The Guadalajara Reporter

A family visit

Members of Ajijic’s Eager-Hinjosa clan posed with native sons of the priesthood Father Sergio Ramos Vazquez and Padre Nicolas Parra Perez (at center, left and right) during a lively fiesta held at the village plaza on Friday, May 24.

St. Andrew’s Anglican Church expands, remodels

After more than a year of planning and input from parishioners, the makeover of St. Andrew’s Anglican Church got underway this week.

Can-Am Day: a great opportunity for non-profits to spread the word

The Lake Chapala Society (LCS) is inviting non-profit organizations in the Lakeside area to participate in their annual Can-Am (Canadian-American) Day, scheduled Tuesday, July 2 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Lakeside restaurants honor moms

The history of Mother’s Day is centuries old and the earliest  celebrations can be traced back to  ancient Greece in honor of Rhea, the Mother of the Gods. During the 1600s, Christians in England celebrated a day to honor Mary, the mother of Christ. By a religious order the holiday was later expanded in its scope to include all mothers, and named as the “Mothering Sunday.” Celebrated on the fourth Sunday of Lent (the 40-day period leading up to Easter), “Mothering Sunday” honored the mothers of England.

Wanted: Summer volunteers for Love in Action Mariposa Project

Spanish-speaking lakesiders who have talents for teaching swimming, dance or basic social skills, plus some free time on their hands and a yearning to lend a helping hand to disadvantaged youngsters fit the bill as new recruits for the Mariposa Project summer programs being lined up at Chapala’s Love in Action (LIA) Children’s Home.

Chapala crowns Senior Queen

Self-assurance, eloquence and a dazzling smile gave Maria Guadalupe Hernandez Romero the edge to win the 2013 title as Chapala’s Senior Citizen Queen. The 66-year-old Atotonilquillo housewife was crowned at the Reina de la Tercera Edad pageant held Friday, April 26 at DIF Chapala headquarters.

Shriners help deaf child receive life-changing surgery in Canada

A four-year-old boy born deaf and without ears has become one of the Shriners’ “miracle children,” and is now receiving top-quality care at a leading hospital in Montreal, Canada.

Masons bike safety program heads out to San Nicolas

Members of Axixic Masonic Lodge arrived at the principal plaza in the Lakeside village of San Nicolas de Ibarra April 13 to set up shop for their ongoing ‘Tape-A-Bike’ program.

Presbyterians distribute bazaar funds

Lakeside Presbyterian Church last weekend distributed the proceeds from its Spring Bazaar held on March 1 and 2.

Children’s Day bash set for Ajijic bullring

A big bash for local kids scheduled for Sunday, April 28 at Ajijic’s Lienzo Charro bullring ties into the April 30 national celebration of Dia del Niño (Children’s Day). Youngsters will be treated to a lucha libre wrestling show, gifts and refreshments.  The general public is welcome to attend at no charge.

Masons help out clean-up brigade

Masonic Lodge Axixic #31 is again backing community projects – this time helping Ajijic Town Administrator Hector España with his clean-up project involving children.

Each Saturday morning, España accompanies a large group of young people on a tour of the Ajijic Malecon, beach front, streets and other places in a bid to keep the town clean and litter free.

Charity focuses on needy families

Operation Feed, an organization that has quietly been taking weekly packages of food to aid the neediest in San Juan Cosala for many years, sees the need to grow. Instead of the precious packages of food to the 75 families already on their list, volunteers would like to add another 25.

Casi Nuevo store marks first decade

The Casi Nuevo store will manage an estate sale featuring the entire contents of the two-story house of Mary Alice Sargent, who has returned to the United States after 22 years at Lakeside.

The sale takes place at the store (the property with the red door located on the Carretera in Riberas del Pilar across from 7-11) on Saturday, May 25, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Gilder graduates with honors

Sherman Wayne Smith, the first graduate of the Centro de Arte de Estofado, has completed his course in the art of gilding (applying fine gold leaf or powder to solid surfaces) and demonstrated his ability with the techniques. Here he stands near a small table that he created and decorated.

Escaramuzas help Chapala DIF

Las Alfareras from Tonala captured the 5,000-peso first place prize for a stunning performance at the Feria de Escaramuzas riding competition held on May 11 at the Ajijic charro arena.

The event was organized under the auspices of Chapala’s DIF family services agency as a benefit for the fledgling Pepe Martinez Equine Therapy Center. DIF is actively seeking sponsors to foot the bill for patients of limited means enrolled the therapeutic and rehabilitation program.

For details visit DIF headquarters at Degollado 351.

BUddha on block for Ajijic park

Barbara’s Bazaar proprietor Tom Thompson is seeking community support to install a statue of Buddah in the public park adjacent to Ajijic’s waterfront Malecon.

Art program expanding back to the future

A legacy begun by pioneer expatriate Neill James in 1954 has been picked up, remodeled, streamlined, and adjusted to current needs through the years by several folks who have come after.

Lakeside School for Deaf changes name, moves in new direction

A plea for more volunteers to help with the iconic Lakeside School for the Deaf apparently reached the right people. Vice President Cece Girling, who was doing double duty and keeping the project going with a skeleton crew, was delighted with the results of the story. “We had an overflowing crowd of people at our Annual General Meeting on February 16,” she said. “More, I’m told, than we have had in many years.

Ajijic offer free fetes for moms

Mother’s Day festivities in Ajijic will be extended beyond Mexico’s customary May 10 holiday date, with two special events spanning this weekend.

Festejo Cultural del Día de las Madres, on Saturday, May 11, 8 p.m. at the Malecon amphitheater, will feature a program of music and dance staged by Collage. The group’s forte is in the genres of jazz, flamenco and French song. The event is jointly sponsored by the cultural collectives LagoGris, El Tachihual, El Faro and restaurant El Jardin de Ninette.

Benefit to raise funds for local deaf/mute child

“Thank goodness that I was in the right place at the right time to learn about the existence of a doctor who can bring a whole new life to a child in San Juan Tecomatlan,” said Lakeside resident Sheila Paull.