Guadalajara Reporter

Holy Week observances in Ajijic begin April 5 with the colorful Palm Sunday procession running from the Seis Esquinas plaza to the San Andres church. Outside churches all across Mexico, vendors will sell palm fronds hand-woven into decorative forms.

Crowds of spectators will line Ajijic streets to watch the drama of the Pasion de Cristo build during the representation of the march to Calvary. The crucifixion of Jesus will mark the climax of Good Friday episodes of the traditional Passion plays held in Ajijic and San Antonio Tlayacapan. 

The Chili Cookoff Board proudly presented checks for 35,000 pesos each to seven local charities on March 27. The Board and representatives of the charities pictured here are (front row L-R) Charlie Smith, Susan Smith, Don Howse and Jim Hussin; (standing L-R) Pat Percival, Kenee Campo, Guadalupe Gonzales, Charlie Klestadt, Joan Frost, Sylvia Flores, John Martin, Marlene Dunham, Tom Johnson, Jorge Valencia and Loren Reynolds.

Red Cross Fashion Show producer Cece Girling (center, in white) takes a bow with her models at the end of “Anything Goes” on March 27.

Local and visiting Rotarians took a break from playground building at Lakeside schools last month. They are (L-R) Arna Lewis, Michael Hall, Susan Netherton, Bob Salvatore of Ajijic, Lyle Miller, Ron Baker, Terry Westfall of Roseburg, Oregon and Ed Holthe (Ajijic).

Alan and Carol Bensman celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at their Ajijic home last week. They’ll have another celebration with their family on their official anniversary, June 14.

Therapists from DIF Jalisco work with nine-year-old Jesus Salvador Torres Manzo, who has lost 20 kilos since November 2008.

Alejandro Alvarez and Rodrigo Esparza check out the Virgen painted on Las Iglesias Sanctuary, located near the Tequila Volcano.

Up, up and away! Olivier Didier Flores enjoys the solitary beauty of Las Iglesias Sanctuary.

In advance of the Semana Santa holiday period, Karilee and Richard Shames of Bucerias volunteered, as they did last year, to teach English for emergency service providers at the Proteccíon Civil station in Jarretaderas. Seventeen workers participated in the two three-hour classes. Karilee also developed and distributed a laminated pocket-size “cheat sheet,” with common words and phrases used by emergency workers on the job, to carry or to study in-between service calls.