AROUND TOWN

Christmas lights go on this Saturday!

Christmas is coming and arrives first at La Luciernaga mall when the lights go on for the city’s first Christmas tree for 2009 this weekend. Join Santa, elves and assorted favorite comic book and fairytale characters Saturday, November 7 at 7:30pm. Kids (and kids at heart) will receive sweets and can give Santa their wish list at this fun event. Gather around the 13 meter tree and join in the presentation of Christmas music and carols.

Meetings & Lectures

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

Bruce Rossley, president of the Red Cross Auxiliary of San Miguel, discusses the new Red Cross Complex planned for their site on the Libramiento and the 18-year effort to bring Medicare to Americans living in Mexico at this week’s Unitarian Univeralist Fellowship Meeting.

The new complex will include a much-needed public blood bank, a non critical care emergency facility, the region’s first confidential HIV/AIDS testing and referral center and an emergency medical training facility for restaurant and hotel workers.

According to Rossley, it is likely that a Medicare pilot program for three Mexican states, including Guanajuato, will be passed by the end of 2010. Implementation is expected sometime in the following year. 

The UU Fellowship meets every Sunday at 10:30am at La Posada de la Aldea, Ancha de San Antonio 15. Visitors are invited to attend the service and then join the UUs for coffee hour afterwards.

Midday Rotary Club

On Tuesday November 10, guest speaker is Carole Buncher who is visiting from Washington, DC. Known widely for her engaging, interactive, and fun-provoking training sessions, Carole is a skilled and experienced trainer and consultant. As owner of Carole Buncher and Associates: The Competency Company (CBA), she delivers training to audiences large and small throughout the US and internationally. She served with the US General Accounting Office for more than 20 years where she led a wide variety of engagements. Her areas of expertise include: ethics; presentation skills; auditing skills; creative thinking; supervision and leadership; and communications. Carole’s presentation “Active listening: going beyond just hearing” reminds us that successful communication involves listening as well as speaking. Our ability to communicate influences the perception that others hold of us and our effectiveness in achieving our goals particularly when working in teams. 

The Rotary Club of San Miguel de Allende-Midday meets Tuesdays at Hotel Real de Minas, intersection of calles Ancha de San Antonio and Stirling Dickinson. Check-in time is 12–12:25pm and the meeting starts promptly at 12:30. The meeting is followed by a luncheon and visitors are invited to stay for lunch and fellowship. Visit www.rotarysma.org  for more information.

Lions Club International

For information on the Lions Club, contact Mick Maguire 152-7523.

Mattress Project

St. Paul’s Mattress Project needs your clean plastic bags. Drop off in the special box at Bagel Cafe, Correo 19, or at La Conexión, Aldama 3; Biblioteca Pública, Insurgentes 25; or St. Paul's Church, Cardo 6.

Classes & Workshops

Via Organica workshop

Via Organica announces our third Organic Farming Workshop for Saturday, October 10 from 10am to 5pm.

This month’s themes are Fair Trade: Why and how we should promote a local economy with tianguis, tiendas and farmers markets and how we can protect the National Patrimony; Cold Weather Farming: what can we cultivate in times of icy weather? and Hands on Workshop: theory, construction, function and maintenance of dry toilets. This class will be taught by Beningno of CEDESA and includes a discussion of how a composting toilet can aid in water conservation and reduce water source pollution.

Tickets, 200 pesos, are on sale at the Via Organica Tienda, Margarito Ledesma 2, Colonia Guadalupe, San Miguel de Allende. For reservations e-mail: anamaria@viaorganica.org  rr call: 1852195.

Chess workshops

Free chess workshops for adults meet Mondays 5–6:30pm in the central patio of the Biblioteca Pública. Players also gather at Casa de la Cultura on Chorro, 10am–2pm on Saturdays and 4:30–7pm on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Bereavement Support Groups available

Hospice San Miguel sponsors two free bereavement support groups for area residents who have lost loved ones. The groups are small, so reservations are necessary.

The first group, led by Dorie Beach, is for English speakers and meets on Wednesdays, 11:30am–1pm in Centro. Contact Dorie at 154-7605 or delaplaya3@yahoo.com to arrange to attend the group.

Leticia Gonzales leads the second group, for Spanish speakers, on Thursdays, 5–6:30pm at Hospice San Miguel, Manuel Rocha 35 in Col. La Lejona. Contact Leticia directly at 044 (415) 113-9806 or lego_2000_mx@yahoo.com.mx  to arrange to attend the group.

For more information about the groups or any Hospice service, call 154-4287, email mail@hospicesma.org  or visit www.hospicesma.org. 

Tours & Excursions

Saturday Adventure Tours

These tours benefit the Centro de Crecimiento school for disabled adults and children and leave the Jardín, across from the Parroquia, at 10:30am on Saturdays and Wednesdays.

Botanical Garden Tour 

A guided tour in English of El Charco del Ingenio each Tuesday and Thursday, 10am–12:30pm, is a fun and informative activity for people of all ages. Enjoy a stroll in nature while learning about our conservation project and garden. Entry is 30 pesos (waived for members) and the tour is 50 pesos. We suggest you wear a hat and closed shoes. Reservations are not necessary. Information: www.elcharco.org  or 154-8838.

S.P.A. fun raiser on the Amazon 

Join the S.P.A. of San Miguel on a fundraiser into the Amazon. Judy Newell of Perfect Journeys will discuss "The Greatest Voyage in Natural History" on Monday, November 9, 5 pm, at St. Paul’s Church community center.

This trip is from March 28-April 4 and must be booked by December 15, 2009. Space is very limited. A contribution of up to $400 dollars per person will be made in your name, if 12 people take this trip. 

St. Paul’s Church is located at Calzada del Cardo 6, with plenty of parking at the nearby Cardo parking lot. Light refreshments will be served.

Performances & Events

Arthur Murray Dance Studio

Tuesday is the Newcomer Party at 7:45pm, students and visitors gather on Friday for the Studio Party at 8:30pm and Saturday is the Latin Party, also at 8:30pm. Every other Wednesday is Singles Night at 8:30pm; upcoming dates are September 30 and October 14. Parties are free to Arthur Murray students and 200 pesos for non-students (Singles Night is 100 pesos). Call today to schedule a free first lesson: 152-0095 or 044 (415) 106-4401, or stop by Hernández Macías 68.

Singles Social Group

San Miguel Wednesday Social Group now meets at the Sunset Bar in Casa Linda, Mesones 101, diagonally across the street from Teatro Ángela Peralta. Singles, couples and anyone interested in meeting new people are welcome every Wednesday, 5:30–7:30pm, for 2-for-1 national drinks, delicious Mexican botanas and lively conversation.

Wat? Vudu at Woolis

Hey Ya’ll, breaking news about Vudu Chile—we’ll be at Woolis Kaban on calle San Francisco for the next three Fridays. We start and 10:30pm and will be playing lots of the dance music you know us for in rock, reggae, funk, disco, soul, blues R & B, and new wave styles that will get you moving and grooving. 

Films & Videos

Meditation Center 

The Meditation Center of San Miguel presents What Is Meditation?, another new DVD from Eckhardt Tolle Thursday, November 12, at 5:30pm at the Center, Callejon Blanco 4. In this talk, Eckhardt discusses if we can realize the Self through meditation. Whether you are new to meditation or have been a long time practitioner, this talk can change the form of any meditation practice into a meditation without form. Learn the key ways to go beyond formal meditation. Then, with or without the use of practices or methods, realize and live who you are at the deepest level. Life itself then becomes a meditation.

Presentations of the Meditation Center are offered without charge. Donations are gratefully accepted.

Volunteer Opportunities



Does your nonprofit need some extra help, perhaps for an upcoming event? Send new, short requests for volunteers to edit@atencionsanmiguel.org  with “Volunteer Opportunities” in the subject line. Listings run for four issues.

Pro Musica

Pro Musica is San Miguel’s leading promoter of classical music, staging over 20 concerts every year at St. Paul’s Church. We hold wine and botanas receptions, champagne parties and dinners after many of the concerts. We are looking for a part-time volunteer to help us organize and oversee these functions between September and March each season. This is a fun role and an opportunity to meet a wide range of people on a social basis. Contact Pro Musica President Michael Pearl at 152-2688 or 044 (415) 100-1458, or email mpearl5493@aol.com. 



Biblioteca Scholarship committee

The Biblioteca Pública seeks volunteers for assorted tasks for the Scholarship committee. The Biblioteca Scholarship program is one of the longest running programs in San Miguel and has assisted hundreds of talented young people improve their lives.

If you require more information or if this volunteer opportunity appeals to you, contact General Manager Michel Amanton at the library, email michel@bibliotecasma.com  or call (415) 154-6000.



Volunteer Coordinator

The House & Garden tour seeks a volunteer coordinator. Ideally, the person lives here year-round, is very capable and organized. The hours are 10am to noon on Sundays. Preferably, the coordinator will have the flexibility to work a house if we run short on volunteers. The volunteer coordinator does just that, coordinates House & Garden tour volunteers on Sunday mornings for the houses and drivers. For more information or if interested, email jenniferhamiltonsma@yahoo.com.