Regalorama
Don’t forget that “Granddaddy of all Yard Sales,” the St. Andrew’s Anglican Church Regalorama, on Saturday, December 3, from 10 a.m. on the Church grounds at San Lucas 19 in Riberas del Pilar. There’s food, fun and bargains for everyone. Admission is free and all proceeds go to Lakeside charities. It’s a traditional “must” at Lakeside.
End Polio Now
Carole Jones Wolff, Lori Fjelsted and Dr. Anita Hocker are to be congratulated on the gala fundraiser they arranged for the Rotary Club’s gala fundraiser for the “End Polio Now” campaign. The November 18 event was well attended at Roberto’s Restaurant. A presentation from Rotary Internationalwas made to the Ajijic Rotary Club President Sandra Loridans and Past Preident Michael McCarthy for the Top Club in the District in Development of Membership and Growth.
Trivia
Trivia freaks should mark their calendars for Tuesday, January 17, 2-6:30 p.m. at Hotel Real de Chapala. That’s when Programa Pro Niños Incapacitados will hold trivia games to benefit the sick children that they help. It’s time to start thinking about putting together a table of eight. Entry costs 250 pesos per person. Contact Kathy Dingwall at 766-5829 or Kari Higgins at 766-3651. The bar will open 30 minutes before each quiz.
Niños Incapacitados will meet on Thursday, December 8, at Hotel Real de Chapala. Coffee and cookies are served at 10 a.m. and the meeting begins at 10:30 a.m. with the introduction of one of the children helped in the program. This is an ideal way for supporters and volunteers to stay abreast of what’s happening in the organization and for newcomers to learn about the program. Everyone is welcome.
Clean teeth
Dr. Don Olivara at Maskaras Clinic in Riberas del Pilar will donate all the funds he receives in December from clients who present the cut-out Red Cross coupon from the advertisement in this newspaper for either (or both) a modern ultrasonic cleaning (value 400 pesos) and a dental exam (200 pesos) to the Chapala Cruz Roja.
It’s a great time to get your semi-annual cleaning and you’ll truly be helping the Red Cross. Additional coupons will be available through many Red Cross volunteers. Contact Charlie Klestadt at (cel.) 331-445-2136 for any information.
Cookoff
It’s just a heads-up but those leading the pack for the 2012 Chili Cookoff have announced that the venue will change from the Tobolandia parking lot to the park itself. The big advantage will be shade, permanent rest rooms and a beautiful environment.
This year there will be a margarita tasting contest on Friday, February 10 (there are still openings for contestants). Bobby Lancaster at 766-5635 is in charge of that event. The good news is that the Cookoff is supplying all of the tequila.
There are also openings for the salsa contest on Friday, February 10, the Home Cook Chili event on Saturday, February 11 and the Restaurant Chef division on Sunday, February 12. Those seeking vending space should contact Jorge Valencia at (cel.) 331-279-1721.
The Love in Action Children’s Center has been added to Cookoff efforts this year and they will be participating in the food court.
Advance tickets will go on sale immediately after Christmas. When you purchase a Cookoff ticket in advance from one of their charities, you’ll save five pesos from the gate entry price of 20 pesos.
Canadian Club
The Canadian Club of Lake Chapala will celebrate the holiday season with an event featuring 24 dancers of the Son de Mexico Ballet Folklorico of San Juan Cosala under the direction of Luis Guzman Zamora. The date is Wednesday, December 14, with the social hour beginning at 3:30 p.m. and the program at 4:30 p.m. at Hotel La Nueva Posada in Ajijic.
Annual club membership fees are 180 pesos per person. This includes four 25-peso drink tickets for beer, wine or a soft drink. Guests are welcome and 50 pesos each per visit. More drink tickets for 25 pesos each can be purchased. Everyone is welcome.
Learning
The Lake Chapala Society (LCS) Learning Seminar for Tuesday, December 6, noon, in the Sala will be chaired by Fred Harland and is available to all LCS members. It will feature (via TED internet podcast) Jimmy Wales, the founder of Wikipedia. Wales gives a fascinating account of how he assembled a “ragtag band of volunteers” and gave them the tools for collaborating and creating this self-organizing, self correcting and never-finished online encyclopedia.
Green
The Lake Chapala Green Group will meet on Tuesday, December 6, 3 p.m. on the Neill James Patio of the Lake Chapala Society. The speaker will be Dr. Todd Stong, who will provide updates on the status of Lake Chapala, cover myths and rumors about the safety of eating fish harvested from the lake, the new federally funded fish farming project and a second water pipeline from Lake Chapala to Guadalajara. All are welcome.
The movies
The Chapala Chapter of Democrats Abroad will show Michael Moore’s new movie, “Capitalism, a Love Story,” on Sunday, December 4, 3 p.m. at Cinemas del Lago at Plaza Bugambilias. This movie could help you understand the current “Occupy Wall Street” movement going on in the United States. Admission is 50 pesos.
Tarahumara holiday
Libby Townsend of the Tarahumara Project will hold the fifth annual Christmas Party to benefit the free Santa Teresita Clinic in the Copper Canyon of Chihuahua on Sunday, December 18, beginning at 4 p.m. at Townsend’s home at Seis Esquinas in Ajijic. Tickets are 100 pesos each and available from Townsend at the Guadalajara Reporter office in Plaza Bugambilias, from her at the American Legion Christmas Crafts Fair on December 3 and from Jose Melendrez at Addictions on the Ajijic Plaza. Ticket holders will be treated to free snacks and drinks. Bring your friends. All of the proceeds will go to the clinic.
Democrats
Democrats Abroad will meet Monday, December 12, 4 p.m. at La Nueva Posada. The topic of discussion will be Michael Moore’s moving “Capitalism, a Love Story” and a discussion of the 1 percent versus the 99 percent movement.
Christ Church Anglicans
Christ Church Anglican Fellowship will meet at Manix Restaurant, Ocampo 57 in Ajijic on Sunday, December 4 at 10 a.m. Father Danny Borkowski will celebrate the Holy Eucharist Rite I. The sermon topic will be “Prophetic Role Playing” based on Mark 1: 1-8.
Unitarians
The Lake Chapala Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (LCUUF) will meet Sunday, December 4, 10:30 a.m. at Sta. Margarita 113 in Riberas del Pilar. The service will be entitled “Chalica – a celebration of our UU symbol, the Flaming Chalice.” The talk will be given by Kathy Koches and Teresa Sande will be the service leader. There will be a coffee hour social following the service. For more information call 766-1119 or email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. LCUUF is a welcoming congregation.
St. Andrew’s Anglican
What the word “repentance” does NOT mean is sorry, guilt, judgment, penitence or regret. What it does mean is the theme of the sermon by Father Winston Welty on December 4, “Putting on the Brakes and Turning Around,” based on the opening verses of mark’s Gospel and the fire-eating ministry of John the Baptizer.
Since many “snowbirds” have now turned up, worship at St. Andrew’s takes place at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., with a time of welcome, fellowship and refreshments between the two services. The church is located at Calle San Lucas 19, just a block south of the Carretera in Riberas del Pilar.
Presbyterians
Pastor Ross Arnold’s sermon for December 4 at Lakeside Presbyterian Church will be “The Call of John the Baptist from Luke 3: 1-6. The Church is located on the mountain side of the highway just west of S&S Auto and Bubba’s Restaurant.
Lakeside Presbyterian is completing a Christmas project providing decorated shoe boxes filled with items to be dispersed to 100 needy people in San Antonio Tlayacapan. The church has a Christmas tree tagged with the ages and genders of children and adults who will receive these gifts. The community is invited to participate by calling 766-2516 to pick up a name or two, along with shoe boxes and instructions about filling them.
These gifts will be distributed on December 23.