Travel Money Needed
Coach Alberto Palacios Coronado would be grateful to collect 12,000 pesos to bus 24 Barra de Navidad area student athletes to a state competition in Guadalajara on December 11. The girls and boys he instructs in Olympic wrestling are aged between 5 and 19.
A former professional wrestler, Palacios’ students have won five national medals in the last seven years. This year he cannot get travel money from local authorities for the team to attend. The team can be seen training at the Barra de Navidad library at Calle San Lucas 9, Monday through Friday, 8-9:45 p.m. If you wish to help these athletes with a contribution to their travel fund, contact Palacios at 044-315-108-2864.
Community Church
Pastor Ron Klein and his wife Nancy come yearly from North Dakota to serve the community through their English-speaking, multi-denominational services at Costalegre Community Church in Villa Obregon.
This year, delayed for medical reasons, they are thankfully expected back for the December 6 service. While here, Nancy acts as musical director and women’s group leader. Meanwhile, volunteers have filled in with choir and other services. Community service continues with food bags for the needy and supplies for rural schools. Donations are needed. The congregation at the church grows to about 150 in the high season. Located at the corner of Reforma and Alberta Macias, the existing palapa building withstood Hurricane Patricia due to its unique cable bracing. Sunday services: 10 a.m. Cultural awareness classes start Thursdays, 5 p.m. in January. The church is on a bus route.
Brisk Sales
This Thanksgiving special appreciation went out to all who have attended Rotary fundraisers over the years. Funds raised during the last few seasons enabled the Costelgre Rotary membership to donate 50,000 pesos for new roofs to hurricane victims. Irene Petersen and Denise Lepchuk of the Projects Committee are working closely with Rosy Cortes and Robert Hanson to help identify those in need. Rotary Secretary Laurie Hawrishok has provided more information about the first fundraiser of the season. For the December 15 Dinner and Dance, Eduardo Fernandez, food and beverage manager of Cabo Blanco Hotel, is arranging a buffet featuring salads, vegetables, rice, chicken, fish, beef tenderloin with wine reduction sauce, ice cream, cheesecake and key lime pie. Tickets are 550 pesos per person. Tables of eight seats can be reserved for an additional 200 pesos. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with two open (free) bars until 7 p.m. when the buffet begins. Dr. Woo, the popular entertainer from last year, performs this year as well.
A special overnight deluxe room rate is available for 899 pesos. For room reservation, contact Fernandez at 315-355-6496 or 044-315 109-2469. Panga (water taxi) service will be available from Grand Bay Hotel to the Cabo Blanco Hotel. Tickets can be purchased from any Rotarian or from the hotel.
Full Moon
Over 30 locals from both cultures and all walks of life gathered for the first full moon celebration of the high season at Buena Onda Centro de Yoga in Barra. The goodwill was palpable as environmentalists Krish Hernandez and Ro Alvarez used bells, chimes and Tibetan bowls to invoke a mood of communal solidarity.
Other events slated for the season at that location include ecstatic dance, meditation and discussions. Massage and yoga are held there daily.
Hernandez and Alvarez can also be found during the days working at Casa Misifus and Spa where there are great package deals available now for many of its health and beauty services.
Creative Writing
Well-known writing coach Kathrin Lake, author of “Writing with Cold Feet” (amazon.com), is offering her creative writing classes in Barra January 11-17. Now in its sixth year, the course will cover story telling and structure guiding memoirists, fiction and non-fiction writers. Individual writing coaching is also available. Bring your projects, struggles and epiphanies. Information: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Sea Master
Doug and Scott of Hermanos Rojo are set to sing and strum audience-friendly music Saturdays, 6-8 p.m. until January 2, at Sea Master in Barra. There are also plans to perform Thursdays at 2 p.m. at The Cabo Blanco Hotel. Their musical sound spans 5 decades.
Street Sweepers
Every year on November 30 a parade winds its way through Barra de Navidad. Hundreds of students march and dance in traditional costumes. This year, the street sweeper teams hired specifically for hurricane clean-up got into the act. Wearing their orange vests and dancing with their orange rakes while they marched!
Marlena’s
Owner Marlene Bratz is being asked wherever she goes when and where her popular restaurant, Marlena’s, would reopen after its seaside location was broken apart by Hurricane Patricia. She is hoping for a late December date but says she is “still not certain about location.”
Al-Anon
English speaking Al-Anon meetings: Cornerstone Spanish Language School, Calle Costa Occidente 11, Barra , Tuesdays, 4 p.m.
English speaking AA meetings: Costalegre Community Church, Villa Obregon, corner Reforma and Alberto Macias, Wednesdays and Sundays, 5 p.m.
Christmas Choir
Linda Bello Ruiiz is forming a Christmas choir and looking for people in Barra and Melaque who want to sing carols in the downtown Jardin in Barra on December 23, 7 p.m. She is also looking for musicians who can accompany them. Let her know ASAP via her Facebook page. Christmas spirit in Barra commences this Saturday with the lighting of the tree.