-4 p.m. Enrollment ends October 25. Limited to 30 people.
Bridge lessons
Catherine Gonzales is holding holding supervised bridge classes every Wednesday, November 1-March 28, 1:30 to 4 p.m., at the Lake Chapala Duplicate Bridge Club in Riberas del Pilar near Mom’s Restaurant. Each session begins with a lesson on a single topic and then supervised bridge with advice from the instructor and/or experienced players on a hand you’re playing. The session is casual and there is no competition or time limits. The cost is only 50 pesos with 50 percent going to charity. For more information, contact Gonzales at 766-0781, 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..
Behind the Walls
Tickets for the much talked-about “Behind the Walls” home tours fundraisers to benefit The School for Special Children are now available at Diane Pearl, Charter Club Tours or at the Ajijic Pier on the day of the tour (if not sold out).
Tour dates are November 16, December 14, January 25, February 22, March 22 and April 12. The cost is 200 pesos for regular tours and 400 pesos for the Christmas Tour and Holiday Festival. A 200-peso discount is offered if you purchase all the tours.
For more information, call Jessie at (376) 766-1438, Mary at (376) 766-6129 or Kath at (376) 766-0420.
Shopping in Texas
The Lake Chapala Society is sponsoring a Texas Shopping Extravaganza departing November 5 and returning November 8. The trip includes two full days of shopping in McAllen and three nights at the Hampton Inn, including breakfast and internet. Cost to members is $US499, non-members $US549. Final sign-up day is October 22. A non-refundable deposit of $US125 is required.
Buddhists
The Heart of Awareness Community’s regular meditation and teaching session is on Wednesdays when the center opens at 3:30 p.m. and formal meditation begins at 4 p.m. October 25, the meditation period will be followed with a video teaching by Tara Brach from her series titled Relaxing the Over Controller. Her focus this week will be on “Releasing the Controller – Opening to the Gifts of Vulnerability.” The Wednesday gathering ends by 6 p.m.
The Community offers silent meditation opportunities Sunday and Monday from 9-10 a.m. and Thursday from 11 a.m. to noon for hour-long silent meditation, consisting of sitting and walking.
Wednesday and Saturday mornings, from 9-11 a.m., Latika Pierrette Claude offers a gentle and spiritual yoga practice at the Center.
The Heart of Awareness is grounded in the teachings of the Buddha. The community extends the invitation to participate in its various activities to all, regardless of prior experience or affiliation. The center is located at Guadalupe Victoria 101 in Ajijic. For further information on the community and scheduled activities, visit heartofawareness.org, or call Janet Reichert, (331) 043-4669.
CASA
Members of the Culinary Arts Society of Ajijic (Casa) presented and enjoyed brunch items at its October 16 meeting. Winning first place and the presentation award in the savory brunch main dish category was past president Monica Molloy with shrimp, sausage, corn and tarragon eggroll with Creole tomato sauce; Roberta Kaplan took second place with spicy maple-candied bacon with cheddar jalepeño bread and Patrick Waite won third place with eggs Benedict casserole.
In the Meringue dessert category, Michele Lococo won first place, best presentation and people’s choice awards for Daquoise; Marina Benz’s mile-high lime meringue pie took second place and Steve Matheson’s Italian meringue torte came in third.
Casa’s next meeting is Monday, November 13, and will feature presentations of Eastern European main dishes and desserts. Meetings are held at La Mission in West Ajijic. For more information, 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..
CORRECTION
Unfortunately, the Laguna Chapalac column published on October 7, “Newbie networking: the good, the bad & the ugly,” featured an incorrect byline. The author was Dale Hoyt Palfrey, not Ed Tasca. We apologize for the error.